DIGITAL INSTRUMENT FOR USE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY AND METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING PHYSICAL THERAPY USING SAME

• US 20130138021A1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Mikesell, Hyoen-Hui Kim
• Original Assignee: Daniel Mikesell, Hyoen-Hui Kim
• Inventors: Mikesell, Daniel, Kim, Hyoen-Hui
• Application Number:
  US13/816,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20130138021A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0652 Visualisation or indication relating to symmetrical exercise, e.g. right-left performance related to spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0726 Dumb bells, i.e. with a central bar to be held by a single hand, and with weights at the ends
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital instrument for use in physical therapy, including a gripping force measurement bar which measures the gripping force of a hand when the bar is grasped, a sensor portion which measures the rotation of a wrist when the wrist is turned while the gripping force measuring bar is grasped, a display device which visually displays the degree of the gripping force or the extent to which the wrist is rotated, and a memory portion which stores the degree of the gripping force of a measured value relating to the rotation of the wrist. The invention also relates to a physical therapy method using the instrument. According to the present invention, the degree of motion is assessed on a real-time basis, the degree of motion is easily controlled, and an exercise activity is rendered more interesting since the degree of the gripping force or the extent to which the wrist is rotated is measured and visually displayed.

Claims

1. A digital instrument for use in physical therapy comprising:

a gripping force measuring bar which measures the gripping force of a hand grasping the bar;

a sensor portion which measures the extent to which the wrist of a hand rotates when the user rotates his/her wrist while grasping the gripping force measuring bar;

a display device which displays the degree of the gripping force or the extent of the rotation of a wrist in a visual way; and

a memory portion which saves the degree of the gripping force or the extent of the rotation of a wrist.

2. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 1, wherein the gripping force measuring bar is provided with a first block and a second block at both ends to form a dumbbell shape, and the display devices provided on the surface of the first block or the second block indicate the degree of the gripping force by color codes.

3. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 2, wherein the display devices can be LEDs having different color tones, formed in a ring shape with relation to the circumferential direction of the first block or the second block corresponding to the circumference of the gripping force measuring bar, at an interval along the axial direction of the gripping force measuring bar.

4. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 1, wherein the digital instrument for use in physical therapy can further comprise a communication devise which transmits the identifier code for user identification or the measurement data stored in the memory portion to an external control server.

5. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 4, wherein the sensor portion further comprises a tilt sensor which determines whether the gripping hand is the left hand or the right hand by detecting the tilting angle of the gripping force measuring bar, the tilt angle which is formed by the shape of the palm of the hand gripping the gripping force measuring bar;

and the memory portion stores the measurement values by classifying them into the left hand and the right hand.

6. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 4, wherein the control server stores the physical conditions and the appropriate quantity of exercise of the user identified by the identifier code;

and transmits the appropriate gripping force or extent of wrist rotation corresponding to the physical conditions of the user on receiving the user identifier code.

7. The digital instrument for use in physical therapy of claim 6, wherein the display device can display color codes differentiated by the statuses where the degree of the gripping force or measurement value of the angle of the rotation of a wrist of the user is:

less than the appropriate quantity of exercise;

equal to the appropriate quantity of exercise; and

above the appropriate quantity of exercise.

8. A method for physical therapy using a digital instrument, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the identifier code for user identification to an external control server;

saving the degree of the gripping force or the degree of rotation of a wrist by the exercise of the user on a real-time basis;

transmitting the history of the measurement values, if the measurement value fails to be saved for a preset time period, to the control server in link with the identifier code;

receiving the result of the comparison between the measurement value and the appropriate quantity of exercise corresponding to the physical constitution from the control server that stores the physical constitution of the user identified by the identifier code; and

displaying color codes differentiated by the statuses where the measurement value is less than the appropriate quantity of exercise, equal to the appropriate quantity of exercise, or above the appropriate quantity of exercise.

9. A method for physical therapy using a digital instrument, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the identifier code for user identification to an external control server;

receiving the appropriate quantity of exercise corresponding to the physical constitution from the control server that stores the physical constitution of the user identified by the identifier code;

measuring the degree of the gripping force or the degree of rotation of a wrist by the exercise of the user;

comparing the measurement value with the appropriate quantity of exercise; and

displaying color codes differentiated by the statuses where the measurement value is less than the appropriate quantity of exercise, equal to the appropriate quantity of exercise, or above the appropriate quantity of exercise.