Arm support device

Abstract

Provided is an arm support device that enables intended movements of the upper limbs and hands to be achieved easily during rehabilitation.　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.

Description

Arm support device

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

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

[0003] In rehabilitation, arm support devices are used to relieve the weight of the hands, since the muscles in the shoulders and elbows are often insufficient to withstand the weight of the hands due to motor paralysis.

[0004] Conventional arm support devices are primarily used for practicing manipulation of objects on a desk, and most are made of fabric or shaped to fit the shape of the forearm, supporting the forearm from below in a pronated position (palm downwards). Therefore, when attempting to perform hand movements involving forearm pronation and supination, which are important in daily life when washing one's face or eating, undesirable resistance tends to be generated that interferes with the movement, making it difficult to achieve the intended movements aimed at activating specific muscles during rehabilitation. Related technology is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-59821

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In light of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an arm support device that allows intended movements of the upper limbs and hands to be easily achieved during rehabilitation.

[0007] As a result of extensive research into solving the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have come up with the idea that by rotatably supporting the user's wrist (wrist) where the axes of movement 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.

[0008] Thus, an arm support device according to a first aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: That is, it comprises a mounting member to be mounted around the wrist of a user, and a gimbal mechanism that supports the upper limb of the user via the mounting member, wherein the gimbal mechanism has 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, and the mounting member is configured to be rotatable along the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame that is curved in an arc.

[0009] According to the arm support device of the first aspect defined as above, the user's upper limb is supported at the wrist with the weight of the hand relieved, and the user's hand is supported rotatably around the first and second axes of the gimbal mechanism and also around the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame in response to three hand movements (palmar-dorsiflexion, wrist-radial-ulnar flexion, and forearm pronation and supination), allowing the user to freely move the hand in three dimensions with the weight of the hand relieved. This allows the user to easily move the hand in a desired direction as intended during upper limb rehabilitation.

[0010] Here, the attachment member can be configured to be detachable from the second movable frame (second aspect). This increases the degree of freedom for the user to attach the attachment member around their wrist prior to rehabilitation, allowing the user to wear the attachment member without strain.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: In other words, in the first aspect, the second movable frame has a C-shaped frame main body supported by the second shaft and a connecting portion connecting the ends of the frame main body, and the connecting portion is configured to be detachable from the frame main body.

[0012] According to the arm support device of the third aspect defined as above, by detaching the connecting part, the wrist of the user can be placed inside the second movable frame through the notch provided in the frame main body. After the wrist of the user is placed inside the second movable frame, by using the connecting part to make the second movable frame into an annular body, it is possible to prevent the user's arm from slipping out of the second movable frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention can be configured to further include a guide mechanism that movably supports the gimbal mechanism (fourth aspect), thereby enabling three-dimensional movement of the hand and movement of the upper limb to be realized in a combined manner.

[0014] A fifth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows: In other words, in the fourth aspect, the gimbal mechanism is connected to the guide mechanism above the second axis and is configured to support the upper limb of the user in a suspended state. This ensures a large space below the user's hand that does not obstruct the user's movement, further increasing the degree of freedom of rehabilitation movement.

[0015] In a fifth aspect in which the upper limbs of a user are supported in a suspended state, the first movable frame can be configured to be U-shaped with an opening downward, and the second movable frame can be supported at the lower ends of a pair of arms extending long downward from the first movable frame (sixth aspect). In this way, a wide space can be secured between the second axis supporting the second movable frame and the first movable frame positioned above it, and interference between the user's fingers and the first movable frame can be reduced when, for example, performing rehabilitation exercises in which the user's fingers point upward.

[0016] 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 such a manner that the first axis is inclined so as to move away from the guide mechanism as it moves downward (seventh aspect). This reduces interference between the user's body and the arm support device when performing actions in which the user's hands are close to their body, such as drinking water, combing hair, or wiping the body.

[0017] In addition, in this invention, the mounting member can be 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, and the second movable frame can be provided with a plurality of guide rollers arranged in the circumferential direction to support the outer circumferential edge of the mounting member and to contact the outer circumferential edge of the mounting member and rotate in response to the outer circumferential edge of the mounting member (eighth aspect). In this way, frictional resistance between the second movable frame and the mounting member can be reduced, and the mounting member can be rotated smoothly over a wide range.

[0018] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an arm support device of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram showing the gimbal mechanism and the mounting member of FIG. 1. It is a perspective view showing a state in which part of the gimbal mechanism of FIG. 2 is separated. It is a diagram showing the mounting member of FIG. 1. It is an explanatory diagram of the procedure when using the arm support device. It is an explanatory diagram of the usage procedure following FIG. 5. It is an explanatory diagram of three movements of the hand. It is a diagram showing an arm support device of another embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram showing an arm support device of yet another embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram showing the second movable frame of FIG. 9 alone. It is a diagram showing the mounting member of FIG. 9 alone. It is a diagram showing an example of a usage mode of the arm support device of the same embodiment. It is a diagram showing an example of a usage mode different from FIG. 12. It is a diagram showing a modified example of the arm support device of the same embodiment.

[0019] 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 a 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 user's upper limb via the mounting member 3, and a guide mechanism 7 that movably supports the gimbal mechanism 5.

[0020] The gimbal mechanism 5 includes a base 10, a first movable frame 12 formed integrally with the base 10, and a second movable frame 16 disposed inside the first movable frame 12. The first movable frame 12 is an arc-shaped member with a notched upper portion, and the lower portion of the first movable frame 12 is formed integrally with the base 10, which is provided with a first shaft 11 extending downward.

[0021] The first shaft 11 is inserted into a retaining hole 37 (see FIG. 2) formed on the top surface of a holder portion 36 of the guide mechanism 7. The retaining hole 37 has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the first shaft 11, and with the first shaft 11 inserted into the retaining hole 37, the first shaft 11 is held in the vertical direction, and the first movable frame 12 is supported by the holder portion 36 of the guide mechanism 7 so as to be rotatable around the first shaft 11, as shown by the arrow in FIG.

[0022] A second axis 14 extends from the first movable frame 12 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first axis 11 and toward the center of the first movable frame 12, and the second movable frame 16 is supported rotatably around this second axis 14, as shown by the arrow in Figure 2.

[0023] The second movable frame 16 is a circular annular member with a circular cross section, which is supported rotatably around the second axis 14, and which supports 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 shape with a predetermined curvature ρ (see Figure 2).

[0024] The second movable frame 16 is composed of a frame main body 17 and a connecting portion 21, and as shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 21 is configured to be detachable from the frame main body 17. The frame main body 17 that constitutes the second movable frame 16 is a C-shaped arc-shaped member with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and is symmetrical with respect to a vertical line (see Figure 2) that passes 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.

[0025] On the other hand, the connecting portion 21 is an arc-shaped member that curves with the same thickness and curvature as the frame main body portion 17, and connects the end portions 19, 19 of the frame main body portion 17 to make the second movable frame 16 an annular member. Engaging protrusions 22a are formed on the end portions 22, 22 of the connecting portion 21, and the engaging protrusions 22a are engageable with engaging recesses 19a provided on the opposing end portions 19, 19 of the frame main body portion 17. In addition, a tab 23 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the central portion of the connecting portion 21 to be used when attaching or detaching.

[0026] Next, the attachment member 3 attached around the user's wrist is a C-shaped arc-shaped member with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, similar to the frame main body 17 of the second movable frame 16. The space inside the attachment member 3 is a space for accommodating the user's wrist, and the user's wrist can be accommodated in the space inside the attachment member 3 through a cutout portion 25 shown in FIG. 4. In this example, a flexible band 26 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the attachment member 3, and wrapping the band 26 around the user's wrist can prevent the attachment member 3 from shifting out of position. The same applies to arm support devices 1B and 1C according to other embodiments, which will be described in detail later.

[0027] An engagement groove 27 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 3, and the engagement groove 27 curves in the circumferential direction with approximately the same curvature as the convex inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16. As shown in the balloon diagram in Figure 2, in this example, by engaging the engagement groove 27 of the mounting member 3 with the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16, the mounting member 3 is made rotatable around the third shaft 15 (see Figure 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.

[0028] 1 includes a guide rail 31, a movable body 34 that moves along the guide rail 31, and a holder 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-shaped member that extends linearly, and both ends of the guide rail 31 are supported by legs 32. A plurality of guide grooves 33 are formed on the surface of the guide rail 31, extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0029] The movable body 34 is provided with rollers 35 that face 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 that is provided integrally with the movable body 34 is supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 31.

[0030] The procedure for performing rehabilitation using the arm support device 1 of this embodiment configured as described above is as follows. First, as shown in Figure 5, the attachment member 3 is removed from the second movable frame 16 and attached around the user's wrist. Next, with respect to the arm support device 1, the connecting portion 21 that constitutes part of the second movable frame 16 is removed, and the user's wrist is inserted into the second movable frame 16 together with the attachment member 3 through the notch 18 of the second movable frame 16. Then, the engaging groove 27 of the attachment member 3 is engaged with the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16. Then, as shown in Figure 6, the connecting portion 21 is attached so as to connect the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body portion 17 together.

[0031] In this manner, the user's upper limb is supported from below in the vertical direction by the gimbal mechanism 5, with the wrist joint, where the movement axes of the three movements of the user's hand intersect, positioned close to the point where the three rotation axes of the gimbal mechanism 5 intersect. Here, the palmar-dorsiflexion movement of the wrist shown in FIG. 7A is supported by rotation about the second axis 14 of the second movable frame 16, the radioulnar flexion movement of the wrist shown in FIG. 7B is supported by rotation about the first axis 11 of the first movable frame 12, and the forearm pronation and supination movement shown in FIG. 7C is supported by rotation of the mounting member 3 along the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16, thereby supporting the three-dimensional movement of the hand as a whole. The arm support device 1 provides support with the same amount of weight relief even when the forearm is twisted about its long axis to transition from a forearm pronation position (palm down) to a forearm supination position (palm up) or to any intermediate position between them.

[0032] The arm support device 1 configured in this manner can be suitably used in, for example, facilitative repetitive therapy. Facilitative repetitive therapy is a rehabilitation method that reconstructs and strengthens the associated neural circuits by frequently repeating a target movement pattern, thereby promoting recovery of the paralyzed area and use of the hand in daily life. In facilitative repetitive therapy, the therapist supports the paralyzed hand while simultaneously stimulating the associated muscles, allowing the patient to easily achieve 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 frequently occur in daily life, are often incorporated into practice.

[0033] With the arm support device 1 of this embodiment, the hand is not unnecessarily immobilized, and no resistance that would interfere with the three hand movements shown in Figure 7 is applied, so the user can easily achieve the intended movement, and by concentrating and repeating that movement, facilitation repetition therapy can be performed efficiently. The effectiveness of facilitation repetition therapy has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials, and although it is typically 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 lower cost.

[0034] As described above, with the arm support device 1 of this embodiment, the user's upper limb is supported at the wrist with the weight of the hand relieved, and the user's hand is supported rotatably around the first axis 11 and the second axis 14 of the gimbal mechanism 5 and also around the inner peripheral edge 16a of the second movable frame 16 in response to three hand movements (palmar-dorsiflexion of the wrist, radioulnar flexion of the wrist, and forearm pronation and supination), allowing the user to freely move the hand in three dimensions with the weight of the hand relieved. This allows the user to easily move the hand in the intended direction during upper limb rehabilitation.

[0035] 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 for the user to attach the attachment member 3 around their 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 is not available, such as rehabilitation at home.

[0036] Furthermore, 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 portion cut out in the circumferential direction and supported by the second shaft 14, and the connecting portions 21 that connect the ends 19, 19 of the frame main body 17, and the connecting portions 21 are configured to be detachable from the frame main body 17. Therefore, by removing the connecting portions 21, the user's wrist can be placed inside the second movable frame 16 through the notches 18 provided in the frame main body 17. After the user's wrist is placed inside the second movable frame 16, the second movable frame 16 can be made into an annular body using the connecting portions 21, thereby preventing the user's arm from slipping out of the second movable frame 16.

[0037] Furthermore, the arm support device 1 of this embodiment is further provided with 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 combined manner.

[0038] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an arm support device 1B according to a 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 of the gimbal mechanism 5 and the guide mechanism 7 positioned below the user's hands. However, in the arm support device 1B shown in Fig. 8, these are positioned above the user's hands, making it possible to support the user's upper limbs in a suspended state. In this second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0039] In this arm support device 1B, the gimbal mechanism 5 is connected to the guide mechanism 7 above the second shaft 14. More specifically, as shown in the balloon diagram in FIG. 8 , a flange 40 with a diameter larger than the retaining hole 37 is provided at the tip of the first shaft 11 to prevent the first shaft 11 from slipping out of the holder 36 in the axial direction. In this arm support device 1B, the first movable frame 12 of the gimbal mechanism 5 and the guide mechanism 7 are positioned above the user's hands, ensuring a large space below the user's hands that does not obstruct the user's movements. This device 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.

[0040] 9 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an arm support device 1C according to the third embodiment. The arm support device 1C includes a mounting member 3C to be worn around the wrist of a user, a gimbal mechanism 5C that supports the upper limb of the user via the mounting member 3C, and a guide mechanism 7C that movably supports the gimbal mechanism 5C. As with the arm support device 1B according to the second embodiment, the arm support device 1C is capable of supporting the upper limb of the user in a suspended state.

[0041] 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 and generally parallel to one another, and a connecting portion 56 connecting the upper ends of the arms 55 to one another, forming a U-shape (approximately a horseshoe shape) that opens downward. A base 50, integrally formed with a first shaft 51 extending upward, is attached to the center of the connecting portion 56 in the left-right direction in the figure. The first shaft 51 is inserted and held in a holding hole 83 formed in a holder portion 82 of the guide mechanism 7C, and the first movable frame 54 is supported rotatably around the first shaft 51. The assembly structure of 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.

[0042] A second shaft 58 extends from the lower ends of a pair of arms 55, 55 extending downward from the first movable frame 54 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first shaft 51 and toward the center of the first movable frame 54, and the second movable frame 60 is supported rotatably around this second shaft 58. Here, in this embodiment, by extending the arms 55 downward for a long distance, a wide space 57 is secured 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.

[0043] 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. In this embodiment, multiple guide rollers 62 that support the outer periphery of the mounting member 3C are attached at intervals around the circumferential direction of the second movable frame 60. The guide rollers 62 contact the outer periphery of the mounting member 3C and are rotatable when the mounting member 3C rotates, with a roller shaft 63 extending in the direction of the third shaft 65 (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) as the rotation center. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the second movable frame 60 alone. An imaginary circle 64 (see Figure 10(A)) that contacts the inner apex of each guide roller 62 corresponds to the inner periphery of the second movable frame 60 that rotatably supports the mounting member 3C.

[0044] 10(B) , the first half 61A and the second half 61B that constitute the second movable frame 60 are connected at one end thereof via a pin 66 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. 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 other end of the half 61A that is not connected by the pin is separated from the other end of the opposing half 61B to create an upward opening through which the mounting member 3C can be attached and detached.

[0045] 10(B), the other end (right side in the drawing) of the first half 61A that is not connected to the pin has a first engaging portion 69 with an engaging piece 68 protruding in the circumferential direction, and the other end of the opposing second half 61B has a second engaging portion 70 with a notch on the side capable of receiving the engaging piece 68. The second engaging portion 70 also has a protruding piece 70a that protrudes radially outward.

[0046] Reference numeral 72 in the figures denotes a fixing piece that fixes the other ends of the halves together so that they cannot be separated. The fixing piece 72 has an elongated opening 73 that can engage with the protruding piece 70a of the half body 61B, and a through-hole 74 through which a mounting bolt (not shown) passes. As shown in Figure 10(A) , by fastening the fixing piece 72 to the half body 61A with the opening edge of the elongated opening 73 engaged with the protruding piece 70a of the half body 61B, the halves 61A and 61B are fixed together so that they cannot be separated, and the second movable frame 60 has an annular shape.

[0047] 11 is a view showing the attachment 3C alone. As shown in the figure, the attachment 3C is an annular member consisting of an attachment main body 76 and a connecting portion 78, with the inner space configured to accommodate the user's wrist. The attachment main body 76 is a C-shaped arc-shaped member with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and an engaging recess 77a is formed at its end 77. The connecting portion 78 is an arc-shaped member that connects the pair of ends 77, 77 of the attachment main body 76. An engaging protrusion 79a that can engage with the engaging recess 77a is formed at an end 79 of the connecting portion 78, making the connecting portion 78 detachable from the attachment main body 76.

[0048] A recessed groove 80 that curves in the circumferential direction with approximately the same curvature as the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame 60 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 3C, and the bottom 80a of the recessed groove 80 comes into contact with the guide rollers 62 of the second movable frame 60, thereby rotatably supporting the mounting member 3C inside 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 (see FIG. 9 ) intersect at the center of the second movable frame 60.

[0049] The guide mechanism 7C shown in Figure 9 includes a movable body 81 that can move within the XY plane along a guide rail (not shown), and a holder part 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 integrally with the movable body 81.

[0050] 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. As with the arm support device 1B, the arm support device 1C of this embodiment can ensure a large space below the user's hand that does not obstruct the user's movement, allowing the user to freely move their fingers while receiving support from the gimbal mechanism 5C. In addition to the writing action shown in FIG. 12, the arm support device 1C can also suitably realize actions such as turning the pages of a book or scooping up an object with a spoon.

[0051] Furthermore, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, the first movable frame 54 is U-shaped and 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 from the first movable frame 54. This makes it possible to ensure a wide space 57 between the second shaft 58 that supports the second movable frame 60 and the first movable frame 54 located above it, and as shown in Fig. 13, it is possible to reduce interference between the user's fingers and the first movable frame 54 when the user lifts their forearm so that their fingers point upward.

[0052] Furthermore, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, a plurality of guide rollers 62 that support the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 3C and that 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, which reduces contact resistance during rotation compared to, for example, the arm support device 1 according to the first embodiment, where the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame and the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member are in surface contact. Furthermore, in the arm support device 1C of this embodiment, the mounting member 3C is annular, so that the rotation of the mounting member 3C can be achieved more smoothly over a wider range compared to, for example, the arm support device 1, where the mounting member is configured as a non-annular member.

[0053] FIG. 14 shows a modified example of the arm support device 1C. In the arm support device 1C shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, the gimbal mechanism 5C is suspended and supported so that the first axis 51 is vertical. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the gimbal mechanism 5C can also be attached so that the first axis 51 is tilted downward and forward. In the example shown in FIG. 14, a mounting shaft 85, which serves as a mounting portion for the gimbal mechanism 5C, is provided at the tip end of the movable body 81 of the guide mechanism 7C and extends obliquely upward. In this manner, the first axis 51 of the gimbal mechanism 5C attached to the mounting shaft 85 is tilted downward and forward so as to move away from the mounting shaft 85. This allows the guide mechanism 7C and the upper portions of the gimbal mechanism 5C (portions closer to the mounting shaft 85) that constitute the arm support device 1C to be spaced away from the user.

[0054] Figure 14 shows a case where a user of the arm support device 1C is drinking water. However, in rehabilitation activities in which the user's hands are brought close to their body, such as drinking water, combing hair, or wiping the body, the adoption of the configuration shown in Figure 14 can reduce interference between the user's body and the arm support device 1C.

[0055] As described above, in each of the arm support devices of the embodiments described above, the arm support is completed near the user's wrist, allowing the user's fingers to move freely without any obstruction, and thus allowing the user to freely perform actions such as touching the body, grasping or picking up objects, and using tools.

[0056] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, 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, it is also possible to make the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame concave and the outer peripheral edge of the mounting member convex, and engage the mounting member with the second movable frame.

[0057] In the third embodiment, the guide roller is attached to the second movable frame, but in some cases, it is also possible to attach the guide roller to the mounting member and configure it 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 in the above embodiment, and it is also possible to appropriately adopt a configuration that can reduce 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).

[0058] Furthermore, the guide mechanism in each of the above embodiments can be configured as appropriate so that the upper limbs of the user can move in a predetermined linear direction, within the XY plane, or within the XYZ space, as needed.

[0059] Furthermore, the present invention can be configured in various modified forms within the scope of its intent, such as by configuring it to have multiple attachment members with different inner diameters so that it can be used by multiple people for rehabilitation.

[0060] 1, 1B, 1C Arm support device 3, 3C Mounting member 5, 5C Gimbal mechanism 7, 7C Guide mechanism 11, 51 First shaft 12, 54 First movable frame 14, 58 Second shaft 16, 60 Second movable frame 16a, 64 Inner peripheral edge 17, 61B Frame main body 21, 61A Connecting portion 55 Arm 62 Guide roller 76 Mounting member main body 78 Connecting portion 85 Mounting shaft portion (mounting portion)

Claims

1. An arm support device comprising: a mounting member that is mounted around a user's wrist; and a gimbal mechanism that supports the user's upper limb via the mounting member, wherein the gimbal mechanism has a first movable frame that is rotatably supported about a first axis, and a second movable frame that is disposed inside the first movable frame and rotatably supported about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and the mounting member is configured to be rotatable along the inner peripheral edge of the second movable frame that is curved in an arc.

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 arm support device of claim 1, wherein the second movable frame is a ring-shaped body made up of a frame main body part that is C-shaped with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction and supported by the second shaft, and a connecting part that connects the ends of the frame main body part, and the connecting part is configured to be detachable from the frame main body part.

4. The arm support device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide mechanism for movably supporting said gimbal mechanism.

5. An arm support device as described in claim 4, wherein 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.

6. An arm support device as described in 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 downward from the first movable frame.

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

8. An arm support device as described in claim 1, wherein 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 is provided with a plurality of guide rollers arranged in the circumferential direction that support the outer periphery of the mounting member and are in contact with the outer periphery and rotate in response to the outer periphery.

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