# US 9,750,974 B2 · Rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus and method of use

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- Number: US 9,750,974 B2
- Document ID: US9750974B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/345,931
- Filed: 2016-11-08
- Published: 2017-02-23
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-08
- Applicants: Korey K. Whitaker
- Inventors: Korey K. Whitaker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9750974B2

## CPC

- A63B 23/0355: {A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs}
- A63B 21/0004: {Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise (bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20)}
- A63B 21/0618: {moving in a horizontal plane without substantial friction, i.e. using inertial forces}
- A63B 21/4015: {to the foot}
- A63B 21/4019: {to the hand}
- A63B 21/4034: {for operation by feet}
- A63B 21/4035: {for operation by hand}
- A63B 22/0005: {with particular movement of the arms provided by handles moving otherwise than pivoting about a horizontal axis parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane}
- A63B 22/0046: {Details of the support elements or their connection to the exercising apparatus, e.g. adjustment of size or orientation (attachments of resisters or weights to the body of the user A63B21/4001; using rollers, wheels, castors or gliding means to be moved over the floor or guide tracks A63B22/20)}
- A63B 22/20: using rollers, wheels, castors or the like, {e.g. gliding means,} to be moved over the floor or other surface, {e.g. guide tracks,} during exercising
- A63B 23/03508: {For a single arm or leg, (A63B21/0726 takes precedence)}
- A63B 21/023: {Wound springs}
- A63B 23/0405: {involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously (A63B23/0476 takes precedence)}
- A63B 23/1209: {Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously}
- A63B 2022/0092: {for training agility or co-ordination of movements}
- A63B 2071/0063: {Shock absorbers}
- A63B 2209/10: with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

The present invention is a rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus (RMIA) and method of use for use in providing increased mobility in persons having reduced strength and mobility due to for instance injury or illness. The apparatus is adapted so as to allow a person who could not readily slide or move their arm or other mobility reduced appendage (MRA) to slide or move their MRA, such as across a flat surface such as a table top or a floor, so as to provide exercise for such MRA, and so as to increase strength and mobility in such MRA.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of using a rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus (RMIA) comprising providing a RMIA comprising a base having a low friction contact surface defining at least one roller device mounted to said base, said RMIA further having a retention device removably attached thereto, mounting said RMIA to a user's appendage, and moving said RMIA across an interface surface such that said RMIA is brought into colliding contact with a target object so as to provide for rehabilitation and improved mobility of said appendage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one roller device further defines a plurality of roller devices, each of said roller devices further defining a singular ball rollingly enclosed in a housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said retention device further defines a hook and loop mounting strap, and wherein said RMIA further includes a detachable and reattachable handle mounted thereto.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said RMIA further includes a cradle flexibly connected to said base and adapted such that when said base is moved across an interface surface said cradle may be in a flexed off-axis position relative to said base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein said cradle is configured to be attached to an appendage of a human user.

### Claim 6

A method of using a rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus (RMIA) comprising providing a RMIA comprising a base having a low friction contact surface and a cradle flexibly connected to said base and adapted such that when said base is moved across an interface surface said cradle may be in a flexed off-axis position relative to said base, said RMIA further having a retention device removably attached thereto, mounting said RMIA to a user's appendage, and moving said RMIA across an interface surface such that said RMIA is brought into colliding contact with a target object so as to provide for rehabilitation and improved mobility of said appendage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said low friction contact surface further defines a plurality of roller devices mounted to said base.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of roller devices further defines at least three roller devices, each of said roller devices further defining a singular ball rollingly enclosed in a housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said retention device further defines a hook and loop mounting strap, and wherein said RMIA further includes a detachable and reattachable handle mounted thereto.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said cradle is configured to be attached to an appendage of a human user.

### Claim 11

A method of using a rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus (RMIA) comprising providing a RMIA comprising a base having a low friction contact surface defining at least one roller device mounted to said base, said RMIA further having a hook and loop mounting strap retention device removably attached thereto, mounting said RMIA to a user's appendage, and moving said RMIA across an interface surface such that said RMIA is brought into colliding contact with a target object so as to provide for rehabilitation and improved mobility of said appendage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one roller device further defines a plurality of roller devices, each of said roller devices further defining a singular ball rollingly enclosed in a housing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said RMIA further includes a detachable and reattachable substantially spherical knob handle mounted thereto.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said RMIA further includes a cradle flexibly connected to said base and adapted such that when said base is moved across an interface surface said cradle may be in a flexed off-axis position relative to said base.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein said cradle is configured to be attached to an appendage of a human user.

### Claim 16

A method of using a rehabilitation and mobility improvement apparatus (RMIA) comprising providing a RMIA comprising a base having a low friction contact surface and a cradle flexibly connected to said base and adapted such that when said base is moved across an interface surface said cradle may be in a flexed off-axis position relative to said base, said RMIA further having a hook and loop mounting strap retention device removably attached thereto, mounting said RMIA to a user's appendage, and moving said RMIA across an interface surface such that said RMIA is brought into colliding contact with a target object so as to provide for rehabilitation and improved mobility of said appendage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said low friction contact surface further defines a plurality of roller devices mounted to said base.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein said plurality of roller devices further defines at least four roller devices, each of said roller devices further defining a singular ball rollingly enclosed in a housing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said RMIA further includes a detachable and reattachable handle mounted thereto.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said cradle is configured to be attached to an appendage of a human user.