Movement assistance apparatus, e.g., for feeding, writing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257167-B2
Application number	US-201917272707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a main arm having links extending from a ground end to an effector end and allowing movement of the effector end from a first position to a second position, the links including at least a base link adapted to be pivotally connected to a base, and a spacing link pivotally mounted to a free end of the base link and extending to the effector end. A first 4-bar parallelogram has pivot joints at its corners and including the base link of the main arm. A second 4-bar parallelogram has pivot joints at its corners and including the spacing link of the main arm and an effector link at the effector end adapted to support an object. A serial interconnection is between the first 4-bar parallelogram and the second 4-bar parallelogram constraining the effector link to maintaining a constant orientation in at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the base.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a main arm having links extending from a ground end to an effector end and allowing movement of the effector end from a first position to a second position, the links including at least a base link adapted to be pivotally connected to a base, and a spacing link pivotally mounted to a free end of the base link and extending to the effector end;
a first 4-bar parallelogram having pivot joints at its corners and including the base link of the main arm;
a second 4-bar parallelogram having pivot joints at its corners and including the spacing link of the main arm and an effector link at the effector end adapted to support an object;
a serial interconnection between the first 4-bar parallelogram and the second 4-bar parallelogram constraining the effector link to maintaining a constant orientation in at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the base; and
a handle connected to the second 4-bar mechanism at a location being offset from the effector end and between the serial interconnection and the effector end such that an amplitude of a movement of the effector end is greater than an amplitude of a movement applied to the handle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive link assembly between the spacing link of the second 4-bar mechanism and the base.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the drive link assembly includes a first link and a second link pivotally interconnected to one another.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the ground, and the second link is pivotally connected to the spacing link.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first link and the base link are coaxially pivotally connected to the ground.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of the spacing link extends beyond one said pivot joint of the second 4-bar parallelogram, the drive link assembly being connected to said portion of the spacing link.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a first actuator operatively connected to the base link to actuate a pivot connection of the base link to the base.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a second actuator operatively connected to the drive link assembly to actuate a pivot connection of the drive link assembly to the base.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a manual driving transmission operatively connected to the base link to actuate a pivot connection of the base link to the base, and operatively connected to the drive link assembly to actuate a pivot connection of the drive link assembly to the base.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the serial interconnection includes a single joining link forming a bar of the first 4-bar parallelogram and a bar of the second 4-bar parallelogram, and pivotally connected to a joint connecting the free end of the base link to the spacing link.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plane in which lies the first and second 4-bar mechanisms is transverse to the base.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plane in which lies the first and second 4-bar mechanisms is parallel to the base.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a turntable between the base and the ground.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a utensil connected to the effector link.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a handle link interfacing the handle to the second 4-bar mechanism.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the handle link is pivotally connected to the second 4-bar mechanism and parallel to two bars of the second 4-bar mechanism.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a bracket portion on the handle link, the handle connected to the bracket portion.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the bracket portion is transverse to a plane of the 4-bar mechanisms.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the handle is rotatably connected to the bracket portion by a rotational joint.

20. An apparatus comprising:
a main arm having links extending from a ground end to an effector end and allowing movement of the effector end from a first position to a second position, the links including at least a base link adapted to be pivotally connected to a base, and a spacing link pivotally mounted to a free end of the base link and extending to the effector end;
a first 4-bar parallelogram having pivot joints at its corners and including the base link of the main arm;
a second 4-bar parallelogram having pivot joints at its corners and including the spacing link of the main arm and an effector link at the effector end adapted to support an object;
a serial interconnection between the first 4-bar parallelogram and the second 4-bar parallelogram constraining the effector link to maintaining a constant orientation in at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the base; and
a drive link assembly between the spacing link of the second 4-bar mechanism and the base, the drive link assembly including a first drive link pivotally connected to the base and a second drive link pivotally connected to the first drive link, the second drive link pivotally connected to the spacing link.

Assignees

• Univ Laval

Inventors

• Campeau-Lecours Alexandre
• Turgeon Philippe
• Routhier François
• Laliberte Thierry

Classifications

• B25J1/02

  articulated or flexible · CPC title

• B25J1/00

  Manipulators positioned in space by hand (of leader-follower type B25J3/00; micromanipulators B25J7/00) · CPC title

• B43L15/00

  Supports for attachment to hands or arms for facilitating writing or drawing · CPC title

• A61F4/00 Primary

  Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body · CPC title

• A47G21/08

  Serving devices for one-handed persons · CPC title