Exercise devices – Gymnastic
Utility Patent
1999-09-24
2001-01-02
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Gymnastic
C482S041000, C482S042000
Utility Patent
active
06168548
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of physical therapy, and more specifically to a physical therapy device for assisting persons requiring therapy in walking. The present therapy device includes all of the basic necessary components for such a device (e. g., adjustable hand rails, a solid walking surface, etc.), and is also foldable for ease of storage and portability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern medicine has become more aware of the need to provide recovering patients with physical exercise and therapy as soon as is safely possible after an injury, illness, or surgery. The first steps, so to speak, in such an exercise program must be conducted very carefully and with due regard for the weakness of the patient and the need for assistance. In other words, the patient (and therapy program) must “walk before he can run.”
Simple walking is one of the best therapeutic exercises possible for a person who is capable of such to at least a limited extent, and accordingly, various ambulatory therapy devices have been developed in the past. Most such devices are relatively bulky, heavy, and complex, with the devices requiring an essentially permanent installation due to their lack of folding capability for storage. While some folding devices have been developed in the past, they generally lack one or more important features which are needed in such ambulatory therapy devices.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a portable ambulatory therapy device for assisting patients who require ambulatory physical therapy after an injury, illness, or other infirmity. The present therapy device provides all of the basic requirements for such a device, including a firm and solid walking surface and adjustable height hand rails. In addition, the present ambulatory therapy device also provides portability, by means of the folding action of the walking surface and hand rails. The present therapy device is extremely easy to deploy and use, and also to fold and store as needed. Rollers are provided along opposite ends of the ramp or walking surface, to allow the inclined edges of the surface to roll freely during the folding or unfolding operation, and additional folding wheels are provided to allow the folded assembly to be moved easily to a storage area as desired.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,789 issued on Oct. 5, 1954 to Lucian J. Zadrozny, titled “Parallel Bar,” describes a set of vertically adjustable bars supported upon a series of telescoping columns. The columns, however, are permanently affixed to the underlying structure, rather than foldably extending upwardly from an underlying portable and folding ramp or walkway, as in the present therapy device. As the Zadrozny bars are affixed to the underlying permanent floor, he does not provide any means of folding the bars centrally, nor is there any motivation to provide such folding action for the bars, as there is in the case of the present device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,915 issued on Feb. 3, 1959 to Joseph L. Hogan, titled “Orthopedic Device,” describes an overhead rack arrangement with a motorized track. The track pulls a depending harness therealong, with a patient being partially suspended in the harness so as to relieve at least some of the weight on the patient's legs during ambulatory therapy. While the rack is vertically adjustable, no means is provided for folding the device longitudinally, as provided by the present portable ambulatory therapy device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,233 issued on Jul. 24, 1973 to Carlene Berryman, titled “Therapeutic Walking Apparatus,” describes a longitudinally folding walkway to which hand rails may be secured. However, the hand rails must be assembled and disassembled by means of threaded connectors, rather than merely folding by releasing a locking pin at the base, as in the case of the present therapy device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,000 issued on Feb. 20, 1990 to Robert D. Starks et al., titled “Toddler Walking Trainer,” describes a device having two opposed, rigid, telescoping hand rails, with the rails being supported by columns which are in turn supported by a pair of cross braces which pass beneath a resilient mat. The rigid cross braces are required due to the resiliency of the mat material. While the assembly may be disassembled, no folding action is provided for the two hand rails, nor is any folding described specifically for the resilient mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,092 issued on Jan. 29, 1991 to Travis Trout, titled “Break-Down Therapeutic Walker With Foot Separator,” describes a relatively complex device having a center divider requiring the feet of the user to remain laterally separated, as well as end panels and rails to keep a user of the device within the lateral confines of the rails. The Trout device may be folded, but requires considerable disassembly to do so, by removing the lateral rails and separating their telescoping sections (rather than merely folding them with the walkway, as in the present invention), removing the center foot divider, folding the end panels and vertical supports against the walkway, and finally folding the walkway portions together. The present ambulatory therapy device is considerably simpler to fold and store, by means of the simultaneous folding of the hand rails and walkway portions and the rollers and wheels provided for the walkway portion for ease of movement over the floor for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. D-246,036 issued on Oct. 11, 1977 to Morton I. Thomas, titled “Folding Walker,” illustrates a design for a four legged stand type walker. No underlying walkway is provided, as the device is intended for use in walking from one place to another, by being alternately picked up, moved forward, and used for support as the weight of the user is transferred thereto.
Finally, French Patent Publication No. 563,936 published on Dec. 17, 1923 illustrates an ambulatory therapy device which folds laterally, rather than longitudinally, as in the case of the present therapy device. The device of the French Patent Publication includes a folding seat or bench and a folding waist support which slides along the continuous lateral rails of the device. The rails are closed at each end by a folding mechanism, with the waist support being removed, the seat being folded, and the floor being lifted upwardly along one edge to allow the folding mechanism to close the two hand rails together. No wheels or rollers are apparent for ease of transport of the apparatus of the French Patent Publication, whereas the present therapeutic device includes such wheels and rollers for ease of folding, unfolding, and movement of the device for use or storage.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a portable ambulatory therapy device for assisting persons recovering from physical infirmities in recovering their ability to walk, and related ambulatory therapy. The present device comprises a walkway or ramp area, which may be formed of relatively heavy and durable materials in the manner of conventional hardwood flooring, i. e., with a plywood subfloor and a hardwood sheathing overlay. Portability is provided by rollers and folding wheels at each end of the walkway. The walkway is hinged in the center, with the rollers allowing each end of the walkway to roll easily across the underlying surface as the center is lifted for folding; handles are provided for lifting the walkway center. The folding wheels are used for transporting the folded assembly for storage or movement as desired. The hand rails also fold in the center, and fold close to the folded walkway surface when the assembly is folded for storage or transport. The supports for the hand rails each comprise telescoping members to provide height adjustment for the hand rails.
F
Donnelly Jerome W.
Litton Richard C.
Pothier Denise
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