Field of invention

This invention relates to support materials for elderly or disabled persons, more specifically to a three state inverse brake system for rollator.

Background

The number and percentage of people using rollators is increasing in most parts of the world, and the quality of life for these users depends on various support materials.

Rollators are one of the most important ones and enables the users to remain

independent, and carry out everyday tasks like shopping and move around according to own free will.

Safe operation of a rollator by a person with limited strength and limited control of movements is not a trivial issue. Loss of balance, sudden twitches, cramps and confusion may cause accidents. Different types of brake systems have been tried, among those an inverse braking system, which are fairly common in rollators as well as shopping carts. The invention described herein is an improvement on the inverse braking system specially adapted to the needs of elderly and disabled people. In particular Parkinson patients find themselves in a position where mobility, balance and muscle control slowly decreases and trembling and twitch increase. A rollator with a brake system that meet the needs of this group of patients is described herein.

Summary of the invention

The invention relates to three state inverse brake system for rollator wherein the three states are: A first state wherein the wheels are blocked, a second state wherein the braking power can be controlled by the user and the brake system revert to the first blocked state automatically if the user lose control, a third state wherein the braking power is fixed and not controlled by the user, and the brake system revert to the blocked state if the system accidentally slips out of the third state.

The brake system further comprises: a brake handle with locking means; a handle base to which the brake handle is connected comprising locking means mating with the locking means of the break handle in a locked position, when the break handle is in a lower position; a pre-tensioned brake cable connected to the break handle, pulling the handle towards the handle base; a brake cable anchor fixed to a lower bar of the rollator in a fixed distance to the wheel; a brake sleeve glidingly attached to the lower bar between the wheel and the brake cable anchor. The brake sleeve comprises: attachment means for the brake cable, a rearward directed wheel blocker, protruding horizontally at a right angle from the lower bar and toward the wheel, breaking means protruding horizontally at a right angle from the lower bar and toward the wheel at a distance rearward from the wheel blocker, pretension means for the brake cable located between the break cable anchor and the brake sleeve.

The brake system further comprises a brake wheel which is fixed to the wheel and rotate around the same axis as the wheel, having a shape on its radially outward facing surface matching the shape of the wheel blocker and a radially inward facing surface designed to create friction when engaging with the breaking means protruding from the brake sleeve when the brake cable is tightened. The brake handle is connected to the handle base by means of the pre-tensioned brake cable, wherein a front surface of the brake handle mates with a corresponding surface of the handle base, and the two surfaces forms upper and lower pivot points between the break handle and handle base, with the pre-tensioned brake cable being positioned between the two pivot points, thus enabling three positions of the break handle: a middle resting position with low tension on the brake cable corresponding to the first state; an upper regulating position with higher tension on the cable corresponding to the second state, and a lower locked position with higher tension on the brake cable corresponding to the third state, wherein the brake sleeve is formed and positioned such that the brake wheel is between the wheel blocker and the breaking means. Brief description of the drawings

For better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. Like numerals on different drawings describe the same feature.

Fig 1 shows a perspective view of the rollator in an unfolded state.

Fig 2 a, b, c shows the three states of the break handle.

Fig 3 a, b, c shows a cross section of the three states of the break handle.

Fig 4 and 5 shows the wheel with the brake wheel, the brake cable anchor and the brake sleeve in a perspective view and from above.

Detailed description

When using words like upward, downward, front, back, etc. it is always with respect to an unfolded upright rollator in normal use on a floor.

The frame of a rollator like the one shown in fig. 1 comprises left and right lower horizontal bar 1, 2 with wheels mounted near the ends, left and right upright bars 3, 4 and two units 5, 6 connecting the lower bar and the upright bar of each side. Normally the upright bars 3, 4 are fitted with height adjustable handlebars 7, a brake system and means for attaching a carrier bag, a seat, arm rest or other useful objects or contraptions.

Furthermore, the rollator comprises a cross bar or foldable system 8 connecting the two sides. It is also conceivable with one front wheel instead of two. Fig 2 a, b and c shows three positions of a brake handle 9 representing three states of the brake system: A first state wherein the wheel 10 is blocked and a pretension of a brake cable 11 is lower than the two other states; a second state wherein the braking power can be controlled by the user, for example by means of the brake handle 9, and the brake system revert to the first blocked state automatically if the user let go of control; a third state wherein the braking power is fixed and not controlled by the user, and the brake system revert to the blocked state automatically if the system slips out of the third state. In a preferred embodiment, the first state corresponds to the brake handle 9 being in the middle position, the second state corresponds to the brake handle 9 being in the upper position and the third state corresponds to the brake handle 9 being in the lower position The idea is that the brakes should be active to various degrees at all times in order to counteract trembling and unwanted movements of the body. Also, it is desirable that the rollator do not roll away from the user if the user stumbles or falls, and when a fall has occurred, that the user can grab hold of the rollator with the brakes already activated. Fig 3a, b and c shows possible configurations of the brake handle 9 and a handle base 12 which will provide a brake system with three states. The brake handle is provided with locking means mating with corresponding locking means in the handle base 12. The locking means in the break handle 9 is a hook 13 with a recess 14 and the locking means in the handle base is a bar 15 which mates with the recess 14 in the brake handle 9 in a locking position. The hook 13 and locking bar 15 act together with a lower recess 16 in the handle base 12 which mates with a protrusion 17 in the brake handle 9. The recess prevents the brake handle 9 to slide upward, thus keeping the hook 13 in a locking grip with the locking bar 15

This protrusion 17 also represents a lower pivot point 17 around which the break handle 9 pivots when the break handle is in its third state. The break handle also comprises an upper pivot point 18 and a resting surface 19 between the upper and lower pivot points. The handle base 12 comprises a mating resting surface 20, an upper pivot point 21 shaped as a corner mating with the hook 14 of the brake handle and a lower recess 16 mating with the protrusion 17 in the brake handle 9.

The pre-tensioned brake cable 11 goes through the resting surface 20 of the handle base 12 and is fastened to the break handle 9 close to the middle between the upper and lower pivot points 18, 16. When the break handle 9 is pivoted around the upper or lower pivot point 18, 16, the tension on the brake cable 11 will increase and pull the handle back towards the first state with blocked wheels and the two resting surfaces 19, 20 in mating contact.

The brake cable 11 may be running inside the structure of the rollator or more preferably in a cable housing 21 from the handle base to a brake cable anchor 22. As shown in fig. 4 and 5 the brake cable anchor 22 is fixed to an outer side of a lower bar 1 , 2 of the rollator in a fixed distance to the rear wheel 10, and a brake sleeve 23 is glidingly attached to the lower bar between the rear wheel 10 and the brake anchor 22.

Attachment means 24 for the brake cable housing 21 is provided on the brake cable anchor 22, and adjustment means 25 for the brake cable 11 is located either on the brake handle or the brake cable anchor. In one embodiment, the adjustments means 25 for the brake cable is a nut 25 adjusting the position of the attachment means 24 relative to the brake sleeve 23, or a nut adjusting the position of attachment means, for fastening the brake cable 11 to the brake handle 9, relative to the break handle 9.

Pretension means 26 for the brake cable 9 is provided between the brake cable anchor 22 and the gliding brake sleeve 23 pushing them away from each other. Preferably the pretension means 26 is a helical spring 26 around the brake cable 11. The level of pretension and adjustment is important for the system to work properly. If it is too tight it is not possible to reach the third state and if it is too slack it is not possible to reach the first state.

The gliding brake sleeve 23 comprises a rearward directed wheel blocker 27, protruding horizontally at a right angle from the lower bar 1, 2 and toward the wheel 10. The brake sleeve 23 further comprises breaking means 28 protruding horizontally at a right angle from the lower bar and toward the wheel at a distance rearward from the wheel blocker 27.

In one embodiment, a brake wheel 29 is fixed to the wheel 10 and rotates around the same axis as the wheel. The break wheel 29 has a shape on its radially outward facing surface 30 matching the shape of the wheel blocker 27 and a radially inward facing surface 31 designed to create friction when engaging with the breaking means 28 protruding from the brake sleeve 23, when the brake cable 11 is tightened. In a preferable embodiment, the shapes of the radially outward facing surface 30 on the brake wheel 10 and the wheel blocker 27 are vertical rectangular square shapes of same size.

In a preferred embodiment, the braking means 28 on the gliding brake sleeve 23 is a roller brake 28 which is pushed towards the inside of the brake wheel when the brake sleeve is moved forward. The inside of the brake wheel may be a flexible Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE). Good results have been achieved using a gliding bearing in the roller break and a fairly soft type of TPE.

The distance between the roller brake 28 and the wheel blocker 27 relative to the distance between the inner 31 and outer 30 surface of the brake wheel 29 decides at what point the wheel blocker 27 will release the blocked wheels when the user squeezes the break handle 9 in the first state. If the distances are nearly equal, the user must squeeze hard in order to release the blocked wheels and the breaking power of the roller break 28 will be fairly high. If the difference in distance is higher, the user must squeeze less in order to release the blocked wheels and the breaking power of the roller break 28 will be fairly low or even zero at the point when the wheel blocker 27 just have been released. In one embodiment, the distance between the wheel blocker 27 and the roller brake 28 is adjustable.

Combinations with the brakes on both wheels being connected to one brake handle is possible, and also the brakes cold be on the front wheels if the steering is on the rear wheels or the rollator could be without steering, thus making it more stable. Then the user would have to push/lift the rollator when turning. It is possible to fit the system to a steering wheel, but then the gliding sleeve would have to be fastened to a bar mounted on the hub and the hub would have the function of the break cable anchor.