Aero hydraulic exercise and physical therapy equipment and method

Abstract

An air spring is used as a resistance device in exercise equipment having a lever arm for exercising arms and legs. In one embodiment, the equipment can be adapted to be used as a stair stepper. In another, it can be adapted to be used on a table surface for exercising hands, wrists and forearms. In still another embodiment, it can incorporate a bike pedal assembly to simultaneously aerobically exercise the legs and arms. The equipment includes resistance level regulating components and a visual indicator using a gauge or similar device to monitor resistance levels.

1 . An exercise device comprising: 
 flexure joint means, said means comprising an elastomeric bellows intermediate portion, a closed lower portion and a closed upper portion,    a lever arm adapted to be attached to a portion of the closed upper portion of the flexure joint assembly,    means for preventing a movement of the flexure joint assembly and for positioning said exercise device on a working/anchoring member, said means being a rigid unsprung frame member adapted to be attached to a portion of the closed lower portion of the flexure joint assembly and to be attached to the working/anchoring member, and    a human body engaging member at a distal end of the lever arm; and    means for adjustably and selectively pressurizing the flexure joint assembly,    wherein the lever arm can be moved at a desired resistance level by a movement of the human body engaging member in any direction away from an in rest position of the lever arm.    
     
     
         2 . The exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the human body engaging member is a hand grip.  
     
     
         3 . The exercise device of  claim 2 , wherein the hand grip is a generally T-shaped or cross-shaped member containing two hand grips.  
     
     
         4 . The exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the human body engaging member is a foot-engaging member located at the distal end of the lever arm and juxtaposed a top surface of the flexure joint assembly, said foot-engaging member being a longitudinal member extending generally from the flexure joint assembly in a direction generally parallel to the working/anchoring member, a pre-determined distance away from the flexure joint assembly, said foot-engaging member being adapted to support a user's foot standing on a distal portion of said longitudinal member.  
     
     
         5 . The exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexure joint means contains a fluid, said fluid being air or hydraulic fluid or a combination of said air and hydraulic fluid.  
     
     
         6 . The exercise device according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for adjustably pressurizing the flexure joint assembly further comprises: 
 an inlet port in one of the upper or lower portions of the flexure joint assembly, said inlet port serving as fluid inlet means to the interior of the elastomeric bellows;    a fluid supply source;    fluid conduit means in fluid communication between the fluid supply source and the elastomeric bellows; and    pressure regulating means for operating the exercise device at a desired pressure within the flexure joint assembly.    
     
     
         7 . The exercise device according to  claim 6 , wherein the pressure regulating means is selectively adjustable.  
     
     
         8 . The exercise device according to  claim 6 , further comprising resistance level visual indicating means in mechanical communication with the fluid conduit means and fluid regulating means for allowing a user or attendant to visually monitor or control the resistance level of the exercise.  
     
     
         9 . The exercise device according to  claim 8 , wherein the resistance level visual indicating means is a gauge having a resistance indicia scale.  
     
     
         10 . The exercise device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bicycle type pedal assembly mounted on the lever arm.  
     
     
         11 . The exercise device according to  claim 10 , wherein the bicycle type pedal assembly mounted on the lever arm includes means for adjusting a resistance of the peddling action.  
     
     
         12 . The exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the human body engaging member is in an overlying relationship to the closed upper portion of the flexure joint assembly and is configured so that a person exercising can stand on said human body engaging member for performing a balance exercise.  
     
     
         13 . A stair stepping exercise device comprising: 
 two spaced-apart exercise devices, each comprising: 
 flexure joint means, said means comprising an elastomeric bellows intermediate portion, a closed lower portion and a closed upper portion,  
 a lever arm adapted to be attached to a portion of the closed upper portion of the flexure joint assembly,  
 means for preventing a movement of the flexure joint assembly and for positioning said exercise device on a working surface, said means being a rigid unsprung frame member adapted to be attached to a portion of the closed lower portion of the flexure joint assembly and to be attached to the working surface, and  
 a human body engaging member at a distal end of the lever arm; and  
 means for adjustably pressurizing the flexure joint assembly,  
   wherein the lever arm can be moved at a desired resistance level by a movement of the human body engaging member in an up and down stair stepping motion.    
     
     
         14 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 13 , wherein each human body engaging member is a foot-engaging member located at the distal end of the lever arm and juxtaposed a top surface of the flexure joint assembly, said foot-engaging member being a longitudinal member extending generally from the flexure joint assembly in a direction generally parallel to the working surface, a pre-determined distance away from the flexure joint assembly, said foot-engaging member being adapted to support a user's foot standing on a distal portion of said longitudinal member.  
     
     
         15 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 13 , wherein each flexure joint means contains a fluid, said fluid being air or hydraulic fluid or a combination of said air and hydraulic fluid.  
     
     
         16 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 15 , wherein the means for adjustably pressurizing each flexure joint assembly further comprises: 
 an inlet port in one of the upper or lower portions of the flexure joint assembly, said inlet port serving as fluid inlet means to the interior of the elastomeric bellows;    a fluid supply source;    fluid conduit means in fluid communication between the fluid supply source and the elastomeric bellows; and    pressure regulating means for operating the exercise device at a desired pressure within the flexure joint assembly.    
     
     
         17 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 16 , wherein the pressure regulating means is selectively adjustable.  
     
     
         18 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 16 , further comprising resistance level visual indicating means in mechanical communication with the fluid conduit means and fluid regulating means for allowing a user or attendant to visually monitor or control the resistance level of the exercise.  
     
     
         19 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 18 , wherein the resistance level visual indicating means is a gauge having a resistance indicia scale.  
     
     
         20 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 19 , wherein the means for adjustably pressurizing each flexure joint assembly is adapted to adjust both flexure joint assemblies substantially equally.  
     
     
         21 . The stair stepping exercise device according to  claim 13 , wherein the lever arms are each adapted distally with a foot-positioning surface to support the user's foot while exercising the user's feet and legs.