WO2003068328A1

WO2003068328A1 - Training device for improving the vestibular sense

Info

Publication number: WO2003068328A1
Application number: PCT/AT2003/000043
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franz-Josef Resel
Original assignee: Franz-Josef Resel
Priority date: 2002-02-12
Filing date: 2003-02-12
Publication date: 2003-08-21
Also published as: ATA2172002A; DE20320696U1; AU2003206488A1; AT411015B

Abstract

The invention relates to a training device for improving the vestibular sense or the sense of balance of a human being. Said device comprises a platform (1) with two arc-shaped rockers (2, 3; 2', 3') that are curved towards the floor, in such a way that a rocking see-saw movement can be carried out on the platform (1). The angular position of the rockers (2, 3; 2', 3') can be adjusted about a vertical axis (4, 5), from a transversal direction in relation to the platform (1) into the longitudinal direction, said adjustment taking place in an anti-parallel manner through respective identical angles. For this purpose, the rockers (2, 3; 2', 3') are rigidly mounted on revolving discs (6, 7; 6', 7'), which are rotatably mounted in turn underneath the platform (1). The revolving discs (6, 7; 6', 7') engage with one another by means of toothed gearing, or have a belt or cable drive (8) with a figure-of-eight loop.

Description

_TRAI NI _NGSGERÄ _TZ U _R IMPROVEMENT OF BALANCE

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a training device for improving and training the sense of balance of a person, in particular after strokes, with a stand board that has two runners curved in the manner of a cradle, for example in the form of circular segments, the stand board rolling on the runners in a rocking movement is displaceable.

STATE OF THE ART

Rocking boards are known for improving or regaining the sense of balance. A stand board with a mostly non-slip stand support can be moved around a swivel axis. From US 5 584 787 A, for example, an equilibrium training device is known which has spherical segments arranged next to one another under a standing board and, in each case, turntables above the same, rocking movements being possible. US Pat. No. 5,897,464 A describes a device which has a stand board which is pivotably mounted on a kind of curved runner. DE 15 78 552 A deals with a device which has two runners with curved standing surfaces and furthermore stand plates which can be pivoted independently of one another at certain angles. If you climb the stand board, it will tilt to the side. This tendency can be neutralized by shifting weight. A harmonious, controlled swing can be achieved by changing the standing position and body movements. It is clear that, for example, in the area of therapy during rehabilitation after illnesses such as strokes, exercise equipment must be used that is easy to control, so that it causes little instability. This is done by a very flat curve of the runners reached. The circle radii of the circle segments are therefore large. The smaller these radii are, the more difficult it is to achieve and maintain balance on the stand board. A flexible adaptation to different user requirements is not possible.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims at adapting the stability, i.e. the level of difficulty, in order to keep the balance on the standing board, to allow for the progress of healing or - in the case of training - to enable the level of difficulty in healthy people to be increased according to a training plan , This is achieved in that the two runners are mounted on the stand board in the longitudinal center of the stand board, in each case rotatably about mutually parallel vertical axes, in particular in opposite directions, the curvature effective for the rocking being projected onto a normal plane to the stand plane on the stand board changeable and in this way the degree of stability of the standing board is adjustable. If the runners follow an arc of a circle and are aligned transversely to the stand board, the user has the least degree of difficulty due to the flat curvature. The convergent inclination of these runners with respect to the first-mentioned basic position has an effect in the sense of a steeper, stronger curvature, because the projection of the two converging runners onto the normal plane to the swiveling or rolling axis comes into effect during the rocking movement. In extreme cases, the skids could be rotated 90 ° from the original transverse position. They then lie on the center line of the standing board, which makes the board tip very easily to the left or right. A heavy-duty construction provides that each runner is fixed on a turntable and that every turn disc lies flat on the underside of the standing board and can be rotated by a pivot bearing relative to the standing board. The runners can be formed from wooden boards, which are sawn round (circular) on the front to form circular segments. These solid wood runners stand on a diameter line perpendicular to the turntables. A counter-rotating twist from the transverse position into a mirror-image inclined position can be achieved by twisting individually. It is expedient if the turntables are kinematically connected to one another, for example by positive locking via gears or non-positively via belt or cable drives, and can be adjusted synchronously and in opposite directions to one another by the angle of rotation of the two runners to the pivot axis or longitudinal central axis of the standing board. In the case of belt or cable drives, the two turntables are wrapped crosswise in a figure of eight. In this way mirror-image angular positions are achieved. This synchronization is also achieved with meshing teeth on the edges of the turntables.

A further development of the invention is characterized in that a turning handle for a setting wheel is provided on the top of the standing board, which is kinematically connected to the turntables for the runners for adjusting the turntables and thus the runners in their angle of rotation to the longitudinal central axis of the standing board. This makes it easy to readjust the level of difficulty without having to turn the board after dismounting.

In order to enable repeatability as well as a defined increase in the training, it is advantageous if angle markings, e.g. with digits between 1 and 10 to identify the

Rotational position of the turntables and thus the runners with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the stand board are provided, which are visible through a viewing opening on the stand board surface in accordance with the rotational position of the turntables. Due to the design, the runners do not lie directly on the side edges of the stand board. To tilt when climbing from to prevent the side, it is useful if in a vertical plane, in which the axes of rotation of the turntables lie, are arranged at the two ends of the standing board and on the underside of the same spacers, for example wedge supports, which rest with an edge or curve on the floor , The aim of training in recovery processes is to establish the balance at every level of the adjustable level of difficulty. In order to be able to determine a central position more objectively, it is advantageous if a channel oriented in the rocking direction is provided on the base board in the rocking direction with the ball running therein, the latter also being able to be arranged in a transparent tube. The tube and / or the channel can deviate from the straight line and can be slightly curved in a U-shape to the longitudinal center so that the ball inevitably rolls into the longitudinal center position when the standing board is in a horizontal position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are shown in the drawings. 1 shows a side view of a training device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a bottom view, FIG. 3 shows a side view and FIG. 4 shows a variant in bottom view.

BEST EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A training device for improving or regaining the sense of balance comprises a standing board 1, which rests on the floor by means of runners 2, 3, which here have the shape of a circular segment. These runners 2, 3 are not rigidly connected to the stand board 1, but are adjustable about vertical axes 4, 5 from the transverse position drawn with full lines relative to the stand board 1 in its angular position to the longitudinal axis of the stand board 1. For this purpose, the runners 2, 3 are attached to turntables 6, 7, which in turn are pivot bearings with the Have axes 4, 5. A rotational position deviating from the transverse position of the curved runners 2, 3 is shown in dashed lines (runners 2 ', 3'). Rotation is possible up to the longitudinal position, that is, in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the standing board 1. In addition, it is noted that the twisting of the two runners 2, 3 does not take place parallel, but converges or apart from one another by the same angular amounts.

The training device makes it possible to perform rocking movements after ascending and the goal is to keep the balance. This is all the more difficult the greater the deviation of the position of the runners 2, 3 from the transverse position drawn with solid lines. By twisting, e.g. into the dashed position, the curve determining the stability is set as a projection of the runners 2 ', 3' onto a normal plane to the longitudinal axis of the standing board 1. The greater the angular deviation of the skid position from the transverse position, the steeper the effective swing curves and the more difficult it is to balance.

In order to enable the skids 2, 3 to be adjusted in opposite directions with one hand, the turntables 6, 7 are in accordance with FIG

Fig. 2 kinematically connected by a crossed cable drive 8. The rope or an additional rope can be guided via an adjustment wheel 9 which is connected to a handwheel 10. This embodiment can be seen in FIG. 2. As an alternative to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, an identically acting tooth system on the turntables 6 ', 7' or the adjusting wheel 9 'is shown in FIG. 4.

Further special features should be pointed out, namely on wedge supports 11, 12 on the side of the edge of the standing board. These touch the ground with an edge and prevent the stand board 1 from tipping sideways when someone climbs on the side or stands on the stand board 1 at the side edge. The wedge supports 11, 12 in no way interfere with the rocking movements, which are rolling movements on the ground. Another special feature is a kind of "spirit level", here in the form of a channel 13, which is arranged transversely to the standing board 1. is arranged and in which a ball 14 runs. The groove 13 is slightly recessed or lowered in a U-shaped manner towards the longitudinal center line of the standing board 1, so that the ball 14 assumes the longitudinal center position when the standing board is in a horizontal position. The channel 13 is covered transparently so that the ball 14 cannot fall out. The ball can also run in a plastic tube in the manner of the groove 13, which is mounted on the surface of the standing board 1. A non-slip covering 15 (FIG. 1) defines the standing area on the standing board.

Skids 2, 3 are adjustable up to 90 °. If one of the turntables 6 or 7 (6 'or 7') on the contact surface with the underside of the standing board 1 carries an arc scale in degrees or steps (about 1 to 10) and a small viewing window in the form of an opening is provided in the standing board 1, the current rotary setting can then be read, marked and individually adjusted for future use by a large number of people.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1. Training device for improving and training the sense of balance of a person, in particular after strokes, with a stand board which has two runners curved in the manner of a cradle, for example in the form of circular segments, the stand board rolling on the runners in a rocking movement is displaceable, characterized in that the two runners (2, 3; 2 ', 3') can each be rotated about parallel vertical axes (4, 5) arranged next to one another, in particular in opposite directions to one another on the standing board (1) in the longitudinal center of the standing board (1) are mounted, the curvature effective for the rocking being changeable as a projection onto a normal plane to the standing plane on the standing board, and in this way the degree of stability of the standing board (1) can be adjusted.

2. Training device according to claim 1, characterized in that each runner (2, 3; 2 ', 3') on a turntable (6, 7; 6 ', 7') is fixed and that each turntable (6, 7; 6 ', 7') lies flat on the underside of the standing board (1) and can be rotated relative to the standing board (1) by a pivot bearing.

3. Training device according to claim 2, characterized in that the turntables (6, 7; 6 ', 7') kinematically, e.g. can be rotatably connected to one another by positive locking via gears or non-positively via belt or cable drives (8) and can be adjusted synchronously and in opposite directions to one another by the angle of rotation of the two runners (2, 3; 2 ', 3') to the swivel axis or longitudinal central axis of the standing board.

4. Training device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a turning handle (10) for an adjusting wheel (9) on the top of the stand board (1) is provided, which with the turntables (6, 7; 6 ', 7 ') for the Ku fen (2, 3; 2 ', 3') for adjusting the turntables and thus the runners (2, 3; 2 ', 3') is kinematically connected in their angle of rotation to the longitudinal central axis of the standing board (1).

5. Training device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that on at least one of the turntables (6, 7; 6 ', 7') angle markings, e.g. with numbers between 1 and 10 for identifying the rotational position of the turntables (6, 7; 6 ", 7 ') and thus the runners (2, 3; 2', 3 ') with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the standing board (1) are provided, which are visible through a viewing opening on the surface of the standing board (1) in accordance with the rotational position of the turntables (6, 7; 6 ', 7').

6. Training device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in a vertical plane in which the

Axes of rotation (4, 5) of the turntables ((6, 7; 6 ', 7') are located on the two ends of the standing board (1) and on the underside of the same spacer, for example wedge supports (11, 12), which are arranged lie on the ground with an edging or rounded fertilizer.

7. Training device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the top of the standing board

(1) a channel (13) oriented in the rocking direction or a transparent tube with a ball (14) running therein is provided for detecting the central position of the standing board and that the channel (13) or the tube is preferably U-shaped to the longitudinal center of the standing board (1) is deepened.