PEDAL ADJUSTING APPARATUS AND THEREOF METHOD AND GAIT TRAINING DEVICE WITH FOOT PEDAL ADJUSTING APPARATUS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pedal adjusting structure, and a stepping training device with the pedal adjusting structure. The pedal adjusting structure includes a body for fixing the foot pedals adjusting structure on the stepping training device, a pedal, an adjusting structure connected between the body and the pedal. Via the adjusting structure, the relative angle and/or the relative height between the pedal and the body can be adjusted. Thus, the gait pattern induced in the stepping training device can mimic the normal gait pattern.

Description

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 101127883, filed Aug. 3, 2012, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a gait training apparatus, more particularly to a gait training device with an angle and/or height compensatory.

2. Description of the Related Art

The reason for the commonly seen stepping training device such as stepping machines, slider machines or elliptical machines to prevail as popular gym fitness equipments is that they enable users to perform stepping exercise. FIG. 1 is an illustration of an angle-adjustable pedal (that is) applicable to gym equipments. The stepping training machine consists of an angle-adjustable pedal connected to an exercise bar or a base. In this illustration, one end of pedal 1, which is revolvable, is connected to the base (or substrate) 11. The other end of this pedal 1 contains three holes 14 and an adjustable unit 13. With relative adaptation of the orientation plug 15 and adjustment unit 13, the angle of pedal 1 relative to base 11 is adjusted, albeit fixed and stationary during performance of exercise.

In most human locomotion, a specific pattern in the changes of the angles in ankle, knee and hip occurs in varied phases of the gait cycle. The fix similarity in this pattern across the vast majority of human is termed as “normal gait pattern”. To enable users of these machines while performing exercise or receiving rehabilitation to exhibit a normal gait pattern is a critical purpose. However, traditional gait training device such as stepping machines, slider machines or elliptical machines only allows stepping to occur at the cost of an abnormal ankle movement angle and gait pattern; therefore, it should not be considered a normal gait pattern.

In addition, the body's center of gravity follows a sinusoidal, vertically upward and downward amplitude while in ambulation. However, the traditional gait training device is devoid of any compensatory function on the vertical height change of COG during stepping exercise which gives rise to the problem of too much vertical displacement as well as an abnormal gait pattern that requires modification.

Due to the existing problems in the traditional gait training device, this present invention discloses pedal adjusting structures and adjustment methodologies to overcome at least one of the abovementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a pedal adjusting apparatus, comprises: a base, to couple to a gait training device; a pedal; and an adjusting module, to couple to the base and the pedal, to adjust at least one of a related angle and a related height between the base and the pedal when the gait training device is operation.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, A method of gait adjusting for a gait training device comprising a pedal, the method comprises: obtaining an gait adjusting data, wherein the gait adjusting data is corresponding to a gait pattern of the gait training device; and adjusting at least one of an angle and a height of the pedal according to the gait adjusting data when the gait training device is operation.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the angle adjustable pedal applicable on gym equipment.

FIG. 2 is a comparative illustration of the changes in ankle angle of a normal gait and that induced from the gait training machine in a gait cycle.

FIG. 3A is an illustration under the first implementation strategy (ideal) of this present invention on ankle via control of pedal angle.

FIG. 3B is an illustration under the second implementation strategy (ideal) of this present invention on the control of angle.

FIG. 3C is a comparative illustration of the changes in ankle angle under the second implementation strategy (solid line) and that of the normal gait (dotted line).

FIG. 4A is a comparative illustration of the changes in vertical displacement of COG in a normal gait and that induced from a traditional gait training machine during ½ of the gait cycle.

FIG. 4B is an illustration of the control in pedal height in a gait cycle.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of one of the implementation examples of the pedal adjustment structure of this present invention.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the changes in pedal angle and height in different stages (phases) of gait cycle under the implementation example of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a common sliding bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In walking or running, gait cycle begins when the heel of the first foot comes in contact with the ground (heel strike), bears weight, the ankle propulses forward till the heel takes off and swing forward and ends the gait cycle. FIG. 2 illustrates a comparison of the ankle's angle changes in a normal gait and that induced from the traditional gait training device. The dotted line exhibits the pattern of angle change in ankle during a normal walking or running gait cycle. As shown, according to different phases of a gait cycle, the ankle executes two dorsiflexions and plantarflexions, respectively.

Albeit, during operation(period of exercising) of a traditional gait training device (eg. elliptical and slider machine), the pedal is fixed to the main body of the machine with no movement allowed. Therefore, it is not possible for a traditional gait training device to induce a near-normal angle of change in ankle as in a normal gait cycle. The gait pattern induced from the traditional machine allows only one dorsiflexion and plantarflexion to occur in the whole cycle of gait as shown with the solid line in FIG. 2.

Note that it is not our intention to command a perfect gait pattern but to aim for correction of the abnormal gait pattern induced by the traditional gait training device through control of the pedal during the gait cycle. Therefore, among the myriad implementation examples in our gait training invention, at least one contains the controlling mechanism in the angle of ankle (ie. via the angle of the pedal).

Following is the illustration on the implementation strategies through which the angle of the pedal is controlled to gain an optimized gait pattern that does not exhibits in the traditional gait training device.

The First Implementation Strategy

The angle data of a normal gait and that induced from a traditional gait training machine is subtracted to yield a difference which is shown in FIG. 3. This is an illustration showing an ideal pedal angle control this invention strives to replicate in a normal gait pattern. There are still many implementation strategies to correct the abnormal gait pattern resulted from a traditional gait training machine which are disclosed as follows.

The Second Implementation Strategy

From FIG. 3A, it is noted that a greater difference in ankle angle occurred right after 56% of gait cycle.

Much less difference is noted between 10˜56% of gait cycle. This data is simplified as in FIG. 3B, which is a second illustration of the control mechanism of this invention. No angle adjustment is done between segment B to D, thus simplified the whole control adjustment mechanism of the gait training machine. FIG. 3C is an illustration of the comparison between the angle change of ankle from the second implementation (solid line) and in normal gait pattern (dotted line). Note that according to FIG. 3B, the angle change of ankle induced from the second implementation exhibits two dorsiflexions and plantarflexions (refer to the solid line in FIG. 3C) demonstrating its enablement in mitigating the problem mentioned in traditional gait training machine. From this, it is known that via adjustment of the difference of angle in a part of the gait cycle but not limited to this part may suffice the aim of enhancing a near-normal gait pattern. In this second implementation strategy, the whole gait cycle is simplified through at least two parts of adjustment module; one is the functional region (ie. D-E-F-A-B), the other is the nonfunctional region (ie. B-C-D). The whole invention design is simply done by employing a simple mechanical principle.

The Third Implementation Strategy

The body's center of gravity (COG) displays a specific pattern of vertical displacement while in ambulation. However, ready-made elliptical machine and stepping machine lacks compensatory effects on the vertical displacement of COG not merely the abnormal ankle angle. Therefore, the third implementation strategy not only aims for achievement of the abovementioned strategies but also the compensatory effect on vertical displacement of COG. Furthermore, the vertical displacement patterns of COG in walking and running diverse in much different ways. Thereby, the compensatory mechanism should differ accordingly. So in this implementation strategy, users are free to decide of one's own accord whether to initiate the function of compensatory effects on the vertical displacement of COG, in an ambulatory mode (the first operated mode) or in a running mode (the second operated mode), respectively. In the other implementation method, the compensatory mechanism on vertical displacement of COG adjusts appropriately and automatically according to the different speed of the gait training device (ie. walking or running). That is, the control module has different adjusted height amounts and selects one of the adjusted height amounts according to a speed (or the operated mode) of the gait training device to control height of the adjusting module. FIG. 4A shows the relative difference of vertical displacement of COG during ½ of the gait cycle in normal gait and that induced by the pedal of the traditional gait training device. The dotted line shows the trend of change in normal gait while the solid line represents that induced in a traditional gait training device during ½ of the gait cycle. Due to the similar gait pattern in right and left lower extremities, only ½ of the gait cycle is illustrated and both the lower extremities acts asynchronously by ½ cycle of a gait cycle. By subtracting the data from a normal gait and that induced by the traditional gait training device yields the compensatory function of the pedal on vertical displacement of COG.

In addition, highly complex suspension systems are always required in rehabilitation settings on traditional gait training device which lacks the mechanism to adjust for the level of COG to prevent falls. Therefore, the third implementation strategy will be a better substitution for the costly suspension design.

There exists various modes of the pedal adjusting structure of the present invention which could be easily set up by referring to books of mechanically related subjects. They can also be achieved utilizing common control kits, such as: stepping motor for the control on angle, sliding bar (shown in FIG. 7) for the control of vertical height of the pedal.

According to the above implementations, it is easy to conceive the adjustment method employed to modify gait pattern and this method is applicable on gait training machines containing a pedal. The adjustment method includes the following steps:

Step 1: obtain a predetermined gait curve data (e.g., a normal gait data) and one that is relative to the gait training machine (e.g., an un-adjusted gait data of the gait training machine). In this step, the detector is used to detect the current angle, height, or phase (such as: heel strike, mid stance, . . . etc) of pedal during a gait cycle to obtain an un-adjusted gait data of the gait training machine.

Step 2: obtain an adjusted gait curve data based on a predetermined gait curve data and one that is relative to the gait training machine. For example, subtract the two different curve data to acquire an adjusted gait curve data. In an embodiment, the adjusted gait curve data includes at least one of angle data and height data. The adjusted gait curve data can also be obtained by simplification procedure for certain.

Step 3: adjust the angle and/or height of the pedal according to the adjusted gait curve data.

According to the illustration above, it is not difficult to conceive each and every steps. Therefore, no unnecessary detail will be delineated herewith.

FIG. 5 is another method of implementation of the pedal adjustment structure by the present invention. The pedal adjustment structure 500 enables the adjustment of the angle and/or height of the pedal. FIG. 5 pedal adjustment structure 500 is able to achieve at least one of the abovementioned implementation strategy. The pedal adjustment structure 500 on FIG. 5 includes a body (or a base) 510, to fasten the structure 500 to the gait training machine; a pedal 520 and an adjustment module 630 designed in between the body 510 and the pedal 520 so as to allow relative adjustment of the angle between the pedal 520 and body 510. In this way, the gait induced by the gait training machine essentially displays a normal gait pattern or near-normal gait pattern in a stepping exercise. In one of the implementation example, the adjustment module 530 comprises a first sliding bar (or named front bar) 531 and a second sliding bar (or named hind bar) 532. The length of the sliding bars 531, 532 is controlled by a control signal from a control module to achieve the pedal 520 angle and height adjustment relative to the body 510. For example, when the first sliding bar 531 lengthens (shortens) and the second sliding bar 532 shortens (lengthens), the relative angle of the pedal 520 and the body 510 is adjusted; and, when the first sliding bar 531 shortens (lengthens) and the second sliding bar 532 lengthens (shortens), the relative height of the pedal 520 and the body 510 is adjusted. The pedal adjustment structure 500 naturally contains a control module (not illustrated) to control the adjustment module. The control module includes a controller (or a microprocessor (eg. 8051)) and a related firmware. The microprocessor is able to execute the abovementioned gait adjustment method; it controls the length of sliding bars 531, 532 during gait cycle to achieve the effect. The control module also includes a memory to store the abovementioned implementation strategy so as to produce a control signal for controlling the change in angle and/or height according to this implementation strategy. There also includes a pedal orientation sensor within the control module to detect the relative position of the pedal. For example, the pedal orientation sensor may be an encoder located on the axis of rotation in the elliptical machine or an tiltometer located on the perch in the elliptical machine. The memory stores various implementation strategies (ie, the abovementioned implementation strategies or the same implementation strategy appropriate for different users) for users to choose from according to their appropriate needs. For one implementation example, the body 510 includes a fastening module (not illustrated) used for fastening itself to the gait training machine. The fastening module can be configured using some common elements eg. screws and/or screw nut. People familiar with this technique is well acquainted and informed with the configuration of this fastening module. Therefore, no unnecessary detail will be delineated herewith.

FIG. 6 displays the changing trend of angle and height in application of the second or third implementation strategies based on FIG. 5 in different stages of gait cycle. Therefore, this invention employs an adjustable supporting device (that is, the adjusting machine) under the pedal to adjust the angle or/and height of the pedal in different stages of gait cycle. As in FIG. 6, adjustment of the first sliding bar 531 and the second sliding bar 532 to achieve changes in the pedal's angle and height in different stages of A, B, C, D, E and F in the gait cycle yields correct gait pattern of ankle in the corresponding stages of the gait cycle.

In another embodiment, the pedal adjustment structure 500 in this present invention could be a traditional gait training machine pack. In other words, the body 510 of the pedal adjustment structure 500 in this present invention includes a fastening module (not illustrated) to fasten the pedal on traditional gait training machine or other related part of the machine, or simply displacement of the pedal from the traditional gait training machine. Certainly, various commonly seen immobilization mechanisms are utilized for the fastening module to function thus.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment (s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modification and alternation of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pedal adjusting apparatus, comprising:

a base, to couple to a gait training device;

a pedal; and

an adjusting module, to couple to the base and the pedal, to adjust at least one of a related angle and a related height between the base and the pedal when the gait training device is operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjusting module is operation such that the gait training device is to induce a near-normal angle of change in a gait cycle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a detector, to generate a detecting signal according to a related position of the pedal; and

a control module, to control the an adjusting module according to the detecting signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a gait pattern of the gait training device comprises two dorsiflexions and two plantarflexions in a gait cycle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the base further comprising:

a fastening module, to fasten the base to the gait training device.

6. the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjusting module further comprises:

at least one sliding bar, to adjust at least one of the related angle and the related height between the base and the pedal, wherein a length of the at least one sliding bar is adjusted according to a control signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle between the pedal and the base is adjusted in a first part of the gait cycle and fixed in a second part of the gait cycle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit, to store a predetermined gait data; and

a control module, to control the adjusting module according to the predetermined gait data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control module controls the adjusting module according to the predetermined gait data from the storage unit and an un-adjusted gait data of the gait training device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the un-adjusted gait data of the gait training device is obtained from the storage unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a control module has different adjusted height amounts and selects one of the adjusted height amounts according to a speed (or the operated mode) of the gait training device to control height of the adjusting module.

12. A method of gait adjusting for a gait training device comprising a pedal, the method comprising:

obtaining an gait adjusting data, wherein the gait adjusting data is corresponding to a gait pattern of the gait training device; and

adjusting at least one of an angle and a height of the pedal according to the gait adjusting data when the gait training device is operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the angle of the pedal is adjusted such that the gait training device is to induce a near-normal angle of change in a gait cycle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the gait pattern of the gait training device comprises two dorsiflexions and two plantar flexions in a gait cycle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the angle of the pedal is adjusted in a first part of the gait cycle and fixed in a second part of the gait cycle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of obtaining the gait adjusting data further comprises:

retrieving a predetermined gait data from a storage unit; and

obtaining an un-adjusted gait data of the gait training device; and

generating the gait adjusting data according to the a difference between the predetermined gait data and the un-adjusted gait data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the un-adjusted gait data of the gait training device is obtained from the storage unit.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a detecting signal corresponding to a relative position of the pedal; and

wherein at least one of the angle and the height of the pedal is adjusted according to the detecting signal.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the gait training device has different adjusted height amounts and the method further comprises:

selecting one of the adjusted height amounts according to a speed of the gait training device; and

wherein the height of the pedal is adjusted according to the selected adjusted height amount.