Patent Publication Number: US-9427374-B2

Title: Therapeutic walking trainer

Description:
This nonprovisional application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/DE2011/075206, which was filed on Aug. 31, 2011, and which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a therapeutic gait trainer for improving the ability to walk, particularly for relearning to walk, with a top frame, having a torsion-limiting body holder and providing forward support, and a bottom frame, connected to the top frame by means of at least one supporting rod and having a number of rollers. 
     The invention relates in addition to a combination of a therapeutic gait trainer with a motor-free treadmill. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     A gait trainer of the aforementioned type is known from WO 2008/145669 A1. This trainer has an elaborate holding device whose advantage is that the device is designed torso-free. The pendular motion of the body performed when walking is not limited in the area of the torso. Said gait trainer also provides forward support, as a result of which falling in the walking direction is ruled out. A healthy person would compensate for such falling by simply stepping forwards with one of his two feet, which a person with a limited ability to walk cannot manage in most cases. It is disadvantageous, however, that it takes a very long time for the person to be treated to be secured in this gait trainer until the actual training session can be started. In addition, it is necessary in the case of the gait trainer that the person to be treated has already relearned some of his ability to walk in order to move at all with this gait trainer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a therapeutic gait trainer of the aforementioned type, which is stable and easily accessible and which assures easy relearning or improvement of the ability to walk. 
     In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a combination of a therapeutic gait trainer with a motor-free treadmill, which represents a space-saving training unit for a person to be treated. 
     The object related to the gait trainer is attained in an embodiment with a gait trainer of the aforementioned type in that to compensate for a torque acting on the vertical axis, the number of rollers is at least four, of which at least one, preferably precisely two of the rollers are formed as drivable rollers, and that the at least one supporting rod is connected to the bottom frame via an elastic bottom part. 
     This is associated with the advantage that a tipping over of the gait trainer is prevented, whereby the person to be treated is encouraged by the drivable rollers to follow the movement of the gait trainer, as a result of which an especially effective gait training is accomplished. The elastic bottom part thereby protects the person being trained from jolts because of an uneven floor. In addition, said elastic bottom part can be used to press the training person back into an upright position in the event of tipping over. 
     It has proven preferable within the scope of the invention if the drivable rollers can each be driven by means of a motor, preferably an electric motor, having a control, gear unit, and a rotary encoder. A different regulation of the drivable rollers assures that the gait trainer retains its stability also when driving around a curve, whereby the more outside roller in relation to the curve completes a more rapid movement than the more inside roller. Consequently, in the case of two driven rollers two controls are present, which regulate the particular roller speed. In so doing, it is useful if a so-called master operator panel is present, which is preferably formed as a terminal, which preferably synchronizes both controls by means of a serial transfer protocol. 
     It is also preferable if the drivable rollers can be controlled via a central control. As a result, an individual central control can regulate both drivable rollers in terms of their speed, whereby the central control must have a high clock rate and a large memory, in order to be able to process the feedback signals related to roller speed. 
     It is also useful if at least one shut-off device is provided that stops the drivable rollers upon encountering an obstacle. This assures that the gait trainer stops if it bumps against an obstacle, such as, for example, a wall. 
     It is especially preferable thereby, if the shut-off device is provided on a receptacle for the rollers and if it can be activated by the shifting of a float-mounted cap. This assures that during the shifting of the cap a switch of the shut-off device is actuated, which interrupts the power supply of the drivable rollers. The switch in this case can be constructed electrically or also mechanically using a design known to a person skilled in the art. A therapist can now also bring about a shut-off and thereby the stopping of the gait trainer by simply tilting against the cap. Of course, one of the shut-off devices can be provided on each receptacle for the rollers, whereby naturally it is also possible that a shut-off device is provided only on selected receptacles for the rollers. 
     A further possibility for realizing a stop function is disclosed in DE 11 2006 002 246 T5, which is incorporated herein by reference. It is possible in addition that the gait trainer has optical instruments, which allow it to detect a line on the floor and to be able to automatically follow it. 
     It is also useful, if a second roller pair formed by the drivable rollers is positioned between a non-driven first roller pair and a non-driven third roller pair on the bottom frame. It is thereby assured that when the drivable rollers start up, the gait trainer cannot tilt in the opposite direction of travel, because it is supported by the first roller pair or the third roller pair. Compensation for a torque acting on the vertical axis is also created thereby. 
     It has proven preferable here if the first roller pair and/or the third roller pair are steerable and if the second roller pair is mounted rigidly. As a result, the gait trainer is steerable overall, whereby the direction can be predetermined by the second rigidly mounted roller pair by propelling the left or right roller of the gait trainer with a different force. 
     It is an advantage, furthermore, if the bottom frame is made U-shaped with a bottom frame strut provided on the front end. This makes it easier for a person to be treated to access the gait trainer. In addition, the bottom frame strut may have a greater weight in order to lower overall the gait trainer&#39;s center of gravity. 
     It is practical in this regard if the bottom frame has a free space forming a walking area and provided preferably axially below the top frame. This creates the necessary freedom of movement for a person to be treated who is in the advanced stage of training. This person can now take larger steps without bumping into the bottom frame. 
     In order to increase the stability of the person to be treated, it is advantageous if the drivable rollers are provided in the vicinity of the ankles of a standing person to be treated. 
     In order to provide additional safety and support to the person to be treated, it is preferred that the top frame has at least one, preferably precisely two arm rests and/or a gripping component. 
     An embodiment of the therapeutic gait trainer is characterized in that at least one belt receptacle for a belt system attachable to a patient&#39;s hips is associated with the top frame. The belt system has a pelvic belt, which is attached in the area of the top frame with a pelvic belt coupling. The pelvic belt is made so that it encircles the pelvis and has leg loops for securing against vertical slipping. This results in a pelvic stabilization, which encircles the pelvic region of the person to be treated and allows the person to place himself in the holding device formed thereby, whereby said holding device does not pose an impediment for the person during walking. The pelvic stabilization prevents a possible fall by the person to be treated during the gait training. Preferably, the pelvic stabilization in the forward and backward direction can be attached to the person. 
     It is also of advantage if the top frame has at least one, preferably precisely two cross-struts, because the stability of the top frame is increased as a result. 
     It is advantageous in addition, if preferably precisely two supporting rods are provided, which are formed inclinable with two degrees of freedom. This increases the difficulty of the training with the therapeutic gait trainer, so that it also fulfills the requirements for a person to be treated who is in an advanced training stage. This type of supporting rods is known, for example, from EP 1 305 087 B1, to which reference is made at this point and which is to be expressly part of this disclosure. 
     In order to be able to use the therapeutic gait trainer for persons in any training stage, it is useful if on the top frame a balance lever is provided which releases or blocks the degrees of freedom of the supporting rods and preferably can realize an excursion of 0 degrees to 45 degrees in excursion steps or continuously. 
     To protect the training person, it has proven preferable that the bottom frame has a device for protecting a person&#39;s foot from being clamped; it keeps him from being bruised in the foot region particularly during a reversing of the gait trainer. 
     It is also advantageous, if the supporting rods each have at least one adjusting device for adjusting the gait trainer height. As a result, the gait trainer can be used by persons of different heights. 
     It is preferred, furthermore, if the opening, width of the bottom frame corresponds at least to the width of a wheelchair. As a result, it is made simpler for a wheelchair user, who would like to improve his ability to walk or to relearn how to walk, to get into the gait trainer. To this end, the supporting rods can be associated in each case with a supporting bar which protrudes perpendicular to these and on which the wheelchair user can pull himself into the gait trainer. 
     The object related to the combination is attained with a combination of a therapeutic gait trainer with a motor-free treadmill in that a connecting unit acting between the gait trainer and the treadmill is provided. As a result, the therapeutic gait trainer during training of a person to be treated need not move from one place to another place in order to achieve the desired training effect. 
     In this regard, it has proven useful if a ramp for driving up the gait trainer is provided. In the case of the combination a gait trainer as explained in the preceding sections can be used. 
     In order not to have to propel the treadmill solely by the steps of the person to be treated, it has proven especially preferable, if the treadmill can be driven by means of the gait trainer&#39;s drivable rollers movable by a motor. 
     A preferred embodiment of the combination is characterized in that the connecting unit is formed from a receiving mouth, having a safety bolt acted upon by a spring, and from a coupling part, having a bolt receiver open on one side and insertable in said mouth, a locking member is formed on the safety bolt circumferentially and a lock receiver, corresponding to the locking member, on the bolt receiver, and the coupling part is preferably associated with the gait trainer and the receiving mouth with the treadmill. As a result, a secure connection that is simple to connect or release is created between the treadmill and the gait trainer. 
     The invention will be described in greater detail below with exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings; shown are: 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the gait trainer of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed view of a part of the bottom frame; and 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a combination of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a therapeutic gait trainer  1  for improving the ability to walk, particularly for relearning to walk, with a top frame  3 , having a torsion-limiting, particularly a torso-free body holder  2  and providing forward support, and a bottom frame  6 , connected to the top frame by means of supporting rods  4  and having a number of rollers  5 . To compensate for a torque acting on the vertical axis, the number of rollers  5  is six in the shown exemplary embodiment, of which precisely two of rollers  5  are formed as drivable rollers  32 . Supporting rods  4  are connected to bottom frame  6  via an elastic bottom part  20 . 
     Drivable rollers  32  are each drivable by means of an electric motor having a control  7 , gear unit  8 , and a rotary encoder  9 . Rotary encoder  9  in the exemplary embodiment is formed as a magnetic rotary encoder  9 , whereby the use of other rotary encoders  9  such as, for example, an optical incremental pulse encoder or a directional encoder is also possible. Likewise, a speed determination can also occur via a measurement of the actual motor voltage of the electric motor. In control  7  a 4-quadrant or H-circuit is provided for the direction setting of motors  10 . A braked forward mode, an accelerated forward mode, a braked reverse mode, and an accelerated reverse mode can be realized by this H-circuit for each of the two drivable rollers, whereby the current is proportional to the torque of the electric motor. Upon starting or stopping of therapeutic gait trainer  1 , it is useful if motor  10  does not immediately begin at full speed or reduces the speed to zero. In order to avoid such jerky starting and stopping, motor  10  uses so-called speed ramps measured by rotary encoder  9  and gently accelerating gait trainer  1 . 
     In the shown exemplary embodiment, a second roller pair  11  formed by drivable rollers  32  is positioned between a non-driven first roller pair  12  and a non-driven third roller pair  13  on bottom frame  6 . In this regard, first roller pair  12  and third roller pair  13  are mounted steerable and second roller pair  11  rigidly. First roller pair  12  and third roller pair  13  in this case have in a manner known per se a strap  28  for their locking. In addition, a receptacle  30  for rollers  5  can be seen, where a shut-off device is provided which stops drivable rollers  32  if an obstacle is encountered and which can be activated by the shifting of a float-mounted cap  33 . In the shown exemplary embodiment, cap  33  can slide horizontally and upon sliding actuates a switch, as a result of which gait trainer  1  is stopped. 
     Bottom frame  6  of therapeutic gait trainer  1  is formed U-shaped with a bottom frame strut  14  provided on the front end. Bottom frame  6  has a free space  15 , which is formed as a walking area and is provided axially below top frame  3 . In addition, a device  21  is provided on bottom frame  6  for protecting a person&#39;s foot from being clamped, which is formed here as a safety bar  29 . Overall, bottom frame  6  is positioned very close to the floor, so that clamping of a person&#39;s foot is made difficult and a low-lying center of gravity of gait trainer  1  is attained. It is also possible here, however, that bottom frame  6  is arranged in a position far removed from the floor, as a result of which clamping of the patient&#39;s foot is also ruled out. The opening width of bottom frame  6  is greater than the width of a standard wheelchair and supporting rods  4  each have an adjusting device  22  for adjusting the gait trainer height. 
     Precisely two arm rests  16  and a gripping component  17  are arranged on top frame  3 , whereby top frame  3  has precisely two cross-struts  18 . Said gait trainer  1 , of course, can also manage with only one cross-strut  18 . Likewise, arm rests  16  can be made in the form of a support table. The two arm rests  16  can be moved along the two cross-struts  18 , so that persons of a different width can use therapeutic gait trainer  1 . The arm rests  16  shown here can be placed close to the body of a patient to be treated and also serve as lateral boundaries for the patient&#39;s hips, as a result of which the patient is efficiently supported. Further, a belt receptacle for a belt system attachable to a patient&#39;s hips is associated with top frame  3 , whereby in the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing ( FIG. 3 ) the belt system consists of a pelvic belt  34 . Pelvic belt  34  is attached in the area of top frame  3  with a pelvic belt coupling  35 . The pelvic belt is made so that it encircles the pelvis and has leg loops  36  for securing against vertical slipping. 
     In the shown exemplary embodiment, two supporting rods  4  having two degrees of freedom are made inclinable. To this end, on top frame  3  a balance lever  19  is provided which releases or blocks the degrees of freedom of supporting rods  4 . 
     Cylindrical motor  10  with control  7 , rotary encoder  9 , and gear unit  8 , which is positioned next to supporting rod  4 , is clearly evident in  FIG. 2 , in the detail of bottom frame  6  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . It can be seen that drivable rollers  32  are made larger than the steerable non-driven rollers  5 , whereby the size of drivable rollers  32  is proportional to the speed of gait trainer  1 . It is shown further that drivable rollers  32  are provided in the vicinity of the ankles in the case of a standing person to be treated. 
     Finally, means  21  formed as safety bar  29  for protecting a person&#39;s foot from being clamped is also shown again, whereby further bottom frame  6  is lowered close to the floor overall relative to receptacle  30  for non-driven rollers  5 . 
     A combination of a therapeutic gait trainer  1  with a motor-free treadmill  23  is shown in  FIG. 3 . A connecting unit  24  is provided between gait trainer  1  and treadmill  23 . Further, a ramp  25  for driving up gait trainer  1  is provided. 
     In the shown exemplary embodiment, treadmill  23  can be driven by drivable rollers  32 , movable by a motor  10 , of gait trainer  1  and connecting unit  24  is formed from a receiving mouth  26 , having a safety bolt acted upon by a spring, and from a coupling part  27 , having a bolt receiver open on one side and insertable in said mouth. A locking member is formed on the safety bolt and a lock receiver, corresponding to the locking member, on the bolt receiver. Coupling part  27  is associated with gait trainer  1  and receiving mouth  26  with treadmill  23 , whereby the safety bolt has a handle  31  in order to release the form-fitting connection between the locking member and the lock receiver against the pressure of the spring. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.