WO1994014505B1

WO1994014505B1 - Device for muscular elongation, flexion and phisiotherapy

Info

Publication number: WO1994014505B1
Application number: PCT/BR1993/000043
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1993-11-30
Publication date: 1994-09-01

Abstract

The present device, which includes four accessories, incorporates in one machine that which is required for the elongation of muscles in all parts of the body, namely: the static, the dynamic, and the 3s or PNF Methods. The device consists of a main frame (1), a seat with a back (2) mounted on the frame's upper surface, two lateral foot supports (3), and a rolling car (13), which when pulled, operates a load-reducing mechanism (18) which includes two pulleys (7) connected to two supports (5), which open laterally or sidewise, and carry with them two supports (3). Each foot support (3) is equipped with hand grips (12). The accessories include two additional foot supports (29, 33) attachable to the car (13), two modules (35) fitted laterally into the frame (1) and used to support the legs when bent or flexed, and a support accessory connected to the frame (1) through the suppporting column (43).

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 28 July 1994 (28.07.94); original claims 1-5 replaced by amended claims 1-15 (4 pages)]

1. Mechanical device for muscular elongation, muscular flexion and physiotherapy having a frame (1) having a longitudinal direction, a seat (2) fixedly associated with said frame (1) and first and second lateral leg support means (3,5) arranged on each side of said frame (1) with respect to said longitudinal direction, each said leg support means being mounted to be swung outwardly from said frame (1) in a substantially horizontal plane, away from an initial position of repose, caracteriaed by comprising:

(a) a carriage (13) mounted for movement on 3aid frame (1) in said longitudinal direction, towards and away from said seat (2);

(b) hand grips (16) on said carriage (13) to permit a user seated on said seat (2) to pull the carriage (13) towards said seat (2);

(c) force applying means (7,23,25,26) for biasing said first and second leg support means (3,5) towards said position of repose;

(d) mechanical non-motorised load reducing means

(18-23) associated with said carriage (13), said frame (1) and said leg support means (3,5) to reduce the force to be applied by said hand grips (16) on said carriage (13) to swing said foot support means (3,5) outwardly form said position of repose against said force applying means and against the resistance of the legs of the user; and

(e) carriage blocking means (15) for blocking the movement of the said carriage (13) in at least one selected position with respect to said frame (1).

2. Mechanical device according to claim 1, characterised by further in comprising:

(f) means (8,9) for adjusting the initial outward angle of each said leg support means (3,5) with respect to said longitudinal direction in said position of repose.

3. Mechanical device according to claim 2, characterised in that said means (8,9) for adjusting said ini tial outward angle comprise first and second independently adjustable means to permit the first and second leg support means (3,5) to have different preselected initial outward angles in said position of repose.

4. Mechanical device according to claim 1,2 or 3, characterised in that said load reducing means comprise a first pulley block (18A) fixed with respect to said frame (1), a second puliey block (18B) mounted to permit movement thereof towards and away from said first pulley block (18A), a a first cable (21) sequentially passed around the pulleys of said first and second blocks and having its ends fixed to said carriage (13), and connection means (7,23) between said second pulley block and said leg support means (3,5) to transmit said movement of the second pulley block and convert it into a rotary movement to swing said leg support means (3,5) outwardly from said frame (1).

5. Mechanical device according to claim 4, characterised in that said connection means comprise second and third cables (23,) each having one end fixed to said second pulley block (18B), and respective first and uecond leg support pulleys (7) arranged to transmit said rotary movement to said respective first and second leg support means.

6. Mechanical device according to claim 5, characterised in that each said leg support means comprises an elongate leg bar (5), a foot support (3) in the region of an outer end of the leg bar (5), said leg bar (5) being rotatable about an axis of rotation common to that of the respective leg support pulley (7), and selective blocking means (8,9) to cause said leg support pulley and the respective leg bar to rotate together with the leg support at the respective said preselected initial outward angle.

7. Mechanical device according any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said carriage (13) is provided along its length with a plurality of means for receiving said hand grips (16) at preselected positions.

a. Mechanical device according claim 5, characterised in that said force applying means (23,25,26) comprises means applying a rotary force to said first and second leg support pulleys (7) in a rotary direction opposite to that transmitted thereto by said second pulley block (18D).

9. Mechanical device according claim 8, characterised in that said force applying means comprise continuations, from said leg support pulleys (7), of said second and third cables (23), the free ends of said cable continuations supporting a counterweight or being maintained taught by a spring.

10. Mechanical device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said carriage blocking means (15) are arranged to block the movement of said carriage (13) in a plurality of selected positions with respect to said frame (1).

11. Mechanical device according any one of the preceding claims, characterised by angle indicator means (27) to indicate the angle through said foot support means are swing away from said frame (1)

12. Mechanical device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by further comprising a removable additional foot support component having a horizontal portion (29) and an upstanding portion (40), said horizontal portion being adjustable to the upper side of said carriage (13) at preselected positions in said longitudinal direction, and the edge of said upstanding portion (30) remote from and parallel to said horizontal portion (29) being formed with a protuberance (31).

13. Mechanical device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by further comprising a removable substantially planar support component (33) adapted for attachment to the upper side of said carriage (13) to permit the user to execute "butterfly" stretch exercises.

14. Mechanical device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by further comprising a two removable lateral leg support modules (35) adaptable to the sides to the sides of said frame (1) to permit the execution of additional exercises.

15. Mechanical device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by further comprising an arm support module including two horizontal support bars (36) provided with suitable handgrip attachment means for the attach ment of handgrips at preselected positions along their upper surfaces, first ends of said arms being adjacent to each other centrally of said module, each said arm (36) being rotatabie about a vertical axis and provided with means for locking it in a selected one of a plurality of angular positions in a horizontal plane.