WO1997019611A1

WO1997019611A1 - Patient mobility system

Info

Publication number: WO1997019611A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/019122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Phillips
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-12-01
Filing date: 1996-12-02
Publication date: 1997-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1998-06-01
Also published as: AU1328297A

Abstract

A patient mobility system includes a support assembly (12) having a side frame (14) from which extends opposite handgrips (16) and underarm support members (18) on either side of the patient's body. The patient support assembly (12) is suspended from an overhead position by a track (26) and trolley (28) assembly attached to the ceiling.

Description

APPLICATION UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY

TITLE: Patient Mobility System

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Applicant's invention relates to devices useful in augmenting the mobility of the disabled or infirmed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Presently available devices for assisting persons who cannot walk without assistance (including "walkers", crutches and canes) are not wholly adequate to enable all who are not unquestionably confined to wheelchairs (at best) or bedridden. Such presently available devices all share a requirement that a patient have rather undiminished upper body strength. A patient using a walker, a cane or a traditional crutch must transfer to the upper body muscles, particularly arm and shoulder area muscles, much of the work of supporting and stabilizing the whole body during ambulation.

Patients needing mobility assistance devices and who will particularly benefit from Applicant's invention as described hereafter are those who are in an overall weakened condition and who desire independent mobility and/or need assistance in moving about in order, for example, to regain strength lost due to surgery, long-term convales¬ cence, etc.

There are patient support/mobility devices in the prior art. A device shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,568,226 issued to Mater, et al would, on the surface, appear to be the most pertinent to the present invention.

However, there are material deficiencies to the Mater device, deficiencies which are fully addressed by the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention allow for a mode of use which is not possible with Mater's device, and affords an efficacy not found in using the Mater device. Considerable testing and evaluation of embodiments of the present invention has shown that the ability (not found in Mater) to have a patient "face into" the Phillips device provides considerable safety and efficacy. Patients requiring therapy of the nature effected by the Phillips device tend, if falling at all, to fall forward. Thus, a patient would likely fall out of the Mater device, while being "caught" by the Phillips device during a loss of balance, trip, etc. Furthermore, therapists who assist patients in therapy involving the Phillips device ordinarily must closely juxtapose themselves to the patient. This can only be done from behind the patient, an orientation prohibited by the

Mater device, but allowed by the Phillips device.

Further still, the Mater device teaches having little more than hand rests rather than hand grips, and positions these hand rests where the patient has little to do but rest his or her forearms in the forwardly extending troughs of the Mater device. Conversely, the linear or "in-line" arrangement of the under arm supports and hand grips in the Phillips device requires a more active and therapeutic involvement by the patient/user. When using the Phillips device, a patient instinctively supports and balances himself or herself using the arm, shoulder and hand muscles, much as they would be required to do if using crutches.

Another device in the prior art, and of only superficial relevance to the present invention is that shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,195,550 issued to Ingalls, et al. The Ingalls device merely resembles crutches from the waist level up, and does not provide virtually any of the benefits afforded by the Phillips device. Because the Phillips device is suspended from above, not planted in a firmly level plane of movement such as the Ingalls device, a patient/user of the Phillips device experienc¬ es the need for balance and coordination to prevent the initial stages of a fall in any of the possible directions. The ability to "almost fall" from the Phillips device helps patients develop or re-develop their sense of balance and ability to appropriately react to stimuli during the walking process. Further still, the Phillips device, suspended from above by any likely form of support, simply cannot fall over (as the Ingalls device could), and will not, by rolling freely over a floor surface, permit a patient/user to roll into areas of danger such as stairs or ramps.

The Ingalls device does not anticipate nor render obvious the in- line arrangement of the Phillips device's under arm supports or hand grips. Grasping the Ingalls frame with one's hands is merely incidental to the primary function of the device which is to support most of the body's weight by the Ingalls under arm supports 1 1 (see Column 2, Lines 44 - 48 of Ingalls). This arrangement does not incorporate the specifically intended in-line arrangement of the Phillips under arm supports and hand grips.

Other devices known to Applicant through search results in connection with the parent US application include those shown in the following patents: US Patent No. 2,719,568 issued to Webb;

US Patent No. 2,792052 issued to Johanπesen;

US Patent No. 3,397,883 issued to Kiehn;

US Patent No. 3,778,052 issued to Andow, et al;

US Patent No. 4,303,041 issued to Thompson, et al; US Patent No. 4,91 1 ,426 issued to Scales; and

GB Patent No. 9,426 issued to Poole. None if the devices shown in these prior art materials render the present invention void of inventive step or anticipated in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved patient mobility system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved patient mobility system which is particularly useful to patients having limited upper body strength or coordination such that use of traditional walkers, canes and crutches is not feasible, at first, but may be rendered feasible through use of embodiments of the present invention.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved patient mobility system which is more comfortable in use than traditional crutches.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved patient mobility system which assists an infirmed user in walking with a normal gait, yet provides, with great comfort and stability, the supportive benefits of traditional crutches or walkers. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved patient mobility system which, because of ease of all phases of use, including initiation and termination of use, facilitates unassisted use by the partially disabled and thereby contributes to independent living opportunities. In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant's present invention provides an improved patient mobility system which supports a patient in a manner analogous to that of traditional crutches. Unlike crutches, however, Applicant's system obviates the risks of losing balance and falling, because the system itself, not the patient/user, assures correct orientation of the patient/user, so long as the patient/user remains interfaced with the system. Also, unlike the case of traditional walkers and canes, a patient need not have significant upper body strength or coordination in order to use Applicant's system. Applicant's system assists even the extremely weak in walking in a virtually normal gait, guiding the patient in desired directions with very little physical exertion or consistent directional force being required.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, Applicant's invention is of a system which includes a patient support assembly which is suspended from an overhead rolling trolling which, in turn, is interfaced with a track member. The patient support assembly is configured to provide crutch-like upper body support members on either side of the patient. Because the patient support assembly is suspended from above, and does not rely at all on balance, stable footing, etc., a user of equivalent strength and orientational stability is far less likely to fall while using Applicant's system than while using traditional crutches, canes, or walkers. Furthermore, the inherently greater stability of Applicant's system, when compared to that of walkers, crutches and canes, enlarges the scope of patients who may enjoy and benefit from walking.

During use of Applicant's system, a patient/user need not fall or move in an unintended or dangerous path so long as he/she remains engaged with the patient support assembly. This is not difficult inasmuch as most patients, upon losing their footing or orientation, may almost passively "hang" from the patient support assembly until they regain their footing. In such a case, the under arm supports will, with very little exertion by the user, support the user so long as he/she simply holds on to the hand grips. Embodiments of the present invention allow for a mode of use which is not possible with devices of the prior art, and thereby affords a unique efficacy. Considerable testing and evaluation of embodiments of the present invention has shown that the ability (not found in Mater) to have a patient "face into" the Phillips device provides considerable safety and efficacy. Patients requiring therapy of the nature effected by the

Phillips device tend, if falling at all, to fall forward. Thus, a patient would likely fall out of the Mater device, while being "caught" by the Phillips device during a loss of balance, trip, etc. Furthermore, therapists who assist patients in therapy involving the Phillips device ordinarily must closely juxtapose themselves to the patient. This can only be done from behind the patient, an orientation prohibited by such prior art devices as the Mater device mentioned above, but allowed by the Phillips device.

Further still, the ability to "face into" the Phillips device facilitates a user's entry of the Phillips from such starting points as when a user is initially seated. If the Phillips device is lowered to the user's sitting level, the user can merely lean into the device facing forward, engage the device by placing the under arm supports in the appropriate positions, and thereafter the device may be lifted (along with the user) until the user is in a standing position. This type of interface is not possible with a "back into it" device such as the previously mentioned Mater device. Finally with respect to the Mater device, Mater teaches having little more than hand rests rather than hand grips, and positions these hand rests where the patient has little to do but rest his or her forearms in the forwardly extending troughs of the Mater device. Conversely, the linear or "in-line" arrangement of the under arm supports and hand grips in the Phillips device requires a more active and therapeutic involvement by the patient/user. Rather than merely "hang" in the Phillips device

(except when recovering from a fall, as previously mentioned), such as is prompted by the Mater device, a patient instinctively supports and balances himself or herself using the arm, shoulder and hand muscles, much as they would be required to do if using crutches Because the Phillips device is suspended from above, not planted in a firmly level plane of movement such as the Ingalls device, a patient/user of the Phillips device experiences the need for balance and coordination to prevent the initial stages of a fall in any of the possible directions. The ability to "almost fall" from the Phillips device helps patients develop or re-develop their sense of balance and ability to appropriately react to stimuli during the walking process. Further still, the Phillips device, suspended from above by any likely form of support, simply cannot fall over (as the Ingalls device could), and will not, by rolling freely over a floor surface, permit a patient/user to roll into areas of danger such as stairs or ramps.

Prior art devices such as the aforementioned Ingalls device do not anticipate nor render obvious the in-line arrangement of the Phillips device's under arm supports or hand grips. Grasping the Ingalls frame with one's hands is merely incidental to the primary function of the device which is to support most of the body's weight by the Ingalls under arm supports 1 1 (see Column 2, Lines 44 - 48 of Ingalls). This 7 arrangement does not incorporate the specifically intended in-line arrangement of the Phillips under arm supports and hand grips.

Another benefit observed through use ofthe Phillips device arises from the in-line arrangement of the under arm supports and hand grips which requires the near straight-arm use profile. This benefit relates to the posture promoted by proper use of the Phillips device. With a patient/user's arms in the directly downward profile, like when using a traditional crutch and such as is required by the Phillips device, a patient's upper body will be urged to a more upright, erect configuration, rather than the stooping profile likely to follow from use of the Mater device which allows a user to simply rest his or her arms in the Mater arm "troughs."

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an individual using Applicant's

Patient Mobility System.

Fig. 2 is an elevational rear view of an individual using Applicant's Patient Mobility System.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a harness support for use with Applicant's system.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an individual using an alternative embodiment of Applicant's Patient Mobility System wherein side frames are pivotally suspected from a suspension/spacer member.

Fig. 5 depicts the patient support assembly used in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of track, the wench and an upper portion of the patient support assembly of the preferred embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an individual using a modified embodiment of Applicant's Patient Mobility System in which a forearm cuff is added to the handgrip structure.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the modified handgrip structure of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the modified handgrip structure of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an individual using a modified embodiment of Applicant's Patient Mobility System in which a forearm cuff is substituted for the handgrip structure of the embodiment of Figs.

1 and 7.

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of the forearm cuff assembly of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the forearm cuff assembly of Fig. 7.

Fig. 13 is an elevational view of the truck used, in substitution to a fixed, overhead track, to suspend the patient support assembly.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a patient using Applicant's patient support assembly as suspended from the truck of Fig. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figures 1 and 2, Applicant's patient mobility system is identified generally by the reference numeral 10. System 10 includes a patient support assembly 12. Patient support assembly 12 includes two side frames 14. Each side frame 14 of the preferred embodiment provides a handgrip 16 and an under arm support member 18. Although optional, the harness support 19 of Figure 3 may be added to patient support assembly 12 to prevent a patients falling from patient support assembly 12. Profoundly disabled patients would indicate a need for harness support 19.

Referring principally to Figures 1 and 2, side frames 14 extend downward from opposite ends of, and spaced apart by a suspension/- spacer member 20. Suspension/spacer member 20 may either be integral with other components or portions of the patient support assembly 12 or a separate component which is interfaced with the side frames 14. In one embodiment of Applicant's invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, suspension/spacer member 20 is a separate component to which are pivotally attached the side frames 14. This provides instant adaptation of the patient support assembly to patient/users of differing girths.

In the preferred embodiment of Applicant's invention, handgrips 16 extend from, or are integral to, an elongate Iower side frame tube 22 which is telescopically interfaced with an upper side frame tube 24 from which extends the under arm support member 18. This arrangement permits adjustment of the relative spacing between under arm support members 18 and handgrips 16. Also made possible by this arrangement are changes in orientation or handgrips 16 relative to under arm support members 18. Lower side frame tube 22 and upper side frame tube 24 are lockingly engaged one to the other through conventional engage¬ ment means which will be apparent to anyone reasonably skilled in the pertinent arts. Referring principally to Figures 1 , 2 and 6, central to Applicant's invention is the support of the patient support assembly by an overhead position. In the basic embodiment of Applicant's system, a track member 26 (shown in Figure 6) is situated overhead, and the patient support assembly 12 is carried along the length of track member 26 by an intervening trolley 28. Supporting the patient support assembly 12 from above, and restricting its movement to predetermined path(s), without any reliance on floor support, stable footing, etc., virtually eliminates the hazards associated with loss of balance, slippery floor surfaces, loss of directional control, etc. as is associated with the use of crutches, walkers and canes. Track member 26 can be configured as an I-beam type track, or may be a hollow, slotted conduit. Trolley member 28 as adapted for use with such variant track types will require design differentiations which will be clear to anyone reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. The preferred embodiment of Applicant's invention which utilizes an overhead track uses an I-beam type track 26. Accordingly, trolley 28 includes wheels 30 rotatably connected to a truck 32 which wheels 30 simply roll along the I-beam surfaces on either side of its web as shown (from one side of the I-beam) in Figure 2. To truck 32 is attached either the suspension/spacer member 20 or, as in the preferred embodiment of Applicant's invention, a wench 34. Wench 34, when installed, can be used to raise a patient/user from a sitting position to a standing position.

It is intended that track 26 be routed along desired paths of movement for the patient/user. In a hospital or rehabilitation center environment, this may involve simply affixing a length of track 26 along a straight path, for example, down a hall, or along a straight path in a workout area. In the case of home installation (Applicant's preferred embodiment), the track would extend to various rooms, including the patient/user's bedroom, rest room, kitchen, etc. For home installations, I-beam type tracks 26 are recommended because they are more readily provided with "switches" (analogous to train track switches and not shown in the drawings) which would permit deviation from one track path to another so as to reach different rooms or areas within a user's home or apartment.

An optional feature of Applicant's System involves padding for the under arm support members 18. While standard padding material such as is used to pad the under arm portions of traditional crutches may be used in Applicant's System, Applicant has designed gel-filled pads (not shown in the drawings) which are considerably more comfortable to a patient/user. Each pad consists of an enclosure which is fabricated from rupture-resistent plastic sheeting material (polyur- ethane, etc.). The enclosure is filled with a viscous gel material. Such a pad (substantially like a silicone breast implant by design and manufacture) much more easily than rubber or similar crutch pad materials molds to the anatomical shape of the user, and helps to relieve pressure points which cause discomfort during and after use. Referring principally to Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 and 12, patients with differing maladies may require slight adaptations to Applicant's system 10, principally to insure safe use of system 10. One such adaptation (in addition to the aforementioned harness 19) includes the augmentation or substitution of a handgrip 16 with a forearm cuff 21. As in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the forearm cuff 21 is supported and positioned by way of an extension tube 23 which is merely a continuation of the standard handgrip 16 structure. Extension tube 23 is telescopically interfaced with the handgrip 16, and is adjustable for accommodating patients of varying arm lengths, etc. This version of arm-interfacing means for system 10 is provided for patients who have some, but limited use or coordination of one of the arms or hands. The embodiment depicted in Figures 10, 1 1 and 12 is for use with patients with virtually no coordinated use of a hand or forearm. As is clear in these figures, the arm support assembly 25 of this embodi¬ ment eliminates a handgrip 16 altogether, and provides only a forearm cuff 21 as the arm interfacing means. Patients with very limited coordinated use of an arm or hand can still benefit from the support provided by the forearm being lodged in the forearm cuff 21 . This arm support assembly 25 is also adjustable as is clear from Figures 8 and 9. Of course, use of the forearm cuff 21 will deprive the patient, at least for the body side on which it is used, of the benefits afforded by the unique in-line hand grip and under arm support arrangement already described above and constituting a central premise of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 13 and 14, a still further variation of Applicant's system 12 substitutes a fixed overhead track 26 with a moveable truck 27. Truck 27 provides the overhead support which is elemental to Applicant's system 10, but provides more flexibility in direction of movement.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the 12 invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS I claim:

1. A patient mobility system comprising: a patient support assembly having a side frame from which extends a hand grips and an under arm support mem¬ ber, said side frame extending from a suspension/spacer portion end of a suspension/spacer portion of said assembly; said hand grip and said under arm support member being positioned relative to said side frame and to each other whereby, when said under arm support member resides under a patient's under arm, said hand grip is positioned for grasping by a user of said system with the patient's arm substantially fully and downwardly extended; suspension means for suspending said patient support assembly from an overhead position relative to a user/patient.

2. A patient mobility system comprising: a patient support assembly having first and second side frames from which extend, respectively, first and second hand grips and first and second under arm support members, said first and second side frames extending respectively from first and second suspension/spacer portion ends of a suspension/spacer portion of said assembly; said hand grips and said under arm support members being positioned relative to said side frames and to each other on respective first and second sides of said patient support assembly, whereby, when said first and second under arm support members reside under a patient's respective under arms, said hand grips are positioned for grasping by a user of said system with the patient's arms substantially fully and downwardly extended; suspension means for suspending said patient support assembly from an overhead position relative to a user/patient.

3. A patient mobility system comprising: a patient support assembly which includes a support frame having left and right support frame sides extending in substantially parallel orientations respectively from left and right spacing means ends of spacing means con¬ nected to said left and right support frame sides at respective support frame top ends, from each said left and right support frame sides extending, near respective said support frame top ends, in a substantially parallel orientation relative to each other, left and right under arm support members sized and shaped for extending into the under arm area of a patient/user of said system and providing support for the patient/user, and extending respectively from said left and right support frame sides, near respective support frame bottom ends, in a sub¬ stantially parallel orientation relative to each other and to said under arm support members, left and right hand grips sized and shaped for grasping by the hands of a patient/user of said system, respective said left and right hand grips and under arm support members being relatively positioned to each other and to said support frame sides to lie along lines which are substantially parallel to an elongate axis of said support frame; suspension means for suspending said suspension/spacer portion of said patient support assembly from an over¬ head position relative to a user/patient.

4. A patient mobility system comprising: a patient support assembly which includes a support frame having first and second side frames from which extend, respectively, first and second hand grips and first and second under arm support members, said first and second side frames extending respectively from first and second suspension/spacer portion ends of a suspen¬ sion/spacer portion of said assembly; said hand grips and said under arm support members being positioned relative to said side frames and to each other on respective first and second sides of said patient support assembly, whereby, when said first and second under arm support members reside under a patient's respective under arms, said hand grips are positioned for grasping by a user of said system with the patient's arms substantially, fully extended; suspension means for suspending said suspension/spacer portion of said patient support assembly from an over¬ head position relative to a user/patient.

5. The system of Claim 4 further comprising: an elongate track member having track positioning means for positioning said track member in an overhead position relative to a patient/user of said system, said track member defining a track path; carriage means movably interfaced with said track member whereby said carriage means may move, while remaining securely interfaced with said track member, from a first point along said track path to a second point along said track path, said carriage means being affixed to said suspension/spacer member; suspension engagement means for connecting said carriage means to said suspension means.

6. The system of Claim 3 further comprising: an elongate track member having track positioning means for positioning said track member in an overhead position relative to a patient/user of said system, said track member defining a track path; carriage means movably interfaced with said track member whereby said carriage means may move, while remaining securely interfaced with said track member, from a first point along said track path to a second point along said track path, said carriage means being affixed to said suspension/spacer member; suspension engagement means for connecting said carriage means to said suspension means.

7. The system of Claim 4 further comprising: an elongate track member having track positioning means for positioning said track member in an overhead position relative to a patient/user of said system, said track member defining a track path; carriage means movably interfaced with said track member whereby said carriage means may move, while remaining securely interfaced with said track member, from a first point along said track path to a second point along said track path, said carriage means being affixed to said suspension/spacer member; suspension engagement means for connecting said carriage means to said suspension means.