Portable occupational therapy device

A therapy device for conducting rehabilitative exercises that includes a base having a receptacle. A standard is capable of being positioned in the receptacle in a substantially vertical position and has a plurality of adjustable arms slidably mounted on it. A locking mechanism is used to secure the standard in the vertical position. Each arm has means for being slidably mounted to the standard and a locking mechanism for fixing the arm at a height along the vertical, longitudinal axis of the standard. Each arm also includes a fastening means for removably securing occupational therapy exercise items, such as hooks, rings, and other items. The base of the therapy device include a slot for receiving the standard and may be shaped and sized to resemble an attache or brief case and to include a handle and one or more bins for holding occupational therapy exercise items. The bin may be compartmentalized and have a lid to secure exercise items therein. A locking mechanism may be mounted on the base so that the standard may be secured within the slot. So secured, the base and standard may be transported by grasping and moving the device by means of the handle. Once at a desired location, the device may be assembled by removing the standard from the slot, placing it in the receptacle, and positioning the arms on the standard. A variety of exercises may be accomplished by using the arms as platforms for the exercise items secured within the bin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to exercise and rehabilitation devices. More 
particularly, the present invention relates to an occupational therapy 
device that is portable and may be configured so that a variety of 
exercises may be carried out using it. 
The goals of occupational and physical therapy are to direct participation 
in selected tasks to restore, reinforce, and enhance physical performance; 
facilitate learning of skills and functions essential for adaptation and 
productivity; diminish or correct pathology; and to promote and maintain 
health. Various exercise devices have been developed for use by patients 
to aid in their rehabilitation. Existing devices include peg boards, 
cones, writing boards, and other items with which exercises that mimic the 
body motion of common tasks can be carried out. Typically, these devices 
are available in large clinics or hospitals in specialized therapy rooms 
or centers and might be placed on tables or at exercise stations. However, 
rehabilitation is increasingly carried out at patients' homes in order to 
reduce costs and also continue therapy after patients have left a medical 
facility. Thus, therapists often travel to their patients' homes, bringing 
with them a variety of exercise items. As might be expected, a home 
environment often lacks the facilities necessary to properly and easily 
conduct therapy. In addition, transporting enough and proper exercise 
items to conduct effective therapy can be difficult. 
Accordingly, there is a need for an occupational therapy device with which 
a variety of exercises can be carried out. It would be desirable if the 
same device could be used in hospitals and clinics, where patients often 
begin therapy, and be readily transported by therapists to patients' homes 
to continue therapy. It would also be desirable if the device was 
constructed so that therapists could design unique exercises to be carried 
out in order to provide customized therapy for their patients. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
therapy device. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a therapy device 
with which a variety of occupational therapy exercises can be carried out. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a therapy device 
which is readily transportable and may be used in hospitals and other 
treatment centers as well as patients' homes. 
These and other objects and advantages are achieved in a therapy device 
that includes a base having a receptacle. The device also includes a 
standard having a first end for being received in the receptacle and a 
second end. The standard is designed to be positioned in the receptacle in 
a substantially vertical position and to have a plurality of adjustable 
arms slidably mounted on it. A locking mechanism is used to secure the 
standard in its vertical position when it is placed in the receptacle. 
Each arm has a first end and a second end. The first end has means for 
being slidably mounted to the standard and a locking mechanism for fixing 
the arm at a height along the vertical, longitudinal axis of the standard. 
Each arm also includes a fastening means for removably securing 
occupational therapy exercise items, such as hooks, rings, and other 
items. The fastening means of each arm is positioned longitudinally along 
the arm and covers at least about 20% of the surface area of the arm. 
The base of the therapy device may be shaped and sized to resemble an 
attache or brief case and to include a handle and one or more bins for 
holding occupational therapy exercise items. The bin may be 
compartmentalized and have a lid to secure exercise items therein. The 
base is designed with a slot for receiving the standard. A locking 
mechanism may be mounted on the base so that the standard may be secured 
within the slot. So secured, the base and standard may be transported by 
grasping and moving the device by means of the handle. Once at a desired 
location, the device may be assembled by removing the standard from the 
slot, placing it in the receptacle, and positioning the arms on the 
standard. A variety of exercises may be accomplished by using the arms as 
platforms for the exercise items secured within the bin. 
The exercise items may have fastening means, such as magnetic strips or 
hook and pile fasteners, so that exercises may be accomplished by placing 
and removing items on and from the arms. The lid of the bin may also 
include means for removably fastening an exercise item, such as a writing 
board or peg board, to it and be configured so that exercises may be 
carried out when the exercise item is placed on the lid. 
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become 
more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention 
taken in combination with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring more particularly to the drawings, a therapy device 15 is shown 
in FIG. 1. The therapy device 15 includes a base 16 having a slot 18, a 
receptacle 19, and a bin 20 with a lid 21. As seen in FIG. 11, the bin 20 
may have one or more compartments 22 for holding a variety of exercise 
items which are discussed further herein. One or more first hinges 23 and 
a second hinge 24 fasten the lid 21 to the base 16. The lid 21 has a top 
surface 25 with one or more fastening means 26. (FIG. 3). The fastening 
means 26 may be magnetic strips or hook and pile fasteners. As seen in 
FIG. 3, one or more exercise items, such as a peg board 28, having one or 
more fastening means 29, may be mounted on the lid 21. An adjustable 
cylinder 27 (FIG. 11) may be used to lock the lid 21 in a desired open 
position. Latches 30 are used to secure the lid 21 closed. 
The base 16 is sized and shaped to resemble a slightly oversized attache or 
brief case and a handle 31 is provided on the base so that the therapy 
device 15 can be more readily transported. However, the base 16 may also 
be configured as a cart (FIGS. 12 and 13) with wheels 32 on one or more of 
its sides to facilitate transportation of the therapy device 15. 
As seen in FIG. 5, the slot 18 is designed to hold a standard 33. A locking 
mechanism 35, such as a pin 36 and cotter pin 37 combination, may be used 
to secure the standard in the slot 20. When the standard is placed in the 
slot 18, it and the base 16 form a readily transportable unit. The 
standard 33 has a first end 39, which is designed to be received in the 
receptacle 19, and a second end 40 (FIG. 1). The standard 33 is 
rectangularly shaped and has four grooved sides 43, 45, 47, and 49 (FIG. 
6.). The sides 43 and 47 each have one slot and the sides 45 and 49 each 
have two slots. A suitable standard may be constructed from extruded 
aluminum tubing such as the tubing sold under the trade designation 10/20 
available from 80/20 Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind. 
As shown in FIG. 2, when the device 15 is in use, the base 18 is positioned 
horizontally on a relatively flat surface 50, such as a table top or 
floor. The first end 39 of the standard 33 is positioned within the 
receptacle 19 and a locking mechanism 51 (FIG. 6.) secures the standard in 
place, in a substantially vertical position. The locking mechanism 
includes plates 51A and 51B, two securing bolts 52, and a handle 53 having 
a threaded shaft 53A. The bolts are inserted through the plate 51B are 
adapted at one end to fit within the slots of the side 49 of the standard 
33. As the handle 53 is turned clockwise, the threaded shaft 53A is 
extended to bear against the plate 51B causing the securing bolts 52 to 
pull the standard 33 into a secured position within the receptacle 19. 
Referring now to FIGS. 2, 7, and 8, a plurality of arms 54, preferably 
four-sided and rectangularly shaped, are removably and slidably mounted on 
the standard 33. Each arm 54 has a first end 55 and a second end 57. 
Mounted on the first end 55 of each arm is a guide 59 for being slidably 
mounted to the standard 33. Each guide 59 slidably engages one of the 
grooved sides of the standard 33. Each first end 55 is pivotally or 
adjustably mounted to the guide 59 by a pivot assembly 62. Each pivot 
assembly 62 allows each arm to move along a horizontal plane which is 
substantially parallel to the surface 50. Each pivot assembly 62 includes 
a threaded screw 64 which may be tightened to secure the arms 54 in 
desired positions (FIG. 8). 
Each guide 59 also includes a locking mechanism 66 (FIG. 7) for securing 
each arm 54 in a desired vertical position on the standard 33. Each 
locking mechanism includes a threaded screw 67 having a head 67A which is 
adapted to fit in one of the slots of the side 45 of the standard 33. The 
screws 67 can be tightened against the standard 33 securing the arms 54 in 
place. Through the use of the pivot assemblies 62, guides 59, and locking 
mechanisms 66 each arm is adjustable in two directions, vertically and 
horizontally, allowing the arm to be positioned in a variety of placements 
so that various exercises may be carried out. If desired, the device 15 
may be designed so that the arms are adjustable in a third direction, 
specifically rotation around their longitudinal axes 69 and 69A (FIG. 2). 
Such a design may be achieved using components and technology known in the 
art. 
Each arm 54 has a plurality of fastening means 68 mounted longitudinally on 
its sides (FIG. 2). Preferably, at least two fastening means are placed on 
each arm. Each fastening means may be mounted within a channel 70. 
Preferably, the fastening means are magnetic strips which cover at least 
about three-fourths of the length of each arm. The fastening means are 
designed to hold a variety of exercise items (discussed further below) 
that may be placed on and removed from the arms 54 by patients carrying 
out therapeutic exercises. In place of, or on top of, the magnetic strips, 
hook and pile strips, such as Velcro fasteners, may be used. Though not 
preferred, it is possible that the arms may be circular or otherwise 
curved in cross section, in which case the fastening means should cover a 
sufficient surface area of each arm to permit exercises to be carried out. 
It has been found that fastening means should cover at least about 20% of 
the surface area of the arm. 
It is possible to construct a useful embodiment of the present invention 
without mounting fastening means on each arm 54. Several exercises may be 
carried out using exercise items which slide on and off the arms 54. As 
best seen in FIG. 2, U-shaped slides 80 may be placed on each arm 54. The 
slides 80 may include features such as threaded inserts into which a rod 
82 or cone holder 84 may be screwed. The slides 80 may also include clamps 
and other mounting devices, such as a c-clamp 86, in order to hold 
exercise items such as a writing board (not shown), the peg board 28, or 
craft project 88. 
The present invention may be used to carry out a variety of occupational 
exercises. In particular, the present invention may be used to carry out 
stacking exercises where cones 89 are moved from one arm to the other. 
Many variations in a cone placement exercise can be achieved because each 
of the arms 54 is adjustable. Such exercises improve gross motor 
coordination, visual perception, strength and endurance, range of motion 
of the upper extremities and trunk of an individual, gross grasp and grip 
strength, and standing balance and tolerance (if the exercises are 
performed while standing). Because the therapy device 15 may be placed on 
a table, a counter top, or on the floor, a wide variety of bending and 
reaching exercises can also be accomplished. 
Using the slide 80 having c-clamp 86, the pegboard 28 can be mounted on the 
therapy device 15 and exercises performed. Such exercises include creating 
a pattern of pegs on the pegboard, which improves fine motor coordination. 
In addition, the C-clamp 86 can also be used to hold craft projects while 
they are being constructed or painted, thus creating an opportunity for 
range of motion and strength improvement while performing a purposeful 
activity. A purposeful activity, in contrast to a purely exercise based 
activity, is any activity where an objective beyond mere repetition of 
motion is achieved. 
As can be seen by reference to FIG. 11, a golf tee board 100 may be placed 
on one of the arms 54 and used to promote gross motor coordination as well 
as visual perception by having a patient place balls 100A on the golf tees 
100B at various positions. Fine motor coordination may be enhanced through 
exercises requiring the placement of small marbles or ball bearings on the 
golf tees 100B and gross motor coordination can be improved by having 
patients attempt to knock balls 100A off the golf tees 100B with other 
balls. 
As noted above, Velcro strips can be used as the fastening means 68 mounted 
on each of the arms 54. A wide variety of fine motor tasks can be 
accomplished by placing objects on and removing objects from the Velcro 
strips. In addition, the therapy device 15 can be placed next to a patient 
who is in a supine position on a treatment mat (not shown) with one or 
more of the arms 54 extended over the patient. In this position, the 
therapist is free to assist the patient's movements as he or she reaches 
up to remove objects from the arms 54. Placing a patient in a supine 
position may facilitate stabilization of the scapula in a normative 
position allowing for more successful use of the upper extremity for 
reaching. 
As should be apparent by a review of FIG. 11, various other exercises can 
be achieved with the therapy device 15. For example, the rod 82 can be 
placed vertically or horizontally on one of the arms 54 using the one of 
the slides 80 so that patients may place various sized rings 101, washers 
102, clothes pins 104, or other items on them. In addition, items such as 
a rotary hook 105 may be used to carry out exercises which require 
placement of the rings 101 or washers 102 on it. This exercise improves 
fine and gross motor coordination and upper extremity strength. Further, 
feeding can be simulated and practiced with the use of spoons to scoop 
items from a bowl (not shown) and raise those items from the bowl to one 
of the arms 54 which is positioned at mouth level. Various other exercises 
can be achieved using the therapy device 15 with such items as a dry erase 
board (not shown), nuts 106 and bolts 107, pegs 108, and pull hook 110. 
While the present invention has been described in what is believed to be 
the most preferred forms, it is to be understood that the invention is not 
confined to the particular construction and arrangement of the components 
herein illustrated and described, but embraces such modified forms thereof 
as coming within the scope of the appended claims.