Spine mobility enhancement system and method of use thereof
View Patent ↗A spinal mobility enhancement system may comprise a body inclination apparatus which may include a support platform having a platform surface for resting a person's body thereon and having a longitudinal midline. The system may also comprise a spinal mobility enhancement device movably secured on the inclination apparatus along the longitudinal midline to engage the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface of the support platform. The mobility enhancement device may have a pressure portion configured to cause pressure to be applied to a pair of spaced regions of the back surface of the body by a pair of raised surfaces of the device. The raised surfaces may be spaced from each other in a lateral direction with an air gap being defined between the raised surfaces which corresponds to a position of the spine of the body of the person positioned on the platform.
1 . A spinal mobility enhancement system for adjusting of a body of a person, the system comprising:
a body inclination apparatus configured to support the body of the person in an upright position and an inclined position and positions between the upright and inclined positions, the inclination apparatus including:
a support platform having a platform surface for resting the body thereon, the platform surface generally defining a support plane, the support platform being elongated with a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the support platform having a longitudinal midline extending in the longitudinal direction of the support platform for positioning the spine of the body of the person adjacent to the longitudinal midline of the support platform; and
a support frame for resting upon a floor and being configured to support the support platform in an elevated condition above the floor, the support platform being pivotally mounted on the support frame at a pivot so as to pivot along a pivot axis;
a spinal mobility enhancement device movably secured on the body inclination apparatus along the longitudinal midline to engage the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface of the support platform, the spinal mobility enhancement device comprising:
a base portion resting upon the platform surface;
a pressure portion on the base portion and being configured to cause pressure to be applied to a pair of spaced regions of the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface when the support platform is moved from the upright position to the inclined position,
wherein the pressure portion has a pair of raised surfaces for contacting the pair of spaced regions of the back surface of the body of the person, the pair of raised surfaces being raised with respect to the support plane of the platform surface, the raised surfaces being substantially planar and coplanar with each other;
wherein the pair of raised surfaces are spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the support platform, an air gap being defined between the spaced pair of raised surfaces such that a channel is defined between the surfaces to corresponding to a position of the spine of the body of the person positioned on the platform surface of the support platform;
wherein each of the raised surfaces is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the support platform; and
a mounting structure configured to movably mount the spinal mobility enhancement device on the body inclination apparatus in a manner permitting positioning of the enhancement device at different locations along the longitudinal midline of the support platform.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the raised surfaces of the pressure portion of the enhancement device is formed by a pressure element.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the base portion is formed by a base plate formed of a substantially rigid material; and
wherein each of the pressure elements is at least partially formed by a resiliently compressible material such that the raised surface has a degree of compliancy.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the elongated raised surfaces are substantially rectangular in shape with the length of the raised surface being greater than the width of the raised surface.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the raised surfaces are located on opposite sides of the longitudinal midline of the support platform for causing pressure to regions of the back surface on opposite lateral sides of the spine of the body.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the raised surfaces of the pressure portion are oriented substantially parallel to the support plane of the platform surface.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the support platform has at least one slot extending longitudinally and substantially parallel to the longitudinal midline of the support platform.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the mounting structure comprises a fastening assembly for fastening the spinal mobility enhancement device to the body inclination apparatus, the fastening assembly including a fastener extending through an aperture in the base portion of the mobility enhancement device and extending through an aperture in the support platform.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the aperture in the support platform comprises at least one slot extending longitudinally and substantially parallel to the longitudinal midline of the support platform.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the mounting structure comprises a securing assembly for securing the spinal mobility enhancement device to the body inclination apparatus, the securing assembly including an elongated member for looping about a portion of the support platform, the elongated member extending through a passage in the spinal mobility enhancement device.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the elongated member of the mounting structure comprises a flexible strap and a buckle for connecting portions of the strap together.
12 . A spinal mobility enhancement system for adjusting of a body of a person, the system comprising:
a body inclination apparatus configured to support the body of the person in an upright position and an inclined position and positions between the upright and inclined positions, the inclination apparatus including:
a support platform having a platform surface for resting the body thereon, the platform surface generally defining a support plane, the support platform being elongated with a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the support platform having a longitudinal midline extending in the longitudinal direction of the support platform for positioning the spine of the body of the person adjacent to the longitudinal midline of the support platform; and
a support frame for resting upon a floor and being configured to support the support platform in an elevated condition above the floor, the support platform being pivotally mounted on the support frame at a pivot so as to pivot along a pivot axis;
a spinal mobility enhancement device movably secured on the body inclination apparatus along the longitudinal midline to engage the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface of the support platform, the spinal mobility enhancement device comprising:
a base portion resting upon the platform surface, the base portion including a base plate;
a pressure portion on the base portion and being configured to cause pressure to be applied to a pair of spaced regions of the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface when the support platform is moved from the upright position to the inclined position,
wherein the pressure portion has a pair of raised surfaces raised with respect to the support plane of the platform surface, each of the raised surfaces being formed by a pressure element, the raised surfaces being substantially planar and coplanar with each other, each of the raised surfaces being oriented substantially parallel to the support plane of the platform surface, each of the raised surfaces being elongated in the longitudinal direction of the support platform, the elongated raised surfaces each having a length in the longitudinal direction of the support platform and a width in the lateral direction of the support platform;
wherein the pair of raised surfaces are spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the support platform, an air gap being defined between the spaced pair of raised surfaces such that the raised surfaces are located on opposite sides of the longitudinal midline of the support platform for causing pressure to regions of the back surface on opposite lateral sides of the spine of the body, a channel being defined between the raised surfaces to correspond to a position of the spine of the body of the person positioned on the platform surface of the support platform, the channel being elongated in the longitudinal direction of the support platform between the elongated raised surfaces, the channel between the raised surfaces having a length in the longitudinal direction of the support platform and a width in the lateral direction of the support platform between the raised surfaces, the width of the channel being smaller than the length of at least one of the raised surfaces.
13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the base portion is formed by a base plate formed of a substantially rigid material; and
wherein each of the pressure elements is at least partially formed by a resiliently compressible material such that the raised surface has a degree of compliancy.
14 . The system of claim 12 additionally comprising a mounting structure configured to movably mount the spinal mobility enhancement device on the body inclination apparatus in a manner permitting positioning of the enhancement device at different locations along the longitudinal midline of the support platform.
15 . A spinal mobility enhancement system for adjusting of a body of a person, the system comprising:
a body inclination apparatus configured to support the body of the person in an upright position and an inclined position and positions between the upright and inclined positions, the inclination apparatus including:
a support platform having a platform surface for resting the body thereon, the platform surface generally defining a support plane, the support platform being elongated with a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the support platform having a longitudinal midline extending in the longitudinal direction of the support platform for positioning the spine of the body of the person adjacent to the longitudinal midline of the support platform; and
a support frame for resting upon a floor and being configured to support the support platform in an elevated condition above the floor, the support platform being pivotally mounted on the support frame at a pivot so as to pivot along a pivot axis;
a spinal mobility enhancement device movably secured on the body inclination apparatus along the longitudinal midline to engage the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface of the support platform, the spinal mobility enhancement device comprising:
a base portion resting upon the platform surface, the base portion including a base plate;
a pressure portion on the base portion and being configured to cause pressure to be applied to a pair of spaced regions of the back surface of the body of the person on the platform surface when the support platform is moved from the upright position to the inclined position,
wherein the pressure portion has a pair of raised surfaces raised with respect to the support plane of the platform surface, each of the raised surfaces being formed by a pressure element, the raised surfaces being substantially planar and coplanar with each other, each of the raised surfaces being oriented substantially parallel to the support plane of the platform surface, each of the raised surfaces being elongated in the longitudinal direction of the support platform, each of the raised surfaces being substantially rectangular in shape with a length in the longitudinal direction of the support platform and a width in the lateral direction of the support platform;
wherein the pair of raised surfaces are spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the support platform, an air gap being defined between the spaced pair of raised surfaces such that the raised surfaces are located on opposite sides of the longitudinal midline of the support platform for causing pressure to regions of the back surface on opposite lateral sides of the spine of the body, a channel being defined between the surfaces to corresponding to a position of the spine of the body of the person positioned on the platform surface of the support platform;
wherein each of the raised surfaces of the pressure portion of the enhancement device is formed by a pressure element;
wherein the base portion is formed by a base plate formed of a substantially rigid material; and
wherein each of the pressure elements is at least partially formed by a resiliently compressible material such that the raised surface has a degree of compliancy.