FR2541574A1 - Assistance apparatus supporting and balancing a right or left limb in any position - Google Patents

Abstract

Assistance apparatus supporting and balancing a right or left limb in any position. A hinged parallelogram 1a is supported at one end by a vertical shaft 3 via a pivotal hinging means 5, and it carries at its opposite end via a hinge 6, a bar 8 onto which a fork joint 16 is hinged, which fork joint contains between its branches a groove 15 which is mounted pivotally inside this fork joint 16, the weight of the apparatus and of the upper limb which rests in the groove 15 being balanced by counterweights 24, 26, which allows reeducation of this limb, and allows ergotherapy exercises to be performed without causing fatigue.

Description

The subject of the invention is an apparatus designed to support and balance a right or left limb in all positions in space, so that this limb can remain in any position without any effort being necessary to make it hold there, the energy to be supplied serving only to ensure the displacement between any first position and any second position
A device according to the invention is useful for people with disabilities whose muscular strength of the upper limbs is reduced. It can be used by these people permanently to allow them to perform in everyday life a number of movements, in particular this. ## which require the member to work cantilevered to the body, with a greater or lesser extension, in a position which causes rapid fatigue when the member cannot find support.

 The apparatus of the invention also serves for the rehabilitation of the upper limbs and the lower limbs. It allows and facilitates the recovery, after an accident or trauma, of the various movements in space thanks to sessions during which the range of movements to recover can be increased very gradually without fatigue due to the need to support using the muscles alone the weight of the limb to be rehabilitated.

 The apparatus of the invention can still be used in industry when it comes to moving more or less heavy objects in space, repeatedly (spray gun or spraying of any product, pliers of arc welding, etc.); in this case, the device greatly delays the onset of fatigue since it balances the weight of the limb and the tool used.

 There are already known apparatuses used for the rehabilitation of the members of the sick or wounded; they are designed to allow movement in one plane only, generally the horizontal plane, using cables, pulleys and counterweights.

The main object of the invention is to achieve
or a lower limb a device capable of supporting an upper limb / and of canceling its weight during the execution of all the movements that this limb can normally perform in space.

 An apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises an articulated parallelogram e with articulations with horizontal axes with two elongated branches arranged in a vertical plane, articulated in rotation by a first short branch around a first vertical axis, carrying by its second short branch a articulation means in pivoting around a second vertical axis with a first end of a bar having at its second end articulation means in pivoting around a third vertical axis with a first end of a gutter holder provided at its second end with at least one means of articulation around a horizontal axis of a gutter intended to receive and support a forearm of an upper limb at least one of the two branches of the parallelogram is extended beyond the first vertical axis and equipped with means for balancing the weight of the upper limb whose forearm rests in the gutter, the means of articulation of the gutter holder with the gutter e being preferably not far from the vertical passing through the center of gravity of this upper limb or, better still, being located on this vertical.

 According to a first embodiment of the invention, the gutter holder is a yoke having two branches whose free ends are each provided respectively with a means of articulation around the same horizontal axis with the gutter. In a first variant, the branches of the yoke rise from the level of the articulation means between the second end of the bar and the gutter holder, so that the gutter is located above said bar. In a second variant, the branches of the yoke descend from the level of the articulation means between the second end of the bar and the gutter holder so that the gutter is suspended below said bar.

 According to a second embodiment of the invention, the gutter holder is a bracket having a vertical wing articulated with the second end of the bar and a horizontal wing with the free end of which the gutter is articulated.

 According to a third embodiment of the invention, a fork is pivotally articulated about a horizontal axis by the free end of one of its branches at least and this fork carries a bracket by a first side of the this extending orthogonally to said horizontal axis, the other side of the bracket being provided at its free end with an articulation means in pivoting about an axis parallel to the first side with one end of a gutter .

 The arm balancing means can be constituted by one or more counterweights adjustable in position along the branch of the parallelogram extended beyond the first vertical axis.

 Preferably, the first vertical axis is materialized by a shaft raised from a base and the balancing means comprise, on the one hand, a tension spring fixed to this shaft by one end and to the free end of the parallelogram branch extended beyond the first vertical axis, on the other hand an adjustable counterweight in position along the extended branch of the parallelogram.

 Alternatively, the balancing means can be constituted by a spring only.

We will now give, without limiting intention and without excluding any variant, a description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention and of several modifications which may be made thereto. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a general schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing an alternative embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the balancing means,
FIG. 4 is a general schematic representation showing an alternative mounting of the gutter holder # re,
- Figure 5 is a general view of the apparatus of Figure 1 used to support the right upper limb of a person during a rehabilitation session.

 The apparatus shown comprises an articulated parallelogram 1 having two elongated branches la, lb and two short branches 1c1 id. These four branches are joined by joints with horizontal axes. The two elongated branches la, lb are located in a vertical plane and the short branches lc and id are. themselves vertical, preferably. This parallelogram 1 is articulated in rotation about a first vertical axis 2. In the present example, this axis 2 is materialized by a shaft 3 erected vertically from a base 4 with four feet by which it rests on the ground. The short branch-lc and the upright shaft 3 are an extension of one another and -joined by a pivoting articulation means 5 comprising for example, on the one hand a bearing or a bushing, on the other share a tree or an axis.

 In this way, we can say that the parallelogram 1 is supported by the tree 3. As a variant, this latter tree could descend from a higher structure and the parallelogram 1 could be suspended from this tree, by its short branch lc to l using the same articulation means 5.

 One of the elongated branches 1a or 1b extends beyond the vertical axis 1 and its extension is provided with balancing means which will be described later in detail.

 The second short branch ld of the parallelogram 1 is provided with a pivoting articulation means 6 around a second vertical axis 7 with a first end of a bar 8. In the present example, there is between the short branch ld of the parallelogram 1 and the articulation means 6 an intermediate bar 9 fixed to one and to the other and which is not strictly necessary. The articulation means 6 could be located on the short branch 1d itself between its articulations with the elongated branches 1a, 1b or outside of them.

 The bar 8 is provided at its second end with a pivoting articulation means 10 around a third vertical link linked with a first end of a gutter holder 12 which has at its second end at least one articulation means pivoting 13 about a horizontal axis 14 with a gutter 15 intended to receive and support the forearm of an upper limb.

 We know that the center of gravity of an upper limb is on the forearm, closer to the elbow than the wrist. This remark is still true when the hand carries an object (paint spray gun, etc.). The gutter 15 is joined by means of articulation 13 so that the vertical passing through the center of gravity of the upper limb is merged with the third vertical axis 11 or is not far from this axis. This arrangement provides the greatest comfort to the member supported by the device.

 In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the roof rack 12 is a yoke 16 with two branches 16a, 16b extending upwards above the level of the articulation means 10. Each of these branches 16a, 16b is provided at its free end of an articulation means 13.

The gutter 15 could be disposed between these two articulation means 13 and thus be articulated directly with the yoke 16 around the horizontal axis 14.

 In the present example, a fork 17 is placed inside the yoke 16 and its two branches 17a, 17b are articulated by their free ends with the free ends of the branches 16a, 16b of the yoke 16, using two pivoting articulation means -13, about the horizontal axis 14. The fork 17 could be only a bracket articulated by a single articulation means 13 with a single branch of the yoke 16.

 To the central part of the fork 17 is fixed one end of a first side 18a of a bracket 18. Preferably, this first side 18a is adjustable in length from the fork 17. it extends orthogonally to the horizontal axis 14, preferably in a plane parallel to the bar 8. The bracket 18 has a second side 18b, the free end of which is provided with a pivoting articulation means 19 about an axis 20 parallel to the first side 18a. The gutter 15 extends from the side 18b towards the yoke 16 and the fork 17. It is arranged with respect to the horizontal axis 14 and with respect to the third vertical axis 11 in the same way as if it were articulated directly with clevis 16.

 The articulation means 19 comprises a shaft 21 which is coaxial with the axis 20 and which supports the gutter 15 by passing through an extreme transverse wall 22 of this gutter to end inside of it by a handle 23 intended for be grabbed by hand.

 This arrangement brings the advantage of allowing additional movements of prono-supination of the wrist around the axis 20 by rotation of the handle 23.

Due to this construction, the upper limb can perform numerous rehabilitation movements, but the hand cannot grasp objects located outside the gutter.

 Figure 4 relates to an alternative embodiment in which the two branches 16a, 16b of the yoke 16 extend down below the level of the hinge means 10. These two descending branches 16a, 16b are each provided at their free end of an articulation means 13 and the gutter 15 is disposed between these two branches 16a, 16b and articulated directly with them.

In this way, the gutter 15 can have a shorter length so that the hand protrudes at least partially at one end and can easily grasp objects between the fingers since no element of the device is located below the gutter 15. This is even more accurate when the shaft 3 descends from the ceiling, for example, as shown in Figure 4, instead of rising from the floor. An apparatus of the invention thus designed can be installed at a fixed post above a work table for performing occupational therapy exercises or manufacturing operations which tire the upper limb.

 In certain circumstances, in particular when it is desirable to have a transportable device for carrying out rehabilitation movements at home, it is advantageous to reduce the size and the weight of the device. FIG. 2 shows a variant which satisfies this condition.

 The articulation means 10 around the third vertical axis It establishes the connection between the second end of the bar 8 and a gutter holder 12 which is constituted by a bracket 24 having, on the one hand a vertical wing 24a joined by one end by means of articulation 10; on the other hand, a horizontal wing 24b joined at its end with the gutter 15 by means of a single articulation means 13.

 A forearm of an upper limb is shown in phantom in the groove 15 in Figure 2. This groove is arranged so that the center of gravity G of the upper limb is in the transverse plane which passes through the means of articulation 13.

 In such a case, there is a difference in value d between the third vertical pivot axis 11 and the vertical passing through the center of gravity G. It is preferable that this value d is as small as possible.

However, even when the vertical of the center of gravity of the upper limb does not coincide with the vertical axis 11, the apparatus of the invention can be used and provides appreciable relief which reduces the fatigue of the limb which it supports.

 With this variant, the apparatus of the invention is lighter, less bulky and, in addition, the member supported by the gutter 15 is more distant from the entire apparatus, due to the existence of the deviation d, which facilitates the execution of certain operations or of certain occupational therapy exercises. The value d of the difference therefore results from a compromise between the comfort provided by the device and the desired clearance of the member relative to the latter.

It will be noted that for certain users, it might be desirable to place the bracket 24 in the opposite direction, the wing 24a extending upwards from the articulation means 10.

 In FIG. 1, the upper elongated branch 1a of the parallelogram 1 is extended beyond the first vertical axis 2 and the extended part 1c is provided with balancing means which comprise a fixed counterweight 24 which balances the weight of the device to empty, an additional approximate adjustment counterweight and a sliding counterweight 26 for fine adjustment of the balancing of an upper member resting in the gutter 15.

 The counterweight balancing means are easy to use but they increase the weight and size of the device. When the latter must be easily transportable, it is advantageous to provide, as balancing means, a spring 27 fixed on the one hand to the free end of the extension lf of the lower elongated branch lb of the parallelogram 1 and, on the other hand to an extension in endirection of the articulation means 5 of the short branch lc of the parallelogram 1. It is preferable that the spring 27 is placed parallel to the extension 12 inside a socket 28 fixed to the latter. cable 29 starts from the extreme point 30 of the extension If and passes around a pulley 31 mounted idly on the extension 1g. The radial distances between the point of articulation 32 closest to the parallelogram 1 and on the one hand the point 30 for fixing the cable 29, on the other hand the pulley 31, are equal. Alternatively, they could be different.

A lightened and less bulky device is thus obtained, but whose balancing effect, which is obtained by modifying the tension of the spring 27, is not always easy to adjust or to obtain satisfactorily.
The preferred arrangement is that which consists in using the spring 27 described above with a counterweight 33 adjustable in position along the extension lf of the branch lb of the parallelogram 1. Preferably, this counterweight 33 straddles the point of articulation 32 and slides both along the extension If and along the branch lb.We thus arrive at a device which remains compact, relatively light and easy reXlage by means of the counterweight 33, the spring 27 being chosen to ensure balancing at average device load.

 FIG. 5 shows an apparatus constituted like that of FIG. 1 in use during a rehabilitation lance. We see that the apparatus allows the exe c'ition in space of all the movements that the upper limb can accomplish. So that there is in all situations a good attachment of the forearm and the groove 15, two straps 34, 35 are provided in the latter for fixing the forearm. In this figure, the perspective does not allow to see the lower branches of the parallelogram.

 The embodiment described above is that of a device specially adapted for the upper limbs. The invention is feasible in a completely analogous manner for the rehabilitation of the lower limbs; its adaptation to such use presents no difficulty. For example, if we refer to Figure 5, we see that it is enough either to install the device at a lower level, or to raise the user so that the latter can place a foot and the bottom of the leg in the gutter 15 previously devoid of the handle 23. In fact, it is above all the shape or the length of the gutter 15 which needs to be shaped to properly receive a lower limb to be rehabilitated.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS. ~. or lower  1. Apparatus for assisting an upper limb / for the execution of movements in space, characterized in that it comprises an articulated parallelogram (1) with two elongated branches (la, lb), articulated in rotation by a first short branch (tic) around a first vertical axis (2), carrying by its second short branch (id) a hinge means (6) pivoting around a second vertical axis (7) with a first end of a bar t8) having at its second end a means of articulation (10) pivoting about a third vertical axis (11) with a first end of a drip tray (12) provided at its second end with at least one articulation means (13) about a horizontal axis (14) for a groove (15) intended to receive and support a forearm of an upper limb, one of the elongated branches (la, lb) of the parallelogram (1) being extended beyond the first vertical axis (2) and equipped with means for balancing the weight of this upper member.  2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the drift holder (12) consists of a yoke (16) having two branches (16a, 16b) which extend from the level of the articulation means (10) around the third vertical axis (11) and the ends of which are each provided with an articulation means (13).  3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the branches (16a, 16b) of the yoke (16) extend upwards from the level of the articulation means (10).  4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the branches (16a, 16b) of the yoke (16) extend downward from the level of the articulation means (10).  5. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a fork (17) is arranged inside the yoke (16) and the ends of the branches (17a, 17b) of this fork are articulated with the branches ( 16a, 16b) of the yoke (16) using the articulation means (13) around the horizontal axis (14), the central part of this fork (17) supporting a first side (18a) of a bracket (18) extending orthogonally to said horizontal axis (14), the second side (18b) of this bracket (18) being provided with an articulation means (19) pivoting about an axis (20) parallel to said first side (18a) with a shaft (21) coaxial with this axis (20) and supporting the gutter (15).  6. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the gutter holder (12) is constituted by a bracket (24) having a vertical wing (24a) articulated by the articulation means (10) with the second end of the bar (8) and a horizontal wing (24b) articulated by an articulation means (13) with the gutter (15).  7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the gutter (15) is arranged so that the third vertical axis (11) passes sensibly through the center of gravity of the member whose extreme free part rests in this gutter (15).  8. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the balancing means equipping the extension (the) of an elongated branch (la) of the parallelogram (l) comprise a # fixed counterweight (24) for vacuum and less an adjustable counterweight (25, 26) balancing the weight of the limb,  9. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the balancing means equipping the extension (lof) of an elongated branch (lb) of the parallelogram (1) comprise a spring (27) fixed on the one hand at a point ( 30) of this extension (lof), on the other hand to an extension (zig) of the neighboring short branch (lc) and a counterweight (33) adjustable in position along this extension (lof) of the elongated branch (lb ).  10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first vertical axis (2) is materialized by a shaft (3) provided with a hinge means (5) in pivoting, this shaft (3) being placed either - below the parallelogram (1) to be supported by the ground, or above the parallelogram (1) to be suspended from a ceiling.  11. Apparatus according to claim 5 intended to assist an upper limb characterized in that the shaft (21) supporting the gutter (15) extends inside through the end wall (22) of this gutter where it ends with a handle (23).  12. Apparatus according to claim 11 characterized in that the first side (18a) of the bracket (18) is adjustable in length from the fork (17) which supports this first side (18a).