Patent Application
20050217025
This invention relates in general to structures, systems, and procedures for the lifting, transfer, and transport of individuals requiring assistance and more particularly to a portable standing frame with electromechanical lifting means associated with an inexpensive, yet dependable, safe and easy way to operate with or without assistance and enables a person to be lifted, supported and transported to and from a sitting position.
Over the years past many standing-frames have been devised to assist a wheel chair bound or bed ridden person to stand. Such devices range from simple rail structures to more complex and even mechanized apparatus. Examples of the range of such prior art devices may be seen by reference to the following U.S. patents:
Among the foregoing patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,156 includes a manually operated mechanical winch and a harness to lift an individual. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,303 employs compressed air for a pneumatic lift; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,800 has an electric motor screw drive. Others have turn tables or are mounted on wheels to reposition the standing person after being lifted to the standing position for transfer of the person.
A commercial line of standing frames including motorized ones is available from a company called Stand Aid of Iowa, and their products may be found on the internet website.
Despite all the activity in this field, there still remains a need for an improved standing frame that is easy to transport, inexpensive, not cumbersome and safely and reliably lifts, supports, transports and allows for repositioning of the user.
Many of the devices currently available to assist with patient transfer do not have an adequate power assist feature. Those that do are not capable of allowing the patient's pants to be removed to allow for using the toilet or to dress or undress. This present standing frame can accommodate these tasks for some patients.
Another advantage of the present standing frame is that the relatively small size allows use in dwellings with narrow doors and tight spaces.
The preferred electric power winch allows a helper or caregiver with limited strength to assist a much larger person, and, of course, assistance is recommended when the person to be lifted and transferred is unable or incapable of solo operation.
The invention provides a standing frame that gives an opportunity for a person without an ability to stand without assistance (but with some amount of upper body strength and control) to be raised to a standing position, moved a short distance, and then seated at the nearby location. The base of the apparatus supports a removable vertical rail assembly. The base also holds a battery and charger to operate a power winch. The vertical part of the device supports a cushioned knee support and a power driven winch that feeds out and takes in rope through a pulley system. The rope is attached to a heavy-duty belt that is placed as low as possible on the backside of a seated person. As the winch takes in rope the knees of the seated person are pressed into the cushioned knee support and the pull of the winch then raises the person to an upright standing position. The entire apparatus, along with the standing individual, can be rotated or moved laterally a short distance.
Referring to the drawings, there is shown in
The vertical rail structure 14 is preferably removable by way of fixtures 32 mounted to the base 12. The base 12 when removed can be collapsed upwardly for storage and it may be made of aluminum tread plate stock. The vertical rail can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly according to the size of the person using the frame.
The winch 16 is preferably a unit with a 12 volt D.C. motor and winding reel that receives high tensile strength, low stretch ropes that provide sufficient tensile strength and flexibility to lift and lower a person safely and reliably such as, for example, Samson Ultra Tech line which is a double braid polyester and Technora core line. A hand held operating switch pig-tail module 36 with wire attachment may be used for easy operation by either the person being lifted or by an assistant.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the knee support cushion 20 is a tubular inflatable structure such as ones used for a boat fender. By way of selective inflation the cushion 20 provides both cushioning and lateral support.
In order to lift and lower a person by way of the power winch 16 that takes in and feeds out rope, there is provided a heavy-duty belt or harness 24. The belt is preferably made of leather or a like material that has flexibility and strength yet it can be contoured to position or fit the person and enable clothing to be removed. Also, the belt has to be easily and readily cleaned. To that end, disposable or launderable covers (not shown) may be applied to the belt with easy attachment and removal arrangements common in the covering art.
The vertical rail structure is provided with areas for hand holds 40 in order for the person to steady himself or herself while being lifted or lowered.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of ball rollers 42 which are preferably added to the underside of base 12. The ball rollers which are available as a unit provide the ability of the standing frame to be rotated or repositioned with a person aboard so that the person may be transferred to or from one facility to another.
Referring to
The following examples further illustrate the invention but, of course, should not be construed as in any way limiting its scope.
Recently, my father lost his ability to walk. He was able to stand himself upright by holding on to grab bars mounted to walls.
It was not always possible to have a grab bar in front of him to allow him to stand. For those situations I modified a two-wheel hand truck (dolly) by fastening a larger floor plate that he could stand on while pulling himself into a standing position. Months later he was unable to maintain a standing position because his knees would buckle. I made a further modification to the hand truck that placed a padded bar in front of his knees to prevent his knees from buckling.
Within 3 months, he was unable to pull himself into a standing position without substantial assistance from a helper to lift him with a gait belt while he tried to stand. This became too difficult for the helper or care giver, so I made another modification to the hand truck by placing a 12 volt D.C. winch with a rope and pulley system attached to a heavy belt. With the belt placed as far down as possible behind his backside, the winch raised him to a standing position with, only a modest effort to hold the body upright.
Hand trucks, or dollies, are made to lift heavy objects by pivoting the center of gravity up and back over the axle. This is just the opposite of how weight is applied to the standing frame. The weight of the individual being pulled into a standing position is centered in front of the axle, and has a tendency to tip the hand truck over and places a lot of stress on the weld holding the floor plate to the vertical part of the frame.
Subsequently I designed and built a standing frame to better support weight that is centered in front of the vertical part of the frame. It also allows the vertical part to be removed from the floor plate so the standing frame can be more easily transported in two parts in a vehicle.
Referring to
In addition, a plate 49 has been affixed to the upright rail 14′ and notches 50 added to provide adjustable securement of the knee cushion 20′ support lines.
The upright frame 10′ may be removed as well as the battery and charger so separate lighter weight components along with the base may be transported.
Referring to
A second or upper rectangular tube shaped member 52 slides on the rails 14″ and forms a cover for the battery 26″ when in place as shown in
The lower member 51 provides a support function and the upper member 52 functions as a cover. That can be reversed or mixed as may be desired. The member 51 carries spring contacts 54 to connect to the battery when in place. Upper rails 14″ are rectangular and may be lightweight aluminum or similar material. Quick release spring pins 46″ are used where applied to secure parts without need for tools to assemble or disassemble the standing frame. By providing modules or separable components the standing frame can be broken down into lesser weight and sized pieces for easier transportation and handling.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/558,034, filed Mar. 31, 2004, and herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60558034 | Mar 2004 | US |
