Electric rehabilitation treatment machine

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6500094
  • Patent Number
    6,500,094
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, November 20, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 31, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
An electric rehabilitation treatment machine. The machine includes a casing, a reduction mechanism and a transmission mechanism, a control motor to drive the reduction mechanism, left and right transmission mechanisms at both sides thereof to drag connecting rods to let a foot-pedal at a front end to move upwards and downwards, so that such movement enables a hand-plate to perform an interlaced movement with the feet pedal, so as to provide a rehabilitant with a complete exercise of the feet and hands.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The invention relates to a mechanism which can thoroughly rehabilitate the feet and hands of a human being.




2. Description of the Related Art




The structure of a conventional rehabilitation treatment machine is just aimed at a certain section of the body. For the example, in the case of a foot rehabilitation mechanism, a rehabilitant stands and treads on a pedal using his feet to apply a force. Relative to the rehabilitant, such a mechanism functions as a stairway provided for so treading upwards and downwards, so as to enable integral feet section including thighs cut and shanks to achieve the objective of receiving rehabilitation treatment. However, using such a mechanism, the rehabilitant must apply a force by himself to tread on the pedal. A rehabilitant having disabled or weaker feet may not be able to operate the mechanism by himself and consequently gets no benefit from such machine.




Further, there is another prior art device in the form of a treadmill which includes a movable footrest and handrails installed at both sides. A rehabilitant stands on such a moving footrest to perform a slow walking exercise, so as to achieve rehabilitation effect for his feet. Most prior art mechanisms permit the rehabilitant to take a standing posture so that he can stop for a rest after a period of treatment time. In terms of a product function, such devices fail to provide a complete rehabilitation effect. There is a need for another structure to overcome the foregoing shortcomings of conventional machines.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is therefore a major object of the present invention to let the rehabilitant perform exercise treatment of his or her feet under a sitting posture.




Another object of the present invention is to let hands and feet perform an interlaced motion simultaneously so as to provide a complete rehabilitation treatment.











A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of a reduction mechanism of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of a transmission mechanism of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is an operation illustration of a reduction mechanism of the present invention.





FIG. 5

is an operating procedure illustration of a transmission mechanism of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is an operating procedure illustration of a transmission mechanism of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




A speed reduction mechanism


2


and a transmission mechanism


3


are installed within a casing


1


which is formed by connecting a middle frame


11


, an upper frame


12


and a lower frame


13


, a shaft seat


14


is installed at central and end sections of the middle frame


11


to provide for setting up and fixing such reduction mechanism


2


, as shown in

FIGS. 4-6

.




In the reduction mechanism


2


, a motor


21


extends to connect with a pinion


22


which is engaged with a first gear


23


via a first chain


26


. A co-shaft pinion


24


is located at a side of the first gear


23


which engages with a second gear


25


via a second chain


261


. The second gear


25


is supported by a shaft seat


14


with a turning shaft


27


, and turning discs


28


are mounted at both ends of the turning shaft


27


, as shown in

FIGS. 2 and 4

.




Two identical transmission mechanisms


3


are placed at both sides of the reduction mechanism as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 3

. As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

, the first connecting rods


31


,


31


′ hingedly connect with the turning discs


28


, and are in turn, connected with second to fifth connecting rods


32


,


32


′;


33


,


33


′;


34


,


34


′;


35


,


35


′ consecutively, wherein the middle of the second connecting rods


32


,


32


′ and joints of fourth and fifth connecting rods


34


,


34


′;


35


,


35


′ have pivots. Foot pedals


36


,


36


′ are mounted at front pivot ends of the fifth connecting rods


35


,


35


′. Sixth and seventh connecting rods


37


,


37


′;


38


,


38


′ are extended backward from joints of the third and fourth connecting rods


33


,


33


′;


34


,


34


′, wherein the seventh connecting rods


38


,


38


′extend upward, such that motion is constrained by the upper frame


12


, and hand-plates


39


,


39


′ are pivotally installed on top ends thereof, as shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

. Hence, by means of the combination of foregoing elements, during the operation of the machine, the running motor


21


causes the reduction mechanism


2


to turn, from the pinion


22


via a first gear


23


, another pinion


24


, a second gear


25


to the co-shaft discs


28


. The first rods


31


,


31


′ connected to the discs


28


start operating at different setting-levels, one at the top and the other at the lowest position. Using linking operation of first through fifth rods


31


,


31


′;


32


,


32


′;


33


,


33


′;


34


,


34


′;


35


,


35


′, two pedals


36


,


36


′ on front ends will come to different levels, one at a higher position and the other at a lower position, i.e. such foot-pedals


36


,


36


′ are located at higher and lower positions respectively. Similarly, hand-plates


39


,


39


′ are connected to the top of sixth and seventh rods


37


,


37


′;


38


,


38


′ extending upward. When the pedal


36


comes to a high point, the plate


39


comes to lower point as shown in FIG.


6


. The whole mechanism permits an interlaced motion with higher and lower positions between foot-pedals


36


,


36


′ and hand-plates


39


,


39


″ to enable the rehabilitant's feet and hands to perform a continuous motion.




It should be understood that foregoing figures disclose mechanisms of the present invention. Some type of a sitting chair may be installed on the upper frame


12


of the casing


1


to enable the rehabilitant to perform movement for his feet and hands at a sitting posture. A control switch may be used for adjusting the motor speed of the motor


21


.



Claims
  • 1. An electrically powered rehabilitation treatment machine comprising:a casing; a speed reduction mechanism secured to the casing; a transmission mechanism linked to the speed reduction mechanism and pivotally connected to the casing; the casing comprising an upper frame, a middle frame and a lower frame, the middle frame comprises a pair of shaft seats; the speed reduction mechanism comprises an electric motor, the motor comprises a first pinion, the first pinion is engaged with the first gear via a first chain, the first gear comprises a second pinion on a side thereof, the second pinion is engaged to a second gear via a second chain, the second gear is supported on one of the shaft seats of the middle frame, the second gear comprises a turning shaft extended therethrough and a pair of turning discs are secured on respective ends of the turning shaft; the transmission mechanism comprises two series of connecting rods, each series of connecting rods comprising first, second, third, fourth and fifth connecting rods pivotally and sequentially connected to one another and the first connecting rods are each pivotally connected to respective ones of the turning discs, the second and the fourth connecting rods are hingedly connected to the middle frame of the casing; and a pair of foot pedals are each pivotally and respectively connected at open ends of the fifth connecting rods, a pair of sixth connecting rods are respectively and hingedly connected at connection points between the respective third and fourth connecting rods, open ends of the sixth connecting rods are respectively and hingedly connected to a pair of seventh connecting rods, and a pair of hand plates are hingedly and respectively connected to open ends of the seventh connecting rods.
  • 2. The electrically powered rehabilitation treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein motion of the seventh connecting rods is constrained by the upper frame of the casing.
  • 3. The electrically powered rehabilitation treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein when one of the foot pedals moves in an upward direction, the respectively linked one of the hand plates moves in a downward direction.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
4979733 Prud'Hon Dec 1990 A
5466213 Hogan et al. Nov 1995 A