Abstract:
This invention relates to an apparatus which supports a user who is building back and leg muscles. This invention includes at least a track, a truck designed to run along the track and a sling for suspending a user from the truck. The track is of a design adapted to be secured to a ceiling joist. The truck of a size which is capable of supporting the weight of a user and of withstanding any forces which a user may impose upon the truck.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Individuals with muscular disabilities are often limited in their mobility. This includes their ability to move around a house and in daily activities. Many children born with muscular disabilities are often unable to walk or move independently at any point in their lives without some type of assistance. 
     Cerebral palsy (CP) is one form of physical disability which affects how a person can move. All types of CP are characterized by abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, motor development and coordination. Classically, children with CP have delayed development which can result in poor muscle form. Often, if a child has cerebral palsy, that child has neuromuscular conditions which affect his or her ability to walk or move independently; therefore, these individuals often rely on others or they use support devices to move around. 
     Vertebral bodies, and other weight bearing body parts, such as the legs, need gravitational loading forces to develop properly. Children with CP are not able to adequately develop the muscles they need to move; therefore weight bearing areas do not get adequate gravitational loading forces for proper development. It is known that children with CP need help in developing their muscles; but they will improve somewhat if they receive extensive care from specialists. 
     Currently, the devices available to assist users with muscular disabilities are bulky and large. These devices can sometimes be so large a user is unable to move them through typical doorways, hallways or other areas of a house or building. Often times the user is out-weighted by the device. Often the weight and mass of such an assist device will cause a user to encounter difficulties in operating it because of the resistance imposed by the device itself. 
     Devices of the class which children can use to move around in an effort to increase their muscular function are usually floor based. These devices have wheels for children to move. However, the wheels may get caught or stuck on surfaces such as carpeting, objects on the floor, or other such obstacles which lay around a house. This usually results in a frustrating and strength draining experience for the user. 
     Thus, there remains a need for an apparatus which has a small footprint, is light-weight and gives a user with muscular disabilities the freedom to move independently throughout his or her home while simultaneously providing a means for the user to develop necessary muscles. There is a need for a device which will not cause a user to get stuck on obstacles or inhibit a child&#39;s movement while the child is attempting to build muscular strength. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to persons who need to develop muscles in their back and legs. This invention supports the user when the user wishes to work on developing such muscles. The apparatus of this invention generally includes a track attached to a ceiling surface, a truck which runs along the track and a sling which is attached to the truck and is capable of supporting a user. Preferably, the sling should be designed such that it allows for the user&#39;s feet to touch the floor while the user is supported by the sling when the user wishes to engage in muscle building activities. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION ON THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmented perspective view of a truck on a portion of a track. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the truck, track and sling in use by a human. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the truck. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a top view of a truck. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of the truck within the track. 
         FIG. 6  is another view of the truck within the track. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the apparatus of this invention is a mobility assist device  2  that includes three main features, a truck assembly  4 , a track  6  and a sling  8 . The truck assembly  4  is designed to roll along the track  6  in a manner which can be controlled by the user. The track  6  is designed to be attached to a ceiling surface. Both the track  6  and the truck assembly  4  should be designed to have minimal footprint in the area in which they will be put to use. The track  6  and the truck assembly  4  should be designed such that a user encounters minimal obstacles and is able to move freely. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6 , the truck assembly  4  is designed to ride within the track  6  and the track  6 , in turn, should be designed to be fixed to and supported by a ceiling joist or other adequate structure member. The truck assembly  4  should further be designed to hold the sling  8  in such a manner that a user may fit within and be supported by the sling  8 . The mobility assist device  2  should further be designed to support the weight of a user and the forces caused by a user during the user&#39;s movements. 
     In a contemplated embodiment of this invention, the truck assembly  4  is designed such that it has a first polygonal shaped plate  12 . The polygonal shaped plate has an upper edge  14  slightly longer than its lower edge  16  and symmetrical along a center axis  18 . The lower edge  16  of the first plate  12  should be centered below the upper edge  14  at a distance which allows the lower edge  16  to clear the track  6 , as will be further explained. Extending from each end of the upper edge  14  are side edges  20 . The side edges  20  extend between the upper edge  14  to the lower edge  16 . These side edges  20  may be a straight edge or it may consist of multiple sides. In a contemplated embodiment of this invention, the side edges would first extend at a right angle downward half the height of the first plate then would be angled inward to meet with the lower edge  16 . In any embodiment of this invention, the height of the truck assembly  4  should be sufficient for the lower edge  16 , a second horizontal plate  22  and a sling support member  24  to clear the track  6  when the mobility assist device  2  is in use. The thickness dimensions of the first plate  12  should be sufficient to support the mass and forces of the user when the mobility assist device mobile  2  is in use. 
     The first plate  12  is attached to the second plate  22  in any manner known in the art. For example, the second plate  22  could be welded or otherwise attached to the lower edge of the first plate  12 . The second plate  22  should be attached to the first plate  12  such that the second plate  22  is generally parallel to the plane of the ceiling and perpendicular to the first plate  12 . The second plate  22  should be attached to the first plate  12  such that the center of the second plate  22  is welded to the center of the first plate  12 . This second plate  22  should be of a size which can support the weight of a user, a swivel plate  34 , a sling support member  24 , a strap guide  36  and a sling  8  without bending or otherwise becoming distorted. In a preferred embodiment, the second plate  22  is circular in shape and between two and four inches in diameter and half of an inch and an eight of an inch in depth. In another preferred embodiment, the second plate  22  is square. 
     In an embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5 , the swivel plate  34  may be mounted to the second plate  22  by means of a bolt. However, any equivalent means known in the art can be used for attaching the swivel plate  34  to the second plate. If a bolt is used it should extend through the center of the swivel plate  34 , and the second plate  22  and into a cut-out formed in the lower edge  16  of the first plate  12 . This bolt should be fastened with a nut and a lock washer to hold the nut and bolt in place. However, any manner for coupling the swivel plate  34  to the support structure  30 , the second plate  22  and/or the first plate  12  is contemplated for this invention. The swivel plate  34  should be configured such that it can be easily rotated 360 degrees by a user who has minimal muscle capabilities. In an embodiment of the invention, the swivel plate  34  would be coupled to the second plate  22  such that the swivel plate  34  is parallel to the line of the ceiling. 
     The truck assembly  4  is supported by at least one set of wheels or a roller along the channel of the track  6 . The wheels or rollers are attached to axles extruding through the first plate  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the first plate  12  should have at least one through hole  26  for an axle  28  to be inserted. Preferably, the first plate  12  should have a plurality of through holes  26  through which axles  28  may be inserted to allow for a second set of wheels. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the truck assembly  4  has two through-holes  26  which are spaced an equal distance from each side of the first plate  12 . The through holes  26  may be equal in size and shape. Without limitation, the center of each through hole  26  should be placed between half an inch and one inch from both the top edge  14  and the side edges  20  of the first plate  12   
     An axle  28  is placed in the through-hole  26  and a wheel  32  should be placed on each end of an axle  28  such that they are close to the inner side walls of the track  6  to straddle the slot  38  and stabilize the location of the first plate  12  close to the center of the slot  38 . If there is more than one axle  28  then wheels  32  should be placed close to each end of each axle  28 . The wheels  32  can of any size which allows the truck assembly  4  to roll efficiently along the track  6  when the user wishes to move. 
     A sling support member  24  which supports the sling, and therefore the user, is attached to the truck assembly. This sling support member  24  should be coupled to the swivel plate  34  in any manner which is capable of securing the sling support member  24  to the swivel plate  34  and capable of withstanding the forces exerted by a user in the sling  8 . Examples of means for securing the sling support member  24  to the swivel plate  34  include bolting or welding. However, these examples should not be construed as limiting. The sling support member  24  could be a single bar extending the entire length or it could be two shorter bars, as illustrated, which extend the desired distance away from the truck assembly  4  and the track  6 . The sling support member  24  should be of a size and shape which supports a user while the user is operating the mobility assist device  2  and is capable of evenly distributing the weight of the user across the entire length of the sling support member. The opposed ends of the sling support member  24  should be of equal distance away from the center of the support structure  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sling support member  24  may have strap guides  36  attached to it. The strap guides  36  can be manufactured in any manner known in the art such that a strap for the sling  8  can be secured into place between the sling support member  24  and the strap guide  36  and preventing the straps from slipping off the ends of the support members  24 . 
     The truck assembly  4  described above is designed to run along a track  6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . This track  6  is of a width such that the wheels  32  of the truck assembly  4  roll along the channel of the track  6 . The track  6  is also formed such that the user is not able to cause the truck  4  to fall off the track  6  during use. In a preferred embodiment the track  6  is formed from a length of rectangular tubing such that a channel is formed within the tubing and which has a slot  38  in the center to allow for movement of the truck assembly  4  within the track  6 . The tubing from which the track  6  is constructed may be any width known in the art to sufficiently serve the purpose of allowing the truck  4  to run along the inside. The slot  38  within the channel of the track  6  should be wide enough to allow the first plate  12  of the truck assembly  4  to run through but not so wide that the wheels  32  could possibly come out of the track  6 . In a contemplated embodiment, there should not be more clearance within the channel of the track  6  and wheels  32  than necessary so that there is minimal lateral movement of the truck assembly  4  within the track  6 . 
     Located adjacent to each end of the track  6  is a stop device  40  to limit the travel of the truck assembly  4  and prevent it from rolling out of and end of the track  6 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Stop devices  40  can be of any variety known in the art which will not allow a user to cause the truck assembly  4  to roll out of the track  6  during any motions or movements by the user. At least one stop device  40  should be removable to allow the truck to be removed when desired. In an embodiment of the invention, the stop device  40  could be made from bumper  42  which is disposed in the track  6  and held in place with a through bolt  44 . The stop  40  may also be a decorative end plate for the track  6  such that the inside of the track  6  cannot be seen when viewed from the ends. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a sling  8  is held into place by the strap guides  36  on the sling support member  24 . The sling  8  is designed to hold a body in an upward position, but still allow the user&#39;s legs hang downwards. The length of the sling  8  is such that the user&#39;s feet will touch the floor to assist the user in learning how to walk. The sling  8  is designed to support the weight of the user. The sling  8  should also be designed such that the straps of the sling are adjustable to accommodate the height of the user as the user grows and develops muscles. 
     In use, the track may be placed along any series of ceiling joists or other structural support members such that the track extends through multiple rooms. It is contemplated for the track to extend into multiple rooms of a house. Therefore, junctions and curved track segments can be designed which allow a user to navigate the truck through a house. Any design of a track is contemplated for use so long as the track and truck assembly work together to assist a user in moving through a room or rooms. 
     Thus, embodiments of the mobile assist device which allows a user to develop leg muscles are disclosed. One skilled in the art will appreciate the present teachings can be practiced with embodiments other than those disclosed. The disclosed embodiments and figures are presented for purposes of illustration and limitation.