GAIT TRAINER FOR TRAINING OF NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTIONS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for training of neuromuscular functions using a gait trainer comprising an electrical motor, a weight sensor and a cable and a gait trainer therefore.

The method may comprise an act of determining a counterbalance weight to be applied to the cable by the electrical motor and an act of measuring with the weight sensor an actual applied weight to the cable by the patient, wherein a drive direction of the electrical motor is determined based on comparing the counterbalance weight with the measuring of the actual applied weight to the cable by the patient.

The gait trainer may comprise a hoist system with a rotatable cable drum and a cable to wind or rewind the cable around a rotatable cable drum in accordance with the drive direction set, based on the compared counterbalance weight with the measuring of the actual applied weight to the cable by the patient.

The gait trainer may further comprise an electrical motor adapted for axial engagement with the rotatable cable drum and adapted to drive the rotatable cable drum in a drive direction. The gait trainer may further comprise a weight sensor, a control unit, a processor and a motor controller.

The hoist system may be freely suspended by the weight sensor.

Claims

1. A gait trainer for training of neuromuscular functions comprising: a hoist system including a rotatable cable drum, a cable sized to wind around the rotatable cable drum including a cable end adapted for interaction with a patient; an electrical motor adapted for axial engagement with the rotatable cable drum and adapted to drive said rotatable cable drum in a forward and in a reverse drive direction for unwinding or winding the cable on the cable drum; one or more weight sensors configured to output a qualitative weight sensor signal; a control unit; a processor configured to receive the qualitative weight sensor signal, said processor also being configured to calculate and output a motor drive control signal, a motor controller configured to receive the motor drive control signal wherein the processor is adapted for establishing the calculated drive direction in the motor based on the received qualitative weight sensor signal and base on the result of comparing the actual qualitative weight signal with a counterbalance weight determined prior to beginning the training, and wherein said motor controller is adapted to establish the calculated drive direction in the motor such that the determined counterbalance weight applied to the cable by the electrical motor is maintained at a constant value, and wherein the hoist system is freely suspended by the weight sensors as the gait trainer comprises two weight sensors wherein the weight sensors are arranged side-mounted on the hoist system, such that the built-in height dimension of the gait trainer is reduced.

2. A gait trainer according to claim 1 further comprising a fixed suspension with force balancing means wherein the one or more weight sensors and the fixed suspension are arranged side-mounted on the hoist system, such that the built-in height dimension of the gait trainer is reduced.

3. A gait trainer according claim 1 wherein the one or more weight sensors comprise a load cell configured as a transducer of an applied force to an electrical signal being the qualitative weight sensor signal, wherein said load cell is a strain gauge load cell.

4. A gait trainer according to claim 1 further comprising a rail mount adapted to interact with a ceiling rail and the one or more weight sensors, said weight sensor connected to the rail mount at one end and to the hoist system at the other end, such that the hoist system is freely suspended by the one or more weight sensors.

5. A gait trainer according to claim 1, wherein the cable comprises visible indications of the travel length of the cable for use during training sessions.

6. A gait trainer according to claim 1 further comprising a handheld controller for adjusting a length of the cable being unwind and/or rewind.

7. A gait trainer according to claim 1 further comprising a graphic user interface adapted to display and/or receive an input of one or more values corresponding to values selected from the group consisting of counterbalance weigh, weight of a patient, training load, actual applied weight.

8. A gait trainer according to claim 1 a breaking arrangement, which braking arrangement is adapted to break with an adjustable braking force.

9. A computer programme product comprising instruction to cause the gait trainer according to claim 1 to execute the steps of a method for training of neuromuscular functions using a gait trainer comprising an electrical motor, a weight sensor and a cable, said method comprises acts of: Determining a counterbalance weight to be applied to the cable by the electrical motor; Continuously performing the acts of: Measuring with the weight sensor an actual applied weight to the cable by the patient; Comparing the actual applied weight with the determined counterbalance weight, and Instructing a motor controller of a drive direction by giving a motor drive control signal for establishing the calculated drive direction in the motor based on the result of comparing the actual applied weight with the determined counterbalancing weight determined prior to beginning the training, such that the determined counterbalance weight applied to the cable by the electrical motor is maintained at a constant value.

10. A computer programme product according to claim 9 where the method further comprises the acts of: Providing a weight of a patient; Determining the counterbalance weight as a percentage of the provided weight of the patient, such that the difference between the provided weight of the patient and the counterbalance weight is a training load to be exerted by the patient.

11. A computer programme product according to claim 10, wherein the weight of the patient is provided as a measured weight by the weight sensor.

12. A computer programme product according to claim 9 wherein the electrical motor is limited to a maximum speed for unwinding the cable to prevent fall accidents.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon the computer programme product of claim 9.

14. A method for using a gait trainer comprising an electrical motor, a weight sensor and a cable, said method comprises acts of: Determining a counterbalance weight to be applied to the cable by the electrical motor; Continuously performing the acts of: Measuring with the weight sensor an actual applied weight to the cable; Comparing the actual applied weight with the determined counterbalance weight, and Instructing a motor controller of a drive direction by giving a motor drive control signal to the motor for establishing the calculated drive direction in the motor based on the result of comparing the actual applied weight with the determined counterbalancing weight determined prior to beginning the training, such that the determined counterbalance weight applied to the cable by the electrical motor is maintained at a constant value.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0127] Embodiments of the invention will be described in the figures, whereon:

[0128] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the elements of the gait trainer.

[0129] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the cable with visual indications.

[0130] FIG. 3 illustrates the applied forces to the cable when the gait trainer is operated in respectively a dynamic mode and a static mode.

[0131] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the method for training of neuromuscular functions using a gait trainer.

[0132] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the elements of the gait trainer with brakes and drive motor.

[0133] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the elements of the gait trainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0134] 1 gait trainer [0135] 10 hoist system [0136] 12 cable drum [0137] 14 cable [0138] 16 cable end [0139] 20 electrical motor [0140] 22 motor controller [0141] 30 control unit [0142] 32 motor drive control signal [0143] 40 weight sensor [0144] 42 weight sensor signal [0145] 50 processor [0146] 60 fixed suspension [0147] 62 force balancing means [0148] 70 rail mount [0149] 72 ceiling rail [0150] 73 first ceiling rail [0151] 74 second ceiling rail [0152] 75 third ceiling rail [0153] 92 graphic user interface [0154] 94 computer program product [0155] 96 computer-readable medium [0156] 100 method [0157] 102 determining [0158] 104 providing [0159] 106 measuring [0160] 108 comparing [0161] 110 instructing [0162] 112 calculating [0163] 202 counterbalance weight [0164] 204 weight of a patient [0165] 206 training load [0166] 208 actual applied weight [0167] 210 drive direction [0168] 250 braking arrangement

[0169] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the elements of the gait trainer 1 for training of neuromuscular functions. The gait trainer 1 comprises a hoist system 10, which includes a rotatable cable drum 12 and a cable 14. The cable 14 may be adapted to be wound around the rotatable cable drum 12. The cable has a cable end 16 which may be adapted for interacting with a patient, here illustrated with a buckle mounted at the cable end 16 for further attachment to a sling, strap or comparable units adapted for holding the patient or to be worn by the patient.

[0170] The gait trainer 1 further comprises an electrical motor 20. The electrical motor may be adapted for axial engagement with the rotatable cable drum 12. The electrical motor may further be adapted to drive the rotatable cable drum 12 in a forward and in a reverse direction for unwinding or winding the cable 14 on the cable drum 12.

[0171] The gait trainer 1 further comprises a weight sensor 40, a processor 50 and a motor controller 22. The weight sensor 40 may be adapted for outputting a qualitative weight sensor signal to the processor 50. The weight sensor 40 may comprise a load cell configured as a transducer transforming an applied force to an electrical signal.

[0172] The processor 50 may be adapted for receiving the qualitative weight sensor signal and configured to calculate a motor drive control signal based on the received qualitative weight sensor signal. The processor 50 may be adapted for outputting the motor drive control signal to the motor controller 22. The motor controller 22 may comprise a gearing and be adapted to receive the motor drive control signal for establishing the calculated drive direction in the motor. The hoist system can be freely suspended by the weight sensor 40.

[0173] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the cable 14 with visual indications 80. The cable 14 has a cable end 16 which may be adapted for interacting with a patient, here as in FIG. 1 illustrated with a buckle mounted at the cable end 16 for further attachment to a sling, strap or comparable units adapted for holding the patient or to be worn by the patient.

[0174] The visible indications may be used for measuring the actual the length of the unwinding or winding of the cable 14 and may be used for instructing the patient of exercises and for achieving a better repetition of exercises e.g. an exercise may be described as bending or stretching the legs to achieve a displacement of the cable of an interval of 10 cm, indication A-C etc. Here, the visual indications 80 are given as numbers and lines and could indicate the displacement in centimetres, however, other indications may be used.

[0175] FIG. 3 illustrates the applied forces to the cable 14 when the gait trainer is operated in a dynamic mode. FIG. 3A illustrates how two counteracting forces are applied to the cable 14. A counterbalance weight 202 is applied to the cable 14 by the electrical motor and an actual applied weight 208 is applied to the cable 14 by the patient. The weight sensor 40 measures the actual applied weight 208 applied to the cable 14 by the patient.

[0176] Depending on the two values of the counteracting forces 202, 208 applied to the cable 14 and how they balance out, a drive direction 210 of the electrical motor comprised in the gait trainer is determined. If the counteracting forces balance, then the drive speed may be set to zero.

[0177] FIG. 3B illustrates the case where the actual applied weight 208 applied to the cable 14 by the patient is lower than the counterbalance weight 202 applied to the cable 14 by the electrical motor. In this case, the drive direction 210 of the electrical motor comprised in the gait trainer is set to reduce the length of the cable until the actual applied weight 208 applied to the cable 14 by the patient equals the set counterbalance weight 202. This may be the case where a patient goes from a bending position to a stretched position e.g. back or legs, by changing from flat foot position to toe position, climbing a step or comparable exercises.

[0178] FIG. 3C illustrates how a weight of a patient 204 may be provided and a training load 206 exerted by the patient results in the actual applied weight 208 applied to the cable 14 by the patient.

[0179] FIG. 4 illustrates two embodiments of the method 100 for training of neuromuscular functions using the gait trainer.

[0180] One embodiment is illustrated, which comprises the acts illustrated with full lines. This method comprises the acts of determining 102 a counterbalance weight 202 to be applied to the cable by the electrical motor and continuously performed acts of measuring 106 with the weight sensor an actual applied weight 208 to the cable by the patient, comparing 108 the actual applied weight 208 with the determined counterbalance weight 202, and instructing 110 a motor controller of a drive direction 210 by giving a motor drive control signal 32. The drive direction 210 is based on the result of comparing the actual applied weight 208 with the determined counterbalancing weight. These continuously performed acts may be performed until the determined counterbalance weight 202 applied to the cable by the electrical motor and the actual applied weight 208 balances but in such a way that the counterbalance weight 202 is maintained at a constant value.

[0181] The other embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises, in addition to the acts illustrated with full lines and described above, the further acts illustrated by the dotted lines. This embodiment comprises a further act of providing 104 a weight of a patient 204 and an act of determining 102 a training load 206 to be exerted by the patient, wherein the training load 206 is determined by the difference between the provided weight of the patient 204 and the determined counterbalance weight 202.

[0182] FIG. 5 shows a gait trainer comprising a breaking arrangement 250. An adjustable braking force can be set by the braking arrangement 250.

[0183] The breaking arrangement 250 allows the position of the hoist system 10 in the ceiling rails 72 to be fixed. This is the case, when a maximum brake force is set.

[0184] The breaking arrangement 250 also allows a breaking force to be set to a level where the patient can move the hoist system 10 in the ceiling rails 72, and the system provides resistance in form of the breaking force.

[0185] This enables more complex training exercises to be performed including a wider set of movements by the patient.

[0186] The gait trainer comprises a first 73 and second ceiling rail 74 mounted parallel to each other and a third ceiling rail 75 connecting the first and the second ceiling rail and mounted slidingly in the first and second ceiling rials. The hoist system is mounted slidingly to the third ceiling rail 75.

[0187] The ceiling rails allow the hoist system to be moved freely in a plane parallel with a ceiling. This allows a wider set of exercises to be performed with the patient. Especially in connection with the above-mentioned motor and/or braking arrangement.

[0188] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the gait trainer comprising a weight sensor 40 and a fixed suspension 60. The fixed suspension 60 comprises force balancing means 62. The weight sensor 40 and the fixed suspension 60 are arranged side-mounted on the hoist system, such that the built-in height dimension of the gait trainer is reduced.

[0189] The fixed suspension holds the hoist system suspended. The fixed suspension comprises throughgoing holes in a rail mount and the hoist system and a peg. The peg is mounted in the throughgoing holes.

[0190] On one side of the hoist system a weight sensor is mounted. On another side of the hoist system a fixed suspension is provided. The fixed suspension comprises force balancing means, such that the total weight taken up by the fixed suspension and the weight sensor may be calculated from the measured weight on the weight sensor. The force balancing means comprises a peg around which the hoist system can rotate when the weight on the hoist system is increased.