KR101391879B1 - Crutch comprising rotating means - Google Patents

Abstract

A crutch (100) having a rotating means according to the present invention comprises a first support portion (110) to which a foot of a human body is fixed, a second support portion (110) extending from the first support portion (110) A second supporting portion 120 for fixing the thighs; a rotating means 130 provided below the first supporting portion 110 for rotating; driving means 140 for applying a driving force to the rotating means 130; And a control unit for controlling the driving unit 140 based on the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram measuring unit to rotate the rotating unit 130. [

Description

[0001] Crutch Comprising Rotating Means [0002]

The present invention relates to crutches with rotating means.

As the society becomes aged due to traffic accidents, industrial accidents, injuries caused by sports and leisure activities, and the development of medicine, the possibility of human body damage is increasing.

The cultural paradigm of the 21st century is transforming from the simple settlement of food and shelf to securing the quality of life (Well-Being). This quality of life is becoming an important goal not only for normal people but also for those whose body is damaged. Accessibility to various societies needs to be improved in order to secure the quality of life through cultural life for people with physical disabilities. The most important factor in improving accessibility is to secure mobility have. In order to secure mobility, the role of auxiliary devices that complement the damaged parts of the human body is becoming important.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2009, crutches (9.1%) among various aids are widely used as walking aids ranging from normal to severe injuries and from temporary to mid- %) Next, it is stated that it is used the most.

Figures 1A-1C are perspective views of various crutches according to the prior art. As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the crutches of the prior art include a standard type of axilla (see FIG. 1A), a Lofstrand crutch (see FIG. 1B), a knee support crutch ).

Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1A, the standard type liquid and crutches are the most commonly used crutches and lean against the armpits and handles (see patent literature of the prior art below). However, the standard type of axilla and crutches cause pain when the armpit is subjected to considerable impact and load when moving. In addition, since the patient has to lift his / her legs from the ground structure in a structurally manner, fatigue is given to injured legs, which makes it difficult to walk the middle and long streets.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the rope strand crutches can support the weight by the forearm cuffs and knobs provided below the elbows without the axillary support. However, the rope strand crutches can cause skin damage due to the wrinkles of the elbow flexion and the friction of the forearm cuff, and excessive fatigue accumulates on the wrist. In particular, rope strand crutches are weight-deficient only by forearm cuffs and handles, making them unsuitable for use with Gibbs patients.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1C, the knee-support crutches bend the injured legs, place the knees on the pedestal, and move half of the body simultaneously using the handle and the armpit. However, the knee support crutches are unstable due to the bending of the knee, and fatigue accumulates.

KR 10-0237730 B1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems of the conventional art. One aspect of the present invention is to provide a crutch having a rotating means capable of moving in a similar manner to a normal walking pattern by rotating the rotating means on the basis of the EMG signal of the human body .

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a crutch provided with a rotation means capable of stably moving even if it moves similar to a normal gait pattern by limiting a rotation angle with respect to the ground by providing a stopper.

A crutch provided with a rotating means according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first support portion to which a foot of a human body is fixed, a second support portion extending from the first support portion and fixing the thigh of the human body, An electromyogram measuring means for measuring an electromyogram signal of the human body; and a controller for controlling the driving means on the basis of the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram measuring means, And a control unit for rotating the rotating means.

The control unit rotates the rotating means when the opposite leg is supported from the ground on the basis of the EMG signal and stops the rotating means when the opposite leg is separated from the ground.

In addition, the electromyogram measuring means measures the electromyogram signal from the leg opposite to the thigh of the human body.

The first support portion is rotated in the first rotation direction with respect to the paper surface with the rotation means as the axis, or in the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction.

When the control unit rotates the rotation unit, the first support unit is rotated in the first rotation direction with respect to the paper surface about the rotation unit, and when the control unit stops the rotation unit, 1 support portion is rotated in the second rotation direction with respect to the paper surface about the rotation means.

The apparatus further includes a stopper protruding downward from the first support.

A crutch provided with a rotating means according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a first support portion to which a foot of a human body is fixed, a second support portion extending from the first support portion and fixing the thigh of the human body, And a stopper protruding downward from the first support portion.

And a second stopper protruding downward from a rear end of the first support portion, wherein the first stopper and the second stopper are provided on the first stopper, And the rotation angle of the first support portion with respect to the ground is limited by the rotation means.

Further, the length of the stopper can be expanded or contracted.

The stopper may include a first plate and a second plate extending parallel to each other downward from the first support portion and a second plate extending from the first plate and the second plate, And a contact portion fixed between the second plates.

In addition, a first belt pulley coupled to the driving means and a second belt pulley coupled to the rotating means are connected by a timing belt, and the driving means applies a driving force to the rotating means .

In addition, the rotating means is a polyurethane roller.

The first support portion includes a wearer means for inserting the foot of the human body, a support frame provided below the wearer means for supporting the wearer means, and an extension portion extending upward from the support frame.

The second support portion is provided with a rotation means extending from the upper end of the extension portion at a predetermined angle. The second support portion is extended from the upper end of the extension portion by a predetermined angle.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description based on the accompanying drawings.

Prior to that, terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed in a conventional and dictionary sense, and the inventor may properly define the concept of the term in order to best explain its invention It should be construed as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the rotation means is rotated on the basis of the electromyogram signal of the human body to move in a similar manner to the normal walking pattern, thereby making it possible to eliminate the feeling of resistance to walking and to support both legs safely and comfortably, There is a free advantage.

Further, according to the present invention, by providing the stopper and limiting the rotation angle with respect to the ground, it is possible to stably move even if it moves similarly to a normal gait pattern.

Figs. 1A to 1C are perspective views of various crutches according to the prior art,
FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a crutch having a rotating means according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the driving means and the rotating means shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a right side view of a crutch having the rotating means shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a crutch having the rotating means shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a left side view of a crutch having the rotating means shown in FIG.
6 to 7 are conceptual diagrams showing an operation process of crutches provided with a rotating means according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figs.
8 is a perspective view of a crutch having a rotating means according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objectives, specific advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. It should be noted that, in the present specification, the reference numerals are added to the constituent elements of the drawings, and the same constituent elements are assigned the same number as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. Also, the terms "first "," second ", and the like are used to distinguish one element from another element, and the element is not limited thereto. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description of the present invention, detailed description of related arts which may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a crutch having a rotating means according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the driving means and the rotating means shown in FIG. 2A, Fig. 4 is a front view of a crutch with a rotating means shown in Fig. 2a, and Fig. 5 is a left side view of a crutch having a rotating means shown in Fig. 2a.

2 to 5, a crutch 100 having a rotating means according to the present embodiment includes a first support portion 110 to which a foot of a human body is fixed, a second support portion 110 extending from the first support portion 110, A driving means 140 for applying a driving force to the rotating means 130, a driving means 140 for rotating the rotating means 130, a rotating means 130 for rotating the rotating means 130, And a control unit for controlling the driving unit 140 based on the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram measuring unit to rotate the rotating unit 130. [

The first support part 110 serves to fix the feet of the legs of the human body and may be composed of the wearing means 113, the support frame 115, and the extension part 117. Specifically, the wearer 113 fixes and protects the feet by inserting the feet of the legs of the human body. At this time, the wearing means 113 may be, for example, a Gibbs protector, but is not limited thereto, and any configuration can be substituted if the foot can be fixed. The supporting frame 115 is provided below the wearing means 113 to support the wearing means 113 and the driving means 140 and the rotating means 130 and the like are provided below the supporting frame 115 Respectively. The extension portion 117 extends upward from the support frame 115 and can extend parallel to both ends of the support frame 115. At this time, the extension 117 may be provided with a guide 117a for supporting the ankle.

The second support part 120 serves to fix the thigh of a leg of a human body and extends from the first support part 110. Here, the second support part 120 may be provided with a protector 120a for detachably fixing the thighs of the injured legs of the human body. The second support portion 120 may extend from the upper end of the extension portion 117 at a predetermined angle. Therefore, if the legs of the legs injured in the first support part 110 are fixed and the thighs of the legs injured in the second support part 120 are fixed, the injured legs can be fixed in a state where the knees are bent. In addition, since the legs of the injured legs are bent, the first supporting portions 110 can be spaced apart from the ground at a predetermined distance. In this way, the space separated from the paper surface may be provided with the rotating means 130, the driving means 140, and the like. A receiving portion 119 formed in a circular shape may be provided between the second supporting portion 120 and the first supporting portion 110 and a controller may be accommodated in the receiving portion 119.

The rotating means 130 is rotated by a driving force applied by the driving means 140 provided below the first supporting portion 110 and is provided below the driving means 140. Referring to FIG. 2B, a driving force is transmitted from the driving means 140 to the rotating means 130. The first belt pulley 145, the second belt pulley 135, and the timing belt 150 , Timing Belt) can be used. Specifically, the first belt pulley 145 coupled to the driving means 140 and the second belt pulley 135 coupled to the rotating means 130 are connected by a timing belt 150, The driving force can be transmitted to the rotating means 130. The first and second belt pulleys 145 and 135 are formed with grooves 135a and 145a at regular intervals and the timing belt 150 is also formed in the same interval as the first and second belt pulleys 145 and 135 The grooves 135a and 145a of the first and second belt pulleys 145 and 135 and the groove 150a of the timing belt 150 are accurately engaged with each other. Therefore, it is possible to effectively transmit the driving force of the driving means 140 to the rotating means 130. The rotating means 130 is not particularly limited, but may be a polyurethane roller. Here, since the polyurethane roller is highly elastic, it is possible to absorb a shock that may occur when the polyurethane roller is rotated along the paper surface. The first supporting portion 110 disposed on the upper side of the rotating means 130 can be rotated about the axis of the rotating means 130 as the rotating means 130 is composed of the rotating body having one axis . As described above, the first support part 110 is rotated about the rotation axis 130 with the rotation shaft 130, so that the user can move in a similar manner to the normal gait pattern. . In order to prevent the first support part 110 from being excessively rotated over a certain range with respect to the ground surface of the rotating device 130, A stopper 160 may be provided so as to be rotated only to a predetermined rotation angle. Here, the stopper 160 is formed to protrude downward from the first support portion 110. More specifically, the stopper 160 includes a first stopper 160a projecting downward from the front end of the first supporting portion 110 and a second stopper 160b protruding downward from the rear end of the first supporting portion 110 . Because the first and second stoppers 160a and 160b limit the rotation angle of the first support part 110 with respect to the ground around the rotation unit 130, It is possible to prevent slipping back and forth, and since the load of the user is distributed to the first and second stoppers 160a and 160b during the walking, an excessive load may not be applied to the driving means 140. [ In addition, the length of the stopper 160 is adjustable so that the range of the rotation angle of the first support portion 110 limited by the stopper 160 can be adjusted. For this, the stopper 160 may include a first plate 163, a second plate 165, and a contact portion 167 (see an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2A). The first plate 163 and the second plate 165 extend parallel to each other downward from the first support portion 110 and the contact portion 167 extends from the first plate 163 and the second plate 165 Is fixed between the first plate (163) and the second plate (165) so that the protruded length is adjusted. At this time, a plurality of holes 168 are formed in the first plate 163 and the second plate 165, and the contact portions 167 are formed in a predetermined hole 166 of the plurality of holes 168 of the two plates, The pin 169 is inserted and fixed to the pin 168. The contact portion 167 is inserted and fixed in the specific hole 168 of the first plate 163 and the plurality of holes 168 of the second plate 165 so that the contact portion 167 contacts the first , The length protruding from the two plates (163, 165) can be adjusted. On the other hand, if the contact portion 167 is protruded from the first and second plates 163 and 165 as much as possible, the rotating means 130 can be separated from the ground. In this case, since only the contact portion 167 contacts the ground surface, the user can stably ascend or descend when moving on a stair or the like. However, the means by which the length of the stopper 160 can be expanded and contracted is not limited to the first and second plates 163 and 165 and the contact portion 167, and actuators or the like may be used.

The driving unit 140 applies a driving force to the rotating unit 130 and is provided below the first supporting unit 110. Specifically, the driving unit 140 may be provided below the support frame 115 of the first supporting unit 110, and the rotating unit 130 may be provided below the driving unit 140. As described above, the driving force of the driving means 140 is transmitted to the rotating means 130 through the timing belt 150 and the like, and the driving means 140 is rotated by the rotating means 130 Can be rotated. At this time, the driving means 140 is not particularly limited, but may be a direct current motor. Meanwhile, the driving unit 140 may be driven by receiving electrical energy from a separate storage unit such as a battery.

The electromyogram measuring means measures the electromyogram signal of the human body. Here, the EMG signal is a type of a biological signal, which is an electrical signal representing the neuromuscular activity occurring in muscle contraction and relaxation activity. Further, since the EMG signal precedes the signal before the actual human body motion, the operation intention can be predicted. The electromyographic measurement means for measuring the electromyogram signal may utilize a method using a surface (or skin) electrode, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a method using an insertion electrode (line or needle) can also be utilized. On the other hand, the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram measuring means is transmitted to the controller, and the controller controls the driving means 140 on the basis of the electromyogram signal to rotate the rotating means 130. At this time, the position where the electromyogram measuring means is attached can be attached to, for example, the opposite leg of the injured leg. However, the EMG measuring device is not necessarily attached to the opposite leg of the injured leg, but may be attached to the human body as long as the EMG signal such as the thigh or wrist of the injured leg can be measured.

The control unit controls the driving unit 140 based on the EMG signal. Here, the controller receives the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram measuring means, filters the filtered electromyogram signal at an appropriate bandwidth, and amplifies the electromyogram signal by the amplifier. Thus, based on the delivered EMG signal, the control unit controls the driving means 140 with the control signal to rotate the rotating means 130. [ The details of controlling the driving means 140 on the basis of the EMG signal will be described in the operation process of the crutch 100 described later. The position of the control unit is not particularly limited, but may be accommodated in the receiving unit 119 provided between the first supporting unit 110 and the second supporting unit 120.

6 to 7 are conceptual diagrams illustrating the operation of the crutches having the rotating means according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the operation of the crutches 100 having the rotating means will be described with reference to the drawings.

In Fig. 6, the left leg is marked as an injured leg fixed to the crutch 100, and the right leg is indicated as a normal leg (hereinafter referred to as the opposite leg). Specifically, the control unit rotates the rotating means 130 when the opposite leg is supported from the ground, and stops the rotating means 130 when the opposite leg is separated from the ground. That is, when the normal opposite leg is supported from the ground (A), the control unit rotates the rotating means 130 to advance the injured leg fixed to the crutch 100. On the other hand, when the normal opposite leg is separated from the ground (B), the control unit stops the rotating means 130 to advance the leg opposite to the normal leg on the crutch fixed on the crutch 100. Through the operation of the crutches 100, the user can move similar to a normal walking pattern. On the other hand, the control unit receives the electromyogram from the electromyogram measuring means attached to the leg on the opposite side of the normal leg, and can rotate or stop the rotating means 130. [ That is, since the electromyogram measured by the electromyogram measuring means differs according to the case (A) in which the normal opposite leg is supported from the ground, and the case (B) in which the leg on the opposite side from the ground is normally spaced apart, 130 can be rotated or stopped.

When the legs fixed to the crutch 100 are advanced by rotating the rotating means 130 and the legs of the opposite legs are advanced by stopping the rotating means 130, 110 can be rotated about the rotation means 130 in the first rotation direction? Or the second rotation direction?, Opposite to the first rotation direction? With respect to the paper surface. Specifically, when the control unit rotates the rotating means 130 and advances the leg fixed to the crutch 100, the first supporting unit 110 rotates the rotating means 130 about the first And can be rotated by a predetermined angle in the rotation direction [alpha]. When the control unit stops the rotation means 130 and advances the legs normally opposite to the legs fixed on the crutch 100, the first support unit 110 rotates the rotation means 130 In a second rotation direction (beta) with respect to the paper surface. The first support portion 110 is rotated in the first rotation direction? Or the second rotation direction? About the rotation means 130 as the both legs are advanced, And can move more similarly.

However, in order to prevent the first support part 110 from being excessively rotated over a certain range with respect to the paper surface around the rotation unit 130, a stopper 160 is provided at the rear end of the first support part 110 . 7, when the stopper 160 is provided, the first supporting portion 110 rotates about the rotation means 130 in the first rotation direction? Or the second rotation direction? Only limited angles are rotated to certain angles. Since the stopper 160 limits the pedometer as much as the walking angle of the user so that the slip can be prevented from moving back and forth as well as the load of the user at the time of walking is dispersed in the stopper 160, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > load). ≪ / RTI >

8 is a perspective view of a crutch having a rotating means according to another embodiment of the present invention.

8, the crutch 200 having the rotating means according to the present embodiment includes a first support portion 110 to which a foot of a human body is fixed, a second support portion 110 extending from the first support portion 110 to fix the thigh of the human body The second support part 120 includes a rotation unit 130 provided below the first support part 110 and a stopper 160 protruding downward from the first support part 110.

The crutch 200 having the rotating means according to the present embodiment includes the driving means 140, the electromyography measuring means, the control unit, and the like in comparison with the crutch 100 having the rotating means according to the above- Therefore, it is a passive type that moves forward with the force of the user. Therefore, the present embodiment omits duplicate contents of the above-described embodiment and mainly describes a passive type which is a difference.

The first support portion 110 of the crutch 200 having the rotation means according to the present embodiment fixes the foot of a leg of a human body. Here, the first support portion 110 includes a wearer 113 to which a leg of a leg of the human body is inserted, a support frame 115 provided below the wearer 113, an extension extending upward from the support frame 115, (117). Further, the second support portion 120 fixes the thighs of the legs of the injured person. Here, the second supporting portion 120 may extend from the upper end of the extending portion 117 by a predetermined angle. Accordingly, the knees of the injured legs are bent, and the first supporting portions 110 are spaced apart from the ground at a predetermined distance. In this way, the rotation means 130 may be provided in the space separated from the paper surface.

Further, since the rotating means 130 rotates in contact with the ground, when the user applies a force, the injured leg can naturally be advanced. The first supporting part 110 disposed on the upper side of the rotating unit 130 can rotate about the rotating shaft 130 with respect to the ground because the rotating unit 130 is composed of a rotating body having one axis . Thus, the user can move similar to a normal gait pattern. Specifically, when a normal leg (hereinafter referred to as opposite leg) is supported from the ground, when the user applies a force to the injured leg, the rotating means 130 is rotated and the first supporting portion 110 is rotated by the rotating means 130 So that the injured leg fixed to the crutch 200 can be naturally advanced. On the other hand, when an injured leg fixed to the crutch 200 is supported from the ground, when the user applies a force to the opposite leg, the opposite leg can be advanced.

The stopper 160 including the first stopper 160a and the second stopper 160b may be provided to prevent the first support member 110 from rotating beyond the predetermined range with respect to the paper surface about the rotating means 130. [ May be provided. Due to the stopper 160, it is possible to limit the stride as much as the walking angle of the user, thereby preventing slipping back and forth.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be construed as limiting the present invention. It is obvious that the modification or improvement is possible.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

100, 200: crutches with rotating means 110: first support
113: Wearing means 115: Support frame
117: extension part 117a: guide
119: accommodating portion 120: second supporting portion
120a: Protector 130: Rotation means
135: second belt pulley 135a: groove
140: drive means 145: first belt pulley
145a: groove 150: timing belt
150a: groove 160: stopper
160a: first stopper 160b: second stopper
163: first plate 165: second plate
167: contact portion 168: hole
169: pin?: First rotation direction
beta: second rotation direction
A: When the opposite leg is supported by the ground
B: When the opposite leg is separated from the ground

Claims (14)

A first support portion to which a foot of a human body is fixed;
A second support portion extending from the first support portion and fixing the thigh of the human body;
A rotating unit provided below the first support unit and rotating;
Driving means for applying driving force to the rotating means;
An electromyogram measuring means for measuring an electromyogram signal of the human body; And
A control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyography measuring unit to rotate the rotating unit;
And a rotating means for rotating the crutch.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
Based on the EMG signal,
When the leg opposite to the thigh fixed by the second support is supported from the ground,
And rotating means for stopping said rotating means when said opposite leg is spaced from said ground.
The method of claim 2,
And the electromyogram measuring means includes a rotating means for measuring the electromyogram signal from the opposite leg.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first support portion includes a rotation means that is rotated in a first rotation direction with respect to the paper surface with the rotation means as an axis or in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction.
The method of claim 4,
Wherein the first support portion is rotated in the first rotation direction with respect to the paper surface about the rotation means when the control portion rotates the rotation means,
Wherein the first support portion includes a rotation means that is rotated in the second rotation direction with respect to the paper surface about the rotation means when the control portion stops the rotation means.
The method according to claim 1,
A stopper protruding downward from the first support portion;
And a rotating means for rotating the crutch.
A first support portion to which a foot of a human body is fixed;
A second support portion extending from the first support portion and fixing the thigh of the human body;
A rotating unit provided below the first support unit and rotating; And
A stopper protruding downward from the first support portion;
And a rotating means for rotating the crutch.
The method according to claim 6 or 7,
The stopper,
A first stopper protruding downward from a tip end of the first support portion; And
A second stopper protruding downward from a rear end of the first support portion;
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the first stopper and the second stopper have rotation means for limiting an angle of rotation of the first support portion with respect to the ground on the basis of the rotation means.
The method according to claim 6 or 7,
Wherein the stopper has a length capable of expanding and contracting.
The method of claim 9,
The stopper
A first plate and a second plate extending parallel to each other downward from the first support portion; And
A contact portion fixed between the first plate and the second plate such that a length protruding from the first plate and the second plate is adjusted;
And a rotating means for rotating the crutch.
Claim 11 has been abandoned due to the set registration fee. The method according to claim 1,
A first belt pulley coupled to the driving means and a second belt pulley coupled to the rotating means are connected by a timing belt, and the driving means includes a rotating means for applying driving force to the rotating means, .
Claim 12 is abandoned in setting registration fee. The method of claim 1 or claim 7,
Wherein the rotating means is a polyurethane roller.
Claim 13 has been abandoned due to the set registration fee. The method of claim 1 or claim 7,
The first support portion
A wearer to which the foot of the human body is inserted;
A support frame provided below the wearer means and supporting the wearer means; And
An extension extending upward from the support frame;
And a rotating means for rotating the crutch.
Claim 14 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. 14. The method of claim 13,
And the second support portion includes a rotating means extending from the upper end of the extended portion at a predetermined angle.

Images