WO2008105599A1

WO2008105599A1 - Vertical vibration training machine having position sensor

Info

Publication number: WO2008105599A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001025
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jong Woo Moon; Tae Han Kim
Original assignee: Woori Health Bank Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-02-27
Filing date: 2008-02-21
Publication date: 2008-09-04
Also published as: KR100789211B1

Abstract

A vertical vibration training machine includes a vibrating plate; a driving unit for vibrating the vibrating plate; a position sensor for detecting position information of the vibrating plate; and a control unit for applying a driving current to the driving unit based on the position information, wherein the position sensor includes a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the light emitting part radiates light to the vibrating plate, the light receiving part measures the amount of light reflected from the vibrating plate, and the position sensor detects the position information based on the measured amount of light.

Description

VERTICAL VIBRATION TRAINING MACHINE HAVING

POSITION SENSOR

Technical Field

[1] The present disclosure relates to a vertical vibration training machine having a position sensor; and, more particularly, to a vertical vibration training machine having a position sensor capable of radiating a light to a vibrating plate and detecting position information based on an amount of the light reflected from the vibrating plate. Background Art

[2] Recently, overweight people continuously increase because of excessive consumption of high-calorie foods. Obesity is regarded as a main cause for various adult diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes or the like. In addition, it is known that the obesity is associated with surgical diseases such as arthritis.

[3] As well as the overweight people, general public is recommended for aerobic training in order to maintain their health. To this end, various kinds of training machines that support aerobic training have been proposed.

[4] As a training machine that reduces shock applied to joints while supporting the aerobic training, vertical vibration training machines have been proposed.

[5] After a user gets on a vibrating plate of the vertical vibration training machine, the machine is driven to vibrate a footboard up and down, so as to stimulate fat and muscles of the user. As a result, the fat is decreased, and the muscles are augmented.

[6] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional vertical vibration training machine.

[7] The vertical vibration training machine includes an L-shaped frame 70, a vibrating plate 72 installed on a lower end of the frame 70, a handle 74 at an upper end of the frame 70 for safe training, and a display 76 for displaying driving conditions. Moreover, under the vibrating plate 72, there is provided a vibration generating device that uses a single phase permanent motor.

[8] Unlike a treadmill (so called running machine), or the horizontal vibration machine, such vertical vibration training machine is characterized by vertical vibration movement of vibrating plate 72 which a user stands on.

[9] Furthermore, such vertical vibration training machine generates a vertical vibration by using the permanent magnet motor under the vibrating plate 72.

[10] As this, the vertical vibration training machine is highly sensitive to a vertical force given to the vibrating plate 72. Especially, such phenomenon is more evident while the training machine is operating. [11] Thus, if a load mass on the vibrating plate 72 suddenly changes or is excessive (for example, when a user suddenly gets off the vertical vibration training machine or two or more users get on the training machine which is operating), the vertical vibration training machine could go out of order. [12] Thus, it is necessary that the vertical vibration training machine to detect the mass overload on the vibrating plate 72 by itself and to protect a driving unit of the training machine. [13] Therefore, methods for detecting the mass overload on the vibrating plate 72 by using a mechanical proximity sensor (limit switch) or a contactless position sensor have been proposed. [14] In case of using such mechanical proximity sensor (limit switch), boarding of the user can be detected by using a sensor's button since the button is pushed when the user gets on the vertical vibration training machine. [15] However, in case of using the mechanical proximity sensor (limit switch), the vertical vibration training machine vibrates up and down at from several Hz to several tens of Hz. Accordingly, the conventional vertical vibration training machine has a drawback in that the mechanical proximity sensor (limit switch) may continuously be worn away and become damaged. [16] Furthermore, in case that the vertical vibration training machine vibrates at low frequency and a vibration amplitude thereof is large, the vertical vibration training machine may malfunction even when user is on board. [17] In the meantime, in case of employing the contactless position sensor, the vertical vibration training machine may use an optical sensor or an electrostatic sensor. [18] As an optical sensor, a laser interferometer, a linear encoder, and the like may be adopted. However, since these sensors are very expensive, they are unfeasible to apply to the vertical vibration training machine. [19] Furthermore, in case of using an electrostatic sensor, a distance which can be detected by the electrostatic sensor is very limited. Accordingly, if a motion displacement is large as in the vertical vibration training machine, the electrostatic sensor is unfeasible for the vertical vibration training machine.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem [20] In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure provides a vertical vibration training machine including an optical position sensor which is not expensive and is not worn away mechanically.

Technical Solution [21] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a vertical vibration training machine having a position sensor, including: a vibrating plate; a driving unit for vibrating the vibrating plate; a position sensor for detecting position information of the vibrating plate; and a control unit for applying a driving current to the driving unit based on the position information, wherein the position sensor includes a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the light emitting part radiates a light to the vibrating plate, the light receiving part measures an amount of the light reflected from the vibrating plate, and the position sensor detects the position information based on the measured amount of the light.

[22] In the embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting part can be an infrared diode, and the light receiving part can be an infrared transistor.

[23] Moreover, in the embodiment of the present invention, the position sensor can further include an operational amplifier and a filter. Brief Description of the Drawings

[24] The disclosure may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the following figures:

[25] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration of a vertical vibration training machine including a position sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[26] Fig. 2 illustrates a detailed configuration of a position sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[27] Fig. 3 shows a relationship between an output of a position sensor and a distance between the position sensor and a vibrating plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[28] Fig. 4 depicts a configuration of a conventional vertical vibration training machine.

Mode for the Invention

[29] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention may be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. However, it is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments but can be realized in various other ways. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted for the simplicity of explanation, and like reference numerals denote like parts through the whole document.

[30] Through the whole document, the term "connected to" or "coupled to" that is used to designate a connection or coupling of one element to another element includes both a case that an element is "directly connected or coupled to" another element and a case that an element is "electronically connected or coupled to" another element via still another element. Further, the term "comprises or includes" and/or "comprising or including" used in the document means that one or more other components, steps, operation and/or existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operation and/or elements. [31] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration of a vertical vibration training machine including a position sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [32] A vertical vibration training machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a vibrating plate 10, a position sensor 20, a control unit 30, a driving unit 40, and a user interface 50. [33] The vibrating plate 10 serves as a foothold and vibrates up and down by a driving power applied from the driving unit 40. [34] The position sensor 20 detects vertical position information of the vibrating plate 10, and then transmits the detected position information to the control unit 30. [35] The control unit 30 calculates several data (e.g., a load mass of the vibrating plate 10) based on the position information of the vibrating plate 10 transmitted from the position sensor 20, and determines whether it shall supply a driving current to the driving unit 40 or not. [36] The driving unit 40 vibrates the vibrating plate 10 by using the driving current controlled by the control unit 30. Although a linear motor is desirable for the driving unit 40, it is not limited thereto. [37] The user interface 50 allows a user to manipulate various functions so as to control the vertical vibration training machine. For example, the user can control an intensity or a frequency of a vibration of the vertical vibration training machine by using the user interface 50. [38] Fig. 2 illustrates a detailed configuration of the position sensor 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [39] The position sensor 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a light emitting part 12, a light receiving part 14, an operational amplifier 16, and a filter 18. [40] The light emitting part 12 radiates a light (e.g., an infrared ray) onto the vibrating plate 10, and the light receiving part 14 receives the light reflected by the vibrating plate 10. [41] The light receiving part 14 measures an amount of the light (a light intensity) of the infrared ray reflected by the vibrating plate 10, and changes an output current based on the measured light intensity. [42] That is, the light receiving part 14 outputs the output current in proportion to the light intensity of the reflected infrared ray. Since the light intensity of the reflected infrared rays is inversely proportional to a distance between the vibrating plate 10 and the position sensor 20, the output current of the position sensor 20 becomes a function of distance, as shown in Fig. 3. [43] The position sensor 20 can detect a position of the vibrating plate 10 by using such relationship. In this case, it is desirable that the light emitting part 12 includes an infrared diode, and the light receiving part 14 includes an infrared transistor. In the case in which the light emitting part 12 is composed of the infrared diode and the light receiving part 14 is composed of the infrared transistor, it is possible to manufacture the position sensor 20 with a low price.

[44] The operational amplifier 16 amplifies the output current transmitted from the light receiving part 14, and transmits the amplified current to the filter 18. The filter 18 eliminates a noise component from the output current transmitted from the operational amplifier, and transmits the filtered current to the control unit 30 of the vertical vibration training machine.

[45] Meanwhile, stored in a database (not shown) is a table, which contains light intensity values and corresponding distances between the vibrating plate 10 and the position sensor 20. That is, in the table, each light intensity value of the infrared rays received by the light receiving part 14 of the position sensor 20 is stored with a corresponding distance between the vibrating plate 10 and the position sensor 20.

[46] Thus, the control unit 30 of the vertical vibration training machine can read the distance between the vibrating plate 10 and the position sensor 20 based on the light intensity of the infrared rays received from the light receiving part to obtain the position information of the vibrating plate 10.

[47] Hereinafter, a method for utilizing the position information of the vibrating plate 10 detected by the position sensor 20 will be described in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[48] For example, a graph showing a position of the vibrating plate 10 over time can be expressed in the shape of a sinusoidal curve.

[49] The position of the vibrating plate 10 varies according to a mass of a user or an external impact.

[50] Thus, a calculation of the mass of the user or the intensity of the external impact can be performed by measuring the variation of the position of the vibrating plate 10.

[51] Further, boarding of a user or an overload can be determined by using the calculated mass of the user. Therefore, a malfunction or a failure of the vertical vibration training machine can be prevented by operating or stopping the vertical training machine based on the calculated result.

[52] Furthermore, the vertical vibration training machine can save a power consumption by calculating an optimized driving current for minimizing the power consumed by the training machine based on the mass of the user and applying the calculated driving current to the training machine.

[53] Furthermore, in case that the external impact is inflicted on the vertical vibration training machine suddenly, it is possible to prevent the failure of the vertical vibration training machine and to protect the user safely by controlling the vertical vibration training machine to stop.

[54] The above description of the present invention is provided for the purpose of illustration, and it would be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without changing technical conception and essential features of the present invention. Thus, it is clear that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present invention.

[55] The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims rather than by the detailed description of the embodiment. It shall be understood that all modifications and embodiments conceived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are included in the scope of the present invention. Industrial Applicability

[56] The present disclosure provides a vertical vibration training machine including an optical position sensor which is neither expensive nor worn away mechanically.

Claims

[1] A vertical vibration training machine having a position sensor, comprising: a vibrating plate; a driving unit for vibrating the vibrating plate; a position sensor for detecting position information of the vibrating plate; and a control unit for applying a driving current to the driving unit based on the position information, wherein the position sensor includes a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the light emitting part radiates a light to the vibrating plate, the light receiving part measures an amount of the light reflected from the vibrating plate, and the position sensor detects the position information based on the measured amount of the light. [2] The vertical vibration training machine of claim 1, wherein the light emitting part has an infrared diode, and the light receiving part has an infrared transistor. [3] The vertical vibration training machine of claim 1, wherein the position sensor further includes an operational amplifier and a filter. [4] The vertical vibration training machine of claim 2, wherein the position sensor further includes an operational amplifier and a filter.