EP0794748B1

EP0794748B1 - A device for passive-motion treatment of the human body

Info

Publication number: EP0794748B1
Application number: EP95907183A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stephan Tomac
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-01-19
Filing date: 1995-01-19
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-19
Also published as: AU1549395A; AU679611B2; NO962873D0; ATE204730T1; NO962873L; NZ278997A; DE69522466D1; WO1995019744A1; DE69522466T2; SE9400135D0; FI962893A0; CA2180938A1; FI962893A; EP0794748A1

Abstract

A device for passive-motion treatment of the human body comprises: a body support platform (12) having a foot end and a head end and including a base section (14) and a back support section (16) which is movable relative to the base section (14) along a longitudinal axis (L) extending between the foot end and the head end of the body support platform (12). Means (15) may be provided for locking the lower body portion of a patient to the base section (14) of the body support platform (12) with the patient lying on the body support platform with his back resting on the back support (16), and for applying traction to the patient's spine under the force of gravity. The back support section (16) or at least one subsection (17-21) thereof is resiliently movable relative to the base section (14) and connected with a vibrator (23-29) by which the subsection is caused to vibrate in one or more directions.

Description

This invention relates to a device for passive-motion treatment of the human body, that is a device for treating the body of a person without the person having to take an active part in the treatment. The treatment may be therapeutic or curative in nature but may also be carried out to improve the fitness of the person.
More particularly, the invention relates to a device comprising: a body support platform having a base section and a back support section which is movable relative to the support platform, and a power-operated vibrator mechanism mechanically connected with the back support section. A device of this kind is disclosed in DE-A-2 919 312.
JP-A-2 185 250 reveals a device of the kind defined in the preamble of present claim 1.
DE-A-2 919 312 reveals a similar device having means for varying the vibration parameters of one vibrator relative to another.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved passive-motion treatment device of the kind described above.
Another object of the invention is to provide undulating and twisting motion of the back support section of the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the kind described above in which traction of the spine of the patient can be combined with an angular and/or undulating motion of the spine.
The object is attained by the device as defined in claim 1. Embodiments of the device are defined in claims 2-9.
A more detailed description of the invention will now be given with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the body support platform of the device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the body support platform taken at the back support section thereof.
Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are respectively a side view and a plan view similar to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and show a second embodiment.
In the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings, the passive-motion treatment device is of the kind which is adapted for a combined traction and vibratory treatment of the upper portion of the body of a person, hereinafter referred to as a patient. For this reason, and for convenience, the device is sometimes referred to below as a traction device.
As shown in Figs. 1-3, the traction device according to the invention comprises a base or pedestal 11 supporting an elongate patient body support platform 12 which is tiltable on the base about a transverse horizontal axis 13 and can be locked in selected inclined positions by means of an arresting mechanism (not shown). During the treatment of the patient to undergo treatment of his spine, the patient lies on his back on the body support platform with his spine oriented along the longitudinal axis L of the body support platform; this axis is contained in a vertical plane M, hereinafter referred to as the median plane, which extends between the foot end and the head end of the platform.
Patient body support platform 12 comprises a base section 14 which, disregarding its movability about the tilting axis 13, is stationary with respect to the base 11. Adjacent the foot end of the body support platform, base section 14 carries a retaining device 15 for restraining the patient's feet against downward movement in the longitudinal direction of the body support platform.
Moreover, body support platform 12 comprises a generally rectangular and flat back support section, generally designated by 16, which supports the upper portion of the patient's body during the treatment. When relieved from the weight of the patient's body, the upper surface of back support section 16 lies in a plane S, here referred to as the back plane, which is perpendicular to median plane M and contains longitudinal axis L. Back support section 16, or at least a subsection or subsections of it, can move in the direction of the longitudinal axis L over a short distance. The present invention is primarily directed to the back support section.
In the device according to the invention, back support section 16 of body support platform 12, or at least one portion or subsection thereof, is resiliently movable with respect to base section 14 of body support platform 12. In the illustrated embodiments, this movability exists not only in the longitudinal direction of body support platform 12, i.e. along axis L, but also in other directions, such as generally transversely of back plane S and/or angularly about a line parallel to tilting axis 13 and/or about axis L or a line generally parallel to axis L.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of Figs. 1-3, back support section 16 is subdivided longitudinally into five slightly spaced rectangular subsections 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, all of which are resiliently mounted on base section 14 of body support platform 12 so that they are individually and omnidirectionally movable relative to it. To this end, resilient mounting members 22 are interposed between base section 14 of body support platform 12 and each subsection 17-21. Mounting members 22 may be of any suitable type and design. For example, they may be all-rubber springs, all-metal springs or composite metal-rubber springs. If desired, abutments (not shown) may be mounted separately or integrated in mounting members 22 to limit movements of subsections 17-22 relative to base section 14 and thereby prevent excessive stress on mounting members 22.
Subsections 17-21 can be vibrated independently of one another by means of individual vibrators which are diagrammatically indicated at 23-29 in Fig. 2.
As indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3, each vibrator 23-29 may take the shape of unbalanced rotating masses 30 secured to opposite ends of a common shaft 31 which is driven by an electric motor 32 and which is supported in bearings 33 on the associated subsection 17-21 and oriented generally horizontally and perpendicularly to median plane M. They may also take the shape of electric reciprocatory linear motors (not shown) the reciprocating driven members of which are connected with the respective subsection 17-21 at positions corresponding to the positions of bearings 33 in Fig. 3.
As is apparent from Fig. 3, the vibratable subsections can be vibrated in different vibration modes. For example, with the unbalanced rotating masses 30 arranged to operate in phase opposition or push-pull fashion on opposite sides of longitudinal axis L of body support platform 12, the subsections will vibrate angularly about axis L and thus move in a seesaw fashion about axis L.
If in this vibration mode the vibrators are arranged to vibrate synchronously but with progressively increasing ampli tude from subsection 17 to subsection 21 or in the opposite direction, the vertebrae of the patient's spine can be angularly moved back and forth through an angle that increases in one direction or the other along the length of the spine.
Alternatively, with the vibrators of each subsection arranged to vibrate in phase with one another on opposite sides of median plane M, the subsections will vibrate such that their orientation or attitude relative to planes M and S remains the same throughout each cycle of vibration. In other words, each subsection will perform a translational motion in a manner known per se.
In the last-mentioned vibration mode, the vibrator or vibrators of each subsection can be controlled to vibrate with a phase shift relative to the vibrator or vibrators of the adjacent subsection in a manner such that back support section 16 performs an undulating motion progressing longitudinally from one end thereof to the other and imparts a corresponding undulating motion to the spine of the patient. If desired, this undulating motion can be modified by combining it with a an angular motion of subsections 17-21 about longitudinal axis L as described above and a resulting angular motion of the vertebrae as described above.
One or more of the vibratable subsections may be provided with more than one vibrator so that composite vibrations may be applied to one and the same subsection. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, subsections 17 and 21 are provided with two vibrators 26, 27 and 28, 29 each. By suitably controlling these vibrators, subsections 17 and 20 can be made to swing about one or the other, or both, of longitudinal axis L and a transverse axis T which is generally horizontal, i.e., generally parallel to back plane S.
The vibration parameters, such as the mode of vibration, the vibration frequency or frequencies, the vibration amplitude or amplitudes and vibration phase shift from one subsection or part of back support section 16, are selected from case to case in accordance with the needs of the patient. The vibrations contribute to bringing about a relaxation of the muscles of the patient and, in conjunction with the traction applied by the force of gravity, a separation of the vertebra, not only in the longitudinal direction of the patient's spine but also angularly.
The vibrators are controlled by means of an electronic control device (not shown) on which the vibration parameters are selected.
Although it is believed to be preferable to provide each vibratable subsection 17-21 of back support section 16 with its own vibrator, it is within the scope of the invention to vibrate two or more subsections by means of a common vibrator assembly. Naturally it is also possible, if desired, to vibrate all subsections synchronously by operating all vibrators in synchronism.
It is also within the scope of the invention to make the vibratable subsections vibratable in different modes. For example, one or more subsections may be constrained for movement with only one degree of freedom, e.g. only along longitudinal axis L. Moreover, all subsections need not necessarily be movable and vibratable.
One or more of the vibratable subsections 17-21 may be provided on their upper side with separate upstanding abutment members, preferably adjustable or readily replaceable which are adapted to engage a single vertebra or a group of vertebrae during the traction treatment and apply a separate, purposely directed load to that vertebra or group of vertebra. Such abutment members are indicated diagrammatically at 34 in Fig. 2.
As is apparent from the foregoing description, an essential feature of the invention is that the back support section, or one or more portions or subsections thereof, can be vibrated asymmetrically with respect to the stationary portion of the body support platform, i.e. the base section of the body support platform, such that the back support section or each vibratable portion or subsection changes its attitude to the base section, and thereby its attitude to one or both of median plane M and back plane S, in accordance with a predetermined selected pattern.
In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which reference numerals 11-14, 16, 17 and 22 designate elements which are equivalent to the correspondingly designated elements in Figs. 1-3, back support section 16 is not subdivided into subsections as in Figs. 1-3. Instead, back support section 16 is a single flat section supported by resilient mounting members 22 such that it can be moved linearly along back plane S, angularly about longitudinal axis L or transverse axis T (the location of which may vary along the of the section) or both axis L and axis T, or up and down relative to back plane S without changing its attitude or angular position relative to planes M and S. The motions of back support section 16 are produced by four electrically powered vibrators 41-44 positioned near the corners. A control box for electronically controlling the vibrators and selecting the vibration parameters is indicated at 45.
Back support section 16 in Figs. 4 and 5 has to possess some degree of flexibility such that it can be warped or twisted slightly and flex to provide the combined undulating and twisting motion described above with reference to back support section 16 of the embodiment of Figs. 1-3. The undulating motion is a result of an interplay of the vibration parameters with the elastic and other parameters of the back support section and it may be necessary to carry out some testing to arrive at the combination of parameters which provides the desired vibration and motion pattern.
In Fig. 4, body support platform or table 12 is shown in full lines in horizontal position. A phantom line indicates a selected inclined position of body support platform 12, which is held in this position by a strut 46 pivotally mounted on base 11.

Claims

A device for passive-motion treatment of the human body, comprising

a body support platform (12) having a foot end and a head end and including a base section (14) and a back support section (16) which is movable relative to the base section, and

a power-operated vibrator mechanism (23-29, 41-44) mechanically connected with the back support section (16),

in which

the back support section (16), or at least one subsection (17-21) thereof, is resiliently supported from the base section (14), and

the vibrator mechanism (23-29, 41-44) is operable to vibrate the back support section (16) or said subsection (17-21) thereof, asymmetrically with respect to at least one of two orthogonal planes (M, S) which are fixed relative to the base section (14) and extend between the head end and the foot end of the body support platform (12), one of said planes being a vertical median plane (M) and the other of said planes being a back plane (S) extending generally along the base section (14),

characterised in that the vibrator mechanism (23-29, 41-44) comprises means for varying at least one vibration parameter, such as the vibration frequency, the vibration amplitude, phase shift of one vibrator relative to another, according to a predetermined pattern, and in that the back support section (16) or at least one subsection (17-21) thereof is provided with four vibrator members (26-27, 28-29, 41-44) which are positioned on opposite sides of the median plane (M) and on opposite sides of a plane (T) which is transverse to the median plane (M) and the back plane (S) and passes centrally through the back support section or said subsection thereof.
A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vibrator mechanism comprises unbalanced masses (30) which are rotatable in bearings (33) on the back support section (16) or said subsection (17-21) thereof, said bearings (33) being separated and said masses being rotatably out of phase with each other so as to cause the back support (16) or said subsection thereof to vibrate angularly with respect to the back plane (S).
A device according to claim 2, characterised in that said bearings (33) are located on opposite sides of the median plane (M).
A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vibrator mechanism comprises unbalanced masses (30) which are rotatable in bearings (33) on the back support section (16) or said subsection (17-21) thereof, said bearings (33) being separated and said masses being rotatably in phase so as to bring the back support (16) or said subsection thereof to vibrate in a direction generally transverse to the back plane (S) .
A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the back support section (16) comprises a plurality of vibratable subsections (17-21) which are positioned side by side and vibratable independently of one another.
A device according to claim 5, characterised in that each vibratable subsection (17-21) is provided with at least one vibrator (23-29).
A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, including means for applying traction to the spine of a person lying on the body support platform, said traction applying means comprising a mechanism (46) for supporting the body support platform (12) in an inclined position with the head end down and the foot end up.
A device according to claim 7, including means (15) for locking the lower body portion of said person to the base section (14) of the body support platform (12).
A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the back support section (16) or one or more subsections (18-20) thereof is/are provided with one or more vertebra abutment members (34).