DE8812932U1 - Muscle strength training device - Google Patents

Abstract

Muscle-power training apparatus with a signal transmitter and two handles situated opposite each other, which can be elastically pressed against each other, and with a trigger device for the signal emitter. Said muscle-power training apparatus does not require any accessories and can be used to control the training of groups of muscles other than those of the hand. To this end, both handles are designed as half-shells (3, 4) of a flat box (2) forming a hollow space, while the trigger device (9, 10) and the signal emitter (11) are arranged inside the box (2).

Description

Muscle strength trainingagerit

The invention relates to a muscle strength training device with a signal generator and two opposing, elastically compressible edges, and with a trigger for the signal generator.

There is a growing awareness of one's body among the population. More and more people are visiting weight rooms to train specific muscles in the body using special equipment. This can easily lead to over-stressing certain muscle groups or even the entire organism. It is therefore desirable to monitor the training of certain muscle groups in order to avoid over-exertion.

A device for determining the gripping force of the human hand is known from US-PS 46 74 330. This device has two elongated metal strips clamped on one side, which can be grasped by the human hand and pressed together. Strain gauges are applied to at least one of these metal strips, which measure the elastic deformation of the two metal strips. This sends an electrical signal to a circuit, which can be used to draw conclusions about the hand force exerted.

Although this device is suitable for measuring hand strength, it can only be used stationary because the circuit and the signal generator or display are located far away from the actual hand strength measuring device.

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The object of the present invention is therefore to create a muscle strength training device of the type mentioned above that can be used independently of any auxiliary devices and also for monitoring the training of muscle groups other than those of the hand.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the two handles are each designed as a half-shell of a can forming a cavity and that the trigger and the signal generator are arranged inside the can.

The advantage of such a muscle strength training device is that it can be used anywhere, since all the components are arranged inside the flat can. When a force is exerted on the outside of the can, or more precisely on the elastically compressible half-shells, the trigger activates the signal transmitter. Because the muscle strength training device is designed as a flat can, it can be used very universally, and such a device offers great advantages when training muscle groups that work against each other. This means that the muscle strength training device can be used, for example, between muscle groups, one of which is stretched and the other contracted. Such a case occurs, for example, when you try to press a bent knee to the floor with your hand in a sitting position. The can can then be used between the hand and the knee, for example. In this way, specific muscle groups can be trained without the person training overexerting these muscle groups, since the signal output always objectively communicates the limit value of the desired load.

There are many different options for the specific design of a trigger and a signal generator. The triggers can work on an electrical or mechanical basis. The signal emitted can also be generated in different ways, for example acoustically, optically or electrically.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the signal generator is electrically controlled and that the trigger is formed by two contact elements that are arranged in pairs opposite each other on the inside of the half-shells. When the two contact elements touch each other by pressing the half-shells together, an electrical circuit is closed and the signal generator is triggered. The power supply for the electrical signal generator is also installed inside the box in the form of a flat battery, for example. It would also be possible to use strain gauges as triggers that measure the deformation of at least one of the half-shells directly or indirectly, so that a corresponding signal can then be derived from this.

According to the preferred embodiment, the half-halves are designed with a flat surface and an edge skirt facing the other half-halve. The edge skirt is relatively stiff and thus gives the can the necessary stability.

According to a preferred development, at least one half-hole is designed to be elastically flexible in the area of its flat surface. By pressing in the flat surface, the contact elements are brought closer together. However, if the half-holes are to be designed flat for certain reasons, it can be advantageous if the edge strips of the

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An elastically flexible rubber ring is arranged between the two half shells, so that the contact elements can be brought closer together by pressing the rubber ring together. A spring could also be used instead of a rubber ring, but the rubber ring also conveniently ensures that the flat box is sealed between the two half shells.

If at least one contact element is designed to be adjustable and fixable in the direction of the other contact element, it is possible to use the muscle strength training device according to the invention to set different force limit values at which the signal is triggered. In order to increase the success of the training, the limit values can thus be increased slightly from one training session to the next by spacing the contact elements further apart from one another.

In this context, it is particularly simple in terms of construction if the adjustable contact element is designed as the top of a ramp that is arranged parallel to the half-shell planes on one of the half-shells and can be moved. This has the advantage that despite adjusting the distance between the contact elements, the outer thickness of the box does not change.

According to a preferred embodiment, the ramp with a circular arc-shaped outline can sit on a free end of a swivel lever that can be swiveled around an axis that is off-center to the center of the base, with the opposite free end of the swivel lever protruding from the box through a recess in the edge skirts. A scale can then also be attached to the hand guards in order to set the desired limit values or distances between the contacts in a reproducible manner.

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The contact distance can be adjusted simply by pivoting the pivot lever so that a different point on the top of the ramp is opposite the fixed contact.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the ramp also has a circular arc-shaped outline that is concentric to the center of the can, with the ramp being mounted so that it can rotate around the center of the can relative to the other contact element. The fixed contact on the other half-shell is then located off-center to the center of the can. In a further development of this, it is provided that the ramp is designed as a separate component and is mounted so that it can rotate in the half-shell. The two half-shells can thus be firmly connected to one another, with only the ramp, which can penetrate the top of a "salt bowl" for this purpose, being rotated in order to adjust the contact distance.

In another development of this design, it is provided that the ramp is firmly connected to the half-shell and that both half-shells are attached to one another so that they can rotate against one another. By rotating the two half-shells, the top of the rising ramp is guided to the fixed contact element, so that the contact distance can also be varied in this way.

If the contact elements in both half-shells are designed as ramps, a slight twisting of the two half-shells against each other is sufficient to change the contact distance significantly.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the ramp can be designed as a separate part with a circular outline and can be rotated about an axis that is off-center with respect to the descent line.

is mounted, with the opposite fixed contact element being attached in the middle of the can of the other half shell. The advantage of this embodiment is in particular that the contact elements are arranged symmetrically _to the can, so that it does not matter in which position the can is clamped between the muscle groups involved.

A simple adjustment option for the off-center ramp is provided if the ramp is provided with an external toothing on its outer circumference, which engages with an internal toothing on the inside of the edge apron of the other half-shell, whereby both half-shells are attached to one another so that they can rotate against one another. When the two half-shells rotate against one another, the externally toothed ramp is driven in such a way that it rotates around its own axis of rotation and thus assigns the fixed contact to a different part of its surface.

The limit value for the force to be applied to the can can also be changed in a favorable manner with contact elements attached to both half-shells if support webs facing each other are attached to the inside of the half-shells, the upper sides of which are facing each other lying in the plane of the can's division and which extend at an angle from the edge apron to the middle of the can in such a way that, when the can is closed, the support surface of one half-shell intersects with that of the other half-shell, whereby the two half-shells are designed to be twistable against each other. If the two half-shells of the can are twisted, the contact points of the opposing support surface move from the edge of the can to the middle of the can or back again.

bus Doeenrand. This means that the bending-elastic surfaces of the half-shells have a

Changes in the bending stiffness can be achieved. For example, the bending stiffness is increased when the support points move towards the can lid, which means that a higher force has to be applied to close the two contact elements. It is advantageous here that the contact elements can be fixed in place in the middle of the can on the inside of the half-shell.

In a preferred design, the can is designed as a round can; it can therefore be used universally for training a wide variety of muscle groups. It has proven to be advantageous if the height of the can is approximately 1/5 to 1/10 of its diameter*.

Although it is in principle also conceivable to make the can from sheet metal, it is preferred to make the half-shells from plastic, with glass-fiber-reinforced plastic or polyamide being particularly preferred.

In the following, examples of the invention are explained in more detail using a drawing. Bs show:

Pig. 1 a sectional view through a can-shaped

Muscle strength training device according to a first embodiment with a view into one of the half shells,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device from Fig. 1 looking into the other half,

Fig. 3 a side view of the assembled device,

Fig. 4 shows a cross section through a device according to a second embodiment,

Fig» 5 a view of the upper half of the device from . 4,

Fig. 6 a section through the half-shell from Fig. 5 along the line VI-VI,

Fig. 7 is a view of the lower half shell of the device from Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a section through the half-shell of Fig. 7 along the line VIII-VIII,

Fig. 9 a cross section through a third Embodiment of a device according to the invention,

Fig. 10 is a view of the upper half-shell of the device from Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 a view of the lower half shell of the device from Fig. 9,

Fig. 12 shows a fourth embodiment of a device according to the invention in cross section,

Fig. 13 a view of the upper half shell of the device from Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 a cross section through a fifth Embodiment of a device according to the invention, Fig. 15 is a schematic view of the device Fig. 14, sectioned along the line XV-XV,

Fig. 16 a similar view to Fig. 15 but with half shells twisted against each other, and

fifl«- 17 a similar view to Fig. 16, but with the half shells twisted in the opposite direction to each other,

Fig. 18 a section through an embodiment with strain gauges,

Fig. 19 a section through another export country example with strain gauges.

The drawing shows various versions of a muscle strength training device 1. All devices have in common that they are designed in the form of a flat round box 2, each consisting of two half-shells 3 and 4. The half-shells 3 and 4 have a flat upper side 5 and an adjoining edge apron 6 facing the other half-shell. The two calf shells 3 and 4 are connected to one another in the area of the facing edge aprons, whereby they are partially mounted so that they can rotate against one another. The figures show various lengths of the connections of the two half-shells.

In the embodiments shown here, the flat surface 5 of both half-shells 3 and 4 is designed to be flexible, which means that the top 5 of a half-shell can be pressed in. The edge skirt 6, on the other hand, is designed to be relatively rigid and gives the round box the necessary stability. The half-shells of all the embodiments shown here are made of plastic, preferably a glass fiber reinforced plastic or polyamide. Contact elements 9 and 10 are provided on the inner sides 7 and 8 of the two half-shells 3 and 4 facing each other.

Arranged so that they are opposite each other in pairs, so that when the two flat surfaces 8 of the two half-halves 3 and 4 are pressed together, the contacts 9 and 10 can be short-circuited.

Furthermore, inside each round box 2 there is also a signal generator 11" - here a micro loudspeaker - which is connected via an electrical line (not described in more detail) to the contact elements 9 and 10. Furthermore, inside the round box 2 there is also a power source in the form of a battery 12, which is also connected via electrical lines to the signal generator 11 and the contact elements 10. Instead of a battery, a rechargeable battery or another power source can also be used.

The special features of the individual embodiments are discussed in more detail below.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 3, a fixed contact element is arranged in the upper half-shell 3 in the form of a wire stretched between two fastening points 13 and 14. A wire leads from a fastening point 14 to the acoustic signal generator 11 in the other half-shell 4. A movable contact element 9 is provided in the half-shell 4, which can be moved towards and away from the fixed contact element 10 when the device is assembled and can be fixed in a certain position. For this purpose, the movable contact element 9 is designed as an inclined ramp which is arranged at a first free end of a pivot lever 15. The plan of the ramp IS

is circular in shape and the mean^ >xt

the circular arc shape of the pivot axis 17 of the pivot lever 15. The pivot lever 15 is extended beyond the pivot axis 17 and projects outwards through a recess 18 through the edge aprons 6 of the round box 2. As

As can be seen particularly well in Fig. 3, markings are provided on the outside of the edge aprons, which allow the pivot lever 15 to be pivoted repeatedly into the same position.

The mode of operation of the muscle strength training device 1 according to

of the first embodiment is as follows. If in the

Fig. 3 shown assembled state a force in direction of arrows F on the round can 2,

the inner sides 7 and 8 of the flat surfaces 5 of the two half-shells 3 and 4 approach each other. The contact elements 9 and 10 are then moved towards each other until they touch each other. This creates a

Circuit between the battery 12 and the signal generator 11 \

closed, which causes an acoustic signal to sound. By ■'

Pivoting the ramp 16 and thus the movable Contact element 9, the distance between the two Contact elements 9 and 10 are varied so that for closing

of the circuit, i.e. to touch the two

Contact element· 9 and 10 each have a different deflection

of the flat surfaces 5 of the two half-shells 3 and 4 •rrequired. Since this also requires a different force F the signal sounds at different

Muscle strain.

In Fig. 4 to 8, a further external example is shown. There, the ramp 16 is designed as a separate component and has a circular outline. The ramp 16 is rotatably mounted on a pivot 19 on the inner side 8 of the half-shell 4. The upper side of the ramp 16 is designed as a movable contact element 9 and is connected to the signal generator 11 and the battery 12 _via an electrical line, while the fixed contact element 10 is in the half-shell 3 somewhat in the center.

is located, the pivot IM is arranged off-center and :

in such a way that the child you Reap« IS always of the fixed t

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Contact 18 is opposite. The ramp 16 is provided with an external toothing 20 on its outer circumference. The half-shell 3 has an edge region that extends approximately to the inner side 8 of the half-shell 4, on which an internal toothing 21 is arranged, into which the external toothing 20 of the ramp 16 engages. The half-shell 3 can be rotated relative to the half-shell 4.

The functionality of this training device corresponds to that of the device described above. However, in order to change the distance between the fixed contact element 10 and the movable contact element 9, the two half-shells 3 are rotated against each other in the embodiment shown here. Since the external toothing 20 of one half-shell 3 engages with the internal toothing 21 of the ramp 16 rotatably mounted in the other half-shell 4, a rotation of the two half-shells 3 and 4 against each other simultaneously causes the ramp 16 to rotate around the pivot pin 19. This causes the ramp 16 to move along its slope under the fixed contact 10, which allows the distance between the two contact elements 9 and 10 to be varied. This makes it possible to adjust the deflection of the flat surfaces S of the two half-shells 3 and 4, which is required to establish contact between the two contact elements 9 and 10 in order to generate a signal.

In the embodiment described in Figs. 9 to 11, the ramp 16 is also designed as a separate component. The flat surface 5 of the half-shell 4 is broken through in the middle; there the ramp 26, which has a circular outline, is inserted concentrically to the base. The ramp 26 provided on the inside 7 of the other half-shell 3

For this reason, fixed contact 8 is arranged slightly off-center. The two half-shells 3 and 4 are firmly connected to one another in this embodiment and cannot be rotated against one another.

In order to vary the distance between the fixed contact element 10 and the movable contact element 9 in the device of this embodiment, the ramp 16, which is accessible from the outside, only needs to be rotated. For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 9, a slot for a screwdriver or a coin can be provided on the underside of the ramp 16. This slot can also serve as a pointer for a scale applied around the underside of the ramp on the flat surface 5 of the half-shell 4.

In the fourth embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 12 and 13, both half-shells 3 and 4 are again attached to one another so that they can rotate relative to one another. The mode of operation in this embodiment is similar to that of Figs. 14 to 17. The two half-shells 3 and 4 now have contact elements 9 and 10 which are firmly connected to the flat surface and are attached centrally to the half-shells. Sawtooth-shaped ramps 16 run around the contact elements 9 and 10 and are concentric with the center of the can. As can be seen from Fig. 1, each half-shell has three or four such ramps 16. By rotating the half-shells 3 and 4 relative to one another, the distance between the sawtooth-shaped ramps 16 is reduced to such an extent that they finally touch one another, for example after a rotation of approximately 85°. This causes a continuous change in the elastic behavior and thus a corresponding change in the trigger force for the signal.

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Finally, Fig. 14 to 17 show an embodiment in which the contact elements 9 and 10 are also fixed, in the middle of the can, to the respective flat surfaces 5 of the two half-shells 3 and 4. Here, the distance between the two contact elements 9 and 10 cannot be adjusted. However, the two half-shells 3 and 4 have 7 support webs 22 on their respective inner sides, the upper side of which lies in the division plane E of the round nozzle 2. The support webs 22 extend from the inner side of the edge aprons 6 at an angle Q^ of approximately 60° to the radial diagonally from the edge apron to the middle of the can. The opposing support webs 22 of the two half-shells 3 and 4 touch each other at the points 23. In total, six such support webs 22 are provided in each half-shell 3 or 4. The distances between the support webs of a half-shell are chosen so that no matter how the two half-shells 3 and 4 are rotated relative to one another, the support webs 22 of the two half-shells 3 and 4 always lie next to one another. The operation of this embodiment is clearly shown in Figs. 11 to 17. By rotating the two half-shells 3 and 4 relative to one another, the contact points 23 of the support webs 22 move from the edge 7 to the center of the can or back. This changes the rigidity of the compressible flat surfaces 5 of both half-shells, so that depending on the position of the two half-shells 3 and 4 relative to one another, a different force ? *»; must be applied in order to close the two contact elements 8 and 9.

Fig. 18 shows a further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, an expansion sensor 30 is arranged on the inside of the half-shell 3, which detects the deformation of the half-shell when a force is exerted on it and generates a

which emits a signal proportional to the force.

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The signal is then passed on to the signal generator by a circuit (not shown) according to certain, adjustable threshold values.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 19 also uses a strain gauge 31, which in this embodiment is stretched over two webs 32 that are arranged on the inside of the half-shell 4. Here, the strain gauge is only stretched after the half-shells have already been moved a certain distance toward each other. For these embodiments, it can also be provided that the half-shells can be rotated against each other in order to change the force required until the signal is triggered.

For example, it is also conceivable that the adjustable contact is provided on a front face of a screw penetrating the flat surface of a half-shell.

Claims (19)

Muscle strength training device protection claims 1. Muscle strength training device with a signal generator and two opposite, elastically compressible handles, and with a trigger for the signal generator, characterized in that the two handles are each designed as a half-shell (3, 4) of a flat can (2) forming a hollow space, and that the trigger (9, 10) and the signal generator (11) are arranged inside the can (2). 2. Muscle strength training device according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal generator is electrically controlled and that the trigger is formed by two contact elements (9, 10) which are arranged in pairs opposite one another on the inner sides of the half shells (3, 4). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the half-shells (3, 4) are designed with a flat surface (5) and an edge apron (6) facing the other half-shell (4; 3). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one half-shell (3, 4) is designed to be elastically flexible in the area of the flat surface (5). 5. Oerit according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an elastically flexible rubber ring is arranged between the facing edge skirts (6) of the half-cups (3, 4). 6. Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that at least one contact element (10) is designed to be adjustable and fixable. 7. Device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the adjustable contact element (9) is designed as the upper side of a ramp (16) which is attached to one of the half-shells (4) so as to be movable parallel to the half-shell plane. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the ramp (16) with a circular arc-shaped outline is seated on a free end of a pivot lever (15) which can be pivoted about an axis (17) which is off-center to the center of the can, whereby the opposite free end of the pivot lever (15) projects out of the can (2) through a recess (18) in the edge aprons (6). 9. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the ramp (16) has a circular arc-shaped outline which is concentric with the center of the can, and that the ramp (16) is mounted so as to be rotatable about the center of the can relative to the other contact element (10). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the ramp (16) is designed as a separate component and is rotatably mounted in the half-shell (4). 11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the caterpillar (16) is firmly connected to the half-shell (3, 4), and that both half-shells (3, 4) are fastened to one another so that they can rotate relative to one another. 12. Device according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the contact elements (9, 10) in both molding surfaces (3, 4) are designed as tabs (16), 13. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the ramp (16) is designed as a separate component with a circular outline and is rotatably mounted about an axis (13) that is off-center with respect to the center of the can, whereby the opposite fixed contact element (10) is fastened to the other half-shell (3) in the center of the can. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the ramp (16) is provided on its outer circumference with an external toothing (20) which engages in an internal toothing (21) on the inside of the edge apron (6) of the other half-shell (3), whereby both half-shells (3, 4) are fastened to one another so as to be rotatable relative to one another. 15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that mutually facing support webs (22) are attached to the inner sides (7, 8) of the half shells (3, 4), the mutually facing upper sides of which lie in the dividing plane (E) of the can (2) and which extend obliquely from the edge aprons (6) to the center of the can in such a way that, seen in plan view, when the can (2) is closed, the support webs (22) of one half shell (3) intersect with those of the other half shell (4), the two half shells (3, 4) being designed to be rotatable relative to one another. 16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that the contact elements (9, 10) are each fixedly attached in the middle of the box to the inner sides (7, 8) of the half-shells (3, 4). 17. Device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the can (2) is designed as a round can. 18. Device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the height of the can is approximately one fifth to one tenth of its diameter. 19. Device according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the half-shells (3, 4) consist of plastic.