Patent ID: 7976444
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: A61H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A highly portable shoulder rehabilitation/exercise device comprised of a base plate, a hydraulic damper, a restrictor arm, an actuator arm, an elbow cup and a hand grip wherein: the base plate is shaped and configured as a substantially flat plate having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a planar upper and planar lower surface which are parallel to one another, the base plate including a plurality of restrictor bores especially configured and adapted for the receipt of restrictor pins, an axle bore especially configured and adapted for receipt and passage of a central axle of the hydraulic damper through the lower and upper surface of the base plate, the hydraulic damper being mounted to the lower surface of the base plate, the base plate further including a means for affixing the base plate to a stable surface; the hydraulic damper is comprised of a mounting plate, a main damper housing a central axle, hydraulic fluid, a means of for propelling the hydraulic fluid and a hydraulic fluid flow valve having an aperture, the restrictor arm includes an upper surface, a lower surface, two side surfaces, a proximal and distal terminus with a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the lower surface of the restrictor arm including a lock bore for receipt of the central axle of the hydraulic damper, the central axle providing an axis of rotation for arcuate motion of the restrictor and actuator arm, the restrictor arm further including a restrictor finger extending from and continuous with the proximal terminus of the restrictor arm, the restrictor finger being especially shaped and configured so that when the restrictor arm moves along an arcuate path, the restrictor finger extends over an arcuate pattern formed by the restrictor bores of the base plate, the restrictor arm further including, adjacent the distal terminus thereof, a means for pivotally affixing the actuator arm to the restrictor arm so as to enable the actuator arm to pivot upward and downward in such a manner as to allow adjustment of elevation of the actuator arm in relation to the restrictor arm; the actuator arm is configured as an elongated bar having a length, an upper surface, a lower surface, two side surfaces and a proximal and distal terminus with a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the hand grip and the elbow cup being adjustably mounted upon and extending upward from the upper surface of the actuator arm, the hand grip being mounted distal to the elbow cup; the elbow cup is shaped and configured to adapt to and engage the elbow of a user and wherein the elbow cup is mounted upon the upper surface of the actuator arm in such a manner so as to allow the elbow cup to be moved fore and aft along the length of the actuator arm so as to obtain a desired position; and the hand grip is shaped and configured to facilitate a user grasping said grip and is mounted upon the upper surface of the actuator arm in such a manner as to allow the hand grip to be moved fore and aft along the length of the actuator arm, so as to obtain a desired position; wherein when a user positions one of user's arms so that an elbow and hand of the arm are positioned so that the elbow is placed within the elbow cup and the hand grasps the hand grip, and, thereafter, the user laterally biases the actuator arm in an inward and outward direction, the actuator arm and the restrictor arm to which it is affixed move along an arcuate path with the central axis of the hydraulic damper being the radial center of such movement, the device thereby positioning the user's arm in such a manner as to enable performance of both internal and external rotations of shoulder without adjusting the device or changing the users position, and wherein, placement of restrictor pins, within one or more restrictor pin bores, enables a user to define and limit the range of motion of the arcuate path, the hydraulic damper, upon which the restrictor arm is mounted, providing smooth, fluid-like resistance to said internal and external rotations of the shoulder which said resistance increases and decreases, automatically, in response to an increase and decrease, respectively, in lateral force applied to the hand grip by the user, the device storing such minimal potential energy and exhibiting such minimal momentum so as to provide substantially no opposition to a user's termination of movement of the actuator arm, the device also providing adjustment to the elevation of a user's forearm so as to attain a desired angular relationship between a user's shoulder, upper and lower arm while said adjustment to elevation also serves as an additional means for adjusting resistance to internal and external rotation of the device.