초록 ▼

A portable controllable fluid device (20a) for rehabilitation of injured limbs, appendages and joints (33a). The rehabilitation device (20a) includes a first bracket (22a) for fixedly securing to a first body part, such as a lower leg (25), a second bracket (24a) for fixedly securing to a second bod

A portable controllable fluid device (20a) for rehabilitation of injured limbs, appendages and joints (33a). The rehabilitation device (20a) includes a first bracket (22a) for fixedly securing to a first body part, such as a lower leg (25), a second bracket (24a) for fixedly securing to a second body part, such as a foot (26), and a controllable fluid brake (27a) such as a magnetorheological fluid brake including a magnetorheological fluid contained therein having a carrier fluid and disbursed magnetic particles, attached between the first bracket (22a) and second bracket (24a). The controllable fluid brake (27a), preferably acts in a rotary fashion and provides resistive forces about an axis adjacent said body joint (33a) to exercise the muscles upon movement of said first bracket (22a) relative to said second bracket (24a) resulting from movement of the user's first body part relative to the second body part. The device (20a) is portable and can be used to rehabilitate, for example, a wrist, elbow, knee or ankle joint in the user's home. The device (20a) allows variable adjustment of the level of resistance felt by the rehabilitating user by adjusting a controller (28a). In another embodiment, feedback information is used to control the level of resistance according to a predetermined force/torque profile(s). A potentiometer (53d) provides the feedback information regarding position to the controller (28a).

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [11.] A portable controllable fluid rehabilitation device for providing resistive forces for rehabilitative exercise of muscles acting between a first body part and a second body part which are spaced on either side of a body joint, comprising:(a) a first bracket means for fix

[ What is claimed is:] [11.] A portable controllable fluid rehabilitation device for providing resistive forces for rehabilitative exercise of muscles acting between a first body part and a second body part which are spaced on either side of a body joint, comprising:(a) a first bracket means for fixedly securing to the first body part thereto;(b) a second bracket means for fixedly securing to the second body part thereto;(c) a magnetorheological fluid rotary brake attached between said first bracket means and said second bracket means, said magnetorheological fluid rotary brake providing resistive forces about a defined axis adjacent the body joint to exercise the muscles upon movement of said first bracket means relative to said second bracket means resulting from movement of the first body part relative to the second body part, said controllable fluid brake further comprising a housing having first and second halves fixedly secured together, said housing including an magnetically-soft outer peripheral flux path and a recessed portion, a shaft having a rotor mounted thereon, said rotor being received within said recessed portion and forming a gap on either side of said rotor which contains said magnetically controlled fluid, and a circumferentially wound coil adjacent said rotor and located radially inward from said outer peripheral flux path, said coil generating a magnetic field which is carried by said outer peripheral flux path and across said gaps; and(d) a controller for allowing variable percentage adjustment of said resistive forces applied between a high percentage of resistance and a low percentage of resistance and which also vary according to a predetermined profile which varies torque as a function of position between said first bracket means and said second bracket means.