The present invention relates generally to a position-adjustable accessory handle device for facilitated operation of a rollator. More so, the present invention relates to an accessory handle device that detachably attaches to a rollator in multiple adjustable heights and angles, so as to help a user in mounting, demounting, and maneuvering a rollator. The position-adjustable handle device provides an arced handle bar that detachably fastens to a rollator handle, serving as an extension thereto. An adjustment bracket fits between the handle bar and the rollator handle, allowing the handle bar to adjustably articulate in height and angle, relative to the rollator handle.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Typically, walkers are used tools configured to help in walking and standing upright. Often, the walker assists the aged, handicapped, injured, or otherwise experience difficulty in walking normally and require some kind of stabilizing assistance. In general, walkers include a generally U-shaped top frame member, having a base section and two arm sections supported horizontally at a convenient height above the ground by four legs extending rigidly downwardly from the two corner regions and the ends of the two arm sections. The legs are braced at one or more intermediate points along their length either by bracing members extending between the two corner region legs and between each corner region leg and the corresponding end leg. The handles of the walker are oriented to be gripped by the user. Further, a rollator is a type of walker having wheels, such that the walker rolls or glides across the ground surface.
Other proposals have involved walker extension bar accessories. The problem with these extension accessories is that they do not adjust in height and angle relative to the user. Also, they are not configured for attachment to a rollator. Even though the above cited walker extension bar accessories meet some of the needs of the market, a position-adjustable accessory handle device for facilitated operation of a rollator that detachably attaches to a rollator in multiple adjustable heights and angles, so as to help a user in mounting, demounting, and maneuvering a rollator, is still desired.
Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure are generally directed to a position-adjustable accessory handle device that helps a user in mounting, demounting, and maneuvering a rollator. The position-adjustable handle device provides an arced handle bar that detachably attaches to a rollator in multiple adjustable heights and angles, so as to help a user in mounting, demounting, and maneuvering a rollator. The position-adjustable handle device provides an arced handle bar that detachably fastens to a rollator handle, serving as an extension thereto. An adjustment bracket fits between the handle bar and the rollator handle, allowing the handle bar to adjustably articulate in height and angle, relative to the rollator handle.
In some embodiments, the position-adjustable accessory handle device comprises at least one handle bar that has a short proximal section and an opposing long distal section. An arced bridge extends therebetween. The proximal section of the handle bar has a grip member for enhanced gripping and manipulation of the rollator. Multiple spaced-apart fastening holes form in the distal section of the handle bar.
The arced bridge forms an angle that orients the proximal section towards the user, and allows for fastening to different brands of rollators, having different styles, angles, and heights of rollator handles. The at least one handle bar has interchangeable dimensions, such as differently angled bridges that achieve different orientations of the proximal section relative to the rollator handle.
At least one adjustment bracket fits between the handle bar and the rollator handle. The adjustment bracket is configured to create a frictionless pivoting articulation of the handle bar relative to the rollator handle. The adjustment bracket is also configured to enable the handle bar to be fixedly oriented at a set angle relative to the rollator handle. In this manner, the adjustment bracket allows the handle bar to be positioned in at least four angle adjustment positions relative to the rollator handle.
The adjustment bracket fixedly attaches the handle bar to the frame of the rollator through use of a first and second mount hole that align with the rollator fastening holes. Similarly, the bracket holes in the adjustment bracket, and the fastening holes in the distal section of the handle bar are aligned to a desired height for the handle bar.
The device also provides a fastener that passes through the aforementioned holes, so as to secure the adjustment bracket to the rollator handle, and to fixedly set the height and position of the handle bar relative to the adjustment bracket. The fastener passes through the rollator fastening holes, the mount holes, the bracket holes and the fastening holes to fix the orientation of the handle bars.
The handle attaches to the adjustment bracket by selectively passing and fastening the fastener to one of the bracket holes and fastening holes, at a desired length and angle. Furthermore, at least one spacer can be used to separate the adjustment bracket from the handle bar to prevent frictional interference therebetween.
The fasteners may include, without limitation, threaded bolts, butterfly screws, winged bolt, nuts, and friction fit fasteners. In one embodiment, the fasteners are configured to be turned with a coin or fingers through use of a slot at the ends, and a butterfly screw at an opposing end. The fastener is loosened to realign the fastening holes and bracket holes. The fastener is also loosened to adjust the angle of the handle bar for manipulation of the rollator.
One objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable accessory handle that attaches to a rollator handle and that can be set at an ideal height for manipulating a rollator.
Another objective is to provide an adjustable accessory handle that attaches to a rollator handle and that can be set at an ideal angle for manipulating a rollator.
Yet another objective is to allow a user to stop and rest while using the rollator, by either standing upright or leaning the elbows on the handles.
Additional objectives are to allow the user to rest the arms while also improving posture during operation of the rollator.
An exemplary objective is to provide an adjustable bracket that orients the handle bar at four different angular positions.
provide an accessory handle that is easy to attach to multiple styles and sizes of rollators.
Yet another objective is to provide an inexpensive to manufacture position-adjustable accessory handle device.
Other systems, devices, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims and drawings.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
A position-adjustable accessory handle device 200 is referenced in
Looking initially at
As illustrated in
Continuing with
Device 200 is configured to detachably attach to the rollator handles 104a-b at multiple adjustable heights and angles, relative to the rollator handles 104a-b. Device 200 is also configured with an arced bridge 208, so as to bend towards the user for easy gripping and maneuverability. The arc, or bend, of device 200 is fixed at an arc angle. Furthermore, device 200 is configured to height-adjust in small, 1″ increments for usability by users of different arm lengths and heights. In this manner, the user can also stop and rest while using the rollator, by either standing upright or leaning the elbows on the handle bars 202 that extend from the rollator handles 104a-b. Furthermore, an adjustment bracket 216 fits between the handle bar 202 and the rollator handle, serving as a friction negator that allows the handle bar 202 to adjustably articulate in height and angle, relative to the rollator handle and the user.
Looking at the handle bars known in the art,
Existing rollators have telescoping handles to accommodate different user heights. The telescoping section is what is illustrated in
As illustrated in
An example of an existing rollator handle bars that is shorter. This is shown in a fourth handle bar 406 that has a proximal section of 6.00″ and a distal section of 4.60″. The distance between the termini of the proximal and distal sections is 10.78″ (See
Turning now to
Further, an arced bridge 208 extends between the proximal and distal sections 204, 206. The arc radius of arced bridge 208 is fixed, but multiple interchangeable handle bars 202 can be used with the rollator handle to achieve different angles and lengths. In one embodiment, multiple handle bars with the different arced bridges defined by unique arc angles are interchangeably fastened to the rollator handle.
This use of multiple arc radii and lengths for the proximal and/or distal sections 204, 206 allows the handle bar 202 to accommodate different heights and arm lengths for the users. For example, a short user, or child, may require a longer proximal section 204 for the handle bar 202, and a greater arc angle for the arced bridge 208. This handle bar configuration 408, shown in
In some embodiments, proximal section 204 of handle bar 202 is compatible with a grip member 210. In one embodiment, grip member 210 that slides onto the terminus of the proximal section 204. Grip member 210 is used for enhanced gripping and manipulation of the rollator. In one non-limiting embodiment, grip member 210 has a textured surface. In other embodiments, multiple spaced-apart fastening holes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d form in the distal section 206 of the handle bar 202. Fastening holes 300a-d are configured and spaced, so as to align with correlating bracket holes, discussed below,
As
Turning now to
In one possible embodiment, adjustment bracket 216 is defined by a flat, triangular shape having an apex corner region 500a and a pair of base corner regions 500b, 500c. The apex corner region 500a, and area therearound, forms a first mount hole 502a used for mounting to rollator handle 104a-b. One of the apex corner regions 500b, and area therearound, forms a second mount hole 502b that is used for mounting to rollator handle 104a-b. The other apex corner region 502c, and area therearound, forms multiple spaced-apart bracket holes 504a, 504b, 504c, 504d used for height adjusting the handle bar 202. In some embodiments, holes 502a-b, 504a-d may have a generally circular shape.
As
In some embodiments, adjustment bracket 216 fixedly attaches handle bar 202 to the frame 102 of rollator through use of a first and second mount hole 502a, 502b. Mount holes 502a-b are configured to align with the rollator fastening holes 112a-c. In mounting, adjustment bracket 216 is moved along the length of the rollator handle 104a to a desired position for mounting thereto. Device 200 provides at least one fastener 214a-c that passes through the mount holes 502a-b and the rollator fastening holes 112a-c, so as to secure the adjustment bracket 216 to rollator handle 104a-b.
Similarly, bracket holes 504a-d that form in adjustment bracket 216, and fastening holes 300a-d that form in the distal section 206 of the handle bar 202 are aligned to a desired height for the handle bar 202. Fastener 214a-c passes through the fastening holes 300a-d and bracket holes 504a-d (See
Thus, fastener 214a-c passes through rollator fastening holes 112a-c, mount holes 502a-b, bracket holes 504a-d, and handle bar fastening holes 300a-d to fix the position and height of handle bars 202 to rollator handle 104a-b. For example,
For example, a taller user may raise the handle bar 202 so that the bottom fastening hole 300d of handle bar 202 aligns with the top bracket hole 504a, and then set the position with fastener 214a. In this manner, handle bar 202 is at the maximum height, and the proximal section 204 is easier for the taller user to grip. Thus, handle bar 202 attaches to adjustment bracket 216 by selectively passing and fastening the fastener to one of the bracket holes and fastening holes, at a desired length and angle. This allows handle bar 202 to attach to rollator handle 104a-b, and be easily set at an ideal angle for user to manipulate and receive support from rollator 100.
In some embodiments, fastener 214a-c may include, without limitation, threaded bolts, butterfly screws, winged bolt, nuts, and friction fit fasteners. In one embodiment, fastener 214a-c is configured to be turned with a coin or fingers through use of a slot at the ends, and a butterfly screw at an opposing end. Fastener 214a-c is loosened to realign the fastening holes and bracket holes. Fastener 214a-c may also be loosened to adjust the angle of the handle bar 202 relative to rollator handle 104a-b. Furthermore, device 200 may include at least one spacer 212a, 212b can be used to separate adjustment bracket 216 from handle bar 202. Spacer helps prevent frictional interference therebetween. In some embodiments, spacer 212a-b may include a metal or polymer circular component having a central opening to enable passage of fastener 214a-c.
These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings.
Because many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.
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