DEVICE FOR ASSISTING DISABLED PERSONS
A device and procedure for disabled, impaired or handicapped persons or patients in reaching or maintaining a standing position, in which they can be transported, undressed, dressed, and/or washed in the abdominal region. The device includes a knee support and a movable torso support extending transversely in front of the lower to middle part of the torso of the person to be assisted. The person to be assisted leans with his/her torso slightly forward on the torso support during the raising movement in which the torso support moves simultaneously forward and upward until the person to be assisted has reached a position in which he/she is substantially standing whilst leaning forward over the torso support.
The present application is the continuation of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Application Number PCT/EP2006/009767, filed Oct. 10, 2006, entitled “DEVICE FOR ASSISTING DISABLED PERSONS”; which designated all states including the United States of America; the subject matter of which hereby being specifically incorporated herein by reference for all that it discloses and teaches; and claims priority from the European Patent Application, Number 05022034.2, filed Oct. 10, 2005, the subject matter of which also hereby being specifically incorporated herein by reference for all that it discloses and teaches.
The present invention relates to a device for disabled, impaired or handicapped persons or patients in reaching or maintaining a standing position in which they can be transported, undressed, dressed, and/or washed in the abdominal region, for example in connection with visits to the toilet. The device is intended for assisting persons that have reduced strength and control, and is not suitable for completely lamed or fully disabled persons.
BACKGROUND ARTIn nursing and home care toilet seats and integral toileting assisting devices are used to raise and lower patients or persons e.g. in connection with toilet visits. WO 2004/098479 discloses a toilet chair that can move a seat between upper and lower positions, during which movement the seat and thus the patient sitting on it is continuously gradually inclined backwards in the movement to the upper position and forwards in the movement to the lower position. At the end of a toilet visit the seat is moved to the raised and rearwardly inclined position so that a care giver will have access to the abdominal region for cleaning or washing and to the lower garments for dressing.
However, the inventor of the present invention has realized that the neither the access to the abdominal region nor the ease of dressing is optimal in the reclined position. Undressing and dressing the lower garment in the reclined position is hampered by the contact of the person's rear abdominal region with the seat. It can therefore be difficult to put a patient's pants up since the patient rests with a substantial part of his/her weight on the seat. Elderly persons often use diapers, which are even more difficult to place correctly when the person to be assisted rests with a part of his/her weight on rear abdominal region. Further, the rearwardly inclined position is often experienced by patients as humiliating.
In nursing and home care a variety of standing and lifting aids have been developed. Most of there devices are based on a pivoting lifting arm with sling attached thereto, in combination with a footplate and a knee support, as known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,771. The lifting arm pivots from a substantially horizontal position upwards. All of these devices are based on the principle that the centre of gravity is positioned well behind the footplate/knee support during almost the complete lifting procedure so that the person “hangs” in the sling that is positioned around the persons back and/or abdominal region. With the centre of gravity of the person to be assisted so far behind the footplate/knee support the weight carried by the sling to the person to be assisted is quite significant, which leads to a high load on back and shoulders of the person to be assisted. Thus, there is a need for improving standing and raising aids, toileting chairs and assistive devices.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONThe inventors of the present invention have realized that the procedure of assisting a person from a seated to a substantially standing system can be improved by keeping the center of gravity of the person to be assisted less far behind the foot plate/knee support.
Further, the inventors of the present invention have realized that access to the abdominal region and ease of undressing and addressing of the lower garments will be highly improved when the person to be assisted is in a substantially standing position leaning somewhat forward.
Based on this insight, there is provided an improved device for assisting a person to move from a seated position on a seat to a substantially standing and at least slightly leaning forward position and vice versa. The device comprises a frame, a knee or shin support carried by said frame, a torso support movably suspended from said frame, at least a part of the torso support having a preferably substantially transversely and extending support surface that is disposed in front of the torso of the person to be assisted, the torso support is operably connected to actuating means for moving said torso support from a first position in which the lower to middle part of the torso and eventually also the underarms of the person to be assisted can rest thereon whilst the person to be assisted is in a seated position with his/her torso at least slightly bended forward to a second position in which the torso and eventually the arms of the person to be assisted can rest thereon whilst the person to be assisted is in a standing and at least slightly leaning forward position.
The novel use of a torso support, allowing person to be assisted to lean thereon with his/her torso and eventually underarms results in a standing aid on which the person to be assisted is leaning as opposed to hanging in a sling in the prior art devices. When properly used, the centre of gravity of the person to be assisted is not far behind or even above the knee support throughout the procedure. This results in an ergonomically improved raising procedure, with significantly less load on the back of the person to be assisted. Further, the resulting standing whilst leaning slightly forward position offers a much less humiliating position for undressing and dressing and washing of the abdominal region.
The torso support may comprise a transversely extending and forwardly inclined main support surface disposed substantially right in front of the torso of the person to be assisted. Such an almost upright and preferably upholstered support surface increases confidence in the device by the user and of course also increases comfort of use.
The torso support may also comprise underarm support surfaces, one on opposite sides of said main support surface. This measure further increases the confidence in the device by the user and of course also increases comfort of use, since this measure provides an additional support for the users body, thereby spreading the load and reducing the risk of overloading any body part.
The torso support may further comprise two handles that move in unison with the torso support. These handles are preferably disposed in front of the main support surface for holding by the hands of the person to be assisted. The distance between the main support surface and the handles is preferably adjustable.
At the start of the raising procedure the underarm support extends substantially horizontally from the torso support towards the handles.
The torso support may be able to tilt forward about a transversely extending axis disposed within the torso support, preferably against the force of a resilient member.
Preferably, the first position is substantially above the seat and the second position is substantially above or in front of the knee or shin support The upper arms of the person to be assisted can during the raising procedure be directed substantially downwards whilst the underarms and the torso of the person to be assisted rest on the torso support.
Most of the movement of the torso support is in a forward direction, whilst a simultaneous movement upwards is typically of a lesser magnitude. Thus, the second position may be higher than the first position.
Preferably, the first and second positions are adjustable within a range of positions in order to adapt the device to the characteristics of the person to be assisted.
The torso support may include handles in front thereof for gripping by the hands of the person to be assisted, so as to assure that center of gravity of the torso of the person to be assisted is kept in a forward position.
In order to provide easy access to the seat, the torso support can be pivotally supported at one end so as to allow the torso support to pivot about a substantially vertical axis between a position with torso support extends substantially transversely in front of the torso of the person to be assisted and a position in which the torso support extends in a non-transverse direction. In the latter position, a person to be assisted can pass the torso support substantially unhindered.
The preferably height adjustable knee or shin support extents in use in a transverse and substantially horizontal direction and is disposed in front of at least one of the shins or knees the of the person to be assisted. However, the knee or shin support may be pivotally supported at one end so as to allow the at least one arm rest to pivot about a substantially vertical axis between a position with the knee or shin support extends substantially transversely in front of shins or knees of the person to be assisted and a position in which the knee or shin support extends in a non-transverse direction thereby allowing a person to be assisted to pass the at least one knee or shin support substantially unhindered.
The seat can be the toilet itself, with the device arranged in the close vicinity of the toilet seat. Alternatively, the frame also supports its own a seat with a front end and a rear end. This seat can be operably connected to actuating means for tilting the seat between a substantially horizontal position and a forwardly inclined position in which the rear end is higher than the front end. The actuating means can be resilient member, such as a gas spring.
The device may also comprise a footplate which is preferably disposed substantially directly below the knee and shin support. If the device is stationary equipment there is no need of a footplate since the floor could be used for supporting the feet of the person to be assisted. However, if the device is mobile and used to transport the person to be assisted, e.g. from a bed to a wheelchair, a proper footplate supported by the frame is required.
The torso support may move from the first to the second position simultaneously with the movement of the seat from the horizontal position to the inclined position
In order to provide a mobile device, the frame can be supported by a wheeled carriage.
For stationary devices, the frame may be adapted for floor- wall- or toilet mounting.
The seat can be a toilet seat and the device is adapted to be used in connection with toilet visits of handicapped invalid person or patients.
The device may comprise a sling attached to transversely spaced attachment points at the torso support for placing around the torso of the patient to be supported. The sling is used to keep the torso of the person to be assisted in abutment with the torso support and to keep the torso leaning forward. The sling is thus not lifting or carrying the weight of the person to be assisted,
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of assisting a handicapped or invalid person in moving from a seated position to a substantially standing and slightly leaning forward position
This object is achieved by providing a method for assisting a handicapped or invalid person in moving from a seated position to a substantially standing and slightly leaning forward position employing a device with a knee support and a movable torso support, comprising a procedure in which the feet of the patent are positioned on the floor or on a footplate of said device, with the legs below the knees substantially vertical or slightly leaning forward against the knee or shin support, the movable torso support is placed in front of lower to middle part of the torso with the torso at least slightly leaning forward and resting on said torso support, optionally also the underarms of the person to be assisted resting on the torso support with the upper arms of the person to be assisted in a substantially downward direction, and moving said torso support forward and upward until the person to be assisted reaches a substantially standing and slightly leaning forward position.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for assisting a person to move from a seated position to a substantially standing position and vice versa, the device comprising a frame, a knee or shin support carried by the frame, an engagement member for engaging the person, and an actuation mechanism for moving the engagement member in a predominantly horizontal direction during the start of the lifting movement and for moving the engagement member in a predominantly vertical direction during the end of the lifting method.
Further objects, features, advantages and properties of the device and procedure according to the invention will become apparent from the detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn the following detailed portion of the present description, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:
With reference to
The torso support 10 includes a substantially transversely and forwardly inclined main support surface. At least the main support surface of the torso support is upholstered, i.e. covered with a soft resilient layer under a skin or textile lining, to create a comfortable pillow like structure.
Two handles 12 protrude forwardly from the torso support 10. The distance between the main support surface and the handles 12 corresponds to the average length of the human underarm and can be adjusted to match individual variations. The adjustment mechanism is not shown but concentric tube arrangements with suitable arresting means in various positions are well known in the art.
An underarm support surface 13 is provided on each side of the main support surface. The underarm support surfaces 13 extend from the main support surface towards the handles 12.
The knee support 15 is provided with a substantially vertically extending abutment surface and is adjustable in height. The knee 15 support is also adjustable forward and rearward to adjust for variations in the length of the thighbone of the persons to be assisted. The knee abutment surface can be contoured to prevent and sideward moment of the knees.
With reference to
During the first portion of the raising procedure the torso support moves forward and to a lesser extend upwards, as illustrated by
As indicated by the arrow Z The torso support 10 can by a force applied by the person to be supported tilt slightly forward to a limited extend about the horizontal part of the support arm 14 against the force of a spring (not shown).
The path of the torso support from the first position (indicated as A in the graph) to the second position (indicated as D in the graph) is illustrated diagrammatically in the graph of
The horizontal bar 26 is provided with a wheeled trolley 27 at its left end and with a wheeled trolley 28 at its right end. These oppositely disposed and oriented trolleys run on a support face at the left end and the right end of the frame, respectively. The upright bar 21 is connected to a tooth belt 24 that runs around two horizontally spaced pulleys, one at the left side of the frame 5 and one at the right side of the frame. One of the pulleys is connected to an electric drive motor 25, which can be a stepper motor. Activation of the drive motor 25 moves the upright bar 21 in either the right- or left direction.
The horizontal bar 26 is supported by an linear actuator 29 including an electric motor. The upper extremity of the linear actuator 29 can slide sidewards relative to the horizontal bar 26. Activation of the liner drive actuator results in the horizontal bar 26 moving upwards or downwards. The vertical and horizontal movement of the torso support 10 are independent from one another and the electric motors can be controlled to achieve any desired path of movement and/or first and second positions for the torso support 10.
According to the embodiment illustrated in
The electric motor or motors are in both versions of the actuating mechanism controlled by a programmable control unit (not shown). The control unit receives a position signal from a sensor in the electric actuator 29 (not in the embodiment shown in
Also the speed, acceleration/deceleration and the path of the movement between the first position and the second position of the torso support 10 can be individually stored for the various persons that use the device. Thus the path could be steeper or less steep, in accordance with individual user needs.
In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the arm 14 is pivoted about a horizontally extending pivot axis near the front bottom corner of the frame 5 and actuated by electric actuator means, which are such well-known in the art and therefore not described in detail here.
In all the embodiments the actuating means is associated with programmable control unit described above and a user interface, preferably in the form of a control panel (not shown).
The
The feet of the person to be assisted are supported by the floor in front of the toilet 30. In
The positions of
According to another preferred embodiment shown in
The need for the assistance of a forwardly tilting toilet seat depends on the level of impairment of the person to be assisted. For less impaired persons it will not be necessary to use the forwardly tilting toilet seat.
For more severely impaired or weak persons it can be necessary to provide a sling around the back of the person to be assisted, as shown in
At the beginning of the lifting procedure the arm 14 is placed in the position shown in
As also illustrated in
In the above described embodiments the knee support, the torso support and the footplate are carried/suspended from one frame 5. It is however clear that each of these supports could be carried by a separate frame or other suitable construction for keeping these supports in the correct position relative to a seat, toilet or bed.
Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A device for assisting a person to move from a seated position on a seat to a substantially standing and at least slightly leaning forward position and vice versa, said device comprising:
- a frame;
- a knee or shin support carried by said frame;
- a torso support movably suspended from said frame;
- at least a part of the torso support having a substantially transversely extending support surface that is disposed in front of the torso of the person to be assisted;
- the torso support is operably connected to actuating means for moving said torso support from a first position in which the lower to middle part of the torso and eventually also the underarms of the person to be assisted can rest thereon whilst the person to be assisted is in a seated position with his/her torso at least slightly bent forward to a second position in which the torso and eventually the arms of the person to be assisted can rest thereon whilst the person to be assisted is in a standing and at least slightly leaning forward position.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the torso support comprises a transversely extending and forwardly inclined main support surface disposed substantially right in front of the torso of the person to be assisted.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the torso support comprises underarm support surfaces, one on each opposite side of said main support surface.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said torso support comprises two handles that move in unison with the torso support, said handles being disposed substantially in front of the main support surface for holding by the hands of the person to be assisted, and the distance between the main support surface and the handles being adjustable.
5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said underarm support extends substantially horizontally from the torso support towards the handles.
6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the torso support can tilt forward about a transversely extending axis disposed within the torso support, against the force of a resilient member.
7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first position is substantially above the seat and the second position is substantially above or in front of the knee or shin support, with the second position being higher than the first position.
8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the upper arms of the person to be assisted are directed substantially downwards when the underarms and the torso of the person to be assisted rest on the torso support.
9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second positions are adjustable within a range of positions in order to adapt the device to the characteristics of the person to be assisted.
10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the torso support is pivotally supported at one end so as to allow the torso support to pivot about a substantially vertical axis between a position with torso support extends substantially transversely in front of the torso of the person to be assisted and a position in which the torso support extends in a non-transverse direction.
11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustable knee or shin support comprises an abutment surface that extends in a transverse and substantially horizontal direction and is disposed in front of the shins or knees the of the person to be assisted.
12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the knee or shin support is pivotally supported at one end so as to allow the at knee or shin support to pivot about a substantially vertical axis between a position with the knee or shin support extends substantially transversely in front of shins or knees of the person to be assisted and a position in which the knee or shin support extends in a non-transverse direction thereby allowing a person to be assisted to pass the at least one knee or shin support substantially unhindered.
13. A device according to claim 1 wherein said frame also supports a seat with a front end and a rear end, said seat being operably connected to actuating means for tilting the seat between a substantially horizontal position and a forwardly inclined position in which the rear end is higher than the front end, and said actuating means preferably comprising a resilient member.
14. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a footplate carried by said frame, said footplate preferably being disposed substantially directly below the knee and shin support and being pivotally suspended from the frame so as to allow it to pivot between a transverse position in front of the person to be support and a non-transverse position not in front of the person to be assisted.
15. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a sling attached to the torso support at transversely spaced attachment position for placing around the torso of the patient to be supported.
16. A method for assisting a handicapped or invalid person in moving from a seated position to a substantially standing and slightly leaning forward position employing a device with a knee support and a movable torso support, comprising a procedure in which:
- the feet of the person to be assisted are positioned on the floor or on a footplate of said device, with the legs below the knees substantially vertical or slightly leaning forward against the knee or shin support,
- the movable torso support is placed in front of lower to middle part of the torso with the torso at least slightly leaning forward and resting on said torso support, optionally also the underarms of the person to be assisted resting on the torso support with the upper arms of the person to be assisted in a substantially downward direction, and
- moving said torso support forward and upward until the person to be assisted reaches a substantially standing and slightly leaning forward position.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the forward movement of the torso support dominates the upward movement until the centre of gravity of the person to be assisted is close to or above the knee support, whereafter the upward movement dominates the forward movement of the torso support
18. A device for assisting a person to move from a seated position to a substantially standing position and vice versa, said device comprising:
- a frame;
- a knee or shin support carried by said frame;
- an engagement member for engaging said person; and
- an actuation mechanism for moving said engagement member in a predominantly horizontal direction during the start of the lifting movement and for moving said engagement member in a predominantly vertical direction during the end of the lifting method.
19. A device according to claim 18, wherein said engagement member comprises a torso support.
20. A device according to claim 18, wherein said engagement member comprises a sling.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 10, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 19, 2007
Inventor: Jimmy Grotner (Hillerod)
Application Number: 11/558,553
International Classification: A47C 7/50 (20060101);