GB2491010A - A training device designed to imitate a range of human punches - Google Patents

Abstract

A training device comprising a structure with mechanical arms 18-20 with pads 6-8 on their ends wherein the arms 18-20 are computer controlled and are arranged to imitate the performance of a jab, hook and uppercut. Sensors may be provided to record when a user is struck by an arm and whether or not a user is within a training area 4 associated with the device. A digital display screen 9 may be provided. The device may also be provided with further damping means and the height of the arms may be adjustable. The device is designed to provide defensive martial arts training such as dodging and blocking. The software controlling the device may allow for different speeds and timing of strikes, a gradual increase in the difficulty and the throwing of bluff punches or feints. Six different arms may be provided to perform the different punches.

Description

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background and the problem this invention solves:

In martial arts sports such as mentioned herein this description, being able to dodge and duck is absolutely vital to being good at any of the sports, and somebody who is exceptionally skilled in this area would possess an exceptional strategical advantage over their opponents. Although there is a small range of training methods to develop these skills such as trainers holding pads on their hands to be struck who throws out the odd strike to dodge or duck to avoid, and trainees avoiding swinging elasticized punch bails etc and also trainees partnering up to take turns striking at each other to practice dodging and ducking there is currently nothing in comparison to this invention available to the industry to intensely and safely practice dodging and ducking strikes to the intensity and degree of this machine, especially without the use of a second person.

Martial art sports have two main skill areas; Attack and defence, and whilst training equipment for attacking is well covered in the form of multiple different designs of punch bags, training equipment solely improving defence skills are almost non existent.

And because the machine replicates the speed and angles of strikes thrown by a human but in the case of a strike connecting, the power not inflicting injury due to the dampers in the arms, it is safe to use day to day.

There are two patents I am aware of that construe equipment to replicate a sparring opponent, which throw and also receive strikes to and from the person using them, however because the equipment lacks the inventive steps portrayed in this document, the poor features of the inventions means that the user will not be tested on their defence skills anywhere near to the degree of this invention, which is solely for defensive training. The present invention uses software controlled means to dictate movement of the arms and further aspects of the training session, thus it facilitates a large variety of settings which all are displayed and pre-chosen by the user on a digital screen along with displayed current training progress and score results. Users can choose their training session lengths of time, whether customised rounds or simply constant for a certain period of time until they want to stop, recieve a connecting blow or step off the machine. The software also makes it possible to offer gradual increases into sessions so users can get an idea of where and the way they have to move to avoid each strike before the speed increases making the training challenging. Using this feature of the software the equipment also offers users the ability to test themselves by seeing on the display how fast they can use the machine as it gradually increases in speed until they recieve a connecting blow or have to step off meaning they can regularly monitor their improvement. The speed of the actual strikes are variable as well as the space of time between them and the software also allows the machine to use occasional pre set common boxing combinations/sequences of strikes in the sessions increasing the realism of the training. It can even throw bluff punches to try and catch users out. A hypothetical user of one of the two other mentioned inventions is also free to move their feet around so they are not always in the equipments striking area, meaning dodging and ducking is so easy the defence training aspects of the inventions are very poor, almost pointless. Because the present invention is used by the user standing in one place on the platform and always being in the machines striking area, the training experience is a lot more thorough and intense. They also do not strike as the present invention does in the main three strike styles (straight, hook and uppercut), which are crucial to martial arts sports.

The invention: An electronic dodging and ducking practising machine in the technical field of physical training equipment for training in predominantly martial art sports, although the machine is also good for general fitness training. It trains, speed, reactions, reflexes, tones muscles mainly in the abdominal area and is a good form of cardiovascular training with the main and overall aim being to make the user better at avoiding strikes at the same angles and speeds that a human throws them in such martial art sports as Boxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Jujitsu, Kick Boxing, Tai Boxing, MMA and more. A regular user would not only improve in dodging and ducking but would also be able to fine tune how close they can get to strikes without getting hit.

The main distinguishing features of the invention are the machines ability to replicate the three main strike styles (straight, hook and uppercut), the software controlled movement of these strikes thus creating the unprecedented amount of adjustable electronic settings, the sensors linked to the software to signal when the user has recieved a connecting blow or stepped off the machine, the digital screen linked to the software displaying information about settings/training progress etc and the equipments ability to decrease the power of connecting blows.

There are three sheets of drawings accompanying this description. Drawing sheet 1/3 shows a 3D drawing of what the invention looks like fully constructed and ready for use.

Drawing sheet 2/3 shows a 2D cross sectional view of the invention from a side on view, it illustrates the internal workings, layout and construction of the machine. Drawing sheet 3/3 shows 3 figures labelled FIGURE 1, FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3 which are 2D cross sectional views of the internals and mechanics of the arms.

The equipment may accommodate five impact pads which are all on the ends of metal arms (6, 7, 8), two of which extend out in a straight strike replicating a straight jab/punch which will come from the same angles as humans left and right arms (8), the large horizontal one swinging up to replicate an uppercut strike which will come from the same angle as a humans uppercut strike (6), and two more swinging from the sides of the apparatus replicating hook strikes thrown from the same angles as a humans left and right arms (7). Although the reader should appreciate that a two arm adaptation of this invention is possible to construct and the fact this description describes the design of a 5 arm design, Claim 1 actually defines the main scope of this invention and thus the number of arms for this invention is insignificant. Each impact pad accommodates at least one sensor to tell the machine when the user has been struck (14, 28, 30), ending that session.

The main frame and structure of the apparatus is constructed of metal, concealed in plastic casing (1, 5, 3). It houses a digital screen out the way of the user displaying options, chosen settings and information of the current session (9). The machine accommodates adjustable height by sliding the upper portion of the structure up and down (2) by gripping teeth on the slightly smaller upper frame tubes inserted into the wider tower frame tubes powered by an electric motor (13) to cover a wide scale of size of user. The mechanical means used to do this are neatly hidden on the finished product by a flexible rubber gaiter (22).

The arms (6, 7, 8) are powered by electric motors (10, 11, 12) and accommodate hinges in appropriate places (29, 31, 32, 33). A cable runs down the inside of the straight strike arms (16), which when pulled by the motor tightens, overpowering the resistance of the spring (17) that holds the arm in the standby position extending it out toward the user and adding an amount of swing on the arm. Cables also go into the uppercut strike arm but does not produce any change in angle between the two arm sections when pulled taught as this strike requires only swing motion and a spring (27) placed behind the motor retracts the arm back to the standby position. With the hook strike arms the motor (10) and spring (26) are positioned differently, the spring acts as a coil so when the arm has extended and power is ceased it recoils the arm. The arms also accommodate internal dampers (23, 24, 25) to absorb the power of any connecting strikes because power is not the desired aim; the aim is to match as closely as possible the speed and angles of strikes thrown by a human. The arms also have padding in the form of rubber casing (18, 19, 20) around the metal framework and any mechanics to avoid injury from a user contacting with metal whilst using the machine.

When the machine is being used the user stands on an allocated platform area facing the impact pads (4), which accommodates a pressure sensor so once stepped off ends that training session (15), this is so they will always be at the correct distance from the pads so intentional cheating or unintentional misuse of the machine cannot occur. The idea is to dodge and duck with as little feet movement as possible. The user has to dodge and duck in several different ways to avoid each of the five pads, leaning back for avoiding uppercuts, leaning sideways for straight strikes, and ducking to avoid hook strikes.

The machine makes use of software controlled movement and adjustable electronic settings so that different desired skill levels can be used and advanced to, with variable speed of the strikes and optional gradual increase into sessions to get users used to where they have to move to in order to dodge or duck each strike. There is multiple pre set sessions that progressively increase speed so the user can note progress and improvement over time by seeing how far they can get before the skill required to carry on exceeds their own ability. To raise skill levels, the machine, using the user's pre selected choices, can increase speed, length or intensity of rounds and/or sessions, complexity of sequences, add bluff punches, adjust the space of time between strikes and add different combinations of strikes or combinations of these variables. The electronic control equipment and software is housed in the base of the main frame (21).

There are many foreseeable adaptations and variations in the overall design, it is reference to the claims that determines the true scope of the invention.