US 5,052,379 AGranted

Combination brace and wearable exercise apparatus for body joints

AssigneeSoma Dynamics Corporation

InventorsJames F. Airy, Thomas D. Kadavy

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Abstract

A portable appliance (14) is worn by the user in various configurations, including as a splint to hold a body joint immovable, as a brace to permit the body joint to move through a controlled range of motion and as an exercise apparatus to impart resistance to the flexing and/or extension movement of the body joint. The apparatus (14) includes an articulating frame (16) composed of a first frame section (18) connectable to the first limb of a body joint and a second frame section (20) connectable to a second limb of a body joint. The two frame sections are interconnected together by pivot joint assemblies (22a) and (22b) to permit the frame (16) to articulate about a transverse axis (24) corresponding to the anatomical pivot axis of the body joint. A control plate (164) having adjustable stop pins (166) and (168) is mounted on the pivot joint assemblies to control the range of motion of the articulating frame (16). With the control plate (164) in place, various types of resistance units may be employed to resist relative movement of the frame sections (18) and (20) in either or both directions about the pivot axis (24).

Claims38

Dependent claims

An adjustable combination brace and wearable exercise apparatus to selectively render a body joint immovable, to control the movement of the body joint through a desired range of motion, and to exercise the muscles associated with the body joint as the body joint is moved through the controlled range of motion, comprising:

a) a first pivot arm;
b) first means to operably connect the first pivot arm to a first limb of a body joint;
c) a second pivot arm;
d) second means to operably connect the second pivot arm to a second limb of the body joint;
and,
e) a pivot joint assembly, comprising:
(i) first means pivotally interconnecting the first and second pivot arms about a pivot axis generally coinciding with the anatomical pivot axis of the associated body joint;
(ii) second means selectively controlling the permissible range of angular motion between the first and second pivot arms from substantially no relative angular motion to relative angular motion sufficient to permit the body joint to move between a substantially fully flexed position and a substantially fully extended position;
and,
(iii) third means for operably fastening replaceable resistance means thereto to impose a desired level of resistance to the relative rotation of the first and second pivot arms in either or both relative rotational directions about the pivot axis of the pivot joint assembly and without requiring disassembly of the pivot joint assembly or replaceable resistance means to releasably engage or disengage the resistance means with the pivot joint assembly.

7 more elements

A combination brace and wearable exercise apparatus to selectively restrain a body limb against movement, to allow the body limb to move through a controlled range of motion about the anatomical pivot axis of the body limb, and to apply a desired level of resistance to the movement of the body limb, the combination brace and wearable exercise apparatus comprising:

a) a first frame section having first means to operably connect the first frame section to a first limb of a body joint;
b) a second frame section having second means to operably connect the second frame section to the second limb of the body joint;
and,
c) a pivot joint assembly, comprising:
(i) first means pivotally interconnecting the first and second frame sections about a pivot axis generally coinciding with the anatomical pivot axis of the associated body joint;
(ii) second means selectively controlling the permissible relative articulation of the first and second frame sections to selectively vary the maximum permitted extension and maximum permitted flexion of the body joint;
and,
(iii) third means for fastening replaceable load means thereto to impart a desired level of resistance that must be overcome to enable the first and second frame sections to rotate about the pivot axis of the pivot joint assembly in either or both relative directions and without requiring disassembly of the pivot joint assembly or replaceable to releasably engage or disengage the resistance means load means with the pivot joint assembly.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.