Patent Application
20230158367
The present invention relates generally to devices for physical training and rehabilitation. More particularly the present invention relates to a device that controls multiple motions and ranges of motions for the purposes of physical training and/or rehabilitation of a body part or joints of the body part.
After many types of injuries, physical therapy is required to restore an injured member to previous capability. Commonly, various exercise devices or activities may be used by the therapist to achieve this restored functionality.
Shoulder injuries and other joint injuries are common injuries treated by therapy. For example, the shoulder joint is very complex and subject to a number of motions, actions, and activities that can cause injury. Because of the complexity of the shoulder and its myriad movements, rehabilitation in a controlled, isolated, and specific manner can often be quite difficult. Other joints have similar complexities relating to rehabilitation and isolation of certain motions. Further, when rehabilitating the shoulder, specific limited movement ranges are generally desired. However, existing treatments at best only estimate these movement ranges.
Therefore, what is needed is a limb rehabilitation device that can specifically control movement ranges in a number of different movement direction with variable to little to no friction.
The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.
In one aspect, a device for guided body part movement is provided. The device has a board and a base, the base being movable relative to the board. Further, the base has a plurality of magnets such as electromagnets which are operable to have a same polarity as a polarity of the magnet such that the magnet is repelled from at least one of the plurality of electromagnets to levitate the base from the board, the plurality of electromagnets positioned along the board to define a movement path of the base that replicates a body motion.
In another aspect, a method of rehabilitation of a body part is provided. The method involves positioning the body part on a movement base. This movement base is movable along a board of a training device. The device further includes a plurality of magnets such as electromagnets positioned on the board, and a computer controller. The computer controller is operable, upon receipt of an input, to case the movement base to levitate off a surface of the board using the plurality of electromagnets positioned on the board and a magnet on the movement base. The method further involves moving the movement base along a plane parallel to the board while the movement base is levitating off the surface of the board, and in turn moving the body part so as to train and/or rehabilitate the body part.
In various aspects, the base may be movable on a board about a limb's axis or joint's axis of rotation, and/or movement above and/or below the involved joint.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
Generally, the present invention concerns a board that allows controlled and customizable ranges of motion of a limb along a top surface of the board utilizing magnetic levitation of a support base above the board to reduce friction. The present disclosure results in a device which allows the magnetically managed reduction of friction on limb movement during training/rehabilitation. In varying embodiments, the board may utilize pegs, tracks and track limiting pins/pegs, magnetically controlled resistance, or similar blockers or blocking arrangements to limit movement of the limb on the board. Further, tracks may be provided in the board to guide and control proper movement of the limb. The tracks may utilize the magnetic levitation to guide movement in a very reduced or zero friction condition (aside from the pivoting connection to the board. During use, the limb or other body part may be positioned on a base, which may have an optional cradle to support and hold the limb or other body part. The base is, in many embodiment, connected to the board in a pivotable manner, or connected to the axial rotation track, among other options. In other embodiments, the lone engagement of the base with the board is via magnetic engagement to achieve magnetic levitation.
Like poles of magnets repel each other, while opposite poles of the magnets attract. Using this, the limb motion device contemplated herein is able to use magnetic levitation to elevate the base and optional cradle above the board, creating a very low friction condition for movement. Similarly, movement of the levitating base (or other similar structure for supporting a limb or body part for rehabilitation) can be controlled by opposite polarity magnets “pulling” and same polarity magnets “pushing” the object along. Electromagnets allow control of strength and polarity by adjusting the current flow and direction, and thus allow controlled manipulation of the base, and any limb or body part positioned thereon, as it moves along its path in various locations.
In a particular embodiment, the present invention may be used as a shoulder rehabilitation device. In this embodiment, the board, along with controlling blockers and optional tracks, may be used to provide guided limb motion to aid and strengthen shoulder adduction and abduction, among other movements. An arm stabilizer may be movable in limited or free motion on this board. Further, the device may be utilized to aid and strengthen internal and external shoulder rotation, among other movements, in a guided fashion along this track. Further, the movement range may be adjusted and fixed/locked to be at various angles of shoulder adduction or abduction so that rotation (including, but not limited to internal and external rotation) may be aided and strengthened at these various angles.
In some embodiments, a goniometer may be utilized on parts of the present invention to control movement and identify appropriate movement ranges. Further, the goniometer may be controllable to program or set the ranges of motions through which the limb is allowed to move.
In certain embodiments, the goniometer may comprise an electronic alerting mechanism that provides an indication (such as audible, tactile, or visual) when a desired angle has been achieved or reached. Such a goniometer may be programmable depending on a user's training or rehabilitation needs, in some embodiments.
The shoulder-applied embodiment of the present invention may be used when a user is lying flat, standing up, sitting, or in any position in between. Further, the board typically may be parallel to a user's back, but in some embodiments, the board may be angled (+/−90 degrees) towards a user's front or back to adjust an angle of the arm or other body part when being trained on the machine. This may create an angle in a scapular plane or other therapeutic plane of motion. This angling may be achieved by, for example, a hinged or pivoting structure.
As such, the present disclosure provides a highly customizable tool to guide training or rehabilitation of the body. This may be in the form of limb movement in a controlled manner, relative movement of body parts via joint movement, limb movement, torso movement, and the like, and other similar bodily movements. The device is highly customizable to allow for various motions, and ranges of motion so long as at least part of a human body is supported on a base which can then be moved while the base is supported using magnetic levitation. It should be understood that the present disclosure relates to not only shoulder rehabilitation, training, and/or exercise tools, but may be used with any bodily joint and/or limb movement including but not limited to rehabilitation, training, and/or exercise including, but not limited to: neck, collar bone, shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers and knuckles, arms, torso/spine, hips, legs, knees, ankles, toes, and the like.
The present disclosure may also include a computerized controller operable to activate, deactivate, and otherwise control the plurality of electromagnets to provide the various functionalities of the magnetic levitation system. These may include but are not limited elevation of the base off the board, controlling the electromagnets to cause a controlled movement of the base, and controlling the electromagnets to secure the base in a particular position, among other options. The computer controller may have a microprocessor in communication with a memory which provides instructions to the microprocessor, which in turn provides a signal to one or more of the plurality of electromagnets which can activate and deactivate certain of the electromagnets, and in some cases control a polarity of some or all of the electromagnets. In one embodiment, a user interface allows an operator to select an operational mode based on a set of programmed options which will cause the microprocessor to operate the electromagnets as desired to adjust and customize operation of the device. In a further embodiment, a force gauge may be in communication with the computer controller to measure an amount of force applied to the base by a user, and/or measure an amount of force applied to the base by the magnetic levitation system in any direction including upward force applied and movement force applied along the track.
In one embodiment, the magnetic levitation system having a controlled movement ability by the magnetic levitation using the computer controller may be used for controlled movement during surgical operations. For example, during a surgical procedure, surgeons may require that a limb or limbs be moved during the procedure in a precise manner. In the prior art, operators or support staff had to gently and slowly move the limb manually. This is uncontrolled and can lead to jerky and damaging motions. Using the present disclosure however, a very slow, controlled and precise movement of a limb or body part may be achieved. In a particular embodiment, the system may be configured such one or more limbs and/or one or more portions of a torso may all be positioned on a base which is movable via the magnetic levitation system disclosed herein. In a specific embodiment, each limb and at least one part of the torso may be positioned on a movement base. In such an embodiment, the computer controller may receive an input to move any limb along a movement track to a particular position. Such a configuration need not be limited to a surgical procedure, and may be used in any therapeutic, exercise, medical, or training procedure, as well as other situations without limitation.
One or more sensors may further be in communication with the computer controller which can provide additional information and feedback to the user via the user interface. For example, a goniometer may be connected to the computer controller and a signal provided by the goniometer may be converted to a visual indication of an angle of the base and/or an axial rotation of a limb relative to the board. In other embodiments, force sensors may be used to record an amount of force that is applied by a user on the base and/or an amount of force applied by the magnetic levitation system to the user's limb on the base, depending on embodiment.
Turning now to
In many cases of training or rehabilitation, a limited range of motion is desired so as to not overextend a healing or training joint and corresponding muscles. For example, range of a shoulder motion may be limited to an approximately 30 degree range of motion in both the abducting and adducting direction. Other possible motions include, but are not limited to movements along frontal, sagittal and/or transverse planes. The present disclosure may use any number of structures or options to limit this motion, including a blocking structure such as a peg, tab, clip, clamp, and the like. In another embodiment, a computer controller may be operable to control the electromagnets 15 so that movement of the base 16 is prevented or limited. This can be achieved by, for example, adjusting polarity and field strength by current manipulation to pull and hold the base 16 to the board 12 rather than levitate it. Or in another embodiment, polarity and field strength may be such that repulsive forces are applied in the movement direction to the base 16 to prevent it from moving beyond a predetermined range on the board. For example, electromagnets 15 at a certain degree range of motion in the abducting and/or adducting direction may operate to repel the base 16 from moving over and past them. In varying embodiments, motion limiting of the base 16 may be achieved by the same electromagnets which provide the levitation of the base 16, or different electromagnets.
Further, in the embodiment shown in
Magnets in the track guide 18 (see
In operation of this embodiment, a user can move their arm towards a top and bottom end of the board 10 as limited by magnetic control as operated by a computerized controller. Similar to the embodiment of
While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.
