Patent Application
20240342040
Hospital patients, nursing home patients, physical therapy patients, and others, often have mobility difficulties and need to use walkers, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids. Patients also may sometimes need other equipment, such as poles to hold intravenous bags (Hereafter called “intravenous poles” for short). An intravenous pole generally has wheels. A patient, while moving, may need to have multiple pieces of equipment move with them. For example, a physical therapy patient, or a patient of another kind, may need to use a walker to move, and also have an intravenous pole move with the patient so that the patient can keep receiving the substances contained in the intravenous bag. In the prior art, a patient who uses both a walker and an intravenous pole will need both hands to move the walker. The patient therefore will not be able to move the intravenous pole, while moving the walker. The patient will have to rely on nurses and other medical personnel to move the intravenous pole, or the patient will not be able to walk. If nurses or other health care personnel are helping to move a patient's intravenous pole, they are not available for other things. This increases health care costs. Patients will be dependent on nurses and other medical personnel to exercise, walk around, and reach the bathroom. Patients also will not be able to exercise, walk around, and do things like use the bathroom as much as they would be able to do if the walker and intravenous pole could be easily moved at the same time.
A physical therapist may also find that the therapist is more able to give therapy services to patients if the patients can move multiple pieces of equipment by holding and moving one of them. A patient may be capable of more, and longer, physical therapy sessions if the patient can move an intravenous pole easily by moving another piece of equipment, like a tray cart or a walker.
However, nobody has previously created a portable gripping device that can be used to connect two or more pieces of equipment together easily, so that the user can move one piece of equipment by moving another piece of equipment. Such an invention is needed, and it should preferably minimize how much an intravenous pole or a walker will shake when a patient is moving both of them together. The present invention includes a series of gripping mechanisms that can be used to grip one piece of medical equipment and hold it to another, for example, by gripping a walker and holding it to an intravenous pole.
This invention will increase mobility for patients, and make it easier for patients to exercise and engage in physical therapy. This, in turn, should improve outcomes for patient treatment, and increase quality of life for patients, nursing home residents, and disabled people.
Further developments of the invention also include the ability to activate the gripping device remotely, which might be more convenient for some users. A user can also keep track of the gripping device's movements and identified use information about the gripping device's movements to learn other things. For example, the user might learn about whether the user has been able to do as much exercise as the user desires. The user, or the user's physical therapist, might also learn whether the amount of movement the user makes has been slowly increasing or decreasing. This might be important for planning patient care in other ways.
The prior art does not include anything similar to the present invention, or any of its variations.
Petsch, at
The inventors' education at California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, University of Miami, Ave Maria Law School, and New York University helped them to design some of the embodiments of the present invention.
The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open-ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As one skilled in the art will appreciate, any of the software modules described below may be combined into a single software module for performing the operations described herein. Likewise, the software modules can be distributed across any combination of the computing systems and devices described herein, and are not limited to the express arrangements described herein. Accordingly, any of the operations described herein can be performed by any of the computing devices or systems described herein, unless expressly noted otherwise.
The below-detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes of the invention via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In some embodiments, some portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs).
However, those skilled in the art will recognize that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of one skilled in the art in light of this disclosure.
The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely examples, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermediate components.
Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable” to each other to achieve the desired functionality.
From the foregoing and the other information discussed below, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting.
The “gripping apparatus” is the part of the invention that actually grips other items that are not a part of the invention. For example, the gripping apparatus grips items such as the walker or intravenous pole.
The “gripping apparatus” is the central rod, first gripper, second gripper, and everything attached to them.
This patent is dedicated to Jose Arturo Zuniga, father of one of the inventors herein. That inventor would like to thank Mr. Zuniga for allowing her to dream big and teaching her to dream big.
Central beam (1). First gripper (2). Second gripper (3). Hard first gripper (4). Hard second gripper (5). Cross-beam (6). Subsidiary first gripper (7). Subsidiary second gripper (8). Individual user database (9). Non-fungible token (10). Remote control (11). Battery (12). Transmitter (13). Magnet (14). Electromagnet (15). Receiver (16). Angular gripper (17). Subsidiary beam (18). Combined patient database (19). Control panel (20). Vertical beam (21). Movement sensor (22). Mobile program (23). Central Program (24). Individual gripping apparatus database (25). Outer side (26). Inner side (27). Movement indicator (28). Remote control gripper (29). Suction cup (30). Combined gripping apparatus database (31).
A gripping apparatus, for this application's purposes, is the central rod, first gripper, second gripper, and everything attached to them.
Velcro is part of the class of hook-and-loop fasteners. Many of the embodiments discussed below will use Velcro, but other hook-and-loop fasteners can also be used in place of Velcro. In a hook-and-loop fastener, there are two surfaces. One surface features tiny hooks, and the other features smaller loops. It will be understood that in the embodiments discussed below, where Velcro is used, there will be at least one surface with hooks and one surface with loops, unless otherwise specified.
In the first embodiment of the invention, the outer side (26) of a first gripper (2) is attached to one end of a central rod (1), and the outer side (26) of a second gripper (3) is attached to the other end of the central rod. The first gripper and second gripper are made of flexible, but strong, material. The first gripper has at least two Velcro patches on its inner side (27), one with hooks and the other with loops, and the first gripper can be folded so that it surrounds an object in a way that allows the Velcro patches to contact each other and bind to each other. The second gripper also has at least two Velcro patches on its inner side (27), one with hooks and the other with loops, and the second gripper can be folded so that it surrounds an object in a way that allows the Velcro patches to contact each other and bind to each other.
A user can then use the first gripper to surround an intravenous pole, and bind the Velcro patches on the first gripper to each other, while using the second gripper to surround a leg of a walker, while binding the Velcro patches on the second gripper to each other. Then, the user can move the walker, and the intravenous pole will be pulled with the walker. The user can also move the intravenous pole, and the walker will be pulled with the intravenous pole. The user, in this situation, should wrap the first gripper and second gripper tightly enough around the intravenous pole and walker, respectively, that the intravenous pole will not shake when the user is using the walker and a connected gripping apparatus to pull the intravenous pole, and/or that the walker will not shake when the user is using the intravenous pole and a connected gripping apparatus to pull the walker.
In some versions, a portion of each gripper starting at the part of that gripper closest to the center of the central rod will be attached to the central rod. In other versions, the central rod will be attached to one point on each gripper.
The Velcro on the first gripper and second gripper can be designed in numerous patterns, besides two patches of Velcro on the inner side (27) of the first gripper and two more patches of Velcro on the inner side (27) of the second gripper. For example, Velcro patches can be placed on the outer sides (26) of the first and/or second grippers, in addition to, or instead of, Velcro patches on the inner sides (27) of the first and second grippers. The outer side (26) and/or the inner side (27) of the first and/or second gripper can also each include multiple Velcro patches, so that a user can decide which of the “hooked” patches the user wants to connect to which of the “looped” patches on each gripper. This arrangement might also make the gripping apparatus more flexible so that it can be used with objects and equipment with poles of different sizes. For example, this arrangement might make the grippers more flexible in gripping intravenous poles of different diameters.
Any Velcro patches on the inner side (27) and outer side (26) of each gripper can also be of different shapes and/or sizes from those in the first embodiment.
Some embodiments will include a first Velcro patch with hooks, and a first Velcro patch with loops, next to each other on a gripper, and a “corresponding” second Velcro patch with loops, and second Velcro patch with hooks, respectively, next to each other on a different part of the same gripper. The first Velcro patch with hooks is meant to attach to the second Velcro patch with loops, and the first Velcro patch with loops is meant to attach to the second Velcro patch with hooks.
All other configurations of the Velcro patches known in the prior art are explicitly part of the present invention.
All methods in the prior art of securing one of the grippers around an object such as a walker or intravenous pole, and then loosening that gripper when it needs to be taken away from the walker or intravenous pole, are explicitly contemplated by the present invention. All components in the prior art of securing one of the grippers around an object such as a walker or intravenous pole, and then loosening that gripper when it needs to be taken away from the walker or intravenous pole, are also explicitly contemplated by the present invention. Mechanical methods of attachment, and mechanical components for securing the grippers, in particular, would be explicitly contemplated by the present invention.
The present invention can use Velcro as a method of attachment on the first gripper and a different method of attachment for the second gripper, or vice versa. The present invention can also theoretically use one method of attachment for one gripper, and a second method of attachment for another gripper, where neither method of attachment is Velcro.
Here, a “manual hook” is a hook that is not part of a hook-and-loop fastener. A “manual loop” is a loop that is not part of a hook-and-loop fastener.
Some of the additional attachment methods that can be used for the first and second grippers include:
First, embodiments that use another hook-and-loop fastener in place of Velcro.
Some other embodiments of the invention involve grippers made out of a hard substance, such as metal or plastic.
A second additional attachment method involves designing the first gripper or second gripper with adhesives, so that the user can close the first gripper or second gripper, respectively, by pressing a part of the first gripper or second gripper, respectively, with an adhesive onto another part of that gripper. The user can then open that gripper later by applying pressure.
A third method involves designing different parts of a gripper (The first gripper, second gripper, or both) so that the parts of that gripper can interlock with each other around a pole. For example, the parts of a gripper can interlock when the user presses a part of that gripper. The parts of the gripper can also stop interlocking when the user moves or presses a part of that gripper.
A fourth method involves, designing different parts of a gripper (The first gripper, second gripper, or both) so that those parts of the gripper interlock with each other when another piece, such as a screw or a plastic piece similar to the screw, is added.
A fifth method involves, including manual hooks in a gripper, and also including manual loops, so that a user can manually place one or more of the manual hooks in one or more of the manual loops.
A sixth method involves, designing the parts of a gripper so that the parts of the gripper can be held together by friction, once the user puts the parts of the gripper together around an intravenous pole or other piece of medical equipment.
A seventh method involves, designing the parts of a gripper with a lock, so that these parts of the gripper can be locked together, and locked in place after the gripper surrounds an intravenous pole. A combination lock is one kind of lock that can be used for this purpose.
An eighth method involves, designing the parts of a gripper so that these parts of the gripper are held together by “snap-fits” when the gripper is placed around an intravenous pole or other piece of medical equipment.
A ninth method involves, designing the parts of a gripper so that they have threads, which can be used to hold the gripper in place when the gripper is placed around an intravenous pole or other piece of medical equipment.
A tenth method involves, using flexible joint(s) or hinge(s) on one or more of the grippers, so that that gripper can open or close on the hinge(s) or joint(s).
An eleventh method involves using a button on either the outer side or inner side of a gripper and having one or more attachment points for the button in places on the gripper, so that the gripper can be looped around or placed around an intravenous pole or other piece of medical equipment.
Many of these methods can be used with a battery connected to the grippers, or a battery connected to a motor that powers one or more of the grippers. For example, the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, and tenth methods can also use a battery connected to a motor that opens or closes each gripper when needed. Some grippers can include magnets and adhesives, in the same gripper. The magnets and adhesives can both hold the gripper closed when desired, and can reinforce each other.
These methods can potentially be used in combination, for example, a gripper can include adhesives and also include one or more manual hooks, which the user can hook into specially designed cavities in the gripper. A gripper can also include Velcro or another hook-and-loop fastener and also include one or more manual hooks, which the user can hook into specially designed cavities in the gripper to reinforce the effect of the Velcro.
The first through tenth additional attachment methods listed above can also be used, either individually or in combination, in grippers that are made out of a hard substance, such as plastic or metal.
A gripper can also use a soft inner portion, that surrounds the pole or other piece of medical equipment when it is used, and a hard outer portion that surrounds the inner portion.
It is also possible to add more grippers, if needed, to embodiments of the invention, to grip more pieces of equipment and move them in unison.
For this application's purposes, a subsidiary gripper is a gripper which, when the first and second grippers are placed level with the ground, is above either the first or second gripper, or both. Some subsidiary grippers will be subsidiary first grippers (7) or subsidiary second grippers (8). Subsidiary grippers are connected to a subsidiary beam (18) which is connected to a vertical beam (21). The vertical beam (21) is connected to the central beam (1).
For this application's purposes, an angular gripper is a gripper that is not the first gripper or second gripper, or a subsidiary gripper. An angular gripper will be attached to a cross-beam (6), which will be attached to the central beam (1).
Subsidiary grippers and angular grippers can also be constructed using any of the components and methods discussed above for the first gripper or second gripper. These methods can also be used in combination, as they could be used when constructing a first gripper or second gripper.
In some embodiments, a user can remotely control whether, and when, each of the grippers will open, close, and stay open or closed. The user can therefore control whether each gripper continues gripping, or releases, a piece of equipment, such as an intravenous pole.
The remote control can be a simple button, operatively connected to a transmitter (13), where the user can reach and press the button if needed. When the button is pressed in this version, the button would send a command to the transmitter, which would broadcast the command to all the grippers with which it is communicating. The command would tell the grippers in communication with the transmitter to stop doing what they are doing; To close if they are currently open, and to open if they are currently closed.
For the remote control to be most effective, any gripper to which the remote control transmits must include or be connected to some physical apparatus that can open or close that gripper when a command for that gripper to open or close, respectively, is received. Two examples of such apparatus are electromagnets in the grippers and motors in or attached to the grippers. Electromagnets in a gripper can be activated when the gripper receives a command to close, and de-activated when the gripper receives a command to open. A motor in or near a gripper can also cause that gripper to close when the gripper receives a command to close, or open when the gripper receives a command to open.
More complex versions of the remote control can also be built, and a version of the remote control can be built that commands each of the grippers in a gripping apparatus individually, no matter what kind of gripper it is, as long as some method of opening and closing that gripper in response to a signal from the remote control is part of the version of the invention that includes that remote control. For example, a remote control which commands the first gripper individually and commands the second gripper individually can be built.
It would be helpful for a remote control controlling a gripping apparatus to have input features (features that allow the user to input information) that allow the user to decide which gripper the user wants to control, such as a separate button for each gripper, with the remote control configured so that the user can control each gripper by pressing a button specifically designated for that gripper, after which the transmitter in the remote control will broadcast a command to the receiver where the command is configured differently depending on which button is pressed. It would also be helpful for a remote control controlling a gripping apparatus to include the capability to use the remote control's input features to specify whether each gripper should be open or closed; One way to do this is to have two buttons on the remote for each gripper, one for “open”, and one for “closed”, where, when the user presses each button, the transmitter in the remote control will broadcast a command to the receiver where the command is configured differently depending on which button is pressed.
As an example, for a gripping apparatus with a first gripper, a second gripper, and two angular grippers, a remote control can be built with four groups of buttons, with two buttons in each group. The groups of buttons command the first gripper, second gripper, and two angular grippers, respectively, to each open or close, with one button in each group for “open”, and the other for “close”.
In some embodiments of the invention, the transmitter (13) in the remote control (11) wirelessly transmits to a receiver (16) on the gripping apparatus. The receiver (16) operatively connects to some or all of the grippers, including the first gripper (2), second gripper (3) and any subsidiary grippers or angular grippers that are part of the gripping apparatus. The receiver (16) transmits the commands it receives to the grippers. The receiver can be designed to only send the commands the user directed to a certain gripper to that gripper. The grippers can also be designed so that each gripper recognizes commands directed to that gripper, and acts on these commands but does not recognize commands directed to other grippers.
In some versions, the remote control could include adhesive, and be stuck to another item like the user's bed, or include a gripper itself to grip onto equipment such as the edge of a hospital bed.
The remote control can also take another form. For example, it can include one or more sensors over which the user can move a finger. When the user moves the finger over the sensor, the remote control transmits to the receiver a command to close or open (as desired) one or more of the grippers.
The invention explicitly contemplates any device in the prior art that fulfills the functions of the remote control, and any remote control device in the prior art.
A remote control can also be designed that can control the first gripper, and second gripper in a gripping apparatus, where the remote control also controls any subsidiary grippers and angular grippers in the same gripping apparatus. One way of designing such a remote control is to include a different input feature for each gripper, such as a different button on the remote control for each gripper, or two buttons, one for “opening” and one for “closing” each of the grippers.
The remote control can also be used in embodiments where the receiver on the gripping apparatus connects to batteries that power that receiver.
The remote control can also be used in embodiments where the gripping apparatus includes one or more batteries (12) to power the grippers, so that the grippers can open or close. The remote control can be used in embodiments where the gripping apparatus includes one or more batteries (12) that power motors that open or close one or more of the grippers.
In some embodiments the remote control and one or more grippers may be designed so that the user can choose how much to close one of these grippers. For example, the remote control can be designed so that when a user presses the “close” button for one of the grippers, the gripper can close gradually, and stop closing if the user stops pressing the “close” button for that gripper.
All methods for achieving this effect in the prior art can also be used.
The movement sensor is present in some embodiments of the invention. It is placed in the gripping apparatus, is a part of the gripping apparatus, and it monitors whether, and when, the gripping apparatus moves. The purpose of the movement sensor is to monitor the amount that the gripping apparatus is moving in a defined time period (Such as a day, week month, or the length of time since the movement sensor was installed on that gripping apparatus), so that the amount of time that the gripping apparatus is being used can be monitored. Benefits of monitoring the amount of time that the gripping apparatus is being used include monitoring the amount of time that the patient using that gripping apparatus is moving. If the patient moves more, that can be a good indication for the patient's health or recovery. If the patient moves less, that can be an indication of problems, such as the patient not recovering on the expected schedule. It can also be an indication, in some cases, that the patient is not doing prescribed physical therapy.
All types of movement sensors in the prior art can fulfill the purpose of the movement sensor.
In some embodiments, the movement sensor may draw power from the battery (12).
The movement indicator, in some embodiments of the invention, is a component, on a gripping apparatus, that shows how much one or more of the grippers has been closed, either in a certain defined period of time, or in the total period of time since that gripping apparatus was manufactured. The movement indicator can be used to quickly, roughly, find out how much a gripping apparatus has been used in a period of time, which may show how much a patient using that gripping apparatus has walked around or exercised during that time period.
Information about when grippers in a gripping apparatus are opened or closed, and about when the gripping apparatus moves, will be hereafter called “use information”. A gripping apparatus is most likely being used when one of its grippers is opened, or closes, or when the gripping apparatus moves.
The movement indicator can be connected to the movement sensor, so that as the movement sensor monitors the movement of the gripping apparatus of which it is a part, the movement sensor sends use information to the movement indicator. In some embodiments, the movement indicator will change color as it receives more use information, from the movement sensor saying that the gripping apparatus has moved in a time period. Therefore, a caregiver will be able to quickly determine how much the gripping apparatus (And, by inference, the user, because the user will use the gripping apparatus to move equipment while the user is moving), has moved during that time period. In some embodiments, the movement indicator will display a numerical indication of the amount that the gripping apparatus has moved in a specified time period, such as the amount that the gripping apparatus has moved in a day, or 24-hour period. The indication can be in the form of a display of number of feet moved, number of meters moved, or use some other distance measure.
All methods of constructing the movement indicator in the prior art can be used in the present invention.
In some embodiments, the movement indicator may draw power from a battery which is part of the gripping apparatus.
The Mobile Program
Some embodiments of the invention will include an “app”, or computer program, that can be loaded onto a smart phone, desktop, laptop, smartwatch, or other computing device belonging to a patient, physician, or therapist. Hereafter, smart phones, desktops, laptops, smartwatches, and other computing devices will be called simply “computing devices”. The app, which is the mobile program (23) can include the capability to use the computing device's wireless broadcasting capability to communicate with receivers on the gripping apparatus, telling components of the gripping apparatus to open or close. Thus, when desired, the gripper(s) provide a firm grip around a first piece of equipment, so that this first piece of equipment can be moved when the patient moves a second piece of equipment, to which the gripper(s) are also connected. For example, in one embodiment, if the mobile program (23) is on a patient's cellular phone, the mobile program (23) can use the cellular phone's wireless broadcasting capability to communicate with a receiver on the gripping apparatus, telling that receiver to send a signal to electromagnets, causing those electromagnets (15) to activate, where those electromagnets are part of either the first gripper (2) or second gripper (3), or both, in the gripping apparatus, so that the first gripper and/or second gripper, respectively, will close when the user desires.
In other embodiments where the grippers to which the mobile program transmits each include or are connected to some physical apparatus that can open or close that gripper when a command for that gripper to open or close, respectively, is received, the mobile program (23) on the user's computing device will, when the user desires, use the cellular phone's wireless broadcasting capability to send a signal to a receiver on the gripping apparatus, saying that one or more of the grippers in the gripping apparatus should open or close. The receiver will then send a signal to the appropriate gripper on the gripping apparatus, causing that gripper to open or close using whatever physical apparatus that gripper is connected to or includes that can open or close that gripper.
It is important to note that herein, when information is described as being broadcast, and then carried using the internet to another point or component of the invention, it is expected that this information, after being broadcast, will be received by local wireless networks, routers, etc. that connect to the internet, and then the information will be sent over the internet until it reaches the component or location that it is described as reaching.
When use information is collected and/or is broadcast, care must be taken to make sure that users' private medical information is appropriately protected. Users' private medical information can be protected using some of the methods discussed herein. Users' private medical information can also be protected using other methods known in the prior art. The use of all such methods to protect users' private medical information is explicitly part of the present invention.
Some versions of the mobile program can include a module (The movement indicator module) that fulfills the same goals as the movement indicator. In embodiments of the invention where a transmitter (13) is present in the gripping apparatus, the transmitter in the gripping apparatus can be programmed with a unique identifier for that individual gripping apparatus, such as a serial number. The transmitter in the gripping apparatus can then broadcast use information (preferably including the unique identifier or another way of defining which gripping apparatus is broadcasting the use information), which will be received by nearby computing devices that are running the mobile program. Then, the movement indicator module in one of the mobile programs, running on a nearby computing device, will display an indicator of the amount that that gripping apparatus has moved, or how much one or more of the grippers on that gripping apparatus has opened and/or closed.
Hereafter, use information that identifies the unique gripping apparatus to which the use information pertains shall be called “identified use information”.
In some embodiments, when the Central Program (24) receives identified use information, the central program (24) saves the identified use information sent by each individual gripping apparatus to an individual gripping apparatus database (25) which records when the grippers on that individual gripping apparatus, were opened and/or closed, and/or when that individual gripping apparatus moved. The use information broadcast by the transmitters in gripping apparatuses and received by the Central Program (24) can also be saved in a combined gripping apparatus database (31) which includes information about the use of as many gripping apparatuses as possible. Note that information about which patient was using each of the gripping apparatuses, and other medical information about the patients, could not be readily discerned from identified use information about when the grippers on individual gripping apparatuses, were opened and/or closed, and/or when that individual gripping apparatus moved, so use information without identifying information for the user using each gripping apparatus would probably not be subject to patient confidentiality requirements.
In some embodiments, the mobile program will include a capability for the user to enter a unique identifier, (such as a serial number), of a gripping apparatus, that the user intends to use, into the mobile program (23). The unique identifier for the gripping apparatus can then be associated with a unique identifier for the user. Hereafter, the user whose unique identifier is associated with the gripping apparatus' unique identifier will be called an “associated user” of that gripping apparatus, and the gripping apparatus will be called an “associated gripping apparatus” of that user.
Then, the identified use information broadcasted thereafter by the transmitter (13) attached to that particular associated gripping apparatus can be added to the individual user database (9) for the associated user, and the individual user database (9) and movement indicator module in the mobile program (23) being used by the associated user will both include the identified use information broadcast by the transmitter (13) attached to that associated gripping apparatus.
Different embodiments of the invention include multiple ways, that the identified use information broadcast by the transmitter attached to the associated gripping apparatus can be added to the individual user database (9) for an associated user, and be accessible to the movement indicator module in the mobile program (23) being used by the associated user.
One such way is that the identified use information broadcast by the transmitter attached to the associated gripping apparatus can be received directly by the associated user's computing device using the computing device's wireless receiving capability, and then the mobile program (23) on the associated user's computing device will directly use its own movement indicator module to provide a visual depiction of the identified use information the computing device has received from the transmitter attached to the associated gripping apparatus. This indication can have many forms, such as a bar that is displayed on the computing device's screen, with different colors for the bar representing different amounts of movement of the associated gripping apparatus during a certain defined time period. This indication can also be a number, displayed on the computing device's screen, where the number represents the number of feet, meters, or number of some other distance unit, that the particular associated gripping apparatus has moved during a defined time period (such as the last day, last week, etc.). The computing device can also re-broadcast the identified use information it receives, to ensure that this identified use information is transmitted over the internet until it reaches the central program (24), which integrates the identified use information into the individual user database (9) for the associated user. The individual user database (9) for the associated user is available over the internet to the associated user's mobile program (23) and information from this individual database (9) can be displayed by the mobile program (23) for the associated user.
A second way is that the identified use information that the transmitter attached to the associated gripping apparatus broadcasts is carried, using the internet, until this identified use information reaches the central program (24), which will then integrate this identified use information into the individual user database (9) for the associated user. The central program (24) will also broadcast the identified use information over the internet so that the identified use information is available to the mobile program (23) of the associated user of that gripping apparatus, and the identified use information generated by the associated gripping device can be used by the movement indicator module of the mobile program (23) of the associated user to generate a visual indication of when the grippers in that associated gripping apparatus have been opened and/or closed, and how much and when that gripping apparatus has moved, during a certain time period. The visual indication can take any of the forms discussed herein.
In some embodiments, identified use information from gripping apparatuses associated with users that is received by the central program (24) will also be integrated, by the central program (24), into the combined patient database (19) so that researchers can try to find patterns in the use information related to multiple patients and multiple gripping apparatuses. Any of the methods in the prior art, including those discussed herein, for ensuring that the information reaches from the transmitters in the gripping apparatuses to the central program, can be used.
In some embodiments, the central program will integrate all use information, or all identified use information from gripping apparatuses received by the central program into the combined gripping apparatus database (31) and the central program will also integrate the identified use information it receives from each gripping apparatus into an individual gripping apparatus database (25) for that gripping apparatus. Any of the methods in the prior art, including those discussed herein, for ensuring that the information reaches from the transmitters in the gripping apparatuses to the central program, can be used.
The combined gripping apparatus database and/or the individual gripping apparatus database will not be part of some other embodiments. Any of the methods in the prior art, including those discussed herein, for ensuring that the information reaches from the transmitters in the gripping apparatuses to the central program, can be used in these embodiments.
A user may be able to identify themselves in the mobile program (23) by inputting their unique identifier into the mobile program (23).
In some embodiments of the invention, a user might be considered “associated” with a gripping apparatus if the user's computing device, running the mobile program (23) is within a certain proximity of that gripping apparatus; For example, within 10 feet of that gripping apparatus. The inventors are unsure if these embodiments will become widespread.
Users should also have the ability to use the mobile program to “disassociate” themselves from gripping apparatuses with which they were previously associated, so that after they “disassociate” themselves they would no longer be considered associated with those gripping apparatuses. Administrators of the system, such as administrators of a central program (24), may, in some embodiments, also have the ability to dissociate a user from a gripping apparatus.
The Individual user database, Combined Patient Database, Individual Gripping Apparatus Database, and Combined Gripping Apparatus Database
The Individual user database (9) is a database in which identified use information pertaining to a unique individual user, and a unique identifier for the user, is stored. Most embodiments will also include the unique identifiers of the gripping apparatuses that the user was associated with in the past, and identified use information pertaining to the occasions that the user used those gripping apparatuses, such as the times that the grippers on those gripping apparatuses were opened or closed, and the movement of those gripping apparatuses. The Individual user database (9) can be used, among other reasons, to track the progress of a user's physical therapy, or healing, and to understand the history of a user's ailments, or to understand more about a user's medical history in general.
The Combined Patient Database (19) is a database where identified use information pertaining to all individual users, is stored. The unique identifiers for these users can also be stored in the Combined Patient Database, or, in some embodiments, these unique identifiers can be kept out of the Combined Patient Database, to preserve users' anonymity. Unique identifiers of the gripping apparatuses that each user was associated with in the past, and identified use information pertaining to the occasions that each user used each gripping apparatus, such as the times that the grippers on that gripping apparatus were opened or closed, while the user was associated with that gripping apparatus, and the movement of that gripping apparatus while the user was associated with that gripping apparatus, will also be stored in the Combined Patient Database in most embodiments.
In some embodiments, the Combined Patient Database (19) can also include use information from occasions no user was associated with a gripping apparatus, but the grippers on that gripping apparatus were open or closed, or the gripping apparatus moved. This use information could potentially be included in the Combined Patient Database (19) even in embodiments where the unique identifier of users, when available, are included in the Combined Patient Database. Such embodiments could be designed so that the unique identifier of the user will simply not be entered when not available, but other available information will be entered in a data point.
In embodiments where the unique identifiers of users are not included in the Combined Patient Database (19), identified use information from occasions where no user was associated with a gripping apparatus, but the grippers on that gripping apparatus were open or closed, or the gripping apparatus moved, can also be included in the Combined Patient Database (19).
The Combined Patient Database (19) can be used by researchers in many ways. For example, it can be used by researchers to find trends among when users use the gripping apparatuses, and how much a user will use a gripping apparatus of each type. The Combined Patient Database (19) can also be useful for tracking patient outcomes, and determining what kinds of outcomes are associated with certain patterns of use of the gripping apparatuses.
The individual gripping apparatus database (25) is a database where identified use information pertaining to a specific gripping apparatus is stored. It can be used, among other purposes, to track use of that gripping apparatus, and to decide when that gripping apparatus should be replaced. In some embodiments, an individual user or the user's caregiver could also potentially view the records in the individual gripping apparatus database for a certain gripping apparatus, pertaining to the time that the user needs to use, or has used, that gripping apparatus. By examining the records in the individual gripping apparatus database pertaining to the time that the user needs to use, or has used, that gripping apparatus, the user or the user's caregiver might gain information about patterns in the user's use of that gripping apparatus, without associating the user's unique identifier with the gripping apparatus's unique identifier.
The combined gripping apparatus database (31) is a database where use information from all gripping apparatuses that transmitted use information to the central program (24) is stored. The combined gripping apparatus database (31) can be used to track trends in the use of gripping apparatuses, and to decide when a gripping apparatus should be replaced, or on policy about when gripping apparatuses should be replaced. In some embodiments, only identified use information from all gripping apparatuses that transmitted identified use information to the central program (24) is stored in the combined gripping apparatus database (31).
A blockchain is a digital ledger in which a record of transactions is kept and maintained across multiple computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network. The multiple computers are decentralized “nodes” of the blockchain. Each of the computers carries a complete copy of the blockchain. New transactions on a blockchain are saved in “blocks” on the blockchain. For a block to be altered after it is created, the block would have to be altered across the entire network, which makes it unfeasible to alter the blocks after they have been entered into the blockchain.
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that can be used to certify authenticity and/or ownership (as of a specific digital asset and specific rights relating to it). Non-fungible tokens can be used to certify that a digital asset is unique. Non-fungible tokens can be stored using blockchain technology.
Non-fungible tokens need to be “minted”, meaning that they will be published on the blockchain. Minting often carries an additional cost, called “gas”. Gas prices vary, so those minting an NFT should try to pick a time to mint when gas prices on that blockchain are relatively low.
Here, a non-fungible token can be minted for the individual user database of each user. This can provide exceptionally secure records of, and access to, the user's identified use information. These records can be accessed by the entity with custody of the non-fungible token. A NFT can be minted that provides access to the individual user database of each user, or to part of the individual user database for that user (For example, to the identified use data that was created while a certain user was using a certain gripping apparatus).
Likewise, NFTs can be minted that provide exceptionally secure records of, and access to, the Combined Patient Database (19), or to parts of the Combined Patient Database (19).
NFTs can also be minted that provide secure records of, and access to, the individual gripping apparatus database for each individual gripping apparatus, or the combined gripping apparatus database, or to part of the combined gripping apparatus database. An entity that owns or is considering purchasing a large number of gripping apparatuses might use one of these NFTs to examine the identified use information pertaining to the gripping apparatuses, to see how much they have been used and whether any of them likely need to be replaced.
The Central Program (24) in some embodiments of the invention is a program that receives information over the internet about the movement of multiple gripping apparatuses and possibly also other information, such as information about when components of the gripping apparatuses are activated, from the transmitters (13) connected to these multiple gripping apparatuses. This information will be hereafter part of “use information”. The Central Program (24) can receive the use information directly or indirectly. One way, that it can receive the use information indirectly is that the Central Program (24) can receive some of the use information that was A. Received by users' computing devices from transmitters (13) attached to gripping apparatuses, that have broadcast this use information, and B. re-broadcast by the users' computing devices.
In some embodiments, when the Central Program (24) receives the use information, the central program (24) sends the identified use information sent by each individual gripping apparatus to an individual gripping apparatus database (25) for that gripping apparatus. The use information received by the Central Program from all gripping apparatuses can also be sent to a Combined Gripping Apparatus Database. In embodiments where it is possible to identify which user was controlling each gripping apparatus on the occasions when that gripping apparatus generated identified use information, The central program (24) can also send the identified use information that each user thus generated to an individual user database for that user. The central program (24) also can send all of the identified use information to a Combined Patient Database.
The central program (24), in some embodiments of the invention, can also be used to interact, either directly or indirectly, with a blockchain, and mint non-fungible tokens for the purposes discussed above.
The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible, and alternatives are implicit, or obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually represent equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made to the embodiments that have been described, without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.
It is important to note that the software components of the invention can be structured in any way known in the prior art, including, but not limited to, being placed on a “cloud”, or being placed on some type of central processor.
Furthermore, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, whether it is a variation of an apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or a variation in any element of an embodiment. As the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words describing each element may be replaced by equivalent apparatus terms, even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted, when desired, to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking the action in question, or may be expressed as an element for causing the action in question.
Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
The remote control gripper (29) is a gripper attached to a remote control (11) in some embodiments of the invention. The remote control gripper (29) can have any of the configurations for a gripper discussed elsewhere in this application. The remote control gripper (29) is intended for the purpose of keeping the remote control (11) attached to a place where the user can use it conveniently, such as one of the rods that is part of a hospital bed.
A suction cup (30) is attached to the remote control (11) and/or the gripping apparatus in some embodiments of the invention. A suction cup (30) can be attached to a remote control, along with, or instead of, a remote control gripper (29), so that the remote control can be easily attached to a location like a wall, and found easily when the user wants to find it. A suction cup (30) can be attached to a gripping apparatus so that the gripping apparatus can be easily attached to a location like a wall, and found easily when the user wants to find it.
Other embodiments of the invention are possible. For example, an embodiment with a central rod (1) that has variable length is possible. All ways of creating such a central rod are explicitly within the prior art. One way of creating such a central rod is for the central rod to include two or more subsections, with a stiffening component for holding the two subsections in place. The stiffening component could also be loosened when the central rod's length needs to be adjusted.
For example, in one version the two or more subsections can each have a groove. The stiffening component can include a part that fits into each of the grooves. The stiffening component will include other parts that are too large to fit through the grooves, so the stiffening component will be permanently in contact with the subsections. The stiffening component, in this version and similar versions, can be loosened to allow the user to change the amount of the lengths of the subsections that overlap. Then, the stiffening component can be tightened, which will ensure that the subsections stay in the same positions relative to each other.
The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of systems, methods, and embodiments of various other aspects of the disclosure. Any person with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. It may be that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of one element may be implemented as an external component in another, and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive descriptions are described with reference to the following drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles.
The user can observe how much the user has used the gripping apparatus by examining the individual user database (9) using the mobile program (23).
The user has a computing device, on which the mobile program (23) is installed. The user can use the mobile program (23) to communicate with the receiver (16) on the gripping apparatus, and send commands to the receiver (16) on the gripping apparatus, commanding any of the hard first gripper (4), hard second gripper (5), subsidiary first gripper (7) or subsidiary second gripper (8) to open or close.
The movement sensor (22) sends identified use information to the transmitter (13), stating when the gripping apparatus moves, including when each of the hard first gripper (4), hard second gripper (5), subsidiary first gripper (7) and subsidiary second gripper (8) opens or closes. The transmitter (13) broadcasts this identified use information.
The identified user information is sent over the internet until it reaches the central program (24), and the central program (24) then integrates the identified user information into the individual user database (9) and the combined patient database (19). The central program (24) also has caused the minting of a non-fungible token (10) that gives access to the individual user database (9) of the user.
The user, in this version, can view the individual user database (9) of the user with the mobile program (23), and is accessible to the user's mobile program (23) over the internet.
The user has a computing device, on which the mobile program (23) is installed. The user can use the mobile program (23) to communicate with the receiver (16) on the gripping device, and send commands to the receiver (16) on the gripping apparatus, commanding any of the hard first gripper (4), hard second gripper (5), subsidiary first gripper (7) or subsidiary second gripper (8) to open or close.
The movement sensor (22) sends identified use information to the transmitter (13), stating when the gripping apparatus moves, including when each of the hard first gripper (4), hard second gripper (5), subsidiary first gripper (7) and subsidiary second gripper (8) opens or closes. The transmitter (13) broadcasts this identified use information.
The identified user information is sent over the internet until it reaches the central program (24), and the central program (24) then integrates the identified user information into the individual user database (9) and the combined patient database (19). The central program (24) also has interacted with a blockchain and caused the minting of a non-fungible token (10) that gives access to the individual user database (9) of the user.
The user, in this version, can view the individual user database (9) of the user with the mobile program (23), and is accessible to the user's mobile program (23) over the internet.
Both hard grippers also include Velcro patches on their insides; each hard gripper (4) and (5) includes at least one Velcro patch with hooks, and a second, corresponding Velcro patch with loops.
Each Velcro patch on the inside of the first hard gripper (4) is supposed to stick to at least one other Velcro patch on the inside of the first hard gripper (4) when the first hard gripper (4) is closed. Each Velcro patch on the inside of the second hard gripper (5) is supposed to stick to at least one other Velcro patch on the inside of the second hard gripper (5) when the second hard gripper (5) is closed. This helps the first hard gripper (4) and second hard gripper (5) to stay closed when the user desires.
Both hard grippers also include soft inner portions surrounded by hard outer portions.
The gripping apparatus has a unique ID. The motion sensor (22) in the gripping apparatus sends identified use data to the movement indicator (28). The motion sensor (22) in the gripping apparatus separately sends identified use information about the movements of the gripping apparatus to the transmitter (13) and the transmitter broadcasts the identified use information. The mobile program (23) receives the broadcast identified use information using the computing device's wireless capabilities. The movement indicator in the mobile program displays the identified use information.
The central program (24) receives the broadcasted identified use information and saves the identified use information pertaining to the user in the individual user database (9). The individual user database (9) will be viewable by the user, using the mobile program (23).
The central program (24) also saves all the identified use information that it directly or indirectly has received from gripping apparatuses in the combined patient database (19). The Central Program (24) saves the identified use information that it has directly or indirectly received from each individual gripping apparatus to an individual gripping apparatus database (25), and saves all the use information that it receives from gripping apparatuses in the combined gripping apparatus database (31).
