FR2700270A1 - Portable exercise device for feet - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a U-shaped frame (1) and a supple support (2) for the heel is articulated on its vertical uprights (3). Two fixed arms (7), fixed to the uprights, hold an adjustable support for the leg (9). Two opposite arms (8), articulated on the uprights, hold an adjustable support for the foot.The supports for the leg and foot are half moons in shape and their concave parts (11) hold the front of leg and top of foot. Elastic straps (10), whose tension can be adjusted, are fixed between the ends of the articulated arms and the bottom of the uprights.

Description

 The present invention relates to a portable device allowing dorsal flexion and / or plantar flexion of the foot so that the user can heat or force the arch of the foot but also the rehabilitation and musculation of said foot.

 Many documents relate to devices having the same functions.

 The document FR-A-2.550.948 relates to a weight training machine working in extension and compression to allow its user to build muscle, obtain greater muscle strength and improve his health.

 I1 consists of two tubes connected to two antennas by a fixing device comprising a rod in each tube, fixing rings and threaded safety rings. Said antennas each house inside a spring guided by an inner tube. This invention also includes some accessories for better use, namely handles as well as straps for the feet.

 This device allows the work of many muscles, but not specifically the muscles of the foot, as required by the exercise of the dance.

 Document FR-A-2,333,241 relates to a device allowing the positioning of a dancer, without risk of deformation of the foot or of articulation breakage, in optimal conditions of comfort.

 Its shape is made according to the funnel principle, absolutely new. I1 has a upper with upper upper and a reinforced sole that remains flexible at the metatarsal joint.

 Unlike the present invention which remedies a possible deformation of the foot or the articulation break, by an intrinsic action on the foot, this document acts on the foot thanks to an improvement of the dance shoes.

 The document FR-A-1.565.725 relates to a device which can be used both for physiotherapy and for initiation to dance, as well as for games, toys, etc. The device consists of a base and a pivot, each of the latter two includes a raceway between which a series of balls circulates.

The pivot has two loops through which a strap allows the adaptation of the device. A braking device can be added to the device for use in physiotherapy, thus making it possible to balance the efforts.

 This device is quite complex since it uses a raceway comprising balls, moreover, it is not possible to work the dorsal flexion and the plantar flexion of the foot.

 The invention therefore provides an expedient to the conventional forcing techniques of the arch of the foot, which are the jamming of the foot under a cabinet or the work of said foot thanks to the teacher or a partner who will immobilize the foot and thus allow the work of all of the ankle muscles.

 To this end, the invention provides a portable device for rehabilitating, strengthening, heating and / or forcing the arch of the foot, in particular dorsal flexion and / or plantar flexion, characterized in that it is composed of several elements, first of all a gantry, then a flexible support articulated on the vertical uprights of said gantry intended to receive the heel of the foot between the two uprights, then two fixed arms which hold an element making office of adjustable support point for the leg, and two articulated arms which hold an element acting as an adjustable support point for the foot, said fixed and articulated arms being positioned on either side of the vertical plane formed by the gantry, and finally means acting as tension adjustable springs, said means being slaved to the two articulated arms.

 An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus characterized in that each element acting as an orientable fulcrum is in the shape of a half moon.

 The concave part of the element, acting as an adjustable fulcrum, said element being integral with the two fixed arms, receives the front part of the leg.

 The concave part of the element, acting as an adjustable fulcrum, said element being integral with the two articulated arms, receives the upper part of the foot.

 Each means acting as adjustable spring is fixed, on the one hand on each articulated arm, and on the other hand, reversibly, on each lower part of the amounts of the gantry, so that the foot works in dorsal flexion against said medium acting as a spring.

 The concave part of the element, acting as an adjustable fulcrum, said element being integral with the two articulated arms, receives the lower part of the foot.

 Each means acting as an adjustable spring is fixed on the one hand on each articulated arm, and on the other hand, reversibly, on each upper part of the amounts of the gantry, so that the foot works in plantar flexion against said means acting as a spring.

 The means acting as an adjustable spring are elastic wires which connect the articulated arms to the amounts of the gantry.

 The portico can be a frame.

 The attached drawings are given as indicative and non-limiting examples. They represent a preferred embodiment according to the invention. They will allow the invention to be easily understood.

 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention in a position of use, before the establishment of the foot and the leg.

 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in the position of use according to Figure 1, the foot and the leg being in place to allow dorsal flexion.

 Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention in a position of use, before the establishment of the foot and the leg.

 Finally, Figure 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in the position of use according to Figure 3, the foot and the leg being in place to allow plantar flexion.

 The portable device, according to Figure 1, allows rehabilitation, weight training, heating and / or forcing the arch of the foot.

 This device is essentially formed by a gantry or frame 1 composed of two vertical uprights 3 which are connected, by their ends, using horizontal beams 12.

 All of the vertical uprights 3 and horizontal beams 12 form the frame 1 which serves as a support for all the other elements of the apparatus.

 The first of these elements is constituted by a flexible articulated support 2 which is positioned inside the frame, the second elements are, on either side of the plane formed by the frame 1, fixed arms 7 on the one hand , and articulated arms 8, on the other hand, said arms 7 and 8 having a common axis. This axis is a fixing point for the fixed arms 7 whereas, in the case of the articulated arms 8, it serves as the pivot axis of said arms 8.

 The free ends of said fixed arms 7 as well as the free ends of said articulated arms 8 are connected to each other by an element acting as an adjustable support 9.

 Each of these orientable support points 9 is in the shape of a half-moon comprising a concave part 11 and a convex part.

 Placed in the extension of the vertical uprights 3 of the frame 1 in the low position, said vertical uprights 3 are formed by feet 13.

 At each lower and upper end of each vertical post 3, there are holes allowing the passage of means acting as tension adjustable springs 10.

 Said means acting as springs 10 are here elastic wires which connect the holes made in the lower part of the vertical uprights 3 to the articulated arms 8.

 Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is obviously possible to provide several attachment points along the articulated arm 8 in order to adjust the tension to be exerted.

 Similarly, the length of the articulated arms 8 and the depth of the flexible articulated support 2 are also adjustable.

 In Figure 2, we better understand the use that is made of the device.

 Thus, the heel 4 comes to bear in the flexible articulated support 2.

 The front part of the leg 6 comes to bear against the element acting as an adjustable fulcrum 9, said element 9 being connected to the fixed arm 7.

 Finally, the upper part of the foot 5 comes to bear against the element acting as an adjustable fulcrum 9, said element 9 being connected to the articulated arm 8.

 Whether it is the leg 6 or the foot 5, the support is made against the concave part 11 of the element acting as an orientable support point 9.

 In this position, the user can work his ankle.

 The upper part of the foot 5, pressing against the orientable support point 9, will therefore be able to exert a movement represented by an arrow shown in bold, said movement allowing the dorsal flexion of the muscles of the foot and the ankle.

 This movement therefore takes place against the means acting as tension-adjustable springs 10, the planting of which is the same as in FIG. 1.

 According to FIG. 3, the apparatus is identical in some respects, to that of FIG. 1.

 Thus, the element acting as an orientable support point 9, connected to the two free ends of the articulated arms 8, is oriented with the concave part 11 downwards.

 In addition, the means acting as tension adjustable springs 10, always represented by elastic threads, are fixed at the level of the frame 1 on the holes made in the upper part of the vertical uprights 3, the other fixing point always being constituted by the articulated arms 8.

 In this position and as shown in FIG. 4, the heel 4 is always positioned in the flexible articulated support 2.

 The front part of the leg 6 is always in abutment against the element acting as an orientable fulcrum 9 at the concave part 11 of said element 9.

 On the other hand, the concave part 11 this time receives the lower part of the sole of the foot 5.

 The foot 5 can therefore work in a plantar flexion movement according to the arrow shown in bold in FIG. 4.

 This movement is always carried out against the means acting as tension adjustable springs 10, said means 10 being fixed as shown in FIG. 3, that is to say on the one hand to the upper holes made in each vertical upright 3 and on the other hand, on each articulated arm 8.

 During each use of the device, the device rests on the feet 13 of the gantry or frame 1.

 Without departing from the scope of the invention, the feet could just as easily be replaced by a lower horizontal plate serving as a support plate for the entire apparatus.

 REFERENCES 1. Gantry or frame 2. Flexible articulated support 3. Vertical uprights of the gantry 4. Heel 5. Foot 6. Leg 7. Fixed arms 8. Articulated arms 9. Element acting as orientable support point 10. Means acting of springs adjustable in tension 11. Concave part of the element acting as an adjustable fulcrum 12. Horizontal beams 13. Foot of the frame gantry

Claims (9)

 1. Portable reeducation, bodybuilding, heating and / or forcing device for the arch of the foot (5), in particular dorsal flexion and / or plantar flexion, characterized by the fact  that it is composed  - a gantry (1),  a flexible articulated support (2) on the vertical uprights (3) of said gantry (1) intended to receive the heel (4) of the foot (5) between the two uprights (3),  - two fixed arms (7) which hold an element acting as an orientable support point (9) for the leg (6), and two articulated arms (8) which hold an element acting as an orientable support point (9) for the foot (5), said fixed (7) and articulated (8) arms being positioned on either side of the vertical plane formed by the gantry (1), and  - Means acting as tension adjustable springs (10), said means (10) being controlled by the two articulated arms (8).  2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that  that each element acting as a pivoting support point (9) is in the shape of a half-moon.  3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that  that the concave part (11) of the element acting as a pivoting support point (9), said element (9) being integral with the two fixed arms (7), receives the front part of the leg (6).  4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 or 3 characterized in that  that the concave part (11) of the element, acting as an adjustable fulcrum (9), said element (9) being integral with the two articulated arms (8), receives the upper part of the foot (5).  5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized by the fact  that each means acting as an adjustable spring (10) is fixed, on the one hand to each articulated arm (8), and on the other hand, reversibly, to each lower part of the uprights (3) of the gantry (1), so that the foot (5) works in dorsal flexion against said means acting as a spring (10).  6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 or 3 characterized in that  that the concave part (11) of the element, acting as an adjustable fulcrum (9), said element (9) being integral with the two articulated arms (8), receives the lower part of the foot (5).  7. Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized by the fact  that each means acting as an adjustable spring (10) is fixed on the one hand to each articulated arm (8), and on the other hand, reversibly, to each upper part of the uprights (3) of the gantry (1), so that the foot (5) works in plantar flexion against said means acting as a spring (10).  8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 or 7, characterized in that  that the means acting as an adjustable spring (10) are elastic threads which connect the articulated arms (8) to the uprights (3) of the gantry (1).  9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 5 or 7 characterized in that  that the gantry (1) is a frame.