Mobility device for physically disabled people
View Patent ↗Mobility device for physically disabled people 1 , comprising a chassis 10 with at least one motor for maneuvering the online mobility device 1 ; a pivot arm 20 , which at its lower end 22 is pivotably connected to the chassis 10 ; and a pelvis support 40 , which is connected to an upper end 23 of the pivot arm 30 ; wherein a physically disabled person 2 can sit with the pelvis support 40 attached to its body, can move around with the mobility device 1 in a standing position on the chassis 10 , and can change on its own from sitting to standing position, wherein all elements of the mobility device 1 except the elements directly contacting the body of the person 2 extending above pelvis height h of the sitting person 2 can be lowered or moved to or below this height h. The present invention further comprises a method for connecting of a sitting physically disabled person 2 and for fixing of the person 2 for standing position once is motor-driven mobility device 1.
1. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ), comprising:
a chassis ( 10 ) having wheels ( 12 ) which are selectively driven by at least one motor ( 90 ) in order to maneuver the entire mobility device ( 1 );
a pivot arm ( 20 ), which at a lower end ( 22 ) is pivotably connected to the chassis ( 10 ); and
a pelvis support ( 40 ), which is connected to an upper end ( 23 ) of the pivot arm ( 20 );
wherein the pelvis support ( 40 ) can be securely fixed to a belly or frontal pelvis of the disabled person ( 2 ); and
the mobility device ( 1 ) is movable around with the disabled person ( 2 ) standing on the chassis ( 10 ), wherein the mobility device is configured so that driving movements of the mobility device ( 1 ) as well as pivot movement of the pivot arm ( 20 ) for changing from sitting to standing position can be controlled by the disabled person ( 2 );
wherein the mobility device comprises at least one adjustable fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) for fixing the physically disabled person to the pelvis support, wherein the fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) is retractable into the mobility device ( 1 ); and
wherein the mobility device further comprises a tibia support ( 60 ) which is connected to a support post ( 70 ) in an adjustable manner.
2. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 1 , wherein the adjustable fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) is configured to be adaptable by the disabled person during the course of the day.
3. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) except the pelvis support ( 40 ) directly contacting the body of the disabled person ( 2 ) can be lowered or moved to or below a waist height (h) of a sitting person ( 2 ) such that it does not impair the vision to the front of the sitting person.
4. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 1 , further comprising a hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) that is movably supported, preferably telescopically supported at the chassis ( 10 ), wherein the hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) allows the physically disabled person ( 2 ) to erect himself/herself on its own to a standing position.
5. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) and the hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) can be moved to a height above pelvis height (h) of a sitting person ( 2 ).
6. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) comprises two hand grips ( 82 ) that are foldable downwards.
7. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mobility device ( 1 ) has no seat for a person ( 2 ).
8. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) is attached to the pelvis support ( 40 ).
9. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising an upper fixing belt ( 32 ) for fixing the upper part ( 4 ) of the body of a physically disabled person ( 2 ) and a lower fixing belt ( 30 ) for fixing the pelvis of a physically disabled person ( 2 ).
10. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) can be pivoted to a height below and above pelvis height (h) of a sitting person such that:
a. the pelvis support ( 40 ) can abut the belly of a sitting person ( 2 );
b. a sitting person ( 2 ) with a fixed pelvis support ( 40 ) is able to erect himself/herself to a standing position; and
c. the pelvis support ( 40 ) fixes the belly or the frontal pelvis of the person ( 2 ) and holds the person ( 2 ) upright in a standing position on the mobility device ( 1 ).
11. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot movement of the pivot arm ( 20 ) to the standing position ( 2 ) is supported by a spring, preferably a lockable spring, and more preferred by a lockable gas spring ( 26 ).
12. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) can be selectively locked to provide at least two of the following modes:
a. free mode, such that the pivot arm ( 20 ) can move up and down;
b. locked mode, such that the pivot arm ( 20 ) can neither move up nor down;
c. standing up mode, such that the pivot arm ( 20 ) can only move up but can not move down;
d. sitting down mode, such that the pivot arm ( 20 ) can only move down but can not move up.
13. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) is length adjustable in order to adjust the mobility device ( 1 ) to the user ( 2 ).
14. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising two footrests ( 14 ) arranged at the chassis ( 10 ) as platforms for a person ( 2 ) standing on the mobility device ( 1 ), wherein the footrests ( 14 ) are arranged in between front wheels ( 12 ) and back wheels ( 13 , 110 , 114 ).
15. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 14 , wherein the footrests ( 14 ) are height adjustable by a motorized mechanism.
16. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) is arranged as a parallelogram arrangement ( 24 , 25 ) such that the pelvis support ( 40 ) during pivoting of the pivot arm ( 20 ) always has the same orientation.
17. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) further comprises a gearbox arrangement ( 130 , 132 ) for maintaining the orientation of the pelvis support ( 40 ), while pivoting the pivot arm ( 20 ).
18. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 17 , wherein the gearbox arrangement ( 130 , 132 ) comprises:
a. a first gearbox ( 130 ) at one end of the pivot arm ( 20 );
b. a second gearbox ( 132 ) at the other end of the pivot arm ( 20 );
c. a rotatable connection shaft ( 136 ) connecting input shafts ( 145 , 147 ) of the first and second gearboxes ( 130 , 132 ) with each other;
d. wherein a rotatable output shaft ( 144 ) of the first gearbox ( 130 ) is connected to the pelvis support ( 40 ); and
e. a rotatable output shaft ( 146 ) of the second gearbox ( 132 ) is connected to the chassis ( 10 ).
19. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a removable support post ( 70 ) being rigidly arranged at the chassis ( 10 ), wherein the pivot arm ( 20 ) is supported at the chassis ( 10 ) via the support post ( 70 ).
20. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 19 , wherein the lower end ( 22 ) of the pivot arm ( 20 ) is supported in a height displaceably manner at the support post ( 70 ).
21. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the chassis ( 10 ) comprises driven wheels ( 12 ) which are selectively driven by at least one motor ( 90 ) in order to maneuver the mobility device ( 1 ).
22. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according claim 1 , further comprising at least one multiway wheel ( 13 ).
23. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising
a. at least one omni wheel ( 110 ); and/or
b. at least one caster wheel; and/or
c. a holonomic drive, comprising four omni wheels ( 110 ) arranged at the edges of the chassis ( 10 ); and/or
d. a mecanum drive, comprising at least two mecanum wheels ( 120 ).
24. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising stability elements ( 16 , 17 ) that are extendable and retractable from the chassis ( 10 ) in order to provide an enhanced stability of the mobility device ( 1 ).
25. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a control panel ( 50 ) at which person ( 2 ) can control the movements of the mobility device ( 1 ), particularly the driving movements.
26. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 25 , wherein the control panel ( 50 ) is a remote-control panel that allows the user to manoeuvre the mobility device ( 1 ) from a remote distance.
27. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising at the back end of the chassis ( 10 ) a platform ( 18 , 150 ) for supporting the feet of the person ( 2 ) while the person ( 2 ) is attaching a fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) to its body.
28. Mobility device for physically disabled people ( 1 ) according to claim 27 , wherein the platform ( 150 ) is height movable by means of a motorized mechanism ( 152 ).
29. Method for erecting of a sitting physically disabled person ( 2 ) and for fixing of the person ( 2 ) in standing position onto a motor-driven mobility device ( 1 ) comprising the following steps:
a. providing a mobility device ( 1 ), comprising a motor-driven maneuverable chassis ( 10 ), a pivot arm ( 20 ) pivotably connected to the chassis ( 10 ), a pelvis support ( 40 ) arranged at the upper end ( 23 ) of the pivot arm ( 20 ), and a hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) that can be lowered to or below the pelvis height (h) of the sitting person ( 2 );
b. fixing the pelvis support ( 40 ) at the belly of the sitting person ( 2 ) by means of at least one adjustable fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) that is retractable into the mobility device ( 1 ), wherein the mobility device further comprises a tibia support ( 60 ) which is connected to a support post ( 70 ) in an adjustable manner;
c. moving the hand grip arrangement ( 80 ) to a height that allows the person ( 2 ) to pull himself/herself up to the standing position by means of the hand grip arrangement ( 80 ); and
d. pivoting the pivot arm ( 20 ) for erecting the person ( 2 ) into the standing position onto the chassis ( 10 ) of the mobility device ( 1 ).
30. Method for erecting of a sitting physically disabled person ( 2 ) and for fixing of the person ( 2 ) in standing position onto a motor-driven mobility device ( 1 ) according to claim 29 , wherein the step of the fixing of the pelvis support ( 40 ) comprises an encompassing of the person ( 2 ) by means of a fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ), wherein the person ( 2 ) places his/her feet to a back sided platform ( 18 ) or a height movable platform ( 150 ) of the chassis ( 10 ) in order to lift the upper legs.
31. Method for erecting of a sitting physically disabled person ( 2 ) and for fixing of the person ( 2 ) in standing position onto a motor-driven mobility device ( 1 ) according to claim 29 , wherein the pelvis support ( 40 ) during the encompassing of the person ( 2 ) by means of the fixing belt ( 30 , 32 ) laterally supports the knees of the sitting person ( 2 ).
32. Method for erecting of a sitting physically disabled person ( 2 ) and for fixing of the person ( 2 ) in standing position of a motor-driven mobility device ( 1 ) according to claim 29 , wherein the pivoting of the pivot arm ( 20 ) is supported by a spring ( 26 ) or is motor driven.