FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is to provide a body exercise apparatus, more particularly to a vertical auxiliary apparatus for both body inversion and rehabilitation, for enabling a user to stand on a foot frame thereof and, by controlling a driving device thereof, to freely adjust the tilt angle of a supporting frame thereof relative to the ground. With the foot frame supporting part of the user's weight, the user can do rehabilitation exercise and, alternatively, can hook his or her feet to positioning members of the foot frame and adjust the tilt angle of the supporting frame via the driving device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thanks to the rapid development of medical technology, physical injuries caused by severe traumas or diseases are now treatable with sophisticated surgeries, new drugs and/or advanced equipment. However, as the human body only has limited recovery capabilities, the restoration of body functions may require additional therapies and takes place only gradually. The restoration process, generally known as physical rehabilitation, has been an important field of modern medical science.
Generally speaking, one who is recovering from a trauma or disease is relatively weak, and if physical rehabilitation is required, whether the rehabilitative moves are correctly performed is crucial to the person's recovery speed and physical safety. Because of that, medical equipment dedicated to providing assistance in physical rehabilitation has emerged. One common example of such medical equipment is the “rehabilitative tilting bed”. A rehabilitative tilting bed has a bed surface with an adjustable tilt angle. By changing the tilt angle slowly, one who has been bedridden for a long time and who, therefore, is very likely to have uncomfortable reaction to an abrupt postural change to the standing position (e.g., postural hypotension) can be trained to adapt to the upright posture so as to be able to get off the bed walking without feeling nauseous, sweating insensibly or even entering a state of shock. Nevertheless, the rehabilitative tilting beds on the market not only are structurally complex and costly, but also serve the aforesaid function alone. For those who have rehabilitation needs or those who provide medical services, it is definitely not worth it to purchase an apparatus that becomes useless as soon as complete recovery is achieved. Besides, the bulkiness of rehabilitative tilting beds causes great inconvenience in placement and storage. All these add to the difficulties of promoting the use of rehabilitative tilting beds.
After years of research in the related industry, the inventor of the present invention has found that a commercially available physical training apparatus generally known as “inversion table” is somewhat similar in function to rehabilitative tilting beds. Please refer to FIG. 1 for a schematic structural diagram of an inversion table 1 which includes a supporting frame 11 and a seat 12. The top portion of the supporting frame 11 is provided with a handle 110, and the front end of the supporting frame 11 is protrudingly provided with a buffering element 112. The seat 12 includes a seat cushion 120, a backrest 122 and a foot frame 124. The seat cushion 120 is pivotally provided at the top portion of the supporting frame 11. The backrest 122 is pivotally connected to one end of the seat cushion 120 while the foot frame 124 is pivotally provided at the other end of the seat cushion 120. When a user is seated on the seat cushion 120, the foot frame 124 can be pressed against the buffering element 112 so that, simply by holding the handle 110 and leaning backward, the user can tilt the backrest 122 toward the back (i.e., toward the right side of FIG. 1.) and turn the seat 12 into a straightened position, The user's body can then tilt further backward. As body inversion has been medically verified to be effective in relieving fatigue, relaxing muscles, alleviating joint pressure and promoting blood circulation, inversion tables have been very popular these years and a common type of fitness equipment health clubs.
The inventor of the present invention has noticed that the effect to be achieved by a rehabilitative tilting bed is very similar to that by an inversion table, which is to turn a plane (i.e., the bed surface or the seat cushion) from a horizontal position to a tilted or vertical position. However. the structural difference between a rehabilitative tilting bed and an inversion table is so huge that the similarity of their effects has never been identified, let alone designing a structure that combines the effects of both. On the other hand, the conventional inversion tables also need improvement in terms of safe and convenience. In particular, the foot frames of the conventional inversion tables typically have a simple configuration that does not allow different users to adjust according to their foot sizes the force with which their feet are retained. Therefore, the issue to be addressed by the present invention is to incorporate the structures of a rehabilitative tilting bed and an inversion table into a single auxiliary apparatus that has an easily adjustable foot frame.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the fact that the conventional rehabilitative tilting beds only serve a single purpose, which discourages medical service providers from purchasing such beds, the inventor of the present invention put years of practical experience into repeated trials and improvements and finally succeeded in developing a vertical auxiliary apparatus for both body inversion and rehabilitation. It is hoped that, by combining a rehabilitative tilting bed and an inversion table into one, the novel structure disclosed herein can provide the general public with a physical training and medical apparatus that has more functions and applications.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vertical auxiliary apparatus for both body inversion and rehabilitation, wherein the vertical auxiliary apparatus includes a base, a driving device, a supporting frame, a board and a foot frame. The base is configured to be securely positioned on a plane (e.g., on the ground) and is provided with a first pivotal connecting portion and a second pivotal connecting portion, both being adjacent to one end of the base. The driving device includes a motor and a telescoping rod. The motor is pivotally connected to the first pivotal connecting portion. The telescoping rod has a first end movably connected to the motor. When activated, the motor either pushes a second end of the telescoping rod away from the base or pulls the second end of the telescoping rod back toward the base. The supporting frame is pivotally connected to the second pivotal connecting portion at a position adjacent to a first end of the supporting frame and is pivotally connected to the second end of the telescoping rod at a position adjacent to a second end of the supporting frame. Once the motor is activated, the second end of the telescoping rod drives the supporting frame such that the second end of the supporting frame is rotated about a fulcrum defined by the second pivotal connecting portion; consequently, the tilt angle of the supporting frame relative to the plane is changed. The board is fixedly provided on the supporting frame. The foot frame corresponds in configuration to the supporting frame and can be fastened to one of the two ends of the supporting frame. Further, the foot frame is provided with a plurality of positioning members and foot supporting members. A user can stand on the foot supporting members and, by controlling the driving device, freely adjust the tilt angle of the supporting frame (and the board) relative to the plane. With the foot frame supporting part of the user's weight, the user can do rehabilitation exercise as needed. Alternatively, the vertical auxiliary apparatus can be used as an inversion table, in which case the user can hook his or her feet to the positioning members of the foot frame and adjust the tilt angle of the supporting frame via the driving device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing vertical auxiliary apparatus, wherein the foot frame is further provided with a pivotal connecting member. A first end of the pivotal connecting member is pivotally connected to the foot frame. The positioning members are respectively and fixedly provided on the foot frame and the pivotal connecting member. When the pivotal connecting member is rotated about a rotation axis defined by its first end, a second end of the pivotal connecting member is moved toward or away from one end of the foot frame, thereby changing the distance between the positioning members. Hence, the user can easily adjust the foot frame and have the positioning members press tightly against his or her feet, so as for the user to perform body inversion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The structure as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages of the present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a conventional inversion table;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vertical auxiliary apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the vertical auxiliary apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4A is a side view showing operation of the vertical auxiliary apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 4B is another side view showing operation of the vertical auxiliary apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a partial exploded perspective view of the vertical auxiliary apparatus according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the foot frame of the vertical auxiliary apparatus according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a partially sectional side view of the foot frame of the vertical auxiliary apparatus according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a vertical auxiliary apparatus for both body inversion and rehabilitation. Referring to FIG. 2 for the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 includes a base 21, a driving device 22, a supporting frame 23, a board 24, a footboard 25, a headrest 26 and a foot frame (not shown in FIG. 2). The two ends of the bottom portion of the base 21 are each provided with an outwardly extending supporting leg 210 whereby the base 21 can be firmly positioned on a plane (e.g., on the ground). The base 21 is provided with a first pivotal connecting portion 211 and a second pivotal connecting portion 212, both of which portions are adjacent to a first end of the base 21. The driving device 22 includes a motor 221 and a telescoping rod 222. The motor 221 is pivotally connected to the first pivotal connecting portion 211. The telescoping rod 222 has a first end movably connected to the motor 221. The motor 221, once activated, either pushes or pulls a second end of the telescoping rod 222. More specifically, the second end of the telescoping rod 222 is extended away from the base 21 when pushed by the motor 221 and is retracted toward the base 21 when pulled by the motor 221.
The supporting frame 23 has a first end pivotally connected to the second pivotal connecting portion 212. Also, the supporting frame 23 is pivotally connected to the second end of the telescoping rod 222 at a position adjacent to a second end of the supporting frame 23. Once the motor 221 is activated, the telescoping rod 222 either pushes the supporting frame 23, thereby rotating the second end thereof away from a second end of the base 21 about a fulcrum defined by the second pivotal connecting portion 212, or pulls the supporting frame 23, thereby rotating the second end thereof about the same fulcrum toward the second end of the base 21. In either case, the tilt angle of the supporting frame 23 relative to the plane (or relative to the bottom portion of the base 21) is changed. It should be pointed out that, while both the first pivotal connecting portion 211 and the second pivotal connecting portion 212 in FIG. 2 are provided adjacent to the first end of the base 21, the locations of the pivotal connecting portions 211 and 212 in other embodiments of the present invention may vary according to design requirements.
Referring again to FIG. 2, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting frame 23 has a hollow configuration, with a first fastening hole H1 and a second fastening hole (not shown in FIG. 2) respectively formed on the surface of the first and the second ends of the supporting frame 23. The board 24 is fixedly provided on the supporting frame 23. The footboard 25 has a first end corresponding in configuration to and insertable into the first end of the supporting frame 23. A first fastener S1 can pass through the first fastening hole H1 and be fastened to the first end of the footboard 25 such that the footboard 25 is assembled adjacent to the board 24. The bottom portion of the headrest 26 is provided with a connecting frame 261. The headrest 26 can be fastened to a first end of the board 24 via the connecting frame 261. A user standing on the footboard 25 may rest his or her head an the headrest 26 while the user's back leans against the board 24.
Referring to FIG. 3, the foot frame 27 has a first end corresponding in configuration to and insertable into the second end of the supporting frame 23. A plurality of equally spaced positioning holes H3 are provided on the foot frame 27 near the first end thereof. In addition, a plurality of positioning members 271 are provided adjacent to a second end of the foot frame 27 and are parallel to one another. Once the first end of the foot frame 27 is inserted in the second end of the supporting frame 23, a second fastener S2 can be inserted through the second fastening hole H2 and be fastened with one of the positioning holes H3 such that the foot frame 27 is installed on the supporting frame 23. The plural positioning holes H3 on the foot frame 27 allow the user to adjust the height of the foot frame 27 relative to the supporting frame 23 according to his or her own stature, so the user can lay his or her head on the board 24 while the user's feet are inserted through the gap between and hooked to the positioning members 271. It should be noted that, although the foot frame 27 is shown in FIG. 3 as fastened to the second end of the supporting frame 23, the foot frame 27 may alternatively be fastened to the first end of the supporting frame 23 in other embodiments of the present invention, allowing the headrest 26 to be installed on the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2, too. Thus, when suspended from the foot frame 27 in an inverted position, the user may still have his or head resting on the headrest 26.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, when both the footboard 25 and the headrest 26 are mounted on the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 but the foot frame 27 is not, the user can control the driving device 22 in such a way that the motor 221 minimizes the length of the telescoping rod 222 and thereby renders the board 24 and the supporting frame 23 parallel to the plane. The user in this state assumes a lying position. When the driving device 22 is subsequently controlled to gradually tilt the supporting frame 23, the user's feet will slide toward a second end of the board 24 due to gravity and eventually come into contact with the footboard 25. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, while the driving device 22 is in operation, the tilt angle of the supporting frame 23 relative to the plane (i.e., relative to the bottom portion of the base 21) slowly increases from θ1 to θ2. In this embodiment, the tilt angle ranges from 0 to 75 degrees, with 0 degree corresponding to the state in which the supporting frame 23 is parallel to the plane. The tilting of the supporting frame 23 and the board 24 helps the user adapt to the gravitational force exerted on the body in the standing position. More specifically, as the tilt angle of the supporting frame 23 is varied, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 supports different proportions of the user's weight. Thus, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 functions as a rehabilitative tilting bed.
Referring again to FIG. 3, when the foot frame 27 is mounted on the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 but the footboard 25 and the headrest 26 are not, the user can hook his or her feet to the positioning members 271 in an inverted body position and adjust the tilt angle of the supporting frame 23 relative to the plane by controlling the driving device 22. Thus, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 is used as an inversion table. As the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 uses the same mechanism to drive the supporting frame 23 and the board 24 into rotation, the user only has to install or remove a specific combination of the footboard 25, the headrest 26 and the foot frame 27, and the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 will be easily converted into a rehabilitative tilting bed or an inversion table suitable for use by patients, people wishing to do physical exercise or anyone who requires physical rehabilitation or desires to perform body inversion. In short, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 features wide applicability and can produce the maximum effects with the minimum space occupied and the minimum production costs.
In addition, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the top portion of the base 21 is provided with a rail element 213 corresponding in position to each of the two lateral sides of the telescoping rod 222, and a positioning element 214. The rail elements 213 are parallel to each other and form a rail groove 213a therebetween. The two ends of the positioning element 214 are connected to the rail elements 213 respectively. In the course where the supporting frame 23 is driven to rotate by the motor 221, the telescoping rod 222 is rotated along the rail groove 213a about a fulcrum defined by the first end of the telescoping rod 222. When the motor 221 pulls the second end of the telescoping rod 222 and thereby reduces the tilt angle of the supporting frame 23 relative to the plane to 0 degree (i.e., rendering the supporting frame 23 horizontal), the middle section of the telescoping rod 222 is pressed against the positioning element 214. With the positioning element 214 of the base 21 supporting the telescoping rod 222, the positioning stability of the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 is enhanced. Besides, the rail elements 213 help ensure the operational stability of the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 by protecting the telescoping rod 222 from external forces which may prevent the telescoping rod 222 from stably driving the supporting frame 23 or the board 24.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 further includes two handles 28, and the supporting frame 23 is bilaterally provided with a plurality of outwardly extending fixing portions 231. Each handle 28 has a U-shaped configuration and has two ends respectively fastenable to the desired fixing portions 231 such that the handles 28 and the supporting frame 23 can be connected as a single unit. The plural fixing portions 231 on the supporting frame 23 allow the user to adjust the installation positions of the handles 28 according to his or her own stature, body shape, etc. In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, the configuration of the handles 28 may be designed as appropriate and is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 3. In the present invention, handle is defined as a component having at least one end fastenable to one of the fixing portions 231 so that the component can be positioned adjacent to the board 24 and be gripped by the user.
Reference is now made to FIG. 5 for the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The vertical auxiliary apparatus 5 further includes a plurality of fixing plates 51, an upper strap 52 and a lower strap 53. It should be noted that some components such as the base and the driving device are omitted from FIG. 5 to clearly show the configurations of the fixing plates 51 and of the straps 52 and 53. Each fixing plate 51 has a first end corresponding in configuration to each fixing portion 231 such that the first end of each fixing plate 51 is compliantly attachable and fastenable to any of the fixing portions 231. Each fixing plate 51 is also formed with at least one fixing groove 510 adjacent to a second end of the each fixing plate 51. Each of the upper strap 52 and the lower strap 53 has two ends each provided with at least one fastening strip 54 (e.g., one with Velcro). Each fastening strip 54 corresponds in configuration to each fixing groove 510 so as to pass through the desired fixing groove(s) 510, thereby connecting the straps and 53 to the fixing grooves 510. Therefore, whether the user does rehabilitation exercise or body inversion with the vertical auxiliary apparatus 5, the straps 52 and 53 can position the user firmly on the board 24, and by doing so, the safety of use of the vertical auxiliary apparatus 5 is effectively increased.
In the foregoing embodiments, the vertical auxiliary apparatus 2 is switched between the rehabilitation function and the body inversion function by selective installation of the foot frame 27 and the footboard 25. In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, however, the foot frame 27 may double as a footboard and is not limited in configuration to that depicted in FIG. 3. Referring to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 for the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, the foot frame 6 has a first end corresponding in configuration to the first end of the supporting frame 23. When the footboard 25 is not installed on the supporting frame 23, the first end of the foot frame 6 can be fastened to the first end of the supporting frame 23. The foot frame 6 is further provided with two foot supporting members 61, two first positioning members 62, a pivotal connecting member 63, two second positioning members 64, an engaging element 65 and a positioning bar 66. The foot supporting members 61 are provided at a second end of the foot frame 6 and can be stepped on by the user to facilitate the performance of rehabilitation exercise. The first positioning members 62 are provided on the foot frame 6. The pivotal connecting member 63 has a first end pivotally connected to a portion of the foot frame 6 that is adjacent to the second end of the foot frame 6. The pivotal connecting member 63 further has a top portion formed with an upper opening 631 and a bottom portion formed with a lower opening 632 corresponding in position to the upper opening 631. Also, the pivotal connecting member 63 has a second end concavely provided with a receiving groove 630, wherein the receiving groove 630 communicates with the upper opening 631 and the lower opening 632. The second position members 64 are fixedly provided on the pivotal connecting member 63 and are parallel to the foot supporting members 61 and the first positioning members 62. The engaging element 65 has a first end fixedly provided on the foot frame 6 and a second end adjacent to which a plurality of engaging portions 651 are provided. Once the engaging element 65 is inserted in the receiving groove 630 through the lower opening 632, the engaging portions 651 can be secured at a position corresponding to the receiving groove 630, as explained in further detail below.
The positioning bar 66 corresponds in configuration to the receiving groove 630 and can be inserted into the receiving groove 630 via the second end of the pivotal connecting member 63 such that a first end of the positioning bar 66 is positioned adjacent to the engaging portions 651. A resilient element 67 is mounted around the positioning bar 66 and has one end pressing against an annular portion 661 of the positioning bar 66 and the other end pressing against an inner wall of the receiving groove 630 that corresponds in position to the second end of the pivotal connecting member 63. The resilient restoring force of the resilient element 67 tends to drive the positioning bar 66 and thereby move the first end thereof toward and into engagement with the engaging portions 651. Hence, when the pivotal connecting member 63 is rotated about a rotation axis defined by its first end, the second end of the pivotal connecting member 63 is moved either toward or away front the first end of the foot frame 6; as a result, the distance between the first positioning members 62 and the second positioning members 64 is changed.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 7, with the positioning bar 66 having a second end facing the board 24, a user standing on the foot frame 6 can easily bend over to hold and pull the positioning bar 66, thereby disengaging the first end of the positioning bar 66 from the engaging portions 651. The user can rotate the pivotal connecting member 63 at the same time until the positioning members 62 and 61 are close enough to each other to press tightly against the user's feet. Once the user releases the positioning bar 66, the resilient element 67 automatically pushes the positioning bar 66 and brings the first end thereof back into engagement with the engaging portions 651. The user can thus adjust the foot frame 6 according to his or her foot size in order to perform body inversion.
Patent Application
20130150219
