Abstract:
A motorized exercise and rehabilitation chair for pacing controlled movements of the legs and arms of a disabled user includes a chair supported above a reciprocating platform having a frontal spring biased footrest for exercising the knee and ankle joints and armrest that orbit in a circular pattern for exercising the elbow and shoulder joints of the user. The user may select and vary the operating speeds of the platform and armrests from a control unit swivel mounted in front of the chair.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to exercise and rehabilitation equipment, and, in particular, to a motorized chair for exercising and rehabilitating persons with physical disabilities. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Regular exercise regimens are important in the mediation and rehabilitation of people experiencing disabilities as a result of medical conditions or trauma. Typically, the programs are conducted by physical therapists, skilled in the techniques for restoring movement and strength capability. Inasmuch as these services are expensive and time limited, various approaches have been disclosed in the art for allowing a disabled person, without the direct aid of a therapist, to undertake machine paced movements, in the home or at a medical facility. 
     Many dedicated rehabilitation devices have focused on discrete extremity disabilities. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,898 to Brown, reciprocating and inclining steps are provided for exercising the lower limbs. The patient, however, must be able to stand on the apparatus and safely maintain balance during operation, oftentimes not possible in view of their medical condition or physical limitation. Other dedicated equipment such a disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,875 to Heaton allow the paced flexing of the ankles and toes while seated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,001 to Woods and U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,597 to Root disclose reciprocating members for exercising the feet from a seated position. Still other chair based equipment have provided pedal sets for replicating bicycling activity as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,280 to Crewe. Further, devices for pacing arm movements from a seated position are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,643 to Taylor. 
     While providing passive motion means for discrete limbs, the foregoing devices are not well suited for the general disabled population having disabilities affecting both upper and lower body limbs, such as stroke and paralyzed patients. A muscle exercise apparatus for the physically disabled for jointly exercising the lower body and upper body is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,752 wherein the arms and legs are moved in phase opposition. The equipment requires severe movement patterns that may be beyond the capabilities of many patients. Another seated exercising device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,841 to Martinez. The device is exceedingly large and complicated, limiting usage. Further, only simple reciprocating motions are provided, limiting the exercise of many deficient joints such as shoulders, ankles and elbows. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above limitations of the prior art, the present invention provides a motorized rehabilitation chair that permits selective use of systems for separately exercising the upper and lower body, and provides for comprehensive and adjustable articulation of all the limbs. The exercise chair includes a lower body exercise system that reciprocates the lower limbs and provides for exercise of the knees and ankles. An upper body exercise system is provided that orbits the user&#39;s forearm for exercising of the shoulders and arms. The chair is provided with controls for independently actuating the systems and controlling their speed. The systems are also adjustable for altering the characteristics and demands of the paced movement path. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chair based exercise system selectively electing and pacing an exercise regimen for their involved limbs. 
     Another object is to provide a rehabilitation chair having a selective movement pattern for the lower limbs that exercises and flexes the knee and ankle joints. 
     A further object is to provide a rehabilitation chair having orbiting arm rests for reciprocating and elevating the forearms for exercising shoulder and arm joints. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a motorized rehabilitation chair according to a preferred embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the chair of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the lower drive system for the chair; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the connection of the drive bar to the drive chain for the lower drive system; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the connection of the drive bar to the drive chain for the lower drive system as shown in FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the center support roller for the drive bar for the upper body system; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view of the connection between the crank disk and the drive arm for the upper body system; 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top view of the top drive system; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the orbiting of the arm rest of the upper body system; 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the control system of the motorized rehabilitation chair; and 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarge side view of the housing for the chair illustrating the upper and lower drive systems. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and not for limiting same, FIG. 1 shows a motorized exercise and rehabilitation chair  10  for use by persons in undertaking maintenance and restorative exercising of impaired upper and lower body functions. The chair  10  comprises a seat  12  having an upper body exerciser  14  operated through an upper drive system  16  and a lower body exerciser  18  operated through a lower drive system  20 . A control unit  21  operated by the chair user selectively actuates and regulates the systems  16  and  20 . 
     The chair  10  includes a horizontal base frame  22  having wheel assemblies  24  for rolling movement along a floor  26 . The seat  12  is mounted on a horizontal seat frame  28  adjustably vertically supported on the base frame  22  by support legs  30 . The seat  12  includes a base cushion  32  and a seat back  34 . The seat  12  is supported on a longitudinally adjustable slide assembly  36  operated by control lever  38 . A suitable seat for use in the present invention is a bolstered automobile seat together with a conventional adjustable mechanism for fore and aft positioning. The support legs  30  include a base sleeve attached to the base frame telescopically carrying a support bar attached to the seat frame  28 . The support bar includes a plurality of vertically spaced cross holes for receiving a cross pin to adjust the height of the seat. 
     A housing  40  is carried on the base frame rearwardly of the seat and includes removable side and top panels supported on framework  42  for enclosing drive assemblies  16  and  20 . A handle  44  is provided at the rear of the housing  40  for maneuvering the chair  10  about the floor  26  to a desired exercise location. 
     The lower body exerciser  18  comprises a generally rectangular horizontal foot platform  50  that is slidably supported by roller assemblies  52  on the base frame  22  for forward and rearward reciprocation below the seat cushion  32 . A foot platform  50  includes a main panel  54  and a footrest  56  hinged to the front thereof for pivotal movement about a about a transverse axis  58 . The footrest  56  is pivoted at the end of the forward movement of the platform  50  between a lowered horizontal position aligned with the main panel and the illustrated upwardly inclined position. The footrest  56  includes an upwardly extending lever arm  59 . A flexible linkage  60  including spring  62  is connected between the upper end of the lever arm  58  and a bracket  64  attached to the side of the base frame  22 . As the platform  50  moves toward the forward positioned the linkage  60  is tensioned and rotates the lever arm  59  and the footrest  56  to the inclined position under the elastic resistance of the spring  62 . In the rearward positions the linkage is relaxed and rests at the side of the base frame  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 11, the platform  50  is moved between the forward and rearward positions by lower drive system  20 . The drive system  20  comprises a drive chain  70 , in belt or link form, connected with longitudinally spaced drive wheels  72  and  74 . As shown in FIG. 3 the drive wheels  72 ,  74  are carried on transverse front and rear shaft,  76  and  78  respectively, rotatably supported by bearing assemblies  80  mounted on the base frame  22 . A drive wheel  82  mounted on the rear shaft  78  is connected by drive chain  84  to the output wheel  86  on a variable speed electric lower drive motor  88  mounted on the base frame  22  by support  90 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a connector assembly  92  is attached to one link  93  of the drive chain  70 . The connector assembly  92  includes a drive plate  94  connected at the pins of the link  93 . A drive pin  96  is attached to the drive plate  94  and projects transversely outwardly therefrom. A drive bar  98  is pivotally connected at a rear end to the drive pin  96  and at the front end to the rear of the foot platform. The drive bar  98  is fixed to the connector assembly by fastener  99 . Accordingly, the connector assembly  92  rotates with the drive chain  70  and reciprocates the drive bar  98  thereby reciprocating the foot platform  50  between the rearward and forward positions. A dwell period is provided at the ends of the stroke. 
     The upper body exerciser  14  includes a laterally spaced pair of armrests  100  including rearwardly extending drive arms  102 . The arm rests are generally rectangular and support the forearms of the user. A roller  103  is supported at the upper front end of each armrest and provides a contoured surface for gripping by the user during the exercise cycle. The armrest  100  orbits in a circular pattern  105  in operation as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 9 to articulate the shoulder and elbow joints and to extend and elevate the upper arm of the user. Each drive arm  102  is fixedly connected at a forward end to the underside of the armrest  100 , pivotally connected at a rear end to a crank disc  104  of the upper drive system, and centrally slidably supported by a guide arm assembly  106 . Referring additionally to FIG. 6, the guide arm assembly includes a support arm  108  attached at a lower end to the base frame  22  and having a pair of laterally spaced guide plates  110  attached to the upper end defining an upwardly opening slot  112 . A guide roller  114  is rotatably supported in the slot by pin  116  extending through the guide plates  110 . The drive arm  102  rides on top the roller  114 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7,  8  and  11 , the crank discs  104  are circular plates having a series of radial spaced holes  106 . A crank disc  104  is rotatably connected at each outer end of a drive shaft  108  supported on bearings  110  mounted on seat frame  24 . The rear ends of the drive arms  102  are pivotally connected to the crank discs  104  at one of the holes  106  at pin connection  112 . An input sprocket  114  is connected at the center of the shaft  108  and drivingly connected with drive chain  116  to an output sprocket  118  connected to the output shaft of a variable speed electric motor  120 . Accordingly operation of the motor  120  rotates the crank disc  104  through drive chain  116  thereby reciprocating the rear end of the drive in a circular path. Referring to the schematic of FIG. 9, this motion of the drive arm imparts an orbiting circular pattern  105  to the armrest  100  thereby moving the users forearm and upper arm in a movement sequence that exercises the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm and articulates the shoulder and elbow joints. The radial holes on the crank disc can be selected for attachment to vary the characteristics of the armrest movement. 
     Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the orbiting movement will articulate and exercise both the shoulder and elbow joints and associated muscles. By changing the connection, greater or lesser movements can be established in accordance with patient needs and capabilities. 
     The upper and lower systems are separately controlled as to speed and operation by the control unit  21 . The control unit  21  is carried on an L-shaped support arm  130  that is rotatably mounted at a lower end on a bracket  132  at the front of the seat frame  28 . The control unit includes a control box  134  attached to the upper end of the support arm  130 . Accordingly, the control box and support arm can be swiveled to a position accessible by the user regardless of lateral disabilities. The control box  134  may also be moved to an outboard position for use by a third party. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, the control box  134  includes separate control units  140  and  142  connected by cables  144 ,  146 , routed along the support arm and base frame to the motors  80  and  120 . Each control unit includes an on/off switch  150  and speed control knob  152  allowing the user to individually actuate a selected exercise system and regulate the speed thereof for the exercise and rehabilitation regimen undertaken. The cables are connected to an exterior junction box  154  at the side of the enclosure  40  for connection by auxiliary cable to a suitable power source. 
     Accordingly, a disabled user seated on the chair positions the control unit  21  for access and positions their feet on the footrest  56 . A speed is selected for the exercisers desired for the exercise regimen. With a free hand the selected drive units are actuated and the hands placed on the armrests  100  and the exercising movements undertaken. If the user desires to change speeds or enable or disable a unit, the appropriate changes can be effected. 
     Having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will now be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures and description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention, which is defined solely in accordance with the following claims.