AU703421B2

AU703421B2 - Spinal therapy apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU703421B2
Application number: AU76541/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Neil Donaldson Banks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-13
Filing date: 1996-12-30
Publication date: 1999-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-13
Also published as: AU7654196A

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT rs r a r a r a a a ae r o o r r a Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service is: NEIL DONALDSON BANKS NEIL DONALDSON BANKS WRAY ASSOCIATES 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth, WA 6000 e r a r a a a r a a a Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "Spinal Therapy Apparatus" Details of Associated Patent Application No(s): 36888/93 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- I I The present invention relates to a spinal therapy apparatus for the treatment of back and neck pain by the separation of the vertebrae of the spinal column.

In the prior art it is known to deal with back ailments by the use of traction beds and inversion machines. A disadvantage of traction beds is that they are expensive and require trained supervisors. The disadvantage of inversion machines is that due to the nature of their inversion the user can only stay inverted for a relatively short period of time. Also, some patients, due to weight and/or skeleton ailments, can not be placed in inversion machines.

I have discovered that a highly effective treatment of back pain can be achieved 10 by suspending a patient in an upright position to at least partially support the weight of the patient and applying heat to the patient's back.

It is an object of the present invention, to provide a spinal therapy apparatus capable of use by a patient in an upright position.

The present invention provides a spinal therapy apparatus for use in the treatment of a human in an upright position, the spinal therapy apparatus Scomprising: a treatment zone; a grip means positioned adjacent the treatment zone, the grip means disposed for grasping by the hands of the human for at least partially supporting the force of the weight of the human when the back or neck of the human occupies the treatment zone thereby to relieve compressive forces on the spine of the human, the weight supported by the grip means being transferred to the grip means entirely through the hands of the human; a heat applying means capable of directing heat energy to the treatment zone for heating thereof, wherein the heat applying means is a stream of hot liquid;

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-3tho opilnl tho npy nppratuo char(ntorinod in that Ihl heat applying moans and tho grip moans aro positioned with rospoct to each other and with rospoct to tho troeatment zono such that in tho trontment /one thlo back or neck area of a human when supported from the grip moans can receive heat from the heat applying means.

Typically, the grip means is a bar which is disposed substantially horizontally within a shower recess and the heat applying means is a stream of hot water from a shower rose located in the shower recess.

The spinal therapy apparatus may also comprise a base frame, support legs disposed upwardly from the base frame, a beam member disposed between upper ends of the support legs, and securing means for securing the beam member to the support legs at a desired height.

The securing means may comprise a pin for adjusting the location of a sleeve upon a tube, the sleeve and the tube having holes which overlie for receiving the S 15 pin for adjusting the location of fixing of the sleeve upon the tube; the pin comprising: an elongate body having a length greater than the thickness of the sleeve and the tube; two circumferential grooves spaced apart along the body each circumferential groove having shoulders which tape inwardly to a neck; and, a second grip means for allowing manipulation of the pin; whereby, in use, the pin can be inserted through the overlying holes of the sleeve and the tube and the walls of the sleeve and the tube being received within the circumferential grooves for inhibiting movement of the pin out of the holes and for inhibiting movement of the sleeve with respect to the tube.

I L -4- Ilte prosont invontion also provides a spinal thorapy apparatus for use in ith tIruitil nt of th ilck of h IhlllliltU thlo l pinlll tho mpy a piiolu s boiinl for I lnllliltion in showor mrocss having a hoatl ipplying Ioflll, provided thoroinl, tho spinvi thUerapy apparatus comrprising a grip means having a bar disposable horizontally above a floor of the shower recess upon which the human stands, the bar being disposable for grasping by the human to support the force of the weight of the human, the bar being disposable from intermediate one inner side wall of the shower recess to intermediate an opposite inner side wall of the shower recess, and the grip 10 means also having a height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the bar above the floor of the shower recess for allowing humans of differing heights to use the spinal therapy apparatus; and the heat applying means being able to be disposed for directing heat energy to the back area of the human positioned in a treatment zone adjacent the grip means whilst the human hangs by the arms from said bar for relieving compressive forces on the spine of the human's back.

The present invention still further provides a method for the treatment of a human suffering spinal injury, the method comprising: supporting the human in an upright position from a grip means positioned adjacent a treatment zone, the grip means disposed for grasping by the hands of the human for at least partially supporting the force of the weight of the human when the back or neck of the human occupies the treatment zone thereby to relieve compressive forces on the spine of the human, the weight supported by the grip means being transferred to the grip means entirely through the hands of the human: applying heat energy from a heat applying means to the treatment zone, whereby in use the heat energy is applied to the back or neck area of the human supported from the grip means in the heat treatment zone, wherein the heat applying means is a stream of hot liquid.

eI Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with prlitlC .lIt'uf r ufor to Ito i'mflpirliyi to c it iW cji in wl rchl Figure 1 is a perspective view, seen from above, of a floor mounted spinal therapy apparatus for the treatment of the back of a human; Figure 2 is a side view of a pin for use in the spinal therapy apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the pin of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a further perspective view, seen from the side, of a floor mounted spinal therapy apparatus for the treament of the back of a e 10 human.

In Figure 1 there is shown a floor mounted spinal therapy apparatus 10, for the treatment of the back of a human (hereinafter referred to as a back therapy 9* apparatus), comprising a base frame 12, two support legs 14, and a grip means in the form of a beam member 16.

15 The base frame 12 comprises two arms 20 interconnected at one of their ends by a connecting tube 22. The arms 20 and the connecting tube 22 are formed generally into a shape. The shape is designed to be received within a shower recess and located substantially contiguous or adjacent a surrounding wall of the shower recess. Each of the arms 20 has a spigot 24 disposed 20 upwardly intermediate of their length. Each spigot 24 has a swaged portion 26.

Each spigot 24 also has a drain hole 28 for the draining of water from the spigot 24. The arms 20 also have sealed ends 30 to inhibit the ingress of moisture into the base frame 12.

The support legs 14 each have a first tube 40 and a second tube 42. Each first tube 40 has a lower end 44 capable of fitting onto the swaged portion 26 of the spigot 24. An upper end 46 of each first tube 40 has a swaged portion 48 for receiving a lower end 50 of the second tube 42. The swaged portion 48 has a Shole 52 intended for receiving a metal rod for allowing twisting of the first tube lf) wilh i [1 tlo 1ho iitil 'I fNJ i ()iiv ri tL1. m nrn v~il i 11;iri frfpd liho '10 fwIr in rJ.lrl'ii 11i[ VlW lllI i W Iir pfrttv i "'iiiJl 4) ir t li" ini l ,'0J A l t1ilicu i rnl 'i l iir rl i l ti II1n1 li)ll 1 9'i u l (I ll Inl fll il ly Il I il Ifjl' tlI tr, i ;fi l lll il 'I The beam member 16 has a bar 60 having its ends fixed to sleeves 62. The sleeves 62 are dimensioned to be received upon the upper ends 54 of the second tube 42. The sleeves 62 each have one or more holes 64, which holes 64 are capable of alignment with the positioning holes 56 of the second tube 42.

The beam member 16 can be raised and lowered with respect to the support 10 legs 14 for alignment of various ones of the holes 56 and 64 for adjusting the height of the bar 60 above the base frame 12.

440 A pin 70 is provided for insertion through the overlying holes 56 and 64 for fixing the beam member 16 with respect to the support legs 14. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the pin 70 comprises a body 72 and a head 74 typically in the form of a ring. The body 72 is fixed to the head 74 and disposed substantially radially outwardly therefrom. A free end 76 of the body 72 is tapered in a direction away from the head 74. The body 72 also has a first circumferential groove 78 and a second circumferential groove 80 spaced apart along it. Each circumferential *0 groove 78 and 80 has two shoulders 82 which taper inwardly to a neck 84. The neck 84 has a width capable of simultaneously receiving the side walls of the sleeve 62 and the second tube 42. The neck 84 is lesser diameter than the body 72 so that the walls of the second tube 42 and the sleeve 62 are held within it and so that axial movement of the body 72 out of engagement with the second tube 42 and the sleeve 64 is inhibited.

In use, the base frame 12 is located upon the floor in a shower recess. The first tubes 40 are then coupled to the spigots 24 by insertion of the swaged portions 26 into the lower ends 44. The beam member 16 is then placed upon the upper ends 54 of the second tubes 42 and the pin 70 inserted through the overlying Sholes 56 and 64 for fixing the location of the beam member 16 with respect to

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-7the support legs 14. The second tubes 44 are then inserted upon the swaged portions 48 of the first tubes 40. The bar 60 is then set to the height of the tips of the user's fingers.

A user of the back therapy apparatus 10 then can enter the shower recess and train a stream of hot water from a shower rose in the shower recess upon his or her back. The user then stands on the tips of his/her toes and grasps the bar with his or her hands and then relaxes his/her feet so as to take the force of the weight of the user's body on his or her arms.

,,3The stream of water then has the effect of limbering up the flesh and muscles *10 surrounding the spine of the user and assists in reducing the compression on ~the spine and thus provides back therapy.

°It is envisaged that the support legs 14 and the base frame 12 could be omitted and the beam member 16 could be attached to the walls and/or the roof of the shower recess. In such a case, the beam member 16 .is provided with an 15 adjustment means to allow height adjustment of the bar 60 above the floor of the .4 shower recess.

44.4 In an alternative arrangement a curved frame is provided and suspended from the bar 60. The curved frame is located in front of the user and has free ends which curve to the rear of the user and provides support underneath the user's 20 arm pits. The frame can be grasped by the hands of the user for providing further support and thereby alleviating the compression of the spine.

Figure 4 illustrates the use of a floor mounted spinal therapy apparatus, as shown in Figure 1. As illustrated in Figure 4 a human 11 grasps the grip means, positioned adjacent to the treatment zone, in a manner leading to the human being partially supported by the grip means. This relieves the compresive forces on the spine of the human. A heat means in for example, the form of a shower, may then be used to apply direct heat energy to the treatment area.

I- M I llh Ill y h lI lIllioV y 1 klirt, t||lj ln d l W01111 Wolif JjollrIl 1ll l Iflrl|iC ll Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are considered within the scope of the present invention. For example, the apparatus 10, could be used in locations other than within a shower recess.

Also, the heat applied to the user could be other than by a stream of heated water, such as, for example, by means of an infra-red lamp or the like.

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Claims

2. A spinal therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip means comprises a height adjustments means for adjustment of the grip means to a position to allow for free extension of the arms above the head.
3. A spinal therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip means is a bar disposed above the head of the human. I
4. A spinal therapy apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, whoroin (ho grip Ino1ltin i tii p(rllIltllt f lrom oni of I lt incli.dlill[I cuilin lu, Itilwoltn wnll rld I ly n frm I nio dnliponfd upw lrdly fhor thI flr t c A spinal thoropy apparatus according to any ono of clinms 1 to 4 having n base frame, support legs comprising tubes disposed upwardly from the base frame, a beam member disposed between the upper ends of said support legs, the upper ends comprising sleeves, of the support, comprising tubes, and securing means for securing the beam member to the support legs at a desired height.
6. A spinal therapy apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the securing means comprises a pin for each sleeve for adjusting the location of each sleeve upon one of said tubes, each sleeve and tube having holes which overlie for receiving the pin for adjusting the location of fixing of the sleeve upon the tube, the pin comprising: an elongate body having a length greater than the thickness of the sleeve and the tube; two circumferential grooves spaced apart along the body, each circumferential groove having shoulders which taper inwardly to a neck; and, 20 a second grip means for allowing manipulation of the pin; whereby, in use, the pin can be inserted through the overlying holes of the sleeve and the tube and the walls of the sleeve and the tube being received within the circumferential grooves for inhibiting movement of the pin out of the holes and for inhibiting movement of the sleeve with respect to the tube.
7. A spinal therapy apparatus when used in the treatment of the back of a human, the spinal therapy apparatus being for installation in a shower recess I I I* I C ~_i 1l 'I l(;it iipplyinj m1(1ions proviwnl th ri Ili, )1o spimil tlwr~iwy mru iim r o grip mons having a bnr disposablo hortrorlntlly obovo a floor of tho shower rcess upon which thlo human stands, tho bt r being disposable for grasping by the human to support the force of the weight of the human, the bar being disposable from intermediate one inner side wall of the shower recess to intermediate an opposite inner side wall of the shower recess, and the grip means also having a height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the bar above the floor of the shower 10 recess for allowing humans of differing heights to use the spinal therapy apparatus; and the heat applying means being able to be disposed for directing heat energy to the back area of the human positioned in a treatment zone adjacent the grip means whilst the human hangs by the arms from the 15 bar for relieving compressivo forces on the spine of the human's back wherein the heat applying means is a stream of hot liquid
8. A method of treating a human suffering spinal injury, the method comprising: *o supporting the human in an upright position from a grip means positioned adjacent a treatment zone, the grip means disposed for grasping by the hands of the human for at least partially supporting the force of the weight of the human when the back or neck of the human occupies the treatment zone thereby to relieve compressive forces on the spine of the human, the weight supported by the grip means being transferred to the grip means entirely through the hands of the human; -12- applying heat energy from a heat applying means to the treatment zone, whereby in use the heat energy is applied to the back or neck area of the human supported from the grip means in the heat treatment zone, wherein the heat applying means is a stream of hot liquid.
9. A spinal therapy apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 7 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. A method according to claim 8 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. :i. Dated this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of NOVEMBER 1998 NEIL DONALDSON BANKS Applicant WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for Applicant ABSTRACT A spinal treatment apparatus (10, 100) for relieving the compression on the spine of a human. The spinal treatment apparatus (10) is for the treatment of the back of the human and the spinal treatment apparatus (100) is for treatment of the neck of the human. Th- apparatus (10, 100) has a beam member (60) from which the human may be suspended either by use of his or her hands or by the use of a frame (104), or a curved frame for receival under the arm pits of the human. Heat is applied to the back and/or spine of the human whilst supported in the apparatus (10, 100). The heat is provided in the form of a stream of hot water or in the form of a beam of heat inducing electromagnetic radiation. L II