SI24383A - Apparatus for training dynamic balance and turning manoeuvres during walking - Google Patents

Abstract

Subject of the invention is a device for dynamic equilibrium training and maneuvers of turning while walking, which allows said operation between the stand at the site, while walking along the plane or while walking along a conveyor belt that can rotate about the vertical axis. For this purpose, the device according to the invention has universal joints (2,2 ') in the base platform (1'), which are provided with vertical rods (3,3 ') or vertically adjustable sticks (30,30') via standard spherical joints (4 , 4 ') are connected to the pelvic element (5) and have universal joints (2,2') with two degrees of freedom, which can also be equipped with actuators (6,7,8).

Description

DEVICE FOR REGULATING DYNAMIC BALANCE AND

TURNING MENU MANUFACTURING

The subject of the invention is a device for training the dynamic balance and maneuvers of turning while walking. The device according to the invention enables the training of dynamic equilibrium and various turning maneuvers while standing in place, while walking in a straight line or while walking on a conveyor belt that can rotate about a vertical axis. The invention belongs to class A 63B 26/00 of the European patent classification.

io The technical problem that the present device according to the invention successfully solves is to provide such a device that will allow adequate and, above all, safe exercise of dynamic equilibrium and thus harmonious movement of the whole body, especially in the elderly or. disabled persons.

Various neurological diseases injuries, as well as aging, result in impaired walking ability, which increases the chances of falls in the disabled and the elderly. In addition to the reduced muscle strength, the main obstacle to functional walking is inadequate senso-motor coordination of movement, as well as reduced ability to turn or exercise. maneuvering. These skills should be maintained or maintained. retrieve them through exercise, where it is important that the exercise is performed in a safe manner that involves exercising dynamic balance. An important part of functional walking skills is maneuvers such as initiation and / or exercise. accelerating, stopping, or braking, changing direction while walking or walking.

turning, turning on the spot, and walking routine. There are currently a number of electro-mechanical devices (eg LOKOMAT, Gait Trainer) that support walking when walking either on a treadmill or on the ground, while providing partial weight relief, but for these devices it is only possible to practice walking in one direction at a time however, pelvis and torso motility are severely restricted.

A device in which the movement of the pelvis in the left / right and forward / backward directions is possible during a person's stand is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,086,996. The main structural feature of this device is in two io mechanical assemblies, which contain a vertical spring, which can easily change the effective length and thus adjust the size of the mechanical support of the pelvic belt. The device has two degrees of freedom to allow the body to tilt between standing back and forth and left and right. However, it does not allow the body to rotate about a vertical axis, which is crucial for changing the direction of walking.

In view of the condition described above, there is no device capable of training the dynamic equilibrium in conditions where the pelvis and torso would be properly supported, but nevertheless it would be possible to practice the coordinated movement of the whole body which is necessary in performing the above. of maneuvers. Currently, the described exercise is supported by at least two physiotherapists.

The device according to the invention is a parallel mechanism, where universal joints are installed in the base platform, which in the first embodiment

In the second embodiment, the vertical telescopic bars are connected via standard spherical joints to the pelvic element, and the universal joints have two degrees of freedom, which may also be actuated.

The invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of an embodiment and figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention and the first embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the movement of a standing subject back in the device of the invention back to the first embodiment ;;

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the movement of a standing subject forward in an apparatus of the invention according to the first embodiment;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the movement of a standing subject to the left in an apparatus of the invention according to the first embodiment;

5 is a schematic view of the movement of a standing subject to the right in an apparatus of the invention according to the first embodiment;

6 is a schematic view of a left-facing subject rotation about a vertical axis in a transverse plane in an apparatus according to the invention according to the first embodiment;

7 is a schematic view of a rotation of a right-facing subject about a vertical axis in a transverse plane in an apparatus of the invention according to the first embodiment;

Figure 8 schematic illustration of the passive tilt of the pelvis standing the subject further in the apparatus of the invention according to the first embodiment Figure 9 case; schematic illustration of the passive tilt of the pelvis standing 5 the subject back to the device of the invention according to the first embodiment Figure 10 case; a schematic representation of the possible implementations of universal conclusions according to picture 11 invention; detail of alternative connection of vertical bar to spherical 10 by a decision; picture 12 a schematic representation of the movement of a subject with the device of the invention, wherein is a basic platform a motorized mobile platform first the implementation case; Figure 13 a schematic representation of the movement of a subject with the device of the invention, wherein 15 is a basic platform a motorized platform with a liquid picture 14 the tape after the first embodiment; a schematic representation of the movement of a subject with the device of the invention, wherein is a basic platform motorized mobile platform by another embodiment ;; 20 Figure 15 a schematic representation of the movement of a subject with the device of the invention, wherein is a basic platform a motorized platform with a liquid a tape according to another embodiment;

Figure 1 schematically shows the lower body of a standing subject, which is supported at the pelvic level by the device of the invention according to the first embodiment; and allows training to maintain dynamic balance and turn maneuvers. The device according to the invention is represented by a parallel mechanism, consisting of: a base platform 1, on which are mounted universal joints 2, 2 ', which are connected to the pelvic element 5 by vertical bars 3.3' via standard spherical joints 4.4 '.

Each universal joint 2,2 'has two degrees of freedom, one of which is universal degree 2 of freedom is equipped with a drive 6, and while 7,8 is equipped with both degrees of freedom of universal decision 2'.

The 6,7,8 actuators are active servo-driven actuators, but they can be replaced by passive visco-elastic elements with variable impedance characteristics.

is The base platform 1 may be a simple plate, a motorized mobile platform, or a motorized platform with a conveyor mounted, the motorized platform being able to rotate about a vertical axis, as described below.

Thus, according to the described components, the dynamic balance and maneuvering maneuvering device has four degrees of freedom, three of which are motorized (driven) and one of them is passive as shown in Figures 9.

Figures 2 and 3 show the inclination of the standing subject back and forth in the sagittal plane. Tilting back and forth can be supported or. guided (in terms of either positional servo or impedance control) with motor actuators 6 and 7. Figures 4 and 5 show the inclination of the standing subject left and right in the frontal plane. Tilting left and right can be supported or. Driven (in terms of either positional servo or impedance control) with actuator 8.

Figures 6 and 7 show the key degree of freedom of the proposed device according to the invention, namely, the rotation of the pelvis of the standing subject around the vertical axis in a transverse plane clockwise, as well as counterclockwise. The described rotation of the pelvis of the standing subject may be supported or supported. guided (in terms of either position control or impedance control) with the proper operation of actuators 6 and 7. Movement in all three described degrees of freedom (forward / backward tilt, left / right tilt and transverse plane rotation) is possible at the same time and may be appropriate supported by proper operation of drives 6,7 and 8.

Figures 8 and 9 show the fourth freedom level of the proposed device, that is, the passive tilt of the pelvis of the standing subject back and forth in the sagittal plane. This degree of freedom is controlled by the standing subject.

All the pictures from 1 to 9 together illustrate the use of or. the operation of the device according to the invention for the purpose of training to maintain dynamic balance and rotate the body about a vertical axis while standing.

• ·

Possible concrete embodiments of the universal joint 2,2 ', which in principle do not change the number of degrees of freedom and the described functionality of the whole device according to the invention and in no way limit the present invention, are shown in Figure 10. The universal joint 2,2' is constructed in a constructive manner, that the two perpendicular axes of rotation intersect at the same point. The practical implementation of such a joint can be complex, since it requires the precise construction and bearing of both axles.

In the first embodiment, each universal joint 2.2 ' is easily replaced by a vertical spring 20, one end of which is attached to the io base platform 1 and the other end to the vertical rod 3.3 ', 30.30 '. In this case, the whole mechanism is passive and exhibits mechanical impedance acting in the form of visco-elastic forces on the person's pelvis.

According to the second construction, each universal joint 2,2 'can be replaced by two simple bearing joints 20', 20, each having only one axis of rotation, and the first simple joint 20 'is attached to the base platform 1, and the second simple joint 20 is fixed to the axis of the first simple joint 20 ', such that the axes of rotation of the two simple joints 20', 20 are perpendicular, but in this case they do not intersect at the same point.

In the device according to the invention and the second embodiment, the vertical bars 3,3 'having a certain non-adjustable length can be replaced by vertically adjustable bars 30,30', which may comprise a translational joint which allows the length of the bars 30,30 'to be adjusted and is each of them can be constructed as a telescopic assembly of two rods and also balanced, e.g. with a spring or similar structural member that compensates for the weight of the pelvic member 5. An additional adjustment option is also provided by a construction version where the upper end of the rods 3,3 ', 30,30' is slidably connected to the spherical joints 4,4 ', as shown in the figure 11.

In this way, the device according to the invention in the second embodiment, by replacing the vertical bars 3.3 'with vertically adjustable rods 30.30', enables two new degrees of freedom, namely, tilting the pelvis down / up in the frontal plane as well as the vertical movement of the pelvis down / up in all embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 9, and in particular the possibility of using vertically adjustable rods 30, 30 'is shown in Figures 14 and 15.

In the case of the base platform 1 being a motorized mobile platform, the flight allows for dynamic balance and turn maneuvers while walking on the ground. The sequence of graphs in Figure 12 shows first the walking in one direction, followed by the curve required to change the direction of walking accordingly, which can be achieved in two ways. In the first mode, the walking subject injects a wrap-around maneuver in a new direction with proper pelvic rotation, followed by proper rotation of the mobile platform and proper movement of the device. In the second mode, the device injects pelvic rotation, followed by proper rotation of the mobile platform. In both modes, the walking subject has the ability to practice maintaining dynamic balance and cornering maneuvers with the support of motorized degrees of freedom appropriate to his or her current capabilities.

In the case of the base platform 1 being a motorized treadmill platform that can rotate about a vertical axis, it allows for the training of dynamic equilibrium and turning maneuvers while walking on the treadmill. The sequence of graphs in Fig. 13 shows the turning maneuver, which is in principle the same as the turning maneuver shown in Fig. 12, except that in this case the mobile platform cannot move freely in space but is limited to rotation about a fixed axis of rotation .

In the case where the base platform 1 is a motorized mobile platform according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 14, it enables io in addition to the previously described possibilities of maneuvering with the device according to the invention according to the first embodiment, as described and shown in Figure 13 , also the tilt of the pelvis down / up in the frontal plane as well as the vertical movement of the pelvis down / up.

In the case of the base platform 1 being a motorized platform with a conveyor belt according to another embodiment of Fig. 15, which can rotate about a vertical axis, it enables the training of dynamic equilibrium and turning maneuvers while walking on the conveyor belt. The sequence of graphs in Figure 15 shows a turn maneuver, which is in principle the same as the turn maneuver shown in Figure 14, except that in this case the mobile platform is not limited to rotation about a fixed axis of rotation of the ampka, the axis of rotation can be anywhere, including e.g. . in the center of the conveyor.

The innovative aspect of the proposed device for training the steady-state and turning maneuvers while walking according to the invention is mainly in the unique kinematic structure, which enables the subject to practice the dynamic balance and rotation about the vertical body axis while simultaneously moving the lower body in sagittal and frontal plane, both while standing, walking on the ground and walking on a conveyor belt that can rotate about a vertical axis in place. The motion of the proposed device according to the invention is consistent with the motion of the human locomotor apparatus from a biomechanical and physiological point of view.

Claims (5)

PATENT APPLICATIONS 1. A device for training dynamic balance and maneuvering while walking, 5 characterized in that universal joints (2, 2 ') are mounted on the base platform (1), which are supported by standard spherical joints (30,30') with vertical bars (3,3 ') or vertically adjustable bars (30,30'). , 4 ') associated with the pelvic element 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each universal joint (2,2 ') has two degrees of freedom, one of which is a degree of freedom of the universal joint (2) provided with drive is (6), while with drives (7,8) fitted with both degrees of freedom of the universal joint (2 '). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that 20 that each universal joint (2,2 ') can be replaced by a vertical spring (20) or by two simple bearing joints (20', 20), each having only one axis of rotation and the first simple joint (20 ') being fixed to the base platform (1) and the second simple joint (20) to the axis of the first • · simple joint (20 ') so that the axes of rotation of the two simple joints (20', 20) are perpendicular but do not intersect at the same point . The device of claim 2 and claim 3, 5, characterized in that the actuators (6,7,8) are active servo-driven actuators or passively viscoelastic elements with variable impedance characteristics. Device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the basic platform (1) can be a simple plate, a motorized mobile platform, or a motorized platform with a conveyor installed that can rotate about a vertical axis.