Exercise system for physical rehabilitation and fitness

Abstract

An exercise and rehabilitation system includes a patient positioning system, a dynamometer, an electronics module, a computer and a communications module. The electronics module includes a servo-amplifier and a controller and the controller receives torque and position data from the dynamometer, computes the control signal for the servo-amplifier, receives high-level control settings from the computer and communicates torque and position data to the computer. The communications module communicates with the electronics module, and the computer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise and rehabilitation system comprising:
 a patient positioning system;   a dynamometer;   an electronics module;   a computer;   a communications module;   wherein the electronics module comprises a servo-amplifier and a controller and wherein the controller receives torque and position data from the dynamometer, computes the control signal for the servo-amplifier, receives high-level control settings from the computer and communicates torque and position data to the computer; and   wherein the communications module is configured to communicate with the electronics module, and the computer.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer communicates with the communications module and the electronics module via a wired connection. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer communicates with the communications module and the electronics module via a wireless connection. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamometer comprises a first shaft extending along a vertical axis and is rotatable around the vertical axis and a second shaft extending along a horizontal axis and is rotatable around the horizontal axis, and wherein the horizontal axis intersects the vertical axis. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 4 , further comprising a wheel attachment configured to be removably attached to the second shaft and to allow a user to perform work simulator exercises while standing in the open space around the common platform. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 4 , further comprising one or more attachments configured to be arranged inline with and removably attached to the second shaft and to allow a user to perform extremity exercises while seating in the patient positioning system or work simulator patterns when standing in the open space around the common platform. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer comprises and runs an application program and data storage, and provides a user interface and report generation. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 4 , wherein the dynamometer is movable along the vertical axis and tiltable relative to the vertical axis. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 4 , further comprising a removable vertical lifting attachment and a removable torso rotation attachment. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biometric system and wherein the biometric system transmits biometric data to a data monitoring and recording computer. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 10 , wherein the biometric system comprises an Electromyography (EMG) device and/or an Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) device. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 10 , wherein the communications module is also configured to communicate with the biometric system. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 12 , wherein the electronics module transmits torque and position data and controller status data to the communications module and wherein the biometric system transmits biometric data to communications module and wherein the communications module appends the biometric data to the torque and position data and controller status data and generates a resulting data package and transmits the resulting data package to a data monitoring and recording and control computer via a digital interface. 
     
     
         14 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 13 , wherein the data monitoring and recording and control computer also communicates command data to the electronics module and the biometric system via the communications module. 
     
     
         15 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the communications module transmits data to multiple computers. 
     
     
         16 . The exercise and rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient positioning system, the dynamometer, and the electronics module are separate from each other and are supported onto a common platform and wherein the computer is separate from the dynamometer, the patient positioning system and the electronics module and is supported in a cart that is separate from and movable around the common platform, thereby providing open space around the common platform. 
     
     
         17 . An exercise and rehabilitation system comprising:
 a patient positioning system;   a dynamometer;   an electronics module;   a computer;   a communications module;   wherein the electronics module comprises a servo-amplifier and a controller and wherein the controller receives torque and position data from the dynamometer, computes the control signal for the servo-amplifier, receives high-level control settings from the computer and communicates torque and position data to the computer;   wherein the patient positioning system and the dynamometer are separate from each other and are supported onto a common platform and wherein the electronic module and the computer are separate from the dynamometer and the patient positioning system and are supported in a cart that is separate from and movable around the common platform, thereby providing open space around the common platform; and   wherein the communications module is configured to communicate with the electronics module, and the computer.   
     
     
         18 . An exercise and rehabilitation system comprising:
 a patient positioning system;   a dynamometer;   an electronics module;   a computer;   wherein the electronics module comprises a servo-amplifier and a controller and wherein the controller receives torque and position data from the dynamometer, computes the control signal for the servo-amplifier, receives high-level control settings from the computer and communicates torque and position data to the computer; and   wherein the patient positioning system and the dynamometer are separate from each other and are supported onto a common platform and wherein the electronic module and the computer are separate from the dynamometer and the patient positioning system and are supported in a cart that is separate from and movable around the common platform, thereby providing open space around the common platform.