Physical therapy and exercise apparatus for body limbs

A physical therapy and exercise apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a frame;
• (b) actuating means mounted on the frame for movement by a portion of a user's body;
• (c) double acting resistance means operably interconnected with the actuating means to resist movement of the actuating means, the resistance means including control means to control the magnitude of the resistance force imposed on the actuating means by the resistance means;
• (d) means for monitoring at least one parameter related to the use of the physical therapy and exercise apparatus and providing a corresponding signal;
• (e) integrated circuit means having signal receiving means for receiving the signals from the monitoring means, data storage means for storing the data indicative of the signal received by the integrated circuit means from the moitoring means and interface means for accessing the data storage means to transmit the data to a remotely located data processor to proces the data;
• (f) wherein the actuating means comprises:
• (i) a pivot arm having one end portion operably interconnected with a pinion gear rotatably mounted on the frame;
• (ii) a rack operably engaged with the pinion gear and operably connected with the resistance means;
• and,
• (iii) a manually manipulable member mounted on the pivot arm distal from the pinion gear to receive a portion of the user's body for pivoting the pivot arm about the rotational axis of the pinion gear;
• (g) wherein the resistance means comprises:
• (i) a fluid cylinder;
• (ii) a piston slidably disposed within the cylinder and operably connected to the rack;
• and
• (iii) fluid circuit means to permit passage of fluid in the cylinder from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston;
• (h) wherein the control means includes means for selectively restricting the flow of the fluid in the cylinder from one side of the piston to the opposite side of the piston;
• and,
• (i) wherein the cylinder is formed within a block structure and the fluid circuit means includes passageways formed in the block structure.

A physical therapy and exercise apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a frame;
• (b) actuating means mounted on the frame for movement by a portion of a user's body;
• (c) double acting resistance means operably interconnected with the actuating means to resist movement of the actuating means the resistance means including control means to control the magnitude of the resistance force imposed on the actuting means by the resistance means;
• (d) means for monitoring at least one parameter related to the use of the physical thereapy and exercise apparatus and providing a corresponding signal;
• (e) integrated circuit means having signal receiving means for receiving the signals from the monitoring means data storage means for storing the data indicative of the signal received by the integrated circuit means from the monitoring means and interface means for accessing the data storage means to transmit the data to a remotely located data processor to process the data;
• (f) a second subassembly composed of the actuating means, the resistance means and the control means;
• (g) a second subassembly frame on which the second subassembly is mounted;
• (h) means for detachably mounting the second subassembly frame on the apparatus frame;
• (i) wherein the integrated circuit means is also mounted on the second subassembly frame;
• and,
• (j) further including means for detachably mounting the integrated circuit means on the second subassembly frame.

A physical therapy and exercise apparatus having actuating means moveable by a portion of a user's body, resistance means to resist movement of the actuating means including control means to control the magnitude of the resistance force imposed on the actuating means by the resistance means, and further comprising:

• (a) means for monitoring at least one parameter related to the use of the physical therapy and exercise apparatus and providing corresponding signals;
• (b) integrated circuit means disposed within a portable housing, the integrated circuit means having signal receiving means for receiving the signals from the monitoring means data storage means for storing data indicative of the signals received from the monitoring means, and interface means for accessing the data storage means to transmit the data to a data processor for further processing the data;
• and,
• (c) means for detachably mounting the portable housing on the physical therapy and exercise apparatus for convenient removal and transportation independently of the remainder of the physical therapy and exercise apparatus.