GB2358581A

GB2358581A - Wear indicating ferrule tip containing a cavity

Info

Publication number: GB2358581A
Application number: GB0101890A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kerry John Ford
Original assignee: KDB Engineering Pty Ltd
Current assignee: KDB Engineering Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-25
Filing date: 2001-01-24
Publication date: 2001-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-24
Also published as: GB2358581B; GB0101890D0; AUPQ527500A0

Abstract

The ferrule end has a ground engaging base 12 and a coupling 16 with an aperture 15 that contains the leg. The upper surface 18 of the base 12 extends laterally from the coupling 16. Voids 22, 24 extend from the top 18 of the base 12 towards its lower surface 20. At least one hole 22, 24 is deep enough, so that excessive wear is indicated by an opening 22, 24 forming in the bottom 20 of the base 12. The coupling 15, 16 may be by a ball joint (40 Figures 4, 5) These rubber feet are used on mobility assisting devices, e.g., walking frames.

Description

2358581 A MAR INDICATING FOOT The present invention relates to a wear

indicating foot for use on the bottom of a leg of a waUdng aid and othcr mobility assisting devices.

Walking aids and other mobility assisting devices such as for example, vg sticks and waUdug fi-emes are typically provided with one -vr more ground engaging rubber or plastics material feet. Depending on the specific purpose of the aid, the feet may be designed to provide frictional resisstance to sliding motion, for example with a walking :L 0 stick or to provide minimal friction resistance to assist in facflitating a sliding motion, for example for a walking fmme. In both instances the footifeet will eventually wear to the point where replacement is req, in order to ensure proper operation of the aid and avoid damage to both the ground engaging end of the aid and floor surfaces over which the aid traverses.

Often however, it is not possible to detect when the foot is approaching, or indeed beyond, the time for replacement- Particularly so as the users of such aids and devices may not have sufficient physical mobility or dexterity to manoeuvre the=elves or the aids/devices to a position to inspect the foot.

The present invention was developed to attempt to address the above problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a wear indicating foot for use on the bottom of a leg of a mobility assisting device, said foot comprising:

a coupling means for coupling the foot to said leg; a ground engaging base attached to an end of the coupling mems opposite the leg, said base having a bottom c for contact with the ground and an upper surface extending laterally from the coupling m substantially opposite the bottom surface; and at least one void opening on the upper surface and extending into the base to a predetermined depth in a direction generally towards the bottom surface, whereby, in use, excessive wearing of the bottom surfhco is indicated when the bottom surface of the base is worn away to the extent that the bottom surface rneets the void.

Preferably, the foot includes a plurality of voids are spaced around the base. The 'Voids may be evenly spaced around the base.

Preferably, the base includes an attachment portion for connecting the foot to the leg and a replaceable wearing portion that includes the bottom surface, the attachment portion including the upper surfl= and said at least one voll Preferably the voids are in the form of a weesse hole. Alternatively, or iii addition, the voids are in the form of a notch in the side of Ihe base portion.

In one, embodiment, the replaceable wearing portion is pivotally attached to the hment portion.

is in order to provide a better understanding, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which..

Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a wear indicating foot in accordance with the present invention..

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the wear indicating foot of Figure 1; Fig= 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the foot of Figures 1 and 2, having been wom through use; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of an altve wear indicating foot in accordance with the present invention, with a pivotal attachment between a base of the foot and a leg coupling means of the foot; and Figure 5 is the foot of Figure 4 showing the base in a pivoted position.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a foot or glide tip 10 which includes a ground engaging base portion 12. The foot 10 is coupled to a leg 14 of a mobility assisting device by a coupling means between the foot 10 and the log 14, in the form of a tightly fitting sleeve portion 16. The base portion 12 is in the form of a cylinder having a top surface 18, a side wall 19 and bottom surface 20. The bottom surface 20 is arranged to make contact with the ground in use. Extentling from the top surface towards the bottom surface am recessed holes 22 and a notch 24 in the side wall 19. 7he holes 22 and notch 24 are laterally spaced from the sleeve portion 16.

As shown in Fig= 2, the i=essed hole 22 and the notch 24 extends to a predetermined depth, indicated by D, into the base portion 12. The depth is determined so as to provide enough of the base portion 12 to wear to some extent, but when the bottom surface 20 of fite base portion 12 has worn excessively the wearing of the bottom surface will reach the bottom of the hole 22 or notch 24 as indicated in Figure 3 by 28.

Figure 3 shows a worn foot 11, which has its bottorn surface 20, worn. The worn away section is indicated by 26. It is usual for wearing to he even, but at an angle to the horizontal. When the wearing of the base portion is excessive the bottom surface 26 will be worn away to the extent that it will meet the hole 22 or notch 24. In the case of the hole :LS 22 this will be readily apparent as the ground will shown through the hole 22. The hole 22 or the notch 24 provides an easily detectible indication of when the base portion has become excessively worn. Without the hole (or notch), wearing of the base would not be readily dhable.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment of the foot 10, with the base portion f.2 attached to the sleeve portion 16 by a universally pivoting joint 40 that allows the leg to engage ground at an angle or allows even wear on the base portion 12 when used on uneven ground.

The pivoting joint 40 includes a socket 44 in a bottom end 42 of the sleeve portion 16 and a ball 46 projecting from the top surface 18 of the base portion 12. The ball 46 is received in the socket 44 to form the joint 40.

It will be clear to a sIdlled addressee that various modifications and variations can be made 0 to the present invention, such as the number and position of voids within the base portion may be whatever is suitable; the base portion may be divided into two separate regions, the top region having the voids being of one colour and the wearing region, Mow the depth of the voids, of another colour so as to assist in the detection of wearing of the base portion has become excessive; the wearing region may be detachable from the top region so that a worn wearing region may be replaced, the replacement wearing region may engage the top region by means of, for example, a threaded screw or an interferenm connection. lle sliqe of the foot may be disc-like, as shown, or rectangle, oblong with an upturned front end (commonly called a sId) or any other suitable shape.

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Claims

1. A wear indicating foot, for use on the bottom of a leg of a niobility assisting device, said foot comprising:

a coupling means for coupling the foot to said log; a ground engaging base attached to an end of the coupling means opposite the leg, said base having a bottom surface for contact with the ground and an upper surface extending laterally from the coupling means substantially opposite the bottom surface; and at 1 one void opening on the u',pper surface and extending into the base to a predetermined depth in a direction generally towards the bottom surface, whereby, in use, excessive wearing of the bottom surface is indicated when the bottom surface of the base is worn away tolhe extent that the bottom surface m" the void.

2. A wear indicating foot in accordance with claim 1, wherein the foot includes a plurality of voids are spaced around the base.

3. A wear indicating foot in accordance with either claim 1 or 2, wherein the base includes an attachment portion for connecting the foot to the leg and a replaceable wearing portion that includes the bottom surface, the attachment portion including the upper surface and said at least one void.

4. A wear indicating foot in accordance with claim 2, wherein the voids are in the form of a recessed hole

5. A wear indicating foot in accordance with claim 2, wherein at 1 one of the voids is in the form of a notch in the side of the base portion.

6. A wear indicating foot in accordance with claim 3, wherein the replaceable wearing portion is pivotally attached to the attachment portion.

7. A wear indicating foot substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.