EP1920748A1 - Training device for handicapped persons or patients during rehabilitation - Google Patents

Abstract

A training or exercise device (2) for handicapped persons comprising a central upright or pole (4) provided with handles (16) adapted to be griped by the hands and pedals (22) adapted to be operated by the feet, said central pole or upright (4) being supported by means of a transverse leg support (8) and by means of a further support pole (6) also provided with a transverse leg support (12) and being rigidly connected to said first mentioned central pole (4) in an inclined position thereto, said further leg support (6) comprises interconnected telescopic parts (6, 7) so that the effective length thereof may be adjusted, said handles (16) and said pedals (22) being interconnected by means of transmission means (28) in such a manner that the positions of rotation of the handles (16) and the pedals (22) follows each others, where the effective length of said central pole or upright (4) may be adjusted by means of interconnected telescopic parts (4, 14), where said transmission means (28) comprises two carrying arm members (30, 32) being mutually pivotally connected and being connected with shaft means (18, 24) of said handles (16) and said pedals (22), and where said transmission means (28) at said pivotally connection between said carrying arm members (30, 32) comprises shaft means (34) for drive wheels (36, 40) being interconnected by means of endless drive means (38, 42) with similar drive wheels (20) at shaft means (18) for said handles (16) and said pedals (22).

Description

Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a training device for handicapped persons or persons during rehabilitation and of the type as described in the preamble to claim 1.
Background of the Invention
• Handicapped persons - especially when bound to a wheelchair - or patients during rehabilitation have the need for relevant training or exercise in order to maintain and improve the strength of the muscles of their legs, arms, shoulders and back.
• A known training or exercise device of this type being provided with a central upright or pole provided with exercise handles adapted to be griped by the hands and exercise pedals adapted to be operated by the feet, said central pole or upright being supported by means of an inverted T-shaped transverse leg support and by means of a further support pole also provided with an inverted T-shaped transverse leg support and being rigidly connected to said first mentioned central pole in an inclined position thereto, said further leg support comprises interconnected telescopic parts so that the effective length thereof may be adjusted. Said handles and said pedals being interconnected by means of transmission means in such a manner that the positions of rotation of the handles and the pedals follows each others, and the mutual distance between said handles and said pedals is constant.
• However, the effective distance between said handles and said pedals may to some extend be adjusted by adjusting the effective length of said further inclined support pole by adjusting the inclination of said first mentioned central pole.
Object of the Invention
• On that background it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved training or exercise device of the introductory described type, and by which by means of simple technical provisions is obtained a more universal device, where the effective distance between said handles and said pedals may be effectively adjusted.
Description of the Invention
• The training or exercise device according to the invention is characterized in that the effective length of said central pole or upright may be adjusted by means of interconnected telescopic parts, that said transmission means comprises two separate supporting arm parts being mutually pivotally connected and being connected with shaft means of said handles and said pedals, and that said transmission means at said pivotally connection between said separate supporting arm parts comprises shaft means for pinions being interconnected by means of drive belts with similar pinions at shaft means for said handles and said pedals.
• By simple technical provisions is hereby obtained a more universal device, where the effective distance between as well said handles as said pedals may be effectively adjusted within a considerably range of adjustment.
• Appropriately, the training or exercise device according to the invention is such provided that said drive wheels are constituted by pinions cooperating with said endless drive means in the form of drive belts at opposite sides of said separate supporting arm parts. By using drive belts and pinions there is obtained a very precise and well function of the device, and furthermore the need for greasing are considerably reduced if at all necessary, whereby the cleaning of the device may be easier to carry out.
• In order to facilitate the adjustment of the length of said central pole or upright, the training or exercise device according to the invention may advantageously be such provided, that said central pole or upright is provided with internal cylinder means for effecting of said adjustment of said effective length said pole or upright.
• It may furthermore be advantageously that the training or exercise device according to the invention is such provided, that said internal cylinder means is constituted by gas spring cylinder.
• Preferably, the training or exercise device according to the invention is such provided that the effective distance between the respective centres of rotation of each of said handles is adjustable, and that the effective distance between the respective centres of rotation of each of said pedals is adjustable.
• Appropriately, training or exercise device according to the invention may be such provided that the effective radius of rotation of each of said handles and each of said pedals at each side of the device is adjustable.
• In order to force the brain of the handicapped person or the brain of the patient during rehabilitation to coordinate the movements of the hands and feet it is of certain importance, that the training or exercise device according to the invention is such provided that said transmission means interconnecting said handles and said pedals are such adapted that a left hand side handle is moved downwards at the same time as the left hand side pedal is moved downwards, and that a right hand side handle is moved move upwards at the same time as the right hand side pedal is moved upwards.
• Preferably, training or exercise device according to the invention may furthermore be such provided that said transverse leg supports of said central pole or upright and said further inclined pole are constituted by inverted T-shaped leg supports preferably being provided with anti skid means.
• In order to be able to place the training or exercise device according to the invention closest possible to a person in a wheelchair is may be advantageously that said transverse leg support of said further inclined pole has a shorter length than that of said leg support of said central pole or upright.
Description of the Drawing
• The invention is described in more details with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1

shows a perspective view of an embodiment for a training or exercise device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

shows a plane view of the training or exercise device cf. Fig. 1 - as seen from the right side thereof,

Fig. 3

shows a plane view of the training or exercise device cg Fig. 1 - as seen from the rear side thereof (from the right hand side of Fig. 2),

Fig. 4

shows a plane view of the training or exercise device cg Fig. 1 - as seen from the top side thereof,

Fig. 5

shows a plane view of the training or exercise device cf. Fig. 1 - as seen from the left hand side thereof - and illustrating the adjustment of the handles and the pedals,

Fig. 6

shows more plane side views of the training or exercise device cf. Fig. 1 - illustrating the adjustment of the inclination of the central pole or upright by adjusting the effective length of the further pole,

Fig. 7A

shows an enlarged detail of adjustment of the resistant of the handles, and

Fig. 7B

shows a further perspective view of the training or exercise device according to the invention pointing out the details shown in Fig. 7A.

Detailed Description of the Invention
• The training orexercise device 2 shown in the drawing comprises a central inclined pole or upright 4 and a furtherinclined support pole 6 comprising a lowertelescopic part 7. The pole or upright 4 is downwards rigidly connected to atransverse leg support 8 provided withanti-skid bushings 10. The lowertelescopic part 7 of thefurther support pole 6 is downwards rigidly connected to atransverse leg support 12 also provided withanti-skid bushings 10.
• The length of thetransverse leg support 12 is considerably shorter than that of thetransverse leg support 8. The latter is designated as therear leg support 8, while theshorter leg support 12 is designated as thefront leg support 12. The effective length of thefurther pole 6, 7 may be adjusted when operating alocking pin 13 engaging with a row oflocking holes 15.
• The pole or upright 4 comprises anupper part 14, which being telescopic connected to the pole or upright 4. At an upper end of theupper part 14 is mounted a pair ofhandles 16 on a common shaft 18 (Figs. 3 and 4), on which is furthermore mounted adrive wheel 20 belonging to a below describedtransmission system 28.
• The pole or upright 4 is furthermore mounted with a pair ofpedals 22 on a common shaft 24 (Figs. 3 and 4), on which is furthermore mounted adrive wheel 26 belonging to the below describestransmission system 28.
• Thehandles 16 comprises between these and saidcommon shaft 18 particularhandle arm members 28 with an adjustment system 29, which as shown in Fig. 5 makes is possible to adjust as well the radius of rotation of eachhandle 16 as the effective distance between the centres of rotation of thehandles 16.
• At the bottom of the same Fig. 5 it is illustrated that also thepedals 22 may de adjusted regarding as well the radius of rotation of eachpedal 22 as the effective distance between the centres of rotation of thepedals 22.
• In order to make it possible to adjust the real distance between the centres of rotation of thehandles 16 and thepedals 22, the training or exercise device comprises saidtransmissions system 28 between saidhandles 16 and saidpedals 22.
• Thetransmissions system 28 comprises two carryingarm members 30, 32 being mutually pivotally connected at 33 by means of a common shaft 34. At one end of said shaft 34 is mounted adrive wheel 36 for adrive belt 38 extending between saiddrive wheel 36 and saiddrive wheel 26 mounted on thecommon shaft 24 for thepedals 22. At the opposite end of said shaft 34 is mounted a drive wheel 40 for adrive belt 42 extending between said drive wheel 40 and saiddrive wheel 20 for thehandles 16.
• Inside thetelescopic parts 4 and 14 of the pole or upright 4 is between the respectivetelescopic part 4, 14 (not shown) build in an activation cylinder preferably in the form of a gas-spring cylinder by means of which the real distance between the centres of rotation for thehandles 16 and the centres of rotation of thepedals 22 may be adjusted by activation an adjustment handle 44 - as illustrated in Fig. 6, where also the similar angular positions of the carryingarm members 30, 32 are shown.
• In the situation of use theshorter leg support 12 is facing the user and positioned between the legs of the user in order to allow the user - even if the user is seated in a wheelchair - to be closest possible to the training ofexercise device 2, so that the operation of thehandles 16 and thepedals 22 may be best possible in order to optimize the training or exercise for the handicapped user or the patient during rehabilitation.
• The saiddrive wheels 20, 26, 36, 40 may be substituted by sprocket wheels and thedrive belts 38, 42 may in such case be substituted by chains, by way of example roller chains. Preferably, thetransmission system 28 is in use hidden behind suitable covers or guards.
• As introductory mentioned it is of certain importance to force the brain of the handicapped person or the brain of the patient during rehabilitation to train and coordinate the movements of the hands and feet in such a manner, that the training or exercise device according to the invention is such provided that thetransmission system 28 interconnecting saidhandles 16 and saidpedals 22 are such adapted that a left hand side handle 16 is moved downwards at the same time as the lefthand side pedal 22 is moved downwards, and that a right hand side handle 16 is moved move upwards at the same time as the righthand side pedal 22 is moved upwards.
• As illustrated in Figs. 7A and 7B thehandles 16 may comprise abrake system 46 with anactivation handle 48 which by turning in the direction of anarrow 50 may regulate the actual braking force in order to make thehandles 16 and thetransmission system 28 more easy or more difficult to operate. A similar brake system may be provided in connection with thepedals 22.

Claims (10)

1. A training or exercise device for handicapped persons comprising a central upright or pole provided with handles adapted to be griped by the hands and pedals adapted to be operated by the feet, said central pole or upright being supported by means of a transverse leg support and by means of a further support pole also provided with a transverse leg support and being rigidly connected to said first mentioned central pole in an inclined position thereto, said further leg support comprises interconnected telescopic parts so that the effective length thereof may be adjusted, said handles and said pedals being interconnected by means of transmission means in such a manner that the positions of rotation of the handles and the pedals follows each others,characterized in that the effective length of said central pole or upright may be adjusted by means of interconnected telescopic parts, that said transmission means comprises two separate supporting arm parts being mutually pivotally connected and being connected with shaft means of said handles and said pedals, and that said transmission means at said pivotally connection between said separate supporting arm parts comprises shaft means for drive wheels being interconnected by means of endless drive means with similar drive wheels at shaft means for said handles and said pedals.
2. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that said drive wheels are constituted by pinions cooperating with said endless drive means in the form of drive belts at opposite sides of said separate supporting arm parts.
3. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that said central pole or upright is provided with internal cylinder means for effecting of said adjustment of said effective length said pole or upright.
4. Training or exercise device according to claim 3,characterized in that said internal cylinder means is constituted by gas spring cylinder.
5. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that the effective distance between the respective centre of rotation of each of said handles is adjustable.
6. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that the effective distance between the respective centre of rotation of each of said pedals is adjustable.
7. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that the effective radius of rotation of each of said handles at each side of the device is adjustable, and that the effective radius of rotation of each of said pedals at each side of the device is adjustable.
8. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that said transmission means interconnecting said handles and said pedals are such adapted that a left hand side handle is forces to move downwards at the same time as the left hand side pedal is moved downwards, and that a right hand side handle is forces to move upwards at the same time as the right hand side pedal is moved upwards.
9. Training or exercise device according to claim 1,characterized in that said transverse leg supports of said central pole or upright and said further inclined pole are constituted by inverted T-shaped leg supports preferably being provided with anti skid means.
10. Training or exercise device according to claims 1 and 9,characterized in that said transverse leg support of said further inclined pole has a shorter length than that of said leg support of said central pole or upright.

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