Direct drive rehabilitation and fitness apparatus and method of construction

A rehabilitation and fitness apparatus comprising, in combination:

• means for supporting said apparatus;
• an actuator arm mounted to said supporting means, said actuator arm being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• means in communication with said actuator arm for limiting the range of rotational motion of said actuator arm;
• direct driving means connected between said range limiting means and an inclined surface for converting said rotational motion of said actuator arm to translational motion of said inclined surface;
• and
• means for resisting the rotational motion of said actuator arm, said resisting means being vertically movable along said inclined surface in relation to the translational motion of said direct driving means, said actuator arm being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiting means.

A rehabilitation and fitness apparatus comprising, in combination:

• an adjustable support stand having a broad base;
• an actuator arm mounted on said support stand, said actuator arm being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• a range limiter disk mounted between said actuator arm and said support stand for limiting the range of said rotational motion of said actuator arm;
• a direct drive shaft connected between an inclined cam surface and a linkage rod extending from said range limiter disk, said direct drive shaft for converting said rotational motion of said actuator arm to translational motion of said inclined cam surface;
• and
• a plurality of adjustable weights for resisting the rotational motion of said actuator arm, said plurality of weights being vertically movable along said inclined cam surface in relation to the translational motion of said direct drive shaft, said actuator arm being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiter disk.

A method for constructing a rehabilitation and fitness apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting said apparatus by employing a broad based stand;
• mounting an actuator arm to said broad based stand, said actuator arm being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• limiting the movement of said actuator arm with a range limiter disk for restricting the range of rotational motion of said actuator arm;
• converting the rotational motion of said actuator arm to translational motion of an inclined surface by connecting a direct drive shaft between said range limiter disk and said inclined surface;
• and
• resisting the rotational motion of said actuator arm by providing a plurality of adjustable weights, said adjustable weights being vertically movable along said inclined surface in relation to the translational motion of said direct drive shaft, said actuator arm being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiter disk.

A rehabilitation and fitness apparatus comprising, in combination:

• means for supporting said apparatus;
• an actuator arm mounted to said supporting means, said actuator arm being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• means in communication with said actuator arm for limiting the range of rotational motion of said actuator arm;
• and
• direct driving means connected between said range limiting means and a means for resisting the rotational motion of said actuator arm, said direct driving means for converting said rotational motion of said actuator arm to translational motion of said resisting means, said resisting means being vertically movable along said supporting means in relation to the translational motion of said direct driving means, said actuator arm being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiting means.

A method for constructing a rehabilitation and fitness apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting said apparatus by employing a broad based stand;
• mounting an actuator arm to said broad based stand, said actuator arm being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• limiting the movement of said actuator arm with a range limiter disk for restricting the range of rotational motion of said actuator arm;
• and
• converting the rotational motion of said actuator arm to translational motion of a plurality of adjustable weights by connecting a direct drive shaft between said range limiter disk and said adjustable weights, said adjustable weights being vertically movable along said broad based stand in relation to the translational motion of said direct drive shaft, said actuator arm being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiter disk.

A rehabilitation and fitness apparatus comprising, in combination:

• means for supporting said apparatus;
• pedaling means mounted on said supporting means, said pedaling means being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• means in communication with said pedaling means for limiting the range of said rotational motion of said pedaling means;
• direct driving means connected between said range limiting means and a pair of inclined surfaces for converting said rotational motion of said pedaling means to translational motion of said inclined surfaces;
• and
• means for resisting the rotational motion of said pedaling means, said resisting means being vertically movable along one of said pair of inclined surfaces in relation to the translational motion of said direct driving means, said pedaling means being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiting means.

A method for constructing a rehabilitation and fitness apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting said apparatus by employing a broad based stand;
• mounting a foot pedal to said broad based stand, said foot pedal being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• limiting the movement of said foot pedal with a range limiter disk for restricting the range of rotational motion of said foot pedal;
• converting the rotational motion of said foot pedal to translational motion of a pair of inclined surfaces by connecting a direct drive shaft between said range limiter disk and said inclined surfaces;
• and
• resisting the rotational motion of said foot pedal by providing a plurality of adjustable weights, said adjustable weights being vertically movable along one of said inclined surfaces in relation to the translational motion of said direct drive shaft, said foot pedal being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiter disk.

A rehabilitation and fitness apparatus comprising, in combination:

• means for supporting said apparatus;
• pedaling means mounted on said supporting means, said pedaling means being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• means in communication with said pedaling means for limiting the range of said rotational motion of said pedaling means;
• an eccentric cam surface mounted to and rotating with said range limiting means for providing an oscillating motion;
• and
• means for resisting the rotational motion of said pedaling means, said resisting means having a support shaft for riding on said eccentric cam surface with said support shaft vertically oscillating with said eccentric cam surface for converting said rotational motion of said pedaling means to translational motion of said resisting means, said pedaling means being rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiting means.

A method for constructing a rehabilitation and fitness apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting said apparatus by employing a broad based stand;
• mounting a foot pedal to said broad based stand, said foot pedal being pivoted for providing rotational motion;
• limiting the movement of said foot pedal with a range limiter disk for restricting the range of rotational motion of said foot pedal;
• providing an eccentric cam surface mounted to and rotating with said range limiter disk for providing an oscillating motion;
• and
• resisting the rotational motion of said foot pedal by providing a plurality of adjustable weights, said adjustable weights being mounted about a support shaft for riding on said eccentric cam surface with said support shaft vertically oscillating with said eccentric cam surface for converting said rotational motion of said foot pedal to translational motion of said support shaft, said foot pedal rotatably operable through opposing patterns of movement for therapeutically exercising opposing muscle groups by adjusting said range limiter disk.