FR2724559A1 - Mechanical therapy mechanism for spine and back region - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism includes a frame (1) supported on a series of feet carries the central mechanism, positioned between a headrest (2) and footrest (3). Each side of the frame supports a lateral articulated arm (4), which may be manipulated by the patient while in a lying position and is connected to a pair of cords (5) or a chain drive. The cords pass over and around three grooved pulleys (9) to connect to mobile trolleys (7) which are secured by side members (8) of the frame so as to be movable longitudinally relative to it. A pair of spring blades (6) forming a back support are attached to the trolleys, such that actuation of the arms causes the support to form a convex arch above the frame.

Description

DESCRIPTION
BACK MECHANOTHERAPY APPARATUS
To my knowledge, there is no similar device in its principle, its constitution, and its application: correction of the cyphotic back by the variable pressures of larnes-spring, put in a curvature opposite to it, by the intermediary of the anterior elevation of the patient's upper limbs.

Dorsal mechanotherapy device, self-softening of the kyphosis of the back consisting of a metal frame (1) resting on four feet (with rubber tips), with a head rest at the top (2), a foot rest at the bottom (3) and, in the central part, a mechanism comprising bilaterally (D. and G.) an articulated arm (4) connected to two ropes (5) passing through the three grooved pulleys (9) to effect the setting bending of a leaf spring (6) by means of the bearing of two mobile carriages (7) located in a long, straight, quadrangular metal spar (8). The action by raising the articulated arms leads to corrective thrusts , in opposition to the back resting against, by means of the movable support that are the transverse slats and the leaf springs. (self-softening) (thus brought into bending, convex upwards) incidentally (drawing no. 6) is added the wedging pads (attached to the device, on sliding tubes, allowing adjustment, and fixing by senage) of the following anatomical parts: iliac crests, internal parts of the clavicles, vertex of the forehead (in position, lying on the back).

DRAWING # 1
Figure the entire device (in its left side view) with its structure, and the various mechanical components:
1) The chassis (1), in metal tubing, at its base, four feet (with rubber end caps), placed on the ground.

 2) The headrest cushion, consisting of a rigid plate, as a support, connected to the chase, a flexible interior padding, and a skai envelope.

 3) The footrest, allows you to put the soles of the feet in a position perpendicular to the ground, knees and hips in flexion.

 4) The actuating arm of the mechanism, long metal rod, at the bottom a hinge device with the body of the device and a rope gripping system. It is provided at the top with sliding handles "for gripping by the patient" adjustable according to the length of the upper limbs of the latter, by manual tightening, by means of a large-head screw which is introduced into an external lateral longitudinal groove.

 5) The transmission cables for setting in motion, by the articulated arms, to other mechanical parts (carriages and leaf springs) or else a transmission belt, or a link chain).

 6) Blades-spring, in flat metal, (I. 7 cm x L. 45 cm) of small thickness, endowed with the propnety to arch without breaking and to return to its normal appearance, as soon as the entraining traction ceases.

7) Training carriages, they are made up: by a device for fitting the rollers, consisting of a small hollow frame made of sheet metal assemblies "shaped" to match the reliefs necessary for the insertion of the rollers (drawing n 4 and n 5)
- Casters arranged in the direction of the height of the spar, held on their axis, to the frame for securing the carriage by spring strips, against the upper and lower parts of the interior of the spar.

 - side castors (narrower) held close to their running axis by a spring strip pressing them against the inner side walls of the spar.

 - on the side, outside, protruding from the carriages, a connecting ring to the fmn.

DRAWING n 2
View from above and from the front, shows the slat device, (fixed to the spring blades by bolting or riveting, they are made of hard rubber, or internally armed with a metal rod, full, thin) serving as mobile support on the back.

Below: the footrest and the basin-laying platform.

Top: the actuating arms of the mechanism, the headrest.

DRAWING n 3
View of the parts of the mechanical device: actuating arm, fixed at the bottom on a rotation axis, connected to the ropes, which passing through the grooved pulleys will attract the moving carriages and put the blades in Incurvaflon (convex towards the top) spring.

DRAWING no 4 and no 05
Rolling systems of mobile carriages inside the side member.

Bearing in the vertical part, consisting of (for each of the carriages) eight castors (wide), attached to the fixing frame and pressed against the inner wall of the spar, by leaf-spring "clip", connected to the protruding part of their axis.

Rolling in the side walls, consisting of eight (narrow) rollers, held against these
walls by a clip-spring strip ", attached to the outgoing part of their axes, and pressing them there.

DRAWING # 5
Hinge connection system between the carriages and the leaf springs (12) initially set up on
the upper central part of the frame by a metal articulation (narrow hinge) extending by
a solid metal rod, flaring in Y after its exit from the passage span constitutes a longitudinal opening on the upper face of the beam, to each branch at the end is fixed a peQ
ball bearing, in the central hole of which passes another metal rod in the shape of "wide
and flat because with short branches, coming to be inserted between the two riveted plates which thought the ends of the leaf springs on their width this allows besides the connection, a "flexible" maneuver
for curving the blades.

DRAWING NO. 6
Accessory element attached wedging pads (fixing splints) device can be provided with fixing cushions, iliac crests, collarbones, and the top of the forehead (in position "lying on
the back'). These pads consist of metal plates' brought to the corresponding "shape
with an anatomical morphology, covered with a flexible mat and wrapped in scat, arranged at
end of a rod in hollow metal tubing of round section, sliding in a short according
other slightly larger diameter tubing, provided with an appendix having
its center of a thread in which the play of a bolt with broad head, tighten manually allows the
scratch blocking.

It is a device, essentially metallic, consisting of a chassis (1), resting on the ground by four
feet, with rubber tips, the length of which is inspired by the size (aligned) of the head, neck,
back and pelvis of a sixteen year old teenager.

At the lower part is a footrest (3) allowing the subject's body to rest on the back, and to provide him with a support favoring the energy of elevation of his arms, elevation of the back and opening of the rib grill, in the center of the chassis, the mechanical part performing this correction, (the
return to the starting position is done by lowering the arms) actuated by the transmission to the
upper metal arms (4), the movement thus produced, by raising the limbs
superiors of the patient, transmitted to two nylon ropes (to D. and to G.) put in "incurvatione'lévation"
the leaf springs (6), which are interconnected by hard rubber slats (10), serve as
back support; the passage of the leaf springs, from the flat position, to a curved position
convex, is carried out by means of sliding rollers (movable carriages) (7), located in the tubes
square metal (8) (internally acting as a running rail) constituting the right part and
left from the top of the chassis.

The mobile carriages are set in motion by the effect of the traction on the ropes1 to which they are connected by carabiners and hooks, produced by raising the upper limbs of the subject, having grasped the arms of the device by the grip handles (11 ) (which are adjustable according to the length of the arms, by a device of bolts (with large head) of tightening introduced into a lateral groove).

This device is designed to allow a subject to perform a self-relaxation exercise with a compressive back arch (this in coordination with corrective gymnastics sessions), this in turn leads to an opening position. rib grill. The addition of increased pulse rate at the top of the actuating arms performs corrective (passive) posture in the back.

This device does not pretend to replace corrective gymnastic acts, but to associate with them to speed up the process, by its more direct action, on costo-vertebral stiffening and dorsal arching.

Main application of this device, which can be built by a mechanical engineering company, for rehabilitation professionals, use to combine with "corrective gymnastics" sessions in order to greatly facilitate flexibility and better vertebral static straightness.

Inherent application: it can also jointly facilitate better obtaining of the vital capacity, the exercise being naturally associated with an inspiration working for the rectification of the kyphosis.

Other applications in the rehabilitation of ankylosing spondylitis, after the deplatement of a traumatized or operated back.

- Can be made in a model for the public "as a hygiene and development device may also be suitable for dancers, swimmers, models, lovers of physical culture.

Claims (1)

Mechanotherapy device for the back, for self-relaxation of kyphosis, consisting of a frame on feet (supporting the central mechanism), comprising a headrest at the top (2) and a footrest at the bottom (3) . It is characterized by, in the central part, a mechanism comprising on each side of the chassis, an articulated arm (4) for actuation by the patient, connected to two mins (or belt or link chain) (5) of drive, passing through three grooved pulleys (9) to effect, by means of the rolling of two mobile carriages (7) embedded in a quadrangular metal spar of straight shape (8), the bending (convex upwards) of the two spring tines (6) connected to each other by a back support constituted by a transverse device of a rigid rubber slat (10), supporting the back and acting against the arch. - A device of wedging accessories to maintain certain parts of the body during re-exercise is to be added.