Exercise device for handicapped children

An exercise device for children with muscular impediments that permit the periodic and uniform exercising of a child's limbs. The electronic motor that drives the slidably mounted front and rear brace members can be selectively engaged or disengaged, depending on the child's needs and progress. The brace members hold the child's hands and feet and cause them to move and flex, when forced over a predetermined path defined by front and rear channel assemblies. The mechanism can be selectively engaged and disengaged depending on the needs of the child. Telescopic linkage arms are provided to adjust the extent to which the child's limbs will be moved. A canvas and a mask keep the child horizontally suspended while being exercised.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to therapeutic devices, and more 
particularly, to such devices that exercise the muscles of children that 
suffer from cerebral paralysis. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
To this date, there are no devices to mechanically exercise the muscles of 
children suffering from cerebral paralysis. The therapy for these patients 
is done manually with the consequent personnel requirement which is 
typically expensive. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a device 
that can automatically exercise a child with cerebral paralysis and be 
selectively disconnected from its motor driven assembly when the child 
starts generating its own movements. 
It is another object of this present invention to provide a device that is 
capable of exercising all of the child's muscles. 
It is still another object of this present invention to provide such a 
device that can be adjusted as the child grows or improves so that the 
movement of the child's limbs and body can be extended or changed. 
It is yet another object of this present: invention to provide such a 
device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its 
effectiveness. 
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part 
of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of 
fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally 
referred to with numeral 10, it can be observed that it basically includes 
housing 15 wherein different mechanical and electrical components are 
housed. Frame structure 20 includes the structural members required to 
keep the child suspended over housing 15. Frame structure 20 includes side 
structural assemblies 22 and 22' composed of several interconnected rigid 
structural members. Assemblies 22 and 22' are kept in a spaced apart 
relationship to each other by upper transversal member 23. Adjusting pads 
18 help maintain device 10 leveled. 
Elongated members 26 and 26' are connected to each other by transversal 
member 27 with supporting canvas 25 designed to keep the child suspended 
over housing 15 while his limbs are exercised by the mechanism described 
below. As shown in FIG. 2, several straps 21 ensure that the child does 
not roll off supporting canvas 25. Telescopic member 28 extends upwardly 
from upper transversal member 23 and holds head support mask 29 intended 
to keep the child's head substantially at the same level as the rest of 
the body. 
In the preferred embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 3, electric motor 
assembly 30 and timer switch assembly 40 are connected and fed by a 
conventional AC voltage source of 110 volts. Exhaust fan 31 is used to 
keep the temperature low inside housing 15. Motor assembly 30 causes axles 
50 and 50' to rotate driving sprocket members 60 and 60' which are rigidly 
mounted to the ends of axles 50 and 50'. Chain members 70 and 70' are 
trained over driving sprocket members 60 and 60', respectively, and over 
driven sprocket member 81 and 81' of driven sprocket assemblies 80 and 
80', respectively. 
Driven sprocket assembly 80 (and 80') is best seen in FIG. 6, and it 
includes driven sprocket member 81 and inner and outer disks 181 and 183 
that are rigidly mounted to shaft 85 to which driven sprocket member is 
also rigidly mounted. Supporting bearing member 87 provides the support 
for shaft 85. Pivoting arms 88 and 88' are pivotally mounted to the outer 
surfaces 84 and 84' of disks 183 and 183' as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
Similarly, pivoting arms 89 and 89' are pivotally mounted to outer 
surfaces 83 and 83' of disks 181 and 181', respectively. 
Front linkage members 82 and 82' are, at one end, pivotally mounted to 
pivoting arms 88 and 88' of driven sprocket assemblies 80 and 80', 
respectively as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The other ends of adjustable 
front linkage members 82 and 82' are pivotally mounted to front moving 
shoe assemblies 90 and 90' that are slidably mounted to front rail guide 
members 92 and 92'. Connecting rods 94 and 94' are removably connected to 
front carriers 96 and 96' which slidably travel within front channel 
assemblies 98 and 98' within base tubular members 99 and 99' . Similarly, 
rear linkage members 182 and 182' are, at one end, pivotally mounted to 
outer surfaces 83 and 83' of disks 181 and 181' in driven sprocket 
assemblies 80 and 80' . The other ends of rear linkage members 182 and 
182' are pivotally mounted to rear moving shoe assemblies 190 and 190' 
that are in turn slidably mounted to front rail guide members 192 and 192' 
. Connecting rods 194 and 194' are removably connected to rear carriers 
196 and 196' which slidably travel within rear channels 198 and 198' . 
The reason for making connecting rods 94; 94'; 194 and 194' removably 
connected to front and rear carriers 96; 96'; 196 and 196' is to permit a 
child, as he or she progresses, to exercise on his own one or more of 
his/her limbs when the force from the electric motor is not required. 
Front brace assemblies 32 and 32' are rigidly mounted to the upper part of 
front carriers 96 and 96'. Assemblies 32 and 32' cooperatively receive the 
child's hands and arms and are adapted to follow the contour of upper 
surfaces 97 and 97' of channel assemblies 98 and 98'. Likewise, there are 
rear brace assemblies 132 and 132' are designed to cooperatively receive 
the child's feet and force them to follow a predetermined distance over 
upper surface 197 and 197'. Channel assemblies 98; 98' ; 198 and 198' 
include bent ends 95; 95'; 195 and 195' designed to cause the child's 
hands and feet to flex in predetermined angles at the end of the 
trajectory. 
The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives 
and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made 
of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that 
all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, 
and not in a limiting sense.