Passive exercise system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a passive exercise system that enables the performance of passive and resistive limb exercises, the control of the push and pull angle of the user's limbs during exercise, the applied force and speed of movement particularly for patients with loss of mobility, healthy people, and athletes who need to enhance their physical improvement and / or condition, and provides ease-of-use by reducing the weight and physical size of the overall structure.

Description

[0001] PASSIVE EXERCISE SYSTEM

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a passive exercise system that enables passive exercise of the user's limbs, controlling of the values of angle, force and speed of the push and pull motion of the limbs and reducing the weight of the structure.

[0004] The present invention relates to a passive exercise system that enables the performance of passive and resistive limb exercises, the control of the push and pull angle of the user's limbs during exercise, the applied force and speed of movement for patients with loss of mobility, healthy people, and athletes who need to enhance their physical improvement and / or condition, and provides ease-of-use by reducing the weight and physical size of the overall structure.

[0005] Description of the Related Art

[0006] Patients may experience loss of movement in their limbs, and especially in their arms and legs, as a result of medical issues such as nerve, muscle and / or bone damage. After surgery and drug treatment, physiotherapy should be continued in order to eliminate or reduce the loss of movement. During this treatment process, mobility of the patient's limbs is restored, motor activities are improved and the necessary muscle strength is achieved. In current practice, particularly in the early stages of treatment, mechanisms are used to passively move the patient's limbs. However, these mechanisms entail the control the angles, force and speed of the movement in order to effectively monitor and speed up the patient's recovery. Similarly, healthy people and athletes who wish to improve their body’s structure and fitness can also use passive limb exercise machines to speed up the process. But the overall weights and physical dimensions of the mechanisms that exert forces opposite to the user's motion, especially for increasing muscle development, are considerably larger. This causes the passive exercise mechanism to have a cumbersome structure as well as difficulties in its use and increased production and / or maintenance costs.

[0007] A patent document with no. US4587960A, included in the current state of the art, describes an apparatus for passive limb exercises a pedal bearing which is supported by a floor stand and a pedal crank with pedals driven by a propulsion engine. The mentioned apparatus includes an upper section which carries the floor stand comprising the lower part of the apparatus as well as the handle bars over the floor stand that is connected with the floor stand by a tube of flat cross sectional configuration and is inclined from the apparatus towards the user. The user's knees are held apart by the flat walls of the upper section. The user can operate the apparatus from a wheelchair, making it possible to treat patients, especially those with diseases such as multiple sclerosis or paralysis. The pedals are equipped with a suspension that surrounds the foot, allowing movement and use even in cases where the patient has lost full control function. The document in question does not describe a solution for improving the push and pull force of the user's limbs and for controlling the force, speed and angle of the movement.

[0008] A mechanism for the treatment of disorders due to nervous system damage, that was developed with the aim of accelerating neurological recovery of movement disorders caused by damage to the nervous system by using technological means and of ensuring that such individuals become independent in daily life activities as soon as possible is described in the patent document no. TR2013 / 11368. The mentioned mechanism features a main body to which the entire mechanism and components are attached, a middle support, a side support, adjustable feet that raise the main body above floor level, multiple engines, a distance gear driving reciprocating movement of the 9th engine on the middle support, a rope attached to the splints on the user, a ball mechanism placed under the main body, a bottom plate, a top plate, a main frame in the mechanism used for recumbent patients, and top extensions extending forward from the sides on the main frame. The document in question does not describe a solution for improving the push and pull force of the user's limbs and for controlling the force, speed and angle of the movement.

[0009] Consequently, a passive exercise system for the implementation of passive and resistive limb exercises, the control of the angle, the applied force and the speed of the push and pull motions of the limbs and ease of use by reducing the weight and physical size of the overall structure for patients with loss of mobility and healthy people and athletes in need of improving their body’s structure and / or fitness as well as reducing the production and maintenance costs by streamlining the structure is required.

[0010] Purpose of the Invention

[0011] The present invention relates to a passive exercise system that meets the above-mentioned requirements, overcomes possible disadvantages and provides some additional advantages. The main purpose of the passive exercise system comprising the subject to the invention is to generate a passive exercise system that enables the user to rehabilitate and strengthen the limb motor activity of the user, to improve the body’s structure and fitness, and to perform passive and resistive limb exercises.

[0012] Another purpose of the invention is to provide an effective and safe passive exercise system that allows the user to control the angle, applied force and speed of movement of the user's limbs during the push and pull motions.

[0013] Another purpose of the invention is to introduce a practical and modular passive exercise system that reduces the weight and physical size of the overall structure of the system and that provides ease of use.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to deliver an efficient and useful passive exercise system, which reduces production and / or maintenance costs by streamlining the system’s structure.

[0015] Another aim of the invention is to build a passive exercise system that enables the brain to first receive the position information from the body while giving an active movement order, to process this position information and send it to the site giving the movement order, and thus command the body to move actively. In cases when the areas of the brain that perceive the position of the body are damages, the brain becomes unable to perceive the position of the body and orders it to contract to protect the structure. To overcome this contraction, we need to ensure that the damaged part of the brain that senses position is replaced by the intact parts of the brain. In order for the areas of the brain that remain intact to become capable of sensing the body’s position, a multitude of position information must be sent from the body to the brain. A whole lot more position information is sent to the brain when movements are performed slowly, with gentle vibration and / or passive exercise with frequent changes in the direction of movement. The device’s software directs this type of exercise.

[0016] In order to attain the above-listed objectives in the widest sense, the passive exercise system that rehabilitates and strengths the motor activity of at least one limb of the user, improves the body’s structure and fitness, allow the performance of passive and resistive limb exercises, control the angle, the exerted force and the speed of the user's push and pull motions is equipped with at least one propulsion component, a body that allows the attached elements to be carried; a gripping component that allows the user to move on multiple axes by grasping and / or carrying the limb. It also features at least one propulsion component which, by the action of the said component, initiates a pull motion around a first axis, rotating in a first direction, and a push motion, rotating in a second direction; at least one first transmission component which, by the rotation of the mobilizer component in the first direction, transfers the movement to the gripping component and exerts a pull motion / force upon the user’s limb on the first axis or a second axis different from the first axis and helps to determine the angle / direction of movement; and at least one second transmission component which, by the rotation of the mobilizer component in the second direction, transfers the motion to the gripping component and exerts a push motion / force to the user’s limb on the first axis or a second axis different from the first axis and helps to determine the angle / direction of movement.

[0017] The structural and characteristic features as well as all advantages of the invention will be better understood with the help of the following figures and the detailed description with references to these figures and therefore, evaluation should be carried out taking into account these figures and the detailed description.

[0018] Figures to Assist in the Understanding of the Invention

[0019] In order to achieve the best possible understanding of the structure and advantages of the present invention, it should be evaluated in conjunction with the figures described below.

[0020] Figure - 1 : A perspective view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0021] Figure - 2: A frontal view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0022] Figure - 3: Another perspective view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0023] Figure - 4: Another frontal view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0024] Figure - 5: Another perspective view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0025] Figure - 6: Another frontal view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0026] Figure - 7: Another perspective view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0027] Figure - 8: Another frontal view of the invention related to a passive exercise system.

[0028] Part References

[0029] 1. Propulsion component

[0030] 2. Body

[0031] 3. Gripping component

[0032] 4. Moving component

[0033] 5. First transmission component

[0034] 6. Second transmission component

[0035] 7. Bearing component

[0036] 8. Control component

[0037] 9. First connector

[0038] 10. Second connector

[0039] 11 . Supporting component

[0040] 12. Detection component

[0041] A. Limb

[0042] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0043] In this detailed description, the preferred structure of the passive exercise system constituting the subject of the invention is described solely for the purpose of understanding of the subject matter in a better and non-limiting manner.

[0044] The current invention relating to a passive exercise system that is having its sample view shown in Figure 1 includes a propulsion component (1 ) comprising of an engine that provides the mechanical energy required for movement and that allows for adjusting the speed and force of the generated movement, that is preferably suitable for rotation in two different directions, that ensures the rehabilitation and strengthening the motor activity of at least one limb (A) of the user, improving the body’s structure and fitness, the implementation of passive and resistive limb (A) exercises, and controlling the angle, the applied force and speed of the push and pull motions of the user's limbs (A); that is equipped with at least one body (2) fitted with a structure that enables the attachment of the system’s components and that ensures the portability of attached components and at least one gripping component (3) that is suitable for gripping and / or supporting the user's limb (A) and compatible with the body’s anatomy and that enables the user's limb (A) to be moved on more than one axis by gripping and / or supporting the limb. Furthermore, it is also characterized by at least one mobilizer component (4) attached to the mentioned propulsion component (1 ) that generates a pull motion via the rotation of the propulsion component (1) around the first axis in the first direction and a push motion by the rotation of the said component in a second direction; at least a first transmission component (5) preferably in the form of a cable or rope attached to the mentioned mobilizer component (4) and gripping component (3), that transfers movement to the gripping component (3) and exerts a pull motion / force upon the user’s limb (A) on the mentioned first axis or a second axis different from said first axis preferably towards the user or in such a way so as to pull the limbs (A) together via the rotation of said mobilizer component (4) in the first direction, and that assists to determine the angle / direction of movement; at least a second transmission component (6) preferably in the form of a cable or rope attached to the above-mentioned mobilizer component (4) and gripping component (3), that transfers movement to the gripping component (3) and exerts a push motion / force to the user’s limb (A) on the

[0045] aforementioned first axis or a second axis different from said first axis preferably away from the user or in such a way so as to push the limbs (A) apart via the rotation of said mobilizer component (4) in the second direction, and that assists to determine the angle / direction of movement.

[0046] In an model implementation of the passive exercise system developed on the basis of the present invention, the user's limb (A) comprising of an arm or leg, is positioned in the body (2), on or in the gripping component (3), and the gripping component (3) allows the user's limb (A) to be both carried and moved on multiple different axes. The mechanical energy required for the movement is generated by means of the propulsion component (1) wherein the propulsion component (1) rotates the mobilizer component (4) around the first axis in a first direction and a second direction. With the rotation of the mobilizer component (4) in the first direction, the gripping component (3) exerts a pull motion on the user’s limb (A) by means of the first transmission element (5). With the rotation of the mobilizer component (4) in the second direction, the gripping component (3) exerts a push motion upon the user’s limb (A) by means of the second transmission element (5). This allows the user's limbs (A) to be moved in a controlled manner so that they move closer to the user or each other and away from the user or from each other, thus exercising the limb’s (A) joints and muscles. Due to the fact that the first and second motion transmission components (5, 6) are independent of each other, the speed and force of the push and pull movements can be adjusted separately depending on the force applied by the propulsion component (1 ).

[0047] The passive exercise system described as a preferred application of the invention features at least one bearing component (7) attached to the mentioned body (2) and suitable for the placement of the user's limb (A) upon in order to enable the user's limb (A) to be carried and supported during movement, ergonomically, preferably with a curved surface close to the user's limb (A).

[0048] The passive exercise system described as another preferred application of the invention features at least one control component (8) attached to above-mentioned propulsion component (1 ) and that allows for the control of the operating speed of said propulsion component (1 ) and the applied force.

[0049] The passive exercise system described as another preferred application of the invention features at least a first connector (9) attached to the mentioned body (2), which ensures the mentioned first transmission component (5) to be attached to the body (2) and the angle / direction of movement to be determined.

[0050] The passive exercise system described as another preferred application of the invention features at least a second connector (10) attached to the mentioned body (2), which ensures the said second transmission component (6) to be attached to the body (2) and the angle / direction of movement to be determined.

[0051] The passive exercise system described as another preferred application of the invention features at least one supporting component (11 ) attached to said body (2), that enables above-mentioned propulsion component (1 ) to be positioned and carried on the said body (2).

[0052] The passive exercise system described as another preferred application of the invention is characterized by at least at least one detection component (12), preferably a sensor, connected to the mentioned gripping component (3) and the mentioned control component (8), that enables the direction, angle, value and / or speed of the force / motion exerted by the mentioned gripping component (3) to be measured and the measurement data to be transmitted to the said control component (8).

[0053] The passive exercise system developed on the basis of the current invention allows passive and resistive limb (A) exercises and push and pull motions of the limbs (A) especially for patients with loss of mobility as well as healthy people and athletes who wish to improve their body’s structure and / or fitness. In addition, this also leads to the introduction of an efficient, effective and practical passive exercise system that allows control of the angle, the applied force and the speed of the push and pull motions, that brings about ease of use by reducing the weight and physical size of the overall structure, and that enables the reduction of the production and maintenance costs by streamlining the structure.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A passive exercise system that includes at least one propulsion component (1 ) that delivers the mechanical energy required for mobility and is suitable for adjusting the speed and force of the achieved movement, rehabilitating and strengthening the motor activity of at least one limb (A) of the user, ensuring increased physical improvement and condition, performance of passive and resistive limb (A) exercise, controlling the angle of the push and pull motions of the user's limbs (A), the applied force and the speed of movement, wherein characterized by at least one body (2) with suitable structure to attach the system components and which allows the bearing of the attached components; at least one gripping component (3) with suitable properties for gripping and / or bearing the user's limb (A) and compatible with the body’s anatomy, and that enables the motion of the user's limb (A) on more than one axis wherein it grips and / or bears the limb; at least one mobilizer component (4) attached to the mentioned propulsion component (1 ) that generates a pull motion through the rotation of the propulsion component (1 ) around the first axis in the first direction and a push motion through the rotation of the said component in a second direction; at least one first transmission component (5) attached to the mentioned mobilizer component (4) and gripping component (3), that transmits the movement to the gripping component (3) and ensures the exertion of a pull motion / force upon the user’s limb (A) on the mentioned first axis or a second axis different from said first axis via the rotation of said mobilizer component (4) in the first direction, and that assists the determination of the angle / direction of movement; at least one second transmission component (6) attached to the mentioned mobilizer component (4) and gripping component (3), that transmits the movement to the gripping component (3) and ensures the exertion of a push motion / force to the user’s limb (A) on the mentioned first axis or a secondaxis different from said first axis via the rotation of said mobilizer component (4) in the second direction, and that assists the determination of the angle / direction of movement2. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is an engine wherein the propulsion component (1 ) has suitable properties for rotation in two different directions.

3. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the mentioned body (2) has the form of a skeleton.

4. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the surface of the mentioned gripping component (3) nearer to the user's limb (A) has a curved shape.

5. A passive exercise according to claim 1 , characterized in that the mentioned mobilizer component (4) has the structure of a shaft or rod extending on the mentioned first axis (A).

6. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the direction of the mentioned pull motion / force becomes closer to the user or the limbs (A) approach each other.

7. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the mentioned first transmission component (5) has the form of a cable or rope.

8. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the direction of the push motion / force moves away from the user or the limbs (A) move away from each other.

9. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes at least one bearing component (7) with ergonomic properties, attached to the mentioned body (2), suitable for placing the user's limb (A) to enable the user's limb (A) to be carried and supported during movement, preferably with a curved surface in proximity to the user's limb (A).

10. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that in that it includes at least one control component (8) attached to the mentioned propulsion component (1 ) and that ensures the control of the operating speed of saidpropulsion component (1 ), and the applied force.

11. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes at least one first connector (9) attached to the mentioned body (2), which ensures that the mentioned first transmission component (5) is attached to the body (2) and the angle / direction of movement is determined.

12. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes at least one second connector (10) attached to the mentioned body (2), which ensures that the mentioned second transmission component (6) is attached to the body (2) and the angle / direction of movement is determined.

13. A passive exercise system according to claim 1 , characterized in that it includes at least one supporting component (11) attached to the mentioned body (2), that ensures the mentioned propulsion component (1 ) to be positioned and carried on the said body (2).

14. A passive exercise system according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes at least one detection component (12), preferably a sensor, connected to the mentioned gripping component (3) and the mentioned control component (8), that ensures measurement of the direction, angle, value and / or speed of the force / motion applied by the mentioned gripping component (3), and the measured data to be transmitted to the mentioned control component (8).

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