EP1670553A1

EP1670553A1 - A vibratory device for treating muscles and bones of an individual

Info

Publication number: EP1670553A1
Application number: EP04775523A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jarl Svanberg
Original assignee: Head Sport GmbH
Current assignee: Head Sport GmbH
Priority date: 2003-10-08
Filing date: 2004-10-07
Publication date: 2006-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2024-10-07
Also published as: SE526378C2; SE0302671L; WO2005032665A1; SE0302671D0; EP1670553B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a vibratory device (2) for treating the muscles and bones of an individual. A platform (4), for contact with the object that is to be treated, is mounted in such a way that it can move, on a center shaft (6) attached to a bottom plate (30) and, in addition, is attached to the bottom plate (30) by means of a rocker device (7). The rocker device is arranged to work with a control device (42) for changing the nature of the vibrations in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

Description

VIBRATORY DEVICE

The invention relates to a vibratory device, for treating the muscles and bones of an individual, of the type that is described in the following independent claims. Advantageous further developments and improvements are apparent from the examples in the description and from the subsidiary claims.

It has proved to be beneficial to treat muscles and bones with vibrations. A considerable improvement in the effect of exercise is obtained, in comparison with corresponding exercise without vibratory treatment. The effect of vibratory treatment of skeletal muscles is relatively well documented. Normally, it is found that there is improved strength and faster speed of contraction (Bosco et al., 1999).

An additional effect of the vibratory treatment is that it contributes to a higher bone density. The morphological effect of vibratory treatment is, however, less well documented. Osteoporosis is an increasing health problem, both medically and concerning care, quality of life and economics of health care. In Sweden, there are approximately 60,000 osteoporosis- related fractures each year. The number of hip fractures (currently around 18,000 per year) has doubled in the past 20 years and this increase appears to be continuing. The total social cost of osteoporosis-related fractures is difficult to estimate, but the direct health care costs in Sweden for hip, vertebrae and wrist fractures currently amount to at least 3 billion kronor per year.

In growing bones (of children and young people), it has been found that "non-physiological" stresses lead to noticeable effects on the bone density measured by DXA-technique, for example, by comparison between the dominant and non-dominant arm of tennis-playing children/young people (Jones et al. 1977, Huddlestone et al. 1980).

Studies have also been carried out into whether stresses have the same beneficial effects on the bones of older individuals, particularly if the risk of osteoporosis-related fracture is being measured (Gregg et al. 1998). Research carried out at Agaton Fitness AB has also shown that vibratory treatment, carried out as a gentle exercise program for postmenopausal women, can be a practical way of reaching the mechanical threshold that is required in order to counteract bone loss in older people who are at risk of osteoporosis.

The object of the invention is therefore to achieve a vibratory device for treating the muscles and bones of an individual, by means of which treatment a tangible effect of exercise can be achieved with relatively low stresses.

This is possible with a vibratory device that has the characteristics specified in the following independent patent claims. Advantageous further developments and improvements are apparent from the examples in the description and in the subsidiary patent claims.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following, by means of an embodiment with associated drawings that is described only as an example. Figure 1 shows an outline drawing of the vibratory device viewed from the side in a direction transverse to the profile rails, Figure 2 shows the same device viewed from one end in a direction parallel to the profile rails, Figure

3 shows a block diagram of the connection of the control device and Figure

4 shows a graph for the distribution of the frequency F and the amplitude α in relation to the number of movements.

A vibratory device 2 has a treatment device, for example a platform 4, for contact with the object that is to be treated, for example by supporting a person who is standing on its upper side. The platform 4 is mounted on a centrally-located center shaft 6, in such a way that the outer edges of the platform on opposite sides of the center shaft can move up or down depending upon the rotational direction of center shaft 6 of the platform 4. The vibratory device has a rocker device 7, comprising a drive shaft 8, that is mounted in a first 10 and a second 12 bearing by means of a first 14 and a second 16 linear guide in such way that it can rotate and that has a crank 18 mounted by means of a third bearing 20 in a third linear guide 22. The drive shaft 8 is driven by a driving arrangement that will be described later. As is shown most clearly in Figure 1, the first, second and third linear guides 14; 16; 22 are arranged in such a way that they can be moved on a first, second and third profile rail, 24; 26; 28 respectively, in such a way that all three guides can move forward and back in both directions of the bi- directional arrow A. The first and second profile rails, 24 and 26 respectively, are attached to a bottom plate 30 or the like, while the third profile rail 28 is attached to a rib 32 attached to the middle of the underside of the platform 4.

When the shaft 8 is caused to rotate, the third linear guide 22 will move in a circular movement around the center of the shaft 8, due to the action of the crank 18, as also shown most clearly in Figure 1. As a result, the third linear guide 22 will at the same time slide forward and back along the third profile rail 28, which guide is, however, prevented from moving across the same, which thereby by means of the crank 18 causes an upward and downward movement in the directions indicated by the bi-directional arrow B, taking the platform 4 with it in this movement, due to the rib 32. The platform 4 will then rock forward and back around the center shaft 6 and the two opposite outer edges 34; 36 that are parallel with the center shaft 6 will move up and down to a corresponding extent as the third linear guide 22.

By moving all three linear guides 14; 16; 22 parallel to their respective profile rails 24; 26 and 28 in either of the directions of the bi-directional arrow A, the length is changed of a distance S_m, that constitutes the moment arm between the effect of the crank 18 and the center shaft 6. By means of this change, it is possible to adjust this distance, shown as the length of the bi-directional arrow B, which is proportional to the length S_m of the moment arm and which is the distance that the outer edges 34; 36 of the platform 4 move for each rotation of the drive shaft 8. As the distance of the movement B of the outer edges thus corresponds numerically to the amplitude α for this movement, an adjustment is thereby obtained of the amplitude α of the upward and downward movement carried out by the outer edges 34, 36 of the platform that are parallel to the center shaft 6.

In a known way, the amplitude α thus increases when the three linear guides 14; 16; 22 are moved towards the center shaft 6, which means that the length of the distance S_m is reduced, while the amplitude α is reduced by movement in the opposite direction, while the length of the distance S_m increases.

The frequency F of the upward and downward movements of the platform can be adjusted by varying the speed of rotation R of the drive shaft 8. The speed of rotation is directly proportional to the number of upward and downward movements per unit of time that are carried out by the outer edges 34, 36 of the platform that are parallel to the center shaft 6, that is F=R.

By thus varying both the amplitude α and the frequency F, within predetermined limits and in accordance with a predetermined pattern, it is therefore possible to change the nature of the vibrations according to requirement.

According to an embodiment, all three linear guides 14; 16; 22 can be moved in either of the directions of the bi-directional arrow A by means of at least one linear motor 38 of conventional type, acting simultaneously on the two linear guides 14; 16. By this means, it is possible to change the distance S_m between the drive shaft 8 and the center shaft 6. At the same time, the drive shaft 8 can be driven by means of the driving arrangement, which is arranged as a conventional rotary motor 40, for which the speed of rotation R can be adjusted in a conventional way by a stepless adjustment of the speed of rotation. By this means, it is possible to change the speed of rotation R of the shaft 8. Both the linear motor 38 and the rotary motor 40 are coordinated with a control device 42, that can be programmed to vary the distance S_m and the speed of rotation R in accordance with a predetermined pattern, which pattern can mean that both the amplitude α and the frequency F vary randomly over time.

In an advantageous way, the control device 42 can be programmed with the predetermined pattern in the form of at least one characteristic pattern of particular variations of amplitude values α and frequency values F. Within the characteristic pattern, the amplitude value α can, for example, lie within a range 0-20 mm and the frequency value F can lie within a range 1-100 Hz. By this means, it is possible to generate vibrations that can be adjusted to suit a wide range of exercise sessions of varying types. The control device 42 preferably comprises a random number generator 44, which is arranged to vary the amplitude value α and the frequency value F randomly within given ranges, in accordance with an algorithm comprised in the characteristic pattern. The random number generator 44 can be arranged to limit the possible values between permitted maximum values for amplitude α^ and frequency F_max and permitted minimum values for amplitude 0^,, and frequency F_mi_n in relation to a median of a normal distribution.

An important advantage is that parameters relating to average value and minimum and maximum values can be configured for each exercise session. The frequency F and the amplitude α are set separately and can be configured to vary independently of each other for each individual exercise session. The frequency and amplitude are obtained from a distribution that can be configured, examples of which are normal distribution and uniform distribution. An example of a distribution of the frequency F and the amplitude α in relation to the number of movements for such a vibratory treatment is shown by a normal distribution graph in Figure 4. Within the framework of this example, the algorithm of the random number generator 44 can be designed in such a way that the amplitude α is changed continually over time, while the frequency F is changed in discrete steps twice per second.

By means of a distribution according to the normal distribution graph in Figure 4, it is possible to exclude simultaneous extreme values for both the frequency F and the amplitude α. This is desirable as simultaneous maximum values could be perceived as unpleasant by the person who is being treated. In addition, such treatment would not result in any beneficial exercise, which would similarly be the consequence of simultaneous minimum values.

As the frequency F and the amplitude α are set separately and can be configured to vary independently of each other for each individual exercise session, for each person who is to be treated it is possible to set suitable ranges within which the frequency F and the amplitude α are to vary for that person. With the vibratory device described above, it is thus possible to treat a person standing on the platform 4 with vibrations in accordance with an individual exercise program. The individual exercise program comprises specific, separate ranges for amplitude α and frequency F, selected for precisely that person, within which ranges the values for amplitude α and frequency F are allowed to vary randomly in accordance with the described characteristic pattern. For the most beneficial exercise, the person in question should position themselves with their feet placed symmetrically apart on either side of the center shaft 6 of the platform. By this means, a very gentle treatment is achieved with almost stress-free vibrations, as a vibratory movement that acts in a specific direction on one leg is counteracted by an equally large vibratory movement in the opposite direction on the other leg. A vibratory treatment of this type has a beneficial effect on the muscles and bones in a plurality of parts of the body.

According to a possible further development of the vibratory device, instead of generating the vibrations by means of a mechanical eccentric, it is possible to arrange electromagnets in association with the outer edges of the platform in order to achieve the vibrations. The frequency and amplitude can then be adjusted by supplying the magnets with variable current. For example, the current can be digitized by means of a digitizing circuit designed for the purpose or a pulse generator. For example, by arranging the control device 42 to control the digitizing circuit or the pulse generator in such a way that current pulses with a particular amplitude and/or pulse frequency are generated, the movement patterns of the vibratory device can be adapted to suit the characteristics of the vibrations in question.

Although the platform in the embodiment is mounted symmetrically on a centrally-located shaft, in special cases for particular requirements it can also be mounted asymmetrically on the shaft.

Claims

1. A vibratory device (2) for treating the muscles and bones of an individual, characterized in that a platform (4), for contact with the object that is to be treated, is mounted, in such a way that it can move, on a center shaft (6) attached to a bottom plate (30) and, in addition, is attached to the bottom plate (30) by means of a rocker device (7) that is arranged to generate vibrations of a predetermined kind by causing the platform (4) to rock around the center shaft (6), which rocker device is arranged to work with at least one control device (42) for changing the nature of the vibrations in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

2. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined pattern for changing the nature of vibrations is dependent upon at least one amplitude value (α) and at least one frequency value (F) for the rocking movement of the platform (4).

3. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (42) can be programmed with the predetermined pattern in the form of at least one characteristic pattern of particular variations of the amplitude value (α) and the frequency value (F).

4. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the amplitude value (α) corresponds to a distance (B) for the rocking movement of the outer edges (34, 36) of the platform (4), on both sides of the center shaft (6).

5. The vibratory device as claimed in any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that the frequency value (F) corresponds to the speed of rotation (R) at which a drive shaft (8) rotates.

6. The vibratory device as claimed in any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that the amplitude value (α) lies within a range 0-20 mm and the frequency value (F) lies within a range 1-100 Hz.

7. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the control device (42) comprises a random number generator (44) that is arranged to vary the amplitude value (α) and the frequency value (F) randomly within given ranges in accordance with an algorithm comprised in the characteristic pattern.

8. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the random number generator (44) is arranged to limit the possible values between permitted maximum values for amplitude (α_max) and frequency (F_max) and permitted minimum values for amplitude (α_mj_n) and frequency (F_min) in relation to a median of a normal distribution.

9. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the random number generator (44) is arranged in such a way that parameters relating to average value and minimum and maximum values can be configured for each exercise session, with frequency (F) and amplitude (α) being able to be set and configured separately to vary independently of each other for each individual exercise session.

10. The vibratory device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the frequency and amplitude are included in a distribution that can be configured.

11. The vibratory device as claimed in any one of claims 7-10, characterized in that the algorithm of the random number generator (44) is arranged in such a way that the amplitude (α) is changed continually over time, while the frequency (F) is changed in discrete steps, twice per second.