FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of articles for physical wellbeing, in particular for rehabilitation and exercise of the limbs, the joints and the trunk.
BACKGROUND ARTIt is a known problem that rehabilitation after traumas and accidents often requires lengthy times and, above all, the use, by the patient, of equipment that is costly and difficult to handle, often making it necessary for the patient to go to specialized centres where this equipment can be used for the time required by the therapy.
In addition to this, equipment for rehabilitation after traumas and accidents often consists of complex exercise machines which require the person using them to exert considerable strength, which can be extremely tiring with consequences on times of use and efficacy of the exercise, as well on the patient's spirits.
The above shows that there is clearly the need to produce a device with reduced dimensions which allows rehabilitation and training exercises to be carried out without requiring considerable efforts by the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDevice for exercising the limbs and the trunk comprising a hollow container containing a movable mass, liquid or solid, said container being hinged to a central support by means of a connecting joint the height of which is greater than the height of the centre of gravity of the assembly formed by said hollow container and by said movable mass.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 Structure of the hollow container which provides the supporting base of the device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 First preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, as a stool.
FIG. 3 Second preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, as a chair provided with backrest and armrests.
FIG. 4 Third preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, as an oscillating platform.
FIG. 5 Hollow container of the device according to the present invention wherein the seat for the joint for connection to the central support is positioned above the supporting surface of said container.
FIG. 6 Fourth preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, for exercising the upper limbs.
FIG. 7 Fifth preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, comprising movable parts intended to adjust its profile and its dynamic behaviour.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe patent application PCT n. WO2004062434 describes a dynamic footstool which allows the lower limbs and joints to be exercised by means of footrests movable about a support. In one of the preferred embodiments described this device has the structure described inFIG. 1.
The fundamental characteristic of this embodiment of said dynamic footrest is that it is composed of aplatform13 associated with ahollow container10 containing amovable mass11, liquid or solid, said container, said platform or both being hinged to a suitable support by means of aconnection joint12 the height of which is greater than the height of the centre of gravity of the assembly formed by said hollow body and by said movable mass. Saidplatform13 can be flat or have an upper surface of various contour.
The form of the container is produced to obtain maximum inertial thrust with minimum effort. In fact, in the idle position with the supporting surface of thecontainer10 horizontal with respect to the floor, the movable mass is positioned evenly over the base of the container, around the connectingjoint12. At this point, slight angular inclination of the container is sufficient to move the movable mass distinctly to one side drawing the container which thereby acts on the foot of the user stimulating the ankle and the entire lower limb to perform a movement which is beneficial to the joint, muscles and blood circulation.
This mechanism is triggered by each small movement of the user, who can therefore benefit from the effects of this passive exercise without it being necessary to apply intentional force to the device.
In the light of the efficacy of the device forming the object of the application PCT n. WO2004062434, it is desirable to extend the field of application to extend the application to fitness or rehabilitation activities regarding other parts of the body and different pathologies or exercise requirements.
The devices forming the object of the present invention are an adaptation of the previous device so that it can be used in different fields of application.
With reference toFIG. 2, this shows a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention in the form of a stool.
Said device comprises aseat20 associated with a hollow container shaped so that it is essentially flat on one side and semi-toroidal on the other with a central depression housing the seat for thejoint21 for connection to the central support22. The hollow container contains a certainmovable mass28, liquid or solid, free to move inside said container. Alternatively, the inside of the container could be provided with inner walls to orient movement of saidmovable mass28 in one or more preferred directions.
Said container can also be provided with fixed masses, applied to the inner or outer walls thereof, to favour movement in certain directions with respect to others which are instead inhibited. Said fixed masses can, for example, be applied in the form of metal edges, bands, studs, etc.
The hollow container is connected to the central support by suitable connection means, such as a ball joint, which can allow complete rotation about said axis, allow limited rotation or yet again allow free rotation in certain directions and rotation characterized by a certain degree of friction—and therefore inhibited—in certain other directions in the event of this being required by specific needs.
The central support22 has a plate23, preferably disc-shaped, which forms the stop for theseat20 during oscillation thereof. Said plate will preferably have agasket24, at the level of the area of contact with saidhollow container10, which can have an uneven thickness to allow variable inclination of the seat according to the side on which inclination takes place. Moreover, said plate will preferably be provided with amechanism25 to adjust the height thereof along the central support22 and be capable of rotating about said central support22.
The central support of the first preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention is provided with abase26 to rest on the floor and can also have afurther mechanism27 to adjust the height of the seat from the floor.
The device in the embodiment described above has the benefit of favouring the rotational movement of the pelvis, of the trunk and of the entire spinal column of the user, involving the abdominal muscles and the muscles of the back trunk.
The device described above can be completed by adding a support provided withbackrest30 andarmrests31, as shown in the attachedFIG. 3.
The dimensions of the device according to the present invention and the quantity of movable mass inside the hollow container can vary according to the particular application which is to be produced.
With reference toFIG. 4, a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention is shown. This is an oscillating platform, realised in the same way as described above with regard to the previous embodiment, preferably covered, on the upper side thereof, with a suitablenon-slip material40, on which the user must remain standing, in balance, compensating with the muscles of the lower limbs the thrusts caused by the movable mass contained in the device. As a consequence of this, the muscles of the lower limbs, in particular the muscles that are not usually involved by normal exercise equipment, are strengthened and toned, with important benefits also for the blood circulation.
With reference toFIG. 5, it is possible to modulate the degree of stability of the oscillating platform described above, modifying the hollow container so that the seat for the joint for connection to the central support is moved above the supporting surface of the container, in order to increase the difference between the height of the centre of gravity of the container and the height of the fulcrum of oscillation of the device.
A further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention is represented inFIG. 6. This time the device forming the object of the present invention is modified so that it can be used to exercise the upper limbs, particularly the hands, arms and shoulders. The hollow container is provided, on the upper side thereof, with ahandgrip60 which the user grasps so that his or her hand is integral with the device. In this way, the oscillations of the device according to the present invention can involve the muscles of the wrist, forearm, arm and shoulder. Usually it is possible to graduate the force exerted by the device by acting on the dimensions and on the mass contained therein. Also in this embodiment, it is possible to move the seat for the joint for connection to the central support above the supporting surface of the container, in order to increase the difference between the height of the centre of gravity of the container and the height of the fulcrum of oscillation of the device.
A further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention is represented inFIG. 7. The device forming the object of the present invention comprises aplatform70 with a central depression housing the seat for thejoint71 for connection to thecentral support72 and at least one removable ring-shaped container73,74,75 capable of engaging with saidplatform70 and its protruding seat for saidjoint71. Said ring-shaped container can be solid or hollow and filled with a certainmovable mass76, liquid or solid, free to move inside said container. Alternatively, the inside of said ring-shaped container can be provided with inner walls to orient movement of saidmovable mass76 in one or more preferred directions, it can be provided with inner chambers that can be filled or not in order to modify the dynamic behaviour of the device according to the present invention and, for the same purpose, it can be provided with suitably located solid masses. Said ring-shaped containers can have whatever section is suitable for the wanted purpose (for example circular, elliptical, polygonal and so on).
One or more of said ring-shaped containers can be used superimposed one on the other thus allowing maximum flexibility of use in terms of adjustment of the height of the device, adjustment of the quantity of saidmovable mass76 and adjustment of the dynamic behaviour of the device itself. Furthermore said ring-shaped containers can be provided with an anti-slip outer surface in order to favour the grip on the surface of saidplatform70 and on the sole of the shoe of the user.
Finally, in a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, said plate23, which forms the stop for said hollow container during oscillations thereof, is provided with suitable contact sensors, applied to said plate or to the gasket thereof24. Said contact sensors produced for example with piezoelectric sensors or microswitch sensors, are connected to an electronic data acquisition board which records and processes mapping of the contacts between container and plate, said mapping which can be transferred to a personal computer in order to evaluate and interpret it for statistical and therapeutic purposes.