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US 2009/0014043 A1Published application
Ambulation Assistance Apparatus and Methods
AssigneePropel Mobility
InventorSteven A. DeLace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of the inventive technology include, in various embodiments, novel ambulation assistance apparatus with upper and lower force absorbers, perhaps with different displacement per force rates, novel crutches or canes that are convertable and/or foldable, and novel axilla area force receivers that may conform to part of a user's thorax, for use as part of a crutch.
Claims28
1-18. (canceled)
An ambulation assistance apparatus comprising:
- a lower structural portion that includes a hand grip that receives a hand force from a user during use of said apparatus;
- an upper structural portion established above said lower structural portion and including an axilla area support that receives an axilla area force from said user during said use of said apparatus;
- and
- an upper force absorber established as part of said upper structural portion and configured to absorb said axilla area force;
- wherein said upper force absorber comprises a S curve shaped bar that flexes in response to said axilla area force.
2 more elements
26-58. (canceled)
An axilla area force receiver apparatus comprising:
- a force receiver body;
- and
- a force receiver body attacher enabling attachment of said force receiver body to an upper part of a crutch,
- wherein, when said force receiver body is attached to said crutch and said crutch is established in an operational configuration by a user of said crutch, said force receiver body has a three dimensional user proximate surface that has a thoracic cage proximate portion and an axilla proximate portion,
- wherein said thoracic cage proximate portion has a horizontal cross-sectional profile that is curved when undeformed, and
- wherein said axilla proximate portion has a vertical cross-sectional profile that is curved when undeformed.
3 more elements
69-78. (canceled)
An axilla area force receiver apparatus comprising:
- a force receiver body;
- and
- a force receiver body attacher enabling attachment of said force receiver body to an upper part of a crutch,
- wherein, when said force receiver body is attached to said crutch and said crutch is established in an operational configuration by a user of said crutch, said force receiver body has a three dimensional user proximate surface that has a thoracic cage proximate portion and an axilla proximate portion,
- said apparatus further comprising a spring established so that said spring acts in a horizontal plane and enables return of said thoracic cage proximate portion from a user conforming configuration to a biased configuration upon disapplication of a horizontal force applied by said user.
2 more elements
86-94. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.