US3503387A - Physical therapy device - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1970 J. S. MCALLISTER 3,503,387

PHYSICAL THERAPY DEVICE Filed Aug. 21. 1967 JAM/r .5 Me 414/575? fif/kenaevc United States Patent 3,503,387 PHYSICAL THERAPY DEVICE Jack S. McAllister, 467 73rd St., Centerville, II]. 62206 Filed Aug. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 661,919 Int. Cl. A61h 1/00 U.S. Cl. 12825 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable speed motor turns a wheel by frictional force (friction drive or clutch), Cranks on either side of the wheel are connected to the axle of the wheel. A pedal with a foot bracket is mounted on each of the cranks. A frame, mounted on a base of the device has on it a seat and a body support positioned above the wheel. The body support embraces the body of the user, has two openings through which the legs of the user extend, and has a peripheral rail around its top.

The device provides exercise and/or stimulation for the legs of the user, and is especially designed for those persons who have little or no use of their legs, such as victims of multiple sclerosis or some afiliction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a self-driven leg exerciser for providing exercise and stimulation to the users legs. It has special utility in connection with persons who have little or no use of their legs.

Many persons have for various reasons lost or never had use of their legs, or they have very little use of their legs. There is presently a great need for some way to give these persons legs some mild exercise and/or stimulation. It is a commonly known fact that lack of use of a limb tends to make that limb weaker, and thus makes use of the limb more difficult if not impossible after extended periods of disuse.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which will alleviate to some degree the problem of providing exercise and/ or stimulation to persons with little or no use of their legs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means by which the speed of the exercising of the legs can be adjusted so as to allow for differences in need and capabilities of the users.

Another object of this invention is to provide a body support for the user to both support the user and to keep the user from falling from the seat of the device.

Still another object is to provide such a device which is safe in operation.

Other objects will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, generally stated, a physical therapy device is provided in the form of pedals power driven through a friction coupling, the power means being adapted to drive the pedals at any selected speed within a wide range of speeds, and a body support mounted above the pedals and adapted to embrace the torso of a user to provide support for the user. In the preferred embodiment, the pedals are connected to the axle of a large wheel, and the body support has a pair of openings to admit the legs of the user and to permit the feet of the user to reach the pedals through the full travel of the pedals, and a peripheral rail as well as a body-embracing intermediate wall.

"Ice

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of one illustrative embodiment of physical therapy device of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device of FIG- URES 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing for one illustrative example of physical therapy device of the invention, reference numeral 1 indicates a base on which is mounted an electric motor 30. A drive cylinder 31 is mounted on the rotor shaft of the motor 30. The drive cylinder 31 engages frictionally a wheel 21 which is mounted on an axle 24. The axle 24 is journaled for rotation in bearings mounted on a fork 20. Fork 20 is connected to, supported by and extends downwardly from a bar 6, part of a frame 2. The frame 2 includes a vertical rear post 5 mounted at its lower end to the base 1 and, in the embodiment shown, integral at its upper end with the bar 6 which is parallel to the base; a forward cross-bar 7 with two rearwardly extending side arms 8 and 9, one at either end of the bar 7, the bar 6 being secured to the center of the span of the forward cross-bar 7 between the side arms 8 and 9, and vertical forward posts 3 and 4, mounted at their lower ends on the base and integral at their upper ends with the side arms 8 and 9 respectively. A seat 10 is securely mounted on top of the bar 6. A body support 11 is mounted on and extends upwardly from the seat 10. The body support 11 is somewhat basket shaped, with a bottom wall 15 and side wall 16 integral with the bottom wall. The side wall is roughly rectangular in cross section; with well rounded corners. At the two front corners of the body support 11 are openings 12 cut from the side and bottom walls, through which a persons legs fit easily when the person is seated on seat 10. A strap 14, integral with the side and bottom walls of the body support, is left intermediate the openings 12. A peripheral rail 13 extends around the upper edge of the support, which permits a person to either place his hands or arms on or over the rail 13 for support or to keep his hands and arms within the bounds of the rail 13. If the side wall of the body support were less all-embracing, the rail 13 would function to keep the person from falling from seat 10 by acting as a guard rail. As it is, the side wall gives rather complete support to the body.

On each end of axle 24 is a pedal 22. On each pedal 22 is a foot brace 23. Each of the foot braces 23 has a set of straps, not here shown, which holds a persons foot in position in the foot brace while one is using the device.

Mounted on the base 1 is a rheostat 40 which has a lever 41 by which to adjust the rheostat. The rheostat lever 41 is held in any given position by a wing nut 42 on a bolt 43.

Bolt 43 is mounted on the base 1 and extends through a hole in the rheostat lever 41. The wing nut 42 is threadedly mounted on the upper end of the bolt 43. By turning the nut 42 the rheostat lever 41 is pushed down or allowed to raise up depending on which direction the nut 42 is turned, and the nut 42 then holds rheostat lever 41 in the same position until the nut 42 is turned again. The rheostat 40 is electrically connected to the motor 30, which is of the variable speed type exemplified by the usual sewing machine motor, by electrical cord 32. The rheostat 40 also has an electrical cord 44 adapted to be plugged into an electric outlet.

In operation, the rheostat is first adjusted to provide the desired speed of the motor 30. A patient-user either mounts or is lifted into the body support 11 and his feet are connected to the pedals. The motor 30 is then energized to drive the wheel 21, hence the pedals 22, moving the legs of the user. The speed of the Wheel can be increased or decreased at will. An on-off switch for the motor can be provided at a place at which the user can readily use it, and another where a supervisor can use it, for safety.

The friction coupling between the wheel and the motor is also a safety feature, because if, by mischance, the users foot should be wedged between the pedal and the fork, for example, the drive cylinder will begin to slip on the Wheel. A friction disk clutch can be used to the same effect, but not as simply.

Numerous variations in the construction of the device of this invention within the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. For example, the body support 11 may be constituted by a plurality of bars which support a guard rail and are attached to the structure frame, the seat, or the base. A body support can be provided without the peripheral rail. The pedals can be similarly disposed, with respect to the wheel, so that the legs of the user are raised and lowered together. The speed of the pedals can be varied during the course of a cycle. A cam, coordinated with the wheel, can be used to vary the speed of the pedals during the course of a cycle by moving the rheostat lever, for example, if it were desirable to raise or lower the legs more quickly or to provide a rest-permitting dwell time during the cycle, or to break the monotony of a constant speed. These variations are merely illustrative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A physical therapy device comprising pedals, an electric motor connected to drive said pedals through a friction coupling adapted to limit uniformly the force which said power means is able to exert on said pedals, and a body support positioned above said pedals at a plate to support the body of a user with the feet of the user on said pedals, said body support comprising a seat por- 3 tion, a body. encircling side wall extending from said seat References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,261,355 11/1941 Flynn l2825 2,498,047 2/1950 Myers.

2,648,330 8/1953 Clark 128-25 2,663,376 12/1953 Curley 12825 XR LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner

Images