Electronic exercise aid

• US 3,929,335 A
• Filed: 02/10/1975
• Issued: 12/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franklin S. Malick
• Original Assignee: Franklin S. Malick
• Inventors: Malick, Franklin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US05/548,514
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 272/57R,DIG.5,DIG.6 128/25,2N,25R 340/279 307/116
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Apparatus for motivating a patient, in need of occupational therapy, to exercise his muscles. The invention is characterized in the use of an electrical transducer connected to a harness strapped to a joint of a patient such that as long as the patient induces back and forth joint movement, the transducer will generate an electrical signal which is applied to circuitry which indicates the amount of travel of the joint in both directions and will activate a signal if the correct amount of joint movement does not occur in the proper direction over a first time interval. If the failure to effect the desired movement persists for a second time interval, an electrical motivating appliance, such as a television receiver viewed by the patient, is deactivated.

Claims

1. Apparatus for motivating a patient in need of occupational therapy comprising a hinged device adapted to be operatively associated with a joint of a patient and having a transducer coupled thereto for producing an electrical signal which quantitatively increases on either side of a central, null position of the hinged device, first and second comparator devices for comparing said electrical signal with a pair of bias signals such that an output will be produced from each comparator device when said electrical signal equals or exceeds an associated bias signal upon movement of the hinged device in either direction from said central, null position, an electrically-operated motivation device, and means for deactivating said motivation device in the absence of an output from either of said comparator devices for a predetermined period of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transducer comprises a potentiometer having a movable wiper element coupled to said hinged device so as to rotate with the hinged device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second comparator devices comprise operational amplifiers and including light-emitting diodes coupled to the outputs of said operational amplifiers for indicating the correct amount of movement of the hinged device in either direction from a central, null position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including a meter connected to said potentiometer for instantaneously indicating the amount of movement of said hinged device about said central, null position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for deactivating said motivation device includes a first timer which will produce an output at the presence of an output from either one of said comparator devices over a predetermined time interval, and a second timer coupled to the output of said first timer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the time period of said second timer is initiated after the time period of the first timer expires, and including means for deactivating said motivation device aT the expiration of the time period of said second timer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for selectively adjusting the time periods of both said first and second timers.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for signaling expiration of the first time period and the start of said second time period.