Technical Area

The invention relates to an apparatus that prevents/transfers the exposure of musculoskeletal disorders, especially in the shoulder regions, of employees who work repetitively in lines of business such as production, assembly, distribution, and storage.

State of the Art

There are many operators/employees who do the same job repeatedly in sectors such as automotive, defense, machinery, logistics, agriculture, port management, shipyards, e-commerce warehouses, industrial cleaning sector. Intense and highly repetitive movements can cause various discomforts, especially in the shoulder areas of the operators / workers in question. This situation causes the formation of chronic occupational diseases and endanger occupational safety and worker health.

In the state of the art, various systems are being developed as a solution to the aforementioned problems. The working principle of these systems and the method of solving the problem in the technical field are different from each other. For example, the invention in the international patent application with the publication number WO 2018/073629 A1 is based on the principle of trying to compress the part working in the logic of a leaf spring with the movement of the human arm and thus getting a support that helps keep the arm in the air. However, in the solution set forth in this document, the system remains active all the time and users should be careful against unwanted actions while using the system, as they cannot deactivate the system. This situation creates risks in terms of occupational safety and worker health.

In patent applications with publication number WO 2017/201517 A1 and US 014/0158839 A1 , the supporting mechanism is located on the arm. Accordingly, the arm has to carry the mechanism in question and an extra burden is placed on the operator. This creates a negative situation for the operator.

Different types of mechanisms are discussed in the patent and patent application documents with the publication number US 10569413 B2, US 2020/0093676 A1 and US 2019/0254910 A1. The operation of these mechanisms depends on the movement of the arm and is based on the principle of support in the form of helping to keep the arm in the air. High efficiency cannot be obtained because it causes the user to spend extra effort.

As a result, due to the above-mentioned negativities and the inadequacy of the existing solutions on the subject, it was necessary to make an improvement in the relevant technical field.

Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to an arm supporting apparatus that meets the above- mentioned requirements, eliminates all disadvantages and brings some additional advantages. The invention is inspired by current situations and aims to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The main purpose of the invention is to develop a new support apparatus in order to protect the arm and shoulder health of the operators / workers and to prevent possible discomfort. Thanks to the spring in the apparatus structure of the invention and whose stiffness can be adjusted, the user is supported to keep his arm up.

Another aim of the invention is to obtain an arm support apparatus that can be deactivated when not in use, thus not creating an extra load on the user.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention and all its advantages will be understood more clearly thanks to the figures given below and the detailed explanation written with reference to these figures, and therefore the evaluation should be made by taking these figures and detailed explanation into account.

Figures to Help Understand the Invention

In Figure 1 , the general view of the upper part of the apparatus which is the subject of the invention is given. In Figure 2, the general view of the upper part of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, is given from a different angle.

In Figure 3, the general view of the lower part of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, is given from a different angle.

In Figure 4, the general view of the lower part of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, is given from a different angle.

In Figure 5, the general view of the lower part of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, is given from a different angle.

In Figure 6, the general view of the lower part of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, is given from a different angle.

In Figure 7, the general view of the cylinder is given.

In Figure 8, the general view of the cylinder and its associated components is given.

In Figure 9, the general view of the hardness screw is given.

Figure 10 gives the general view of the piston.

Figure 11 shows the general view of the cam.

In Figure 12, the view of the apparatus, which is the subject of the invention, on the user is given.

Description of Part References

S System

1 Mechanism box

2 Waist tie

3 Lever connection

4 Ball joint 5 Waist link spacer

6 Shoulder strap set

7 Mechanism connecting piece

8 Arm spacer

9 Cam

10 Small bows

11 Bearing

12 Pistons

13 Cylinder

14 Big bow

15 Hardness screw

16 Users

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the apparatus (S) which is the subject of the invention are explained only for a better understanding of the subject.

The invention relates to an apparatus (S) that provides arm support, which has the feature of preventing/transferring the exposure of musculoskeletal diseases, especially in the shoulder regions, of employees who work repetitively in lines of business such as production, assembly, distribution and warehousing. Said apparatus (S) includes a waist connection (2) suitable for the purpose of attaching to the waist of the user (16) and a double arm connection (3) suitable for the purpose of attaching to the arm of the user (16). At least one double mechanism box (1) is also in the structure of the apparatus (S) which is the subject of the invention, in order to keep the arm air. The mechanism boxes (1) are preferably two, one on the right and one on the left. Said mechanism box (1) is connected to the arm connection (3) with the arm spacer (8). In this sense, the arm spacer (8) is in the form of a spacer between the mechanism box (1) and the arm connection (3). There is an arm spacer (8) for each arm connection (3). There is a waist connection spacer (5) between the mechanism box (1) and the waist connection (2). The waist connection spacer (5) provides direct transmission of the movement. The mechanism box (1) is rigidly connected to the waist connection spacer (5) and at least one ball joint (4). The ball joint (4) allows free connection, allowing the movement of the arm and shoulder. When the user (16) wears the arm support apparatus (S), which is the subject of the invention, the parts that pass through the shoulder part and wrap the body of the user (16) from the front and back form the shoulder strap assembly (6). In this way, it is possible for the apparatus (S) to stand on the user (16).

In the invention, at least one mechanism connection piece (7) is used to connect the mechanism boxes (1) to each other. In this way, the connection of the mechanism boxes (1) on the right and left with each other is ensured.

The apparatus (S) which is the subject of the invention includes at least one cam (9) to transfer the angular movement of the arm to the lower part of the apparatus (S). The movement coming from the arm of the user(16) causes at least one bearing (11) at the bottom of the apparatus (S) to make a rotational movement. The bearing (11) makes a rotational movement by following the slot in the cam (9).

As a result of the rotational movement of the bearing (11), at least one piston (12) in the position of the moving part in a cylinder (13) is triggered. With the movement of the piston (12) in the cylinder (13), it is possible to compress and expand at least one large spring (14). The cylinder (13) and the mechanism box (1) are connected to each other by at least one small spring (10).

Said large spring (14) is located inside the cylinder (13). At least one hardness screw (15) is also included in the apparatus (S) in order to adjust the stiffness of the large spring (14). The hardness screw (15) is movable on the thread drilled into the cylinder (13).

In Figure 3, when the arm spacer (8) is rotated clockwise, the cam (9) contacts the bearing (11 ) part, forcing the large spring (14) to compress. In this way, it is supported to keep the arm of the user (16) in the air.

In Figure 4, the full equilibrium state is given. After this position, when the arm spacer (8) is rotated a little more clockwise, the cam (9) gets rid of the pressure force of the large spring (14)

In a situation as in Figure 5, the arm spacer (8) is free to move freely. When the lever spacer (8) is rotated counterclockwise again, the cam (9) comes into contact with the bearing (11 ) again, as the lever spacer (8) continues to move counterclockwise, after a certain period of time, it is counterclockwise to the small spring (10). it is freed from its strain in the directional direction and the apparatus (S) becomes again as given in Figure 3 . While the arm spacer (8) can move freely in the counterclockwise direction in its position in Figure 3, the clockwise cam (9) continues to rotate freely until it comes into contact with the bearing (11 ) and after the contact, the spring compresses and tries to prevent the movement of the arm..

The position of the stiffness screw (15) is important for adjusting the amount of pretension of the large spring (14). This position is adjusted by moving the threaded part inside the cylinder (13), so that the arm spacer (8) can be adjusted according to different stress levels in the clockwise movement. When the position of the hardness screw (15) is moved in the threaded part inside the cylinder (13), the cam (9) does not encounter any forcing force when it comes into contact with the bearing (9) in its least tight state, and thus the apparatus (S) is put in a passive state. This is important in terms of putting the apparatus (S) inactive when not in use.

In order to solve the existing problems in the technical field and to fulfill the mentioned objectives, the invention; It is an apparatus (S) that provides arm support in order to prevent/postpone the exposure of employees who work repetitively in business lines such as production, assembly, distribution, storage, especially in the shoulder regions, to muscle and / or skeletal diseases;

• a waist fastener (2) suitable for the purpose of attaching to the waist of the user (16),

• a double arm connection (3) suitable for the purpose of connecting to the user (16) arm,

• At least one double mechanism box (1 ), one on the right of the user (16) and one at the end of the user (16), configured in connection with the waist connection (2) and the arm connection (3) to ensure that the arm of the user (16) is kept air,

• at least one mechanism connecting piece (7) to connect the mechanism boxes (1 ) on the right and left side of the user (16),

• Shoulder strap set (6), which passes over the shoulder of the user (16) and wraps around the body of the user (16) from the front and back, • at least one cam (9) that transfers the angular movement of the arm to the lower part of the apparatus (S),

• at least one bearing (11 ) that provides the transmission of the movement by making a rotational movement by following the slot in the said cam (9), • at least one piston (12) which is in the position of a moving part in a cylinder

(13) as a result of the rotational movement of said bearing (11),

• It contains at least one large spring (14) that compresses and expands with the movement of the piston (12) in the cylinder (13), thereby supporting the user's (16) arm to stay in the air.