Folding walker having latching mechanism

Abstract

A foldable walker includes first and second side frames, each frame having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg. A detent is urged by a spring or spring clip resiliently into engagement with a sleeve and a front leg. The sleeve surrounds a portion of the front leg and allows rotation and displacement of the leg relative to the first sleeve when the detent is disengaged. Alternately, a recess on the sleeve engages a pin, thereby preventing rotation of the leg relative to the sleeve. The detent is disengaged by a cable, or the pin is disengaged from the recess by depressing a lateral arm that is fixed to the sleeve.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A foldable walker, comprising: 
 first and second side frames spaced mutually, each side frame having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg;    a lateral arm interconnecting the first and second side frames, and fixed against rotation relative to the front legs;    a first sleeve fixed to the lateral arm, surrounding a portion of a first leg of a first member of a group consisting of the first side frame and second side frame, permitting rotary movement of said first leg relative thereto;    first spring means for urging said first front leg and said first sleeve into releasable mutual engagement, said engagement preventing rotary movement of said first leg relative to the first sleeve.    
     
     
         2 . The walker of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second sleeve fixed to the lateral arm, surrounding a portion of a second leg of the second member of said group, permitting rotary movement of said second leg relative thereto;    second spring means for urging said second front leg and said second sleeve into releasable mutual engagement, said engagement preventing rotary movement of said second leg relative to the second sleeve.    
     
     
         3 . The walker of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first sleeve carries a first detent;  
 the first leg further comprises a first surface adapted for engagement with a first detent; and  
 the first spring means comprises a spring continually urging the first sleeve to move the detent along said first leg into engagement with said first leg.  
 
     
     
         4 . The walker of  claim 3  wherein the first sleeve includes first teeth, and said first leg includes carries second teeth complementary to the first teeth and adapted to releaseably engage the first teeth in response to a force produced by the spring.  
     
     
         5 . The walker of  claim 1  wherein the first sleeve is formed with a first hole, the first leg has second holes spaced mutually around a longitudinal axis of the first leg, each second hole arranged to align with the first hole, further comprising: 
 a first detent adapted to releasably engage the first hole and a second hole; and  
 the first spring means comprises a spring continually urging the first detent into engagement with the first hole and a second hole; and  
 means for moving the first detent against the spring out of said engagement.  
 
     
     
         6 . The walker of  claim 1  wherein the first sleeve is formed with a first hole, the first leg has second holes spaced mutually around a longitudinal axis of the first leg, each second hole arranged to align with the first hole, further comprising: 
 a second detent adapted to releasably engage the first hole and a second hole; and  
 the first spring means comprises a spring clip supported on the lateral arm, carrying the second detent, elastically urging the second detent into engagement with the first hole and a second hole; and  
 means for elastically bending the spring clip away from said first sleeve, whereby second detent moves out of said engagement.  
 
     
     
         7 . A walker able to be opened for use and folded, comprising: 
 first and second side frames spaced mutually, each side frame having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg;    a first pin carried on and extending from a first front leg of one of the group consisting of the first side frame and second side frame;    a first sleeve surrounding a portion of said first front leg, having a first recess adapted to engage said pin, said engagement preventing displacement of the leg relative to the first sleeve;    a first spring urging the first recess and first pin into mutual engagement;    a second pin carried on and extending from a second front leg;    a second sleeve surrounding a portion of said second front leg, having a second recess adapted to engage said pin, said engagement preventing displacement of the leg relative to the second sleeve;    a second spring urging the second recess and second pin into mutual engagement; and    a lateral arm mutually connecting the first sleeve and second sleeve, preventing rotation of the first sleeve relative to the second sleeve and requiring coordinated linear displacement of the first sleeve and second sleeve.    
     
     
         8 . The walker of  claim 7 , wherein the first pin is located angularly about a longitudinal axis of the first leg and is directed radially in opposite directions from the first front leg; 
 the second pin is located angularly about a longitudinal axis of the second leg and is directed radially in opposite directions from the second front leg;    and further comprising: 
 first recess pairs formed on the first leg, each pair of said first recess pairs being spaced angularly about a longitudinal axis of the first leg, each recess member of a pair of said first recess pairs being aligned diametrically opposite the corresponding recess member of said pair, each first recess pair being adapted for engagement with the first pin, said first recess being a member of a pair of said first recess pairs; and  
 second recess pairs formed on the second leg, each pair of said second recess pairs being spaced angularly about a longitudinal axis of the second leg, each recess member of a pair of said second recess pairs being aligned diametrically opposite the corresponding recess member of said pair, each second recess pair being adapted for engagement with the second pin, said second recess being a member of a pair of said second recess pairs.  
   
     
     
         9 . The walker of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a first stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve; and    a second stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame relative to the second sleeve.    
     
     
         10 . The walker of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a third stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve; and    a fourth stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame relative to the second sleeve.    
     
     
         11 . The walker of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a first stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve;    a second stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame relative to the second sleeve;    a third stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve; and    a fourth stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame relative to the second sleeve.    
     
     
         12 . The walker of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a first stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement tending to open the first side frame; and    a second stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement tending to open the second side frame;    a third stop surface formed on the first front leg, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting rotation of the first front leg tending to fold the first side frame; and    a fourth stop surface formed on the second front leg, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting rotation of the second front leg tending to fold the second side frame.    
     
     
         13 . The walker of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the first stop surface is located adjacent a first recess of a first recess pair;    the second stop surface is located adjacent a first recess of a second recess pair;    the third stop surface is located adjacent a second member of said first recess pair; and    the fourth stop surface is located adjacent a second member of said second recess pair.    
     
     
         14 . A frame for a walker able to be opened for use and folded, comprising: 
 a first side frame, having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg;    a first pin carried on and extending from the first side frame;    a first sleeve surrounding a portion of the first side frame, permitting angular displacement and linear displacement of said first side frame relative to the first sleeve, having a first recess adapted to engage said first pin, said engagement preventing displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve; and    a first spring urging the first recess and first pin into mutual engagement;    a first stop surface formed on the first side frame, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame in a first direction relative to the first sleeve;    a second stop surface formed on the first side frame, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the first sleeve.    
     
     
         15 . The frame of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a second side frame, having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg;    a second pin carried on and extending from the second side frame;    a second sleeve surrounding a portion of the second side frame, permitting angular displacement and linear displacement of said second side frame relative to the second sleeve, having a second recess adapted to engage said second pin, said engagement preventing displacement of the second side frame relative to the second sleeve; and    a second spring urging the second recess and second pin into mutual engagement;    a lateral arm mutually connecting the first sleeve and second sleeve, preventing rotation of the first sleeve relative to the second sleeve and requiring coordinated linear displacement of the first sleeve and second sleeve;    a third stop surface formed on the second side frame, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame in a first direction relative to the second sleeve;    a fourth stop surface formed on the second side frame, located for contact with the second pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the second side frame in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the second sleeve.    
     
     
         16 . A frame for a walker able to be opened for use and folded, comprising: 
 a first side frame, having a front leg, rear leg, and an arm connecting the front leg and rear leg;    a first sleeve surrounding a portion of the first side frame, adapted to engage the first side frame against rotary displacement of the first side frame relative to the first sleeve; and    spring means for resiliently urging mutual engagement of the first sleeve and first side frame the first recess and first pin into mutual engagement;    a first stop surface formed on the first side frame, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame in a first direction relative to the first sleeve;    a second stop surface formed on the first side frame, located for contact with the first pin, said contact limiting angular displacement of the first side frame in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the first sleeve.