Orthopedic standing and walking aid
An orthopedic standing and walking aid includes a carriage which is displaceably mounted on a running rail, an approximately C-shaped frame suspended from the carriage by a suspension device and a saddle which is arranged on the C-shaped frame approximately in linear alignment below the suspension device. The orthopedic standing and walking aid can be distinguished by a spring element arranged in the area between the carriage and the saddle so that the saddle is elastically supported in the vertical direction. The orthopedic standing and walking aid may also be distinguished by a height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the saddle, which has a height adjustment spring element which exerts an upward preload on the saddle. This height adjustment mechanism can be designed to be lockable with one hand by means of a locking unit.
1 . An orthopedic standing and walking aid, comprising:
a carriage which is displaceably mounted on a running rail in a longitudinal direction of the running rail, wherein the running rail is mounted on a further rail arrangement so as to be displaceable transverse to the longitudinal direction of the running rail, and wherein the carriage moves in a horizontal plane below the running rail and the further rail arrangement,
an approximately C-shaped frame suspended on the carriage by a suspension device including a spring so that the C-shaped frame is elastically supported by the running rail in a vertical direction,
a saddle which is arranged on the C-shaped frame approximately in rectilinear alignment below the suspension device, with
a saddle post extending from the saddle into a sleeve connected to the C-shaped frame, wherein the saddle post is slidably mounted in the sleeve,
a height-adjusting spring arranged below the saddle post, which exerts an upward preload on the saddle and allows for adjusting a height of the saddle, and
a lock with which the height-adjusting spring is lockable,
wherein the saddle has an elongate slim shape whereby a person sitting on the saddle arranges his/her legs directed downwards on opposite lateral sides of the saddle to be in a standing position while seated, wherein the C-shaped frame does not include a backrest or an abdominal support, and the C-shaped frame is shaped so that a person's body does not touch the C-shaped frame when the person is sitting on the saddle, and wherein a body weight of the person sitting on the saddle is transferred from the orthopedic standing and walking aid upwards to the running rail and no part of the orthopedic standing and walking aid touches a floor located under the orthopedic standing and walking aid, and wherein the person sitting on the saddle is able to walk around freely in all directions while seated.
2 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the C-shaped frame is of elastic construction whereby the C-shaped frame and the spring are formed as a single component.
3 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the lock has an operating lever that is operated with one hand.
4 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the height-adjusting spring is arranged in a region directly below the saddle.
5 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the height-adjusting spring is a gas pressure spring.
6 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension device comprises a swivel joint so that the frame is rotatably suspended.
7 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the saddle is arranged on a pivot joint attached to the C-shaped frame.
8 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 7 , wherein the spring has a spring constant of at most 10 5 N/m.
9 . A method for supporting a person with an orthopedic standing and walking aid, comprising:
providing the orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 ; and
arranging the orthopedic standing and walking aid or adjusting a height of the saddle whereby the person sitting thereon touches the floor located under the orthopedic standing and walking aid with his/her feet, so that a first part of the body weight of this person is carried by the orthopedic standing and walking aid and a second part of the body weight is transferred to the floor.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , comprising using an electronic control device integrated into the orthopedic standing and walking aid to stimulate the person's leg muscles using electrical signals.
11 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is arranged between the suspension device and the C-shaped frame or between the saddle and the C-shaped frame so that the saddle is elastically supported in the vertical direction.
12 . A vertical access aid, comprising:
a roughly C-shaped frame suspended from a suspension device including a spring so that the C-shaped frame is elastically supported in a vertical direction,
a saddle which is arranged on the C-shaped frame approximately in rectilinear alignment below the suspension device, with
a saddle post extending from the saddle into a sleeve connected to the C-shaped frame, wherein the saddle post is slidably mounted in the sleeve,
a height-adjusting spring arranged below the saddle post, which exerts an upward preload on the saddle and allows for adjusting a height of the saddle, and
a lock with which the height-adjusting spring is lockable,
wherein the saddle has an elongated slim shape whereby a person sitting on the saddle arranges his/her legs directed downwards on opposite lateral sides of the saddle to be in a standing position while seated, wherein the C-shaped frame does not include a backrest or an abdominal support, and the C-shaped frame is shaped so that a person's body does not touch the C-shaped frame when the person is sitting on the saddle, and wherein a body weight of the person sitting on the saddle is transferred from the orthopedic standing and walking aid upwards to the suspension device and no part of the orthopedic standing and walking aid touches a floor located under the orthopedic standing and walking aid, and wherein the person sitting on the saddle is able to walk around freely in all directions while seated.
13 . An orthopedic standing and walking aid, comprising:
a carriage which is displaceably mounted on a running rail in a longitudinal direction of the running rail, wherein the running rail is mounted on a further rail arrangement so as to be displaceable transverse to the longitudinal direction of the running rail, and wherein the carriage moves in a horizontal plane below the running rail and the further rail arrangement,
an approximately C-shaped frame suspended on the carriage by a suspension device including a spring so that the C-shaped frame is elastically supported by the running rail in a vertical direction,
a saddle which is arranged on the C-shaped frame approximately in rectilinear alignment below the suspension device, with
a saddle post extending from the saddle into a sleeve connected to the C-shaped frame, wherein the saddle post is slidably mounted in the sleeve, and an operating lever connected to the saddle post, wherein the operating lever is swiveled back and forth between a position that fixes the saddle post in the sleeve and a position in which the saddle post is freely movable in the sleeve,
a height-adjusting spring arranged below the saddle post, which exerts an upward preload on the saddle and allows for adjusting a height of the saddle,
a lock with which the height-adjusting spring is lockable, and
optionally including any of the following group fastened to the C-shaped frame: an eye that secures the person with a safety belt, a hand bow, a headrest, a leg support, a footrest, and a holding device;
wherein the saddle has an elongate slim shape whereby a person sitting on the saddle arranges his/her legs directed downwards on opposite lateral sides of the saddle to be in a standing position while seated, wherein the C-shaped frame does not include a backrest or an abdominal support, and the C-shaped frame is shaped so that a person's body does not touch the C-shaped frame when the person is sitting on the saddle, and wherein a body weight of the person sitting on the saddle is transferred from the orthopedic standing and walking aid upwards to the running rail and no part of the orthopedic standing and walking aid touches a floor located under the orthopedic standing and walking aid, and wherein the person sitting on the saddle is able to walk around freely in all directions while seated.
14 . The orthopedic standing and walking aid according to claim 13 , wherein the operating lever is positioned below the saddle between the legs of the person sitting on the saddle.