Rehabilitation mechanism for patients confined to bed
Inventors
KOENIG, Alexander • Spiegel, Simon
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10893997-B2
Publication Date
2021-01-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
A rehabilitation mechanism rehabilitates the joints, muscles, and tendons of the legs of a bedridden patient in an automated manner according to a plan. A knee module can be operatively connected to the knee joint of the patient. A control module controls rehabilitation movements by way of the knee module. The knee module is a module to be arranged above the patient and the mattress, which module is supported directly or indirectly on a bed or the mattress frame, and includes a knee prosthesis which receives a knee joint of the patient, a connection element connected to the knee prosthesis, an extension arm to which the connection element is secured, and a mechanism to be actuated by the control module and which introduces a defined force into the knee prosthesis via the extension arm and the connection element to carry out rehabilitation movements according to a plan.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a rehabilitation mechanism for a bed for a planned, automated rehabilitation of joints, muscles and tendons of the legs of a bedridden patient. A knee module is operatively connected to a knee joint of the bedridden patient and includes a knee orthosis configured to receive the knee joint, a connection element connected to the knee orthosis, and an extension arm secured to the connection element. The knee module is arranged in a z-direction above the patient and a mattress and is supported directly or indirectly on a bed frame or a mattress frame.
A controllable mechanical device introduced via the extension arm and the connection element introduces a defined force into the knee orthosis so that the bedridden patient's knee joint performs planned rehabilitation movements via the received knee joint. The mechanical device includes a first eccentric formed by a first eccentric disk mounted on a first eccentric shaft with a center point lying outside a shaft axis of the first eccentric shaft, and a second eccentric formed by a second eccentric disk mounted on a second eccentric shaft with a center point lying outside a shaft axis of the second eccentric shaft. The extension arm includes a distal portion operatively connected to a control pin of the first eccentric disk via a radial bearing and operatively connected to a control pin of the second eccentric disk via a sliding bearing.
The control module controls planned rehabilitation movements at least of the joints, muscles and tendons of a leg of the bedridden patient by way of said knee module. The documented dependent claim set further describes monitoring and adjustment concepts using angle sensors and/or force sensors with variably predefined desired angle and desired force thresholds, and adjustment of the eccentric disks to return an actual angle and/or actual force to the desired thresholds.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim and covers a modular knee rehabilitation mechanism with an eccentric-driven force introduction and a control module for planned automated movements. Dependent claims further introduce monitoring and adjustment features and optional extension to a foot module for ankle torque, yielding a threshold-based adaptive control coverage alongside the defined-force eccentric architecture.
Eccentric-driven knee orthosis force introduction in an in-bed z-positioned module
A knee module arranged in a z-direction above the patient and a mattress and supported directly or indirectly on a bed frame or a mattress frame, including a knee orthosis configured to receive a knee joint of the bedridden patient, a connection element connected to the knee orthosis, and an extension arm secured to the connection element; and a mechanical device actuated by a control module and configured to introduce a defined force into the knee orthosis via the extension arm and the connection element so that the joints, muscles and tendons of the leg perform planned rehabilitation movements via the bedridden patient's knee joint received in the knee orthosis, wherein the mechanical device includes a first eccentric and a second eccentric, and the extension arm distal portion is operatively connected to the first eccentric and the second eccentric via a radial bearing and a sliding bearing.
Control module for planned automated rehabilitation movements of leg joints, muscles and tendons
A control module for controlling planned rehabilitation movements at least of the joints, muscles and tendons of a leg of the bedridden patient by way of said knee module, where the knee module is operatively connected to a knee joint of the bedridden patient.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on a z-direction, in-bed supported knee module that introduces a defined force into a knee orthosis using first and second eccentrics with specified bearings, under control of a control module for planned automated rehabilitation movements; dependent claims further specify angle/force monitoring with variably predefined desired thresholds, independent eccentric adjustment, and an optional foot module applying torque to an ankle joint.
Stated Advantages
Enables planned, automated rehabilitation movements via a bedridden patient's knee joint received in a knee orthosis using an introduced defined force.
Allows monitoring and adjustment so that an actual angle and/or actual force can be returned to variably predefined desired angle and desired force thresholds.
Supports independent adjustment of eccentric disks with respect to planned rehabilitation movements.
Extends rehabilitation to a foot module that can apply torque to an ankle joint.
Documented Applications
Planned, automated rehabilitation of joints, muscles and tendons of the legs of a bedridden patient using a rehabilitation mechanism for a bed, with a knee module connected to a knee joint and optionally a foot module configured to apply torque to an ankle joint.
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