Medical rehab body weight support system and method with horizontal and vertical force sensing and motion control

A system for supporting weight-bearing therapies of a person, comprising:

• a movable support unit operatively associated with and moveable along or relative to a support system, the movable support unit being movable along a path;
• at least a first drive associated with the movable support unit, said first drive moving the movable support unit along the path;
• an actuator attached to the movable support unit, said actuator including a second drive for driving a rotatable drum, said drum having a first end of a strap attached thereto, said strap wound in an overlapping coil fashion about an outer surface of the drum, and a second end of the strap being coupled to a support harness attached to support the person;
• a first sensor configured to measure a magnitude and a direction of a horizontal force applied to the movable support unit via the strap;
• a second sensor configured to measure, as a tensile force, at least a magnitude of a vertical force applied to the strap;
• a control system configured to receive signals from the first and second sensors and a user interface, wherein said user interface comprises at least one computing system spaced apart from said movable support unit, the control system configured to control, in response to the received signals, the movement of at least the first and second drives to facilitate the support during movement of the person, where the control system dynamically adjusts the amount of support provided to the person by moving the movable support unit horizontally along the track to follow the person and by dynamically altering the vertical force applied to the person via the strap, the drum and the second drive;
• and
• a database for storing data representative of the operation of the system, said database being associated with the control system and where the user interface directs queries to said database, said system providing, in response to a query, at least one report selected from the group consisting of:
• a patient record, task outcomes, session outcomes, and historical comparisons.

A method for supporting a person during rehabilitation therapy, comprising:

• providing a track, the track including a plurality of extruded members joined end-to-end, and a plurality of electrical rails arranged longitudinally along an interior portion of the track for each portion of track, wherein at least one extruded member includes a generally planar upper surface extending in a longitudinal direction, opposing sides extending longitudinally and downward from each side of the upper surface, and where a combination of the upper surface and downward-extending sides form the interior portion of the track, each of said opposing sides further including a shoulder extending in an outward direction therefrom;
• operatively attaching a movable support unit to the track, the movable support unit being movable along a path defined by the track in a first direction and in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction;
• moving the movable support unit along the path defined by the track using a first drive attached to the movable support unit, wherein the first drive is operatively coupled to a surface of the track to control the horizontal position of the movable support along the track, and where the movable support unit is suspended from rollers resting on each of the shoulders extending from the opposing sides of the track;
• controlling the vertical position of the person using an actuator attached to the movable support unit, said actuator including a second drive for driving a rotatable drum, said drum having a first end of a strap attached thereto and the strap wound in an overlapping coil fashion about an outer surface of the drum, and a second end of the strap being coupled to a support harness attached to support the person;
• measuring a magnitude and a direction of a horizontal force applied to the movable support unit via the strap using a first sensor, the first sensor including a strap guide operatively attached to and extending from the movable support unit, the strap guide being attached to a first load cell in a manner causing a change in the first load cell output when the strap is pulled in a direction forward from or backward from vertical;
• measuring at least a magnitude of a vertical force applied to the strap using a second sensor, the second sensor including at least one pulley between the drum and the person supported by the strap, wherein the pulley is connected on one end of a pivoting arm, said arm being pivotally attached near its midsection to a frame member coupled to the movable support unit, and where an opposite end of said pivoting arm is operatively associated with a second load cell such that the second load cell is placed only in compression in response to a load suspended on the strap;
• providing a control system configured to receive signals from the first and second sensors, and a user interface, and to control the movement of at least the first and second drives to facilitate and support movement of the person, where the control system dynamically adjusts the amount of support provided to the person by moving the movable support unit horizontally along the track to follow the person;
• and
• storing, in a database, data representative of the operation of the control system, said database responding to a query to provide at least one report selected from the group consisting of:
• a patient record, task outcomes, session outcomes, and historical comparisons.