The present application claims priority to and the benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/892,907 entitled Crutch Auxiliary Carrying Device And Kit, filed Aug. 28, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and relied upon.
Internet research suggests that between seven (7) and ten (10) million pairs of crutches are sold in the United States per year. The use of crutches therefore seems fairly prevalent.
Crutches are often used for people with leg injuries that restrict the amount of weight that they can bear on a leg. Common injuries requiring use of crutches include sports injuries such as from running or skiing, slips or falls, car accidents, etc. Restrictions on weight bearing may also arise from surgeries for fixing bone or tendon issues. For some people, weight bearing restrictions may be partial or full and may last from a few days to a few months.
One common type of crutch is the axilla or underarm crutch. The crutches have a y-shape with a head or pad top, two rails and a leg for contacting the ground. Such crutches are often made of aluminum tubes or wood.
Users of such crutches face many challenges. They need arm strength to support their weight, the top pad of the crutch can cause nerve damage under the arm if not used correctly, stairs or curbs are difficult, and a wide area is needed to operate them, etc. Users also complain that walking with the crutches tires them and can leave arms, underarms, and/or legs sore. The users should also be careful not to fall while using crutches because they already have a leg injury that could be exacerbated by a fall.
One additional challenge that users face is that their hands should be fully engaged on the handles to control operation, support their weight, and avoid falls. This makes it very difficult for the user to carry anything. Carrying anything with the hands would make the use of crutches potentially unsafe.
The prior art includes carrying devices for crutches in the form of small or large backpack type structures that are attached to a crutch. However, backpack type structures are often made of canvas, denim or other durable fabrics that are heavy. This heavy weight may impede or hinder the use of the crutch. Further, objects in the backpack type structure may be free to move in the open space of the backpack. When the user swings the crutch forward and backward in use, objects such as a laptop may swing back and forth within the backpack casing a jarring action on the crutch and impede or hinder the operation by the user or create an unsafe condition.
One objective of the present disclosure is therefore to have a crutch auxiliary carrying device and kit that is lightweight and will secure objects to minimize jarring motions when the crutches are used.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, an auxiliary carrying device for crutches comprises: a clip including a base having a surface shaped to conform to a crutch rail, (i) an aperture through the base for receiving a connector to connect to the crutch via a hole in the rail of the crutch or (ii) a stud extending from the base for insertion through the hole in the rail of the crutch, and two arms extending outward from the base, the arms configured to secure a holder; and wherein the holder includes a bottom, at least one side and an interior cavity, the holder including an inflatable body such that the at least one side is compressible and expandable to conform to objects inserted into the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the arms include tips for engaging the holder.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the tips extend inwardly for engaging and compressing the holder.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes an indent for receiving the arms of the clip.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the indent includes an annular ring.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder is cylindrical.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity is cylindrical.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity includes inflatable ridges for engaging objects inserted in the cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges deform upon insertion of the object to form a firm hold.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges extend around the inner periphery of the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity of the body includes at least one sidewall that converges inwardly from the top of the cavity to the bottom of the cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes an outer shape of a trapezoid, and wherein the interior cavity has the shape of a trapezoid.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes a plurality of outer shapes and a plurality of inner shapes adapted to secure objects of different shapes and/or sizes.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the plurality of outer shapes comprises a partial cylinder and a partial rectangle.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes a plurality of inner cavities having different shapes.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the plurality of inner cavity shapes include at least two of a cylinder, a rectangle and cylindrical hole.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, a crutch including an auxiliary carrying device includes: a top pad, a plurality of rails extending from the top pad, a handle extending between the rails, and a leg connected to the rails for contacting the ground, the rails further including a plurality of holes for permitting insertion of connectors for holding the handle; and a clip including a base having a surface shaped to conform to a crutch rail, (i) an aperture through the base for receiving a connector to connect to the crutch via a selected one of the holes in the rail of the crutch or (ii) a stud extending from the base for insertion through the selected hole in the rail of the crutch, and two arms extending outward from the base, the arms configured to secure a holder, wherein the holder includes a bottom, sides and an interior cavity, the holder including an inflatable body such that the sides are compressible and expandable to conform to objects inserted into the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the arms include tips for engaging the holder.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the tips extend inwardly for engaging and compressing the holder.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes an indent for receiving the arms of the clip.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the indent includes an annular ring.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder is cylindrical.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity is cylindrical.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity includes inflatable ridges for engaging objects inserted in the cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges deform upon insertion of the object to form a firm hold.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges extend around the inner periphery of the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity of the body includes sidewalls that converge inwardly from the top of the cavity to the bottom of the cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes an outer shape of a trapezoid, and wherein the interior cavity has the shape of a trapezoid.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes a plurality of outer shapes and a plurality of inner shapes adapted to secure objects of different sizes.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the plurality of outer shapes include a partial cylinder and a partial rectangle.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the holder includes a plurality of inner cavities having different shapes.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the plurality of inner cavities include a cylinder, a rectangle and a cylindrical hole.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, a kit for providing auxiliary carrying device for crutches includes: a clip including a base having a surface shaped to conform to a crutch rail, (i) an aperture through the base for receiving a connector to connect to the crutch via a hole in the rail of the crutch or (ii) a stud extending from the base for insertion through the hole in the rail of the crutch, and two arms extending outward from the base, the arms configured to secure any one of a plurality of holders; and wherein the plurality of holders define a bottom, sides and an interior cavity, at least one of the holders including an inflatable body such that the sides are compressible and expandable to conform to objects inserted into the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the arms include tips for engaging one of the plurality of holders.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the tips extend inwardly for engaging and compressing the holder.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, at least one of the holders includes an indent for receiving the arms of the clip.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the indent comprises an annular ring.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, at least one of the plurality of the holders includes a cylindrical shape.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity of at least one of the plurality of holders is cylindrical.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, at least one of the interior cavities includes inflatable ridges for engaging objects inserted in the cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges deform upon insertion of the object to form a firm hold.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the inflatable ridges extend around the inner periphery of the interior cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the interior cavity of at least one of the bodies includes sidewalls that converge inwardly from the top of the at least one cavity to the bottom of the at least one cavity.
In an aspect, which may be combined with any other aspect or portion thereof, the plurality of holders includes a cylindrical holder and a rectangular holder.
The crutch 21 generally includes a top pad 22 and two rails 23 and 24 extending from the top pad 22. The rails 23 and 24 engage at the other end to a leg 25 adapted to engage the ground. The leg 25 may include a rubber base 26 or other surface for engaging the ground. The crutch 21 further includes a handle 27 generally extending between and perpendicular to the two rails 23 and 24. A connector 28 secures the handle 27 to the rails 23 and 24 such that a person may put their full weight on the handle. The connector 28 may be of any conventional type. In the embodiment shown, the connector 28 includes a bolt 29 and wing nuts 30.
Referring to
The clip 32 further includes two arms 36 and 37 extending outward from the base 32a and which are adapted to secure a holder 33. In the embodiment shown, the arms 36 and 37 are curved to form a generally circular space 38 between them and a gap 39. The arms 36 and 37 are made of a resilient and flexible or bendable material, such as a polymer, rubber, a bendable metal or a composite material. Materials that are light in weight are preferred in one embodiment.
Referring to
As will be described in more detail below, holder 33 in one embodiment comprises an inflatable body 40 that is compressible and expandable. As shown in
In an alternative embodiment shown in
Referring again to
In the embodiment shown, inflatable body 40 further includes a plurality of inflatable ridges 47 around the inner periphery of the cylindrical sidewall 45. The ridges 47 are shown extending around the entire periphery, but only a few ridges 47 may be provided in alternative embodiments. The ridges 47 are compressible and expandable to further provide a snug fit when a water bottle or other object is placed in the holder 33, to prevent movement of that object with respect to the holder and therefore avoid any jarring action when the crutches are used.
Inflatable body 40 may be made from a light weight material, e.g., plastic, which may be similar to or the same as found in common inflatable pool rafts. Inflatable body 40 includes a standard plug 40a (
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims. For example, while inflatable body 40 has been described as being filled with a compressible fluid, such as air, inflatable body 40 may alternatively be filled with an incompressible fluid, such as a gel or water. Also, while crutch 21 is shown being provided with a single auxiliary carrying device 20, a plurality of auxiliary carrying devices 20 may be provided for a single crutch 21. Further, one or more inflatable body 40 may be provided directly with arms 36 and 37 instead of with holder 33 carried by arms 36 and 37. Moreover, base 32a may alternatively include a stud, e.g., a threaded stud, instead of aperture 35, for extending through hole 31 in the rail of the crutch.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2020/047625 | 8/24/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2021/041308 | 3/4/2021 | WO | A |
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Entry |
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International Preliminary Report on Patentability PCT/US2020/047625—dated Mar. 10, 2022—2 pages. |
International Search Report—PCT/US2020/047625 mailing date Nov. 4, 2020—2 pages. |
Written Opinion—PCT/US2020/047625 mailing date Nov. 4, 2020—5 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210346230 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |