Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of fine motor skill development. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for facilitating fine motor skill improvement and rehabilitation, for use by example by persons with impaired fine motor skills.

Background of the Invention

Many persons with impaired fine motor skills, resulting from various impairments such as a stroke, an operation, and cerebral palsy, have weakness in their wrist and hand and have difficulty in managing many essential activities of daily living, for example putting on a shirt. Occupational therapists assist those with impaired fine motor skills to undergo specific therapeutic activities; however, these activities generally involve using both hands at the same time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for facilitating fine motor skill improvement and rehabilitation by encouraging use of only one hand during challenging activities.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. Summary of the Invention

A coupling element for facilitating fine motor skill improvement, comprises an upper body portion through which a raising force is transmittable; a lower body portion by which another coupling element is able to be suspended therefrom and which is configured with a base to assist the coupling element to be maintained in an upright position when the base is in contact with a horizontal underlying surface; and an opening delimited by at least a region of said upper body portion or lower body portion and into which a body portion of said another coupling element comprising said upper body portion, lower body portion, and opening is introducible, wherein said coupling element is rotationally balanced with respect to a corresponding substantially vertically oriented center line to ensure that the base, when said coupling element is suspended, will be assured of being at a bottom of said suspended coupling element even it was initially at an acute angle with respect to the underlying surface, due to a subsequent rotation of said suspended coupling element about its center of mass, to facilitate a one-handed intercoupling or decoupling operation with respect to said another coupling element.

In one aspect, the coupling element comprises a peripheral body that includes the upper body portion and lower body portion, for example wherein the lower body portion continuously extends from the upper body portion, and that delimits a central opening inwardly from said body into which the body portion of the another coupling element is introducible.

As referred to herein, an "upright position", such as a freestanding position, is a position at which the peripheral body is substantially vertically oriented.

In one aspect, the coupling element is configured with a slot formed at a specific peripheral length of the body, the body portion of the another coupling element being introducible through said slot to the central opening so as to encircle the peripheral body and to be loosely intercoupled with the coupling element in such a way that the coupling element and the another coupling element are irremovable from each other without removing the body portion of the another coupling element through said slot. The peripheral length of the slot is preferably greater than a thickness of the introducible body portion of the another coupling element.

In one aspect, the lower body portion is curved and the base is truncated at a bottom portion thereof to define a bottom planar surface which is contactable with the underlying surface.

In one aspect, a body portion at an opposite of the body portion with respect to the center line as the body portion that includes the slot is formed with one or more apertures to achieve rotational balance of the coupling element.

A chain comprising a plurality of serially intercoupled coupling elements is arranged such that a first of said coupling elements is intercoupled with a second coupling element located immediately thereabove.

A method for facilitating fine motor skill improvement using only one hand comprises the steps of providing a plurality of upright coupling elements, wherein each of said coupling elements comprises an upper body portion, a lower body portion, and an opening delimited by at least a region of said upper body portion or lower body portion; raising a first of said plurality of coupling elements; inserting a body portion of said first element through the opening of a second of said plurality of coupling elements until the body portion of said first element engages and is intercoupled with the upper body portion of said second element; applying an upward force to the upper body portion of said first element to raise said second element; applying a lateral force to the upper body portion of said first element so that said applied lateral force is transmitted to a body portion of said raised second element; and in response to said applied lateral force, selectively introducing the body portion of said second element through the opening of a third of said plurality of coupling elements until the body portion of said second element engages and is intercoupled with the upper body portion of said third element.

In one aspect, the method further comprises the steps of providing a reactive force to the third element, and applying a lateral force to the first and second elements until the second element is removed from the opening of the third element together with the first element which is intercoupled with the second element.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

^■ Figs. 1-7 are a front view of seven different embodiments, respectively, of a coupling element;

^■ Fig. 8 is a front view of a chain of a plurality of intercoupled coupling elements of Fig. 6;

^■ Fig. 9 is a flow chart of a method to decouple a plurality of intercoupled coupling elements;

^■ Figs. 10, 11, 11A-C and 12 are a front view of six different embodiments, respectively, of a coupling element;

^■ Fig. 13 is a front view of another embodiment of a chain of a plurality of intercoupled coupling elements;

^■ Fig. 14 is a front view of a stand used to hold a plurality of coupling elements in an upright position; and

^■ Fig. 15 is a perspective view of buinlung a 3-D array of composite arrangements, according to another embodiment.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Subjects using a kit comprising a plurality of substantially vertically oriented coupling elements are able to serially couple the elements one to another with only one hand and to thereby improve their fine motor skills. The fine motor skills are able to be further improved by use of a slightly or significantly differently configured coupling element that causes the difficulty level in coupling two elements together to be increased.

All of coupling elements are configured with an upper body portion and with a lower body portion, for engagement with another coupling element by a loosely coupled arrangement. The upper body portion is used for raising the given coupling element by another coupling element in coupling relation therewith and positioned thereabove. The lower body portion is used for allowing another coupling element loosely coupled with the given coupling element to be suspended therefrom. The coupling elements are preferably made of a lightweight plastic or elastomeric material, although a metallic material such as aluminum is also in the scope of the invention. The two or more intercoupled coupling elements may be identical, or may be differently configured.

Fig. 1 illustrates a coupling element 5 according to one embodiment. Coupling element 5 has a C- shaped peripheral body 2 of uniform thickness, or alternatively of varied thickness, which is configured with a circular periphery to define a central opening 4 positioned radially inwardly from peripheral body 2 and with a slot 3 formed at one circumferential length of body 2, at an intermediate side portion of the peripheral body. The circumferential, or peripheral, length of slot 3 is greater than the thickness of peripheral body 2 to allow a portion of the body of a second coupling element to be inserted through the slot. Slot 3 may be defined by two peripherally separated straight or curved surfaces formed in body 2.

While the second coupling element is positioned at an angle with respect to body 2, such as when the first and second coupling elements are vertically oriented and are substantially mutually perpendicular to each other, a lower portion of the body of the second coupling element is inserted through slot 3 towards central opening 4. After the lower body portion of the second coupling element is introduced into central opening 4, it encircles the peripheral body of the first coupling element, so that the first and second coupling elements will be loosely coupled together in such a way that they are irremovable from each other without removing the second coupling element from the slot of the first coupling element. When the first and second coupling elements are loosely coupled together, a body portion of each of the first and second coupling elements are in contact with each other, yet are each able to move. As the slot of the second coupling element is also located at a side portion of its peripheral body, a third coupling element may be coupled to the second coupling element in a similar fashion.

A one-handed coupling operation may be made possible when the first coupling element 5 is freestanding, or otherwise in an upright position, and both slot 3 and central opening 4 are vertically spaced from an underlying surface, to allow displacement of the second coupling element without interfering with the underlying surface. Although peripheral body 2 is circular, it is able to be freestanding on top of the underlying surface by being truncated at a bottom portion thereof to define a bottom planar surface 6. The thickness of peripheral body 2 is sufficiently great to allow first coupling element 5 to be stably freestanding without wobbling while planar surface 6 contacts the underlying surface.

An S-shaped coupling element 10 is illustrated in Fig. 2. A lower portion 7 of the S-shaped body, which may be truncated with planar surface 6, is insertable through the slot 8 of another similarly shaped coupling element, so that the two coupling elements will be loosely coupled together. Slot 8 is defined by the interspace between the terminal end of upper portion 11 of the S-shaped body and an intermediate portion 12. Lower portion 7 is displaced towards opening 9 of the other coupling element, which is located between upper portion 11 and intermediate portion 12, after being inserted through slot 8.

A triangular coupling element 15 is illustrated in Fig. 3. The body of coupling element 15 preferably defines an equilateral triangle, although other triangle configurations may also be provided. Slot 17 is formed in one of the sides 18 of the body. Body portion 16 in the vicinity of the upper apex constitutes at least a part of the upper body portion. Base 19 constitutes the lower body portion and also the bottom planar surface that allows coupling element 15 to be freestanding.

A square coupling element 20 is illustrated in Fig. 4. Slot 22 is formed in one of the sides 24 of the body.

Fig. 5 illustrates coupling element 25, which is configured with a closed and circular upper body portion 27 which encircles interior 28 and with an L-shaped lower body portion 29. A short linear spacer 31 extends downwardly from the lowermost region of upper body portion 27, and the long leg 37 of lower body portion 29 extends downwardly and obliquely from the bottom of spacer 31. The terminal end 34 of L-shaped lower body portion 29, which slightly protrudes upwardly from base 36 in hook-like fashion and is separated from a substantially vertically oriented long leg 37 by a distance greater than the thickness of upper body portion 27, is adapted to be inserted through the upper body interior 28 of a coupling element positioned therebelow and to engage the face of the upper body portion of the lower coupling element which is distant from long leg 37. Thus the lower coupling element, which may be freestanding above an underlying surface by the planar base 36, is able to be raised by an upper coupling element in coupling relation therewith by virtue of the engagement by the protruding terminal end 34.

In another embodiment, each coupling element is configured to be rotationally balanced despite the presence of a side slot, or any other opening formed in a body portion through which a portion of another coupling element is able to be introduced in order to be intercoupled. The ability of a coupling element to be rotationally balanced advantageously ensures that it will always be oriented in an identical fashion after being loosely coupled with another coupling element. Thus the planar surface will be assured of being at the bottom of a suspended coupling element even though the planar surface was initially at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal underlying surface, for example when being raised or when being loosely coupled with another coupling element, due to the subsequent rotation of the suspended coupling element about its center of mass. Since the planar surface of a suspended coupling element is assured of being substantially horizontal, the suspended coupling element can be easily returned to a freestanding position with relation to the underlying surface and then an upper coupling element can be decoupled from a lower coupling element, even during a one-handed operation. Also, another coupling element can be easily loosely coupled therewith since the slot, or any other suitable opening through which a suitable body portion is introduced in order to be intercoupled, is accessible to the subject performing an intercoupling operation.

As shown in Fig. 6, the peripheral body 31 of C-shaped coupling element 35, which is configured similarly to coupling element 5 of Fig. 1, is formed with a plurality of apertures 33. Without the formation of apertures 33, coupling element 35 would be rotationally imbalanced with respect to vertical centerline 38, generally passing through the center of mass of coupling element 35 and perpendicular to bottom planar surface 6. Due to the presence of side slot 3, the weight of the body portion of coupling element 35 located at the right side of centerline 38, which includes slot 3, would be less than the body portion located at the left side of centerline 38, and bottom planar surface 6 may remain at an angle with respect to the horizontal underlying surface after being initially oriented at that disposition. With the formation of a plurality of apertures 33, e.g. three apertures, all at the left side of centerline 38, the right side body portion and the left side body portion are afforded substantially the same weight, allowing coupling element 35 to be rotationally balanced. Thus bottom planar surface 6 will return to a substantially horizontal disposition, following rotation of body 31 about its center of mass, if surface 6 were initially positioned at an acute angle with respect to the underlying surface.

Alternatively, the thickness of the left side body portion may be reduced relative to the right side body portion so that the peripheral body will be rotationally balanced.

Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7, coupling element 45 is configured to be rotationally balanced by increasing the weight of the right side body portion 41 that includes side slot 43 relative to left side body portion 44. To increase the weight of the right side body portion 41, two appendages 47 delimiting side slot 43, which may be linearly shaped and mutually parallel, extend from a region near the inner edge 48 of the peripheral body and protrude outwardly from the outer edge 49 of the peripheral body. With the addition of the two appendages 47, the weight of right side body portion 41 is substantially equal to left side body portion 44 despite the presence of side slot 43.

Fig. 8 illustrates a chain 40 of a plurality of intercoupled coupling elements 35A-G arranged such that each coupling element is intercoupled with a coupling element located immediately thereabove. Coupling elements 35A, 35C, 35E and 35G are substantially parallel to each other, with the slot 3 of coupling elements 35A and 35C facing to the right according to the illustrated orientation and the slot of coupling elements 35E and 35G facing to the left. Coupling elements 35B, 35D, and 35F are substantially parallel to each other, while being substantially perpendicular to coupling elements 35A, 35C, 35E and 35G.

Chain 40 may be formed after all of coupling elements 35A-G are freestanding on top of underlying surface 42. While manipulating the coupling elements with only one hand, a coupling element 35G is held, such as when the index finger 46 is inserted through its central opening and another finger contacts the peripheral body for increased control, the lower body portion of coupling element 35G is inserted through the side slot of the freestanding coupling element 25F into the central opening of the latter, when coupling elements 35F and 35G are substantially vertically oriented and substantially perpendicular to each other. Accordingly, when index finger 46 subsequently applies an upward force to coupling element 35G, the lower body portion of coupling element 35G transmits the force to the upper body portion of coupling element 35F, causing the latter to be raised above underlying surface 42. Since coupling element 35F is rotationally balanced, its bottom planar surface will remain in a substantially horizontal disposition even after being raised and being slightly tilted. When coupling elements 35F-G are intercoupled and in a raised position, this procedure is sequentially repeated for coupling elements 35E, 35D, 35C, 35B and 35A.

In order to return all of the intercoupled coupling elements 35A-G to the freestanding position, this procedure is reversed with use of only one hand. That is, as illustrated additionally in Fig. 9, chain 40 is lowered in step 51 by applying a hand initiated force until the bottom planar surface of the lowermost coupling element 35A contacts underlying surface 42. Index finger 46 then selectively applies a lateral force onto uppermost coupling element 35G in step 53, causing the lateral force to be transmitted to the other intercoupled coupling elements so that coupling element 35B intercoupled with lowermost coupling element 35A will be removed in step 55 via slot 3 of coupling element 35A. A chain of coupling elements 35B-G remains. This procedure may be sequentially repeated in step 57 for the remaining intercoupled coupling elements until they are returned to the freestanding position, or, alternatively, an upward force is applied to the remaining intercoupled coupling elements in step 59 so that when an additional selective lateral force is applied, the present lowermost coupling element will become loosely coupled with a desired freestanding coupling element in step 61.

Fig. 10 illustrates a C-shaped coupling element 65 which is similar to coupling element 5 of Fig. 1, but formed with a concave seat 67, which is recessed from the inner edge 48 of the upper body portion at centerline 38. Concave seat 67 is used for securely positioning a coupling element which is intercoupled with coupling element 65.

Square coupling element 70 shown in Fig. 11, which is similar to coupling element 20 of Fig. 4, is configured with two concave seats 67, which are recessed from the inner edge of the upper and lower body portions, respectively, at the centerline between the right and left body portions. Figs. 11A-C illustrate three square coupling element 70A-C, respectively, which are variations of coupling element 70, but configured with a differently located slot through which another coupling element to be intercoupled is introduced. According to another embodiment, square coupling element 70 shown in Figs. 11 and 4 may be used to implement a 3-D array of composite arrangements. In this case, two square coupling elements 70 are put on top of each other, so as to obtain an array of standing elements. The standing elements are positioned on top of a surface, where at least a pair of elements are parallel to each other and form a bottom level, and the next level is placed on top of the preceding level, which rotating their orientation, as shown in Fig. 15. In order to facilitate access, the opening of each element is kept on a lateral side.

Triangular coupling element 75 shown in Fig. 12, which is similar to coupling element 15 of Fig. 3, is configured with a concave seat 67, which is recessed from the inner edge of the lower body portion, at the centerline between the right and left body portions. Another coupling element may be securely positioned at the inner edge of apex 16 of the upper body portion, and therefore a recessed seat is unnecessary.

It will be appreciated that the seat may be configured in other ways as well, such as by a notched configuration, for example a notch having straight walls.

Fig. 13 illustrates a chain 80 formed by a plurality of coupling elements 85. Each coupling element 85 comprises a C-shaped coupling element of Fig. 1 or Fig. 10 which is inscribed within, and integrally formed with, the square-shaped coupling element of Fig. 4. While some regions 87 radially outwardly from the circular periphery of the C-shaped coupling element have an empty space, one region 88 is solid to provide rotational balance by virtue of its increased weight relative to a region 87.

Each coupling element 25 of Fig. 5, when intercoupled in a chain, may be made to be rotationally balanced when the terminal end 34 of each of two adjacent mutually parallel coupling elements is positioned in opposite directions.

In one embodiment, as shown in Fig. 14, a stand 90 may be used to hold a plurality of coupling elements, e.g. coupling elements 5, in an upright, substantially vertical, position which facilitates the intercoupling with another coupling element, as described hereinabove. In the upright position, the slot of a coupling element may be positioned to the side of the coupling element, or at its bottom.

Stand 90 is configured with two spaced angled elements 94 positioned on top of underlying surface 42, which is generally horizontal, and with two laterally spaced horizontal bars 97 extending between the two angled elements 94. The rounded inner surface of a coupling element 5 is sized so that it will be able to be in engagement with the two bars 97 at the same time, yet there will be a sufficient clearance above the bars 97 and below the body portion of the coupling element to allow another coupling element to be introduced through the clearance and to lift the held coupling element above bars 97. It will be appreciated that any other coupling element described herein may be held by stand 90 in an upright position, in order to be intercoupled by another coupling element.

As may be appreciated by a review of the description hereinabove, the coupling elements are adapted to assist in improving fine motor skills by having to introduce a body portion of a first coupling element through the slot, or any other suitable opening, of a second coupling element so that the two coupling elements will be intercoupled. These motions are often difficult for those suffering from impaired fine motor skills.

In order to further improve fine motor skills, the difficulty level in coupling two elements together may be increased by changing the configuration of a coupling element in one or more of the following ways:

1. Reducing the width of the bottom planar surface of a coupling element, by which it is able to be stably freestanding on top of an underlying surface, to a dimension significantly less than 5 mm, e.g. 4 mm, will cause the freestanding coupling element to wobble to a certain extent and therefore will require the subject to perform the intercoupling operation more adroitly.

2. Reducing the width, or the peripheral length, of a slot, or of any other suitable opening, through which a body portion of another coupling element is introducible so that two coupling element will be intercoupled, to a dimension significantly less than 8 mm, e.g. 6 mm, will require the subject to introduce a body portion of the another coupling element more carefully such as with a firmer grip.

3. Providing a coupling element without a seat adapted to securely position an intercoupled element, or reducing the maximum depth of the seat to a maximum depth less than approximately 2 mm relative to the inner surface of the peripheral body, e.g. 1.5 mm, is more challenging to the subject as the intercoupled element will wobble to a certain extent during an intercoupling or decoupling operation.

4. Providing a coupling element that is rotationally imbalanced will result in the base, or the bottom surface, of a first coupling element that is the lowermost element of a chain not to be parallel with the underlying surface, thus increasing the difficulty in introducing a body portion of a second coupling element through the slot of the first coupling element, which slot is angularly spaced from the underlying surface by an acute angle.

5. Forming the slot adjacent to an upper or lower body portion, as shown in Figs. 11A-C, rather than in a central body portion.

6. Providing a protrusion extending slightly downwardly from the base that is adapted to be received in a complementary cavity, recess or groove formed in the underlying surface requires the subject to carefully and difficultly direct the protrusion so that the coupling element will be positioned in an upright position.

7. Providing a protrusion extending slightly upwardly from the underlying surface that is adapted to be received in a complementary cavity, recess or groove formed in the base of the coupling element requires the subject to carefully and difficultly direct the coupling element so that it will be positioned in an upright position.

8. Providing a planar base portion of a first coupling element with a cavity, recess or groove that is adapted to receive a planar or non-planar upper body portion of a second coupling element, so that the first and second coupling elements will be positioned in a stacked and abutting relationship. The difficulty level is considerably increased during attempts to form a chain with an additional coupling element, or to remove a coupling element from an existing chain, without disrupting this stacked relationship.

Negation of any of these changes will of course reduce the difficulty level.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without exceeding the scope of the claims.