Back to results
US 11,026,852 B2Granted
Supporting structure
AssigneeHexowheel
InventorRodolphe Linon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A supporting structure includes two pairs of legs and four wheels each arranged at a lower end of a respective one of the legs. Each leg includes an upper segment and a lower segment, and optionally a retractable leg extension segment for contacting ground instead of the corresponding wheel. Such supporting structure is adapted for producing a lowering motion while keeping the legs crossed on both lateral sides. Such supporting structure may be adapted for assisting a disabled person in travelling on the ground, and also possibly in climbing stairs.
Claims20
A supporting structure (100), comprising:
- a load-receiving part (1), configured for receiving a load to be transported or assisted during moving;
- two pairs of legs (2), each leg pair being arranged from one lateral side of the load-receiving part which is opposite another lateral side of said load-receiving part dedicated to the other leg pair, all legs (2) extending from the load-receiving part (1) towards ground when the supporting structure (100) is in a use condition on horizontal ground, and being adapted for maintaining the load-receiving part above the ground;
- and
- four wheels (2w) with respective rotation axes oriented horizontally when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground, each leg (2) being provided with one of said wheels at a lower end of said leg which is opposite a connection of said leg to the load-receiving part (1),
- wherein each leg (2) comprises an upper segment (2u) and a lower segment (21),
- wherein for each leg an upper end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to the load-receiving part (1) with a first rotation axis (A1), and a lower end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to an upper end of the lower segment with a second rotation axis (A2), and a lower end of the lower segment forming the lower leg end opposite the connection of said leg to the load-receiving part, first and second rotation axes of all legs being parallel and horizontal when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is adapted to be configured into a reference crossed leg position in the use condition on horizontal ground with the wheels (2w) all located on the ground, in which both legs (2) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part (1) extend downwards while crossing each other in projection into a sagittal plane of the supporting structure,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is further adapted for performing a lowering of the load-receiving part (1) towards the ground from the reference crossed leg position, by bending each leg (2) upwardly about the second axis (A2) of said leg so as to reduce an angle (α) between the upper (2u) and lower (21) segments of said leg at the second axis, simultaneously for all four legs, thus increasing a first distance (d1) between both wheels (2w) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part, while both legs on each lateral side keep crossing each other in projection into the sagittal plane,
- said supporting structure (100) configured for forming an exoskeleton for a disabled person in which the load-receiving part (1) is a seat or backrest adapted for supporting at least one among a pelvis or a trunk of the disabled person, the wheels (2w) being freewheels during at least part of use of said supporting structure by the disabled person, and the supporting structure being movable on the ground by feet of the disabled person contacting and pulling the ground while the pelvis or trunk of said disabled person is supported by the load-receiving part (1).
6 more elements
A supporting structure (100), comprising:
- a load-receiving part (1), designed for receiving a load to be transported or assisted during moving;
- two pairs of legs (2), each leg pair being arranged from one lateral side of the load-receiving part which is opposite another lateral side of said load-receiving part dedicated to the other leg pair, all legs (2) extending from the load-receiving part (1) towards ground when the supporting structure (100) is in a use condition on horizontal ground, and being adapted for maintaining the load-receiving part above the ground;
- and
- four wheels (2w) with respective rotation axes oriented horizontally when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground, each leg (2) being provided with one of said wheels at a lower end of said leg which is opposite a connection of said leg to the load-receiving part (1),
- wherein each leg (2) comprises an upper segment (2u) and a lower segment (21), wherein for each leg an upper end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to the load-receiving part (1) with a first rotation axis (A1), and a lower end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to an upper end of the lower segment with a second rotation axis (A2), and a lower end of the lower segment forming the lower leg end opposite the connection of said leg to the load-receiving part, first and second rotation axes of all legs being parallel and horizontal when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is adapted for producing a reference crossed leg position in the use condition on horizontal ground with the wheels (2w) all located on the ground, in which both legs (2) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part (1) extend downwards while crossing each other in projection into a sagittal plane of the supporting structure,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is further adapted for performing a lowering of the load-receiving part (1) towards the ground from the reference crossed leg position, by bending each leg (2) upwardly about the second axis (A2) of said leg so as to reduce an angle (α) between the upper (2u) and lower (21) segments of said leg at the second axis, simultaneously for all four legs, thus increasing a first distance (d1) between both wheels (2w) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part, while both legs on each lateral side keep crossing each other in projection into the sagittal plane,
- wherein each leg (2) further comprises a retractable leg extension segment (2e) configured for extending downwards so as to push on the ground instead of the wheel (2w) of said leg, each leg extension segment being provided with a ground-contacting pad and having an extension length such that the leg is longer when the leg extension segment is extended, compared to the leg contacting the ground with the wheel of said leg when said leg extension segment is not extended.
5 more elements
A method for assisting movement by a disabled person, comprising:
- providing a support structure to the person, the support structure comprising
- a load-receiving part (1), configured for receiving a load to be transported or assisted during moving,
- two pairs of legs (2), each leg pair being arranged from one lateral side of the load-receiving part which is opposite another lateral side of said load-receiving part dedicated to the other leg pair, all legs (2) extending from the load-receiving part (1) towards ground when the supporting structure (100) is in a use condition on horizontal ground, and being adapted for maintaining the load-receiving part above the ground, and
- four wheels (2w) with respective rotation axes oriented horizontally when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground, each leg (2) being provided with one of said wheels at a lower end of said leg which is opposite a connection of said leg to the load-receiving part (1),
- wherein each leg (2) comprises an upper segment (2u) and a lower segment (21),
- wherein for each leg an upper end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to the load-receiving part (1) with a first rotation axis (A1), and a lower end of the upper segment is rotationally connected to an upper end of the lower segment with a second rotation axis (A2), and a lower end of the lower segment forming the lower leg end opposite the connection of said leg to the load-receiving part, first and second rotation axes of all legs being parallel and horizontal when the supporting structure (100) is in the use condition on horizontal ground,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is adapted to be configured into a reference crossed leg position in the use condition on horizontal ground with the wheels (2w) all located on the ground, in which both legs (2) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part (1) extend downwards while crossing each other in projection into a sagittal plane of the supporting structure,
- wherein the supporting structure (100) is further adapted for performing a lowering of the load-receiving part (1) towards the ground from the reference crossed leg position, by bending each leg (2) upwardly about the second axis (A2) of said leg so as to reduce an angle (α) between the upper (2u) and lower (21) segments of said leg at the second axis, simultaneously for all four legs, thus increasing a first distance (d1) between both wheels (2w) on each lateral side of the load-receiving part, while both legs on each lateral side keep crossing each other in projection into the sagittal plane,
- said supporting structure (100) configured for forming an exoskeleton for the person in which the load-receiving part (1) is a seat or backrest adapted for supporting at least one among a pelvis or a trunk of the person;
- and
- moving the supporting structure on the ground by way of feet of the person contacting and pulling the ground while the pelvis or trunk of the person is supported by the load-receiving part (1), the wheels (2w) being freewheels during said moving so as to not impede a motion of the supporting structure (100) on the ground as driven by the person.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.