The disclosure relates to rehabilitation devices and more particularly pertains to a new rehabilitation device for assisting a user in regaining strength and range of motion in the user's shoulder after shoulder injuries or surgery.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a base and a support plate. A support assembly couples the support plate to the base. A track extends into a bottom of the support plate. A ball is positionable within the track. A strap is coupled to the ball and is configured for securing to a hand of a user such that movement of the ball within the track facilitates movement of the shoulder and upper arm of the user when the user's hand is positioned within the strap.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A support assembly 24 couples the support plate 16 to the base 12. The support assembly 24 comprises a post 26 and a support arm 28 being coupled to the post 26. The post 26 extends upwardly from the top surface 14 of the base 12. The post 26 may be positioned proximate a back end 30 of the base 12. The post 26 may have a lower member 32 and an upper member 34 wherein a lower end 36 of the upper member 34 is slidably insertable into an upper end 38 of the lower member 32 such that a height of the post 26 is selectively adjustable. The support assembly 24 may also comprise a first fixing pin 40 being passed through aligned holes 42 in the upper 34 and lower 32 members whereby the upper 34 and lower 32 members are secured together. The support arm 28 may have a first member 44 and a second member 46 wherein a first end 48 of the second member 46 is slidably insertable into a second end 50 of the first member 44 such that a second end 52 of the second member 46 is positioned at a selectable length relative to the post 26. The first member 44 is coupled to a top end 54 of the upper member 34. The second end 52 of the second member 46 may be positioned above the base 12 when the support arm 28 is fully extended. In this manner, the user may rest his head and/or upper back on the top surface 14 of the base 12. Each of the first 44 and second 46 members may be L-shaped. The second end 52 of the second member 46 is coupled to the top 18 of the support plate 16. A second fixing pin 56 may be passed through aligned apertures 58 in the first 44 and second 46 members whereby the first 44 and second 46 members are secured together.
A plurality of tracks 60 extend into the bottom 20 of the support plate 16. Although five tracks 60 are shown in the Figures, fewer tracks 60 may be used. The tracks 60 may be arranged into concentric circles. Each of the tracks 60 has a main portion 62 and a neck 64. Each of the necks 64 couples an associated one of the main portions 62 to the bottom 20 of the support plate 16. A ball 66 is positionable within a selectable one of the tracks 60. The ball 66 has a size and shape such that the ball 66 is retained within a selectable one of the main portions 62. The ball 66 is configured to support up to twenty pounds of weight. A connector 68 is coupled to the ball 66. A top end 70 of the connector 68 is positioned within the ball 66. A lower end 72 of the connector 68 extends outwardly of one of the tracks 60 through an associated one of the necks 64. An upper portion 74 of the connector 68 is rotatable relative to the ball 66. A plurality of arcuate radial slots 76 each extend between adjacently positioned pairs of the tracks 70. The slots 76 are configured to permit movement of the ball 66 between the associated adjacently positioned pairs of the tracks 60. A door 78 extends between the tracks 60.
A hub 80 is coupled to a center of the support plate 16. A lower portion 82 of the hub 80 extends outwardly of the bottom 20 of the support plate 16. An arm assembly 84 is coupled to the hub 80. The arm assembly 84 comprises a crank arm 86 and a plurality of projections 88 coupled to and extending outwardly from the crank arm 86. The crank arm 86 extends across the tracks 60. The crank arm 86 has a first end 90 pivotally coupled to the hub 80. Each of the projections 88 is selectively positionable to provide access to the slots 76. A slit 92 is positioned in the bottom 20 of the support plate 16. A knob 94 is provided. The knob 94 extends outwardly of the slit 92 such that the knob 94 is graspable by the user. The knob 94 is coupled to the arm assembly 84. The knob 94 is mechanically coupled to the arm assembly 84 wherein manipulation of the knob 94 pivots the crank arm 86 about the hub 80.
A strap 96 is coupled to the ball 66. The strap 96 is configured for securing to a hand of a user such that movement of the ball 66 within the tracks 60 facilitates movement of the shoulder and upper arm of the user when the user's hand is positioned within the strap 96. The strap 96 has a first end edge 98 and a second end edge 100. A fastener 102 is coupled to the strap 96. The fastener 102 comprises a first mating member 104 positioned proximate the first end edge 98 and a second mating member 106 positioned proximate the second end edge 100. The first mating member 104 is couplable to the second mating member 106. The strap 96 forms a closed loop when the first 104 and second 106 mating members are coupled together. The fastener 102 may comprise a hook and loop fastener, snaps, or the like. A clasp 108 is coupled to the lower end 72 of the connector 68. The clasp 108 couples the ball 66 to the strap 96. The clasp 108 may comprise a loop 110 and a release gate 112. The release gate 112 is pivotally coupled to the loop 110 wherein manipulation of the release gate 112 opens and closes the release gate 112 to permit attachment of the clasp 108 to the ball 66.
The apparatus 10 may have a height between 90.0 centimeters and 125.0 centimeters; and each of a length and a width between 55.0 centimeters and 65.0 centimeters.
In use, as stated above and shown in the Figures, the user lies down in a supine position and secures his hand to the strap 96. The user should be positioned such that the head and upper back of the user rests on the top surface 14 of the base 12. The user then rotates his arm around the tracks 60 to facilitate rehabilitation of the user's shoulder. As the user regains flexibility in his joints, the height of the support assembly 24 is gradually increased. The knob 94 is also manipulated as the rehabilitation progresses wherein manipulation of the knob 94 moves the ball 66 to an outwardly positioned track 60. In this manner, the apparatus 10 helps a user to regain strength and range of motion in the user's shoulder joints after surgery or injury.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
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