EP0270734A1 - Physical exercise apparatus for physically training the legs and/or the feet - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to reduce the risk of thrombosis during surgical operations, passive exercise is to be made possible. For this purpose, it is proposed that means (1) for receiving at least one foot (3) are provided, which are arranged mounted swivellably about a swivel axle (4) and connected to a swivel drive (7). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a gymnastics device for performing gymnastics and / or foot exercises. Here, however, the gymnastics should be done passively.

Experience has shown that during surgery, despite the use of appropriate medication, the risk of thrombosis forming in the leg is very high.

In bedridden, very weakened patients, it is still problematic to provide venous relief and tissue decongestation. For this purpose, so-called compression stockings are used in part, but also cuffs which, for example, encompass the legs and have individual successive pressure chambers which are successively filled with a suitable pressure of a flow medium. This is the so-called intermittent compression. The latter approach in particular has proven itself well.

In many cases, however, it is desirable to avoid compessional bandages or cuffs for intermittent compression, each encompassing the by. In such cases, proper decongesting and venous relief is almost impossible.

The invention is therefore based on the object of proposing a device with which the risk of thrombus formation in the legs during an opposition can be reduced and which can also be used in very weakened patients for venous relief and decongesting of tissue.

This object is achieved in that a gymnastics device for performing leg and / or foot gymnastics is provided, with means for receiving at least one foot, which around a Swivel axis are pivotally mounted and connected to a swivel drive. With this device, the foot is slightly pivoted in its joint in the natural direction of movement and thus passively moves the muscles of the leg accordingly. If such a measure is carried out during an opposing procedure, the risk of thrombus formation in the leg can be greatly reduced. But also in use in weakened patients, this leads to vein relief and tissue decongestation. Active patient participation is not required.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the means for receiving a foot are formed by at least one footrest and one heelrest. This allows the foot to be carried safely.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is proposed that fastening means are provided for the foot. This is particularly advantageous in the case of very weakened patients or when used during an opposing procedure with general anesthesia of the patient.

It is also proposed according to the invention that the fastening means are formed by straps. These are easy to attach and easy to use.

Another embodiment of the invention provides that the swivel angle and the swivel angle position of the means for receiving the foot are adjustable. In this way, the patient's ability to move can be taken into account.

In addition, it is proposed according to the invention that the swivel speed is adjustable. In this way, the success of treatment can be influenced via the speed of movement.

Furthermore, a coupling rod is provided in the swivel drive for transmitting the swivel movement. Via a coupling rod, both a swivel movement and a rotary movement of the drive element can be converted into a swivel movement or the swivel movement can be transmitted.

In addition, it is then proposed according to the invention that the coupling rod is variable in length. This is a simple way to change the swivel angle without changing the swivel angle.

In a supplementary embodiment, it is provided according to the invention that in the swivel drive there is provided a motor which can be regulated in its speed with an output gear, the output element of which is connected to the coupling rod. Since very high energies are not required, this can be a very small electric motor, which can also be turned up if required, and its speed can be regulated very easily. An output gear connected to the motor ensures that the engine speed is reduced down to the output element. The output element can be, for example, a disk which is connected to the coupling rod somewhere at its radius. The output element can rotate the motor continuously during operation. The coupling rod ensures that this rotary movement is converted into a pivoting movement.

According to an alternative embodiment, it is proposed according to the invention that the output gear is a swivel gear. In this way, a swiveling movement is generated directly in the drive area, which can be transmitted by the coupling rod. It is not necessary to convert a rotary movement into a swivel movement. Such devices are also already known from motor vehicle windshield wiper drives. There are also drives with an electric motor and an output gear in which the output movement is already a swivel movement. Such drives can certainly be used in the device according to the invention.

In addition, it is then proposed that the swivel angle of the output element of the swivel gear is adjustable. This is also known from windshield wiper drives. The same applies to the swivel speed.

According to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the output element be connected to the coupling rod at a radial distance from its axis of rotation. If the output element is not arranged directly on the pivot axis, that is, a coupling rod must be provided between the output element and the part to be pivoted, it is necessary for the coupling rod to maintain a certain radial distance from the axis of rotation. This distance is decisive for the size of the swivel angle.

It is therefore also proposed according to a supplementary embodiment of the invention that the radial distance for the connection to the coupling rod is adjustable. This allows the size of the swivel angle to be changed in the desired manner with the simplest means.

It is further provided according to the invention that at least the output element is arranged such that its distance from the pivot axis of the means for receiving the foot can be changed. This allows the swivel angle position of the set swivel angle to be changed.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that a linear drive be used as the swivel drive. A swiveling movement can also be achieved with a linear drive. A linear drive can also be controlled very precisely and precisely.

It is then further proposed according to the invention that a fluid-operated swivel drive is used as the swivel drive. Such a swivel drive can be mounted with its output axis directly and coaxially to the swivel axis and connected to it.

In a further embodiment, it is also proposed that a piston-cylinder unit is used as the pivot drive, the piston rod of which is connected to the pivot axis via a pivot lever which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the pivot axis. Such a piston-cylinder unit is a very simply constructed and easily controllable linear drive. It can be operated via a fluid, so that no electrical systems or circuits in the area of the device are required. This is particularly advantageous when no ionization of the ambient air is allowed to occur or when, for whatever reason, destruction of the electrical part of the device with storm damage to the patient is to be feared or when working under any difficult conditions, for example under liquid .

Finally, it is also proposed according to the invention that the piston-cylinder unit is designed to be adjustable in stroke and is arranged in a position-changing manner on a support unit in order to change the distance from the pivot axis. With the adjustability of the stroke and the variability of the bearing on the carrying unit, both the swivel angle size and the swivel angle position can be conveniently adjusted.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments.

• Figur 1: Ansicht in Richtung des Pfeils B nach Figur 2
• Figur 2: Ansicht in Richtung des Pfeils C nach Figur 1
• Figur 3: Ansicht in Richtung des Pfeils A nach Figur 2
• Figur 4: Darstellung ähnlich Figur 3, jedoch mit veränderter Fußstütze und linearem Schwenkantrieb
• Figur 5: Vergrößerte Ansicht ähnlich wie Figur 2, jedoch mit Kolben-Zylinder-Einheit als Schwenkantrieb und dessen Schaltung.

Show it:

• Figure 1: View in the direction of arrow B of Figure 2
• Figure 2: View in the direction of arrow C of Figure 1
• Figure 3: View in the direction of arrow A of Figure 2
• Figure 4: Illustration similar to Figure 3, but with a modified footrest and linear swivel drive
• Figure 5: Enlarged view similar to Figure 2, but with a piston-cylinder unit as a swivel drive and its circuit.

Figures 1 to 3 show in different views the same embodiment of a device according to the invention. Mounted on a support unit 20 are two bearing blocks 21 and 22 in an opposing arrangement. These bearing blocks carry a pivot axis 4 on which a fastening piece 23 is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner. In turn, a plate-like footrest 1 is fastened to the fastening piece 23 and has a heel rest 9 at its lower end. The fastening piece 23 should be designed so that the back of the footrest 1 comes as close as possible to the pivot axis 4. The heel support 9, on the other hand, should be arranged in such a way that a central line through the leg, through the ankle and through the pivot axis 4 can be laid as a straight line when the leg is parallel to the support unit 20. However, the ankle can also be slightly below or above this line. This is a convenient arrangement for the desired swiveling movement of the foot in the ankle.

Furthermore, a joint piece 24 is provided on the rear side of the footrest 1 and this joint piece 24 is articulatedly coupled to a coupling rod 12, which is arranged on its side with the second end on the output element 18 of a swivel drive 7. For this purpose, the output element 18 can be disc-shaped with a T-groove 25 running on a diameter line, in which a suitable joint piece for the coupling of the coupling rod 12 is displaceably but fixably guided.

The output element 18 is driven by an electromonot 16, the speed of which is reduced to a sufficient extent via the output gear 17. If the motor 16 is now switched on, the output element 18 rotates accordingly with its slow speed corresponding to the gear ratio. This rotary movement is converted in a known manner via the coupling rod 12 into a back and forth movement of the joint piece 24, which thereby swivels the footrest 1 correspondingly about the pivot axis 4 in an immediately recognizable manner. The size of the swivel angle depends on the radial position at which the coupling rod 12 is coupled to the output element 18. The further outwards this coupling takes place, the greater the swivel angle and vice versa. In order to determine the swivel angle position of the swivel angle, the coupling rod 12 can either be lengthened or shortened, or, for example, the entire swivel drive 7 can be adjusted in the direction of the arrow 26.

To carry out a treatment, the entire device can be pushed under a leg to be treated, until the foot 3 comes to rest on the footrest 1. there the foot 3 is then fastened by means of the straps 10 and 11 to be applied. A further strap 27 can be provided to secure the leg. At the same time, this keeps the entire device in the correct position relative to the leg. Since the mobility of the patient's foot 3 is known in each individual case, the swivel angle position and the swivel angle size can be set in the manner already described. The motor 16 can now be switched on at the required speed, taking into account the translation to the drive element 18, as a result of which the footrest 1 is pivoted back and forth, as indicated by the arrow 28. The patient's leg is not or only very slightly moved. However, movement of the leg can also be completely prevented if it is ensured that the pivot axis for the footrest runs exactly through the ankle. Such an arrangement is indicated in Figure 4. There the footrest 2 lies further back, so that when the foot 3 is placed on the footrest 2 and the heel rests on the heel support 9, the ankle is exactly in the pivot axis 6 of the figure 4 device shown. The one in FIG. 4 However, the swivel drive shown differs from the drive previously described in FIGS. 1 to 3. The drive according to FIG. 4 is a linear drive, as shown enlarged in the form of a fluid-operated Koblen-cylinder unit in FIG. 5 with the associated circuit.

Figure 5 shows a device according to the invention, in which the footrest 1 is pivotally mounted in an arrangement as described for Figures 1 to 3. However, an arrangement according to FIG. 4 is also possible.

In the arrangement according to FIG. 5, a swivel axis 5 is in turn non-rotatably connected to the footrest 1 or 2 via corresponding devices. A swivel movement of the swivel axis 5 thus causes a corresponding swivel movement of the footrest 1 or 2. The swivel axis 5 is again to generate a swivel movement rotatably connected to a pivot lever 15 whose second end is pivotally connected to the connecting piece of the free end of a piston rod 14. The piston rod 14 is part of a piston-cylinder unit 13, and is connected in the interior of the associated cylinder to a piston (not shown) in the usual way. The piston-cylinder unit is fluid-operated, preferably air-operated. On the side facing away from the piston rod 14, the cylinder has a stroke setting 29 known per se. Such stroke settings are known. It is therefore not necessary to go into this in more detail.

The cylinder body itself is fastened to a support unit 19 via an articulated connection 30. The articulated connection 30 is displaceably arranged on the carrying unit 19, so that a change in the rotational angle position of the rotational angle of the footrest 1 or 2 can be brought about by such a displacement. The size of the pivoting angle of the pivoting movement of the footrest 1 depends on the size of the stroke of the piston-cylinder unit 13. Since this stroke can be set via the stroke setting 29, the size of the swivel angle can be set via the stroke setting. Since in such devices the stroke is generally set by one-sided stroke limitation, occurs in the event of a change in the stroke, in addition to the change in the swivel angle, also a change in the swivel angle position. This must be reversed by appropriate displacement of the articulation 30 so that the original swivel angle position is restored. A distance for this can be 20 Abstand.

The devices according to FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 have a swivel drive 8 in the form of a linear drive. A fluid-actuated piston-cylinder unit 13, preferably air-actuated, is used as the direct drive element. A pressure source 31 is provided for actuation and is connected to a valve 32 via a line 33. The valve 32 can be switched in three switching positions and has four connections. It is therefore usually referred to as a 4/3-way valve. The 4/3-way valve 32 is switched in the usual way via electromagnets, the electromagnets being connected to a corresponding control 34 via control lines 25 and 36, the control 34 emitting the necessary switching impulses for controlling the 3/4-way valve. The controller 34 also controls the pressure source 31 via the control line 37.

Lines 40 and 41 connect the 4/3-way valve 32 to the cylinder space on the piston rod side of the piston and on the opposite side of the piston. An adjustable throttle 42 or 43 is located in the line 40 and 41. These throttles 42 and 43 can be adjusted by a motor. This can be done by the controller 34 via the control lines 44 and 45.

While the throttle 43 can be bypassed in the direction away from the cylinder space by a check valve 46, this is not possible with the throttle 42. Rather, the throttle 42 is preceded by a check valve 47 in the direction away from the cylinder, so that the throttle 42 cannot be flowed through in this direction. A short-circuit line 48 connecting the lines 40 and 41 with a check valve 49 is provided below the throttles 42 and 43 near the cylinder chamber. This ensures that when the piston rod emerges, the displaced flow medium is returned to the other side of the piston, so that correspondingly less pressure medium has to be supplied through line 41. Close to the cylinder there is still a pressure switch 38 and 39 in line 40 and 41 with a corresponding control line, each of which is connected to the control 34, so that the 4/3 directional control valve 32 is switched over at the appropriate pressure and thus with the corresponding pivoting force. A silencer 50 also ensures that the exhaust air noise is damped.

List of the reference symbols used

• 1 footrest
• 2 footrests
• 3 feet
• 4 swivel axis
• 5 swivel axis
• 6 swivel axis
• 7 rotary actuator
• 8 rotary actuator
• 9 heel support
• 10 straps
• 11 straps
• 12 coupling rod
• 13 piston-cylinder unit
• 14 piston rod
• 15 swivel levers
• 16 engine
• 17 output gear
• 18 output element
• 19 carrying unit
• 20 support unit
• 20ʹ distance
• 21 bearing blocks
• 22 bearing blocks
• 23 mounting piece
• 24 joint piece
• 25 T-slot
• 26 arrow
• 27 straps
• 28 arrow
• 29 Stroke adjustment
• 30 articulated connection
• 31 pressure source
• 32 valve
• 33 line
• 34 control
• 35 line
• 36 line
• 37 line
• 38 pressure switch
• 39 pressure switch
• 40 line
• 41 line
• 42 throttle
• 43 throttle
• 44 control line
• 45 control line
• 46 check valve
• 47 check valve
• 48 line
• 49 check valve
• 50 silencers

Claims (18)

1. gymnastics device for performing leg and / or foot gymnastics, characterized by means (1, 2) for receiving at least one foot (3), which is arranged so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (4, 5, 6) and with a pivot drive (7 , 8) are connected. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for receiving a foot (3) by at least one footrest (1,2) and a heel support (9) are formed. 3. Device according to at least one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that fastening means (10, 11) are provided for the foot (3). 4. Device at least according to claim 3, characterized in that the fastening means are formed by belts (10, 11). 5. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pivot angle and the pivot angle position of the means (1,2) for receiving the foot (3) are adjustable. 6. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pivoting speed is adjustable. 7. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a coupling rod (12) provided in the swivel drive (7, 8) for transmitting the swivel movement. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the coupling rod (12) is variable in length. 9. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in the swivel drive (7) a variable in speed motor (16) is provided with an output gear (17), the output element (18) with the coupling rod (12) connected is. 10. Apparatus at least according to claim 9, characterized in that the output gear is a swivel gear. 11. The device at least according to claim 10, characterized in that the swivel angle of the output element of the swivel gear is adjustable. 12. The device according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the output element (18) is connected at a radial distance to its axis of rotation with the coupling rod (12). 13. Device at least according to claim 12, characterized in that the radial distance for the connection to the coupling rod is adjustable. 14. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that at least the output element (18) in its distance from the pivot axis (4) of the means (1) for receiving the foot (3) is arranged changeable. 15. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a linear drive (13) is used as the swivel drive (8). 16. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a fluid-operated swivel drive (13) is used as the swivel drive. 17. Device at least according to one of claims 15 and 16, characterized in that a piston-cylinder unit (13) is used as the pivot drive, the piston rod (14) via a pivot lever (15) which is rotationally fixed to the pivot axis (5) is arranged, is connected to the pivot axis (5). 18. Apparatus at least according to claim 17, characterized in that the piston-cylinder unit (13) is designed to be stroke-adjustable and is arranged in a position-changing manner on a support unit (19) for changing the distance (20) to the pivot axis (5).

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