1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for lifting, lowering, and self-propelled transit of a person having limited use of their legs.
2. Description of Related Art
Many people require assistance moving between standing and seated positions. To reduce dependence on others, numerous devices have been developed, particularly in regard to performing everyday activities.
A conventional device for the transit of partially incapacitated persons includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,070, entitled Dual Handle Walking and Uprisal Assist Device, to Block et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Block et al. provides an apparatus having a first set of handles used to assist the person when in a standing position and a second set of handles provided in a position beneath the first set of handles. The second set of handles are used to push against when the user wants to rise into a standing position. However, the apparatus of Block et al. requires use of a person's own strength to achieve the standing position, and creates an awkward sitting scenario wherein the user has to lean backward, shift weight onto the second set of handles, which may be behind and beneath the user, and then bend their knees to complete the sitting motion.
Another conventional device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,176 to Kuntz, entitled Walker Device with Power Assisted Lift, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Kuntz provides a device having a compressed air assembly and a support sling to lift the user from a seated position. The device of Kuntz does not require use of upper body strength to achieve a standing position. However, the device requires use of a compressed air cylinder for power, which is inconvenient to a user due to the weight, cost and impracticality of having to transport and refill compressed air tanks. An additional limitation of Kuntz and other conventional devices is that a user is lifted along a path that differs from a natural standing motion. The unnatural lift motion makes conventional device uncomfortable to use and reduces stability.
Yet another conventional device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,018 to Razon, entitled Adjustable Leg Support and Seated to Stand Up Walker, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Razon provides a stand up walker for supporting the body weight in a standing position. In Razon, a pair of upper lift arms is mounted on a walker frame with a lift spring, which lifts a user. However, the lifting motion provided by the device of Razon is unnatural, inefficient, and generally painful if the point of application of lifting force is at the armpits. While being lifted from the hips using a sling, ensuring the stability of the device is a major challenge since the center of gravity of the person being lifted is usually outside the footprint of the device. Also, for gas springs to effectively operate, exertion of a user's own strength is required during the lifting phase, to ensure that the gas springs compress during the sitting phase. In addition, gas springs generally do not provide a smooth motion.
Conventional devices fail to provide a user with a stable lifting apparatus that can be repeatedly used without fatigue. Conventional devices also fail to lift a user from a link that moves along a natural path and remains uniformly oriented throughout the lifting process.
To overcome shortcomings of conventional devices, the present invention provides a six-bar lifting apparatus that lifts a person along a natural path and maintains a constant orientation, i.e. a parallel motion, of the link of the apparatus that lifts the user. The constant orientation refers to an orientation that remains uniform and unchanged in relation to a frame of the apparatus and the user. The apparatus can support the user's weight at the buttocks and the armpit region while maintaining stability throughout the entire range of motion. The user of the apparatus of the present invention can also utilize a sling thereof as a seat when used as a walker.
The present invention provides lifting/lowering assistance between seated/standing positions, and also functions as a standard walker and/or gait trainer. Conventional devices do not provide this dual functionality.
To overcome the deficiencies of conventional devices, the present invention provides in a preferred embodiment a portable lifting apparatus that includes an actuator and a lifting mechanism, which includes a parallel bar, a first coupler, a second coupler, a first rocker, a second rocker, and a frame that are each rotatably connected, so that operation of the actuator moves the parallel bar in a J-shaped path while maintaining a constant orientation of the parallel bar.
In another embodiment, a portable lifting apparatus is provided that includes a frame with first and second parallel lifting mechanisms affixed to the frame having a free space therebetween. An actuator and wheels affixed to an underside of the frame are also provided, allowing the apparatus to assist a user between seated and standing positions, while also assisting the user when in the standing position to propel both the user and the apparatus without bearing the user's entire weight on the either foot by swinging a foot through the free space.
In a further embodiment, a method of lifting a user of a portable lifting apparatus is provided that includes sitting a user on a chair, positioning the chair in a partial free space between a first and second lifting mechanisms of the apparatus that are each affixed to opposite sides of a frame of the apparatus, operating an actuator that equally assists the user between seated and standing positions, and providing a harness or sling as a seat for use in the events the user tires while using the apparatus as a walker or arrest the accidental fall of the user while being lifted or lowered.
For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
a and 8b show travel paths of the user's shoulder and hip, respectively, obtained by utilizing long exposure photography, while moving from a seated to standing position.
The following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the invention, explanation of related functions or constructions known in the art is omitted for the sake of clarity in understanding the concept of the invention and to avoid obscuring the description of the invention with unnecessary details.
In a preferred embodiment, six interconnected bars form a lift mechanism 105 that provides a J-shaped path for parallel lift that replicates a natural standing motion, as described below and shown in
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, an actuator, preferably an electro-mechanical actuator 180, provides a force that changes the relative position of the bars. As shown in
Each of the first coupler 120, first rocker 130, second rocker 140, second coupler 150 and actuator 180 have first and second ends, at each of which a rotatable connection is provided about a respective axis. In the preferred embodiment shown in
The parallel bar 110 rotatably connects at the first end 112 thereof to a first end 152 of second coupler 150, rotating about axis “I” (See
A second end 154 of second coupler ISO rotatably connects to a first end 142 of second rocker 140, rotatably about axis “H” (See
As described above, the first end 122 of first coupler 120 rotatably connects to parallel bar 110 about axis “D”. A second end 124 of first coupler 120 rotatably connects to a first end 132 of first rocker 130, about axis “G”. A second end 134 of first rocker 130 connects to a first anchor 172, rotatable about axis “B”. Accordingly, the parallel bar 110, first rocker 130, second coupler 150 need each only be provided with two rotatable connections. As also described above, each of second rocker 140 and first coupler 120 are provided with three rotatable connections. That is, second rocker 140 includes rotatable connections that rotate about axes “C”, “F” and “H”, and first coupler 120 includes rotatable connections that rotate about axes “D”, “F” and “G”, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment actuator 180 connects at a first end 182 thereof to the midpoint 146 of second rocker 140 (
Actuator 180 is in a preferred embodiment provided as a linear actuator, such as an electro-mechanical actuator or a pneumatic or hydraulic piston, rotatably coupled at opposite ends to the frame 160 at anchor 176 and to midpoint 146 of second rocker 140. Extension or retraction of the actuator will supply a force acting along a longitudinal direction thereof that moves the interconnected six bars around their respective axes, thereby moving the parallel bar 110 in the J-shaped path. In an alternative embodiment, the relative position of the bars is changed by applying a torque to the second rocker 140, e.g. via a stepper motor. In this alternative embodiment a rotational motor is affixed on frame 160, preferably at second anchor 174, to apply a torque to rotate second rocker 140 about axis “C”. In either embodiment, a controller 200 is provided to user 400, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, parallel first and second six bar lifting mechanisms (106 and 107 in
In a preferred embodiment, the opposite sides of the frame 168, 169 (
For storage, the free space S can be reduced or eliminated by pushing opposite sides of frame 160 together, via telescoping frame members 161, 162 (
In another preferred embodiment, the second end 114 of parallel bar 110 is provided with a securing point 310 (
The path through which the user is lifted, i.e. the lift path, follows the natural motion of the J-shaped path, 820 in
The invention is not limited to the disclosed preferred embodiments, and should be construed to cover all such alternatives, modifications and equivalents as defined in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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12868446 | Aug 2010 | US | national |
This invention was made with government support under grant number CBET0853672 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US11/48978 | 8/24/2011 | WO | 00 | 5/6/2013 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61526844 | Aug 2011 | US | |
61376297 | Aug 2010 | US |