Abstract:
A hand support device and method for somatosensory input to the palm comprises a support portion and an attachment portion. The support portion forms a rounded surface that supports a hand of a user. The attachment portion attaches to a structure. The device activates purposeful motor movement with accurate motor control for users with Dyspraxia when employed in conjunction with evidence-based developmental pedagogy in high stimulating tasks such as music education per the Rancer Method (Kupferstein &amp; Walsh, 2015). In one example, the hand support device attaches to a piano and clamps to the keyslip allowing the user to rest their hand while playing the piano. In another example, the hand support device is adapted to attach to a surface of a laptop or desk with a base surface that is disposed above the laptop, allowing the user to rest their hand while typing on the keyboard.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to support methods, and more particularly to hand support devices directed to motor control disorders. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Motor planning disorder is a condition often associated with dyspraxia, autism, and other neurodevelopment disorders. Motor planning dysfunction prevents a person from having accurate motor movements as compared to typically developed individuals. As a result, physical assistance is required from caregivers. Unfortunately, caregiver dependence may prevent people with dyspraxia from independently executing tasks that require fine and gross motor movements. Evidence based methodologies are desired to remediate these challenges. 
     SUMMARY 
     A hand support device comprises a support portion and an attachment portion. The support portion forms a rounded surface that supports a hand of a user. The attachment portion attaches to a structure, such as a piano or a laptop. The hand support device is adapted to be used for people with dyspraxia. When the hand is placed above the support portion, the weight of the hand causes the support portion to apply pressure onto a center of the palm. By applying specific pressure into the center of the palm, bones on the top of the hand shift to activate the muscles in between the hand bones, which are then available to receive signals from the brain to complete the motor plan. In this fashion, the applied force creates a synthetic shoulder for gross-to-fine translation. When independent finger isolations emerge, the need for the applied force will subside. In accordance with one novel aspect, neuroplastic changes in the motor systems of the user with dyspraxia will habituate movement through muscle memory for the completion of complex tasks such as playing the piano or typing on a keyboard without needing the hand support device. 
     In one embodiment, the hand support device is adapted to attach to a piano. The attachment portion of the device has a clamping mechanism that clamps onto the ledge of the piano keyslip allowing the user to rest their hand on the device while playing the piano. The clamping mechanism has a tail having a hole, a fastening element that extends through the hole, and a ledge that extends downward from the base of the support portion. A user attaches the clamping mechanism to the keyslip of the piano and tightens the fastening element until the hand support device is securely attached to the piano. The attachment portion contacts the structure along at least three surfaces. Next, the user places his/her hand above the hand support device and may play the piano keys with his/her fingers. 
     In another embodiment, the hand support device is adapted to attach to a surface of a laptop or desk. The attachment portion of the device has a base that has a planar surface. The planar surface is adapted to be disposed above a flat surface of a structure. A user places the support device above the laptop surface below the keyboard. The attachment portion contacts the structure at a single surface. Next, the user places his/her hand above the hand support device and may type on the keyboard with his/her fingers. 
     The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail; consequently it is appreciated that the summary is illustrative only. Still other methods, and structures and details are set forth in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, where like numerals indicate like components, illustrate embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of another perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a front perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a back perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of a top perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of a bottom perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10  attached to a keyslip  35  of a piano  36 . 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a cross sectional view showing how the ledge  22  is inserted into the area between keyslip  35  and piano key  41 . 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10  supporting a hand  37  of a user  38 . 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of a perspective view of the area  39  of the hand  37  that is supported by the novel hand support device  10 . 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  are diagrams showing perspective views of a caregiver  40  physically supplying somatosensory input to the area  39  of the hand  38 . 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram of a hand support device  10  showing the dimensions of one specific example along a side view. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram of a hand support device  10  showing the dimensions of the specific example along a side view when the fastening element is adjusted to allow for the maximum distance between the first and second contact surfaces. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing the dimensions of another embodiment of a hand support device adapted for smaller hands. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing additional dimensions of hand support device  50  from a top perspective view. 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing dimensions from a side view when the fastening element is adjusted to allow for the maximum distance between the first and second contact surfaces. 
         FIG. 18  is a diagram of another embodiment of a hand support device  80  having a base  81 . 
         FIG. 19  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  80  attached to a laptop  75 . 
         FIG. 20  is a diagram of a method  100  in accordance with one novel aspect. 
         FIG. 21  is a diagram of a method  200  in accordance with a second novel aspect. 
         FIG. 22  is a diagram of a package  211  comprising hand support device  10 . 
         FIG. 23  is a diagram of the amount of instructions  212 . 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a hand support device  10 . The hand support device  10  comprises a support portion  11  and an attachment portion  12 . The support portion  10  has an upper end  13  and a lower end  14 . The upper end  13  forms a rounded surface  15 . The rounded surface  15  is adapted to receive a palm of a hand, for example, the hand of a piano student with dyspraxia. The support portion  11  extends from the lower end  14  to the upper end  13  along a first axis  16 . The first axis  16  is a support axis and extends through a center  17  of the rounded surface  15 . The first axis  16  is normal to the center  17 . A second axis  18  is disposed along the lower end  14  of the support portion  11 . The second axis  18  is a base axis. The first axis  16  forms an angle  19  relative to the second axis  18 . The angle  19  between the first axis  16  and the second axis  18  is between twenty degrees (20°) and ninety degrees (90°). Typically, the angle  19  is approximately forty five degrees (45°). The attachment portion  12  has a head  20  and a body  21 . 
     The attachment portion  12  is connected to the lower end  14  of the support portion  12 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the attachment portion  12  comprises a clamping mechanism having a ledge  22 , a tail  23 , and a fastening element  24 . The clamping mechanism is adapted to attach to a piano such that a student with dyspraxia can play independent of assistance from another person. The tail  23  forms a hole  25  through which the fastening element  24  extends. The fastening element  24  has a knob  26  and a tip  27 . The ledge  22  includes a first contact surface  28 . The tip  27  forms a second contact surface  29 . When attaching the attachment mechanism to a structure, such as a piano, the first contact surface  28  is adapted to contact a first surface of the structure and the second contact surface  29  is adapted to contact a second surface of the structure. 
     In accordance with one novel aspect, the distance  30  between the first contact surface and the second contact surface is adjustable. To attach the hand support device  10  to a piano, a user inserts the ledge  22  into the keyslip  35  of the piano. Next, the user tightens the fastening element until the tip  27  and ledge  22  clamp the hand support device  10  onto the piano keyslip such that the hand support device  10  is stable. The user can rest his/her hand onto the rounded surface  15  of the head  20  and begin piano playing. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . The novel hand support device  10  is a unitary structure, except that the ledge  22  and fastening element  24  are separate structures attached to the device  10 . The unitary structure is formed by an injection molding process. In another example, the hand support device  10  is printed from thermoplastic polymer material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), plastic resin materials, or other materials employed in 3D printing processes. In yet another example, the hand support device  10  is formed from metal, wood, glass, ceramic, or clay material. In yet another example, the hand support device is comprised of several components that are attached together to form the hand support device. For example, the head, body, and tail are each separate structures attached together via screws. The user receives the separate components and then assembles them together to form the hand support device. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of another perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of a front perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . The head  20  has a first extent  32 . The body  21  has a second extent  33 . The second extent  33  is greater than or equal to the first extent  32 . The first extent  32  is greater than half the length of the second extent  33 . In another example, the first extent  32  is greater than the second extent  33 . When the head and body of the device  10  have circular shapes when viewed from the top down perspective, as in this example, the first extent  32  and second extent  33  are also referred to as first and second diameters, respectively. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram of a back perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of a top perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . A third axis  34  is shown. The support device  10  is symmetrical about the third axis  34 . 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram of a bottom perspective view of the novel hand support device  10 . The bottom surface  31  is adapted to rest upon at least one surface of the structure. The bottom surface  31  is a third contact surface of the device  10 . 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10  attached to a keyslip  35  of a piano  36 . The novel hand support device  10  contacts the keyslip  35  along at least three surfaces. The fastening element is tightened by the user so that the keyslip  35  is clamped between the tip  27  and ledge  22 . In this fashion, the attachment portion  12  ensures that the hand support device  10  is held firmly in place along the keyslip  35  of the piano  36  so that a user may rest his/her hand on the support portion  11 . 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram of a cross sectional view showing how the ledge  22  is inserted into the area between keyslip  35  and piano key  41 . The ledge  22  slides into the space between the keyslip  35  and key  41 . The device  10  contacts the structure along at least three surfaces. For example, surfaces  28 ,  29 , and  31  of device  10  contact keyslip  35  of the piano  36 . 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  10  supporting a hand  37  of a user  38 . The center of the palm rests on the head  20  of the hand support device  10 . The hand support device  10  is attached to the piano  36  and allows the user  38  to play the piano  36  while the hand  37  is being supported by the hand support device  10 . 
       FIG. 11  is a diagram of a perspective view of the area  39  of the hand  37  that is supported by the novel hand support device  10 . An area  39  of the hand rests above the head  20  of the hand support device  10 . The weight of the hand  37  above the head  20  causes an opposing force to be applied along area  39 . By applying the force along area  39 , a user  38  with dyspraxia is able to play the piano  36  under certain conditions. 
       FIGS. 12A and 12B  are diagrams showing perspective views of a caregiver  40  physically supplying somatosensory input to the area  39  of the hand  38 . Without device  10 , a caregiver may need to apply somatosensory input to the area  39  to augment the user&#39;s motor accuracy. The device  10  supplies substantially similar somatosensory input to area  39  to eliminate dependency on caregiver support. 
       FIG. 13  is a diagram of a hand support device  10  showing the dimensions of one specific example along a side view. The upper dimensions (not in brackets) are in inches. The lower dimensions (in brackets) are in millimeters. An artisan of ordinary skill will appreciate that the dimensions may vary according to the size of the hand or the size of the structure onto which the attachment portion is adapted to be attached to. 
       FIG. 14  is a diagram of a hand support device  10  showing the dimensions of the specific example along a side view when the fastening element is adjusted to allow for the maximum distance between the first and second contact surfaces. 
       FIG. 15  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing the dimensions of another embodiment of a hand support device adapted for smaller hands. The hand support device  50  has a head that is at a more acute angle with respect to the base axis. The hand support device  50  is suited for users with smaller hands, such as young children. The upper dimensions (not in brackets) are in inches. The lower dimensions (in brackets) are in millimeters. An artisan of ordinary skill will appreciate that the dimensions may vary according to the size of the hand or the size of the structure onto which the attachment portion is adapted to be attached to. 
       FIG. 16  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing additional dimensions of hand support device  50  from a top perspective view. The upper dimensions (not in brackets) are in inches. The lower dimensions (in brackets) are in millimeters. 
       FIG. 17  is a diagram of a hand support device  50  showing dimensions from a side view when the fastening element is adjusted to allow for the maximum distance between the first and second contact surfaces. 
       FIG. 18  is a diagram of another embodiment of a hand support device  80  having a base  81 . The hand support device  80  has a substantially similar support portion as the hand support device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , except the attachment portion of hand support device  80  does not have a clamping mechanism. The hand support device  80  has one and only one contact surface adapted to attach to a flat surface of a structure. The base  81  is part of the attachment portion. The bottom of base  81  includes a flat surface  82 . The base  81  is mounted onto a flat surface of a structure so that the surface  82  contacts the flat surface of the structure. The structure may be a desk or a laptop. In the case of a laptop, the base  81  is mounted onto an area of the laptop within reaching range of the keys. 
       FIG. 19  is a diagram of a perspective view of the novel hand support device  80  attached to a laptop  75 . The novel hand support device  80  contacts a single surface  76  of the laptop  75 . The bottom surface  82  of base  81  is disposed above the surface  76 . The novel hand support device  80  directly contacts the laptop. The attachment portion ensures that the hand support device  80  is held in place along the surface  76  of the laptop  75 . 
       FIG. 20  is a diagram of a method  100  in accordance with one novel aspect. In a first step (step  101 ), an attachment portion of a hand support device is attached to a structure. For example, in  FIG. 8 , the hand support device  10  is attached to the piano  36  by clamping the attachment portion  12  to the keyslip  35  by tightening the fastening element  24 . The hand support device  10  contacts the structure along three surfaces of the structure. The tip  27  contacts an exterior surface of the keyslip  35 . The ledge  22  contacts an interior surface of keyslip  35 . The bottom surface  31  contacts an upper surface of the keyslip  35 . In the example of  FIG. 19 , the hand support device  80  is placed above the laptop  75 . The hand support device  80  contacts a single surface  76  of the structure. 
     In a second step (step  102 ), a hand is received onto a support portion of the hand support device. For example, in  FIG. 10 , the user  38  places his/her hand  37  above hand support device  10 . The hand support device  10  is attached to the piano  36  by clamping mechanism of the attachment portion  12 . The weight of the hand  37  above the head  20  causes a force to be applied to an area  39  of the palm shown in  FIG. 11 . By applying such a force to area  39  of the hand, the user  38  is able to play the piano  36  with augmented motor accuracy. In the example of  FIG. 19 , the user places his/her hand above hand support device  80 . The hand support device  80  is attached to the laptop  75  by base  81  of the attachment portion. The weight of the hand above the head causes a force to be applied to an area  39  of the palm shown in  FIG. 11 . By applying such a force to area  39 , the user is able to type on the laptop  75 . 
       FIG. 21  is a diagram of a method  200  in accordance with a second novel aspect. In a first step (step  201 ), a package is provided that comprises a hand support device. The hand support device comprises a support portion and an attachment portion. The support portion includes an upper end that is rounded. The support portion is adapted to receive a hand of a user such that the upper end supports the hand. The attachment portion is disposed at a lower end of the support portion. For example, in  FIG. 22 , a package  211  is provided that comprises hand support device  10 . The hand support device  10  has the support portion  11  and the attachment portion  12 . The support portion  11  includes the upper end  13  that is rounded. The support portion  11  is adapted to receive a hand of a user such that the upper end  13  supports the hand. The attachment portion  12  is disposed at a lower end  14  of the support portion  11 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 22 , an amount of instructions  212  are provided in the package  211 . The amount of instructions  212  instruct the user on how to attach the hand support device  10  to a structure and how to use the hand support device  10  to support the hand. In another embodiment, the instructions are provided digitally via a website. The user is given a URL that presents the instructions onto a display viewable by the user&#39;s network connected device. In yet another embodiment, the instructions are printed on the package  211 . In yet another embodiment, the instructions are digitally provided via QR code that is included with the package  211 . The user scans the QR code with a mobile communication handset thereby directing the user to digitally accessible instructions. In yet another embodiment, the instructions are sent to the user via an email communication. 
     In another example, a plurality of components is provided in a package. The plurality of components is assembleable into the novel hand support device. For example, the package comprises components that include a head, a body, a tail, a ledge, a fastening element, and screws. The package with components is provided to the user. Next, The user removes the components from the package. Next, the user attaches the plurality of components together to form the hand support device. Instructions on how to assemble the components to form the hand support device are optionally provided to the user. 
     Similar packaging and instructions are provided for the hand support device  80  that is shown in  FIG. 18 . A package (not illustrated) is provided that includes the hand support device  80  and an amount of instructions. The amount of instructions instruct a user to place surface  82  onto a laptop or desk. In another embodiment, the package  212  is a loosely packaged bag or pouch that includes the hand support device or components to assemble the hand support device. 
       FIG. 23  is a diagram of the amount of instructions  212 . Instructions  212  instruct a user to first insert threaded portion of fastening element  24  through hole of tail  23 . Next, the instructions  212  instruct the user to attach tip  27  to the end of the threaded portion of fastening element  24 . Next, the instructions  212  instruct the user to attach device  10  to the structure. 
     Although the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments for instructional purposes, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, although the hand support device is shown as a solid, unitary structure, the hand support device may comprise a plurality of separable components. In addition, the hand support device  10  may be configured to have a non-adjustable clamping mechanism. For example, in another embodiment, two ledges extend downward from the base of the support portion. The keyslip of the piano is inserted between the two ledges such that the hand support is disposed above the keyslip. In this embodiment, the hand support device is not fixed in place and is slideable across the keyslip of the piano. This embodiment is preferred if the user desires to move his/her hands across the piano. However, in this embodiment, the distance between the first and second contact surfaces is not adjustable and is limited to pianos having keyslips of a particular thickness. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.