WO2021050027A1

WO2021050027A1 - Medical holding apparatus for the use of individuals experiencing difficulties with motor skills

Info

Publication number: WO2021050027A1
Application number: PCT/TR2020/050824
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kayahan KARAYTUG
Original assignee: Karaytug Kayahan
Priority date: 2019-09-13
Filing date: 2020-09-10
Publication date: 2021-03-18
Also published as: TR201913911A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical holding apparatus for the use of individuals experiencing difficulties with motor skills, wherein the inventive medical holding apparatus comprises; bending modules (1) that are jointed by being interlocked, and each of which is bendable over one another; an apparatus handle (5) that comprises a grip portion (5.1), a neck portion (5.2) and that consists of said bending modules (1) that, allow for being positioned in the desired direction and angle from a plurality of points; a separator (2) that separates the grip portion (5.1) from the neck portion (5.2) of the apparatus handle (5) consisting of said bending modules (1) and that prevents the holding position from shifting and/or changing during use; apparatus attachments (4) detachable from the apparatus based on user's needs, and a connector (3) that allows for attaching-detaching, and fixing apparatus attachments (4) by being positioned at the point where the neck portion (5.2) ends.

Description

MEDICAL HOLDING APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF INDIVIDUALS

EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES WITH MOTOR SKILLS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a medical holding apparatus designed to allow patients who are having difficulties in using conventional products and in bringing them to their mouths due to experiencing difficulties with motor skills and/or suffering from poor gripping capabilities, to meet their daily needs by using products like forks, spoons, knives, toothbrushes, etc.

STATE OF THE ART

Individuals experiencing difficulties with motor skills and/or suffering from poor gripping capabilities face several hardships in using conventional daily products like spoons, forks, knives, etc. and in bringing these products to their mouths, or such individuals cannot use these items at all. Individuals who experience such inconveniences may need the assistance of other people particularly while eating.

Hence, various products different from conventional spoons, forks, knives, etc. have been developed over the years. An example in this regard may be the patent document numbered CN105534227 disclosing a medical dining spoon. Said patent document discloses a structure comprising of a spoon body and a spoon handle, wherein the spoon handle is connected with a handle, and the connection angle between the handle and the spoon handle is adjustable. The angle between the handle and the spoon handle is provided by means of a ball arranged at the tail end of the spoon handle.

The function of the product that has a long neck and that can perform the spheroidal rotational movement is to create points of support that extend to the patient's palm, wrist and forearm in order to provide assistance for holding conventional forks- spoons-knives.

Products available in the state of the art are structures mainly capable of performing unilateral and limited movements, that are fixedly rotated to right or left, or that may be rotated freely to right-left, up and down in a limited manner.

Even though there are some products with end portions that are freely bendable to every direction, these products cannot perform a spheroidal rotation due to short (neck) extensions, accordingly, considering the varietals of gripping axis deformities, the distance provided by these structures is insufficient for each patient suffering from different types of deformities, to allow them to bring the utensil to their mouths.

Singular products, on the other hand, can perform spheroidal rotation and feature a longer neck and a modular structure capable of being elongated even further. However, the scenario for how a patient shall grip the product -since these products do not have a handle defined visually and formally- takes a different turn every time. Hence, the aforementioned specific patients experience difficulties in gripping these products in a controlled manner, and the integrity of said products feature an inadequate thickness.

Consequently, the state of the art does not feature a structure that allows individuals experiencing difficulties with motor skills to use the product in a completely customized form. On the other hand, products available in the state of the art only offer singular solutions like a fork, a spoon, etc. Therefore, the patients are required to obtain a separate product for each area of use.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a medical holding apparatus that may be shaped and rendered ready for the use of the patient in a manner suitable for every patient at the first use by means of the neck structure thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a medical holding apparatus four separate end portions of which may be used via a single handle-neck integration as four different utensils including a fork, spoon, knife, and toothbrush detachable from the neck portion thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGURE 1 illustrates the disassembled view of the inventive medical holding apparatus.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the assembled view of the inventive medical holding apparatus.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN FIGURES

1. Bending Module

1.1. Plastic Bending Module

1.2. Brass Bending Module

2. Separator

3. Connector

4. Apparatus Attachments 4.1. Spoon Attachment 4.1. Fork Attachment

4.3. Knife Attachment

4.4. Toothbrush Attachment 5. Apparatus Handle

5.1. Grip Portion

5.2. Neck Portion The inventive medical holding apparatus comprises; bending modules (1) that are jointed by being interlocked, and each of which is bendable over one another; an apparatus handle (5) that comprises a grip portion (5.1), a neck portion (5.2) and that consists of said bending modules (1) that allow for being positioned in the desired direction and angle from a plurality of points; a separator (2) that separates the grip portion (5.1) from the neck portion (5.2) of the apparatus handle (5) consisting of said bending modules (1) and that prevents the holding position from shifting and/or changing during use; apparatus attachments (4) detachable from the apparatus based on user's needs, and a connector (3) that allows for attaching- detaching, and fixing apparatus attachments (4) by being positioned at the point where the neck portion (5.2) ends. The apparatus handle (5) of the inventive medical holding apparatus comprises of bending modules (1) that are jointed by being interlocked, and each of which is bendable over one another. The grip portion (5.1) and the neck portion (5.2) of the inventive medical holding apparatus may spherically and freely rotate independently of each other on X, Y, and Z axes by means of the bending module (1) structures that may bend both spherically and over one another. Thus, regardless of how aeformed the handgrip angle of the patient is, the neck portion (5.2) may be bent in the desired direction independent of the angle in which the grip portion (5.1) is held.

In cases where the length of the neck portion (5.2) is too short or too long, the length of the neck portion (5.2) may be adjusted either by increasing or decreasing the number of bending modules (1). Analogously, the length of the grip portion (5.1) may also be shortened or lengthened either by increasing or decreasing the number of bending modules (1). Thus, regardless of the anatomical condition of the patient, and no matter how different the hand-arm-head-neck sizes/lengths of a patient is, the patient may bring the apparatus attachments (4) positioned at the end portion of the apparatus to his/her mouth as long as she can grip the grip portion (5.1).

The bending of the neck portion (5.2) may be shaped according to any patient during the first use and rendered ready for the use of the patient.

The structure of the apparatus handle (5) allows for adjusting the apparatus handle according to the individual grip of each patient with hand grip axis deformity.

Bending modules (1) are manufactured from plastic and/or brass material. In addition to being individually bendable and extendable according to each patient, the weight of the apparatus handle (5) may be adjusted based on each user's gender/age/muscle power. In that case, bending modules (1) of brass material may be positioned to the portion that is desired to be heavy instead of bending modules (1) of plastic material.

The grip portion (5.1) and the neck portion (5.2) are separated from one another by means of a separator (2) manufactured from a plastic material. The separator (2) prevents the holding position from shifting and/or changing while the inventive medical holding apparatus is being used. It also visually describes how the inventive medical holding apparatus is used (how the grip should be held).

The present invention comprises apparatus attachments that may be attached to or detached from the neck portion (5.2) of the apparatus. In an example of the present invention, the inventive medical holding apparatus is provided with a structure with 4 different attachments including a spoon attachment (4.1), a fork attachment (4.2), a knife attachment (4.3), and a toothbrush attachment (4.4). Apparatus attachments (4) may be varied and increased in number based on the user's needs.

As apparatus attachments (4) may be used in a single structure by being attached or detached, each apparatus attachment (4) may also be used by being attached to different holding apparatuses adjusted in an identical manner.

In case there is any deformation on apparatus attachments (4), patients may replace the apparatus attachments and continue using the inventive medical holding apparatus.

Claims

1.A medical holding apparatus for the use of individuals experiencing difficulties with motor skills, characterized in that, it comprises; bending modules (1) that are jointed by being interlocked, and each of which is bendable over one another; an apparatus handle (5) that comprises a grip portion (5.1), a neck portion (5.2) and that consists of said bending modules (1) that allow for being positioned in the desired direction and angle from a plurality of points; a separator (2) that separates the grip portion (5.1) from the neck portion (5.2) of the apparatus handle (5) consisting of said bending modules (1) and that prevents the holding position from shifting and/or changing during use; apparatus attachments (4) detachable from the apparatus based on user's needs, and a connector (3) that allows for attaching-detaching, and fixing apparatus attachments (4) by being positioned at the point where the neck portion (5.2) ends.

2. A medical holding apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises a grip portion (5.1) and a neck portion (5.2) that are capable of spherically and freely rotating independently of each other on X, Y, and Z axes.

3.A medical holding apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises a grip portion (5.1) with adjustable length, wherein the length adjustment is performed by either increasing or decreasing the number of bending modules (1).

4. A medical holding apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises a neck portion (5.2) with adjustable length, wherein the length adjustment is performed by either increasing or decreasing the number of bending modules (1).

5.A medical holding apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises bending modules (1) manufactured from plastic and/or brass material so as to adjust the weight of the apparatus handle (5) based on user's gender/age/muscle power.

6.A medical holding apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises a separator (2) manufactured from plastic material, wherein said separator (2) prevents the holding position from shifting and/or changing during use, and also visually describes how the product is used (how the grip should be held).