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US 8,573,613 B2Granted
Foldable walker apparatus
AssigneeEvolution Technologies Inc.
InventorJulian Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided a foldable walker apparatus with a wheel fork and a frame portion having a first end facing the wheel fork, a first bore extending from the first end towards a second end opposite thereof, an exterior disposed between the first end of the frame portion and the second end of the frame portion, and a second bore disposed between the first end of the frame portion and the second end of the frame portion. The second bore extends from the exterior of the frame portion to the first bore in a direction generally perpendicular to the first bore. A shaft couples with the first bore and includes a recess facing the second bore. A bearing outer race couples to the wheel fork and a bearing inner race couples to the shaft. A securing member extends through the second bore and engages with the recess of the shaft.
Claims20
A walker apparatus comprising:
- a pivotable wheel fork having a first end configured to pivotally engage with a ground-engaging wheel, a second end opposite the first end, and a bore extending from the second end towards to the first end;
- a frame portion having a first end facing the wheel fork, a second end opposite the first end, and a bore extending from the first end towards the second end;
- a shaft partially disposed within the bore of the frame portion so as to be coupled to the frame portion and partially disposed within the bore of the wheel fork;
- a bearing disposed within the bore of the wheel fork and having an outer race coupled to the wheel fork and an inner race coupled to the shaft, the bearing thereby rotatably supporting and enabling pivoting of the wheel fork about the shaft;
- and
- an alignment member at least partially disposed within the bore of the wheel fork, the alignment member having a first portion shaped to extend around and abut with the shaft and a resilient second portion configured to abut against portions of the wheel fork surrounding the bore, the alignment member thereby rotatably aligning and further supporting pivoting of the wheel fork about the shaft.
3 more elements
A wheel mounting assembly for a walker apparatus comprising:
- a pivotable wheel fork pivotally engageable with a ground-engaging wheel;
- a frame portion facing the wheel fork;
- a shaft coupled to a first one of the wheel fork and the frame portion, the shaft rotatably connecting to a second one of the wheel fork and the frame portion;
- a bearing having an outer race coupled to said second one of the wheel fork and the frame portion and having an inner race coupled to the shaft, the bearing thereby rotatably supporting and enabling pivoting of the wheel fork about the shaft;
- and
- an alignment member having a first portion shaped to extend around and abut with the shaft and having a resilient second portion configured to abut against and slidably engage with portions of said second one of the wheel fork and the frame portion, the second portion of the alignment member being spaced-apart from the bearing, the alignment member thereby rotatably aligning and further supporting pivoting of the wheel fork about the shaft.
3 more elements
A walker apparatus comprising:
- a pivotable wheel fork having an interior and an annular groove disposed within the interior;
- a frame portion having a first end facing the wheel fork, a second end opposite the first end, a first bore extending from the first end towards the second end, an exterior disposed between the first end and the second end and a second bore disposed between the first end and the second end, the second bore extending from the exterior of the frame portion to the first bore in a direction generally perpendicular to the first bore;
- a shaft assembly partially disposed within the first bore so as to be coupled to the frame portion, the shaft assembly including a shaft having a recess positioned to face the second bore;
- a bearing having an outer race coupled to the wheel fork and an inner race coupled to the shaft, the outer race of the bearing being at least partially disposed within the annular groove of the wheel fork and being coupled to the wheel fork;
- and
- a securing member at least partially disposed within and extending through the second bore so as to be coupled to the frame portion, the securing member also being disposed to engage with the shaft, the shaft assembly being fixedly mounted to the frame portion thereby.
3 more elements
A walker apparatus comprising:
- a pivotable wheel fork;
- a frame portion having a first end facing the wheel fork, a second end opposite the first end, a first bore extending from the first end towards the second end, an exterior disposed between the first end and the second end and a second bore disposed between the first end and the second end, the second bore extending from the exterior of the frame portion to the first bore in a direction generally perpendicular to the first bore;
- a shaft assembly partially disposed within the first bore so as to be coupled to the frame portion, the shaft assembly including a shaft having a recess positioned to face the second bore, the shaft assembly further including a pair of spaced-apart annular shoulders and an annular recess disposed between the pair of spaced-apart annular shoulders;
- a bearing having an outer race coupled to the wheel fork and an inner race coupled to the shaft, the inner race being at least partially disposed within the annular recess of the shaft assembly and abutting the pair of annular shoulders;
- and
- a securing member at least partially disposed within and extending through the second bore so as to be coupled to the frame portion, the securing member also being disposed to engage with the shaft, the shaft assembly being fixedly mounted to the frame portion thereby.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.