Patent Application
20230285213
The invention relates generally to a device and method for providing assistance to a user who needs assistance to rise from a kneeling position to a standing position.
Many individuals, such as those of advanced age, find it difficult to rise from a lowered position, such as a kneeling position, to a standing position. This can interfere with their independence and physical well-being. For example, an individual might be kneeling as they work in a garden and then have difficulty rising to a standing position. Moreover, some individuals might lack the arm strength to pull themselves to a standing position.
One device for assisting a user with the challenges of standing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,945,910, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This and other prior art devices used to help an individual rise to a standing position tend to be overly complicated, expensively constructed, unwieldy and inconvenient for a user to carry around, such as when they need to repeatedly kneel and stand when performing various activities. Some require power cables, battery replacements, electric motors and the like, which is undesirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device and method that can help a user rise to a standing position, that avoids drawbacks of the prior art.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a standing assistance device and method is provided, wherein a user can use their upper body weight to provide lifting assistance as they rise to a standing position. In one embodiment of the invention the user can use their body weight to push down on a plunger portion of the device. The device is constructed to convert this downward force to upward force, which will provide lifting force to a platform portion of the device. For example, the device can use leverage, such as with a gearing system to transfer downward force to upward force. Therefore, when a user kneels on the platform and pushes down on the plunger portion of the device, the downward force is converted into lifting force to help a user rise to a standing position.
In one embodiment of the invention, the plunger comprises a horizontal crossbar and the device is sized such that the crossbar will be at or slightly below the approximate chest level of an average adult. The crossbar can be padded, such as with a foam sleeve or cushion. Thus, the device should have an overall height of over about 1.5 feet, preferably about 2-3 feet, most preferably about 2.5 feet. The lifting platform can have a rectangular shape, and can be formed with concave depressions to conform to the knees of a user. It is advantageous that the platform have a padded, soft surface. The platform should have a width of about at least 9 inches, preferably at least 12 inches, more preferably about 12 to 18 inches.
A force transfer mechanism can be used to convert the downward force on the plunger portion into upward lifting force on the platform. In one embodiment of the invention, a gearing system can be used to transfer the downward force into upward force. A chain and cog system similar to a bicycle chain drive and gear system can be used. In one embodiment of the invention, a hydraulic system similar to an automotive brake system can be used.
In another embodiment of the invention, a crossbar can be coupled to an elongated rod, with external helical screw threads. The rod can be received into a complementary threaded receiving tube. The threaded helical gear or the threaded receiving tube can be fixed in position with respect to the crossbar, such that as the crossbar is pushed down, the threaded rod is pushed down into the receiving tube, causing the receiving tube to rotate. Alternatively, the tube can be fixed to the crossbar and the externally threaded rod can rotate with respect thereto. An external helical worm gear extending from the bottom of the tube (or rod) will rotate with the tube (or rod), and can cause a second gear, such as a compound gear to rotate. This rotating second gear can cause a toothed rack to slide sideways. The rack can be coupled to the bottom end of a scissor lift. This can cause the scissor lift to slowly raise the platform. The platform should rise more than about a foot, preferably more than 1.5 feet to help a user stand on their own.
Other advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions to follow.
The following drawings are presented for illustration only, and should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are proportional, but other proportions are acceptable, within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanying figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure.
Also, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
A device for providing standing assistance to a user in need thereof is shown generally as a standing assister 100. Standing assister 100 includes a plunger mechanism in the form of a crossbar 110. Crossbar 110 includes two halves, 111 and 112 attached with a releasable spring pin connector 113 for ease in storage. A user 120 is shown in the kneeling position in
Receiving tubes 132 are rotatably supported by and secured to a respective pair of lower housings 140. A respective bottom rod 134 extends downward from each receiving tube 132, into each respective housing 140. Bottom rod 134 is fixed with respect to receiving tube 132. Thus, as receiving tube 132 rotates, bottom rod 134 will rotate therewith. Therefore, depressing rods 130 downward into receiving tubes 132, causes receiving tubes 132 to rotate, thereby causing bottom rods 134 to rotate.
A compound gear 141 is positioned within each housing 140. Compound gear 141 includes a plurality of outer teeth 143 and inner teeth 144. Each bottom rod 134 includes a length of bottom rod threading 135. Bottom rod threading 135 engages outer teeth 143 of gear 141. Outer teeth 143 can be helical to better match the helix of threading 135. As bottom rods 134 rotate, the rotation of bottom rod threading 135 causes compound gears 141 to rotate.
A pair of horizontal rack gears 150 are positioned through each housing 140. These rack gears 150 includes a plurality of teeth 151. Teeth 151 are positioned to engage inner teeth 144 of the respective compound gears 141. Thus, as compound gears 141 rotate, they cause rack gears 150 to slide horizontally (inwardly or outwardly), based on the selected threading arrangements.
A scissor lift 160 is shown in the collapsed, lowered configuration in
Standing assister 100 can be used by user 120 in need of standing assistance with the following procedure. User 120 kneels on platform 163, as shown in
It is preferred that a standing assistance device in accordance with the invention be light, and easy for a user to carry around. Therefore, aluminum is a preferred material for construction. The threading and gearing should be adjusted to provide about a 2:1 to 10:1, preferably a 5:1 to 6:1 mechanical advantage.
In one embodiment of the invention, the plunger, which can be padded, is sized such that it will be at or slightly below the approximate chest level of an average adult. Thus, the device should have an overall height of over about 1.5 feet, preferably about 2-3 feet, most preferably about 2.5 feet in the lowered collapsed configuration. In this configuration, it should be lower than about 4 feet. The overall width should be more than about 2 feet. The width can be under about 4 feet. Preferred widths are about 2.5 to 3.5 feet,
The lifting platform can have a rectangular shape, and can be formed with padded and/or concave depressions for the knees of a user. It is advantageous that the platform has a padded, soft surface. The platform should have a width of at least about 9 inches, preferably at least about 12 inches, more preferably about 12 to 18 inches. The platform should rise more than about a foot, preferably more than 1.5 feet, to help a user stand on their own
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate how additional force transfer mechanisms can convert the downward force on a plunger portion of the device into upward lifting force on the platform to help a user rise to a standing position. In one embodiment of the invention, a gearing system or a bicycle chain drive type element can be used to transfer the downward force on the plunger into upward force on the lifting platform.
In one embodiment of the invention, for example, a crossbar can be coupled to an elongated helical gear system, with a helical screw coupled to a threaded receiving tube. The threaded helical gear can be fixed in position with respect to the crossbar, such that as the crossbar is pushed down, the helical gear is pushed down into the receiving tube, causing the receiving tube to rotate. Alternatively, the receiving tube can be fixed with respect to the crossbar and the threaded rods mounted on the bottom housing and the rods configured to rotate with respect to the fixed tube. An external helical worm gear at the bottom of the tube (or rod) will rotate with the rotating tube (or rod), and can cause a gear or a compound gear to rotate. This rotating gear (or compound gear) can cause a toothed rack to slide sideways. The rack gear can be attached to the ends of a scissor lift, and cause the scissor lift to slowly raise the platform. Alternatively, the end of the scissor lift can be attached to a rotating wheel to extend or collapse the scissor lift mechanism.
It is preferred that the device not require electrical cords to connect the device to a power source. It is also preferred that the device include no electrical motors, such as for raising the platform. The device should be light enough to be carried around. It should be less than 40 pounds, preferably less than 25 pounds.
Note that where this application has listed the steps of a method or procedure in a specific order, it may be possible, or even expedient in certain circumstances, to change the order in which some steps are performed, and it is intended that the particular steps of the method or procedure claim set forth herebelow not be construed as being order-specific unless such order specificity is expressly stated in the claims.
While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Modification or combinations of the above-described assemblies, other embodiments, configurations, and methods for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
