Description

REHABILITATION TRAINING SYSTEM INCLUDING PEDAL

APPARATUS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus for strengthening the lower limbs, and more particularly, to a rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus that a patient directly pedals configured at one end of the rehabilitation training system, to strengthen lower limbs that are capable of being strengthened. Background Art

[2] In general, various ailments that cause central nervous system injury, such as strokes, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and degenerative brain disease, impair brain-related motor, sensory, and perception skills, making the performing of everyday movements such as walking very difficult. Thus, patients with brain function impairment require a combination of medical treatment and early rehabilitation training to make a early recovery.

[3] In such disabled patients, there is a close correlation between the period of rehabilitation training and reducing the term required for patients to be able to return to societal life in full capacity. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[4] However, related art rehabilitation training involves the use of motorized mechanisms that forcibly move patients' body parts. Such forcible movement of a patient is unrelated to the patient's wishes, and thus, a patient may receive stress from being forcibly rehabilitated to the point where the patient rejects rehabilitation treatment, which ultimately lowers the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatment.

[5] Also, because this type of related art rehabilitation training equipment is used on patients who are capable of some degree of self-ambulation, it is difficult to use on patients in the initial stages of disabilities - especially patients with central nervous system injury, who are barely able to self- ambulate, and who are thus unable to receive rehabilitation training.

[6] An object of the present invention is to provide a rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus for exercising the lower limbs that can provide early rehabilitation training to patients such as central nervous system injury patients, who are virtually incapable of self-ambulation, through employing a plurality of sensors and training programs to stimulate peripheral nerves of patients.

[7] Another object of the present invention is to provide a rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus for training lower limbs that a patient can directly pedal and a rehabilitation training program, to arouse a patient's interest and a provide a playful experience through pedaling, so that the patient is willing to undergo rehabilitation training. Technical Solution

[8] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus for strengthening lower limbs of a patient, the pedal apparatus including: a rotor; a pedal configured at either side at a center of the rotor; and a housing including a fluid compartment defining an insertion hole in a side thereof to hold a portion of an outer periphery of the rotor and store a viscous fluid that hardens through an inner electrical signal, and an electromagnetic field housing provided with a coil therein, the coil providing an electrical signal to the fluid compartment.

[9] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rehabilitation training system with a pedal apparatus for strengthening lower limbs, the rehabilitation training system including: a bed including a mattress, a base supporting the mattress, and a tilting unit provided between the mattress and the base to adjust an upright angle of the mattress; a monitor disposed at an upper portion of the mattress of the bed, allowing a patient to check a state of rehabilitation training and an image according to a program; a sensor mounted on a head of the patient to calculate an angle according to movement of the head; a head-mounted display worn around eyes of the patient to display various data or a virtual reality; a grip provided at one of either side of the mattress of the bed for the patient to grasp; a pedal apparatus provided at a lower end of the mattress of the bed and having a housing including a rotor, a pedal configured at either side at a center of the rotor, a fluid compartment defining an insertion hole in a side thereof to hold a portion of an outer periphery of the rotor and store a viscous fluid that hardens through an inner electrical signal, and an electromagnetic field housing provided with a coil therein, the coil providing an electrical signal to the fluid compartment; and a controller controlling the upright angle of the mattress of the bed, the monitor, the sensor, the head-mounted display, and the pedal apparatus.

[10] According to the present invention, the viscous fluid may be formed of a MR

(magneto-rheological) fluid.

[11] According to the present invention, the rehabilitation training system may further include a packing for preventing the viscous fluid stored within the fluid compartment between the insertion hole and the rotor from leaking to an outside.

Advantageous Effects

[12] The above rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus of the present invention has the effect of enabling patients with central nervous system injury, etc. who are unable to self-ambulate to receive rehabilitation training through the use of a plurality of sensors and a rehabilitation training program to stimulate peripheral nerves and allow for early rehabilitation training.

[13] Furthermore, through the employment of a pedal apparatus that the patient can directly pedal combined with a rehabilitation training program, the patient's interest can be aroused and enjoyment from pedaling can be derived, so that the patient becomes receptive to rehabilitation training. Brief Description of the Drawings

[14] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rehabilitation training system with a pedal apparatus, according to the present invention.

[15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pedal apparatus according to the present invention.

[16] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a pedal apparatus according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[17] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the diagrams.

[18] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rehabilitation training system with a pedal apparatus, according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a rehabilitation training system 1 includes a bed 2, a monitor 3 provided at the upper portion of the bed 2, a sensor 4 disposed at the upper portion of the bed 2 to sense angles of a patient's head movement, a head-mounted display 5 disposed at the upper portion of the bed 2 to be worn around the patient's eyes, a grip 6 disposed at a middle portion of the bed 2, a pedal apparatus 10 disposed at a lower portion of the bed 2 for the patient to directly pedal, and a controller 7 for controlling the respective components.

[19] In particular, the rehabilitation treatment system 1 is suitable for use by patients with central nervous system injury.

[20] The bed 2 includes a mattress 2a, a base 2b supporting the mattress 2a, and a tilting unit 2c between the mattress 2a and the base 2b to adjust the upright angle of the mattress 2a.

[21] The lower portion of the mattress 2a is connected through a hinge to the base 2b.

[22] A plurality of casters is configured at the bottom of the base 2b.

[23] The tilting unit 2c includes a tilting conveyor 2c- 1 fixed to the base 2b with a built- in guide rail and a conveyor, and a tilting link 2c-2 with one end provided on the tilting conveyor 2c- 1 and being conveyed along the guide rail by the conveyor of the tilting conveyor 2c- 1, in order to adjust the upright position of the mattress 2a.

[24] The monitor 3 is disposed at a position easily viewable by a patient lying on the mattress 2a, and may be adjustable to accommodate patients of different physical proportions.

[25] The sensor 4 for sensing the angle of a patient's head is mounted on a patient's head to calculate the angle by which the patient's head moves, and generate a signal determining the moved direction of the patient's head within a virtual space, by means of a program.

[26] The head- mounted display 5 is worn around the patient's eyes, to aid in rehabilitation training of the patient through providing various data or a virtual reality to the patient through a program.

[27] The grip 6 projects from one of either side of the mattress 2a, and may further include a silicon, synthetic resin, or rubber cover covering the outer surface thereof to strengthen a patient's grasping force.

[28] Furthermore, the grip 6 may be configured to be adjustable according to a patient's height and capable of sliding up and down.

[29] In addition, an emergency switch (not shown) may be provided at an end of the grip

6, enabling a patient to alert a caregiver of a personal emergency or temporarily stop the rehabilitation training apparatus.

[30] The pedal apparatus 10 is mounted at the lower portion of the mattress 2a to be pedaled directly by the patient for strengthening the lower limbs, and may be configured to be detachable from the mattress 2a.

[31] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in further detail, the pedal apparatus 10 includes a rotor

110, a pedal 120 at either side on the center of the rotor 110, and a housing 130 including an insertion hole 133 defined in a side thereof to house a portion at the outer periphery of the rotor 110, a fluid compartment 132 containing a viscous fluid 134 whose viscosity increases when an electrical signal is applied thereto, and a electromagnetic field housing 136 provided with a coil 138 applying an electrical signal to the fluid compartment 132.

[32] The rotor 110 may include a plurality of spokes as in a bicycle wheel, or may be configured as a round plate (as shown), and in particular, may define a predetermined thickness at the periphery to have a predetermined portion thereof included in the fluid compartment 132 through the insertion hole 133 of the housing 130.

[33] Further, a packing 140 is provided between the insertion hole 130 of the fluid compartment 132 and the rotor 110, so the packing 140 prevents viscous fluid 134 stored in the fluid compartment 132 from leaking to the outside.

[34] The pedals 120 are configured to allow easy pedaling by a patient of the pedal apparatus 110, may be adjusted in height according to a patient's physique, and may be configured to be capable of rotation on a support 139 integrally formed with the

housing 130.

[35] The housing 130 includes a mounting plate 131 at an end thereof that is mountable and detachable from the bottom of the bed 2, and the mounting plate 131 defines a plurality of fastening holes in which a plurality of fastening members is inserted.

[36] The fluid compartment 132 of the housing 130 includes a pipe (not shown) to allow replacement or topping or filling of the viscous fluid 134 stored therein.

[37] The viscous fluid 134 may be a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid.

[38] Here, the MR fluid refers to a fluid whose viscosity increases drastically when particles included therein become hardened by applying an electrical field thereto, and impede rotation of the rotor 110 in the present invention, allowing rotational force of the rotor 110 to be adjusted and providing a braking effect in accordance with the physical condition of each patient.

[39] The electromagnetic field housing 136 includes a coil 138 housed within, and the intensity of the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 138 according to power supplied from the outside determines the viscosity of the viscous fluid 134.

[40] The electromagnetic field housing 136 may be allotted around the entire periphery of the fluid compartment 132 or may be divided with predetermined gaps.

[41] The controller 7 controls the overall operation of the various devices, including upright angle adjustment of the mattress 2a, data transfer to the monitor 3, calculation of head angle according to a signal input through the sensor 4 for head rotation angle, displaying various data and running virtual reality programs in the head-mounted display 5, and measuring rotation speed and adjusting rotation difficulty of the rotor 110 of the pedal apparatus 10.

[42] The application of the above-configured rehabilitation training system including a pedal apparatus for strengthening lower limbs according to the present invention will be described below.

[43] First, a patient lies on the mattress 2a, whereupon the sensor 4 for sensing head rotation angle is mounted to the patients head and the head-mounted display 5 is worn around the patient's eyes, and the upright angle of the mattress 2a is adjusted through the controller 7 in accordance with the patient's condition.

[44] Of course, for the sake of the patient's safety, the patient is harnessed in a safety harness (not shown) included on the mattress 2a, and the patient lying on the mattress grasps the grip 6.

[45] Then, the controller 7 provides a virtual reality image on the head-mounted display

5 through a stored program.

[46] Supposing that the virtual reality is a car race, when the patient simply moves his/ her head to the left or right in order to avoid a collision between the patient's own car and other cars, the head rotation angle sensor 4 mounted to the patient's head detects

the head movement and relays the corresponding signal to the controller 7, whereupon the controller 7 calculates the amount of left/right movement according to measured values and applies the calculations to the patient's car in the virtual reality environment to avoid other cars.

[47] To strengthen a patient's lower limbs, the pedal apparatus 10 is mounted at the lower end of the mattress 2a with fastening members.

[48] If a patient is unable to place his/her feet on the pedals of the pedal apparatus 10 autonomously, a third party may perform this task, thus completing preparation for lower limb training.

[49] Next, when the patient pedals the pedals 120 of the pedal apparatus 10, the pedals

120 receiving the pedaling force and the rotor 110 rotate, and lower limb strengthening is performed.

[50] The strength training of lower limbs employing the above pedal apparatus 10 may be more effective while providing a patient with a virtual reality environment for rehabilitation training.

[51] In the above-described example of a car race virtual reality program, a patient is able to redirect his/her own car and avoid other cars through left and right movements of the head.

[52] By pedaling the pedals 120 of the pedal apparatus 10, a patient rotates the rotor 110 connected to the pedals 120, and the rotation speed or the rotation intensity of the rotor 110 is then relayed to the controller 7.

[53] Also, the rotating intensity of the rotor 110 transferred to the controller 7 may be calculated as the speed of the patient's car, so that the patient can input varying speeds of his/her own car in the virtual environment to derive competitive enjoyment from passing other cars, and due to an increased level of interest, the patient will be receptive to increased rehabilitation training.

[54] Further, when resistance of pedal 120 rotation is adjusted according to the condition of a patient, power is applied to the coil 138 configured in the electromagnetic field housing 136, and the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 138 may increase the viscosity of the viscous fluid 134 stored in the fluid compartment 132, so that friction against a portion of the rotor 110 included in the fluid compartment 132 is provided to impede rotation.

[55] That is, the intensity of the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 138 affects the degree of hardening of the viscous fluid 134, so that friction from the hardened MR fluid impedes rotation of the rotor 110, so that the rotational intensity of the pedals 120 is increased and provided as such to a patient's lower limb strength training.

[56] Of course, by completely hardening the particles by applying a strong electromagnetic field to the viscous fluid 134, the viscous fluid 134 may function as a

brake to stop the rotation of the rotor 110. [57] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.