Sitting and standing furniture for supporting movement of a person with muscle hypotensive, ataxia and / or spastic cerebral palatal

Abstract

A seating and standing furniture for supporting the movement of a person with muscle hypotonia, ataxia and / or spastic cerebral palsy, comprising a seat, an upwardly extending backrest, a first side rest, a second side rest, a downwardly extending standing rest, and a connecting device, wherein the connecting device links the first side rest and the second side rest, and the backrest, the first and second side rest, and the connecting device define a first movement range above the seat, is characterized in that the seat, the first side rest, the second side rest, and the connecting device define a second movement range in front of the seat, and the connecting device is designed as a knee support in the second movement range.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sitting and standing device for supporting the movement of a person with muscle hypotonia, ataxia and / or spastic cerebral palsy (CP), comprising a seat, an upwardly extending backrest, a first side rest, a second side rest, and a downwardly extending standing rest, wherein the first side rest comprises a first standing area of ​​the standing rest and the second side rest comprises a second standing area of ​​the standing rest, and comprising a connecting device, wherein the connecting device connects the first side rest and the second side rest, and the backrest, the first and second side rests and the connecting device define a first movement area above the seat, wherein the seat, the first side rest,The second side fitting and the connecting fitting define a second movement area in front of the seat, and the connecting fitting in the second movement area is designed as a knee support, and the standing fitting comprises a base plate that extends outwards from the first side fitting, the second side fitting and the back fitting.

[0002] Such a device is known from EP 3 017 797 A1 and also from US 2007 / 0273124 A1. Seating furniture is generally suitable for making sitting easier for people. Conversely, standing furniture is generally suitable for making standing easier for people. However, for people suffering from muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy, such seating or standing furniture does not help to support movement from a sitting position to a standing position or vice versa. This problem occurs both in elderly people with age-related muscle weakness and in children with muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy.

[0003] The present invention is intended particularly for children with the aforementioned impairments, but can be used by all people with these impairments. People with muscle weakness, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy find it difficult to stand up and sit down independently, and there is always a risk of falling during these movements. Furthermore, children with muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy are at risk of losing their balance while sitting and standing. Conventional seating or standing furniture does not provide sufficient support for a person to stand up or sit down in a way that makes movement in either direction not only easier, but also easier and more controlled. The seating and standing furniture described above in the prior art each has a base plate.Such a base plate does not represent a natural surface and is therefore unsuitable for use with such furniture for training purposes on natural ground. However, for training children suffering from muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy, training on natural ground is crucial for achieving progress in standing and sitting down.

[0004] The object of the present invention is therefore to further develop a seating and standing furniture of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it supports the movement of a person between a sitting position and a standing position on a natural or only furniture-free surface.

[0005] The problem is solved according to the invention by the fact that the base plate has a U-shaped cutout into which the first and second side attachments are precisely inserted, such that there is no base plate beneath the seat. With the present invention, it is possible for a person with muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy, for example, a child, to sit on the seat of the seating furniture, and the first and second side attachments prevent the child from falling sideways off the seat if they lose their balance. The connecting device also secures the child from the front. Furthermore, the connecting device limits a second range of motion such that when the child stands up, their knees touch the connecting device, which then acts as a knee support and prevents the child from falling forward.In the second range of motion, the connecting device provides a support for the child's knee, enabling the child to move upwards into a standing position or downwards into a sitting position with the support of the connecting device, while standing on a natural or unfurnished surface, such as a domestic one.

[0006] A further advantage of the present invention is that the first side assembly comprises a first standing area and the second side assembly comprises a second standing area. Thus, the first and second standing areas are each formed as part of the first and second side assembly, respectively, and can be connected to the seat and backrest in a chair-like manner.

[0007] A further advantage of the present invention is that the connecting device comprises a first connecting element for limiting the first range of movement and a second connecting element for limiting the second range of movement. This design allows the seat and stand furniture to be designed in a more "open" manner. For example, a free, transparent area can remain between the first and second connecting elements, through which the child's sitting position on the seat can be observed from the outside.

[0008] It is also an advantage of the present invention that the second connecting element is a surface element which extends with a main surface substantially parallel to the backrest. This ensures that the area in which the second connecting element provides support as a knee support is larger. This is particularly advantageous when the seat surface is height-adjustable.

[0009] A further advantage of the present invention is that the main surface has a central third in the parallel direction of extension, which defines the second range of motion between the seat and the main surface. This ensures that the second surface element can serve as a knee support not only when the seat height varies, but also when children of different heights sit on the seat at the same height. The surface design of the second connecting element, or the connecting device as a whole, provides a wider range of use under different conditions, i.e., with different seat heights and / or different body sizes.

[0010] It is also advantageous that the connecting device includes a play area that extends essentially parallel to the seat. Such a play area allows the child to find motivation to move their arms, whether sitting or standing.

[0011] A further advantage of the present invention is that the play surface is height-adjustable on both the first and second side components. This height adjustability allows the play surface to be adapted to the child's height.

[0012] A further advantage of the present invention is that the first connecting element comprises a play surface that extends essentially parallel to the seat. It is advantageous that the play surface is located on the upper, first connecting element and, moreover, forms an upper tray as a play surface, which simultaneously acts as a barrier for the child, preventing the child from falling forward out of the seat / stand unit if it loses its balance.

[0013] A further advantage of the present invention is that the standing device includes a base plate. The base plate increases the stability of the standing device and thus of the seating and standing furniture.

[0014] It is also advantageous that the base plate extends outwards from the first side support, the second side support, and the rear support. This expansion of the standing surfaces formed by the side supports further increases stability.

[0015] It is also an advantage of the present invention that the back support has a rear side to which a support arm is attached. This support arm advantageously extends over the first range of motion and is preferably U-shaped as a round rail. Objects that the child needs can be attached to this round rail. The round rail also serves to provide the child with an additional point of support when standing.

[0016] Further advantages arise from the additional features of the sub-requirements. Overall, the seating and standing furniture also serves to provide the child with a safe space for movement, in which the child is motivated to move around relatively safely and thereby improve their mobility.

[0017] One embodiment of the present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 shows a seating and standing furniture according to the present invention in a perspective view from an oblique angle above; Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of the seating furniture made of Fig. 1 in a side view without gallows supports and in a kind of sectional view; and

[0018] In Fig. 1A schematic and perspective drawing shows a sitting-standing furniture 1. This sitting-standing furniture 1 is designed to support the movement of a person with muscle hypotonia, ataxia, and / or spastic cerebral palsy from a sitting position to a standing position or vice versa, and to provide the person with a safe immediate environment while sitting and standing. For this purpose, the sitting-standing furniture 1 comprises a seat 3, a first side support 5.1, a second side support 5.2, a back support 7, a standing support 9, and a connecting support 11.

[0019] The seat surface 3 is mounted between the first side assembly 5.1 and the second side assembly 5.2 in a height-adjustable manner. In the present embodiment, the seat surface 3 is horizontally oriented. In other embodiments, the orientation of the seat surface 3 can also be adjusted via an adjusting device (not shown) so that it is inclined towards the connecting device 11 in a sitting position.

[0020] The height adjustment can be provided in any number of ways. In the simplest form, the first side assembly 5.1 and the second side assembly 5.2 comprise support elements (not shown) at different heights. However, other embodiments may incorporate more complex technical devices, such as the aforementioned adjusting mechanism, to adjust the seat height incrementally or continuously.

[0021] In the Fig. 1In the illustrated embodiment, the first side assembly 5.1 and the second side assembly 5.2 each comprise a first surface element 5.3 and a second surface element 5.4, respectively, which extend far upwards along the sides of the seat surface 3 and the back assembly 7, so that, for example, armrests (not shown) can be formed on an upper edge 5.5 of the respective first and / or second side element 5.1, 5.2. The back assembly 7 extends upwards over the upper edge 5.5. In the present embodiment, the back assembly 7 extends to the head height of a seated person, so that the back of the seated person's head can be supported against a head area 7.1 of the back assembly 7.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the connecting device 11 is designed in two parts. In other embodiments, the connecting device 11 can also be designed in one part and, in the one-part design, comprise a playing surface 13 which, as the upper termination of the one-part connecting device 11, forms a barrier between the first side device 5.1 and the second side device 5.2 in order to protect the person or child from falling forward.

[0023] The first side assembly 5.1, the second side assembly 5.2, the back assembly 7, and the connecting assembly 11 define a first movement range 15 in both the one-piece and the illustrated two-piece embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the playing surface 13 comprises a first outer longitudinal edge 13.1 and a second inner longitudinal edge 13.2. However, the first and second longitudinal edges 13.1, 13.2 are optional. In other embodiments, only one outer or one inner longitudinal edge may be provided, or the longitudinal edges may be omitted entirely. They serve to prevent objects on the playing surface from falling off the playing surface 13.

[0024] In the Fig. 1In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting element 11 is formed in two parts and comprises a first connecting element 11.1 and a second connecting element 11.2. The first connecting element 11.1 comprises the playing surface 13 with the first and / or second longitudinal edge 13.1, 13.2, while the second connecting element 11.2 is designed as a surface element that extends substantially parallel to the back element 7 and is arranged at a vertical distance from the first surface element 11.1 between the first side element 5.1 and the second side element 5.2. In the present embodiment, the second connecting element 11.2 is fixedly attached. In other embodiments, the second connecting element 11.2 can also be detachably attached to the first and second side elements 5.1 and 5.2, respectively, for cleaning purposes or for other reasons, for example, by pivoting.

[0025] The stand assembly 9 comprises a first stand area 9.1 of the first side assembly 5.1 and a second side area 9.3 of the second side assembly 5.2 below the second connecting element 11.2, as well as a base plate 9.2. The base plate 9.2 extends outwards from the first side assembly 5.1 and the second side assembly 5.2 and increases the standing area of ​​the seating and / or standing furniture 1. In the Fig. 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the base plate 9.2 has a U-shaped cutout 9.4 into which the first side assembly 5.1 and the second side assembly 5.2 are precisely inserted. As a result, there is no base plate 9.2 below the seat surface 3.

[0026] A gallows support 17 is attached to a rear wall 7.2 of the back assembly 7. This support can either have a fixed height or be height-adjustable. The gallows support 17 is designed as a U-shaped circular rail extending over the first movement area 15.

[0027] Between the connecting device 11 in the one-piece embodiment or the second connecting element 11.2 of the illustrated two-piece embodiment and the seat surface 3, a second movement range 19 is created, which is laterally limited by the first side device 5.1 and the second side device 5.2 and in Fig. 2 which is clearly visible. The connecting device 11 in the one-piece embodiment or the second connecting element 11.2 in the illustrated one-piece embodiment has a knee support 11.3 on an inner side facing the seat surface 3 (see Fig. 2The training of the knee support 11.3 can vary. In its simplest form, as in Fig. 2 As shown, the smooth inner surface of the second connecting element 11.2 forms the knee support 11.3. In other embodiments, the inner wall of the one-piece connecting device 11 or of the second connecting element 11.2 can be ergonomically adapted to the knee of a person, thus optimizing its function as a knee support.

[0028] In Fig. 2 A schematic side view of a seating and standing furniture 1 according to the invention, as shown in the sectional view, is shown. Fig. 2The gallows support 15 and the inner longitudinal edge 13.2 are missing. The arrangement of the individual components can be clearly seen from the side view. The seat surface 3 and a middle third of a main surface of the second connecting element 11.2 define the second range of motion 19. In the one-piece embodiment of the connecting device 11, the area of ​​the middle third of the main surface is the area of ​​the inner wall of the connecting device 11 that extends parallel to an adjustment range of the seat height of the seat surface 3, such that the person can support their knees against this area, which is provided as a knee support, when standing up or sitting down and can thus safely perform the upward or downward movement.

[0029] The first movement area 15 is essentially located above the seat 3 and extends at least across its entire surface. The second movement area 19 is located below the playing surface 13 and extends at least across its entire surface. This results in a standing person being wedged between the playing surface 13 on the one hand and the seat 3 on the other. During a downward movement, the knees bend forward and strike the knee support 11.3 until the person is securely seated on the seat 3. Conversely, during an upward movement, the person can brace their knees against the knee support 11.3 until they come to a secure, wedged position between the playing surface 13 and the seat 3.

[0030] In practice, the seating and standing furniture 1 can be well-padded and adapted to individual needs. The round rail can also be used to hang objects. In particular, the round rail, with the help of suspension points, also serves to reduce a child's body weight and prevent the child from falling over when walking sideways.

[0031] In one version, the seating and standing furniture 1 is depicted as a bench for learning to walk sideways. Reference symbol list

[0032] 1 Seating and standing furniture 3 Seating surface 5.1 First side fitting 5.2 Second side fitting 5.3 First surface element 5.4 Second surface element 5.5 Top edge 7 Back fitting 7.1 Head area 7.2 Back panel 9 Standing fitting 9.1 First standing area 9.2 Second standing area 9.3 Base plate 9.4 U-shaped recess 11 Connecting fitting 11.1 First connecting element 11.2 Second connecting element 11.3 Knee support 13 Playing surface 13.1 Outer longitudinal edge 13.2 Inner longitudinal edge 15 First movement area 17 Gallows support 19 Second movement area

Claims

1. Seating and standing furniture (1) for supporting the movement of a person with muscle hypotonia, ataxia and / or spastic cerebral palsy, with a seat surface (3), an upwardly extending backrest (7; 7.1), a first side support (5.1), a second side support (5.2), a standing support extending downwardly toward the floor (9; 9.1, 9.2) extending downwards towards the floor, wherein the first side device (5.1) comprises a first standing area (9.1) of the standing device (9) and the second side device (5.2) comprises a second standing area (9.3) of the standing device (9), and with a connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2), wherein the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) connects the first side device (5.1) and the second side device (5.2) and the back device (7; 7.1), the first and second side devices (5.1; 5.2) and the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) delimit a first range of movement (15) above the seat surface (3), wherein the seat surface (3), the first side device (5.1), the second side device (5.2) and the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) delimit a second movement area (19) in front of the seat surface (3), and the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) is designed as a knee support (11.3) in the second movement area (19), and the standing device (9; 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4) comprises a base plate (9.3) which extends outwards from the first side device (5.1), the second side device (5.2) and the back device (7), characterised in that the base plate (9.3) has a U-shaped cut-out (9.4) into which the first side device (5.1) and the second side device (5.2) are inserted to fit precisely, such that there is no base plate (9.3) below the seat surface (3).

2. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) comprises a first connecting element (11.1) for limiting the first range of movement (15) and a second connecting element (11.2) for limiting the second range of movement (19), wherein the second connecting element (11.2) forms the knee support (11.3).

3. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the second connecting element (11.2) is a surface element which extends with a main surface substantially parallel to the backrest (7).

4. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the main surface has a middle third in the parallel direction of extension, which forms the knee support (11.3).

5. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting device (11; 11.1, 11.2) comprises a play surface (13) which extends substantially parallel to the seat surface (3).

6. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the play surface (13) is attached to the first side device (5.1) and the second side ) device (5.2) in a height-adjustable manner.

7. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the first connecting element (11.1) comprises a play surface (13) that extends substantially parallel to the seat surface (3).

8. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the play surface (13) is attached to the first side device (5.1) and the second side device (5.2) in a height-adjustable manner.

9. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the backrest device (7) has a back wall (7.2) to which a gallows support (17) is attached.

10. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gallows support (17) is a round rail extending in a U-shape over the first movement area (15).

11. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterised in that the play surface (13) has at least a first or second longitudinal edge (13.1; 13.2).

12. Seating and standing furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the seat surface (3) is height-adjustable and attached to the first side device (5.1) and the second side device (5.2) and / or the back device (7).

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