Crossover Arm Design for Mobile Upper Extremity Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Railed devices used for rehabilitation and exercise lack adequate upper extremity support and continuous mobile support, making it difficult for users with weak or unbalanced conditions to perform stable and continuous upper body movements, which are essential for effective gait kinematics and rehabilitation.
Innovation Solution
The crossover arm design, featuring a hinged interconnecting member between two housings on parallel rails, provides mobile unilateral or bilateral upper extremity support, enabling bidirectional walking, rotational stabilization, and adjustable resistance, allowing for continuous support and independent movement of upper limbs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users grip the rail with their hands for balance or upper body weight bearing, then upper body support is provided, but users with weak or unbalanced conditions cannot perform stable upper body movements
Solution Approach 1:
A mobile support assembly with a housing and support surface acts as an intermediary between the user's upper extremity and the rail. The housing moves along the rail while the support surface provides stable contact for the user's forearm or hand, eliminating the need for the user to directly grip the rail with sufficient strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile support assembly replicates the function of hand gripping by providing an alternative contact interface. The support surface is designed to accommodate either the forearm or hand, copying the stabilizing function that a strong grip would provide, but accessible to users with weakened upper extremities.
2Stability of the object's composition
If railed devices provide static upper extremity support, then stability is achieved, but continuous mobile support for gait kinematics is not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is designed to be mobile along the rail rather than fixed. The housing can move continuously along the rail to accommodate the user's forward motion during walking, while the support surface maintains stability for the user's upper extremity. This dynamic design enables continuous support during gait activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system is divided into separate functional components: a mobile housing that travels along the rail and a support surface that provides stable contact. This segmentation allows the housing to provide continuous mobile support while the support surface maintains stability, resolving the contradiction between mobility and stability.
3Ease of operation
If discontinuous support is provided by gripping and releasing the rail, then upper body movement is possible, but gait kinematics are not safeguarded
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile support assembly provides continuous support throughout the walking cycle. As the user moves forward, the housing continuously moves along the rail, maintaining constant support for the upper extremity. This eliminates the discontinuous gripping and releasing action, providing uninterrupted support that safeguards gait kinematics.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient aid assembly includes an upper extremity support assembly and a housing associated therewith. The housing slidingly engages a rail and allows relative movements therealong. First and second upper extremity support assemblies are received on first and second rails, respectively. An interconnecting member us hingedly connected to each of first and second housings that support the UE support assemblies.