FR3062804A1 - ASSISTANCE INSTALLATION FOR A MANUAL WORKSTATION SUPPORTING THE OPERATOR'S ELBOW - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assistance installation for a workstation receiving an operator (8) to work with an elbow or a raised arm, this installation comprising a bracket (2) having an end intended to come above the operator (8), a holding system (32) for receiving a bend of the operator (8), and an elastic cable (30) supporting the holding system (32) from the end of the gallows (2).

Description

© Publication no .: 3,062,804 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 17 51226 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © IntCI ⁸

B 25 J 1/00 (2017.01), D 05 B 13/00, 15/00

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 15.02.17. (© Priority: ©) Applicant (s): CTC— FR. ©) Date of availability of the request: 17.08.18 Bulletin 18/33. @ Inventor (s): DARRAGON JEROME and TOLO JEANPIERRE. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): CTC. ©) Extension request (s): © Agent (s): CABINET GERMAIN & MAUREAU.

OF MANUAL WORK SUPPORTING THE ELBOW

ASSISTANCE INSTALLATION FOR AN OPERATOR STATION.

FR 3 062 804 - A1 (üp) The subject of the invention is an assistance installation for a work station receiving an operator (8) having to work with an elbow or a raised arm, this installation comprising a bracket (2) having an end intended to come above the operator (8), a holding system (32) provided to receive an elbow of the operator (8), and an elastic cable (30) supporting the holding system (32 ) from the end of the stem (2).

i

ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR A MANUAL WORKSTATION SUPPORTING THE OPERATOR'S ELBOW

The present invention relates to an assistance installation for a manual work station, in particular for a work station in the field of leather goods or footwear.

Certain manual work stations, in particular work stations equipped with sewing machines, impose on the operator a certain time of work with the raised elbows to handle the produced parts or to control the machine. In particular the elbow can be spread to the side, or the arm bent forward.

To carry out certain sewing operations, it is necessary, for example, to hold the object with both hands, and with the right hand to control the sewing machine. Objects formed with relatively rigid materials, such as handbags or satchels, have a large volume which must be supported with the left hand in various positions to carry out sewing operations on these articles.

The right hand can intervene on controls placed at different heights of the machine, also requiring lifting the other elbow.

In general, this type of operation requiring taking off the elbows from the trunk can relate to different work stations, such as for example a sewing station with a sewing machine, a gluing station or a station for coloring the edges of the leather. Work at these positions can be done standing or sitting.

For serial work on this type of object for quite long periods, considerable operator fatigue is generated, in particular of the arms, elbows, shoulders and back, which increases the arduousness of the work, and can lead to muscle pain leading to work stoppages. In addition, the operator can carry an object weighing several kilograms with his arm, which accentuates the problems.

It is then necessary to plan break times for reconditioning, which slows down the work.

The object of the present invention is in particular to avoid these drawbacks of the prior art.

To this end, it offers an assistance installation for a manual work station receiving an operator having to work with an elbow or a raised arm, this installation being remarkable in that it comprises a bracket having an end intended to come above of the operator, a support system designed to receive an elbow of the operator, and an elastic cable supporting the support system from the end of the bracket.

An advantage of this assistance installation is that with a bracket which can be bent to come over the operator without hampering the work station, assistance is obtained in a simple and economical manner in maintaining the elbow or arm of the lifted operator greatly reducing the effort that this operator must deliver.

The operator's work becomes more comfortable, the risk of nuisance is reduced, and productivity can be improved.

The assistance installation according to the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics, which can be combined with one another.

In particular, the assistance installation may include two elastic cables provided to support the two elbows of the operator.

In this case, the assistance installation advantageously comprises a crosspiece fixed to the end of the bracket, supporting on each side of this bracket an elastic cable supporting a gutter.

Advantageously, the cross member is fixed to the end of the bracket by a pivot. The cross member can thus freely align with the line of the operator's shoulders.

Advantageously, each elastic cable follows a path along the bracket passing through guide pulleys. The pulleys provide low friction on the movements of the elastic cables.

In this case, for each elastic cable, the part opposite to the elbow support system advantageously descends along the stem to come to the ground, then rises. A loop is thus formed which allows a significant length of cable giving a low stiffness.

Advantageously, the opposite end to the elbow holding system of each elastic cable comprises a fixing system which moves to adjust the tension of this cable. An adjustable cable tension is obtained.

In this case, the fastening system may include a clamp on a vertical tube of the stem.

Advantageously, the assistance installation comprises two plates linked to the bracket, provided for clamping the table top in order to fix this bracket. We can easily adapt to different types of table in this way.

Advantageously, the elbow holding system comprises a holding element placed on each side of the operator's elbow.

In this case, the holding member of the forearm may be a gutter, or a loop formed by a strap.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example, with reference to the following appended figures:

- Figure 1 is a general view of a work station equipped with an assistance installation according to the invention, supporting the two elbows of the operator r

- Figure 2 is a diagram from above of a work station according to a variant, equipped with an assistance installation according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a detail view of the fixing of the bracket of this assistance installation on the work table;

- Figure 4 is a detail view of a gutter supporting the operator's elbow; and

- Figure 5 is a detail view of the holding voltage adjustment system.

For the sake of clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in all of the figures.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a work station for making up comprising a work table 4 supporting a sewing machine 6, receiving on the front side an operator 8 seated on a seat 10.

A bracket 2 of an assistance installation comprises a vertical mast fixed to the rear of the table 4, then after a 90 ° curvature a horizontal part whose end comes above the operator 8.

The end of the bracket 2 receives a cross member 20 fixed in its center, arranged in the transverse direction to come above the shoulders of the operator 8. Each side of the cross member 20 symmetrically supports a first pulley 28 disposed substantially over an operator's shoulder 8, guiding an elastic cable 30, the end of which is fixed to an elbow holding system 32 forming loops supporting the operator's arm on each side of its elbow.

The crosspiece 20 and the bracket 2 made of metal tube of circular section, are fixed to each other by a pivoting link 22 along a vertical axis, containing two clamps linked by a pivot, each clamped by a clamping handle on the tube the crossbar or the gallows. The pivot link 22 allows the cross member 20 to move freely around this pivot, according to the movements of the operator 8 located below to remain aligned on the transverse axis of this operator.

Figure 3 shows the base of the bracket 2 having at the table 4 two substantially parallel plates 40, 42 each arranged on one side of the table top. The two plates 40, 42 are connected on either side of the bracket 2 by a threaded rod 44 passing through these plates. Each threaded rod 44 has under the lower plate 42 a nut locked by a lock nut, and on the upper plate 40 a nut with fins making it possible to easily adjust the spacing between these two plates.

Each plate 40, 42 is connected to the bracket 2 by a plate link 48 comprising a clamp on the tube of this bracket.

The top plate 40 has two spaced-apart screws 46 passing through this plate towards the front, having a thumb wheel above it and a shoe below it, resting on the table top 4.

The fixing of the bracket 2 on the table 4 is done as follows. The spacing between the two plates 40, 42 is adjusted by the nut with wing of each threaded rod 44, in order to adjust it to the thickness of the table top. Then tighten the plate connections 48 on the bracket 2, to obtain on the rear side a strong attachment of the plates 40, 42 on this bracket.

Then we tighten the two thumbscrews of the screws 46 to press the lower pad of these screws on the top of the table top 4, in order to pinch this plate between the two plates 40, 42. We obtain a simple and quick assembly allowing s easily adapt to the thickness of the table top 4, as well as to the height of this table by moving the plate links 48.

Figure 4 details the elbow holding system 32 comprising a chute 52 supporting the operator's forearm 8, and a strap 50, in particular leather, forming a loop arranged before the elbow. A ring 58 fixed to the end of the elastic cable 30 directly supports the loop 50, and by means of a rigid plate 54 the chute 52.

The strap 50 keeps the forearm in the chute 52, in particular when the operator raises his hand. In addition, it is possible to install a self-adhesive strip of the "velcro" type coming above the chute 52, in order to quickly and easily fix the forearm inside this chute.

As a variant, the chute 52 can be replaced by a second strap forming a loop, the two strips being each fixed on one side of the elbow. It is also possible to have only the chute 52 on the forearm, without a strap forming a loop.

Advantageously, the chute 52 is made of a thermoformed plastic material, making it easy to adapt it to the size of the arm which adjusts therein.

Figures 1, 3 and 5 detail the path of the elastic cable 30.

Starting from the gutter 32, each elastic cable 30 rises to pass into the first pulley 28 fixed by a yoke then a ring 26 to a first clamp 24 on the tube of the crosspiece 20.

Each elastic cable 30 then leaves substantially horizontally, to pass in a second pulley 60 fixed at the top of the curvature of the stem 2 by a second clamp 62 common for the two cables.

Each elastic cable 30 then descends at an angle to pass into a third pulley 64 fixed at the bottom of the curvature of the bracket 2 by a third clamp 66 common for the two cables.

Advantageously, all the clamps on the tube of the stem 2 include a clamping lever making it possible to block them by hand.

Each elastic cable 30 then descends vertically to pass through a lower pulley 68 fixed to the bottom of the bracket 2, then rises to pass through a pulley fixed at the level of the third pulleys 64, and finally descends. There is thus produced a loop giving a long length to the elastic cable 30

FIG. 5 shows the end of each elastic cable 30 fixed to a ring, which is linked to an individual adjustment clamp 70 engaged on the bracket 2.

The individual clamp 70 comprising a clamping lever allows the height to be easily adjusted on the bracket 2, which makes it possible to apply a different pre-tension on each elastic cable 30 according to the mass it supports. In particular by lowering each individual clamp 70, the tension of its elastic cable 30 is increased, and the return force of the corresponding gutter 32.

As a variant, the system for adjusting the tension of each elastic cable 30 may include a pin inserted in holes made at different heights along the bracket 2, to fix the end of this cable according to predefined heights.

As a variant, it is also possible to use an electric winch moving the fixing point of the elastic cable 30, for example with a digital adjustment, which in particular makes it possible to keep in memory several positions corresponding to different types of work or operators.

A rule fixed on the bracket 2 makes it possible to identify the adjustment of the tension force applied by the elastic cables 30 to each arm of the operator.

The various loops of the elastic cables 30 comprising, along the vertical part of the bracket 2, a descent, an ascent and then again a descent, gives these cables a great length, which makes it possible to obtain a low stiffness of these cables, and a very constant elastic return of the force lifting the gutters 32 whatever their positioning in height. This provides great comfort in using the workstation.

In addition, the routing of the loops of the elastic cables 30 along the mast of the bracket 2 does not take up space in the workshop.

It will be noted that the different pulleys 28, 60, 64 can be mounted on ball bearings providing them with low friction, which increases the operating efficiency of the elastic cables 30.

As a variant, the workstation can receive an operator who remains standing, in the same way having to carry out operations by lifting the elbow. The operator can also move slightly at the workstation, for example by one step to the side. In these cases, it is necessary to provide a bracket 2 large enough to place the first pulleys 28 at a sufficient height making it possible to limit the inclination of the elastic cables 30 descending from these pulleys.

Claims (11)

1. Assistance installation for a manual workstation receiving an operator (8) having to work with an elbow or a raised arm, characterized in that it comprises a bracket (2) having an end intended to come above the operator (8), a holding system (32) adapted to receive an operator elbow (8), and an elastic cable (30) supporting the holding system (32) from the end of the bracket ( 2). 2. Assistance installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two elastic cables (30) provided to support the two elbows of the operator (8). 3. Assistance installation according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a crosspiece (20) fixed to the end of the bracket (2), supporting on each side of this bracket an elastic cable (30) supporting a gutter (32). 4. Assistance installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the crosspiece (20) is fixed to the end of the bracket (2) by a pivot (24). 5. Assistance installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each elastic cable (30) follows a path along the bracket (2) passing through guide pulleys (28, 60, 64) . 6. Assistance installation according to claim 5, characterized in that for each elastic cable (30) the part opposite to the elbow holding system (32) descends along the bracket (2) to come to the ground, then go back up. 7. Assistance installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opposite end to the elbow holding system (32) of each elastic cable (30) comprises a fixing system (70) which moves to adjust the tension of this cable. 8. Assistance installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the fixing system (70) comprises a clamp on a vertical tube of the bracket (2). 5 9. Assistance installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two plates (40, 42) linked to the bracket (2), provided for clamping the table top (4) so to fix this stem. 10. Assistance installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elbow holding system (32) comprises a holding element placed on each side of the operator's elbow (8). 15. Assistance installation according to claim 10, characterized in that the holding element of the forearm is a gutter (52), or a loop formed by a strap. 1/3 2/3 3/3