Patent Grant
6890288
The subject matter of the aforementioned patent applications is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to methods and devices to promote ambulation in developmentally disabled persons, especially children, as well as physically and neurologically impaired persons.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus used to help developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, such as children or adults, exercise specific muscle groups, practice movement strategies and gain strength necessary to sit, to crawl, and to walk.
The prior art is replete with assistive devices. A sampling of the patents in this field is as follows. U.S. Pat. No. of 1,642,184 of Urso and U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,436 of Barthel, Jr. describe exercise and walker devices that support an individual in a harness and permits movements over a two-dimensional area and up and down adjustments. However in Urso and Barthel, Jr. '436, the harnesses only hold the person in an upright position, which does not assist the person in quadruped, crawling positions, which are necessary to strengthen arm development and to facilitate vestibular development for better balance, thus preventing the child to easily tip over and injure itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,069 of Flick and Burke discloses a crawling assistive device that is a sled type with movable hand and knee pads operated by linkages. It does not describe a body suit or body suit, which can assist a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, from learning to master the quadruped, crawling position as well as transition therefrom to a myriad of other positions while facilitating vestibular development through wide range movement opportunities such as bouncing, rocking and spinning.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,023 of Moorer describes a crawling assistive device that is a sled on wheels. It also does not describe a body suit or harness which can assist a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, from learning to master the quadruped, crawling position as well as transition therefrom to a myriad of other positions while facilitating vestibular development.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,532 of Mirkarimi illustrates a crawling assistive device similar to Moorer, but one where the child leans forward obliquely. It also does not describe a body suit or harness which can assist a developmentally disabled person, or physically or neurologically person, such as a child or adult, from learning to master the quadruped, crawling position while promoting vestibular development through various movement opportunities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,903 of Proctor and U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,406 of Canela both describe sling type crawling assistive devices of a sling type with harnesses attached to the sling. These devices limit the developmentally disabled child to just the creeping position, thereby restricting transition into alternative postures. In addition, the child's body is in close proximity to a rigid, supportive frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,063 of Brooks and U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,663 of Pettit both relate to orthopedic supporters to hold a person in a standing position as a harness is moved along a track, similar to the orientation in Barthels, Jr. '436.
Campbell's U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,114 describes an infant walking and swimming aid that includes a harness with shoulder straps to hold the child from above and a chest strap to keep the child upright. However, Campbell '114 does not promote quadruped, weight bearing activities.
Among commercially available devices include the Deltoid Aid arm counterbalance system, which includes slings to hold a forearm in. The slings are supported from above by a frame. A similar sling device lifts a person hydraulically. The Deluxe Vestibulator II by Tumbleforms holds a child horizontally in a sling, but the child's feet lay in the sling and the touching of the hands upon the floor is in a limited, weight-bearing fashion. These devices also prevent the child from developing sufficient strength and orientation needed for creeping and crawling. In addition, the child can fall out of the sling. These devices limit the developmentally disabled child to just the creeping position, thereby restricting transition into alternative postures. In addition, the child's body is in close proximity to a rigid, supportive frame.
In contrast to the prior art devices, the present invention uses a body suit to carefully distribute the stresses placed upon the body by the supporting straps. In addition, multiple attachment points permit the straps to adjustably counteract gravity in such a manner as to assist a person, such as a child or an adult, in attaining sitting, standing and crawling postures. Along with a supporting frame and track, as provided in several of the prior art devices, exercise and conditioning is tailored to the developmentally delayed, physically impaired, and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to help developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired children or adults exercise specific muscle groups, practice movement strategies and gain strength necessary to sit, to crawl, and to walk.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide visually and/or tactilely attractive targets, such as pull bars, mirrors, nets or toys, to enhance the movement strategies of the developmentally delayed and/or physically or neurologically impaired person being helped.
It is also an object of the present invention to help the developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, to master the sitting position.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device, which promotes a “righting” response that will cause a developmentally disabled or physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, to assume an upright position.
It is also an object of the present invention to develop a protective arm response in a developmentally disabled or physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, in order to prevent the person from falling, and to maintain upright balance.
It is also an object of the present invention to provides a device, which promotes dynamic, wide range neck and trunk control exercise opportunities, which are essential and foundational to all other physical development.
It is also an object of the present invention to assist the person in quadruped, crawling positions.
It is also an object of the present invention to strengthen arm development and to facilitate vestibular development for better balance.
It is also an object of the present invention to assist a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, from learning to master the quadruped, crawling position while facilitating vestibular development.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a frame-supported or manually supported body suit, which can safely assist a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, from learning to master the quadruped, crawling position.
It is yet also an object of the present invention to provide a hand-held supported body suit, which can also safely assist a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, for learning to master the quadruped, crawling position.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a body suit with optional spinal supports to assist the person in staying erect or in a quadruped position, once having achieved an erect or quadruped position.
It is also an object of the present invention to promote quadruped, weight bearing activities in a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult.
It is also an object of the present invention to lift gravity off of the developmentally delayed person, or physically and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, thereby making it possible for the person, such as a child or adult, to assume weight bearing positions that they would otherwise probably not be able to assume.
It is another object of the present invention to promote an upright standing posture and weight bearing through the legs in preparation to walk.
It is yet another object of the present invention to allow a therapist to modulate their therapeutic handling of a person, such as a child or adult, and to change positions with simple adjustments.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device, which permits the disabled person, such as a child or adult, to make movement choices and to positively interact with the environment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to enable a developmentally delayed person, or a physically and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, to learn where they are in space in relation to other objects, to help them learn depth perception.
It is yet another object of the present invention to enable a developmentally disabled person, such as a child or adult, to ambulate safely.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device that allows a developmentally delayed person, or a physically and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, to exercise and to facilitate transition into several postural and ambulatory positions.
It is yet another object of the present invention to improve over the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with the aforementioned objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention relates to an exercise assistive device to help a developmentally developed person, or a physically and/or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or an adult, develop vestibular balance and muscle control, so that the person can learn to perform mobility activities, such as crawling, sitting upright, standing or walking.
Structurally, in a preferred embodiment, the device includes a support such as a hand-held hanger, a wall mounted frame, a ceiling mounted frame or a frame having a upstanding base legs with a connecting frame extending therebetween. In the frame embodiments, a body suit glidable support dolly is mounted upon the frame, and travels preferably longitudinally, transversely and rotationally thereupon. In alternate embodiments, the body suit may travel longitudinally, without transverse movements or without rotation. Moreover, the rotation can be temporarily disabled with a locking pin.
The body suit is suspended from the suit glidable support dolly, or from a hand-held hanger.
Flexible connector straps are provided between the body suit and body suit support, such as the glidable support dolly or hand-held hanger and are made of a material such as reinforced fabric, elastic or canvas. These connector straps are positioned in spaced-apart relation to one another about the body suit glidable support dolly.
The body suit is suspended from the frame or hanger by the connector straps that extend between the body suit and fasteners attached to the glidable support dolly. Each connecting strap is connected to a respective fastener upon the body suit support at one end and to a further fastener upon the body suit.
Unlike prior art harnesses which only hold a person in an upright sitting or standing position, in the present invention those fasteners upon the body suit are strategically located to assist the person, such as a child or adult, assume various postural and/or ambulatory positions ranging from the upright sitting or standing position, wherein the straps are connected at the shoulders, to oblique or horizontal crawling quadruped positions, wherein the straps are also connected at the rear hip area.
The preferable configuration of strap attachments is similar to those connected to the torso area of a marionette. This configuration facilitates the vertically upright, oblique or horizontal positions.
Preferably there is provided optional visually and/or tactilely sensory attractive targets, such as pull bars, mirrors, nets or toys, to enhance the movement strategies of the developmentally delayed and/or physically or neurologically impaired person being helped.
These sensory attractive targets give an incentive to the person to advance further ahead. The pull bars optionally extend from the support frame, enabling the person to grasp the pull bar to advance forward, backward or sideways, and to increase muscle strength by pulling towards or away from the pull bar.
For persons with ascertainable vision, the sensory attractive targets are visually attractive, such as mirrors or toys.
For visually impaired persons, the sensory attractive targets may be tactilely attractive items, such as soft toys or arrays of netting having a texture and tactile arrangement that can be grasped at the completion of a journey ahead. Therefore, the visually impaired person can learn that the tactilely attractive item, such as the netting or toy, is several crawling steps ahead from a predetermined starting point of travel, without visually seeing the target.
Furthermore, a height adjustment member is provided to hold the person, such as a child or adult, at a predetermined height, which can be adjusted up or down, to enable the person, such as a child or adult, to move down to a hand and knee weight bearing crawling position, or up therefrom in a non-weight bearing, suspended position from above.
Although the device can be used for any person, including disabled adults, the above noted assistive exercise body suit and track system is primarily designed for developmentally disabled children. However, it can also be used with other types of physically impaired or neurologically impaired persons.
In operation, a developmentally disabled person, or a physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, is placed in the body suit outfit and the set of fasteners are connected to the body suit to maintain the person, such as a child or adult, in the aforementioned upright sitting position, primarily located in the shoulder areas. The further sets of fasteners are attached to the rear hip area to help to facilitate the person, such as a child or adult, in a quadruped, crawling position.
An optional set of fasteners is also provided in the side front abdominal area to maintain the person, such as a child or adult, in a standing position, in conjunction with the rear shoulder fasteners. Other fasteners can also be provided in the front chest area.
The fasteners are connectable to the flexible but inelastic fabric connector cords or straps, such as polypropylene straps, similar to that used in backpack straps. If more bounce is desired, such as in the hand-held versions, then an elastic material may be used in the straps. These connector straps are connected to the body suit support, such as, for example, to a hand-held support hanger which may be a frame or disk, or to a glidable support dolly, which is slidably movable back and forth in axial directions along a pair of primary tracks of the support track system. In the frame supported embodiment, the support dolly preferably includes wheels or rollers engagable with the respective primary tracks.
In an alternate embodiment, the support dolly comprises a further set of secondary tracks placed perpendicular to the axis of the primary tracks. In this embodiment, the dolly therefore includes a further dolly support which is movable along the secondary tracks, in opposite directions which are transverse to the axial direction of the primary tracks.
Such configuration is similar to a gantry, which moves in three axes, namely front, back and sideways.
Furthermore, the primary dolly support tracks are supported by upright stanchions, or by arches. However, the dolly support tracks may be also supported by horizontally oriented wall-mounted brackets, or by vertically descending ceiling-mounted brackets.
In yet a further embodiment, an optional lockable rotating wheel attached to the glidable support dolly allows for rotational directional change while the dolly moves along the tracks.
Therefore, the present invention is a method and apparatus used to help developmentally delayed persons, or physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, such as children or adults, exercise muscle groups necessary to sit, crawl (creep) and walk.
This multi-functional therapeutic device comprises a body suit with an overhead suspension system. The body suit is custom fit to each child or adult. It includes fasteners on suit, which allow for position change. The overhead system includes either hand-held supports or a dolly that runs along a primary track.
The body suit may have optional spinal supports to assist the person in staying erect or in a quadruped position, once the person has achieved an erect or quadruped position.
When the person, such as a child or adult, begins to move, the overhead system responds allowing the person, such as a child or adult, to “feel” a slight falling sensation which will create an opportunity for a postural response to stay upright that will cause the person, such as the child or adult, to come upright. The person, such as the child or adult, is safe from hitting the ground because of straps, which suspend the person, such as the child or adult, from the suit to an overhead assembly. This overhead assembly may optionally include a rotational member, such as a hanger or disk, which allows for rotational directional change along the track. The system may also include a buoyancy feature provided by an optional compression spring within the overhead system, or by the use of elastic connector straps. This means that the person, such as the child or adult, will experience a bouncing sensation, which helps to elicit further attempts to move and exercise.
In developmentally advanced children, weight bearing is essential in typical development. Such a child first learns to hold his or her head upright while developing a “protective arm response” in order to prevent a fall and maintain balance.
After this crucial milestone is achieved, a typical developmentally advanced child then learns to come up on its forearms and eventually on extended arms. This weight bearing through the arms prepares them for creeping. Eventually, a typical developmentally advanced child likewise bears weight through the legs in preparation for walking. In contrast, the developmentally delayed child, however, due to an underlying neuro-muscular impairment is often too weak to begin this process, or might achieve some of it yet at a much slower pace.
The severely disabled child may never achieve these milestones at all.
Therefore, the present invention is designed to lift gravity off of the developmentally delayed person, or off of the physically and/or neurologically impaired person, making it possible for them to assume weight bearing positions that they would otherwise probably not be able to assume.
With respect to upright sitting positions, most children learn to sit up by six to eight months old. Prior to achieving this milestone, they have had hundreds and thousands of opportunities to practice this basic skill, including slight rocking front to back and side to side while in their mother's arms or up against a crib side, for example.
Unlike typical developmentally advanced children, the developmentally delayed, child is too weak to attempt this basic rocking practice. The first place to start treating a developmentally delayed child is then in the sitting position. The child is placed in the body suit and fasteners on the body suit at about the front and back shoulder area are attached to the connector straps that suspend the weight of the person, to an overhead rail. The same procedure applies for physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, including children and adults.
As the person, such as the child or adult, moves, the dolly responds accordingly, allowing the person, such as a child or adult, to experience a “falling sensation”. In order to come upright, the person, such as a child or adult, must use muscles in the neck and trunk area, as well as the abdominal area.
These attempts to right themselves provides these persons with the much-needed opportunity for exercise. To date, there is no other prior art device which provides such dynamic, wide range exploration to the postural system. Yet, neck and trunk control exercise opportunities are essential and foundational to all other physical development.
To begin treating a developmentally disabled child or the physically impaired or neurologically impaired person, in the present invention, one would first need to evaluate the person's physical condition. If the child has not yet achieved head and trunk control, or if due to physical or neurological impairment the person has lost head and neck control, this would probably be the best place to start. The child or adult is placed in sitting and the therapist or attendant determines the tension on the glider, which rolls above in response to the child's or adult's attempts to sit. The therapist also determines the length of travel along the rail.
For example, a severely disabled child only needs a short distance, of perhaps six inches in all directions to begin learning to sit upright.
If after some degree of head and trunk control is achieved, or if therapists determine it to be beneficial, the child or adult is then placed on all fours in a quadruped position in preparation to creep. The fasteners are placed on the upper and lower back portions of the suit. Again, the therapist or attendant determines the level of difficulty in tension and length of travel.
Likewise, standing is then attempted by placing the child or adult in front and back upper fasteners and by height adjustment on the rotational overhead assembly, so that the child's or adult's feet touch the floor in order to weight bear.
Optionally, visual stimuli can be added to the present invention to encourage the person, such as a child or adult, to move forward. For example, if the upstanding frame embodiment is used, a kit can be provided with a safety mirror with soft edges can be placed beyond one set of legs, to attract the person, such as the child or adult, to advance forward. On the other hand, at the other end of the frame, the kit can also include a net which can be strung between two legs to hold toys which might attract the child's or adult's attention.
This system of the present invention allows a therapist to modulate their therapeutic handling of a person, such as a child or adult, and to change positions with simple adjustments. Unlike other equipment used to exercise developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, the present invention does not limit a person, such as a child or adult, to a single postural or ambulatory position. It allows the person, such as a child or adult, to practice movement strategies, make movement choices and interact with the environment.
Many developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired persons need to learn where they are in space in relation to other objects, such as the floor or mirror for example, which could be placed near the person, such as a child or adult, to help them learn depth perception.
Many developmentally delayed persons, or physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, also suffer from sensory perception problems. For example, many have visual problems which make ambulating about the house in a conventional walker dangerous. They can fall down a step or bump into furniture, often hurting themselves. Unlike most other devices used by developmentally delayed, physically and/or neurologically impaired persons, the device of the present invention provides an opportunity for the impaired person, such as a child or adult, to learn how to control his/her own body without being strapped in or down to a hard, rigid cage or walker, which must then be carried about with them.
Feeling their own bodies move and touching the floor gives these persons “proprioceptive input”, which is desperately craved by many developmentally delayed persons, or by physically and/or neurologically impaired persons. They enjoy the sensation of bouncing and spinning, because it provides vestibular input into the brain, which causes them to become more alert and able to respond more appropriately to their environment.
Furthermore, there are many adaptive devices that provide a developmentally delayed person, or a physically and/or neurologically impaired person, with the opportunity to assume proper body alignment. Standing boards, walker type devices and even seating equipment can provide a challenged person with a rigid surface that their bodies can be strapped to for support. Many of these devices come with optional supports for the trunk area as well as the neck and head. However, the individual using this type of equipment is “all strapped up” and does not have much of an opportunity to explore various movement sensations and learn necessary reactive skills that would not only build muscle strength but would also help the person to learn necessary balance skills needed to prevent a fall.
This therapeutic exercise device which uses a body suit, suspension straps and an overhead supportive track/glider system, provides the challenged person with an opportunity to not only assume various body positions, but also provides the freedom of movement necessary to build muscle strength while learning balance skills.
However, for those individuals who have not yet achieved head and trunk control, it may be necessary to provide additional support through the use of a detachable neck collar which can be attached to the body suit. With this additional support, the severely impaired person is then more likely to have greater control over head and trunk movements yet without being strapped against a rigid surface. The collar can be made of foam or a similar material that would provide flexible support. The lower rim of the collar may also include a more rigid support such as a rubber or plastic reinforcement band which can add some rigidity to the collar yet still allow for flexibility. To completely restrict movement and provide full support to the neck and head is not always desirable as the main object of this device is to provide an opportunity for range of motion and an opportunity for the individual to learn and develop skills necessary for independent movement or at least increased mobility. Yet, in some cases, if an individual requires some additional support of the neck and trunk area, this detachable collar would provide that support if needed and can then be removed once strengthening as been achieved. The collar attaches to the suit at around the neck area by snap on fasteners or perhaps a hook and loop attachment. In either case, the collar would also come with a removable “casing” that can be laundered. Similar to a pillow case and pillow, the outer “case” of the collar can be removed and washed. This way, the foam inner support would not undergo the wear and tear of laundering. The attachment of the support collar to the suit can be of a snap on nature such as is used to close a jean jacket or perhaps may also include but not be limited to a hook and loop closure. The shape of the collar can be horseshoe shaped. It would come up higher in the back to prevent the person from “hyper extending” the neck backward but would then taper down around the sides and to the front leaving an opening by the neck area to accommodate breathing or tracheostomy tubes.
Furthermore, in another alternate embodiment, the body suit to this system can be made adjustably available in different styles to accommodate usage in the home as well as in centers or school. Those for the home can be lighter in weight and form fitted to each person. Those used in centers can be made to adjust in size to accommodate persons within particular size ranges. It can be made of a heavier material such as a quilting or padding with a nylon exterior to provide strength to the garment.
The adjustable suit can be made up of “quadrants” both in the front and the rear which can be drawn together or distanced in order to adjust the suit to fit the user. The quadrants would be connected by a more flexible material such as a LYCRA or SPANDEX material that would allow for both expansion when length increase is desired yet would also form a gathering when brought together to decrease distance between quadrants.
Size adjustments can be made by using an incremental adjustable fastener (similar to a fastener on a ski boot) which would connect two quadrants. Once proper size is selected the fastener can be secured by flipping the fastener cover backward and into a locked position.
To adjust the height size, the lower half and upper half of the suit can be brought together or distanced by selecting a position on the fastener and pulling the “tongue” tab through the fastener closure “tunnel” or by depressing the lever to distance the two halves of the suit. The fasteners can be placed at about the side seam area. To adjust the suit width, the same procedure would be used but by bringing the two rear sides together or apart and then selecting a position along the fasteners and engaging the locking mechanism by pulling the tab back and locking the fastener at a determined point.
The present invention can best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The frame 1 of the gliding support device of the present invention shown in
Although many different structural configurations are applicable, in the preferred embodiment, the two top end sections are pre-assembled and include welded parts for maximum rigidity. They each have a bent tubing member 2, cross brace 3, rail end extensions 5, rail attachment member 6 and angled brace 4. The structure is completed by adding rails 7 and legs 12 which have a telescopic fit in end sections 2 and are adjustable for height with the aid of spring pins 13 which fit in the desired adjustment hole. A trolley subassembly 8 completes the home support track.
Pull bars 12a of
For persons with ascertainable vision,
For visually impaired persons, the sensory attractive targets may be tactilely attractive items, irrespective of sight, such as soft toys 10e or arrays of netting 10a, having a texture and tactile arrangement that can be manually grasped at the completion of a journey ahead. Therefore, the visually impaired person can learn that the tactilely attractive item, such as the netting 10a or toy 10e, is several crawling steps ahead from a predetermined starting point of travel, without having to visually observe netting 10a or toys 10e normally seen by a sighted person.
While tactilely attractive netting 10a is shown in
To enhance safety, pull bars 12a or mirror frame 10c, holding mirror 10b, may be covered with a soft material, such as, for example, polyurethane foam, plush cotton or other soft cushiony natural or synthetic materials, or may be coated with a soft coating cushion known to those skilled in the art.
Also included is an adjustable drag feature, which includes brake pads 24, mounted on short lengths of leaf spring. The pressure of pads 24 against the inner side of rollers 23 can be adjusted from no contact to a preset maximum by adjusting wing nut 25.
Since the rollers 23 have ball bearings, for certain stages in child development and for certain exercises, the momentum of suspended person, such as a child or adult, can be disconcerting if high speeds are achieved. This drag adjustment can control the maximum speed and also the amount of effort required for the person, such as a child or adult, to move. This latter factor can be used in supervised settings to improve exercise effort.
An extension spring 9 is used to suspend attachment arms 10, which will be used to attach the person's body suit straps. Arms 10 can rotate freely at the bottom spring 9 attachment.
Frame 31 includes square metal structural tubing with angled braces 32. Telescoping bottom leg sections 33 are used to adjust frame height by using spring pins 13 in appropriate adjustment holes. The top surfaces 38 of longitudinal members are used to support the rollers 37 of a gantry carriage 34 with cross rails 36. Trolley subassembly 35 rolls on rails 36. The suspension arms 10 can be positioned over any spot within the contours of frame 31 through the combination of longitudinal rolling on surfaces 38 and crosswise rolling on rails 36. Mechanical stops (not shown) can be clamped onto rails 36 or 38 to limit the travel in either orthogonal direction as desired.
A wall mounted battery charger 52 is plugged into socket 55 during non-use hours to recharge battery 48 (e.g.—over night). A long cord 53 is used to facilitate this. A radio frequency communications protocol is used from remote control 58 to receiver 56 so that the therapist's eyes need not be moved from the patient during height adjustment.
Remote control 58 has only two buttons, UP and DOWN. If an infrared control link were used as in TV remote controls, a general line of sight aiming would have to be used. The radio frequency link is Omni-directional and is not impaired by structural members that would interfere with an infrared signal.
Driver 57 spins motor 45 in the desired direction upon command from remote control 58 to raise or lower cable 40. Cable ferrule 41 has a loop to accept extension spring 42 as well as concentrically located adjustable damping element 43, which can either be a pneumatic dashpot or a hydraulic shock absorber. These velocity sensitive elements are used to adjust the amount of “bounce” as desired. Bounce is often used as an incentive to initiate movement, but too much bounce can cause injury.
Depending on the size of body suit 60, the middle pair of clips 62 on the front and the back may be eliminated if the spacing is too constrained. Also there may be no lower pair of front clips (as on the back side) since these would cause a danger of toppling if used.
The lower back pair is only used for the creeping or “quadruped” position. The upper clips 62 on the front and back are used to position for sitting, kneeling or standing positions. The neck opening 64, arm holes 65 and leg openings 66 complete the design which distributes the point stresses of straps attached to clips 62 over a large area.
Frame hanger 110 is attached to the bottom of support extension 109. Frame hanger 110 has a plurality of downwardly extending strap restraints 112, which may be buckles, snap closures, or other suitable fastening means for straps to be hung therefrom.
Frame hanger 210 is rotatably attached to support extension 109 by swiveling collar 216 with removable locking pin 214. Frame hanger 210 has a plurality of downwardly extending strap restraints 212, which may be buckles, snap closures, or other suitable fastening means for straps to be hung therefrom.
At the bottom end of support extension 309 hanger disk 310 is a round-shaped member having a plurality of strap restraints 312 downwardly extending therefrom, which strap restraints 312 may be buckles, snap closures, or other suitable fastening means for straps to be hung therefrom.
Hanger disk 310 is rotatably attached to the bottom of support extension 309 by swiveling collar 316 and locking pin 314.
Frame hanger 410 extends outwardly from its attachment at the bottom of support extension 409. Frame hanger 410 has a plurality strap restraints 412 downwardly extending therefrom, which strap restraints 412 may be buckles, snap closures, or other suitable fastening means for straps to be hung therefrom. Straps 471 extend downward from strap restraints 412 and attach to strap restraints 412 on body suit 460, so as to position a person with desirable support for therapy.
Frame hanger 510 is shown as a disk but may be a frame as shown in FIG. 16. As shown in
Furthermore, height adjustment can also be done with clasps 1190. In addition, girth can be alternatively done by elastic members (not shown) running vertically upon body suit 1160. The elastic material, such as a LYCRA or SPANDEX material, allows for both expansion when length increase is desired yet would also form a gathering when brought together to decrease distance between quadrants 1195 and 1196.
To adjust clasps 1190, one flips the fastener cover lever 1194 backward and into a locked position. To adjust size, the quadrants 1195 and 1196 are adjusted by selecting a position on the fastener and pulling the “tongue” tab through the fastener closure “tunnel” or by depressing the lever 1194 to cover the distance of quadrants 1195 and 1196 of body suit 1160. To adjust the suit width of body suit 1160, the same procedure is reversed by bringing the two rear sides together or apart and then selecting a position along the claps 1190 and locking them in place at the desired position.
Method of Use and Operation
Example of Use and Operation
An experienced therapist observed two children using the apparatus of the present invention similar to that shown in
The aforementioned embodiments are merely illustrative of several configurations for the present invention. For example the non-rotational support arm extension 109 can be used with either the various frames of
Therefore, it is further noted that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention, as noted in the appended claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/676,674, filed Oct. 2, 2000, which application is a continuation-in-part of provisional application Ser. No. 60/196,261 filed Apr. 11, 2000, which application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/412,189 filed Oct. 6, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,087. This application is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/602,700 filed Jun. 24, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,911 which application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/412,189 filed Oct. 5, 1999.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1642184 | Urso | Sep 1927 | A |
| 2675856 | Abdallah | Apr 1954 | A |
| 3582069 | Flick | Jun 1971 | A |
| 3721436 | Barthel | Mar 1973 | A |
| 3780663 | Pettit | Dec 1973 | A |
| 3992023 | Moorer | Nov 1976 | A |
| 4050737 | Jordan | Sep 1977 | A |
| 4252063 | Brooks, Jr. | Feb 1981 | A |
| 4445502 | Swan et al. | May 1984 | A |
| 4569532 | Mirkarimi | Feb 1986 | A |
| 4796903 | Proctor | Jan 1989 | A |
| 4875689 | Lin | Oct 1989 | A |
| 4981110 | Llewellyn | Jan 1991 | A |
| 4981307 | Walsh | Jan 1991 | A |
| 5156176 | Doorenbos | Oct 1992 | A |
| 5356355 | Campbell | Oct 1994 | A |
| 5407406 | Canela | Apr 1995 | A |
| 5458550 | Braim | Oct 1995 | A |
| 5498219 | Soufi | Mar 1996 | A |
| 5502851 | Costello | Apr 1996 | A |
| 5569129 | Seif-Naraghi | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5603676 | Cymbalisty | Feb 1997 | A |
| 5626540 | Hall | May 1997 | A |
| 5667461 | Hall | Sep 1997 | A |
| 5702326 | Renteria | Dec 1997 | A |
| 5766114 | Campbell | Jun 1998 | A |
| 5819322 | Dicker et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
| 5872438 | Roston | Feb 1999 | A |
| 5902016 | Moran et al. | May 1999 | A |
| 6080087 | Bingham | Jun 2000 | A |
| 6244991 | Bingham | Jun 2001 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20010027149 A1 | Oct 2001 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60196261 | Apr 2000 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09412189 | Oct 1999 | US |
| Child | 09602700 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09676674 | Oct 2000 | US |
| Child | 09847683 | US | |
| Parent | 09412189 | Oct 1999 | US |
| Child | 09676674 | US | |
| Parent | 09847683 | US | |
| Child | 09676674 | US | |
| Parent | 09602700 | Jun 2000 | US |
| Child | 09847683 | US |
