FR2722683A3 - ORTHOPEDIC APPARATUS FOR WALKING AND REHABILITATION OF MANDICAPPED PEOPLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an orthopedic device for walking and for the rehabilitation of a disabled person comprising: - a semi-rigid orthosis for supporting the bust and the lower limbs, articulated opposite the hip and knee joints and equipped with small actuators (micro cylinders) intended to move the lower articulated parts of the orthosis, under the control of a control unit actuated by the patient by means of a remote control, and- a frame (L), intended to serve as stable and supportive support of the person and which allows him to walk at the same time, having handles (L), wheels (R) to traverse the ground and, at its base and on the side where the person is walking, a housing (Q) for means delivering a pressurized fluid.

Description

ORTHOPEDIC APPARATUS FOR WALKING AND REHABILITATION OF

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

  The present invention relates to an orthopedic device.

  only for walking and rehabilitating disabled people.

  We know the use of wheelchairs, operated by hand or by a motor, for people injured in the motor skills of the lower limbs (paraplegics, etc.). If these known means allow an autonomous movement

  such people, however, they offer no opportunity.

  reeducation unit when such possibilities exist

  in a more or less apparent way.

  Indeed, there are cases of serious lesions of the motor capacities of the lower limbs (like, for example,

  those caused by serious injuries to the spine -

  brale) that suggest possibilities, although difficult

  eyelashes and not yet fully explored and explained on a medical and scientific level, motor recovery when the lower limbs are stretched and, stimulated and

  properly trained.

  Different means of transport are also known

  and consist of orthopedic devices, intended for auto-

  riser the march of disabled people, designed by the author of the present invention and described in various patents including Italian patents n 1153225 (filed 12/10/82), 1178548 (filed 3/10/84), 204215 (filed 3/7/85) and in

  patent application no. 20882 A / 90 (filed 9/7/90). In by-

  particular, an orthopedic device intended to allow walking

  che, even of people with serious lesions of the motor capacities of the lower limbs, is described in patent n ° 1178548 and consists of a semi-rigid orthosis to support the bust and the lower limbs, articulated opposite the hip and knee joints and equipped with small actuators (microcylinders) operating with compressed air or

  hydraulic and intended to move the lower articulated parts

  of the orthosis in accordance with the human approach, under the command of a programmed electronic entity, in turn actuated by the patient by means of a remote control allowing the patient to transmit commands to the electronic entity for start and stop the lower parts

  cited above or to adjust the speed of the steps.

  However, in the case of patients who are unable to keep their balance on their own due to very serious injuries such as those which even exclude the use of crutches or common hand walkers, these devices give limited results because they are used with fixed equipment (bars), poorly suited for waking up and recovering

  motor skills and a feeling of balance in a relative time-

  short. The use of the device with a normal hand walker was excluded due to the lightness of the walker and the

  feeling of instability generated for the patient.

  The present invention provides, in particular for

  the cases mentioned above of serious damage to motor skills,

  these lower limbs, to provide a device intended for

  allow walking and faster recovery of activities

  motor skills of the lower limbs and the feeling of balance in conditions of stability and security sufficient for the patient and with which motor recovery possibilities, although minimal, can be

  increased or awake for the patient.

  The orthopedic appliance for walking and rehabilitation

  cation of a disabled person according to the present invention comprises: a semi-rigid orthosis to support the bust

  and the lower limbs, articulated opposite the articula-

  hip and knee and equipped with small actuators (microcylinders) operating with compressed air or hydraulics and

  intended to move the lower articulated parts of the

  thesis in accordance with the human approach, under the control of an electronic control or fluid supply entity, in turn actuated by the patient by means of a remote control allowing the patient to transmit to the entity

  command, start and stop commands for the par-

  lower ties mentioned above or for adjusting the speed of the gait, and - a frame, intended to serve as a stable support and support for the person and which allows him to walk at the same time, having handles, wheels to run through the ground and, at its base and on the side where the person is advancing, a housing

  for means delivering a pressurized fluid.

  The features of the present invention are

  exposed in the following description of embodiments

  given by way of nonlimiting examples in relation to the appended drawings among which: FIG. 1 shows a walking apparatus of known type; and Figure 2 shows an example of an apparatus according to the

present invention.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the reference 1 designates

  a disabled person leaning on two bars with his hands

  fixed res 30 equipped with a walking apparatus of the type described

in Italian Patent No. 1178548.

  This device includes a metallic corset 1 '

  traced to the bust and the pelvis by means of two closing devices 3 and 2. On both sides of the corset are fixed

  metal rods 4 fixedly carrying an ex- console

  tension 15. At the lower end of 4 is pivotally mounted, at 8, a rod 7 disposed along the outer side of the thigh

  and this rod, with another rod 7 'which is arranged parallel-

  Lement on the inner side of the thigh, forms the frame of the thigh. The compressed air cylinder 6, or hydraulic cylinder, is pivotally mounted on the end of the console 15 while it ends at the bottom with the rod 5 (fixed to the piston inside the cylinder) whose end

  is connected, by means of a joint

  tion, at the lower end of the rod 7.

  The rod 7 ends, at the bottom, by the pivot 9 which is connected to the lower rod 10 relating to the leg frame. The extension console 12 (shown with a greater length in the drawings for reasons of clarity) is fixedly linked in the lower part of the rod

  10. The cylinder 16 is pivotally attached to the end of the container.

  extension sole 12 and ends, at the top, by the rod 11 fixed to the piston in the cylinder. The upper end of

  said rod 11 is fixed, by means of a joint

  tion, at the lower end of the rod 7.

  On rods 7 and 10 correspond, on the internal side

  leg, rods 7 'and 10' which are articulated together.

  The laced bands 22, 17 and 18 allow the rods to be tightened

  7-7 'and 10-10' to the patient's thighs and legs.

  The extension and retraction of the rod 5 of the micro-

  cylinder 6 cause relative movement of the thigh by

relation to the basin.

  The extension and retraction of the rod 11 provo-

  the relative movement between the thigh and the leg. The microcylinders 6 and 16 are actuated by the tubes C1, C2, SC1 and SC2 of inlet and outlet of the compressed air (or other fluid).

  The patient carries, on his back, a package (not shown

  in which the compressed air bottles are housed.

  The solenoid valves for feeding and actuating the micro-

  cylinders are controlled by an electronic entity, program-

  properly fitted and attached to the patient's belt.

  This electronic entity is, in turn, controlled by means

  a manual remote control housed on the corset.

  Figure 2 shows a disabled person using

  a rehabilitation apparatus according to the present invention.

  The apparatus comprises an orthosis like that of FIG. 1 used with a framework L, equipped with rollers R to traverse the ground and behaving as a support and a

  support for the person's hands while walking.

  This frame is provided with a housing Q and with bou-

  push tones placed opposite the handles I to activate the remote control of the electronic entity mentioned above (not shown in the figures) The housing Q fulfills a double function:

  - that of containing the various food accessories

  mentation and control of the orthosis, i.e. the entity

  mentioned above for the control of microcylin-

  dres, the means delivering the pressurized fluid, a battery

  supply for the electronic unit, the electrical components

  associated and electromechanical (solenoid valves)

  noidales), an optional microcompressor, etc., connected to the orthosis via the T cable to relieve the patient's shoulders from weights (bottles, etc.) for the benefit of his balance; and - that of ballasting the framework sufficiently so that it can constitute a solid support for the patient

when he walks.

  Regarding the feeling of better security that the support frame gives to the patient compared to a usual hand walker, this is due, not only to the weight more

  important given by housing Q, but also by the pre-

  sence of remote control pushbuttons next to the handles, allowing the person to quickly activate the remote control in any phase of walking. Concerning the means delivering the pressurized fluid, they can consist either of a simple bottle containing

  a compressed gas (for example air), or in a micro-

  compressor or pump (in case of operation

microcylinders).

  The manner of supplying the pressurized fluid can be chosen in an appropriate manner, depending on the place where the rehabilitation activity is exercised. Indeed, in the open air and for long journeys, a microcompressor supplied by a battery or by an internal combustion engine can, for example, be used and, in the latter case, the engine and the fuel tank are also housed in accommodation Q.

  In a closed place and for a short trip, the em-

  folding a simple bottle may be more suitable.

  In the case of people affected by serious injuries to the motor capacities of their lower limbs and unable to remain in balance, the advantages which emerge from the apparatus according to the present invention compared to the solution of Italian patent n 1178548 (orthosis used with fixed bars) are considerable because they allow a

  significant increase in patient progress in recovery

  ration of motor skills and balance.

  Once a sufficient sense of balance has been found, the patient will be able to start a second phase of rehabilitation with the orthosis and only crutches, fitted with push buttons on their handles.

  actuating the remote control, and with the power sources

  ment of the microcylinders and the electronic entity (bottles and battery) transferred to the shoulders of the

patient.

  Precisely in relation to the transition to the second phase of rehabilitation, the L framework can be designed with its

  two vertical rods, provided with handles, easily detachable

  chables of other rods (this can be obtained, for example, by means of bolt connections between the vertical rods and the other rods, connections not shown for reasons of simplification of the drawings and, in any case, known),

  so as to be convertible into two crutches fitted with

gnées with remote control.

  The apparatus according to the embodiment described above

  above concerns the case of a patient affected in the motor capacity of both legs. The device can however be applied, with obvious adaptations and variations, even to patients affected in the motor capacity of only one leg

  or, conversely, of the four members (quadriplegic).

  In the latter case, the vertical rods of the ossa-

  ture extend upwards, like crutches, and

  the remote control will be of the type actuated by a transducer

  electroacoustic sensor sensitive to particular guttural sounds

  patient-generated links. The patient will wear two gloves extending to the armpits and secured by straps along the top of the crutches. It is clear that a

  large number of modifications, adaptations, variations and subs-

  titrations of elements by others, functionally equivalent

  slow, can be made to the embodiments described above by way of nonlimiting examples, without departing from the

part of the present invention.

  For example, the electronic entity for controlling the movement of the articulated lower parts of the orthosis in accordance with the human approach can be replaced by a control entity having entirely compressed air or hydraulic operation of known type. In this case, even the associated remote control will be compressed air or hydraulic.

Claims (8)

  1. Orthopedic device for walking and rehabilitating a disabled person comprising: - a semi-rigid orthosis to support the bust   and the lower limbs, articulated opposite the articula-   hip and knee and equipped with small actuators (microcylinders) operating with compressed air or hydraulics and   intended to move the lower articulated parts of the   thesis in accordance with the human approach, under the control of an electronic control or fluid supply entity, in turn actuated by the patient by means of a remote control allowing the patient to transmit to the entity   command, start and stop commands for the par-   lower ties mentioned above or for adjusting gait speed, and   - a frame (L) intended to serve as a static support   ble and support of the person and which authorizes him to walk in   same time, having handles (I), wheels (R) for driving   laugh the ground and, at its base and on the side where the person is advancing, a   housing (Q) for means delivering a pressurized fluid.   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the handles (I) of the frame (L) are equipped with push buttons for the operation of said remote control. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that means for supplying electrical energy are also on the framework (L).   4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized   in that the pressurized fluid to supply the microcylin-   dres is in the gaseous state, and in that said means intended   to the pressurized fluid supply consist of a plug   gas containing pressurized gas.   5. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized   in that the pressurized fluid to supply the micro-   cylinders is air, and in that said means for   the pressurized fluid supply consists of a micro-   compressor driven by an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. 6. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized   in that the pressurized fluid to supply the micro-   cylinders is in the liquid state, and in that said means intended for supplying pressurized fluid consist of a hydraulic pump and a reservoir for supplying liquid.   7. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the frame comprises two vertical rods, to which   lead said handles (I) and which are easily disconnected   from the rest of the device so that they can be con vertices on crutches.   8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame (L) opposite the handles (I) is extended upward by two vertical rods such as crutches, and in that the remote control is actuated   by an electroacoustic transducer sensitive to gut sounds   specific patient-issued codes.