ARTICULATED HUMAN ARM SUPPORT

• US 20110127390A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garrett W. Brown
• Original Assignee: Garrett W. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Garrett W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,204,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/118
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0371 Platforms for supporting wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0092 Articulated arm used as wrist support
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0308 adjustable by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/52 of detachable type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/54 Supports for the arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/3761 for attaching the limbs to other objects A61F5/3769 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/125 for arms
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 15/00 Supports for attachment to hands or arms for facilitating writing or drawing
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B

Abstract

An upper body appendage support apparatus having an articulating parallelogram support structure connected to an articulating upper body appendage support structure, the latter accommodating a user'"'"'s forearm, wrist, and/or heel-of-hand. The apparatus analogously jointed to the human arm and moving synchronously therewith.

Claims

1. An upper body appendage support apparatus comprising

at least one articulating support structure;

an upper body appendage support structure movably attached to the articulating support structure;

the upper body appendage support structure comprising;

a surface on which at least a portion of an upper body appendage can rest;

wherein the articulating support structure counteracts the weight of the upper body appendage support structure and any weight thereon by providing a lifting force.

2. The support apparatus of claim 1 comprising a docking mechanism to restrain an upward bias of the articulating support structure.

3. The support apparatus of claim 1 comprising a mounting component attached to the articulating support structure for mounting the apparatus to a support.

4. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is attached to a harness that can be worn by a user.

5. The support apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least one biased hinge for biasing the articulating support structure in a plane substantially perpendicular to a lifting plane of the articulating support structure.

6. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper body appendage support structure is pivotally connected to the articulating support structure at a pivot point.

7. The support structure of claim 6 comprising an adjustment mechanism to adjust the pivot point of the upper body appendage support structure.

8. The support structure of claim 7 wherein the pivot point can be adjusted substantially vertically.

9. The support structure of claim 7 wherein the pivot point can be adjusted substantially horizontally.

10. The support structure of claim 1 comprising:

a two section upper body appendage support structure, wherein a first section is configured to accommodate a forearm and a second section is configured to accommodate an appendage portion below the forearm.

11. The support structure of claim 10 wherein the second section of the upper body appendage support is pivotally attached to the first section of the upper body appendage support.

12. The support structure of claim 10 wherein the second section of the upper body appendage support is pivotally attached to the articulating support structure.

13. The support structure of claim 10 further comprising one or more roll mechanisms to allow rotation of upper body appendages without lifting from, or sliding on upper body appendage support structure resting surface.

14. The support structure of claim 10 comprising a roll mechanism functionally connected to the first section and a roll mechanism functionally connected to the second section, wherein the axes of rotation of the roll mechanisms are in line with one another.

15. The support structure of claim 14 wherein at least one of the roll mechanisms comprises:

a roll track having a curved track;

one or more track rollers configured to roll on the track to impart rotational capabilities to the resting surface.

16. The support structure of claim 13 wherein the roll mechanism provides a degree of rotation of the resting surface is in the range of about 20°

to about 30°

.

17. A chair comprising a support structure according to claim 1.

18. A table comprising a support structure according to claim 1.

20. A method of performing a task comprising:

providing a support structure according to claim 1;

placing an upper body appendage on the resting surface having the hand thereof free to perform a task.

19. An upper body appendage support apparatus comprising

at least one articulating support structure;

an upper body appendage support structure pivotally attached to the articulating support structure at pivot point;

an adjustment mechanism to adjust the pivot point of the upper body appendage support structure;

the upper body appendage support structure comprising;

a surface on which at least a portion of an upper body appendage can rest;

wherein the articulating support structure counteracts the weight of the upper body appendage support structure and any weight thereon by providing a lifting force;

a roll mechanisms to allow rotation of upper body appendages without lifting from, or sliding on upper body appendage support structure resting surface; and

a mounting component attached to the articulating support structure for mounting the apparatus to a support.