Adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device

Abstract

An adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device, including a rotary member having a plurality of elongated and spaced apart elongated open-ended slots defined thereon; a mount selectively and movably positionable on a selected one of the slots of the rotary member to select an angular location of the mount. The mount includes a sliding member movably positionable along the selected slot to a selected radial location along the selected slot to select a radial location of the mount relative to the hub of the rotary member. The mount has a slide member configured to slidingly engage the slot and a movable plunger located on the slide member, wherein the plunger is movable to engage the slot so as to lock the position of the mount along the slot; and a patient engagement member connectable to the mount and movable with the mount.

Description

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of rehabilitation devices. More particularly, this disclosure relates to adjustable rehabilitation devices having improved connection and adjustability of patient engagement members.

BACKGROUND

Improvement is desired in the construction of adjustable rehabilitation and exercise devices. Adjustable rehabilitation and exercise devices having pedals on opposite sides and adjustably positionable relative to one another have been proposed. However, such designs require improvement due to the fact that the pedals tend to not remain securely mounted and detach, wobble and the like. In addition, it is desirable to provide for an adjustable rehabilitation or exercise device that is capable of providing both powered motion or user initiated motion without the need for separate devices.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the disclosure provides an adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device having improved structure for locating patient engagement members.

SUMMARY

The disclosure provides an adjustable rehabilitation and exercise devices.

In one aspect, an adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device includes a rotary member having a plurality of elongated and spaced apart elongated open-ended slots defined thereon; a mount selectively and movably positionable on a selected one of the slots of the rotary member to select an angular location of the mount.

The mount includes a sliding member movably positionable along the selected slot to a selected radial location along the selected slot to select a radial location of the mount relative to the hub of the rotary member.

The mount has a slide member configured to slidingly engage the slot and a movable plunger located on the slide member, wherein the plunger is movable to engage the slot so as to lock the position of the mount along the slot; and a patient engagement member connectable to the mount and movable with the mount.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages of the disclosure are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device according to the disclosure configured to have adjustably positionable patient engagement members.

FIGS. 2A-2E show a wheel system for adjustably positioning a patient engagement member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, there is shown an adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device 10 having patient engagement members, such as pedals 12 on opposite sides that are adjustably positionable relative to one another, but securely mounted according to the disclosure to provide a more secure mounting that avoids disconnection, wobbling and the like often experienced with prior devices.

The device 10 includes a rotary device such as a wheel 14 or flywheel or the like rotatably mounted such as by a hub to a frame 16 or other support. The pedal 12 is configured for interacting with a patient to be rehabilitated and may be configured for use with lower body extremities such as the feet, legs, or upper body extremities such as the hands, arms, and the like. For example, the pedal 12 may be a conventional bicycle pedal of the type having a foot support rotatably mounted onto an axle with bearings. The axle has exposed end threads for engaging a mount on the wheel 14 to locate the pedal on the wheel 14.

The wheel 14 may be configured to have both pedals 12 on opposite sides of a single wheel. However, a preferred construction, as seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B shows a pair of the wheels 14 spaced apart from one another but interconnected to a flywheel or the like.

The rehabilitation and exercise device 10 of FIGS. 1A-1B may take the form as depicted of a traditional exercise/rehabilitation device which is more or less non-portable and remains in a fixed location, such as a rehabilitation clinic or medical practice.

Alternatively, the device 10 may be configured to be smaller and more portable unit so that it is able to be easily transported to different locations at which rehabilitation or treatment is to be provided, such as a plurality of patient's homes, alternative care facilities or the like.

With reference to FIGS. 2A-2E, there is shown a wheel system 20 having a patient engagement member, such as a pedal adjustably mountable on a wheel 24 by an adjustable mount 26.

The wheel 24 is a disk configured to include a plurality of spaced apart elongated slots 24a formed on a front surface of the wheel 24 to receive the mount 26. The wheel 24 also includes a central mounting aperture 24b to provide a hub for rotatably mounting of the wheel 24 to the device 10. Material of the wheel 24 may be removed to provide openings 24c to provide aesthetics and for reducing the weight and the cost of the wheel 24.

The mount 26 includes a sliding member 26a configured to slidingly engage the slot 24a. The sliding member 26a includes a lever 26b located thereon for engaging a plunger 26c. The mount also includes a receiver 26d located on the sliding member 26c and configured to receive an axle of the pedal or other patient engagement member.

As seen in FIG. 2B, the slot 24a has an open end 24d and flared surfaces 24e that correspond to flared exterior surfaces 26e of lower portions of the sliding member 26a so that the sliding member 26a must be inserted from the open end 24d of the slot 24a and is retained within the slot 24a unless removed from the open end of the slot 24a.

With reference to FIG. 2D, the lever 26b may be raised to disengage the plunger 26c from frictional contact with a floor of the slot 24a. When the plunger 26c is disengaged from the floor of the slot 24a, the sliding member 26a may be moved along the slot to change its radial location on the wheel 24. When the sliding member 26a is at a desired radial location, the lever 26b may be operated to force and maintain the plunger 26c against the floor of the slot 24a and thereby lock the radial location of the sliding member 26a.

The mount 26 is configured to stably locate a pedal or other patient engagement member and eliminate wobble and the like associated with conventional devices. In addition, the mount 26 is also configured to advantageously enable substantially incremental adjustment of the position of the mount.

The mount 26 cooperates with the slot 24a to adjustably position the mount 26, and hence the pedal, relative to the hub of the wheel 24. Further, the availability of a plurality of slots 24a enables a user to select which slot 24a for installation of the mount 26. Thus, in combination, the mount 26 and the slots 24a enable radial and angular adjustment of the position of the pedal or other patient engagement member. When this manner of adjustment is used for both of the pedals on opposite sides of the device 10, it will be appreciated that the pedals, or other patient engagement members, may be adjustably positioned relative to one another angularly, with each pedal being radially adjustable relative to the hubs of the wheels.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure

Claims

1. An adjustable rehabilitation and exercise device, comprising: a rotary member having a plurality of elongated and spaced apart elongated open-ended slots defined thereon;a mount selectively and movably positionable on a selected one of the slots of the rotary member to select an angular location of the mount, the mount including a sliding member movably positionable along the selected slot to a selected radial location along the selected slot to select a radial location of the mount relative to the hub of the rotary member, the mount comprising a slide member configured to slidingly engage the slot and a movable plunger located on the slide member, wherein the plunger is movable to frictionally engage the slot so as to lock the position of the mount along the slot; anda patient engagement member connectable to the mount and movable with the mount.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the slots include flared surfaces to fittingly receive corresponding flared external surfaces of the sliding member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount further comprises a lever operatively associated with the plunger, the lever operable to move the plunger to selectively engage or disengage the plunger from the slot.