IT201600087367A1 - STICK FOR SPORTS AND MOTOR ACTIVITIES - Google Patents

Description

STICK FOR SPORTS AND MOTOR ACTIVITIES

Technical field

The present invention relates to a stick intended for use in sports or motor activities such as trekking, the so-called "Nordic walking" and the like. Known art

The use of sticks for various sports activities such as skiing, trekking, the so-called Nordic walking or "Nordic walking", mountain running or "trail running" and the like is currently known. These sticks usually consist of a tubular element that has a handle at one end and a tip at the opposite end.

The handle of the poles is equipped with a strap or hand strap to allow it to be fastened to the wrist, or it is connected to a glove in order to ensure an optimal grip of the pole and easily maintain the grip both in case of accidental release and release in the recovery phase during the various disciplines.

Particularly in trekking and "Nordic walking", the poles act as an aid in the posture and walking mode of the user, following the movement of the legs in a synchronous way. In practice, the efficient use of sticks ensures that the entire upper part of the user's body is involved in motor activity.

More specifically, in the practice of "Nordic walking", the user uses sticks to increase the useful thrust by also exploiting the upper part of the body. The use of the upper body in physical activity is beneficial as it extends the muscle structures involved. The use of sticks allows you to unload the weight of the body on a multiplicity of support points, with a decrease in the load on the legs and on the spine, tendentially increasing the heart rate, thus being able to also be used in physical activity aimed at prevention or to the treatment of specific pathologies such as metabolic syndrome or diabetes mellitus or other cardiovascular pathologies.

For this purpose, poles specifically suitable for such motor or sports activities have therefore been developed. A stick of this type is illustrated for example in patent applications EP 0904 810 and EP 1795 238.

A need felt in the sector is to be able to acquire information on the correct performance of sports activities in order to verify the movements that the user performs, as well as some physiological and biomechanical functions. It is in fact known that the execution of certain movements can be more or less efficient; for example, the application of an inadequate thrust force on the pole or an inefficient positioning of the pole itself does not lead to the expected benefits and can, on the contrary, lead to a reduction in performance.

An examination of this type, or the verification of physiological parameters, can currently be carried out in the laboratory using suitable equipment, for example a specially equipped treadmill.

Presentation of the invention

The task of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problem, devising a stick for sports activities that allows the user to easily and completely control and measure use.

As part of this task, a further aim of the present invention is to provide a stick for sports activities that allows you to control the functional and physiological parameters that characterize the use of the stick during sports activities.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stick for sports activities having a relatively light weight, so as not to burden the user's gesture.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide a stick having a simple constructive and functional conception, with reliable operation, versatile use, as well as relatively cheap cost, in consideration of the measurements and the scientific value of the data detected.

The aforementioned purposes are achieved, according to the present invention, by the stick for sports activities according to claim 1.

According to the present invention, the sports stick is equipped with a data acquisition device comprising sensor means capable of detecting during use at least one physiological parameter of the user and / or at least one functional parameter of the use of the same stick.

The data acquisition device is associated with a tubular element and / or with a handle of the stick.

The stick is equipped with transmission means suitable for transmitting said parameters detected by said sensor means to a receiving system;

Advantageously, said transmission means are adapted to transmit said parameters detected by said sensor means to a receiving system arranged remotely.

The stick comprises control means interfaced with said sensor means so as to receive the data acquired by the sensors themselves as an input.

Advantageously, said sensor means adapted to detect at least one physiological parameter of the user comprise a heart rate monitor adapted to detect the user's heartbeats.

Advantageously, said sensor means designed to detect at least one functional parameter of the use of the same stick comprise a triaxial accelerometer oriented according to the longitudinal direction of the stick so as to allow to determine the angle of inclination of the stick itself during the pushing phase.

Preferably, said data acquisition device comprises a GPS device suitable for detecting the position of the stick itself.

Preferably, the GPS device is adapted to synchronize the data with a second stick.

Preferably, said data acquisition device comprises a load cell suitable for measuring the force transmitted to the ground by means of the stick.

Preferably, said control means comprise a microcontroller suitably programmable so as to configure said sensor means. Preferably said microcontroller is interfaced with a memory device adapted to store the data acquired by said sensor means.

The stick is equipped with electrical power supply means for powering said data acquisition device and said transmission means.

Preferably said means of supplying electrical energy comprise at least a rechargeable electric battery and an electromagnetic energy collection device.

A glove or strap can be connected to the handle of the pole by means of a release system.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a sensor for measuring the user's heart rate is inserted in said glove or strap connected to the handle of the stick.

Advantageously, said glove or strap connected to the handle of the stick is equipped with a display for reading the measured value of the user's heart rate.

Advantageously, the stick comprises a vibration absorption device.

Brief description of the drawings

The details of the invention will become more evident from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the stick for sports activities, illustrated as an indication in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the subject sports pole;

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of said data acquisition device associated with the same stick.

Embodiments of the invention

With particular reference to these figures, 1 indicates the stick intended for use in motor or sports activities such as trekking, so-called "Nordic walking" and the like.

The stick consists of a tubular element 2 which has a handle 3 at one end and a tip 4 at the opposite end. A glove 5 can be associated with the handle 3 of the stick, which can cover the entire hand or can be configured so as to cover a part of the hand, constituting the so-called passamano.

The stick 1 is equipped with a data acquisition device associated with the tubular element 2 and / or with the handle 3, schematically illustrated in the diagram of figure 2. The data acquisition device comprises sensor means suitable for detecting during use at least one physiological parameter of the user and / or at least one functional parameter of the use of the same stick.

The sensor means suitable for detecting the user's physiological parameters include at least one heart rate monitor suitable for detecting the user's heartbeat. This physiological measure allows you to evaluate the degree of effort of the user during the activity.

The sensor means suitable for detecting the functional parameters of the use of the stick comprise at least one triaxial accelerometer. The triaxial accelerometer is suitably oriented according to the longitudinal direction of the stick in order to allow you to determine the angle of inclination of the stick during the push phase. The triaxial accelerometer also measures the temporal amplitude of the step.

The sensors mentioned are suitably mounted on a printed circuit placed on the stick or inserted inside the stick itself using a special support. Preferably the printed circuit is inserted inside the handle 3 or a portion of the tubular element 2 next to the handle 3.

The data acquisition device also includes a GPS device capable of detecting the user's position during the activity, also mounted on the aforementioned printed circuit. Thanks to the coordinates detected by the GPS device, it is possible to relate the heart rate measured with the altitude difference faced by the user. The GPS device also allows you to synchronize the data detected with those of a second stick used by the user in combination with the first stick.

The data acquisition device further comprises a load cell adapted to measure the force transmitted to the ground through the stick. The load cell provides an electrical signal commensurate with the measured applied force.

The sensors are suitably managed by control means associated with the stick 2. The control means comprise a microcontroller interfaced with the aforementioned sensors so as to check their correct operation and receive the data acquired by the sensors themselves. The microcontroller is suitably programmed by the user through a special interface in order to configure the sensors in the desired operating modes.

The microcontroller is also interfaced with a memory device that allows you to store the data acquired by the sensors to make them available to the user when needed.

The stick is also equipped with transmission means suitable for transmitting the parameters detected by the aforesaid sensors to a suitable reception system, preferably arranged remotely. The transmission means preferably use a wireless system, for example of the Bluetooth type.

The receiving means comprise a device for processing the signals sent by the sensors equipped with a signal conditioning circuit, equipped with an analog-digital converter. The processing device is equipped with dedicated software that allows you to monitor the user's global motor activities, for example by detecting separately the energy and biomechanical values of the movement of each arm in relation to the overall movement of the body.

The data stored in the memory device can in turn be transmitted by the aforementioned means of transmission to the reception system on a deferred basis with respect to the acquisition of the data. In practice, the data can be transmitted from the sensors in real time to the receiving system or can be recorded in the memory device and sent after the acquisition.

Finally, the stick is equipped with means for supplying electrical energy to power both the data acquisition device and the aforementioned transmission means. Said means of supplying electric energy comprise one or more rechargeable electric batteries, for example a polymer battery of the type known as a lithium-polymer accumulator.

Advantageously, the means of supplying electricity include an electromagnetic device for collecting energy or "energy harvester", in order to allow a longer duration in the use of the stick before providing for recharging. This "harvester" device is for example of the type illustrated in the European patent EP 2758 141.

The operation of the stick is easily understood from the above description.

During use, the data acquisition device associated with the tubular element and / or the handle of the stick allows the physiological and / or functional parameters of interest to be acquired in real time, using suitable sensor means. The data acquired through the sensors, managed by a special microcontroller, are transmitted to the reception system in real time or temporarily saved in the memory device.

In particular, by means of a triaxial accelerometer oriented according to the longitudinal direction of the stick, it is possible to determine the angle of inclination of the stick during the pushing phase. This allows information to be obtained both on the correct positioning of the stick and on the movement imparted by the user to the stick itself.

These data can be combined with heart rate data detected via the heart rate monitor in order to have information on the energy consumed during sports activities, both total and divided between the lower limbs, the right arm and the left arm.

The present invention therefore achieves the purpose of providing a stick for sports activities that allows the user to easily and scientifically verify its use, by measuring the functional and physiological parameters that characterize the use of the stick itself.

A prerogative of the present invention consists in the possibility of acquiring and displaying the trend of the parameters mentioned in real time in order to detect the biomechanical behavior of the limbs, the motor activity and consequently monitor the physiological characteristics of the user, comparing them over time, as well as detecting the characteristics of its movements. The proposed data acquisition system also has limited size and weight, so as not to burden the user's gesture.

The stick described by way of example is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations according to the various requirements. For example, it is possible to provide that the stick consists of a plurality of segments able to be axially connected in the extended configuration of use and to be folded over each other in the rest collection configuration.

According to a different embodiment, falling within the scope of protection of the invention, a sensor for measuring the user's heart rate is inserted in the glove or strap that can be connected to the handle of the stick or to a finger. Advantageously, the glove or strap is equipped with a display that allows direct reading of the measured value of the user's heart rate.

In the practical implementation of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shape and dimensions, can be any according to the needs.

Where the technical characteristics mentioned in each claim are followed by reference signs, these reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the understanding of the claims and consequently they have no limiting value on the purpose of each element identified by way of reference. example from such reference marks.

Claims (10)

Claims 1) Stick for sports and motor activities including a tubular element (2) with a handle at one end (3) and a tip (4) at the opposite end, a data acquisition device associated with said tubular element (2) and / or with said handle (3) and comprising sensor means able to detect during use at least one physiological parameter of the user and / or at least one functional parameter of use of the same stick; transmission means adapted to transmit said parameters detected by said sensor means to a reception system; electric power supply means for powering said data acquisition device and said transmission means. 2) Stick according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmission means are able to transmit said parameters detected by said sensor means to a receiving system arranged remotely. 3) Stick according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises control means interfaced with said sensor means so as to receive in input the data acquired by the sensors themselves. 4) Stick according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sensor means suitable for detecting at least one physiological parameter of the user comprise a heart rate monitor suitable for detecting the user's heartbeats. 5) Stick according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sensor means suitable for detecting at least one functional parameter of the use of the same stick comprise a triaxial accelerometer oriented according to the longitudinal direction of the stick so as to allow to determine the angle of inclination of the stick itself during the push phase. 6) Stick according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said data acquisition device comprises a GPS device suitable for detecting the position of the stick itself. 7) Stick according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said data acquisition device comprises a load cell suitable for measuring the force transmitted to the ground by means of the stick. 8) Stick according to claim 3, characterized in that said control means comprise a microcontroller suitably programmable so as to configure said sensor means, said microcontroller being interfaced with a memory device suitable for storing the data acquired by said sensor means. 9) Stick according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means of power supply comprise a rechargeable electric battery and an electromagnetic energy collection device. 10) Stick according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a photovoltaic system connected to said electric battery.