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A muscle exercise and diagnostic system which includes a lever arm, a mounting arrangement for mounting the lever arm for rotation about a fixed axis, and a connecting arrangement for connecting a selected portion of the human body to the lever arm for rotation about a selected anatomical axis of ro

A muscle exercise and diagnostic system which includes a lever arm, a mounting arrangement for mounting the lever arm for rotation about a fixed axis, and a connecting arrangement for connecting a selected portion of the human body to the lever arm for rotation about a selected anatomical axis of rotation. The connecting arrangement provides a fixed tangential and sliding mounting to permit free radial movement of the point of attachment of the patient relative to the axis of rotation of the lever arm. A velocity control arrangement coupled to the lever arm limits the velocity in accordance with a preselected velocity control function. The radial distance from the point of attachment to the axis of rotation is measured and used in the velocity control function. Range of motion limits are set in one embodiment by way of a potentiometer for each limit position and by a pushbutton and limit storing arrangement in another embodiment.

대표청구항 ▼

In a method for operating an exercise system to limit movement of a lever arm to a prearranged angular range of motion, the step of: programming the desired range of motion of the lever arm during a programming interval, using a dedicated pair of pushbutton switches, including the steps of: continuo

In a method for operating an exercise system to limit movement of a lever arm to a prearranged angular range of motion, the step of: programming the desired range of motion of the lever arm during a programming interval, using a dedicated pair of pushbutton switches, including the steps of: continuously measuring the angular position of the lever arm and producing an output position signal corresponding thereto; moving said lever arm to a first angular position corresponding to a first range of motion limit position; operating a first one of said pair of pushbutton switches to produce a first limit control signal, storing the value of said output position signal in response to said first limit control signal as a first limit position signal; moving said lever arm to a second angular position corresponding to a second range of motion limit position; operating a second one of said pair pushbutton switches to produce a second limit control signal; and storing the value of said output position signal in response to said second limit control signal as a second limit position signal; and operating the exercise system during a subsequent exercise interval by limiting movement of said lever arm within said preprogrammed range of motion, including the steps of: continuously measuring the angular position of said lever arm and producing an output exercising position signal corresponding thereto; comparing the value of said output exercising position signal with said first limit position signal when said lever arm is moving toward said first range of motion limit position; restraining further movement of said lever arm in the same direction of motion when the value of said output exercising position signal is equal to said first limit position signal; comparing the value of said output exercising position signal with said second limit position signal when said ever arm is moving toward said second range of motion limit position; and restraining further movement of said lever arm in the same direction of motion when the value of said output exercising position signal is equal to said second limit position signal.