| Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method -> Monitor Keywords |
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Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and methodRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Fluid ResistanceAero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070197355, Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for physical exercise using air spring technology. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Exercise equipment, in general, is known in the art. Air springs are also known in the art. An air spring is an elastomeric bellows having end closures that allow for mounting on vehicles and industrial equipment. The bellows contains a fluid such as air, some other gas or a liquid, usually under pressure. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention is directed to physical therapy equipment based upon an air spring acting as a flexure joint, and methods of exercise utilizing the air spring. Using such a flexure joint will allow deflections in the range of nearly 90 degrees and a rotational deflection direction of a full 360 degrees. [0004] In one embodiment the exercise device is constructed from an air spring or referred to herein as a flexure joint device, a lever arm attached to an upper portion of the flexure joint device, a rigid unsprung frame member attached to a portion of the outer surface (lower side) of the flexure joint device to prevent motion of the portion of the flexure joint device attached to the rigid member when the lever arm is moved, and a human body engaging member attached to the lever arm, whereby the lever arm can be moved with resistance by the human body engaging member in any direction away from an in rest position of the lever arm. The resistance is adjustable and can be selectively controlled by the user by adjusting the pressure within the flexure joint device. [0005] Air springs or flexure joint devices suitable for use in this invention are commercially available from Companies such as the Firestone Industrial Products Company. This company calls such devices AIRSTROKE.RTM. actuators and AIRMOUNT.RTM. isolators. Although such devices are adapted to be used in pneumatic systems, they can be adapted to be used in hydraulic and aero-hydraulic systems. The elastomeric bladder is typically sandwiched between an upper and lower covers, which make the elastomeric bellows or bladder airtight. These covers are sometimes called by the industry bead plates. They can be designed with flanges as means for mounting to brackets or solid surfaces. In the present invention, it is anticipated that the air springs assembly be adapted with means to attach its bottom to a solid platform, floor or other surface such as a table (rigid unsprung frame member described above); and the upper part be adapted with means for engaging a lever arm as described above. Typically, the upper part includes an inlet port for the air or hydraulic fluid medium. [0006] The human body engaging member can be a hand grip, a foot-engaging member, such as a foot pad or any other body engaging member. The hand grip can be a T-bar configuration or cross-shaped along the lever arm containing two hand grips. The body-engaging member can be secured/strapped to work out specific body parts and allow work-out while pushing or pulling against the air spring assembly. [0007] The human body-engaging member can be resilient or gyroscopic. The gyroscopic hand or foot feature interfaces to reduce strain and transmit force with natural body movements. [0008] The exercise device preferably contains pressure-regulating means for adjusting pressure in the flexure joint device. This is usually done by those skilled in the art by the use of a regulating valve and relief valve. The fluid medium filling the flexure joint device can be air for pneumatic control or hydraulic fluid for hydraulic control or other similar fluid media suitable for using under pressure and suitable for varying by the use of regulators/valves, including the combination of air and hydraulic components/features. [0009] The base member of the flexure joint device can be mounted on a vertical surface. In this embodiment, the mounting can be on a wall, a post or on a frame system that allows for height (vertical) adjustment or lateral adjustment and/or combinations of such adjustment to suit the height of the person using the equipment and/or the standing position on a floor or platform of the user, as well as the part of the body engaging member being exercised. Such adjustments can also accommodate persons in wheelchairs, sitting, standing, lying down on side or back. The apparatus can be mounted to hospital beds, home beds, wheelchairs and home furniture. [0010] In the above description and as further described below, the flexure joint device provides a great advantage in allowing for exercise motion in any direction, including performing rotational actions, side to front, front to side, up and down, inward, etc. For example, the apparatus could incorporate both linear and flexure joint movement to simulate human movement. This would help with occupational therapy such as lifting a box over your head. [0011] Such adjustable means are known in the art. For example, the flexure joint device and its lever arm can moved along a track and tightened when moved to a desired location or located with a quick-release pin type system where pins are inserted in apertures or friction lock tubing. It is preferred that the equipment's flexure joint device be designed such that a user can adjust the resistance of the apparatus by adjusting the pressure. A gauge can be provided and connected to the pressurizing lines, with a user friendly interface indicating levels of resistance as is the case with many aerobic exercise machines today. The gauge can be located so to be in plain view of the user. The resistance adjustment controls should also be located so as to be readily adjusted by the user of the equipment. The levels can be visualized digitally or by a needle scale type of arrangement. User interface can include a computer interface so a physical therapist or other attendant, for example, can control the workout program. For example, air springs could have pressure transducers, electronic pressure regulator, and rotational flexure transducers to interface with a computer. This would allow real-time monitoring of the air spring pressure, deflection direction, and amount of deflection. Amount of force exerted on the apparatus could also be determined by the air spring pressure differential produced when the air spring deflects and compresses the air. Mechanical stops could be used to limit the travel of the flexure member so that the patient's range of motion would be controlled so as not to re-injure or aggravate an injury. A computer rehabilitation program could be used by the physical therapist or other attendant to monitor and/or modify the characteristics of the flexure member. [0012] The exercise device can have a bicycle type pedal mounted on the lever arm. In this embodiment, the lever arm can be resistance adjusted through the flexure joint device and the pedals can also have means for adjusting the peddling resistance. In this embodiment, the present invention becomes two exercising devices for exercising both arms and/or both legs. Seating means are provided either independent of the invention so the bicycle embodiment can be used or the bottom of the flexure joint device can be mounted on a surface common to the mounting of the seat means. Effectively, the user sits on a bicycle-like seat and is able to exercise by peddling while at the same time moving the arm with typically two hand grips inward and outward. Of course, the individual features can be used separately. That is, the legs can be exercised by the peddling action and the arms can be exercised by the flexure of the flexure joint device, combination or individually. In addition, in the bicycle-like seat embodiment or when a person is in a wheelchair, the person can pull up and lift his body of the seat/chair using the flexure apparatus, lean forward, left and right, against the flexure apparatus, and push and pull on the apparatus for exercising. [0013] In another embodiment, legs and hips could be exercised by a stair stepping action provided by the invention. [0014] In another embodiment, the T-bar or generally T-shaped hand grips can themselves be adapted to include a flexure joint device. In this case the rigid frame member may be a relative long frame member extending from a wall or floor or it may be a very short base member attached to a table top surface or the like or the wall. This embodiment is great for exercising the shoulders, forearms, wrists and hands. [0015] Another embodiment is the use of two side by side flexure joint devices, each having on its top a generally planar and elongate foot standing surface that extends a pre-determined lever arm distance (for example, 12 to 24 inches away from the flexure joint device), and each generally parallel to each other. A person can stand on each lever arm and use the apparatus as a step exerciser. It is preferable if handrails for balance be available to the user. [0016] The combination can have a foot positioning surface for exercise of the feet and legs and to ensure that a person's foot does not slide off the surface. These surface forms are typical of stair stepping exercise equipment used in gyms. [0017] In other embodiments, the flexure apparatus can be configured so that the bottom of an air spring is mounted to the floor or stationary base and a small platform is mounted to the top of the air spring. This would be used to help with balancing and will strengthen hip flexors. Air pressure would be regulated so that higher air pressure stiffens the platform and limits range-of-motion and the opposite for lower air pressures. A safety hand rail should preferably be built around the balancing plate. [0018] Further, specific flexure devices can be configured for activities such as: arm wrestling, strengthening baseball and football throwing arms, strengthening all joints, recovery from operations such as knee or elbow surgery, tendonitis, tennis elbow, and similar conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective conceptual view of one embodiment of the present invention with the lever arm in use; [0020] FIG. 2 is a conceptual depiction of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a peddle assembly being used; Continue reading about Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method... Full patent description for Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Exercise device Next Patent Application: Multifunctional portable pneumatic exercise device Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method patent info. 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