Apparatus and method for continuous passive motion of the lumbar region
First Claim
1. Apparatus for cycling the lower back of a person through a substantial range of lordosis comprising:
- a substantially static structure adjacent to the back of a person;
a force applying apparatus disposed between the static structure and the back of a person, the force applying apparatus including a back engaging surface cyclically moveable to increase and decrease the distance between the static structure and the back engaging surface thereby to cycle the lower back through the range of lordosis;
a transducer monitoring forces below, equal to and above a predetermined force level between the back engaging surface and the lower back and having an output responsive to said monitored forces between the back engaging surface and the lower back; and
a logic system responsive to the output of the transducer for directly controlling the force applying apparatus so as to automatically and continuously control the force applied to the back.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for cycling the lower back of a person through a substantial range of lordosis. The apparatus includes a substantially static structure adjacent to the back of a person and a force applying apparatus disposed between the static structure and the back of the person. The force applying apparatus includes a back engaging surface cyclically movable to increase and decrease the distance between the static structure and the back engaging surface so as to cycle the lower back through the range of lordosis. A transducer has an output responsive to the force between the back engaging surface and the lower back and the output of the transducer is utilized by the force applying apparatus to control the force applied to the back. Timing circuitry provides a force increasing period to increase the force applied to the back up to a preselected maximum and a force decreasing period to decrease the force on the back. A period of substantially constant force may be provided between the force increasing period and the force decreasing period.
103 Citations
21 Claims
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1. Apparatus for cycling the lower back of a person through a substantial range of lordosis comprising:
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a substantially static structure adjacent to the back of a person; a force applying apparatus disposed between the static structure and the back of a person, the force applying apparatus including a back engaging surface cyclically moveable to increase and decrease the distance between the static structure and the back engaging surface thereby to cycle the lower back through the range of lordosis; a transducer monitoring forces below, equal to and above a predetermined force level between the back engaging surface and the lower back and having an output responsive to said monitored forces between the back engaging surface and the lower back; and a logic system responsive to the output of the transducer for directly controlling the force applying apparatus so as to automatically and continuously control the force applied to the back. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for cycling the lower back of a person through a substantial range of lordosis comprising:
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a substantially static structure adjacent to the back of a person; a force applying apparatus disposed between the static structure and the back of the person, the force applying apparatus including at least one back engaging surface cyclically movable to increase and decrease force on the lower back thereby to cycle the lower back through the range of lordosis; a transducer monitoring forces below, equal to and above a predetermined force level on the back and having an output responsive to said monitored forces on the back; and a logic system responsive to the output of the transducer for directly controlling the force applying apparatus so as to automatically and continuously control the force applied to the back. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification