Holistic face-down recovery apparatus and method therefor

• US 20080134434A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul J. Celauro
• Original Assignee: Paul J. Celauro
• Inventors: Celauro, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US11/977,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134434A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/610
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0214 by rotating cycling movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0468 Prone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0043 the movements of the limbs of one body half being synchronised, e.g. the left arm moving in the same direction as the left leg
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0005 with particular movement of the arms provided by handles moving otherwise than pivoting about a horizontal axis parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/001 by simultaneously exercising arms and legs, e.g. diagonally in anti-phase A63B22/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0261 using trunk supports resisting forward motion of user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/14 with form or shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A face-down recovery apparatus for use in rehabilitation of patients, particularly vitreoretinal surgical patients. The apparatus has a base and a housing that is pivotally connected to the base by an actuator. A support is positioned contiguously on the housing for received a user in a face-down position. The apparatus is moveable between a substantially vertical, upright orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation. The apparatus is in a substantially upright vertical orientation when the support receives a user in a standing position. The face of a user is secured in a face-down position in a face support, and the rest of the user is secured to the support in a standing position in an unrestricted manner permitting mobility. As the housing is tilted into a horizontal position, the user is positioned in a substantially horizontal orientation. As the user is tilted between the substantially vertical upright orientation and the substantially horizontal orientation, the user'"'"'s face is continuously maintained in a face-down position in the face support.

Claims

1. A face down recovery apparatus for use in rehabilitation of patients, the recovery apparatus comprising:

a base;

a housing pivotally connected to the base;

an actuator coupled between the housing and the base and having a first end pivotally connected to the base and a second end pivotally connected to the housing;

a support contiguously connected to a first side of the housing for receiving a user;

wherein the apparatus is in a substantially vertical upright orientation when the support receives a user in a standing position and the user is secured to the support in the standing position in an unrestricted manner permitting mobility and as the housing is tilted into a horizontal position the user is positioned in a substantially horizontal orientation and as the user is tilted between the substantially vertical upright orientation and the substantially horizontal orientation the user'"'"'s face is continuously maintained in a face-down position in a face support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support is adapted to adequately distribute the weight of a user'"'"'s body to alleviate pressure from a user'"'"'s head.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support comprises the face support, an upper torso support, a lower torso support, and a foot support.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the support is padded.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the face support has an aperture for receiving a user'"'"'s face.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the face support is coupled to a first end of the upper torso support via a drive-chain cantilevered movement to maintain the face support in a continuously parallel position.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the face support is independently adjustable relative to the upper torso support to permit mobility of the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a second end of the upper torso support being pivotally coupled to a first end of the lower torso support is independently adjustable relative to the face support and the lower torso support to permit mobility of the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a first bracket wherein a second end of the lower torso support being pivotally coupled to a first end of the first bracket is independently adjustable relative to the lower torso support to permit mobility of the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a second bracket wherein a second end of the first bracket being pivotally coupled to a first end of the second bracket is independently adjustable relative to the first bracket to permit mobility of the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a small slow speed ventilator operably connected to the housing to facilitate air circulation.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the foot support being pivotally coupled to a second end of the second bracket is independently adjustable relative to the second bracket to permit mobility of the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmission located within the housing operably coupled to the actuator for controlling tilting and/or undulation movements of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a foot pedal assembly adjustably attached to a bottom region of the housing for exercising while in the face-down position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hand pedal assembly adjustably attached to a top region of the housing for exercising while in the face-down position.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retractable tray attached to the top portion of the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a media center attached to the top portion of the housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the media center comprises a computer, an audio CD player, a video player, a DVD player, a computer, a television, or mp3 player.

19. A face down recovery apparatus for use in rehabilitation of patients, the recovery apparatus comprising:

a base;

a housing pivotally connected to the base;

an actuator coupled between the housing and the base and having a first end pivotally connected to the base and a second end pivotally connected to the housing;

a transmission located within the housing operably coupled to the actuator for controlling tilting and/or undulation movements of the apparatus;

a support contiguously connected to a first side of the housing for receiving a user, the support comprising a face support, an upper torso support, a lower torso support, and a foot support;

the face support being coupled to a first end of the upper torso support via a drive-chain cantilevered movement independently adjustable relative to the upper torso support;

a second end of the upper torso support being pivotally coupled to a first end of the lower torso support independently adjustable relative to the face support and the lower torso support;

a first bracket wherein a second end of the lower torso support being pivotally coupled to a first end of the first bracket independently adjustable relative to the lower torso support;

a second bracket wherein a second end of the first bracket being pivotally coupled to a first end of the second bracket independently adjustable relative to the first bracket;

the foot support being pivotally coupled to a second end of the second bracket independently adjustable relative to the second bracket;

the individual components of the support being pivotally connected to permit undulation movements as the apparatus is in a substantially horizontal orientation;

a foot pedal assembly adjustably attached to a bottom region of the housing;

a hand pedal assembly adjustably attached to a top region of the housing;

wherein the apparatus is in a substantially vertical upright orientation when the support receives the user in a standing position and the user is secured to the support in the standing position in an unrestricted manner permitting mobility and as the housing is tilted into a horizontal position the user is positioned in a substantially horizontal orientation and as the user is tilted between the substantially vertical upright orientation and the substantially horizontal orientation the user'"'"'s face is continuously maintained in a face-down position in the face support.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the foot pedal assembly and the hand pedal assembly have an adjustable common chain idler to simultaneously change the positioning of the foot pedal and the hand pedal.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a media center attached to the top portion of the housing.