Combination crutch-walker

Abstract

An improved combination crutch-walker possesses the advantages of both a crutch and a walker. It provides the full support of a crutch combined with the stability of a walker. The device is a walker with a vertically adjustable crutch structure, attached to the upper body-supporting frame. The device has arm and hand supports that can also be adjusted so that the user's arms are extend to lock elbows, thus distributing the user's weight and allowing the user to utilize his own strength, in conjunction with stability provided by a walker's footprint.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A combination crutch-walker comprising: 
 (a) body support means for providing weight distribution of a user by supporting said user at the user's armpits, and extending said user's arms to handholds and locking said user's elbows; and,    (b) ground support means for providing a stable interface including at least 3 contact points with a substrate beneath said combination crutch-walker, said ground support means, being arranged to support said body support means.    
     
     
         2 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 1  wherein said combination crutch-walker is composed of material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, steel, high-density plastic, and wood.  
     
     
         3 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 1  wherein said body support means comprise a set of vertical body supports.  
     
     
         4 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 3  wherein said set of vertical body supports are attached to a first set of upper horizontal side supports, connected by an upper front horizontal support form an upper support frame.  
     
     
         5 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 4  wherein said set of vertical body supports are adjustable forward and backward along said first set of upper horizontal side supports.  
     
     
         6 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 5  wherein said set of vertical body supports comprise adjustable upper arm supports adapted to be positioned snugly under said user's arms at said user's armpits.  
     
     
         7 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 6  wherein said set of vertical body supports comprise adjustable handholds arranged to extend a user's arms and lock said user's elbows.  
     
     
         8 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 7 , wherein said front upper horizontal support connected to said set of upper horizontal side supports to form a first U-shaped frame.  
     
     
         9 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 8 , wherein said ground support means comprise a lower support frame having two lower horizontal side supports connected to a lower horizontal front support, forming a second U-shaped frame.  
     
     
         10 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 9 , wherein said body support means further comprise a set of middle horizontal side supports connected by a middle horizontal front support to form a third U-shaped frame.  
     
     
         11 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 10 , wherein said body support means further comprise a first set of vertical members connecting said first U-shaped frame and said third U-shaped frame at at least three different points.  
     
     
         12 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 11 , wherein said body support means further comprise a second set of vertical members arranged to connect said third U-shaped frame to said second U-shaped frame at at least three different points, said second set of vertical members extending at an angle from said first set of vertical members, wherein said second U-shaped frame bounds a larger area than said third U-shaped frame.  
     
     
         13 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 12 , wherein said first U-shaped frame is connected to said third U-shaped frame by at least four of said first set of vertical members, and said third U-shaped frame is connected to said second U-shaped frame by at least four of said second set of vertical members.  
     
     
         14 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 13 , wherein said set of vertical body supports are connected to said third U-shaped frame.  
     
     
         15 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 14 , wherein said upper, middle and lower front horizontal supports are adjustable.  
     
     
         16 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 15 , wherein each said upper, middle and lower front horizontal support comprises at least a pair of tubular telescoping members arranged so that one of said tubular telescoping members of each said pair slides within a second respective tubular telescoping member of said pair.  
     
     
         17 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 16 , further comprising locking means arranged on each of said upper, middle, and lower front horizontal support, and arranged to stop movement of each said pair of telescoping tubular members.  
     
     
         18 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 17 , wherein said upper, middle and lower sets of side horizontal supports are adjustable in length.  
     
     
         19 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 18 , wherein said upper, middle and lower horizontal side supports connected by said first and second vertical members form a trapezoid-shaped structure.  
     
     
         20 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 18 , wherein said ground support means comprise mobility means for effecting movable interfaces with said substrate beneath said combination crutch-walker.  
     
     
         21 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 20 , wherein said mobility means are selected from a group consisting of wheels, rollers, casters, slides, and gliders.  
     
     
         22 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 21 , wherein said mobility means further comprise braking means for stopping movement of said combination crutch-walker along said substrate.  
     
     
         23 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 2 , wherein said means for breaking comprise removable feet deployable to extend beyond said mobility means.  
     
     
         24 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 21 , wherein said ground support means further comprise at least one anti-tip bumper extending outward beyond the mobility means.  
     
     
         25 . A method for supporting a user with a combination crutch-walker comprising the steps of: 
 (a) stabilizing said combination crutch-walker by establishing at least 3 points of contact with a substrate supporting said combination-crutch walker; and,    (b) extending said user's arms and locking said user's elbows by means of a weight distribution device to support said user's weight.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said step (a) of stabilizing said combination crutch-walker comprises the substep of deploying said points of contact outwards from said weight distribution device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said step (a) of stabilizing further comprises the substep of deploying dedicated mobilizing means for effecting mobility at said points of contact.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said step (a) of stabilizing further comprises the substep of applying brakes to said mobilizing means.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said step (a) of stabilizing further comprises the step of extending feet beyond said mobilizing means to interface with said substrate.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said step (b) of locking said arms comprises the substep of adjusting upper arm supports on said weight distribution devices.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said step (b) of locking said arms further comprises the substep of adjusting hand supports on said weight distribution devices.  
     
     
         32 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 32 , wherein both said body support means and said ground support means comprise two substantially trapezoid-shaped frames, connected by at least one front horizontal support.  
     
     
         33 . The combination crutch-walker of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one horizontal front support comprises pivoting means for rotating said side body support frame with respect to said horizontal front support to fold said side body support frame against said horizontal front support.