ADAPTIVE ARM SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE

• US 20140158839A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Levitate Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Levitate Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Doyle, Mark C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,737,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/60 Supports for surgeons, e.g. chairs or hand supports seats for dentists or surgeons associated with dental chairs or operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0134 with two orthogonal pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0155 with actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0179 with spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/013 for the arms, hands or fingers A61F5/0118 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for supporting an arm of a user using a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; and an arm support coupled to the harness configured to support an arm of the user, the arm support configured to accommodate movement of the arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user'"'"'s arm. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the arm support to apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the arm as the user moves and the arm support follows the movement of the user'"'"'s arm, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the arm support.

Claims

1. A system for supporting an arm of a user, comprising:

a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user;

an arm support coupled to the harness configured to support an arm of the user, the arm support configured to accommodate movement of the arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user'"'"'s arm; and

one or more compensation elements coupled to the arm support to apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the arm as the user moves and the arm support follows the movement of the user'"'"'s arm, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the arm support.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the arm support comprises an arm bracket including an arm rest on a first end thereof, and a second end pivotally coupled to the harness such that the arm bracket is pivotable about multiple axes relative to the harness.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more compensation elements comprises one or more elements mounted on the arm bracket.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more compensation elements comprise a resilient element mounted on the arm bracket.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the arm support comprises:

a first arm support segment pivotally coupled to the harness about a first vertical axis such that the first arm support segment is rotatable substantially horizontally about the first vertical axis relative to the harness; and

a second arm support segment pivotally coupled to the first arm support segment such that the second arm support segment is rotatable about a second axis generally orthogonal to the first vertical axis.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second arm support segment comprises an arm rest configured to support a portion of an arm of the user.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more compensation elements comprise a resilient element mounted on the second arm support segment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more compensation elements further comprise a pulley mounted on the second arm support segment and a cable wrapped partially around the pulley and including a first end coupled to the resilient member and a second coupled to the first arm support segment such that at least a portion of a force from the resilient member is applied to the second arm support segment to the generate the offset force.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more compensation elements further comprise first and second pulleys coupled together and mounted on the second arm support segment, a first cable coupled between the resilient member and the first pulley, and a second cable coupled between the second pulley and the first arm support segment such that at least a portion of a force from the resilient member is applied to the second arm support segment to the generate the offset force.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second pulleys has an asymmetric noncircular shape to modify the portion of the force of the resilient member applied to the second arm support segment based on a location of the second arm support segment about the second axis.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more compensation elements comprise at least one of an electric device, a hydraulic device, and a pneumatic device coupled to the arm support.

12-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A system for supporting an arm of a user, comprising:

a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user;

an arm support coupled to the harness configured to support an arm of the user, the arm support comprising an arm bracket including an arm rest on a first end thereof, and a second end pivotally coupled to the harness such that the arm bracket is pivotable about multiple axes to accommodate movement of the user'"'"'s arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user'"'"'s arm; and

one or more compensation elements mounted on the arm bracket to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the user'"'"'s arm as the user moves and the arm bracket follows the movement of the user'"'"'s arm.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the arm support further comprises a hinge bracket pivotally coupled to the harness about a first vertical axis such that the hinge bracket is rotatable substantially horizontally about the first vertical axis relative to the harness, and wherein the second end of the arm bracket is pivotally coupled to the hinge bracket such that the arm bracket is rotatable about a second axis generally orthogonal to the first vertical axis.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more compensation elements comprise a resilient element mounted on the arm bracket.

17-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A system for supporting an arm of a user, 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, an abdomen belt configured to be worn around the waist or hips of the user, and one or more support members extending between the shoulder harness and the abdomen belt;

an arm support coupled to the harness configured to support an arm of the user, the arm support configured to accommodate movement of the arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user'"'"'s arm;

one or more compensation elements mounted on the arm bracket to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the user'"'"'s arm as the user moves and the arm bracket follows the movement of the user'"'"'s arm; and

a load transfer bracket coupled to the abdomen belt for engaging an external structure to transfer forces from the system to the external structure.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the load transfer bracket comprises a hook for engaging an edge of an external structure.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the arm support comprises an arm bracket including an arm rest on a first end thereof, and a second end pivotally coupled to the harness such that the arm bracket is pivotable about multiple axes to accommodate movement of the user'"'"'s arm while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user'"'"'s arm.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more support members comprise a substantially rigid support member that extends generally vertically between the shoulder harness and the abdomen belt.

24-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A system for supporting an arm of a user, 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, an abdomen belt configured to be worn around the waist or hips of the user, and one or more support members extending between the shoulder harness and the abdomen belt; and

a chin rest on the harness.

29-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method for supporting an arm of a user during one or more tasks, comprising:

placing a harness on the user, the harness comprising an arm support movable relative to the harness and including an arm rest;

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; and

performing one or more tasks involving movement of the user'"'"'s arm, the arm support comprising one or more compensation elements that apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the arm as the user moves without substantially interfering in the movement, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the arm support.

32-46. -46. (canceled)