| Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise -> Monitor Keywords |
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Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exerciseRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Fluid Resistance, Confined Hydraulic Or Pneumatic ChamberApparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070142189, Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, and more particularly, to an exercise apparatus fitted to a lower limb of a user, capable of providing an adjustable hydraulic pressure to the joints of the moving lower limb by a specific hydraulic device, whereas the hydraulic pressure provided by the hydraulic device is adjustable by the use of a throttle valve of the hydraulic device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Generally, most of the movements of human upper limb are to enable a person to complete a certain operation for controlling one's ambient environment while the lower limb movements are to enable the person to move around. That is, different limb movements are structured specifically with respect to complete different human activities. Therefore, the feature of most human upper limb movements is that they are structured to complete an operation is free space, and on the other hand, most lower limb movements are structured with a stable connection to the ground. It is known that intense and repetitive activities usually are the cause of physical injuries involving damage to bones and/or muscle tissues. It is also known that healing physical injuries such as fractures, exposed to an active exercise with permissible weight bearing stress while controlling the movement of the joints relating to the exercise to move correctly and properly, often heal more predictably and more rapidly than fractures which are not exposed to any limb exercise. This is probably also true for preventing such physical injuries. [0003] It is known that muscles are strengthened and their mass increased by repetitive contraction of the muscles actively under tension. When the muscle contracts, however, it shortens, thereby causing joint motion via the connective tendons which can stress the ligaments connecting the bony joint segments. However, a passive exercise is contrary to the aforesaid active exercise, that muscles are exercised without the contraction thereof and thus can not train the relating joints to exercise by the contraction of muscles. Conventionally, resistance training increases muscle strength by putting the muscles against an external pressure while contracting actively and repetitively, such as a weight training using dumbbell, sand bag, elastic rope or other weighting equipments. Although, the external pressure of such resistance training can be adjusted by the instruction of a professional coach, it lacks the ability of providing integrated trainings, such as walking. Recently, there are equipment designed for providing isokinetic training that allows the athlete to develop maximal muscle contraction throughout a given range of the movement and develops strength at variable speeds, i.e. it can detect when a muscle is speeding up, and increases the load to slow it down again. Nevertheless, those currently available equipments for isokinetic training are all too bulky and can not simulate actual human movements for training relating muscles and joints under such actual human movement. It is noted that there is an idea of employing robotic arms as intellectual training tools. However, those specifically designed robotic arms are still under experiment and are not available for progressive training or household training. In addition, the training tools especially designed for lower limb exercise, such as treadmill, exercise bicycle, or stepper, are all to bulky and heavy to be carried around. [0004] The conventional lower limb exercises are either focused on excising knee joint or on ankle joint individually, which are not capable of exercising multiple joints relating to a lower limb movement, and are still employing traditional isotonic/isokinemic training mode while lacking a feedback mechanism for better controlling. Obviously, for the foregoing shortcomings, there is no available solution. [0005] Therefore, it is in need of an exercise apparatus fitted to a lower limb of a user, capable of providing an adjustable hydraulic pressure to the joints of the moving lower limb by a specific hydraulic device, whereas the hydraulic pressure provided by the hydraulic device is adjustable by the use of a throttle valve of the hydraulic device, and moreover, the apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, comparing to those of prior art, is capable of providing a multi-degree-of-freedom motion of active exercise that is portable, light-weight, and ease to maintain. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, capable of enabling the ankle and knee of a user to be exercised at the same time by a multi-degree-of-freedom motion of active exercise. [0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, adapted for exercising the ankle and knee of a user. [0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide an active exercise apparatus for joints, which can be adapted to exercise a user's joints no matter the user is lying, sitting or standing. Moreover, it can be adapted for matching the difficulties of a progressive training as required. [0009] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable hydraulic device with controllable throttle valve for exerting a pressure to the joints of the moving lower limb of a user so as to enabling the lower limb of the user to be exercised actively. [0010] It is further another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, capable of detecting and measuring the resistance exerting of a user's lower limb by the mechanical structure of the apparatus and then using the detection for adjusting the pressure of a hydraulic device by controlling the throttle valve of the hydraulic device automatically so as to exerting a fixed pressure upon the joints of the active moving lower limb. [0011] To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise, which comprises: a first supporting part; a second supporting part, rotatably connected to the first supporting part; and a hydraulic device, connected to the first and the second supporting parts respectively by the two ends thereof, for providing a hydraulic pressure to the first and the second supporting parts while the first supporting part is rotated about the second supporting part. [0012] Preferably, the first supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable frame and a supporting frame with adjustable length, having an end thereof connected to the rotatable frame; and the second supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable frame and a supporting frame with adjustable length, having an end thereof connected to the rotatable frame. [0013] Preferably, the first supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable frame and a supporting frame with adjustable length, having an end thereof connected to the rotatable frame; and the second supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable plate and a set of rolling wheel, connected to the rotatable plate and including at least a fixing device and at least a rolling wheel. [0014] Preferably, the hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube so as to adjust the magnitude of the hydraulic pressure provided by the hydraulic device. [0015] Preferably, a rotation angle detector is arranged between the first supporting part and the second support part for detecting an angle of rotation as the first supporting part is rotating about the second supporting part. Moreover, the hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube according to the angle of rotation detected by the rotation angle detector so as to maintain the hydraulic pressure provided by the hydraulic device at a specific magnitude while the first supporting part is rotating about the second supporting part. Moreover, the throttle valve is a solenoid valve. [0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, another apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise is provided, which comprises: a first supporting part; a second supporting part, rotatably connected to the first supporting part; a third supporting part, rotatably connected to the second supporting part; a first hydraulic device, connected to the first and the second supporting parts respectively by the two ends thereof, for providing a first hydraulic pressure to the first and the second supporting parts while the first supporting part is rotated about the second supporting part; and a second hydraulic device, connected to the second and the third supporting parts respectively by the two ends thereof, for providing a second hydraulic pressure to the second and the third supporting parts while the second supporting part is rotated about the third supporting part. [0017] Preferably, the first supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable frame and a supporting frame with adjustable length, having an end thereof connected to the rotatable frame; the second supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable frame and a supporting frame with adjustable length, having an end thereof connected to the rotatable frame; and the third supporting part is further comprised of a rotatable plate and a set of rolling wheel, connected to the rotatable plate and including at least a fixing device and at least a rolling wheel. [0018] Preferably, the first hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube so as to adjust the magnitude of the first hydraulic pressure provided by the first hydraulic device. [0019] Preferably, a first rotation angle detector is arranged between the first supporting part and the second support part for detecting a first angle of rotation as the first supporting part is rotating about the second supporting part. Moreover, the first hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube according to the first angle of rotation detected by the rotation angle detector so as to maintain the first hydraulic pressure provided by the first hydraulic device at a specific magnitude while the first supporting part is rotating about the second supporting part. Moreover, the throttle valve is a solenoid valve. [0020] Preferably, the second hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube so as to adjust the magnitude of the second hydraulic pressure provided by the second hydraulic device. [0021] Preferably, a second rotation angle detector is arranged between the second supporting part and the third support part for detecting a second angle of rotation as the second supporting part is rotating about the third supporting part. Moreover, the second hydraulic device further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic tube; at least a conversion valve, each used for connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic tube for controlling a liquid to flow therebetween; and a throttle valve, for controlling the flux of the liquid flowing in the hydraulic tube according to the second angle of rotation detected by the rotation angle detector so as to maintain the second hydraulic pressure provided by the second hydraulic device at a specific magnitude while the second supporting part is rotating about the third supporting part. Moreover, the throttle valve is a solenoid valve. Continue reading about Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise... Full patent description for Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise 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 Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method of manufacturing a weight plate for interlocking and weight adjustment Next Patent Application: Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus for multi-joint lower limb exercise patent info. 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