WO1996035481A2

WO1996035481A2 - Device for walking and running on the spot

Info

Publication number: WO1996035481A2
Application number: PCT/EP1996/001985
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Baum; Dieter Essfeld
Original assignee: Klaus Baum; Dieter Essfeld
Priority date: 1995-05-10
Filing date: 1996-05-10
Publication date: 1996-11-14
Also published as: DE29507690U1; WO1996035481A3

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for walking or running on the spot, comprising: a conveyer device (1, 3) which can be driven by a motor, this conveyer device moving in the direction opposite to that of the user; a movement sensing device (13, 15) which detects the user's movement; and an evaluation device (9) which evaluates the signals from the movement sensing device (13, 15) and controls the speed of the conveyer device (1, 3) accordingly.

Description

DEVICE FOR WALKING AND RUNNING ON THE SITE

description

The invention relates to a device for walking or running on the spot according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such devices are known, for example, as so-called treadmills from the sports sector. The device essentially comprises a motor-operated treadmill, the speed of which can be adjusted manually via an operating panel. The user thus preselects the speed at which he then wants to move on the treadmill. At the first signs of fatigue of the user, his movement speed slows down, with the result that he gets ever further to the rear end of the treadmill. Only by manually adjusting the running speed can the user prevent him from falling off the treadmill.

In particular in the rehabilitation of older people, an additional person must be employed, who observes the user and intervenes if necessary by reducing the speed or switching off the device.

A further problem arises in the treatment of people who have a healthy and a damaged leg, as is often the case with people suffering from polio. With these

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS People must adjust the speed of the treadmill to the weaker, damaged leg.

It has therefore been used to split the treadmill in two such that each treadmill half is assigned to one leg. The speeds of both treadmills can be set independently of one another with the aid of separate drives and corresponding adjusting devices. Here too, however, the above-mentioned problem arises that an adjustment of the speed is necessary in the event of fatigue. Because of the separate adjustability of the two treadmill halves, two adjusters are consequently to be operated. Additional operating staff is therefore even more important in this case. In addition, such a division of the treadmill in two naturally increases the technical outlay to a considerable extent.

All the known designs of such treadmills have the disadvantage that they impose the running speed on the user, that is, the user reacts to the treadmill.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for walking or running on the spot which reacts directly to the user and makes manual adjustment of the running speed unnecessary.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1. The fact that a motion recording device the movement of the foot or leg of the user and transmits corresponding signals to an evaluation device connected to the transport device drive, the speed of the transport device can be set individually and for each movement process. The transport device is preferably a known treadmill.

Movement sensors, in particular acceleration sensors, are preferably assigned to each leg of the user, which determine horizontal and vertical acceleration values. This creates a simple and inexpensive way of obtaining all the necessary movement data. Of course, other methods can also be used, for example by means of laser beams or other electromagnetic waves. The use of inductive measuring methods to determine the speed of the legs would also be conceivable.

An advantageous embodiment consists in forming the transport device from two treadmills which can be driven independently of one another and which are regulated separately from one another by the evaluation device.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the transport device is assigned a so-called "standing surface" on which the user stands and which serves as the starting point for the movement. The transport device then guides the user Completion of his movement back to the stand area. In an advantageous development, several transport devices are provided, which are grouped around the stand area. This enables a device to be constructed with which the user can perform sideways or backward movements. In the most advantageous case, a large number of transport devices surround the stand area in a circle, so that almost any movement of the user is possible from the stand area. In particular when using such a device in connection with artificial worlds (virtual reality), the movement in space can be optimally simulated.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims.

In the following, the invention will now be explained on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Show:

Figure la is a schematic representation of a

Embodiment, - Figure 1b shows a modification of the first embodiment, and Figure 2 shows another embodiment in a schematic representation.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 comprises two treadmills 1, 3, each of which is coupled to a drive 5 or 7. Such units consisting of treadmill and motor are from the state of the Known technology and therefore should not be further elaborated. Both drives 5, 7 are connected to a control unit 9, which transmits control signals to the drives. With the help of the control signals, the drives can be activated or deactivated and the drive speeds set.

The control unit 9 is connected to an operating unit 11, via which the user can activate or deactivate the motors, for example, and which on the other hand can display the specific operating parameters. In addition, the heart rate, blood pressure and other physiological parameters of the user can also be displayed, provided suitable measuring sensors are connected.

A measuring value pickup 13 or 15 is assigned to each of the treadmills 1, 3, which continuously records measured values during operation and transmits them to the control unit 9. These measured values are data which enable conclusions to be drawn about the movement carried out by the user on the treadmill.

It has proven to be advantageous to attach known acceleration sensors to the lower leg or foot of the user and to transmit the information, for example, wirelessly to the control unit 9. Another possibility is to attach an acceleration sensor to the hip of the user, with the help of a special evaluation algorithm from the measured values can be deduced from the acceleration values of the two legs.

A standing area 17, which can be referred to as a so-called “neutral zone”, is shown purely schematically in FIG. 1 in front of the treadmills 1, 3. The user first stands on this stand area 17 before carrying out a walking or running movement. He swings one leg forward and thus lands on the corresponding treadmill 1 or 3. The treadmill, which is driven against the direction of travel, then transports this leg back into neutral zone 17. The movement of the other leg takes place accordingly, always a return transport to the neutral zone 17 takes place.

The transition area between the treadmill (active zone) and the neutral zone 17 has various tasks to perform. As long as there is no active impression of the stem, it must allow the active leg to be transported back to the neutral zone. This is only possible if the frictional resistance in this area is low. If, on the other hand, the stem is imprinted, the frictional resistances must be high in order to prevent the foot from slipping away. This is preferably realized by rollers or balls in the outer area of the standing surface 17 adjacent to the treadmills (not shown). These rollers or balls are mounted in such a way that they can be rotated in the running direction. An additional braking surface under the footprint 17 is provided for the Mechanically block rollers or balls in the impression phase of the stem.

Of course, other possibilities are also conceivable to create a stand area with different friction resistances.

Pressure sensors (not shown), which transmit corresponding pressure measurement values to the control unit 9, are introduced into the stand area 17.

These pressure measurements enable evaluations in a variety of ways. On the one hand they are used in the movement analysis described later, on the other hand conclusions can be drawn about the weight distribution of the user. For example, it can be determined whether the user is in the toe position or in the squat. The purpose of this possibility will be explained in detail later.

In addition, the control unit 9 can precisely determine the point in time at which the user lifts his leg from the standing surface 17 to carry out the movement.

As already mentioned, the treadmills 1 and 3 transport the swing leg back to the stand surface 17, the return transport speed corresponding to the speed of the leg. For this purpose, the control unit 9 evaluates the measured values of the measuring sensors 13 and 15 and of the pressure sensors of the Stand area 17 and controls the two drives 5, 7 independently of one another.

The determination of the speed of the respective leg can be determined on the basis of acceleration values which are supplied by the measurement sensors 13 and 15. For this purpose, they have three-dimensional, orthogonally oriented acceleration sensors. The time date still necessary for the speed calculation is determined, for example, by determining the time between the absolute maximum values of the vertical acceleration values, the pressure values from the footprint 17 being able to be taken into account. This time calculation is based on the assumption that the change in the absolute vertical and horizontal acceleration values when the leg is lifted from the standing surface 17 and when it is placed on the treadmill is very large in comparison to the values in between. Of course, pressure sensors can also be provided on the treadmill, which register the exact time of touchdown, in which case a time period between lifting and touchdown can be determined.

Of course, other measures for time recording, such as light barriers, can also be provided.

The speed value obtained from the horizontal acceleration component and the previously mentioned period of time is compared with the transport speed of the corresponding treadmill, with at Deviations, the treadmill speed is adjusted by the control unit 9. Deviations can occur, for example, when the user becomes slower or faster. It therefore has a direct influence on the speed of the treadmill without manual intervention. Just by changing his movement speed, he controls the treadmill.

The treadmill can be started by manually setting a basic speed, on the other hand by running.

FIG. 1b shows a technically simpler embodiment of the device described with reference to FIG. The only difference is that instead of the two treadmills, only one is used. However, the treadmill speed is regulated in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment described above. Therefore, no further explanation is given.

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the treadmills described with reference to FIG.

In the middle of the arrangement shown is the standing surface 17, which is circular and can have, for example, a radius of 20 cm. Around this base area are circular segment-shaped transport devices 21 which form a circular ring lying one against the other. In the example shown there are a total of 16 such transport devices 21. Each of these transport devices 21 comprises a number of rollers 23 arranged parallel to one another, which are aligned tangentially to concentric circles around the standing surface 17. The individual rollers 23 are supported 25 at the circle segment boundaries, that is to say on the sides of each transport device 21.

The distance between adjacent roller surfaces is very small, preferably less than a 1 mm, the radius of the individual rollers 23 being approximately 1.5 cm. The size of the rollers 23 and their spacing from one another should at least be selected so that the user experiences secure support when the foot is placed on the transport device 21, wherein a lateral bending of the foot is avoided.

Each transport device 21 is assigned a drive 27, preferably an electric motor, which drives the rollers 23. The coupling between the drive 27 and the rollers 23 takes place, for example, via a toothed belt which runs radially to the base surface 17 and separates the transport device 21 in the form of a segment of a circle into two segments of the same size.

Of course, the coupling can also take place by means of gearwheels, an intermediate gear having to be provided between the two gearwheels of two adjacent rollers 23 in order to enable the same direction of rotation of the rollers. The drive mechanism described above is protected from above by means of a cover strip (not shown in FIG. 2). In order to prevent this cover strip from also serving as a support surface for the foot, it is recessed in relation to the uppermost point of the rollers 23.

In this exemplary embodiment, too, the drives 27 are connected to the control unit 9, which specifies the direction of rotation and the speed of rotation for each individual transport device. In the normal case, the transport devices 21 are operated at the same speed, the transport direction being directed towards the standing area 17.

Of course, only individual segments of the circular tread can also be used.

In this exemplary embodiment too, the frictional resistance of the standing surface 17 can be set in the same manner as described above. Since the base is circular, the rollers or balls are mounted so that their direction of rotation is directed radially to the base.

The drive speed is regulated as in the exemplary embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1, which is why a further description is dispensed with.

The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has the advantage that the user is not restricted with regard to the desired direction of movement. So In addition to the forward movement, it can also perform backward and, in addition, also sideways movements. So he can move freely.

The field of application of such devices is mainly in the area of rehabilitation, performance diagnostics and in the training area.

However, other applications are also conceivable. It is conceivable that the device described above is part of a platform that can be moved freely in space by the movement of the user. For this purpose, the movement signals of the transducers 13, 15 and the footprint 17 are used not only to control the drives, but also to move the entire platform. A forward movement of the user then leads, for example, to a forward displacement of the entire platform, an upward displacement can be achieved by toe standing and a downward displacement by a squat. Such a freely relocatable platform can be used advantageously, for example, for warehouse work, in forestry operations or for outdoor work on buildings.

Another area of application is in the area of virtual reality. There, the movement signals are converted into visual and other sensory stimuli. This makes it possible to walk and run in virtual rooms.

Claims

- 13 claims

1. Device for walking or running on the spot with a transport device (1, 3) which can be driven by a motor, the transport direction being opposite to the direction of movement of the user, characterized by a movement recording device (13, 15 ), which records the movement of the user, and an evaluation device (9), which evaluates signals from the movement recording device (13, 15) and, in response, regulates the speed of the transport device (1, 3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the transport device (1) has a drivable treadmill.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the transport device (1,3) at least two independently driven transport units (1; 3), preferably treadmills.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement device (13, 15) has two movement recording units (13; 15), one movement recording unit being assigned to one leg of the user.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the motion recording units have acceleration sensors for three dimensions.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport device (1,3, -21) is assigned a fixed standing area (17) on which the user can stand.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the base has a surface whose frictional resistance is variable.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the surface of the base is formed by rotatably mounted rollers or balls, the rollers or balls are mechanically blocked by means of a brake device.

9. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the footprint (17) has pressure sensors which transmit signals to the Auswer¬ tevvorrichtung (9).

10. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the standing surface (17) is circular.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that several circular segment-shaped transport units (21) are provided around the circular base (17).

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that each transport unit (21) is assigned a drive (27) which can be controlled via the evaluation device (9).

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transport unit (21) has a plurality of rollers (23) arranged parallel to one another and which can be driven together.