Patent Grant
10292884
The present disclosure generally relates to a support frame used to help a person rise up from a floor or the ground. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to a vertically stable support structure sufficient for an infirmed person to lean on as the person rises from the floor or the ground.
After many medical procedures, such as hip or knee replacement, a patient finds it difficult to rise from the floor or from ground level. In some cases, pain prevents the patient from moving their knee below their body such that they can begin the process to rise. In other cases, the artificial joint does not provide a full range of motion, and once again, the patient is not physically or comfortably able to move their knee below their body. In many cases, the condition persists long after the post-operative recovery of the patient and the person has resumed a normal life.
The subject matter discussed in the Background section is not necessarily prior art and should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its discussion in the Background section. Along these lines, any recognition of problems in the prior art discussed in Background section or associated with such subject matter should not be treated as prior art unless expressly stated to be prior art. Instead, the discussion of any subject matter in the Background section should be treated as part of the inventor's approach to the particular problem, which in and of itself may include inventive subject matter.
In accordance with some embodiments described herein, a vertically stable support structure is provided. A mobility-restricted person can use the device to rise up from the floor or the ground by placing their hands on the support structure and lifting their head and torso sufficiently up that the person can move their leg below their body and thus begin the process of rising. The person may rise to a full standing position, or the person may rise enough to lean or sit on another structure.
In a first embodiment, a method is performed by a human being to stand. The human being has a body, two hands, two legs, two feet, and at least one debilitated joint. A first act includes positioning a support structure in front of the human being. The support structure is described by way of a reference frustum, which has a first planar side and a third planar side each having a first trapezoidal perimeter, a second planar side and a fourth planar side each having second trapezoidal perimeter, a planar top having a first rectangular perimeter, and a planar bottom having a second rectangular perimeter. Each side of the first rectangular perimeter is shorter than a corresponding side of the second rectangular perimeter, and each parallel side of the first trapezoidal perimeter is shorter than a corresponding parallel side of the second trapezoidal perimeter. The reference frustum has a height between 10 and 20 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a length between 10 and 16 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a width between 6 and 14 inches, the second rectangular perimeter has a length between 12 and 18 inches, and the second rectangular perimeter has a width between 8 and 16 inches. The support structure has horizontal support parts including a first horizontal support member corresponding to a first edge of the reference frustum formed by the first planar side and the planar top, and the support structure has a second horizontal support member corresponding to a second edge of the reference frustum formed by the third planar side and the planar top. The support structure has vertical support parts including a first vertical part corresponding to a third edge of the reference frustum formed by the first planar side and the second planar side, a second vertical part corresponding to a fourth edge of the reference frustum formed by the second planar side and the third planar side, a third vertical part corresponding to a fifth edge of the reference frustum formed by the third planar side and the fourth planar side, and a fourth vertical part corresponding to a sixth edge of the reference frustum formed by the fourth planar side and the first planar side. In the method, the human being grasps the first horizontal support member with a first of the two hands, grasps the second horizontal support member with a second of the two hands, swings a first of the two legs at least partially under the body, supports at least a first portion of the body through the two hands grasping the support structure, supports at least a second portion of the body with the first of the two legs, and raises the body upwards to a standing position.
In a second embodiment, a support structure device to assist a human patient to rise includes one or more substantially tubular components formed into a shape described by way of a reference frustum. The reference frustum has a first planar side and a third planar side each having a first trapezoidal perimeter, a second planar side and a fourth planar side each having second trapezoidal perimeter, a planar top having a first rectangular perimeter, and a planar bottom having a second rectangular perimeter. Each side of the first rectangular perimeter is shorter than a corresponding side of the second rectangular perimeter, and each parallel side of the first trapezoidal perimeter is shorter than a corresponding parallel side of the second trapezoidal perimeter. The reference frustum has a height between 10 and 20 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a length between 10 and 16 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a width between 6 and 14 inches, the second rectangular perimeter has a length between 12 and 18 inches, and the second rectangular perimeter has a width between 8 and 16 inches.
In another embodiment, a support frame assists a human being to move upwards. The human being has two arms, two hands, two legs, and at least one infirmed joint. The support frame has a single conduit structure suitably bent into a shape described by way of a reference frustum. The reference frustum has a first planar side and a third planar side each having a first trapezoidal perimeter, a second planar side and a fourth planar side each having second trapezoidal perimeter, a planar top having a first rectangular perimeter, and a planar bottom having a second rectangular perimeter. Each side of the first rectangular perimeter is shorter than a corresponding side of the second rectangular perimeter, and each parallel side of the first trapezoidal perimeter is shorter than a corresponding parallel side of the second trapezoidal perimeter. The reference frustum has a height between 10 and 20 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a length between 10 and 16 inches, the first rectangular perimeter has a width between 6 and 14 inches, the second rectangular perimeter has a length between 12 and 18 inches, and the second rectangular perimeter has a width between 8 and 16 inches.
These features with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully described hereafter and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof. This Brief Summary has been provided to introduce certain concepts in a simplified form that are further described in detail below in the Detailed Description. Except where otherwise expressly stated, the summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings, wherein like labels refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements are selected, enlarged, and positioned to improve drawing legibility. The particular shapes of the elements as drawn have been selected for ease of recognition in the drawings. One or more embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Hips and knees of human beings can fail or be injured. Sometimes, the person will endure the pain, discomfort, and reduced mobility associated with the damaged joint. Other times, the person will undergo a surgical operation to replace the failing or injured joint with an artificial joint. Even when surgery is successful, some pain, discomfort, and reduced mobility may remain.
Frequently, people with affected hips and knees have difficulty raising their body off of the ground or a floor. In some cases, pain or discomfort prevents the person from positioning one of their legs below their body. In other cases, reduced mobility of one or both legs prevents such positioning. In these cases, if the person does not have a piece of furniture, a wall, or some other support mechanism nearby, it is very difficult or even impossible for the person to get up.
Recognizing the problems faced by people with one or more debilitated joints, the inventors created a support structure with many benefits.
An example of use of the support structure 100 is now described. In this case, the person is aware of their debilitated joint (e.g., artificial knee, artificial hip, or the like). The person is also aware they will be lowering their body to ground level so as to exercise, for example, or to retrieve an item that has fallen on the floor, to work in a garden, or for some other reason. In this case, the person will put the support structure 100 nearby and accessible to the place on the ground or floor where the person will be, and the person will then lower their body to the ground or floor. When the person wishes to raise their body upwards to a standing position or, for example, to sit on a chair, the person will position the support structure 100 in front of themselves. The person will grasp one of the horizontal members of the support structure 100 with their left hand and the other horizontal member with their right hand. Using the support structure 100 for support and stability, the person may begin raising their upper body, and the person will swing one of their legs at least partially under their body. At this time, some portion of the person's body will be supported through their hands, which are grasping the horizontal members of the support structure 100. The person may optionally draw their other leg at least partially under their body. Once the person has at least one leg positioned under their body, the person will support at least a portion of their body with their leg, and upon doing so, the person will raise their body upwards off of the ground or floor.
The reference frustum 200 may also be described herein as a truncated four-sided pyramid. The frustum 200 will have a rectangular footprint or a square footprint.
In the reference frustum 200, a first planar side AHDL and a third planar side BFCJ each have a first trapezoidal perimeter. A second planar side CGDK and a fourth planar side BEAI each have a second trapezoidal perimeter. To improve clarity,
A planar top EFGH of the reference frustum 200 forms a first rectangular perimeter, and a planar bottom IJKL forms a second rectangular perimeter. In some embodiments, each side of the first rectangular perimeter is shorter than a corresponding side of the second rectangular perimeter. In some embodiments, each side of the first rectangular perimeter is substantially the same length as a corresponding side of the second rectangular perimeter.
Also in
The support structure embodiment 400 of
Measurement 704 may range from about 3 inches to about 19 inches. Measurement 704 corresponds to the length of edge L, the length of edge J, or the lengths edges L and J in the reference frustum 200 of
Measurement 706 may range from about 8 inches to 20 inches. Measurement 706 corresponds to the length of edge F, the length of edge H, or the lengths edges F and H in the reference frustum 200 of
In view of
Prior to the formation, the support structure 100 may be formed as a straight length of tubular material, for example, thin-walled aluminum having an inside diameter of about 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches. The straight length of tubular material may be about 50 inches to about 108 inches.
The support structure 100 begins at a point formed at the intersection of edges CJK (i.e., the lower right corner of second planar side CGDK (
The first bend in the support structure 100 along edges CG forms a first angle. A second bend in the support structure 100 along edges DG forms a second angle. A substantially straight section of the support structure 100 forms a first horizontal support member between the first bend and the second bend. The first horizontal support member may otherwise be described as corresponding to a first edge (i.e., edge G) of the reference frustum 200 formed by the first planar side of the reference frustum 200 and the planar top of the reference frustum 200.
A third bend in the support structure 100 along edges DL forms a third angle, and a fourth bend along edges AL forms a fourth angle. A substantially straight section of the support structure 100 forms a lower horizontal support member (i.e., edge L). As illustrated in
The third bend and fourth bend of the support structure have a particular radius. The radius may be directed by the diameter of the tubular material. Accordingly, as illustrated in
Second and third vertical parts of the support structure 100 correspond, respectively to edges D and A. That is, the second vertical support structure is formed between the second bend and the third bend, and the third vertical support structure is formed between the third bend and a fourth bend. Edge D may be described as the second vertical part of the support structure 100, which corresponds to a fourth edge of the reference frustum 200 formed by the second planar side in the third planar side. Edge L may be described as the third vertical part of the support structure 100, which corresponds to a fifth edge of the reference frustum 200 formed by the third planar side and the fourth planar side of the reference frustum 200.
A fifth bend in the support structure 100 along edges AE forms a fifth angle, and a sixth bend along edges BE forms a sixth angle. Another substantially straight section of the support structure 100 forms a second horizontal support member (i.e., edge E) between the fifth bend and the sixth bend. The second horizontal support member may otherwise be described as corresponding to a second edge of the reference frustum 200 formed by the third planar side of the reference frustum 200 and the planar top of the reference frustum 200.
The support structure 100 terminates at a point formed at the intersection of edges BIJ. Between the point of the support structure 100 formed at the intersection of edges BIJ and the sixth bend in the support structure 100 formed along edges BE, a fourth vertical part of the support structure 100 corresponds to edge B. Edge B may be described as a fourth vertical part of support structure 100, which corresponds to a sixth edge (i.e., edge B) of the reference frustum 200 formed by the fourth planar side of the reference frustum 200 and the first planar side of the reference frustum 200.
In some embodiments (not shown), an optional third horizontal support member is formed as part of the support structure 100. The optional third horizontal support member corresponds to a third edge of the reference frustum 200 formed by the fourth planar side of the reference frustum 200 and the planar top of the reference frustum 200. With respect to
Plugs 110, 112 may be formed such that a portion of the plugs extending out from the end of the tubular material corresponds to distance 108 (
In some embodiments, the optional handles 114, 116 are textured surfaces (e.g., knurling, jeweling, beading, or the like) integrated with the horizontal support or otherwise attached thereto. The handles 114, 116 may be formed of rubber, plastic, or some other material selected for a desired comfort, friction, texture, or the like. In some other embodiments, the handles 114, 116 may have anatomically correct features to compliment a right hand, a left hand, or either hand. The handles 114, 116 may include other shaped features to assist a user in correct and safe operation of the support structure 100a such as bumps, protrusion, bulges, bulbs, knobs, protuberances, hollows, depressions, valleys, or the like. The handles 114, 116 may include other features such as a plurality of apertures, perforations, holes, slits, or the like to pass moisture from a hand and thereby facilitate useful friction. In some cases, the textured or otherwise shaped handles 114, 116 also include visible features described herein, for example, the decoration and visible marking “R” and “L” signifying, respectively, where on the anatomically complimentary structure a user should place their right hand and left hand.
In some cases, support structures 100, 100a, and 100b are identical to each other. In other cases, support structures 100, 100a, and 100b are formed as a plurality of straight and curved segments which are assembled into shape as illustrated and described. Optionally, one or more couplings of the straight and curved segments are joined at one or more points. One or more of the points may be illustrated in, for example, as the substantially orthogonal lines across the tubular material of support structure 100. In some cases, the couplings are fixed and immovable. In some cases, the couplings are permitted to rotate fully or partially. In cases where the couplings are permitted to rotate fully or partially, the support structure may be manipulated (e.g., folded) for easier transportability.
Optionally, padding may be added to the first and second horizontal support members (i.e., along edges E and G, respectively;
In the foregoing description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures associated with electronic and computing systems including client and server computing systems, as well as networks have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.
The terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, e.g., “including, but not limited to.”
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” and variations thereof means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
The headings and Abstract of the Disclosure provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the embodiments.
As described herein, for simplicity, patients, persons, human beings, and the like are in some case described in the context of the male gender. For example, the terms “his hand,” “his left thumb,” and the like are used. It is understood that human beings of any condition or status can be of any gender, and the terms “he,” “his,” and the like as used herein are to be interpreted broadly inclusive of all known gender definitions.
As described herein, terms such as stiff, soft, flexible, pliable, and the like are understood in their common and ordinary meaning. For example, stiff is not necessarily completely un-bendable. Instead, something that is stiff resistance deformation to a desired degree. The desired degree of stiffness may be measured, for example, in units such as foot pounds per inch or some other units. One structure may be stiffer than another structure. The increased (or decreased) stiffness may be caused by the devices being formed from different materials, from materials having different physical or chemical properties, or for some other reason. Correspondingly, the terms “flexible,” “flexibility,” “pliable,” “soft,” and the like impart a desired degree of flexibility or softness to the structure which the term modifies.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, a limited number of the exemplary methods and materials are described herein.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
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