KR20240057183A - Stepper device for strengthening the affected side of hemiplegic patients - Google Patents

Abstract

This technology is about a stepper device for patients with lower extremity hemiplegia that can be used by adjusting different resistance values to suit the different muscle strength of the healthy side and the affected side, but allows the user to stably perform rehabilitation exercises in a standing state. , more specifically, a pair of footrest fixing units whose lower part is supported on the ground, and a pair of footrest fixing units installed on the footrest fixing units so that both feet of a user with lower extremity hemiplegia can rest and rotate by providing the external force necessary for rotation. A cylinder in which a rod expands and contracts inside and outside the body by receiving an external force from the scaffold portion, wherein an end of the body is rotatably coupled to the scaffold fixing portion, and an end of the rod is rotatably coupled to the scaffold portion. It includes a control unit that measures and displays the intensity of the external force applied through the footrest unit and the intensity of the rod for expansion and contraction in the body, wherein the cylinder is further provided with an adjustment switch for adjusting the intensity of expansion and contraction of the rod. It is characterized as one of the electric cylinders that can adjust the strength of the rod by an electric signal controlled by a control unit.

Description

Stepper device for strengthening the affected side of hemiplegic patients}

This technology relates to a stepper device for patients with lower extremity hemiplegia that is used by adjusting different resistance values to suit the different muscle strength of the healthy side and the affected side, but allows the user to stably perform rehabilitation exercises in a standing state. .

In general, rehabilitation exercise equipment that can be used by users with symptoms of hemiplegia of the lower extremities largely takes the form of a bicycle or a stepper. In particular, a stepper-type rehabilitation exercise equipment allows users to walk in place in a limited indoor or outdoor space. It refers to exercise equipment to improve the strength of the lower extremities, and has the advantage of being able to exercise even in narrow places.

In other words, when the user climbs on the stepper and makes a walking motion with both feet crossing each other so that the lower limbs of the healthy side with normal muscle strength and the affected side with symptoms of paralysis can be supported by a pair of footrests, the pair of footstools Rehabilitation exercises are performed by alternately going up and down by wires and cylinders.

However, the conventional stepper device is used based on the resistance value of the same applied wire without considering the difference in muscle strength between the healthy side and the affected side for users with lower extremity hemiplegia, and has the problem of not being able to move the center of gravity to the affected side well. and 3) Because the problem of difficulty in maintaining initial muscle strength on the affected side is overlooked, proper push down of the foot on the affected side cannot occur due to the weakened motor ability of the affected side, and even if a low resistance value is initially set, the weakened muscle strength on the affected side prevents the foot from being pushed down properly. As it does not reflect the weakening of endurance that occurs, fatigue increases and causes people to stop exercising.

That is, in most hemiplegia patients, there is a difference in the muscle strength applied to the affected side compared to the muscle strength applied to the sound side in relation to the resistance of each footrest for rehabilitation exercise.

In addition, patients with hemiplegia often have balance problems, and safety devices are desperately needed to allow these patients to safely stand up and step on the steps.

Domestic registered patent No. 10-2044774 (announcement date: 2019.11.14.) Domestic registered patent No. 10-0654883 (announcement date: 2006.12.06.) Domestic registered patent No. 10-1888760 (announcement date: 2018.08.16.)

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the present invention measures different muscle strength values on the healthy side and the affected side using a pressure sensor and applies different resistance values to the stepper based on the measurement information to induce optimal weight transfer. The purpose is to provide a stepper that can reduce fatigue and increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation exercise.

In addition, another purpose is to provide a stepper that can stably perform rehabilitation while maintaining balance even in a standing state when performing rehabilitation exercise using a stepper.

In order to solve the above-described technical problem, the stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention includes a footrest fixing unit (100) whose lower part is supported on the ground, and both feet of a user with lower extremity hemiplegia are seated to generate the external force necessary for rotation. A pair of footrest parts 200 installed on the footrest fixing part 100 so that they can rotate by the external force provided, and a load ( 320) expands and contracts, but the end of the body 310 is rotatably coupled to the footrest fixing part 100, and the end of the rod 320 is rotatably coupled to the footrest part 200. And a control unit 400 that measures and displays the strength of the external force applied through the footrest unit 200 and the strength of the rod 320 for expansion and contraction in the body 310, wherein the cylinder 300 Is either an electric cylinder further provided with an adjustment switch 330 for controlling the intensity of expansion and contraction of the rod 320 or an electric cylinder capable of adjusting the intensity of the rod 320 by an electrical signal controlled by the control unit 400 It is characterized by being.

In addition, the footrest fixing unit 100 further includes a fixture 110 and a detachable armrest member 120, wherein the lower portion of the armrest member 120 is inserted into the footrest fixing unit 100. It includes a vertical bar 121 inserted perpendicularly into the ball 111 and an arm support bar 123 installed in a 'ㄷ' or 'U' shape on the upper part of the vertical bar 121, and the control unit 400 It is preferable to be installed in the form of a monitor on the insertion hole 111 or the arm support bar 123.

In addition, the armrest member 120 further includes a harness 125 made of an elastic material to support the user's buttocks or back, and both sides of the harness 125 are detachable from both ends of the arm support bar 123. It is desirable to have it available.

In addition, the footrest unit 200 includes a lower stand 210 rotatably installed with the footrest fixing part 100, an upper stand 220 rotatably coupled to one side of the lower stand 210, and A plantar pressure sensor 230 is provided on the upper support 220 and measures the external force applied by the user, and the lower part is rotatably installed with the lower support 210, and the upper part is supported on the bottom of the upper support 220 or It includes a rotating piece 240 that is installed to be rotatably coupled, and the upper support 220 is a fixed band that can wrap and secure the instep of the user who is seated so as to pressurize the plantar pressure sensor 230. 223) is preferably further included.

In addition, the rotating piece 240 is installed to have an inclination angle between the lower support 210 and the upper support 220 and can be parallel to the lower support 210 by the pressing force of the upper support 220. After rotation, it is desirable to be able to return to its original state by the elastic force of the elastic body.

In addition, it further includes power auxiliary means 250 for assisting the force of lifting the foot with respect to the footrest 200 on which the user's affected side rests, and the power auxiliary means 250 includes the footrest 200 and It is preferable that the wire is in the form of a grippable wire that is connected to have a predetermined length.

According to the present invention, different muscle strength values for the healthy side and the affected side are confirmed through the plantar pressure sensor and the control unit, and the resistance value of the cylinder, that is, the strength at which the rod can expand and contract, is determined according to the confirmed results. By adjusting it step by step, it is possible to maximize the effect of rehabilitation exercise by providing different optimal weight transfers.

In addition, by using an armrest member differently from the conventional method, the user can easily perform rehabilitation exercises while taking steps even in a standing state, which can be expected to improve safety.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view showing the cylinder of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a diagram showing a cylinder with different resistance values adjusted on the sound side and the affected side of the stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operational relationship of the footrest portion of the stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is another embodiment of a stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention.
Figure 7 is a diagram showing a power assistance means for a stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, various embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments described herein may be modified in various ways. Specific embodiments may be depicted in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, the specific embodiments disclosed in the attached drawings are only intended to facilitate understanding of the various embodiments. Therefore, the technical idea is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the attached drawings, and it should be understood that all equivalents or substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the invention are included.

Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but these components are not limited by the above-mentioned terms. The above-mentioned terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

In this specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. When a component is said to be "connected" or "connected" to another component, it is understood that it may be directly connected to or connected to the other component, but that other components may exist in between. It should be. On the other hand, when it is mentioned that a component is “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof is abbreviated or omitted.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, a stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient according to the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as a 'stepper device') will be described in detail.

Prior to explanation, the control unit 400 described below has a display capable of displaying numerically the respective external force on the user's affected side and unaffected side, which is applied downward by the applied power in the form of a monitor, which will be described later. This refers to a typical controller composed of a plurality of switches to control the ON/OFF operation of the control unit 400, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

However, note that the control unit 400 in the present invention can be configured with models of different sizes depending on the installed part, such as the fixture 110 or the armrest member 120.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the stepper device 1 according to the present invention largely includes a footrest fixing part 100, a footrest part 200, a cylinder 300, and a control part 400.

In more detail, as shown in the footrest fixing unit 100, the control unit 400 as well as the footrest unit 200 and cylinder 300, which will be described later, are rotatably installed so that they can be mounted on the floor or ground indoors or outdoors. It is fixedly installed so as to be movable, so that a user with hemiplegia can easily perform rehabilitation exercises, and includes a fixture 110 and an armrest member 120.

For example, as shown, the fixture 110 is provided with a detachable sliding pad at the bottom so that it stably sits on the ground, but on the outer surface, a pair of footrest parts 200 and a cylinder 300 are rotatable. Ensure that it can be installed symmetrically.

A pillar protrusion is formed on the outer surface of the fixture 110 and protrudes upward, and an insertion hole 111 is formed on the upper surface of the pillar protrusion so that the control unit 400 can be detachably mounted.

At this time, the control unit 400 mounted on the insertion hole 111 is electrically connected to the plantar pressure sensor 230 and calculates numerical values for the different external forces on the affected side and the sound side detected through the plantar pressure sensor 230. , it is desirable to be able to display it.

Meanwhile, although not shown, the control unit 400 may be used with the cylinder 300 consisting of a servo cylinder in addition to the plantar pressure sensor 230 when the cylinder 300, which will be described later, is used as a servo cylinder that does not require the control switch 330. It can be electrically connected, and through this, the rod of the servo cylinder can be controlled electrically to adjust the strength of the extension and contraction of the rod 320. However, in order to clearly understand the gist of the present invention, the above mechanical The cylinder 300 equipped with the control switch 330 capable of adjusting the strength of the rod 320 will be described as an example.

In addition, referring further to FIG. 6, the armrest member 120 is configured to provide convenience for rehabilitation exercise in consideration of the user's physical characteristics and safety, and includes a vertical bar 121, an arm support bar 123, and a harness 125. ), and if necessary, the armrest member 120 can be omitted and used.

As shown, the vertical bar 121 has a length in the vertical direction so that the lower part can be inserted into the insertion hole 111, and the upper part is formed to be detachable or integrated with the arm support bar 123.

The arm support bar 123 is overall formed into a 'ㄷ' or 'U' shape and is placed on the upper part of the vertical bar 121, and a control unit 400 is provided on the upper part of the arm support bar 123.

In addition, although not shown, both ends of the arm support bar 123 may be further provided with anti-slip pads so that the user can easily grip and perform rehabilitation exercises.

The harness 125 can be molded to have a predetermined length and area using an elastic material, and is preferably molded into a mesh shape to provide a breathable function.

The harness 125 can be formed with a wider central area so that the user's buttocks or back (waist area) can be stably supported, and if necessary, rehabilitation exercise can be performed in the form of sitting astride through the relatively large central area. Make it executable.

For this purpose, both sides of the harness 125 are detachably fastened to both ends of the arm support bar 123.

Meanwhile, the armrest member 120 in the present invention is further provided with a cushion pad 127 formed of a cushion material on the inner surface of the arm support bar 123 as needed to further improve the user's safety during rehabilitation exercise. It is also possible to use the above-described armrest member 120, if necessary, separated from the insertion hole 111. In this case, the insertion hole 111 may be provided with a control unit 400. You can.

And, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the footrest unit 200 measures different external forces applied downward to the sound side and the affected side while the user's both feet are seated, and sends the measurement information to the control unit 400. The device is designed to enable rehabilitation of walking motion while simultaneously transmitting the device and includes a lower support 210, an upper support 220, a plantar pressure sensor 230, and a rotating piece 240.

For example, a pair of lower supports 210 is arranged symmetrically on both sides of the fixture 110 so that both feet on the healthy side and the affected side can be used, and one side of each is rotatably coupled to the fixture 110. , The lower part is rotatably coupled to the rod 320 of the cylinder 300.

In addition, the upper stand 220 is arranged to be located above each lower stand 210, and as shown, one side is rotatably coupled to the upper part of the lower stand 210 so that the user can stand on it using both feet. It satisfies the structure that can be achieved.

The outer surface of the upper support 220 is provided with a detachable fixing band 223 that can be fixed to the upper support 220 by pressing the instep of the user being interviewed, so that when the user performs rehabilitation exercise in a walking exercise method, the lower part is provided. Of course, this prevents unwanted separation from the upper support 220 during the process of lifting the foot upward.

In the process of the user performing rehabilitation exercises, the control unit 400 is provided with a plantar pressure sensor ( 230) may be provided.

At this time, the plantar pressure sensors 230 may be used in a form in which a plurality of plantar pressure sensors 230 are evenly distributed over the area of the upper support 220, and a plurality of muscle strength values transmitted to the control unit 400 through the plurality of plantar pressure sensors 230 It is also possible for the control unit 400 to calculate and display the average value.

To elaborate, a user who performs rehabilitation exercise through a pair of footrest units 200 experiences a difference in muscle strength between the healthy side and the affected side, and the control unit 400 bases the strength value transmitted from the footrest unit 200 on the user. By displaying different resistance values for the healthy side and the affected side, that is, resistance values that can determine the strength at which the rod 320 of the cylinder 300 expands and contracts, the center of gravity of the pair of footrest parts 200 is moved. This is to improve the effect of rehabilitation exercise by encouraging it to run smoothly (see Figure 4).

The rotation piece 240 is configured to compensate for stiffness or contracture of the ankle portion on the affected side through rotation when an external force is applied downward to the footrest portion 200.

For this purpose, as shown, the lower part of the rotary piece 240 is rotatably coupled to the upper part of the lower support 210, and the upper part is installed so that it can be supported and rotated on the lower surface of the upper support 220.

At this time, the rotating piece 240 is installed to have an inclination angle so that it can be easily rotated against the external force applied downward to the upper support 220 and placed parallel to the lower support 210, and the upper support 220 It is desirable to install it so that it can be returned to its original position by the elastic force of an elastic body such as a coil spring or torsion spring so that it can be returned to its original position after the external force is relieved.

Meanwhile, in another embodiment of the present invention, a power auxiliary means 250 may be further provided to assist the lifting force with respect to the footrest 200 used for rehabilitation exercise of the affected side, and the power auxiliary means is an example. It may be in the form of a wire that is individually connected to a pair of footrest parts 200 so that the user can hold it and then lift the footrest part 200 belonging to the affected side by force (see FIG. 7).

And, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cylinder 300 applies resistance to the external force in the process of applying downward external force to the footrest unit 200 described above by the user to enable rehabilitation exercise. It includes a body 310, a rod 320, and an adjustment switch 330.

For example, as shown, one side of the body 310 is rotatably coupled to the fixture 110, and a column-shaped rod 320 is inserted into the other opened side so that it can expand and contract, thereby causing piston movement by hydraulic pressure. Satisfies the normal cylinder structure as much as possible.

At this time, the end of the rod 320 is rotatably coupled to the lower surface of the lower support 210, so that resistance is generated through the rod 320, which contracts when an external force is generated downward, to enable rehabilitation exercises to improve muscle strength, etc. It is desirable to do so.

In addition, as shown, the control switch 330 is configured to gradually apply the strength of the resistance value to the expanding and contracting rod 320 through a rotatable switch and a printed unit on the outer surface of the body 310. It is used by adjusting the resistance value of the rod 320.

For example, to adjust the resistance value of the cylinder 300, when the muscle strength value is transmitted to the control unit 400 through the plantar pressure sensor 230 described above, the control unit 400 adjusts the resistance of the cylinder 300 according to the muscle strength value. A method of displaying the value so that the user can recognize it can be used.

Meanwhile, in the cylinder 300 in the present invention, as shown in (b) of FIG. 3, the pressure on the rod 320 of the cylinder 300 can be adjusted through electrical control of the control unit 400. An electric cylinder with a deceleration function can be used, and through the use of such an electric cylinder, the pressure of the rod 320 is manually adjusted in real time according to the pressure value (pressing force) of the footrest 200 on the affected side. This can enable rapid adjustment.

At this time, although not shown, it is desirable that the control unit 400 be remotely operated by the user or a guardian assisting the user for smooth control of the electric cylinder.

As described above, the stepper device 1 according to the present invention is different from the conventional one in that it confirms different muscle force values for the healthy side and the affected side through the plantar pressure sensor 230 and the control unit 400, and the confirmed results Accordingly, the resistance value of the cylinder 300, that is, the strength at which the rod 320 can expand and contract, is adjusted in stages to provide different optimal weight transfers, thereby maximizing the effect of rehabilitation exercise.

In addition, by using the armrest member 120 differently from the conventional method, the user can easily perform rehabilitation exercises while taking steps even in a standing state, which can be expected to improve safety.

As described above, the present invention has been described with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but this is only provided to facilitate a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. , those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations from this description.

Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and the scope of the patent claims described later as well as all things that are equivalent or equivalent to the scope of this patent claim shall fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. .

1: Stepper device for strengthening the affected side of hemiplegic patients according to the present invention
100: Footrest fixing unit
110: fixture 111: insertion hole
120: Armrest member 121: Vertical bar
123: arm support bar 125: harness
127: Cushion pad
200: Footrest part
210: lower support 220: upper support
230: Plantar pressure sensor 240: Rotating piece
300: cylinder
310: body 320: rod
330: Control switch
400: Control unit

Claims (6)

A footrest fixing unit (100) whose lower part is supported on the ground;
A pair of footrest parts (200) installed on the footrest fixing part (100) so that both feet of a user with lower extremity hemiplegia are seated and can rotate by the external force provided by providing the external force necessary for rotation;
The rod 320 expands and contracts inside and outside the body 310 by receiving the external force of the footrest portion 200, and the end of the body 310 is rotatably coupled to the footrest fixing portion 100, and the rod 320 ) The end is a cylinder 300 rotatably coupled to the footrest 200; and
A control unit 400 that measures and displays the intensity of the external force applied through the footrest unit 200 and the intensity of the rod 320 for expansion and contraction in the body 310,
The cylinder 300 is further provided with an adjustment switch 330 for controlling the strength of expansion and contraction of the rod 320, or the strength of the rod 320 can be adjusted by an electric signal controlled by the control unit 400. A stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a patient with hemiplegia, characterized in that it is one of the electric cylinders.
According to paragraph 1,
The footrest fixing unit 100 is
It further includes a fixture 110 and a detachable armrest member 120,
The armrest member 120 is
A vertical bar 121 whose lower part is inserted perpendicularly into the insertion hole 111 formed in the footrest fixing part 100; and
It includes an arm support bar 123 installed in a 'C' or 'U' shape on the upper part of the vertical bar 121,
A stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a patient with hemiplegia, wherein the control unit 400 is installed in the form of a monitor on the insertion hole 111 or the upper part of the arm support bar 123.
According to paragraph 2,
The armrest member 120 is
It further includes a harness 125 made of elastic material to support the user's buttocks or back,
The harness 125 is
A stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient, characterized in that both ends are detachable from both ends of the arm support bar (123).
According to paragraph 1,
The footrest portion 200 is
A lower support 210 rotatably installed with the footrest fixing part 110;
An upper support 220 rotatably coupled to one side of the lower support 210;
A plantar pressure sensor 230 provided on the upper support 220 and measuring an external force applied by the user; and
The lower part is rotatably installed with the lower support 210, and the upper part includes a rotating piece 240 installed so as to be supported or rotatably coupled to the bottom of the upper support 220,
The upper support 220 is
A stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a hemiplegic patient, characterized in that it further includes a fixation band (223) that can wrap and secure the instep of the user who is seated so as to pressurize the plantar pressure sensor (230).
According to paragraph 4,
The rotating piece 240 is
It is installed to have an inclination angle between the lower pedestal 210 and the upper pedestal 220 and rotates so that it becomes parallel to the lower pedestal 210 by the pressing force of the upper pedestal 220, and then by the elastic force of the elastic body. A stepper device for strengthening the affected side of hemiplegic patients, which allows the patient to return to the original state.
According to paragraph 1,
It further includes a power assistance means (250) for assisting the force of lifting the foot with respect to the footrest unit (200) on which the user's affected side rests,
The stepper device for strengthening the affected side of a patient with hemiplegia, wherein the power assistance means (250) is in the form of a grippable wire connected to the footrest unit (200) to have a predetermined length.

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