US 9,295,597 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for assisting impaired or disabled persons

AssigneeRevac ApS

InventorsMogens Hjort, Jimmy Grotner, Henrik Hjort

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Abstract

An apparatus and procedure for disabled, impaired or handicapped persons in reaching or maintaining a standing or partially standing position. The apparatus includes a knee support and a movable torso support that is connected to an actuator arrangement. The actuator arrangement moves the torso support in a vertical range of positions independently of the horizontal position of the torso support and in a horizontal range of positions independently of the vertical position of the torso support. The user engages the torso support during the raising movement during which the torso support moves simultaneously forward and upward until he is substantially standing whilst leaning forward over the torso support (and vice versa for the lowering procedure). The torso support can also be rotated, independently of the vertical and horizontal position of the torso support. The apparatus is provided with a load sensing system monitoring self-participation of the user.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An apparatus for assisting a person to move from a seated position on a seat or the like to an upright or standing position and vice versa, said apparatus comprising:

a base;
a footplate supported by said base;
an actuator arrangement supported by said base;
a torso support configured for supporting the torso and underarms of the person to be a supported with the chest of the person facing the torso support;
said torso support having a main engagement surface for engaging the chest of the person to be assisted and said torso support having two integral armrests for supporting underarms of the person to be assisted;
said torso support being operatively connected to said actuator;
said actuator arrangement being configured to be able to move said torso support up and down over a range of vertical positions and said actuator being configured to be able to move said torso support back and forth over a range of horizontal positions in a direction substantially perpendicular to said main engagement surface;
wherein said actuator arrangement is configured to move said torso support in said vertical range of positions independently of the horizontal position of the torso support;
and
wherein said actuator arrangement is configured to move said torso support in said horizontal range of positions independently of the vertical position of the torso support;
a processor connected to said actuator arrangement and configured to control the operation of said actuator;
one or more specific sensors connected to said processor and said one or more specific sensors being configured for registering the force that the person being supported exerts onto said torso support with the integrated armrests;
and
wherein said processor is configured to monitor a load caused by the force exerted on the torso support and use information of the load to determine a self-effort in a movement of the person to be assisted.

11 more elements

A method for operating a person lift that is provided with a processor and with an arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting a person to be assisted and with an actuator arrangement;

wherein said arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting a person to be assisted comprises a torso support configured for supporting the torso and underarms of the person to be supported with a chest of the person facing the torso support, said torso support having a main engagement surface for engaging the chest of the person being assisted and said torso support having two integral armrests for supporting the underarms of the person to be assisted;
wherein said actuator arrangement is configured to move said arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting the person being assisted in a vertical range of positions independently of the horizontal position of the arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting the person being assisted and wherein said actuator arrangement is configured to move said arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting the person being assisted in a horizontal range of positions independently of the vertical position of the arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting the person being assisted;
said lift further comprising one or more specific sensors connected to said processor and said one or more specific sensors being configured for registering the force that the person being supported exerts onto said torso support with its integrated armrests, said actuator arrangement being configured to carry out a movement for assisting said person being assisted under the command from said processor, said method comprising:
performing a movement with said actuator arrangement with said person supported by the lift under command of said processor, and
the processor monitoring a load exerted by the force on said arrangement for engaging, supporting or lifting the person being assisted;
and
the processor determining a self-participation of the person being assisted in said movement using the load information.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/223,974Filed 24 Mar 2014
Priority: DK 2013 0017626 Mar 2013
Published: US 2014/0289959 A12 Oct 2014
Granted: 29 Mar 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

A61G 5/14
Parts, details or accessories: standing-up or sitting-down aids
A61G 7/1019
Lifting of patients by: vertical extending columns or mechanisms
A61G 7/1046
Devices carried or supported by: mobile bases, e.g. having wheels
A61G 7/1086
Rests specially adapted for: upper body

Family

US 2014/0289959 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Oct 2014
US 9,295,597 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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