Heavy capacity arm support systems
AssigneeLevitate Technologies, Inc.
InventorMark C. Doyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for supporting an arm of a user while using a tool that include a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; an arm support pivotally coupled to the harness for supporting a user's arm; and a tool mount on a free end of the arm support for receiving a tool such that the tool is manipulatable by a hand of user's arm supported by the arm support. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the arm support and/or the tool mount for at least partially offsetting a gravitational force acting on the user's arm and/or the tool received on the tool mount.
Claims21
A system for supporting an arm of a user while using a tool, comprising:
- a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user;
- an arm support pivotally coupled to the harness and configured to accommodate movement of the arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user's arm, the arm support including one or more compensation elements to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the arm;
- and
- a tool mount comprising a first end pivotally coupled to the harness and a second free end for receiving a tool and configured for positioning the tool adjacent a hand of the arm supported by the arm support assembly, the tool mount comprising one or more compensation elements to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the tool received on the second free end.
A method for supporting an arm of a user while using a tool, comprising:
- placing a harness on the user, the harness comprising an arm support movable relative to the harness and including an arm rest and a tool mount extending from the harness in front of the user;
- supporting a portion of the user's arm using the arm support such that the arm support subsequently follows movement of the user's arm;
- mounting a tool in a free end of the tool mount;
- and
- using the tool to perform one or more tasks, the tool mount comprising one or more compensation elements that apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the tool as the user moves without substantially interfering in the movement.
A system for supporting an arm of a user while using a tool, comprising:
- a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user, the harness comprising a shoulder harness configured to be worn over or around one or both shoulders of the user including a first pivot point above the shoulder of a user when the harness is worn by the user;
- an arm support comprising a first arm support segment pivotally coupled to the first pivot point, a second arm support segment pivotally coupled to the first arm support segment for supporting an upper arm of the user, and a third arm support segment pivotally coupled to the second arm support segment for supporting a lower arm of the user;
- a tool mount coupled to the third arm support segment;
- and
- a first set of compensation elements coupled to the second arm support segment for at least partially offsetting a gravitational force acting on the upper arm, and a second set of compensation elements coupled to the third arm support segment for at least partially offsetting a gravitational force acting on the lower arm.
21-37. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.