Device for supporting both arms of a user

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857021-B2
Application number	US-201916698076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 6, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates a device for supporting two arms 4 of a user 2 wherein the device has
two arm support elements 6 , each of which has an arm shell 10 for placing on an arm 4, at least one passive actuator 26,
which is configured to apply a force to at least one of the arm support elements 6 , and
at least one counter bearing 14 for the force to be applied, which comprises
at least one counter bearing element 16 and at least two force transmission elements 18 , which are configured to transfer a counter force from each of the arm support elements to the counter bearing element 16,

wherein the force transmission elements 18 are arranged on the counter bearing element 16 such that they can be moved relative to the counter bearing element 16 , in particular they can be rotated about at least one rotational axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for supporting at least one upper arm of a user, wherein the device comprises
at least one arm support element which has an arm shell configured to be placed on an arm,
at least one passive actuator which is configured to apply a force to the at least one arm support element, and
at least one counter bearing for the force to be applied to the at least one arm support element, which comprises
at least one counter bearing element and
at least one force transmission element which is configured to transfer a counter force to the at least one counter bearing element,

wherein a freedom of movement of the arm is not restricted by the device and the at least one force transmission element is a pressure force transmission element with which the at least one arm support element is arranged by a joint such that the at least one arm support element is swivellable about a swivel axis,
wherein the at least one passive actuator applies the force eccentrically relative to the swivel axis on the at least one arm support element, and
wherein the at least one counter bearing element comprises a mounting element that is configured to place the device on a body part, wherein the pressure force transmission element is connected to a mounting element by a joint or a hinge.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure force transmission element is a rod or a splint.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one counter bearing element comprises a mounting element that is configured to place the device on a body part.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the mounting element is a strap, a belt, a bandage or a shell element.

5. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the body part is a torso of the user.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one counter bearing element comprises at least a shoulder element for mounting on a shoulder of the user.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one counter bearing element has at least one ground contact element enabling the counter force to be introduced into the ground.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the at least one force transmission element is changeable relative to the at least one counter bearing element by way of a movement of a torso of the user and/or a movement of the arm.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure force transmission element is connected to the at least one counter bearing element.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure force transmission element is connected to the mounting element by a ball joint.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one passive actuator comprises an elastic element.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the elastic element is a spring element.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one passive actuator is configured to apply the force depending on a position and/or orientation of the at least one arm support element relative to the at least one counter bearing element.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one passive actuator is configured to apply the force depending on a swivel angle of the at least one arm support element about the swivel axis.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the force applied by the at least one passive actuator is alterable by way of an alterable preload of the at least one passive actuator and/or an adjustable eccentricity of the application of force on the at least one arm support element.

16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one force transmission element is mounted in a guide which prevents a part of the at least one force transmission element on which the at least one arm support element is arranged from moving away from a torso of the user when the device is mounted.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises two arm support elements for supporting both arms of the user, wherein each of the two arm support elements is arranged on a respective one of the at least one force transmission elements such that it is swivellable, wherein the device further comprises a connecting element arranged between the respective at least one force transmission elements, wherein a tensile force is applicable to both of the at least one force transmission elements by the connecting element.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein both force transmission elements are connected at a same position on the at least one counter bearing element.

19. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a blocking device by which a movement of the at least one arm support element relative to the at least one force transmission element is blockable in at least one direction.

20. The device according to claim 19 , wherein the movement is completely blockable.

21. A device for supporting at least one upper arm of a user, wherein the device comprises
at least one arm support element which has an arm shell configured to be placed on an arm,
at least one passive actuator which is configured to apply a force to the at least one arm support element, and
at least one counter bearing for the force to be applied to the at least one arm support element, which comprises
at least one counter bearing element and
at least one force transmission element which is configured to transfer a counter force to the at least one counter bearing element,

wherein the arm shell is moveable relative to the at least one counter bearing element in at least three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom,
wherein the at least one force transmission element is a pressure force transmission element with which the at least one arm support element is arranged by a joint such that the at least one arm support element is swivellable about a swivel axis,
wherein the at least one passive actuator applies the force to the at least one arm support element eccentrically, and
wherein the at least one counter bearing element comprises a mounting element that is configured to place the device on a body part, wherein the pressure force transmission element is connected to a mounting element by a joint or a hinge.

Assignees

• Ottobock Se & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Mizera Oliver
• Kurzweg Annedore
• Mosler Lüder
• Fox Samantha
• Schirrmeister Benjamin
• Vollbrecht Matthias
• Kehnen Meike
• Wagner Sonja

Classifications

• A61F5/013

  for the arms, hands or fingers (A61F5/0118 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F5/01 Primary

  Orthopaedic devices, e.g. long-term immobilising or pressure directing devices for treating broken or deformed bones such as splints, casts or braces · CPC title

• B25J9/108

  Bearings specially adapted therefor (bearings in general F16C) · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• A61F2005/0134

  with two orthogonal pivots · CPC title