초록 ▼

A knee rehabilitating and strengthening apparatus includes upper and lower frame assemblies being securable around a thigh and a shin of a user\s leg above and below a knee joint, and a pair of separate torque unit assemblies disposed between the upper and lower frame assemblies at opposing lateral

A knee rehabilitating and strengthening apparatus includes upper and lower frame assemblies being securable around a thigh and a shin of a user\s leg above and below a knee joint, and a pair of separate torque unit assemblies disposed between the upper and lower frame assemblies at opposing lateral sides of and in alignment with the knee joint and pivotally interconnecting the upper and lower frame assemblies. The torque unit assemblies are operable to adjustably generate resistance to fluid flow in first and second opposite directions in response to respective pivotal movements of the upper and lower frame assemblies relative to one another in opposite directions upon flexion and extension of the user\s leg. The apparatus also includes a fluid flow control arrangement connected in flow communication with the torque unit assemblies and adjustable to independently preset a desired resistance to fluid flow in each of the first and second opposite directions through the fluid flow control arrangement and thereby independently adjust the amounts of work required to be exerted respectively in flexion and extension of the user\s leg. The range of motion limiting arrangement is operable for adjustably presetting limits to pivotal movement of the upper and lower frame assemblies relative to one another and thereby respectively limit flexion and extension of the user\s leg.

대표청구항 ▼

A knee rehabilitating and strengthening apparatus, comprising: (a) an upper frame assembly having a pair of opposite forward and rearward ends; (b) first means mounted to said upper frame assembly adapted for releasably securing said upper frame assembly along a thigh region of a user\s leg above a

A knee rehabilitating and strengthening apparatus, comprising: (a) an upper frame assembly having a pair of opposite forward and rearward ends; (b) first means mounted to said upper frame assembly adapted for releasably securing said upper frame assembly along a thigh region of a user\s leg above a knee joint thereof; (c) a lower frame assembly having a pair of opposite forward and rearward ends, said forward end of said lower frame assembly being located remote from said rearward end of said upper frame assembly, said rearward end of said lower frame assembly being located adjacent to said forward end of said upper frame assembly; (d) second means mounted to said lower frame assembly adapted for releasably securing said lower frame assembly along a shin region of the user\s leg below the knee joint thereof; (e) a pair of separate torque unit assemblies disposed between said upper and lower frame assemblies and being attached to said forward end of said upper frame assembly and to said rearward end of said lower frame assembly located adjacent to said forward end of said upper frame assembly, said torque unit assemblies adapted to be disposed at opposing lateral sides of the knee joint and define a common rotational axis adapted to be generally aligned with the knee joint and about which said upper and lower frame assemblies undergo pivotal movement relative to one another, each of said torque unit assemblies including (i) a housing fixedly attached to said forward end of said upper frame assembly and defining an interior chamber, (ii) a shaft rotatably mounted through said housing and fixedly attached to said rearward end of said lower frame assembly, (iii) a shoe element stationary mounted in said interior chamber of said housing; and (iv) a rotary vane fixedly mounted to said shaft and disposed in said housing such that together said shoe, shaft and vane on opposite sides thereof divide said interior chamber into first and second portions; and (f) a fluid flow control arrangement including (i) a pair of first and second flow branches being respectively coupled to said housing of said torque unit assemblies so as to separately interconnect in flow communication said first portions of said chambers with one another and said second portions of said chambers with one another, (ii) a third flow branch extending between and interconnecting said first and second flow branches, and (iii) a pair of first and second flow control devices each operable to permit fluid flow therethrough in either one or the other of two opposite directions and being adjustable to preset a desired resistance to fluid flow therethrough in one but not the other of said two opposite directions, said first and second flow control devices being interposed in said third flow branch such that fluid flow through said first flow control device encounters resistance only in said first direction while fluid flow through said second flow control device encounters resistance only in said second direction being opposite to said first direction whereby fluid flow proceeds against a first preset resistance from said first portions of said housing chambers to said second portions thereof whereas fluid flow proceeds against a second preset resistance, independent of said first preset resistance, from said second portions of said housing chambers to said first portions thereof in response to rotary movement of said vanes and shaft in said housing chambers by pivotal movement of said upper and lower frame assemblies relative to one another whereby the amounts of work required to be exerted respectively in flexion and extension of the user\s leg is adjustable and preset independently of one another.