(19)
(11) EP 3 441 055 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
07.10.2020 Bulletin 2020/41

(21) Application number: 18186907.4

(22) Date of filing: 01.08.2018
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
A61H 1/00(2006.01)
A47C 1/0355(2013.01)
A61H 1/02(2006.01)
A47C 1/032(2006.01)

(54)

A CHAIR-SHAPED SPINAL CORD TRACTION DEVICE

STUHLFÖRMIGE RÜCKENMARKTRAKTIONSVORRICHTUNG

DISPOSITIF DE TRACTION DE COLONNE VERTÉBRALE EN FORME DE CHAISE


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30) Priority: 08.08.2017 JP 2017153603

(43) Date of publication of application:
13.02.2019 Bulletin 2019/07

(73) Proprietor: Minato Medical Science Co., Ltd.
Osaka-shi, Osaka 532-0025 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • SAITO, Fumiaki
    Kobe-city, Hyogo 650-0047 (JP)
  • SAKURAI, Hiroki
    Kobe-city, Hyogo 650-0047 (JP)

(74) Representative: Pfenning, Meinig & Partner mbB 
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Joachimsthaler Straße 10-12
10719 Berlin
10719 Berlin (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
WO-A1-2009/009913
FR-A1- 2 529 456
WO-A2-2013/006845
US-A- 2 073 524
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    TECHNICAL FIELD



    [0001] This invention relates to a chair-shaped device for pulling spinal cord.

    BACKGROUND ART



    [0002] A conventional chair-shaped device for pulling spinal cord is disclosed in, for example, the prior art document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H6-233791, see FIG. 15).

    [0003] At the time of treatment, the backrest 52 is tilted rearward with the rotary shaft 51 below the seat as a fulcrum.

    [0004] Further, for example, a structure for suppressing the user's head from falling rearward is disclosed in the prior art document 2 (JP-A-2015-217231, see FIG. 16). By extending the actuator 53, the slide rail 56 is slid with the slide rail pulley 57 as a fulcrum. At the same time, the recliner 54 is turned forward with the recliner tilting fulcrum 55 as a fulcrum.

    [0005] However, in the configuration described in the above prior art document 1, when tilting the backrest 52 rearward, the head is rotated rearward and downward with the rotation shaft 51 as an axis.

    [0006] Therefore, the rearward movement of the position of the user's head becomes large, and there is a possibility that the user feels uneasy of unfairly falling rearward.

    [0007] Further, in the configuration described in the prior art document 2, it is less likely to give a user a fear of falling rearwards. However, since the slide rail 56 moves on the slide rail pulley 57, there is a problem that rattle and noise are generated. Also, the device described in this prior document 2 is for pulling the cervical vertebrae so that the movable range of the tilting is narrow.

    [0008] Since the movable range of tilting used for lumbar traction is larger than that of cervical vertebra traction, if the structure shown in this prior document 2 is used for traction of low back pain as it is, it is necessary to make the slide rail 56 considerably long and maintain considerable weight at the slide rail pulley part. Therefore, it becomes structurally unstable.

    [0009] Prior art document WO 2013/006845 A2 discloses a system for supporting a user such as a patient, the system comprising a chair with a seat, a frame and a lifting garment, wherein the chair is so constructed that as the seat moves towards a standing position, a rear portion of the seat remains substantially horizontally so that the user does not slide out of the seat.

    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION



    [0010] The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.

    [0011] In order to solve the above problem, in one embodiment, the chair-shaped device for pulling spinal cord has a seat for supporting a user's lower limb, a backrest for supporting the back and head of the user, a chair-like lying table on which the seat and the backrest are disposed so as to be movable, and a pantograph mechanism having a driving means and pairs of upper arms and lower arms, wherein a first upper arm of the pair of upper arms is attached to the chair-like lying table or is used as a part of the chair-like lying table, and an upper end of the backrest moves downward and a front end of the seat moves upward and forward when the pantograph mechanism expands in the horizontal direction and contracts in the vertical direction.

    [0012] With the chair-shaped spinal cord traction devices according to the independent claims of the present application, it is possible to suppress the rearward movement of the user's head at the time of towing the spinal cord, thereby eliminating the fear of the user.

    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



    [0013] To allow for more full understanding of the present invention, it will now be described by way of embodiment or example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

    FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention;

    FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the embodiment 2 of the present invention;

    FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to a example not being part of the present invention;

    FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the example 1 of the present invention;

    FIG. 5 is a view showing the movement of the lying table with different arm length and hinge position;

    FIG. 6 is a view showing other movement of the lying table with different arm length and hinge position;

    FIG. 7 is a view showing other movement of the lying table with different arm length and hinge position;

    FIG. 8 is a view showing other movement of the lying table with different arm length and hinge position;

    FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the example 2 of the present invention;

    FIG. 10 is a schematic view of other driving method of the same example;

    FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the example 3 not being part of the present invention;

    FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing orbit of the arm of the same example;

    FIG. 13 is a view showing other driving means of the same example;

    FIG. 14 is a view showing other driving means of the same example;

    FIG. 15 is a view showing chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the prior art;

    FIG. 16 is a view showing another chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the prior art.


    DETAILED DESCRIPTION


    Embodiment 1



    [0014] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The towing device shown in this embodiment comprises a seat 1 for supporting the user's lower limb, a backrest 2 for supporting the back and head of the user, a chair-like lying stand 3 and the pantograph mechanism 5. The seat 1 and the backrest 2 are disposed so as to be movable on the chair-like lying table 3. Further, the upper arm 4 of the pantograph mechanism 5 is attached in parallel with a part of the lying table 3.

    [0015] In the above configuration, when towing, the user's buttocks are placed on the seat 1. Further, the arms 17 are moved along the backrest 2 toward the user's head. As a result, the upper limb of the user can be towed in the direction of the head side, and the lumbar vertebra can be stretched. In this case, in order to eliminate the influence of gravity on the user's spinal cord as much as possible, it is necessary to tilt the backrest 2 to the vicinity of the horizontal position so that the upper body is laid down in advance.

    [0016] In the conventional technique, in order to incline the backrest 2 to the horizontal position, the backrest 2 was tilted rearward with the rotation axis near the waist as a fulcrum. On the contrary, in the chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to the present embodiment, the backrest 2 is attached to the upper arm 4 of the pantograph mechanism 5. The upper arm 4 and the lower arm 6 are connected by the hinge 7 and the upper end portion 8 of the backrest 2 is vertically moved up and down by changing the angle of the arms 4 and 6 with respect to the horizontal plane. With this structure, it is possible to reduce the rearward movement of the backrest 2 when the upper end 8 of the backrest 2 moves downward.

    [0017] Specifically, the first lower arm 6 and the second lower arm 10 are attached to the base part 9. And the first upper arm 4 is connected to the first lower arm 6 via a first hinge 7. Also, the second upper arm 11 is connected via the second hinge 12. An extendable arm (driving means) 13 is connected from the second hinge 12 to the first lower arm 6.

    [0018] In this configuration, by extending the extendable arm 13 (drive means), the pantograph mechanism 5 expands in the lateral direction and contracts in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 1b.

    [0019] As a result, the lying table 3 approaches the horizontal direction gradually. At this time, due to the action of the pantograph mechanism 5, the upper end portion 8 of the backrest 2 moves downward in a substantially vertical direction without much moving rearward.

    [0020] On the other hand, by contracting the extension arm 13 (driving means), the pantograph mechanism 5 gradually extends in the vertical direction, and the lying table 3 rises again in the vertical direction. As a result, it is possible for the user to board the device easily.

    [0021] In the above explanation, the first upper arm 4 is mounted parallel to the lying table 3, but since the lying table 3 is generally made of metal and has a strong structure, it itself can be used as the first upper arm instead.

    Embodiment 2



    [0022] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.2. The basic structure is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the pantograph mechanism 5 is realized by using the rail 15 and one side arm.

    [0023] Specifically, the upper end of the upper arm 4 is moved in the vertical direction along a rail 15 vertically disposed at the center of the pantograph mechanism. In this case, since there is no second hinge, one end of the driving means is attached to the rail 15. According to the present embodiment, even when the backrest 2 is in a substantially horizontal state, the second hinge and the like do not move rearward as compared with the first embodiment. As a result, an extra rear space is unnecessary.

    Example



    [0024] An example not being part of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The basic structure is the same as that of the first embodiment. The base part 9 also works as one of the lower arms. One end of the upper arm 11 is connected to the base 9. Then, by connecting the hinge 7 and the hinge 29 to the first upper arm 4, the upper end part 8 of the backrest 2 is vertically moved up and down.

    Example 1



    [0025] Hereinafter, a first example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The chair-shaped spinal cord traction device shown in this example has a chair-type lying table 3 on which a seat 1 and a backrest 2 are movably mounted. The lying table 3 is attached to a pantograph mechanism 5. The pantograph mechanism 5 includes a first lower arm 6, a first upper arm 4, a first hinge 7, a second lower arm 10, a second upper arm 11, and a second hinge 12. By the operation of the driving means 13, the position of the connecting portion of both the upper arms 4, 11 can be moved up and down.

    [0026] There is a case that it is difficult to control the movement of each arm with only one driving means. Therefore, by attaching the gears 20, 21 to the lower portion of the lower arms 6, 10, the movement of the lower arms 6, 10 is interlocked by engaging the gear 20 with the gear 21.

    [0027] In the above configuration, prior to treatment, the positions of the foot holding portion 14 and the seat 1 are set down so that the user can easily get on the device. Therefore, the apex portion of the pantograph mechanism 5 is moved to a high position so that the first upper arm 4 is nearly vertical. Specifically, by extending the extendable arm 13, the distance between the second hinge 12 and the first lower arm 6 is shortened. In this example, the lengths of all the arms are made equal, but it is possible to appropriately determine the arm length and the hinge position according to the orbit of the tilting operation (Figures 5 to 8).

    Example 2



    [0028] Hereinafter, a second example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9. The basic structure is the same as in example 1. The rail 15 is arranged at the center of the pantograph mechanism 5. The pantograph mechanism 5 is realized using only one side arm. Specifically, the upper end of the upper arm 4 is moved in the vertical direction along a rail 15 vertically placed at the center of the pantograph mechanism.

    [0029] In this case, the driving means uses the telescopic arm (driving means 13), but a motor driving having a ball screw, a trapezoidal screw, a belt, a chain or the like may be used instead. As an example, FIG. 10 shows a case where the ball screw 22 and the motor 23 are used.

    Example 3 not being part of the present invention



    [0030] Hereinafter, a third example not being part of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 11. The basic operation is the same as in example 1. The base part 9 is also used as the function of the second lower arm. The second upper arm 11 is connected to the base part 9. The hinge 7 and the hinge 29 are connected to the first upper arm. By changing the mounting angle of the lower arm 6 and the upper arm 11 in the hinges 7 and 29, the upper end portion 8 of the backrest 2 is vertically moved in a substantially vertical direction.

    [0031] As shown in FIG. 12, the positions of the hinges at the time before treatment are denoted by 7a1 and 29b1, and those at the time of treatment are denoted by 7a2 and 29b2. The lower end of the first lower arm 6 is located on the perpendicular bisector of the line connecting the points 7a1 and 7a2. Likewise, the lower end of the second upper arm 11 is located on the perpendicular bisector of the line connecting the point 29b1 and the point 29b2. The arm length can be determined in consideration of the orbit of the tilting motion.

    [0032] FIG. 13 shows the different drive means 13. The lower end portion of the second lower arm 10 of the pantograph mechanism 5 can be moved. One end of the driving means 13 is attached to the lower end portion of the second lower arm 10 in a state in which the angles of the second upper arm 11 and the second lower arm 10 are fixed. In this state, by extending and contracting the driving means 13, it is possible to move the pantograph 5 in the vertical direction. Therefore, when user's head moves downward, it rarely moves to the rear side.

    [0033] FIG. 14 shows one example of the arrangement of the driving means 13. The driving arm 24 is connected to the second upper arm 11 using a hinge 25. A roller 26 is provided at the lower end of the driving arm 24. The roller 26 is movable on the rail 27 in the front-rear direction.

    [0034] The driving means 13 connects the base part 9 and the lower ends of the driving arm 24. Due to expansion and contraction of the driving means 13, the driving arm 24 moves and the lying table 3 performs the tilting operation.

    [0035] A telescoping arm is used as an example of the driving means 13 in FIG. 14. However, since the roller 26 is linearly moved on the rail 27, a linear motion mechanism having, for example, a ball screw, a trapezoidal screw, a belt, a chain, etc. can be incorporated instead.


    Claims

    1. A chair-shaped spinal cord traction device comprising:

    a seat (1) for supporting a user's lower limb;

    a backrest (2) for supporting the back and head of the user;

    a chair-like lying table (3) on which the seat (1) and the backrest (2) are disposed so as to be movable on the chair-like lying table (3); and

    a pantograph mechanism (5) having a driving means (13) and a pair of upper arms (4,11) and a pair of lower arms (6,10),

    wherein a first upper arm (4) of the pair of upper arms (4, 11) is attached in parallel to the chair-like lying table (3) or is used as a part of the chair-like lying table (3), and

    an upper end (8) of the backrest (2) moves downward and a front end of the seat (1) moves upward and forward when the pantograph mechanism (5) expands in the horizontal direction and contracts in the vertical direction.


     
    2. The chair-shaped spinal cord traction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

    a base part (9) of the pantograph mechanism (5),

    wherein the base part (9) also works as one of the lower arms (6, 10).


     
    3. A chair-shaped spinal cord traction device comprising:

    a seat (1) for supporting an user's lower limb;

    a backrest (2) for supporting the back and head of the user;

    a chair-like lying table (3) on which the seat (1) and the backrest (2) are disposed so as to be movable;

    a pantograph mechanism (5) having a driving means (13) and a pair of an upper arm (4) and a lower arm (6);

    a base part (9) of the pantograph mechanism (5); and

    a rail (15) vertically arranged from the base part (9),

    wherein the upper arm (4) is attached to the chair-like lying table (3) or is used as a part of the chair-like lying table (3), and

    an upper end (8) of the backrest (2) moves downward and a front end of the seat (1) moves upward and forward when an upper end of the upper arm (4) or the chair-like lying table (3) being used as the upper arm (4) moves downward in a vertical direction along the rail (15).


     


    Ansprüche

    1. Stuhlförmige Rückenmarktraktionsvorrichtung, umfassend:

    einen Sitz (1) zum Stützen einer unteren Extremität eines Benutzers;

    eine Rückenlehne (2) zum Stützen des Rückens und Kopfes des Benutzers;

    einen stuhlähnlichen Liegetisch (3), auf dem der Sitz (1) und die Rückenlehne (2) angeordnet sind, um auf dem stuhlähnlichen Liegetisch (3) bewegbar zu sein; und

    einen Pantographmechanismus (5) mit einem Antriebsmittel (13) und einem Paar oberer Arme (4, 11) und einem Paar unterer Arme (6, 10),

    wobei ein erster oberer Arm (4) des Paares oberer Arme (4, 11) parallel zu dem stuhlähnlichen Liegetisch (3) angebracht ist oder als ein Teil des stuhlähnlichen Liegetischs (3) verwendet wird, und

    sich ein oberes Ende (8) der Rückenlehne (2) abwärts bewegt und sich ein vorderes Ende des Sitzes (1) aufwärts und vorwärts bewegt, wenn der Pantographmechanismus (5) in der horizontalen Richtung expandiert und in der vertikalen Richtung kontrahiert.


     
    2. Stuhlförmige Rückenmarktraktionsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend: ein Basisteil (9) des Pantographmechanismus (5),
    wobei das Basisteil (9) auch als einer der unteren Arme (6, 10) arbeitet.
     
    3. Stuhlförmige Rückenmarktraktionsvorrichtung, umfassend:

    einen Sitz (1) zum Stützen einer unteren Extremität eines Benutzers;

    eine Rückenlehne (2) zum Stützen des Rückens und Kopfes des Benutzers;

    einen stuhlähnlichen Liegetisch (3), auf dem der Sitz (1) und die Rückenlehne (2) angeordnet sind, um bewegbar zu sein;

    einen Pantographmechanismus (5) mit einem Antriebsmittel (13) und einem Paar von einem oberen Arm (4) und einem unteren Arm (6);

    ein Basisteil (9) des Pantographmechanismus (5); und

    eine Schiene (15), von dem Basisteil (9) vertikal angeordnet,

    wobei der obere Arm (4) an dem stuhlähnlichen Liegetisch (3) angebracht ist oder als ein Teil des stuhlähnlichen Liegetischs (3) verwendet wird, und

    sich ein oberes Ende (8) der Rückenlehne (2) abwärts bewegt und sich ein vorderes Ende des Sitzes (1) aufwärts und vorwärts bewegt, wenn sich ein oberes Ende des oberen Armes (4) oder der als der obere Arm (4) verwendete stuhlähnliche Liegetisch (3) in einer vertikalen Richtung entlang der Schiene (15) abwärts bewegt.


     


    Revendications

    1. Dispositif de traction de la colonne vertébrale en forme de chaise comprenant :

    un siège (1) pour supporter un membre inférieur d'un utilisateur ;

    un dossier (2) pour supporter le dos et la tête de l'utilisateur ;

    un plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) sur lequel le siège (1) et le dossier (2) sont disposés de manière à ce qu'ils puissent être déplacés sur le plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) ; et

    un mécanisme de pantographe (5) qui comporte un moyen d'entraînement (13) ainsi qu'une paire de bras supérieurs (4, 11) et qu'une paire de bras inférieurs (6, 10) ;

    dans lequel un premier bras supérieur (4) de la paire de bras supérieurs (4, 11) est fixé en parallèle au plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) ou est utilisé en tant que partie du plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) ; et

    une extrémité supérieure (8) du dossier (2) est déplacée vers le bas et une extrémité avant du siège (1) est déplacée vers le haut et vers l'avant lorsque le mécanisme de pantographe (5) est étendu dans la direction horizontale et est contracté dans la direction verticale.


     
    2. Dispositif de traction de la colonne vertébrale en forme de chaise selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre : une partie de base (9) du mécanisme de pantographe (5) ;
    dans lequel la partie de base (9) fonctionne également en tant que l'un des bras inférieurs (6, 10).
     
    3. Dispositif de traction de la colonne vertébrale en forme de chaise comprenant :

    un siège (1) pour supporter un membre inférieur d'un utilisateur ;

    un dossier (2) pour supporter le dos et la tête de l'utilisateur ;

    un plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) sur lequel le siège (1) et le dossier (2) sont disposés de manière à ce qu'ils puissent être déplacés ;

    un mécanisme de pantographe (5) qui comporte un moyen d'entraînement (13) et une paire qui est constituée par un bras supérieur (4) et par un bras inférieur (6) ;

    une partie de base (9) du mécanisme de pantographe (5) ; et

    un rail (15) qui est agencé verticalement par rapport à la partie de base (9) ;

    dans lequel le bras supérieur (4) est fixé au plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) ou est utilisé en tant que partie du plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3) ; et

    une extrémité supérieure (8) du dossier (2) est déplacée vers le bas et une extrémité avant du siège (1) est déplacée vers le haut et vers l'avant lorsqu'une extrémité supérieure du bras supérieur (4) ou le plateau en extension similaire à une chaise (3), étant utilisé en tant que bras supérieur (4), est déplacée vers le bas dans une direction verticale le long du rail (15).


     




    Drawing


























    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description