Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-05
2001-04-17
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3733)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
C482S035000, C482S079000, C601S029000, C601S034000, C434S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217484
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for aiding in the rehabilitation of patients with weight bearing restrictions on one or both legs and more particularly to apparatus including a pair of raised platforms, one of which is stable and the other vertically movable in response to a downward force applied on the upper surface.
In the rehabilitation of patients having weight bearing restrictions on one or both legs, the apparatus conventionally used is the parallel bar structure having a fixed platform on which the patient may walk. The problem with this is that if, for example, there is a maximum tolerable load that should be placed on a leg currently there is no way by which the patient, the therapist or doctor can control the load and further injury may occur. Thus, very conservative therapy may result and this could prolong the rehabilitation process. In some cases, a leg weight exercising machine of the type wherein the patient sits and pushes his or her feet on pedals connected to weights by cables may be used. However, such apparatus is not completely effective since it does not promote the natural gait or stride of the patient. A search of the prior art did not locate anything believed to be relevant, the most relevant reference being U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,045 which shows a platform mounted on a pivot permitting walking motion or balancing by the user for purposes of kinesthetic diagnosis and rehabilitation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consequently, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus for aiding in the rehabilitation of patients having weight bearing restrictions on one or both legs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus including at least a pair of raised platforms on which a patient undergoing rehabilitation may walk, one foot being on each platform, at least one of the platforms being movable vertically and having a selected force applied upwardly.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for aiding in the rehabilitation of patients with weight bearing restrictions on either one or both legs, the apparatus including two pairs of elongated horizontal movable platforms, one platform of each pair being mounted for movement in a vertical plane, each movable platform being pushed upwardly by selected predetermined force and being pushed in a downward direction by a foot of the patient as the patient strides on either both movable platforms or one of the movable platforms and a fixed platform adjacent to each movable platform.
Accordingly, the present invention provides apparatus for use in rehabilitation of a patient with weight bearing restrictions on one or both legs, the apparatus including a first vertically movable horizontally elongated platform and a second platform which may be either vertically movable or fixed, the movable platform being connected to a mechanism which applies an upwardly directed preselected force thereto and as the patient walks with one foot on the movable platform and the other foot on either a similarly movable platform or a stable platform, the movable platform will descend if the patient places too great a weight load on the platform.
Preferably there are two side-by-side movable platforms and a fixed platform on the other side of each movable platform so that patients having weakness in either both legs or only one leg may walk in either direction. If both legs are involved in the rehabilitation then both movable platforms have individually preselected upward forces applied thereto.
The apparatus further includes conventional parallel bar handrails, there being one handrail associated with each pair of platforms preferably supported by the fixed platforms where such fixed platforms are utilized.
The mechanism which mounts each movable platform provides a fulcrum about which the platform may move, a weight being placed on one side of the fulcrum and the platform and thus the foot of the patient being on the other side. Preferably, the weight may be moved relatively to the fulcrum.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3747233 (1973-07-01), Berryman
patent: 5520596 (1996-05-01), Johnston
patent: 5575739 (1996-11-01), Piaget et al.
patent: 5586958 (1996-12-01), Little, Sr.
patent: 6077202 (2000-06-01), Gray
Harshman Edward J.
Ingram Gary L.
Donnelly Jerome W.
Miller & Martin LLP
Nguyen Tam
Ruderman Alan
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