Patent ID: 9649243
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F,A61H,A63B

Claim:
1. A lift-assisted mobility device for assisting the ambulatory motion of a person having a body weight, and ease the movement by that person between a seated position and a standing position, such device comprising: (a) a wheeled supportive frame upon which the person may lean while walking or running; (b) a pressure-tight suit adapted to being worn over at least one part of the person's lower body having at least one opening for inserting the body part into the suit; (c) means for providing a pressure-tight seal connected adjacent to the opening of the suit for operative engagement of the body part surface of the person; (d) inlet means in the suit for introduction of at least one source of positive pressure or vacuum to an interior of the suit between the person's body and the suit to create a differential pressure condition therein between the positive pressure or vacuum condition inside the suit, and a pressure condition existing outside the suit; (e) a lift-assistance device having a constant force mechanism attached to the supportive frame with a linkage connected thereto; (f) at least one lift arm operatively connected to the linkage for movement between a lowered position and a raised position; (g) an attachment mechanism connected to the lift arm providing a detachable connection to the suit; (h) wherein the differential pressure condition is adapted to exert an upwards force upon the body part to offload a desired portion of the weight of the body to the lift-assistance device and the supportive frame with the supportive frame counteracting a downwards force applied to the suit when it is placed under the differential pressure condition; and (i) wherein actuation of the constant force mechanism raises the lift arm via the linkage from the lowered position to the raised position to lift the suit vertically as the person rises from the seated position to the standing position, whereupon the person may stand easily with reduced effort aided by the reduced body weight, and move about with body weight support.