Self-braking walker apparatus

A walker apparatus comprising:

• a frame, the frame comprising:
• a pair of lateral assemblies, each lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies comprising:
• a front leg, the front leg being adjustable in length;
• a rear leg coupled to the front leg, a top end of the rear leg being pivotably coupled to the front leg, a bottom end of the rear leg being movable alternately toward and away from the lower end of the front leg, the frame being positionable in a use configuration in which the rear leg extends downwardly and rearwardly from the front leg with respect to the frame, the rear leg being adjustable in length;
• a handle coupled to the front leg adjacent to the top end of the rear leg, the handle extending upwardly and rearwardly from the front leg with respect to the frame when the frame is in the use configuration;
• a grip coupled to a distal end of the handle with respect to the front leg;
• and
• a linkage coupling the front leg to the rear leg, the linkage comprising a front link and a rear link, the front link being pivotably coupled to the front leg, the rear link being pivotably coupled to the rear leg, the front link and the rear link being pivotably coupled to each other at a medial pivot, the front and rear links being aligned colinearly when the frame is in the use configuration, the frame being collapsible from the use configuration by moving the medial pivot upwardly with respect to the frame to urge the front leg and the rear leg toward each other;
• and
• a crossbar coupling the pair of lateral assemblies to each other, the crossbar being coupled to the front leg of each lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies;
• a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted to the frame, each front wheel being positioned on the lower end of the front leg of a respective lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies;
• a pair of rear wheels rotatably mounted to the frame, each rear wheel being positioned on the bottom end of the rear leg of a respective lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies;
• a pair of brake mechanisms coupled to the frame, each brake mechanism of the pair of brake mechanisms being engageable with a respective rear wheel of the pair of rear wheels to resist rotation of the respective rear wheel, each brake mechanism of the pair of brake mechanisms comprising:
• a brake arm pivotably coupled to the frame, the brake arm being movable alternately toward and away from the respective rear wheel, the brake arm being positionable in an engaged state in which the brake arm abuts an outer surface of the respective rear wheel;
• a bias member coupled to the brake arm, the bias member urging the brake arm toward the respective rear wheel, the bias member comprising a torsion spring;
• and
• a lever coupled to the brake arm, the lever being movable to pivot the brake arm away from the respective rear wheel;
• a pair of brake de-actuators mounted to the frame, each brake de-actuator of the pair of brake de-actuators being operatively coupled to a respective brake mechanism of the pair of brake mechanisms, each brake de-actuator comprising:
• a control arm pivotably mounted to the frame, the control arm being pivotable alternately toward and away from the grip of a respective lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies;
• and
• a Bowden cable coupling the control arm to the respective brake mechanism, the control arm being pivotable toward the grip of the respective lateral assembly to disengage the respective brake mechanism from the respective rear wheel via pulling an inner cable of the Bowden cable;
• a seat coupled to the frame, the seat being coupled to and positioned between the pair of lateral assemblies, the seat being pivotably coupled to the rear leg of each lateral assembly of the pair of lateral assemblies, the seat being positionable in a support position when the frame is in the use configuration, the support position including the seat resting on the crossbar such that a support surface of the seat faces upwardly with respect to the frame;
• and
• a backrest coupled to the frame, the backrest being coupled to and extending between the handles of the pair of lateral assemblies, the backrest being spaced upwardly from the seat with respect to the frame when the seat is in the support position, the backrest comprising a bar and a padding, the bar extending between the pair of lateral assemblies, the padding surrounding the bar.