Physical therapy treadmill and treadmill accessory
View Patent ↗Treadmills and treadmill accessories for allowing physically impaired individuals to exercise and engage in therapeutic rehabilitating activities without the need for assistance from other individuals include a seat integrated into the treadmill or accessory to allow the physically impaired individual to exercise on a treadmill from a seated position or to step onto a running deck of a treadmill from a seated position.
1 . A physical therapy accessory for use with a treadmill, comprising:
a base having two opposite side members spaced apart to allow positioning of a running deck of the treadmill between the two side members, and a rear member connected to each of the two side members to form a rigid U-shaped frame that extends along and around a rearward portion of the running deck;
a seat platform extending rearwardly of the rear member;
a seat mounted on the seat platform rearwardly of the rear member; and
a handrail assembly supported on each side member.
2 . The accessory in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rear member comprises a tube affixed to the seat platform, the tube having opposite ends, each end configured for releasable attachment to one of the two side members.
3 . The accessory in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the tube and the two side members are configured to be connected in a telescoping arrangement using fasteners.
4 . The accessory in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the fasteners are spring loaded quick release pins.
5 . The accessory in accordance with claim 3 , wherein an end of each side member connectable to the tube has a plurality of fastener apertures to allow adjustment of a space between the two side members.
6 . The accessory in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a foot plate mounted on an upper surface of each side member.
7 . A physical therapy accessory for use with a treadmill, comprising:
two opposite side rails spaced apart and configured to allow positioning of the two side rails on portions of the treadmill adjacent to opposite edges of a running deck of the treadmill;
a seat platform assembly supported on the two side rails and over the running deck;
a seat mounted on the seat platform; and
a downwardly ramped safety panel extending proximate a forward edge of the seat platform.
8 . The accessory of claim 7 , further comprising roller assemblies configured for supporting the seat platform assembly and facilitating movement of the seat platform assembly along a length direction of the two side rails.
9 . The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the two side rails have an inwardly flanged U-shaped channel configuration to capture and guide rollers of the roller assemblies.
10 . The accessory of claim 8 , further comprising a lock assembly for holding the seat platform at a fixed position along the length direction of the two side rails.
11 . The accessory of claim 7 , further comprising linear guide assemblies configured for supporting the seat platform assembly and facilitating movement of the seat platform assembly along a length direction of the two side rails.
12 . The accessory of claim 11 , further comprising a foot plate mounted on an upper surface of each side rail.
13 . The accessory of claim 7 , further comprising a handle assembly supported on each side rail.