GB2200548A - Exercising and massaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for exercising and massaging a human, a horse or other animal comprising a tank (10) containing a pool of water, a plurality of water massage jets in the sidewalls of the tank, a cage (11) for retaining the person, horse or animal, a treadmill (24) positioned at the bottom of the cage (11), so that a horse can run on the treadmill (24) while at the same time being treated with a water turbulence massage from the water jet nozzles; and a scissor-like lift device for raising and lowering the treadmill (24) in the pool. <IMAGE>

Description

HYDROTHERAPY DEVICE This invention relates to å hydro-therapy device which is particularly suitable for animals, more particularly, racehorses, but which may be adapted for human therapy. (Specifically, the invention relates to a hydrotherapy exercising device which incorporates a treadmill platform unit attached to a scissor lift for precise, controlled vertical movement within the therapy tub or pool.) The present Applicants' U.S. Patent No.4,183,329 discloses what is thought to be the first effective and practical whirlpool therapy facility for relieving injury or soreness in animals, particularly in racehorses. In the construction described, a plurality of whirlpool nozzles are positioned in the sidewalls of the facility for directing a water-air turbulence mixture at a plurality of portions of the horse likely to develop soreness or lameness.A system of skimmers, filters, and water heaters provide a clean, sanitary, and comfortable environment for the animal and, unlike prior devices, filling and emptying of the pool for each use is not required. This device alleviates soreness and also facilitates the recovery of injured animals, particularly racehorses for return to training and racing more quickly.

It has been proposed in the past that for periods of time when horses cannot exercise outside, indoor pools be provided in which the horse can swim.

Generally, such pools require sloped entrance ramps for the horse to enter and leave the pool such that the ramps and pool take up a considerable amount of space.

Alternatively, the horse can be lowered into a water filled tub to swim in place, but this requires expensive and complicated hoist or hydraulic lifting equipment. Overhead hoists also tend to frighten the horse, are complicated in construction, are difficult to maintain level, and can produce jerking if needed to be stopped and restarted during descent. Similarly, hydraulic lifting equipment is complicated to construct and is costly to maintain.

Aside from these problems, the use of a pool per se has serious drawbacks. First, if the horse is to have an area large enough to swim, the pool requires a significant amount of space, and the pumping, filtering and heating requirements for keeping the pool properly clean and heated are significant. Second, horses are not good natural swimmers, and tending to fear the water, try to reach bottom. This action can lead to injury. Third, swimming pools do not tend to produce useful leg exercise. A horse when in the pool tries to stay afloat by pushing down on its back legs. The muscles used by the horse to try and stay afloat are not those normally used for running. Moveover, the stifle area of the horse can get sore from this swimming movement. Thus, even if the horse is not injured, little, if any, useful leg exercise is accomplished by swimming exercises for horses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved facility and method for exercising and applying hydrotherapeutic treatment to animals, particularly racehprses.

According to the present invention, there is provided, apparatus for exercising and/or massaging a body such as a person, a horse of other animal comprising: a tank for containing a volume of water; a cage for supporting the body in the tank; a treadmill at the cage bottom; means for driving the treadmill; a lift device for raising and lowering the cage and treadmill; a plurality of spaced output nozzles in the walls of the tank; and means for injecting water into the pool under pressure through the nozzles to provide turbulence in the volume of water for massaging portions of the body'situated in the tank.

Preferably, the sidewalls of the tank are substantially straight and parallel, and spaced apart a distance slightly larger than that required to contain the cage. Preferably, therefore, the tank is rectangular.

The jets may be positioned for applying massage directed to areas of the person or animal, e.g.

racehorse, likely to develop lameness or soreness. The tank should not require excessive space or amounts of water to be treated, and the water jets can be positioned in close proximity to the horse or person so as to be effective.

Preferably, the apparatus includes a filtration system for cleaning and purifying the tank water, comprising: at least one drain in the bottom of the tank; a pump in fluid flow communication with the drain to extract water from the tank; a particle separator and/or a filtering device through which water is forced by the pump; and means for reintroducing the water back into the tank. The filtration system may include means for heating the extracted water to a predetermined temperature after passage through the separator and/or filtering device. Preferably, the heated water is reintroduced into the tank through the outlet nozzles.

Preferably, the nozzles comprise a plurality of vertically arranged sets of hydrojet nozzles, and the apparatus further includes means for providing air to the nozzles comprising, for each set, an air conduit opening to atmosphere and a plurality of feed conduits branching off from the air conduit and communicating with a nozzle of the set, and in which in the direction of air flow, each respective feed conduit has a diameter smaller than the preceding feed conduit.

Preferably, the lift device is a scissor lift device, actuated by at least one high torque, low speed hydraulic piston and cylinder unit. The scissor lift device embodies a plurality of parallel arm members for raising and lowering the treadmill.

The facility preferably therefore employs a hydraulically operated lift scissor-mechanism for raising and lowering a treadmill platform assembly with the retaining cage out of and into the tank, for adjusting the height of the platform during use, or for changing the slope of the platform. The treadmill platform is preferably in the form of an endless conveyor belt, preferably hydraulically driven, which can be operated by a variable speed motor at a selected speed so that the human, horse, or other animal can run on the treadmill during therapy treatment, particularly while at least a portion of the body is immersed.

Preferably the drive for the treadmill, the power for the scissor lift, the water injection, and the power for the filtration system are operated from a single power source. The power source may be a diesel or gas engine connected to a hydraulic motor or pump means to operate all functions of the apparatus.

By employing this device, the person, racehorse or other animal participates in a combination exercise programme and water therapy programme which conditions the person or animal. Particularly in the case of a racehorse, -the invention device builds the horse's "wind" in a similar way to actual racetrack training.

Because of the tank design and hydraulic lift mechanism, an effective water therapy massage can be applied as in the case of the Applicants' earlier apparatus. In addition the exercise is accomplished without the risk of exacerbating injury or soreness.

Since the body is immersed in water, natural buoyancy relieves much of the weight of the injured, lame orsore legs. Accordingly, as a racehorse runs on the treadmill, it does not experience the pounding and stress on the leg joints and muscles that would occur if the horse were running on a track. Accordingly, a horse can be exercised even when the lame or sore, and immediately after racing. Moreover, even when the horse is not injured, the horse may undergo a regular exercise programme indoors without risking injury to the joints or muscles.

As part of the exercise programme, the platform and thereby the treadmill may be raised or lowered, to either increase or decrease the effective weight of the horse on the treadmill. In all cases, however, the horse will be standing on the treadmill, and will not have to try to swim to stay afloat. Accordingly, the horse should nowt become frightened as may happen in a more open swimming pool environment.

They hydraulically operated scissor lift mechanism supports and stabilises the platform and treadmill as it is raised and lowered from the tank. The mechanism enjoys the advantages of quiet running, stable and uniform descent or ascent, and the capability of stopping at various heights, without a jerking motion as may occur with a hoist-type or pulley mechanism.

There are no overhead pulleys, hoists or other moving mechanisms surrounding the horse which could tend to frighten the horse. Also, the hydraulic lift mechanism may provide the capability of sloping the treadmill when immersed to simulate uphill running.

In this device, as opposed to swimming pools and some hoist tank arrangements, the horse mounts the treadmill, but never sees the water until the platform begins its descent. In theeven, slow descent, the water level rises only gradually, and if at any stage of the process the horse becomes frightened, the scissor lift mechanism has the capability of stopping while the horse bedomes accustomed to the water level.

During the entire descent, the horse remains standing on the stationary treadmill, and is never required to swim. In addition, at the option of the trainer, the treadmill device may be operated simultaneously with raising and lowering the platform.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways and some embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top sectional view of an exercise and whirlpool therapy facility, in schematic form, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the treadmill assembly of the facility shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top sectional view of the drive drum section of the treadmill unit taken on the lines A-A of Figure 2, illustrating in schematic form the drive drum and motor assembly for the treadmill platform; Figure 4 is a side view of the hydraulically operated scissor lift for the platform of the facility in full elevation; Figure 5 is a sectional elevated view of the scissor lift of Figure 4, showing the hydraulic lift mechanism for the treadmill platform; and Figure 6 is another view of the scissor lift mechanism fully closed as it would rest on the tank bottom.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a whirlpool exercise and therapy facility for a racehorse in accordance with the invention includes a generally rectangular tank 10 for containing a body of water and a movable treadmill assembly 24 and platform structure 20 including a retaining cage 11 which may be raised from or lowered into the well of the tank 10.

The tank 10 includes opposed upright sidewalls 14 and 18, a front wall 12, a back wall 16 and a bottom wall 90 (shown in Figure 5). The tank 10 is sized so that a horse may be immersed from approximately its back down without requiring the horse to swim. The elongated sidewalls 14 and 18 are straight and parallel and spaced apart by a selected distance, preferably only slightly greater than the width of the cage 11.

Preferably, the end walls 12 and 16 are spaced apart a distance slightly longer than the length of the cage 11 to minimise the water requirements of the tank 10. The cage 11 is appropriate in size to accommodate a racehorse of average size and the cage 11 is equipped with straps to contain a horse of any size. The height of the sidewalls 14 and 18 and end walls 12 and 16 of the tank 10 is selected so that, with the platform structure fully descended, it enables an average water depth sufficient to reach at least slightly above the haunches of a large racehorse. This depth has been found empirically to be approximately 6 feet (1.83m) from the bottom of the tank defined by the treadmill platform 24, and it enables adequate therapeutic treatment of the lower back and shoulder muscles of the horse.The sidewalls themselves may extend to any convenient height above the horse, although when the walls extend approximately 5 1/2 feet (1.68m) above the treadmill platform 24 at its lowest depth, persons located above the horse at the side of the tub can control the horse's head and thereby position, and if necessary calm the horse during the exercise session.

Accordingly, a typical tank may be 8 feet deep, 12 feet long, 52 inches wide (2.4m x 3.6m x 1.3m).

The tank 10 is constructed of sturdy fibreglass, or may be made from welded steel plates. The tank is intended to be installed in the ground, with the top of the tank sides 12, 14, 16 and 18 at approximately ground (G) level. A modular-type construction, using either steel or fibreglass panels, facilitates on-site, in ground assembly, although other construction techniques may be used such as complete pre-assembly.

Each of the sidewalls 14 and 18 of the tank 10 are provided with a plurality of hydrojet nozzles (not shown). The nozzles may be arranged in a suitable formation to accommodate human or animal use, such as in a generally inverted U-shaped pattern, as described in US 4183329, to correspond to the legs and sides of a racehorse. But preferably, since it is intended that the person, horse or other animal, such as a greyhound, should move during the treatment programme in this facility, a plurality of spaced jets are provided.

Since the sidewalls 14 and 18 are located fairly close to the person or animal, the force and effect of the water jets remain effective. The nozzles are preferably so spaced to provide a forced water jet for massage to the shank, knee, forearm, elbow area, chest, and shoulder of the forward portion of the horse, and with respect to the rear leg, the haunch, thigh, stifle, gaskin, hock, and fetlock and pastern portions of the leg.

The end walls 12 and 16 may also be provided with nozzle jets for creating additional turbulence.

The cage 11 is also generally rectangular in shape and comprises a series of posts 22a-22h; lateral support members 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d, vertical top support members 25a and 25b, and horizontal top support members 27a and 27b. The cage 11 serves to contain and retain the horse during therapy. The posts of the cage 11 define a rectangular enclosure which is fitted with a mesh of wire, textile or other suitable material, to protect the horse and equipment and yet to allow the hydrotherapy to occur unimpeded. Optionally, the cage may be fitted with retaining straps at each end.

Moreover, rollers may be provided between channels on the exterior of the cage posts and the tank walls to ensure even and controlled vertical movement of the treadmill/cage/platform assembly 24.

In use, water under pressure may be directed through all the jets, or alternatively may be directed through a specific set of nozzle jets to alleviate a particular area of soreness of the horse. Preferably, if the water circulation system is adequate it is desirable to use all of the jets, since this will promote the maximum water circulation, turbulence, filtering and cleaning of the water.

The treadmill-type mechanism 24 includes platform 20 comprising a bed of rollers 32. As shown particularly in Figure 2, an endless conveyor belt 26 is wrapped around a pair of end pulleys or drums 28 and 30, and supported along its length by a single roller or plurality of rollers 32. The axles 34 and 36 of the drive drum 28 and the receiver drum 30, respectively, extend between the end post walls of the cage 11 and are attached thereto by plates 52-52a and 53-53a, respectively. Similarly, the axle 38 of the idler drum or roller 32 extends between the middle walls and is attached to the cage by plates 55 and 55a. As best seen in Figure 3, one of the drums, for example the drum 28 acts as the driving drum for the endless belt 26.A pair of flexible hydraulic lines including a pressure hose and return hose (not shown) extend from a high torque, low speed hydraulic motor 42 to an engine (not shown) having a hydraulic pump which supplies the pressurised fluid to the motor 42. The drum 28 is supported about the axle 34 and is coupled to the output shaft 44 of the motor 42. The rotatable output shaft 44 is driven by the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pressure hose which is sufficient in length to permit the treadmill to be lowered fully into the tank by virtue of its attachment to the scissor lift device 70 as shown in Figures 4 and 5 and as described in more detail below.

The drive drum/motor assembly operates in a novel and efficient manner. The motor 42 is mounted on a plate 46 which is bolted at 45 and 50 to a support plate 52 which is in turn bolted to angles 54a and 54b which are welded to the output shaft and coupler housing 56. The housing 56 contains the output shaft 44 and the bearings and connectors which are attached to the drive shaft 60 of the drive drum axle 34. The rate of fluid delivery from the motor 42, and thereby the velocity of the moving conveyor belt 26, is regulated by a pump control mechanism so that the exercise rate of the horse can be controlled.

The receiver drum 30 is fitted with a horizontal adjustment device 40 in order to allow for control of the tension in the treadmill belt. Accordingly, the plates 53-53a are provided with a suitable opening 51.

The platform/treadmill unit also includes a pair of upright thin rods (not shown) near the forward and rear ends of the structure. The rods may support a pair of harnesses which are installed to keep the horse in place on the treadmill. The harnesses may be similar to those that are commonly used as stall guards, which are formed out of hard rubber, and placed approximately chest high, front and back, mounted on support rings on the rods.

Each of the end walls 12 and 16 of the tank is provided with a plurality of preferably wide mouth skimmers (not shown), which act in a known way to clean the surface of the water of dirt, debris, and other substances that foul the water. The flow rate of the skimmers can- be adjusted as desired, between approximately 5 gallons per minute (0.38 lots) and 50 gallons per minute (3.8 l/s). One or more main drain outlets (not shown) are preferably provided in the bottom of the tank to facilitate water recirculation and filtering in a known way. The connecting lines of the drains as well as the output lines from the skimmers, are so connected that the water is pumped through a filtering device and water heater. A particle separator effectively removes heavy debris extracted from the water through the skimmers or main drains.The liquid output from the separator passes through one or more filter tanks of known variety. The filters act to remove fine debris which is able to pass through the particle separator. Prior to reintroduction into the tank, the filtered water circulates through a conventional water heater which is designed to keep the water entering the tank, when desired, at approximately 80 to 1100F (27 to 430C). It is understood that the tankwater may be kept at ambient or refrigerated temperature and may be salt water.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water injected into the tank to create the therapeutic whirlpool turbulence is mixed at the nozzle head with air to produce millions of tiny pulsating bubbles for gently massaging the horse's body. Suitable air induction nozzles are manufactured by Hayward Inc. or by Jacuzzi Brothers Inc., the latter known as Hydro-Air water massage inlet fittings. Such fittings are commonly employed in swimming pools and health spa whirlpool installations.

The piping arrangement for supplying water to the hydrojet nozzles may be that described in U.S. 4183393, to group together independently fed and controlled systems of upper and lower nozzles. Also, rather than feeding the recirculated water to the nozzle jets, water may be provided to the nozzle from separate inlets in the side of the pool as described in U.S.

4183393. In this case, feed pipes would introduce the recycled, heated water back into the tank through openings in the sides of the tank.

The hydrojet nozzles operate in a known manner to entrain air at atmospheric pressure by means of an internal verturi (not shown), thereby to provide the desired mixture of air and water at the nozzle outlet.

Moreover, by employing this air delivery conduit system, that is by decreasing the conduit opens into atmosphere, it has been found that the nozzles are induced to draw in equivalent amounts of air, so that the issuing jet is equally aerated.

The treadmill mechanism 24 including the roller platform 20 and cage 11 as shown in Figure 2 is lowered and raised within the tank 10 by means of a hydraulically operated scissor lift device 70, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The lift 70 comprises four pairs of scissor arms, two upper and two lower. The two upper arm pairs are designated 72-74 and 72a-74a while the two lower arm pairs are 76-78 and 76a-78a. The upper arm pairs and lower arm paris are in parallel (as best seen in Figures 4 and 5) and operate in tandem.

The upper arms 72 and 74 are connected to each other at a pivot point 80 while the upper arms 72a and 74a are connected at a point 80a. The lower arm pairs 76 and 78 and 76a and 78a are similarly connected and pivot about pivot points 82 and 82a, respectively. The upper arms 72 and 72a are connected to the lower arms 76 and 76a at pivot points 77 and 77a, respectively, while the upper arms 74 and 74a are similarly connected to the lower arms 78 and 78a at pivot points 79 and 79a, respectively, so as to permit both pairs of upper and lower arms to operate in a scissor-like manner. A stabiliser bar 81 is provided to stabilise and support the tandem scissor action of the lift 70.

The upper arms 72-72a and 74-74a are attached to a top plate 84 which is, in turn, connected to the cage 11 at points 47a, 47b, 47c and 47d (also shown in Figures 1 and 2). Similarly, the lower arms 76-76a and 78-78a are connected to a bottom plate 86 at points 88a, 88b, 88c and 88d. The bottom plate 86 is bolted to the bottom 90 of the tank 10. As shown in Figure 4, the scissor lift is in the fully raised position while in Figure 6 the same scissor lift is seen in its fully lowered or resting position on the bottom of the tank.

Recesses 92-92a in lower arm pair 78-78a, as seen in Figure 4, conveniently accept the stabiliser bar 81 between pivot points 77-77a so as to permit the scissor lift to be folded to its maximum, which is, in the preferred embodiment, less than one foot in height.

It will be seen that in the operation of the scissor lift, the upper arms 72-72a at the points of attachment 47a-47b to the top plate 84, and the lower arms 76-76a at the points of attachment 88a-88b to the bottom plate 86, will move or slide appropriately within the body of the top and bottom plates, respectively, to permit the raising and lowering of the lift.

The hydraulic cylinder 96 is attached to a rod or axle 98 which is connected to pivot points 100-100a.

The piston shaft 102 of the cylinder 96 is attached at a point 104 to a rod or axle 106 which in turn is connected to the upper arms 74-74a at points 108-108a.

In use, the treadmill and platform structure 24 including the cage 11 is raised by forcing fluid into the cylinder unit 96 to extend the piston arm 102 to operate the lift in a scissor-like fashion.

Preferably, a hydraulic pump provides fluid from a reservoir to a flow divider valve of a known type which provides an equal volume, rather than equal pressure, of fluid to the cylinder unit 96. The cylinder unit 96 is provided with a water proofing seal 110 which acts to preclude oil from escaping from the cylinder and, conversely, tank water from entering the cylinder 96.

Once the horse is on the treadmill assembly 24 within the cage 11, and the front and rear harnesses are attached, the hydraulic pump which operates the cylinder 96 may be reversed or released so that the treadmill assembly 24 including cage 11 begins to descend into the water. As the horse is lowered into the water, the increased buoyance tends to reduce the weight of the horse standing on the bottom platform.

However, the horse is always resting on the bottom and is not required to swim. The assembly 24 may be lowered all the way, or the height off the bottom may be adjusted for the particular horses or to change the weight of the horse resting on the treadmill platform 20. Once the treadmill is at the selected height, the hydraulic motor 42 for the treadmill 24 is operated such that the endless belt 26 begins to move if not previously actuated at the entry height. The speed of the belt can be adjusted to carry out the desired exercise programme, in which the horse runs in the water at a desired speed. Simultaneously, the whirlpool jets are operated so that the muscles and joints of the horse receive a pulsating massage. The combination of heat, movement and massage relaxes tightened muscles and promotes the flow of blood to the injured or sore areas.

By adjusting appropriately the height of the platform, the horse can run with little, if any, pounding on its legs. The device avoids the danger of exercising an injured or sore horse, who if running on track would tend to favour the uninjured leg and thereby risk further injury. In addition, since the horse is always on the bottom, it will not injure its stifle muscles through fright or by trying to reach bottom by extending its legs. The horse does not, therefore, require long recuperation periods after races, after injury or during the off season, and can continue a regular exercise programme even while injured without stress to the injured or sore joints and muscles. At the same time the horse keeps its wind and proper muscles used in racing are exercised.

Inasmuch as some exercise programmes in indoor pools have been found to cause cramps or exhaustion when horses are not in good physical condition, if desired, as part of a regulated exercise programme, the vital functions of the horse can be monitored during the exercise programme so that the horse receives the maximum beneficial activity without risk of exhaustion or over-exertion.

While the embodiments of the invention described is one preferred construction, various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example while a single cylinder scissor lift mechanism has been shown, other arrangements are possible using multiple cylinders. Also, other types of drives may be substituted for the hydraulic treadmill drive.

Moreover, the entire structure and assembly may be modified in degree and size to accommodate animals other than racehorses or humans. All such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for exercising and/or massaging a body such as a person, a horse of other animal comprising: a tank for containing a volume of water; a cage for supporting the body in the tank; a treadmill at the cage bottom; means for driving the treadmill; a lift device for raising and lowering the cage and treadmill; a plurality of spaced output nozzles in the walls of the tank; and means for injecting water in-to the pool under pressure through the nozzles to provide turbulence in the volume of water for massaging portions of the body situated in the tank.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which the sidewalls of the tank are substantially straight and parallel, and spaced apart a distance slightly larger than that required to contain the cage.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, including a filtration system for cleaning and purifying the tank water, comprising: at least one drain in the bottom of the tank; a pump in fluid flow communication with the drain to extract water from the tank; a particle separator and/or a filtering device through which water is forced by the pump; and means for reintroducing the water back into the tank.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the filtration system includes means for heating the extracted water to a predetermined temperature after passage through the separator and/or filtering device.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the heated water is reintroduced into the tank through the outlet nozzles.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the nozzles comprise a plurality of vertically arranged sets of hydrojet nozzles, and the apparatus further includes means for providing air to the nozzles comprising, for each set, an air conduit opening to atmosphere and a plurality of feed conduits branching off from the air conduit and communicating with a nozzle of the set, and in which in the direction of air flow, each respective feed conduit has a diameter smaller than the preceding feed conduit.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which, the speed of the treadmill is adjustable.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the lift device is a scissor lift device, actuated by at least one high torque, low speed hydraulic piston and cylinder unit.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 in which the scissor lift device embodies a plurality of parallel arm members for raising and lowering the treadmill.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 9 in which the drive for the treadmill, the power for the scissor lift, the water injection, and the power for the filtration system are operated from a single power source.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 in which the power source is a diesel or gas engine connected to a hydraulic motor or pump means to operate all functions of the apparatus.

12. A hydrotherapy apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as herein specifically described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.