Muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus
First Claim
1. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
- movable fixture means against which a force can be applied;
servo motor means coupled to the fixture means;
sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto;
speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means;
closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means;
limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past at least one set limit;
storage means for storing a limit signal corresponding to each said limit; and
limit setting means for enabling said storage means to store the respective limit upon movement of said fixture means to each said limit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A muscle exercise and rahabilitation apparatus includes a movable fixture against which a force can be applied; a servo motor having an output shaft coupled to the fixture; a strain gauge effectively coupled between the output shaft and the fixture for producing a load signal corresponding to the force applied to the fixture; a speed detector for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture; a closed loop servo circuit for controlling the motor in response to the load and velocity signals to regulate the velocity of the fixture; a limit circuit for preventing movement of the fixture past opposite limits; a storage circuit for storing limit signals corresponding to each limit; a limit setting circuit for enabling the storage circuit to store each limit upon movement of the fixture thereto; a position sensing circuit for producing a position signal corresponding to the position of the fixture; a deceleration circuit for slowing down movement of the fixture as the fixture approaches each limit, in response to the velocity, position and limit signals; detecting circuits for detecting a plurality of predetermined operational faults of the apparatus; an emergency stop circuit for terminating operation of the apparatus upon detection of some of the operation faults; a dynamic brake for braking the servo motor to stop movement of the fixture in response to the emergency stop circuit; and a stop circuit for controlling the motor to stop movement of the fixture upon detection of other operation faults.
239 Citations
56 Claims
-
1. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past at least one set limit; storage means for storing a limit signal corresponding to each said limit; and limit setting means for enabling said storage means to store the respective limit upon movement of said fixture means to each said limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past at least one set limit; storage means for storing a limit signal corresponding to each said limit; position sensing means for producing a position signal corresponding to the position of said fixture means; and deceleration means for slowing down movement of said fixture means as said fixture means approaches each said limit, in response to said velocity signal, said position signal and said limit signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means, said closed loop servo means including servo amplifier means for controlling operation of said servo motor means, velocity comparator means for comparing the velocity signal with said load signal and for controlling said servo amplifier in response thereto, and switch means for supplying said load signal to said velocity comparator means; and mode switch means for controlling said switch means in an isometric mode to prevent said load signal being supplied to said velocity comparator means, whereby said fixture means is prevented from moving.
-
-
17. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means to drive said fixture means in an oscillation mode at a constant velocity in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past set limits in opposite directions; and pause means for controlling said closed loop velocity servo feedback means to cause said fixture means to pause at each said limit for a predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means having an output shaft coupled to the fixture means; sensing means effectively coupled between said output shaft and said fixture means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; and closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; detection means for detecting at least one predetermined operational fault of said apparatus; emergency stop means for terminating operation of said apparatus upon detection of at least one said operation fault; and brake means for braking said servo motor means to stop movement of said fixture means in response to said emergency stop means. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; detection means for detecting at least one predetermined operational fault of said apparatus; and stop means for controlling said servo motor means to stop movement of said fixture means upon detection of at least one said operation fault. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A muscle evaluation and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past at least one set limit; storage means for storing a limit signal corresponding to each said limit; and limit setting means for enabling said storage means to store the respective limit upon movement of said fixture means to each said limit.
-
-
53. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; a rotatable shaft to which said fixture means is fixed, mounted in said apparatus, at least one end of said rotatable shaft being tapered and having first securing means thereat; said fixture means includes a wedge-shaped tapered bore through which each tapered end of said rotatable shaft can extend; and second securing means for engaging with said first securing means when said fixture means is positioned on one end of said rotatable shaft to fixedly retain said fixture means on said rotatable shaft in a wedge-like manner so as to substantially reduce backlash.
-
-
54. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; servo motor means coupled to the fixture means; sensing means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means; at least one manually operated comfort stop actuator for stopping movement of said fixture means; and stop means for controlling said servo motor means to stop movement of said fixture means in response to said at least one manually operated comfort stop actuator. - View Dependent Claims (55)
-
-
56. A muscle exercise and rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
-
movable fixture means against which a force can be applied; a rotatable shaft to which said fixture means is fixed, mounted in said apparatus, at least one end of said rotatable shaft being tapered and having first securing means thereat; said fixture means includes a wedge-shaped tapered bore through which each tapered end of said rotatable shaft can extend; second securing means for engaging with said first securing means when said fixture means is positioned on one end of said rotatable shaft to fixedly retain said fixture means on said rotatable shaft in a wedge-like manner so as to substantially reduce backlash; servo motor means having an output shaft coupled to the fixture means; sensing means effectively coupled between said output shaft and said fixture means for sensing the force applied to the fixture means and for producing a load signal corresponding thereto; speed detecting means for producing a velocity signal corresponding to the speed of the fixture means; closed loop servo means for controlling said motor means in response to said load signal and said velocity signal to regulate the velocity of said fixture means, said closed loop servo means including servo amplifier means for controlling operation of said servo motor means, velocity comparator means for comparing the velocity signal with said load signal and for controlling said servo amplifier in response thereto, and switch means for supplying said load signal to said velocity comparator means; limit means for preventing movement of said fixture means past at least one set limit; storage means for storing a limit signal corresponding to each said limit; limit setting means for enabling said storage means to store the respective limit upon movement of said fixture means to each said limit; position sensing means for producing a position signal corresponding to the position of said fixture means; deceleration means for slowing down movement of said fixture means as said fixture means approaches each said limit, in response to said velocity signal, said position signal and said limit signal; pause means for controlling said closed loop servo means to cause said fixture means to pause at each said limit for a predetermined amount of time; mode switch means for controlling said switch means in an isometric mode to prevent said load signal being supplied to said velocity comparator means, whereby said fixture means is prevented from moving, regardless of the force applied thereto, an isokinetic mode in which said fixture means is caused to move with a regulated velocity and an oscillation mode in which said fixture means is caused to oscillate at a constant velocity; detection means for detecting at least one predetermined operational fault of said apparatus; at least one manually operated comfort stop actuator for stopping movement of said fixture means; emergency stop means for terminating operation of said apparatus upon detection of at least one of a predetermined set of said operation faults; brake means for braking said servo motor means to stop movement of said fixture means in response to said emergency stop means; and stop means for controlling said servo motor means to stop movement of said fixture means upon detection of at least one operation fault and in response to said comfort stop actuator.
-
Specification