Arm support device

Abstract

To provide an arm support device that enables intended movements of the upper limbs and hands to be achieved easily during rehabilitation.SOLUTION: An arm support device 1 includes: a fitting member 3 that is fitted around the wrist of a user; and a gimbal mechanism unit 5 that supports an upper limb of the user by way of the fitting member 3. The gimbal mechanism unit 5 includes: a first movable frame 12 that is supported so as to be capable of rotating about a first shaft 11; and a second movable frame 16 that is disposed inside the first movable frame 12 and is supported so as to be capable of rotating about a second shaft 14 orthogonal to the first shaft 11. The fitting member 3 is configured to be capable of rotating along an inner circumferential edge 16a of the second movable frame 16, which is curved in an arc shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an arm support device that supports upper limb rehabilitation in the medical and welfare fields. [Background technology]

[0002] Upper limb rehabilitation after brain injury (hereinafter sometimes referred to as rehabilitation) generally involves shoulder and elbow exercises aimed at moving the wrist, as well as practice in grasping and releasing objects and using tools using the five fingers distal to the wrist.

[0003] In rehabilitation, because motor paralysis often results in insufficient muscle strength in the shoulders and elbows to support the weight of the hands, arm support devices are used to relieve the weight of the hands. Conventional arm support devices are mainly used for practicing object manipulation on a desk, and most of them support the forearm from below in a pronated position (palm down) using cloth devices or devices shaped to fit the shape of the forearm. Therefore, when trying to make hand movements involving pronation and supination of the forearm, which are important in daily life when washing the face or eating, undesirable resistance that hinders this movement is likely to be generated, making it difficult to realize the intended movement aimed at moving specific muscles during rehabilitation. Note that the following Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to this. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-59821 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE ... In light of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an arm support device that enables intended movements of the upper limbs and hands to be easily achieved during rehabilitation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have come to the realization that the axes of the three hand movements (palmar-dorsiflexion, radioulnar flexion, and forearm pronation and supination) shown in Fig. 7 intersect at the wrist, and have come to the idea that by rotatably supporting the user's wrist (wrist), where the axes of the movements of these three movements intersect, it is possible to support the movement of the upper limbs while enabling three-dimensional movement of the hand. The present invention was made based on this idea.

[0007] Thus, the arm support device according to the first aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: a gimbal mechanism that supports the upper limbs of the user via a wearing member that is worn around the wrist of the user; the gimbal mechanism includes a first movable frame supported rotatably about a first axis, and a second movable frame disposed inside the first movable frame and supported rotatably about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, The mounting member is configured to be rotatable along the inner circumferential edge of the second movable frame, which is curved in an arc shape.

[0008] According to the arm support device of the first aspect thus defined, the upper limb of the user is supported at the wrist with the weight of the hand relieved, and the hand of the user is supported rotatably around the first and second axes of the gimbal mechanism and around the inner periphery of the second movable frame in response to three movements of the hand (palmar-dorsiflexion of the wrist, radial-ulnar flexion of the wrist, and forearm pronation and supination), so that the user can freely move the hand in three dimensional directions with the weight of the hand relieved. Therefore, the user can easily realize the movement of intentionally moving the hand in a predetermined direction during upper limb rehabilitation.

[0009] Here, the attachment member can be configured to be detachable from the second movable frame (a second aspect). In this way, the degree of freedom of the user in attaching the attachment member around the wrist prior to rehabilitation is increased, and the user can wear the attachment member without difficulty.

[0010] The third aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: In a first aspect, the second movable frame has a C-shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and is supported by the second shaft. The second movable frame has a frame main body portion and a connecting portion connecting ends of the frame main body portion to each other, forming an annular body. The connecting portion is configured to be detachable from the frame main body portion.

[0011] According to the arm support device of the third aspect thus defined, the wrist of the user can be placed inside the second movable frame through the notch provided in the frame main body by removing the connecting part. After the wrist of the user is placed inside the second movable frame, the second movable frame can be made into an annular body using the connecting part, thereby preventing the arm of the user from slipping out of the second movable frame.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention can be configured to further include a guide mechanism that movably supports the gimbal mechanism (fourth aspect). In this way, it is possible to realize three-dimensional movement of the hands and upper limbs in a combined manner.

[0013] The fifth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: In a fourth aspect, the gimbal mechanism is connected to the guide mechanism above the second axis and configured to support the upper limbs of the user in a suspended state. In this way, a large space can be secured below the user's hands that does not impede the user's movements, allowing greater freedom of movement in rehabilitation.

[0014] In a fifth aspect in which the upper limbs of a user are supported in a suspended state, the first movable frame can be U-shaped opening downward, and the second movable frame can be supported at the lower end side of a pair of arms extending downwardly of the first movable frame (sixth aspect). In this way, a large space can be secured between the second axis supporting the second movable frame and the first movable frame located above it, and interference between the user's fingers and the first movable frame can be reduced, for example, when performing rehabilitation movements in which the user's fingers point upward.

[0015] In a fifth aspect in which the upper limbs of a user are supported in a suspended state, the gimbal mechanism can be attached to the guide mechanism in a manner in which the first axis is inclined so as to move away from the guide mechanism as it extends downward (seventh aspect). In this way, interference between the user's body and the arm support device can be reduced when performing actions that require the user's hands to be close to the user's body, such as drinking water, combing hair, or wiping the body.

[0016] Furthermore, in this invention, the mounting member is configured as an annular body by a mounting member main body portion that is C-shaped with a portion of the circumference cut out, and a connecting portion that connects the ends of the mounting member main body portion, and the second movable frame can be provided with a plurality of guide rollers arranged in the circumferential direction, which support the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member and contact the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member to rotate in response (eighth aspect). This reduces the frictional resistance between the second movable frame and the mounting member, and allows the mounting member to rotate smoothly over a wide range. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an arm support device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the gimbal mechanism and mounting member of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the gimbal mechanism in FIG. 2 is separated. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the mounting member of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams of a procedure for using the arm support device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the usage procedure following FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of three hand movements. [Figure 8] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an arm support device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an arm support device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing the second movable frame in FIG. 9 alone. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a view showing the mounting member of FIG. 9 alone. [Figure 12] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an example of a usage mode of the arm support device of the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a usage mode different from that shown in FIG. [Figure 14] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a modified example of the arm support device of the same embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an arm support device according to the first embodiment. The arm support device 1 in the figure includes a mounting member 3 that is mounted around the wrist of a user, a gimbal mechanism 5 that supports the upper limb of the user via the mounting member 3, and a guide mechanism 7 that supports the gimbal mechanism 5 movably.

[0019] The gimbal mechanism 5 includes a base portion 10, a first movable frame 12 formed integrally with the base portion 10, and a second movable frame 16 disposed inside thereof. The first movable frame 12 is an arc-shaped member with an upper portion cut out, and the lower portion of the first movable frame 12 is formed integrally with a base portion 10 on which a first shaft 11 extending downward is provided. The first shaft 11 is inserted into a holding hole 37 (see FIG. 2) formed on the upper surface of a holder part 36 of the guide mechanism 7. The diameter of the holding hole 37 is slightly larger than the shaft diameter of the first shaft 11, and with the first shaft 11 inserted into the holding hole 37, the first shaft 11 is held in the vertical direction, and the first movable frame 12 is supported by the holder part 36 of the guide mechanism 7 to be rotatable around the first shaft 11, as indicated by the arrow in FIG.

[0020] A second axis 14 extends from the first movable frame 12 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first axis 11 toward the center of the first movable frame 12, and the second movable frame 16 is supported rotatably around this second axis 14, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2.

[0021] The second movable frame 16 is an annular member with a circular cross-section that is rotatably supported around the second axis 14 while supporting the mounting member 3 rotatably around a third axis 15 (see Figure 1) perpendicular to the second axis 14 based on an inner peripheral edge 16a that is curved in an arc with a predetermined curvature ρ (see Figure 2).

[0022] The second movable frame 16 is made up of a frame main body portion 17 and a connecting portion 21, and as shown in FIG. 3, the connecting portion 21 is configured to be detachable from the frame main body portion 17. The frame main body 17 constituting the second movable frame 16 is a C-shaped arc-shaped member with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and has a shape symmetrical with respect to a vertical line (see FIG. 2) passing through the axis of the first shaft 11. The attachment member 3 and the user's hand can be positioned inside the second movable frame 16 through a cutout portion 18 formed between the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body 17.

[0023] On the other hand, the connecting portion 21 is an arc-shaped member curved with the same thickness and curvature as the frame main body 17, and connects the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body 17 to make the second movable frame 16 into an annular member. Engagement protrusions 22a are formed on the ends 22, 22 of the connecting portion 21, and are capable of engaging with engagement recesses 19a provided on the opposing ends 19, 19 of the frame main body 17. In addition, a tab 23 is formed on the outer circumferential surface side of the central portion of the connecting portion 21 to be used when attaching and detaching.

[0024] Next, the wearing member 3 worn around the wrist of the user is a C-shaped arc-shaped member with a part cut out in the circumferential direction, similar to the frame main body 17 of the second movable frame 16. The space inside the wearing member 3 is a space for accommodating the wrist of the user, and the wrist of the user can be accommodated in the space inside the wearing member 3 through the cutout portion 25 shown in FIG. 4. In this example, a flexible band 26 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the wearing member 3, and by wrapping the band 26 around the wrist of the user, it is possible to prevent the wearing position of the wearing member 3 from shifting. The same applies to arm support devices 1B and 1C according to other embodiments described in detail later.

[0025] An engagement groove 27 is formed on the outer periphery of the mounting member 3, which curves in the circumferential direction with approximately the same curvature as the convex inner periphery 16a of the second movable frame 16. As shown in the balloon diagram of Fig. 2, in this example, the engagement groove 27 of the mounting member 3 is engaged with the inner periphery 16a of the second movable frame 16, so that the mounting member 3 can rotate around the third shaft 15 (see Fig. 1) along the circumferential direction of the second movable frame 16. In the arm support device 1 configured in this manner, the axes of the first shaft 11, the second shaft 14, and the third shaft 15 intersect at the center of the second movable frame 16.

[0026] The guide mechanism 7 shown in FIG. 1 has a guide rail 31, a movable body 34 that moves along the guide rail 31, and a holder portion 36 that holds the gimbal mechanism 5, and supports the gimbal mechanism 5 so that it can move in a predetermined direction. The guide rail 31 is a rod-like member extending linearly, and both ends thereof are supported by legs 32. A plurality of guide grooves 33 are formed on the surface of the guide rail 31 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. The movable body 34 is provided with rollers 35 facing the guide groove 33, and the movable body 34 is movably engaged with the guide rail 31 via the rollers 35. In other words, the gimbal mechanism 5 held by a holder portion 36 provided integrally with the movable body 34 is supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 31.

[0027] The procedure for carrying out rehabilitation using the arm support device 1 of this embodiment configured as described above is as follows. First, the attachment member 3 removed from the second movable frame 16 is attached around the wrist of the user as shown in Fig. 5. Next, for the arm support device 1 side, the connecting portion 21 constituting a part of the second movable frame 16 is removed, and the wrist of the user is inserted into the second movable frame 16 together with the attachment member 3 through the notch portion 18 of the second movable frame 16. Then, the engagement groove 27 of the attachment member 3 is engaged with the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16. Then, the connecting portion 21 is attached so as to connect the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body portion 17 to each other as shown in Fig. 6.

[0028] In this way, the user's upper limbs are supported from the vertically lower side by the gimbal mechanism 5 in a state where the wrist joint, where the motion axes of the three movements of the user's hand intersect, is brought close to the point where the three rotation axes of the gimbal mechanism 5 intersect. Here, the palmar and dorsiflexion movement of the wrist joint shown in Fig. 7(A) is supported by rotation around the second axis 14 of the second movable frame 16, the radioulnar flexion movement of the wrist joint shown in Fig. 7(B) is supported by rotation around the first axis 11 of the first movable frame 12, and the pronation and supination movement of the forearm shown in Fig. 7(C) is supported by rotation of the mounting member 3 along the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16, and as a whole, the three-dimensional movements of the hand are supported. Furthermore, with the arm support device 1, the forearm is supported with the same amount of load relief even when the forearm is twisted around its long axis to move from a pronated position (palm down) to a supinated position (palm up) or to any intermediate position between these two.

[0029] The arm support device 1 configured in this manner can be suitably used in, for example, facilitation repetition therapy. Facilitation repetition therapy is a rehabilitation method that reconstructs and strengthens the associated neural circuits by repeating a target movement pattern at a high frequency, thereby promoting the recovery of the paralyzed part and the use of the hand in daily life. In facilitation repetition therapy, the therapist supports the paralyzed hand and simultaneously stimulates the associated muscles, allowing the patient to easily realize and repeat the intended hand movement. In particular, complex three-dimensional movement patterns of the wrist and elbow accompanied by pronation and supination of the forearm, which occurs frequently in daily life, are often incorporated into practice. According to the arm support device 1 of this embodiment, the hand is not unnecessarily fixed, and there is no resistance that would hinder the three hand movements shown in Fig. 7, so the user can easily achieve the intended movement, and by concentrating and repeating that movement, the facilitation repetition therapy can be performed efficiently. The effectiveness of facilitation repetition therapy has been shown in a randomized controlled trial, and although it is originally performed in individual rehabilitation by a therapist, the arm support device 1 of this embodiment allows for self-practice, and similar clinical effects can be expected at a low cost.

[0030] As described above, according to the arm support device 1 of the present embodiment, the upper limb of the user is supported at the wrist with the weight of the hand relieved, and the hand of the user is supported rotatably around the first axis 11 and the second axis 14 of the gimbal mechanism 5 and around the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16 in response to three movements of the hand (palmar-dorsiflexion of the wrist, radial-ulnar flexion of the wrist, and forearm pronation and supination), so that the user can freely move the hand in three-dimensional directions with the weight of the hand relieved. Therefore, the user can easily move the hand in a desired direction during upper limb rehabilitation.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the arm support device 1 of this embodiment, the attachment member 3 is configured to be detachable from the second movable frame 16, which increases the degree of freedom of the user in attaching the attachment member 3 around the wrist prior to rehabilitation, and allows the user to comfortably attach the attachment member 3. This is particularly effective in cases where support from a therapist cannot be obtained, such as in rehabilitation at home.

[0032] According to the arm support device 1 of this embodiment, the second movable frame 16 is formed into an annular body by the frame main body 17, which is C-shaped with a part cut out in the circumferential direction and supported by the second shaft 14, and the connecting portion 21 connecting the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body 17, and the connecting portion 21 is configured to be detachable from the frame main body 17. Therefore, by removing the connecting portion 21, the wrist portion of the user can be placed inside the second movable frame 16 through the notch portion 18 provided in the frame main body 17. After the wrist portion of the user is placed inside the second movable frame 16, the second movable frame 16 is made into an annular body using the connecting portion 21, and the arm portion of the user can be prevented from falling off the second movable frame 16.

[0033] In addition, the arm support device 1 of this embodiment further includes a guide mechanism 7 that supports the gimbal mechanism 5 so that it can move in a predetermined direction, thereby enabling three-dimensional movement of the hand and movement of the upper limbs to be realized in a complex manner.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arm support device 1B according to the second embodiment. The arm support device 1 according to the first embodiment supports the upper limbs of a user with the first movable frame 12 and the guide mechanism 7 of the gimbal mechanism 5 disposed below the user's hands, but the arm support device 1B shown in Fig. 8 can support the upper limbs of a user in a suspended state by disposing them above the user's hands. In this second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0035] In this arm support device 1B, the gimbal mechanism 5 is connected to the guide mechanism 7 above the second shaft 14. In detail, as shown in the balloon diagram of Fig. 8, a flange portion 40 having a diameter larger than the holding hole 37 is provided at the tip of the first shaft 11, so that the first shaft 11 does not come out of the holder portion 36 in the axial direction. In this arm support device 1B, the first movable frame 12 and the guide mechanism 7 of the gimbal mechanism 5 are disposed above the user's hand, so that a large space that does not impede the user's movement can be secured below the user's hand. This is particularly suitable for use when the user operates an object on a desk or uses a tool while receiving support from the gimbal mechanism 5.

[0036] 9 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an arm support device 1C according to a third embodiment. The arm support device 1C includes a mounting member 3C mounted around the wrist of a user, a gimbal mechanism 5C supporting the upper limb of the user via the mounting member 3C, and a guide mechanism 7C movably supporting the gimbal mechanism 5C, and is capable of supporting the upper limb of the user in a suspended state, similar to the arm support device 1B according to the second embodiment.

[0037] The gimbal mechanism 5C includes a base 50, a first movable frame 54, and a second movable frame 60 disposed inside the first movable frame 54. The first movable frame 54 has a pair of arms 55, 55 extending downward generally parallel to each other, and a connecting part 56 connecting the upper ends of the arms 55 to each other, and is formed into a U-shape (approximately a horseshoe shape) that opens downward. A base 50 having a first shaft 51 extending upward and provided integrally therewith is attached to the center of the connecting part 56 in the left-right direction in the figure. The first shaft 51 is held in a state where it is inserted into a holding hole 83 formed in a holder portion 82 of the guide mechanism portion 7C, and the first movable frame 54 is supported so as to be rotatable around the first shaft 51. The assembly structure between the first shaft 51 and the holder portion 82 is the same as that of the arm support device 1B according to the second embodiment described above.

[0038] A second axis 58 extends from the lower end of a pair of arms 55, 55 extending downward from the first movable frame 54 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first axis 51 and toward the center of the first movable frame 54, and the second movable frame 60 is supported rotatably around this second axis 58. In this embodiment, the arm portion 55 is extended downward to a long extent, thereby ensuring a wide space 57 in the vertical direction between the second shaft 58 supporting the second movable frame 60 and the connecting portion 56 of the first movable frame 54 located above it.

[0039] The second movable frame 60 is an annular member including a first half 61A and a second half 61B formed in an arc shape, and holds the mounting member 3C inside thereof. In this embodiment, a plurality of guide rollers 62 supporting the outer periphery of the mounting member 3C are attached at intervals in the circumferential direction of the second movable frame 60. The guide rollers 62 come into contact with the outer periphery of the mounting member 3C around a roller shaft 63 extending in the direction of the third shaft 65 (perpendicular to the paper surface) as the center of rotation, and are capable of being rotated following the rotation of the mounting member 3C. 10 is a view showing only the second movable frame 60. An imaginary circle 64 (see FIG. 10(A)) that is in contact with the inner apex of each guide roller 62 corresponds to the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame 60 that rotatably supports the mounting member 3C.

[0040] 10(B), the first half 61A and the second half 61B constituting the second movable frame 60 are connected at one end thereof via a pin 66 so as to be relatively rotatable. According to this embodiment, the second half 61B is supported by the second shaft 58, the second half 61B constitutes the frame main body of the present invention, and the first half 61A constitutes the connecting portion of the present invention. In this second movable frame 60, the mounting member 3C can be attached and detached through an upward opening that is generated by separating the other end of the half 61A not connected by the pin from the other end of the opposing half 61B.

[0041] 10(B), a first engagement portion 69 having an engagement piece 68 protruding in the circumferential direction is formed at the other end (right side in the figure) of the first half 61A that is not connected to the pin, and a second engagement portion 70 having a cutout on the side capable of receiving the engagement piece 68 is formed at the other end of the opposing second half 61B. In addition, a protruding piece 70a protruding radially outward is formed at this second engagement portion 70. Reference numeral 72 in the figure denotes a fixing piece that fixes the other end portions of the halves so that they cannot be separated. The fixing piece 72 has an elongated hole opening 73 that can be engaged with the protruding piece 70a of the half body 61B, and a through hole 74 through which a mounting bolt (not shown) passes. Then, as shown in Fig. 10(A), by fastening the fixing piece 72 to the half body 61A with the opening edge of the elongated hole opening 73 engaged with the protruding piece 70a of the half body 61B, the halves 61A and 61B are fixed so that they cannot be separated, and the second movable frame 60 becomes annular.

[0042] 11 is a view showing the wearing member 3C alone. As shown in the figure, the wearing member 3C is a ring-shaped member consisting of a wearing member main body 76 and a connecting part 78, and the inner space is a space for accommodating the wrist of the user. The mounting member main body 76 is a C-shaped arcuate member with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and an engagement recess 77a is formed at an end 77 thereof. The connecting portion 78 is an arc-shaped member that connects a pair of end portions 77, 77 of the mounting member main body 76. An engaging protrusion 79a that can engage with the engaging recess 77a is formed on an end portion 79 of the connecting portion 78, and the connecting portion 78 is detachable from the mounting member main body 76.

[0043] A groove 80 is formed on the outer periphery of the mounting member 3C, which curves in the circumferential direction with approximately the same curvature as the inner periphery of the second movable frame 60, and the mounting member 3C is rotatably supported inside the second movable frame 60 by contacting a bottom 80a of the groove 80 with a guide roller 62 of the second movable frame 60. In the arm support device 1C configured in this manner, the axes of the first shaft 51, the second shaft 58 and the third shaft 65 intersect at the center of the second movable frame 60.

[0044] The guide mechanism 7C shown in Figure 9 includes a movable body 81 that is movable within the XY plane along a guide rail (not shown), and a holder portion 82 that is attached to the tip of the movable body 81 and holds the gimbal mechanism 5C in a suspended state, and is configured so that the gimbal mechanism 5C can move within the XY plane together with the movable body 81.

[0045] Fig. 12 shows a writing action on a desk as a rehabilitation action as an example of a usage mode of the arm support device 1C. According to the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, as in the case of the arm support device 1B, a wide space that does not hinder the user's movement can be secured below the user's hand, so that the user can freely move his / her fingers while receiving support from the gimbal mechanism unit 5C. According to the arm support device 1C, in addition to the writing action shown in Fig. 12, the action of turning the pages of a book, the action of scooping up an object with a spoon, etc. can be suitably realized.

[0046] In addition, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, the first movable frame 54 is formed in a U-shape that opens downward, and is configured to support the second movable frame 60 at the lower end side of a pair of arms 55, 55 that extend long downward of the first movable frame 54. Therefore, a wide space 57 can be secured between the second shaft 58 that supports the second movable frame 60 and the first movable frame 54 located above it, and interference between the user's fingers and the first movable frame 54 can be reduced when the user lifts his or her forearm so that his or her fingers point upward, as shown in Fig. 13.

[0047] Furthermore, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, a plurality of guide rollers 62 which support the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 3C and rotate in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 3C are arranged in the circumferential direction of the second movable frame 60, and the contact resistance during rotation can be reduced compared to the case where the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame and the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member are in surface contact, as in the arm support device 1 of the first embodiment, for example. Furthermore, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, the mounting member 3C is annular, so the rotational movement of the mounting member 3C can be achieved more smoothly over a wider range than when the mounting member is configured as a non-annular body, as in the arm support device 1, for example.

[0048] Figure 14 shows a modified example of the arm support device 1C. In the arm support device 1C shown in Figures 9 to 13, the gimbal mechanism 5C is supported by hanging so that the first axis 51 is vertical, but it is also possible to attach the gimbal mechanism 5C so that the first axis 51 is inclined downward and forward, as shown in Figure 14. 14, a mounting shaft 85 as a mounting part to which the gimbal mechanism 5C is attached is provided on the tip side of the movable body 81 in the guide mechanism 7C in a manner extending obliquely upward. In this manner, the first shaft 51 of the gimbal mechanism 5C attached to the mounting shaft 85 is inclined so as to move away from the mounting shaft 85 as it approaches downward, and the upper part (the part close to the mounting shaft 85) of the guide mechanism 7C and the gimbal mechanism 5C constituting the arm support device 1C can be separated from the user. FIG. 14 shows a case where a user of the arm support device 1C is drinking water. In rehabilitation actions such as drinking water, combing hair, and wiping the body, which are performed with the hands close to the user's body, the adoption of the configuration shown in FIG. 14 can reduce interference between the user's body and the arm support device 1C.

[0049] As described above, in the arm support devices of the embodiments described above, the arm support is completed near the wrist of the user, so the user's fingers can move freely without any hindrance, and thus the user can freely perform actions such as touching the body, grasping or picking up objects, and using tools.

[0050] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, this is merely an example. For example, in the first embodiment, the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame is convex and the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member is concave, but in some cases, the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame is concave and the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member is convex, and the mounting member can be engaged with the second movable frame. In the third embodiment, the guide roller is attached to the second movable frame, but in some cases, the guide roller can be attached to the mounting member and configured to rotate in contact with the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame. The guide roller used here is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and a configuration capable of reducing contact resistance during rotation (for example, a configuration in which a thin needle roller is interposed between the second movable frame and the mounting member) can be appropriately adopted. Furthermore, the guide mechanism in each of the above embodiments can be configured appropriately so that the upper limbs of the user can be moved in a predetermined linear direction, within the XY plane, or within the XYZ space, as necessary. Furthermore, the present invention can be configured in various modified forms within the scope of its spirit, such as by configuring it to have multiple attachment members with different inner diameter sizes so that it can be used by multiple people for rehabilitation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1,1B,1C Arm support device 3,3C Mounting material 5,5C Gimbal mechanism 7,7C Guide mechanism section 11,51 1st axis 12,54 First movable frame 14,58 2nd axis 16,60 Second movable frame 16a,64 Inner edge 17,61B Frame body 21,61A connection part 55 Arm 62 Guide roller 76 Mounting member main body 78 Connecting part 85 Mounting shaft part (mounting part)

Claims

1. a gimbal mechanism that supports the upper limbs of the user via a wearing member that is worn around the wrist of the user; the gimbal mechanism includes a first movable frame supported rotatably about a first axis, and a second movable frame disposed inside the first movable frame and supported rotatably about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, An arm support device, wherein the mounting member is configured to be rotatable along an inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame which is curved in an arc shape.

2. The arm support device according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting member is configured to be detachable from the second movable frame.

3. The second movable frame has a C-shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and is supported by the second shaft. The second movable frame has a frame main body portion and a connecting portion connecting ends of the frame main body portion to each other, forming an annular body. The arm support device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is configured to be detachable from the frame main body portion.

4. The arm support device according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide mechanism that movably supports the gimbal mechanism.

5. The arm support device according to claim 4 , wherein the gimbal mechanism is connected to the guide mechanism above the second axis and configured to support the upper limb of the user in a suspended state.

6. The arm support device according to claim 5, wherein the first movable frame is formed in a U-shape that opens downward, and the second movable frame is supported on the lower end side of a pair of arms that extend long downwardly of the first movable frame.

7. 6. The arm support device according to claim 5, wherein the gimbal mechanism is attached to the guide mechanism in a manner such that the first axis is inclined so as to move away from the guide mechanism as it extends downward.

8. The mounting member is configured as an annular body by a mounting member main body portion having a C-shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction and a connecting portion connecting the ends of the mounting member main body portion, 2. The arm support device according to claim 1, wherein the second movable frame is provided with a plurality of guide rollers arranged in a circumferential direction, the guide rollers supporting an outer periphery of the mounting member and being in contact with the outer periphery to rotate in response to the outer periphery.

Images