Patent Publication Number: US-9427619-B2

Title: Physical therapy system with interchangeable heads

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/880,452, filed on Sep. 20, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention pertains generally to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to wall-mounted exercise equipment. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There is a need for a system permitting the use of interchangeable exercise equipment or exercise machines in situations where exercise space is at a premium and where it is desirable to be able to interchange exercise equipment or exercise machines in the same physical space 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one example embodiment according to the present general inventive concept, a physical therapy system with interchangeable heads includes a detachable base plate member mounted onto (or attached to) a wall track member. The base plate member generally includes or supports a head component. The base plate member is mounted onto the track member, which includes a central grappling track and, generally, two or more recessed side tracks. The base plate member includes at least one hook, which is controlled or manipulated by a lever handle. When the base plate member is positioned in a certain way against the wall track member, and the lever handle is in a first position, the hook that is controlled by the lever handle engages with the grappling track. The coupling of the hook and the grappling track holds the base plate member in position at a selected vertical location, mounted on the wall track member. At the same time, in some example embodiments, the base plate member includes two positioning panels, which generally protrude orthogonally from the inboard face of the base plate member. When the base plate member is mounted onto the wall track member, the positioning panels line up with and interact with recessed side tracks of the wall track member. The positioning panels and recessed side tracks help to orient the base plate member during the mounting process and help to stabilize the base plate member once it is in position on the wall track member and the hook and grappling track have coupled. The vertical tracks allow the base plate member to be mounted onto the wall track member at any one of many possible vertical locations on a wall. 
     A physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, including a detachable base plate member and a wall track member, provides a means for mounting a selected head component or piece of exercise equipment or exercise machine onto a wall at a selected vertical location. A system according to the present general inventive concept has great potential application in situations where exercise space is at a premium and where it is desirable to be able to interchange exercise equipment or exercise machines in the same physical space. A system according to the present general inventive concept has great potential application in, for example, outpatient clinics, nursing facilities, and physical therapy suites. Such a system with interchangeable heads allows for cost savings and space savings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and additional features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one example embodiment of a physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing a base plate member mounted onto a wall track member; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a top-down view of the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the base plate member mounted onto the wall track member and secured in place by the interaction of the hook of the base plate member with the grappling track of the wall track member; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top-down view of the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 3B , showing the base plate member decoupled from the wall track member by unhooking the hook of the base plate member from the grappling track of the wall track member; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a person using one example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing two base plate members mounted onto a single wall track member; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing two base plate members combined to support a piece of exercise equipment, each of the two base plate members being mounted onto a separate wall track member; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a another example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a person the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing two base plate members combined to support a bed, each of the two base plate members being mounted onto a separate wall track member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In some of its many embodiments, the present general inventive concept includes a physical therapy (or PT) system with interchangeable heads, generally including a base plate member that is detachably mounted onto a wall track member or similar assembly. The base plate member is capable of supporting, including, or incorporating a number of different heads—generally different pieces of exercise equipment or exercise machines (hereinafter “head components”). 
     Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates one example embodiment of a PT system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept. As shown in  FIG. 1  and in the partially exploded view in  FIG. 2 , the illustrated example embodiment system  10  includes a detachable base plate member  20  mounted onto (or attached to) a wall track member  30 . The base plate member  20  generally includes or supports a head component  22 . The base plate member  20  is mounted onto the track member  30 , which includes a central grappling track  35  and, generally, two or more recessed side tracks (in the illustrated example embodiment, there are two such recessed side tracks,  38   a  and  38   b ). 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate how the base plate member  20  is mounted onto and retained on the wall track member  30 . The base plate member  20  includes at least one hook  25 , which is controlled or manipulated by a lever handle  24 . (In the illustrated example embodiment, the base plate member  20  includes two lever handles  24 , both positioned and accessible on the outboard face of the base plate member  20 , while the hooks  25  are positioned on the inboard face of the base plate member  20 , i.e., on the face that faces the wall track member  30 .) As shown in  FIG. 3A , when the base plate member  20  is positioned in a certain way against the wall track member  30 , and the lever handle  24  is in a first position, the hook  25  that is controlled by the lever handle  24  engages with the grappling track  35 . The coupling of the hook  25  and the grappling track  35  holds the base plate member  20  in position at a selected vertical location, mounted on the wall track member  30 . At the same time, in the illustrated example embodiment, the base plate member  20  includes two positioning panels  28   a  and  28   b , which generally protrude orthogonally from the inboard face of the base plate member  20 . When the base plate member  20  is mounted onto the wall track member  30 , the positioning panels  28   a  and  28   b  line up with and interact with the recessed side tracks  38   a  and  38   b  (with, in the illustrated example embodiment, positioning panel  28   a  effectively sliding into or fitting into recessed side track  38   a , and positioning panel  28   a  effectively sliding into or fitting into recessed side track  38   a ). The positioning panels and recessed side tracks help to orient the base plate member  20  during the mounting process and help to stabilize the base plate member  20  once it is in position on the wall track member  30  and the hook  25  and grappling track  35  have coupled. The vertical tracks allow the base plate member  20  to be mounted onto the wall track member  30  at any one of many possible vertical locations on a wall. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3B , when the lever handle  24  is moved into a second position, the hook  25  decouples from the grappling track  35 , allowing the base plate member  20  to be detached from the wall track member  30 . 
       FIG. 4  presents a perspective view of a person  14  using one example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept. In the illustrated embodiment, the base plate member  20  is mounted onto the wall track member  30 , and the base plate member  20  includes a head component  23  that anchors the exercise equipment  42 , which in the illustrated example embodiment includes elastic ropes or other exercise ropes. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other head components and other exercise equipment could be included in, incorporated into, or supported by the base plate member  20 . For instance, base plate member(s)  20  could be utilized to support any number of items, including without limitation, a multi-purpose head extending from the wall to be used as a suspension point for a pulley and/or a rope for unweighting or other patient positioning, a weight stack utilizing a pulley system and a rope or a chain, a thoracic or lumbar side bending or backward bending mobilization strap or bar mount, or a shoulder inferior glide bar used in conjunction with a strap or bungee. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing two base plate members  20   a  and  20   b  mounted onto a single wall track member  30 . In the illustrated example embodiment, both base plate members  20   a  and  20   b  include the same head component  52 . Those of skill in the art will recognize that other head components and other exercise equipment could be included in, incorporated into, or supported by the base plate members  20   a  and  20   b.    
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing two base plate members  20   c  and  20   d , each of the two base plate members being mounted onto a separate wall track member  30   a  and  30   b . As shown in the figure, the two base plate members  20   c  and  20   d  are combined to support a piece of exercise equipment  65 , in this case, a bar. In this regard, those skilled in the art that a bar, or a double bar, could be utilized for gait training for use with amputees, etc. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other head components and other exercise equipment could be included in, incorporated into, or supported by the base plate members  20   c  and  20   d . For instance, as seen in  FIG. 9 , the two base plate members  20   c  and  20   d  are combined to support a bed  80 , which could be used, for example, as a patient massage table. Further, in order to provide additional support for the distal edge  85  of bed  80 , a pair of fold-away legs  90  is provided. While in one embodiment, legs  90  are folded when the bed  80  is not in use, those skilled in the art will recognize that there are other means for supporting distal edge  85  of bed  80 , for instance legs  90  could be telescoping legs, or could be detachable legs and not depart from the spirit or scope of the present general inventive concept. Additionally, the base plate members  20  of the present invention could be utilized to support a chest or shelf mounted to be used to store supplies or as a writing surface or for supporting a computer for the treating clinician. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a another example embodiment of physical therapy system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, showing a base panel member  20  supporting an exercise machine  70 , such as a UBE, an elliptical, a rower, or a weight machine.  FIG. 8  is a side view of a person  14 ′ using the exercise machine  70 . 
     A PT system with interchangeable heads according to the present general inventive concept, including a detachable base plate member and a wall track member, provides a means for mounting a selected head component or piece of exercise equipment or exercise machine onto a wall at a selected vertical location. A system according to the present general inventive concept has great potential application in situations where exercise space is at a premium and where it is desirable to be able to interchange exercise equipment or exercise machines in the same physical space. A system according to the present general inventive concept has great potential application in, for example, outpatient clinics, nursing facilities, and physical therapy suites. A PT system with interchangeable heads allows for cost savings and space savings. 
     While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.