Load-relieving apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10772786-B2
Application number	US-201816108944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2018
Priority date	Sep 21, 2017
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A load-relieving apparatus includes a wire cable 36 with a free end and a fixed end opposite to the free end, a locking part 361 being attached to the free end, a winding part 334 configured to wind the wire cable 36 from a fixed-end side thereof, a pulley 335 interposed between the winding part 334 and the locking part 361 , and configured to stretch the wire cable therebetween, and a cover 336 with a through hole 338 H formed therein through which the wire cable 36 is inserted, the cover 336 being interposed between the locking part 361 and the pulley 335 , and formed so as to cover at least a part of the pulley 335 . Further, the through hole 338 H is configured so that a relative position of the through hole 338 H with respect to a rotation axis of the pulley 335 changes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load-relieving apparatus for a walking training system comprising:
a wire cable with a free end and a fixed end opposite to the free end, a locking part being attached to the free end;
a winding part configured to wind the wire cable from a fixed-end side thereof;
a pulley interposed between the winding part and the locking part, and configured to stretch the wire cable therebetween; and
a cover with a through hole formed therein through which the wire cable is inserted, the cover being interposed between the locking part and the pulley, and formed so as to cover at least a part of the pulley, wherein
the through hole is configured so that a relative position of the through hole is movable with respect to a rotation axis of the pulley.

2. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole is disposed so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the pulley.

3. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole is disposed so as to be able to rotate around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the pulley.

4. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the through hole does not allow the locking part to pass therethrough.

5. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the through hole has a slit shape extending parallel to an axial direction of the rotation axis of the pulley.

6. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a support plate configured to support the winding part and the pulley, wherein
the support plate includes a sub-rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis.

7. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive unit configured to drive the winding part.

8. The load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is rotatably mounted to the pulley such that the cover independently rotates about the rotational axis of the pulley.

9. A walking training system that includes at least one load-relieving apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Kanako
• Kawada Norihiko

Classifications

• A61H2203/0481

  Hanging · CPC title

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title

• A61H2003/007

  secured to the patient, e.g. with belts · CPC title

• A61H3/008 Primary

  using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses · CPC title

• A61H1/0262 Primary

  Walking movement; Appliances for aiding disabled persons to walk (A61H3/00 takes precedence) · CPC title