WHEELCHAIR ERGOMETER
The subject of this invention is a wheelchair ergometer consisting of a base plate, a gripping mechanism situated thereon for the attachment of a wheelchair and the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus situated alongside the gripping mechanism.
Wheelchair ergometers are used for the rehabilitation and testing of the condition of people with disabilities of their lower limbs. The equipment currently in use operates on the principle that the wheelchair is driven onto the base plate of the apparatus so that the wheels of the wheelchair are in direct contact with the equipment rollers, revolving belts or other method of transmission. When the equipment is in use the wheelchair s own wheels are revolved and the movement of these wheels is transferred via the rollers, belts or other such means to the measuring apparatus. When using this type of equipment, the measurement results are affected by the weight of the person since an increase in weight causes an increase in the friction with the belt or equivalent. It is also possible for this kind of belt or roller to slip under the wheels, in which case the measurement of the power is inaccurate.
The object of this invention is to introduce an improvement to existing wheelchair ergometers. In particular, the object of this invention is to introduce a wheelchair ergometer whose operation is not affected by the weight of the person concerned. In addition to this, it is the object of this invention to introduce a wheelchair ergometer which is easy to use based on a simple form of construction. Further, it is also the object of this invention to introduce a wheelchair ergometer in which the position can be adjusted during practice and testing to reflect the conditions encountered during actual usage.
The object of the invention is achieved by means of a wheelchair ergometer which possesses the characteristics presented in the appended patent claims.
The testing and rehabilitation apparatus of the wheelchair ergometer invention comprises a frame which is fixed to the base plate and hand-
operated actuators which are fixed to the frame and situated alongside the gripping mechanism. The actuators can be formed from any equipment suitable for this purpose, for example hand-driven wheels, levers or other conventional apparatus. The hand-driven wheels, or whatever type of actuators selected, are connected to the power transmission and measuring apparatus inside the frame which can be used to obtain the information required. Alternatively, the apparatus can be adjusted to operate in accordance with the user's requirements. When the operating apparatus is separate from the wheelchair, neither the weight of the person nor the properties of the wheelchair affect the operating apparatus or the measurement results or the adjustment of the apparatus. When the apparatus is to be used the wheelchair is driven into the correct position on the base plate and fixed to it by means of the gripping mechanism. The wheelchair is then adjusted to the correct position and height with regard to the base plate, following which the wheels are removed. After this the person can operate the testing and rehabilitation apparatus by hand.
In the advantageous specifications of this invention, guides have been formed in the base running in a lateral direction along which the frames can be moved sideways with respect to the gripping mechanism along the base plate. In this way the frames can be moved in a lateral direction to the most suitable position with regard to the user before the testing or rehabilitation is carried out. The wheelchair can be located and fixed in position first and then the frames can be moved to the desired distance from the user.
In the advantageous specifications of this invention, the frame is fixed to the base plate in such a way that it can be tilted at an angle. In this way the frame can be tilted in the desired direction, for example, to an angle of 15 degrees or to an even greater angle of tilt. This function is important as in a number of wheelchairs, particularly ones intended for use in sport, the wheels are tilted to a certain angle with respect to the wheelchair seat and therefore training can be done under realistic conditions by using this wheelchair ergometer.
In the following, the invention is defined in more detail with reference to
the attached illustrations, in which: figure 1 represents one arrangement of the wheelchair ergometer viewed from the front, figure 2 represents the wheelchair ergometer shown in figure 1 viewed from the side, figure 3 represents the wheelchair ergometer shown in figure 1 viewed from above, figure 4 represents another wheelchair ergometer viewed from an angle and figure 5 represents the locking device for attaching the wheelchair into the gripping mechanism viewed from above.
The invention consists of the base plate 1, the gripping mechanism attached on top of it 2, and the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus 3. The gripping mechanism 2 consists of the lifting apparatus 8 and a gripping unit 9. The testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus units 3 are mirror images of each other and include the frame 4, the hand-driven wheels 5, the power transmission apparatus and the measuring equipment situated within the frame 6 comprising, for example, a cogged belt gearing system, electromechanical brakes such as a circulating current brake or hysteresis brake, and the controlling and measuring apparatus. In this specification both the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus are equipped with pulse disks or the equivalent for measuring speed and the distance travelled. It is possible to use various gear ratios in the cogged belt gearing system to achieve suitable testing conditions. The controlling electronics for the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus are located in the other frame. The controlling electronics measure the rotation speed of both brakes in the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus and adjust the momentum in both the brakes such that the braking force in both units is at the desired level and, for example, within an range of 0 - 100 watts.
The wheelchair ergometer base plate 1 is a rigid unit on which is attached the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus 3 and the wheelchair gripping mechanism 2 with its lifting apparatus 8. The lifting apparatus in this application is a cylindrical hydraulic hoist. The wheelchair gripping apparatus 9 is located on top of the hydraulic lifting apparatus
and is used for locking the wheelchair securely onto the base plate for the duration of the testing or rehabilitation period. In the specification shown in figure 5, a locking device 16, 17, is used to attach the gripping apparatus 9 to lateral frame tubes as well. The locking device includes a tubular part which is fixed to the gripping apparatus together with clamps at both ends which can be moved in a lengthways direction and locked 17. In the various specifications of the invention different types of locking devices can be used to clamp the wheelchair onto the gripping apparatus.
The frames 4 of the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus 3 move in a lateral direction along the guides 7 formed in a lateral direction along the base plate. The guides 7 in this specification are in the form of grooves embedded in the base plate. The frames are locked in place by locking devices 10 and by sliding plates 11 in the conventional manner. In order to facilitate the movement of the frames there are handles on the sides 13. In addition, a hinged lifting plate 12 is coupled between the base plate and the wheelchair's gripping mechanism which also lifts the front wheels of the wheelchair when the whole wheelchair is being lifted. The cables between the units to be fixed to the base plate run inside the base plate.
The frame is fixed to the base plate 1 in such a way that it can be tilted. To effect this a bottom part 15, which can be tilted in relation to the base plate, has been positioned in the lower part of the frame 4 and a conventional regulator 14 has been fixed to the base plate 1 and to the frame 4 and by turning the regulator the position of the frame can be adjusted in relation to the base plate. The base plate can be turned by means of hinges (not illustrated in the figure) so that the frame can be tilted in both directions for approximately 15 degrees.
The computer which is connected to the controlling electronics of the braking unit is used to control the necessary power needed for the testing and/or rehabilitation apparatus during the testing or rehabilitation and for collecting information during testing concerning the output of the apparatus, the speeds used, distance driven, work accomplished and about other measuring mechanisms connected to the testing. In the tests
it is naturally possible to run, in the conventional way, track profiles or equivalent which have been previously run or set according to the situation. In addition, the accumulated information is stored in the computer and this accumulated information can be studied and compared later in various ways.
When using the wheelchair ergometer according to this invention the person to be examined is brought in the wheelchair to the wheelchair ergometer such that the gripping mechanism 2 is positioned under the wheelchair. The hydraulic lifting apparatus 8 is used to raise the gripping mechanism to the desired height to enable the wheelchair to be securely clamped prior to lifting. The wheelchair is clamped to the gripping apparatus 9 by its tubular framework (the axle tube). After it has been raised the wheels are removed. Once the wheels have been removed the height can be adjusted to the level desired by the person being examined when carrying out the tests. After the wheelchair has been securely attached the frames 4 of the testing and rehabilitation apparatus 3 are moved to a suitable distance from the person being examined by using the handles 13 and the locking devices 10. In addition, whenever necessary, the frames can be tilted to the desired angle by using the regulator 14. During the lifting and testing or rehabilitation the lifting plate located under the front wheels holds the wheelchair in its normal horizontal position. Once the testing has been completed the testing and rehabilitation frames are moved further away, the wheels are replaced on the wheelchair, the wheelchair is lowered using the hydraulic lift, the wheelchair is then disconnected from the base plate and guided off the base plate.
The invention is not limited to the advantageous specification presented and can be varied within the framework of the invention concept formed by the patent claims.