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Training device

Training device description/claims

The invention relates to a training apparatus for the stimulation and training of the locomotor system of a person, comprising a seesaw supporting the person and pivotable with respect to a seesaw stand, and also a drive assembly with at least one motor and a transmission unit having transmission elements, wherein the transmission elements form at least one power-transmission chain between the seesaw and the motor.

A training apparatus of this type is known from EP 0 929 284 B1, wherein a seesaw, on which the training person stands with both legs, is driven by an electric motor which is in driving connection with two lifting devices arranged on either side of the seesaw axis. As a result of the provision of two lifting devices the drive unit has two power-transmission chains which extend in opposition to one another from the motor disposed below the seesaw axis and operate synchronously to one another but counter-rotating, i.e. act in opposed mode on the seesaw. Such a drive unit is altogether relatively complicated and is therefore expensive. In operation it is necessary for the two lifting devices to be accurately matched to one another to ensure that they operate precisely in counter-rotation and in alternation, and it is thus possible to achieve a uniform pivoting operation of the seesaw without inner distortion and excessive bearing loads. Moreover, owing to the articulated but otherwise rigid drive of the seesaw without play, an intermittent power transfer acts on the seesaw, which particularly at high lifting frequencies is not especially considerate with respect to the joints of the person being trained.

In the known training apparatus the seesaw is mounted without play on bearing blocks fixed to a frame so that the seesaw always carries out the same seesaw movements, i.e. reciprocating pivoting movements about a well-defined spatially located pivot axis. It is only possible to vary the frequency of the seesaw motion by setting a desired lifting frequency by means of a control device.

It is the object of the invention to devise a training apparatus, which makes possible a power transfer into the seesaw which is considerate with respect to joints, wherein a more simple construction with its associated cost savings in respect of production and maintenance is to be taken into account.

This object is achieved in that at least one transmission element is elastically connected to the seesaw or to a lever element securely connected to the seesaw.

Such an elastic connection damps in an advantageous manner shocks or impacts occurring at the bottom or top dead-centre position of the pivoting movement. It is thereby possible for the seesaw to be operated in a manner considerate to joints. Moreover, owing to such an elastic connection it is possible to dispense with a pivot bearing, which is both expensive and subject to wear, for coupling the power-transmission chain to the seesaw or to the lever element.

It is proposed that the elastic connection is such that the transmission element has at least two different degrees of freedom of elastic movement relative to the seesaw or to the lever element. Preferably, the elastic connection is such that the transmission element has at least one degree of freedom of elastic pivotal movement relative to the seesaw or to the lever element.

With regard to the already mentioned damping of shocks, in particular an elastic connection is proposed such that the transmission element has at least one degree of freedom of elastic movement in the power-transmission direction, in particular for the cushioning of the pivoting movement imparted to the seesaw in operation via the power-transmission chain, in particular at the movement direction reversal points.

Accordingly, both cost advantages and important advantages for the user are provided, namely the seesaw motion is carried out in a manner which is more considerate to the joints and more suitable for the body, with correspondingly especially high therapeutic benefits.

In a further development it is proposed that for the elastic connection there is provided at least one leaf-spring element which makes possible relative pivotability between the seesaw and the transmission element and/or a cushioning of the pivoting movement imparted to the seesaw in operation, in particular at the movement direction reversal points thereof. It is especially preferable here that at least one leaf-spring element is itself a transmission element of the power-transmission chain, via which driving forces can be transmitted to the seesaw.

Such a leaf-spring element has the advantage that it makes possible the desired elastic mounting and damping of shocks but in which sufficient stability is provided in order to enable the driving forces to be transmitted to the seesaw.

According to an especially advantageous development it is proposed that for the elastic connection at least two leaf-spring elements are provided, which are connected in series in the power transmission chain and which can be deflected elastically in different directions which are preferably orthogonal to one another. An especially effective damping action can thus be achieved.

However, in a further development but also independently it is proposed that the seesaw is mounted elastically relative to the seesaw stand.

Such a mounting is constructionally simpler and less liable to wear compared to a pivot joint mounting known from the state of the art. Moreover, as a result of the elastic mounting, in addition to the pivoting movement component, further movement components superimposed on the pivoting movement component are induced which have the result that the seesaw carries out small irregular movements. Such a movement pattern, which has as principal component the pivoting movement and further components in different spatial directions, above all preferably also a translational movement component of the seesaw in deflection direction of a leaf-spring element assembly possibly coming into consideration advantageously acts on a training effect of the person using the seesaw, since the person's body cannot adjust to a regularly repeating movement pattern, such as is the case for example in the seesaw apparatus known from the state of the art. The movement pattern induced by the elastic mounting of the seesaw also does not have a clearly definable effective pivot axis but in the course of the movement to a certain extent a plurality of temporary movable axes are developed, about which respective temporary partial pivoting movements of the seesaw are carried out. In certain circumstances, no effective pivot axis can be identified at all but the pivoting movement results solely from a spatially distributed deflection/deformation of the leaf-spring element assembly under discussion here.

In particular, it is considered that the elastic mounting of the seesaw is such that the seesaw has at least two, preferably at least three, different degrees of freedom of elastic movement relative to the seesaw stand.

Preferably, the elastic mounting is such that the seesaw has at least one degree of freedom of elastic pivoting movement relative to the seesaw stand. Therefore, a pivot bearing which is liable to wear and is expensive can be replaced by a constructionally per se very simple measure, as already mentioned.

It is further proposed that the elastic connection is such that the seesaw has at least one degree of freedom of elastic movement in a longitudinal direction of the seesaw relative to the seesaw stand, in particular so as to make possible a translational seesaw movement superimposed on the pivoting movement of the seesaw. This results in the just mentioned additional movement component which is superimposed on the pivoting movement and is very advantageous therapeutically. The seesaw no longer moves up and down strictly according to a predetermined pivoting movement pattern but can also move in its longitudinal direction (to the right and left). This additional movement is dependent on various influences, such as weight, practice and constitution of the training person, etc. This results in undefined oscillations and additional movements which are superimposed on the lifting movement or the pivoting movement. It has been found that the body reacts very strongly and positively on such a training, since an accustomising effect is obviated or is at least reduced to a very considerable extent.

Especially preferable is a translational movement of the seesaw relative to the seesaw stand such that one point on a seesaw end, which is moving up and down during the pivoting movement according to a maximum movement travel, moves at least approximately on a path corresponding to a horizontal figure of eight. Such a movement path of the seesaw movement superimposed on the pivoting movement appears to have especially good therapeutic effectiveness. In any case in oriental medicine a horizontal figure of eight is a significant and very positively regarded symbol which stand for powerful and positive effects on humans.

Moreover, the elastic connection is preferred in such a way that the seesaw has at least one degree of freedom of elastic movement in a vertical direction of the training apparatus relative to the seesaw stands, in particular for cushioning the pivoting movement imparted to the seesaw in operation, in particular at its movement direction reversal points. Such cushioning is considerate to the joints and assists the therapeutic effect, as already mentioned with respect to the elastic connection of the transmission element to the seesaw or to the lever element.

Tests with patients and experts have shown that the apparatus according to the invention with the elastic seesaw mounting and the elastic connection of the power-transmission chain feels very much more harmonic and gentler than the apparatus according to the state of the art without such elasticities.

It is specially proposed that for the elastic mounting at least one leaf-spring element is provided which ensures a possibility of relative pivoting movement between the seesaw and the seesaw stand and/or a possibility of translational movement of the seesaw in its longitudinal direction relative to the seesaw stand and/or a possibility of movement of the seesaw relative to the seesaw stand in a/the vertical direction of the training apparatus.

It is especially preferred here if the at least one leaf-spring element is retained on the seesaw side and on the stand side and the possibility of pivoting movement of the seesaw relative to the seesaw stand is provided by a bending or torsional deflection of the leaf-spring element. However, it is more generally proposed that the at least one leaf-spring element is retained on the seesaw side and on the stand side and the possibility of pivoting movement and/or of translational movement and/or of movement in the vertical direction of the seesaw relative to the seesaw stand is effected by a deflection of the leaf-spring element or at least one of a plurality of leaf-spring elements, in particular a bending or torsional deflection of the leaf-spring element or of the respective leaf-spring element in respect of the possibility of pivoting movement and, in particular, bending deflection of the leaf-spring element or of the respective leaf-spring element in respect of the possibility of translational movement or the possibility of movement in a vertical direction.

In an especially advantageous manner for the elastic mounting at least two series-connected leaf-spring elements can be provided which can be elastically deflected in different directions which are preferably orthogonal to one another so that, on the one hand, especially good damping and, on the other hand, a pronounced possibility of additional movement superimposed on the pivoting movement is achieved.

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