Natural assist simulated gait therapy adjustment system
AssigneeALT Innovations LLC
InventorsAlan Tholkes, DuWayne Dandurand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a natural gait therapy device having an adjustable gait timing linkage assembly configured to operate an adjustable knee support assembly and an adjustable height foot assembly to simulate a normal walking pattern for a user based on characteristics of the user. In an illustrative example, the adjustable gait timing linkage assembly includes a chain sprocket configured to adjust a degree of heel lift and a length to the point of the heel lift during a normal walking simulation. In some embodiments, a gait stride adjustment assembly may adjust a stride length to accommodate different sized users. The gait stride adjustment assembly may advantageously contribute to the natural walking pattern simulation.
Claims18
A natural assist simulated gait therapy adjustment system (500) comprising:
- a seat base (510);
- a seat (520) supported by the seat base (510) via a posture positioning system (515) configured to transition between a seated state with a top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to horizontal, and a standing state with the top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to vertical;
- and,
- a gait simulating engine (530c) configured to simulate a natural gait of a user, the gait simulating engine (530c) comprising:
- a first drive sprocket (610) that drives swinging motion of a first swing arm (640) in response to rotation of the first drive sprocket (610);
- a first driven sprocket (620) coupled to the first drive sprocket (610) via a first chain (630), the first driven sprocket (620) driving gait motion of a first lower leg member (535c) in response to rotation of the first driven sprocket (620);
- a second drive sprocket (615) that drives swinging motion of a second swing arm (645) in response to rotation of the second drive sprocket (615);
- a second driven sprocket (625) coupled to the second drive sprocket (615) via a second chain (635), the second driven sprocket (625) driving gait motion of a second lower leg member (540c) in response to rotation of the second driven sprocket (625);
- and,
- a coupling member (665, 670) operably coupled to and disposed between the first and second drive sprockets (610, 615), such that when the first and second drive sprockets (610, 615) rotate, the first and second drive sprockets (610, 615) rotate together,
- wherein during a transition from the seated state to the standing state, the seat (520) articulates upward and forward while increasing an angle of the top surface of the seat (520) with respect to horizontal from substantially 0 degrees in the seated state to substantially 90 degrees in the standing state.
A natural assist simulated gait therapy adjustment system (500) comprising:
- a seat base (510);
- and,
- a seat (520) supported by the seat base (510) via a posture positioning system (515) configured to transition between a seated state with a top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to horizontal, and a standing state with the top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to vertical,
- wherein:
- during a transition from the seated state to the standing state, the seat (520) articulates upward and forward while increasing an angle of the top surface of the seat (520) with respect to horizontal from substantially 0 degrees in the seated state to substantially 90 degrees in the standing state, and
- the posture positioning system (515) is a scissor linkage system comprising:
- a first base link (540) pivotably coupled to the seat base (510);
- a second base link (550) pivotably coupled to the seat base (510);
- a first seat link (545) pivotably coupled to the first base link (540), the second base link (550), and a bottom of the seat (520);
- a second seat link (560) pivotably coupled to the bottom of the seat (520);
- and,
- an intermediary link (555) that operably couples the first seat link (545) to the second seat link (560).
A natural assist simulated gait therapy adjustment system (500) comprising:
- a seat base (510);
- a seat (520) supported by the seat base (510) via a posture positioning system (515) configured to transition between a seated state with a top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to horizontal, and a standing state with the top surface of the seat (520) angled substantially parallel to vertical;
- and,
- means for simulating a natural gait of a user (530c),
- wherein:
- during a transition from the seated state to the standing state, the seat (520) articulates upward and forward while increasing an angle of the top surface of the seat (520) with respect to horizontal from substantially 0 degrees in the seated state to substantially 90 degrees in the standing state, and
- the posture positioning system (515) is a scissor linkage system comprising:
- a first base link (540) pivotably coupled to the seat base (510);
- a second base link (550) pivotably coupled to the seat base (510);
- a first seat link (545) pivotably coupled to the first base link (540), the second base link (550), and a bottom of the seat (520);
- a second seat link (560) pivotably coupled to the bottom of the seat (520);
- and,
- an intermediary link (555) that operably couples the first seat link (545) to the second seat link (560).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.