EP3628299A1 - Vibration device - Google Patents

Abstract

A vibration device (2) for training and therapeutic applications has a frame (12), a first standing surface element (4) for placing a foot (F), which is movably held on the frame (12) via a first bearing arrangement (8) second standing surface element (6) for placing a further foot (F) which is movably held on the frame (12) via a second bearing arrangement (10), both the first bearing arrangement (8) on the first standing surface element (4) and the second bearing arrangement (10) on the second standing surface element (6) each has three bearing devices (L), each with at least two degrees of freedom, and a movement mechanism driven by a motor (22), by means of which the bearing arrangements (8, 10) on both standing surface elements (4, 6) a recurring pivoting movement can be generated both about a longitudinal axis (AL) and about a transverse axis (AQ). It is provided that the first bearing arrangement (8) has a first bearing pair (14) made up of two bearing devices (L) and the second bearing arrangement (10) has a second bearing pair (16) made up of two bearing devices (L) on a first side (S1). of the standing surface elements (4, 6) and all four bearing devices (L) are mounted coaxially along a common axis (A) and can be acted upon by a driving force of the motor (22).

Description

The invention relates to a vibration device for training and therapeutic applications according to the preamble of claim 1. The vibration device has a frame on which a first standing surface element for placing a foot and a second standing surface element for placing another foot are provided. The two standing surface elements are movably held on the frame via a first and second bearing arrangement. Both the first bearing arrangement on the first standing surface element and the second bearing arrangement on the second standing surface element each have three bearing devices, each with at least two degrees of freedom. In addition, a movement mechanism driven by a motor is provided, by means of which a recurring pivoting movement can be generated both about a longitudinal axis and about a transverse axis via the bearing arrangements on both standing surface elements.

Such vibration devices are used for medical or physiotherapeutic applications or for training purposes, in which in particular the muscles of the user are to be stimulated and built up and / or the sense of balance is to be improved. For this purpose, the user stands on the standing surface elements, which are moved in a vibrating or tumbling manner during operation via the movement mechanism, so that the movements are delivered to the user's feet. The musculoskeletal system and the equilibrium organs of the user react to the movements generated by the vibrating device in order to compensate for them and thus to maintain the upright position.

Out EP1447071B1 a vibration device is known in which two standing surface elements can be moved in each case about a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The two standing surface elements are mounted on mutually adjacent inner sides on a ball joint and on an outer side facing away from the inner side via two connecting rod devices arranged in pairs. The connecting rod devices are each driven offset from one another via an eccentric shaft in order to produce a wobbling vibration movement on both standing surface elements.

A disadvantage of the known vibration device is that, due to the relatively far apart eccentric shafts of the two standing surface elements, a relatively complex movement mechanism with a double chain or belt drive is required. This movement mechanism causes relatively high manufacturing costs and is also prone to malfunction or maintenance-intensive.

The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages mentioned in a generic vibration device and to enable inexpensive manufacture and stable and inexpensive operation.

This object is achieved by a vibration device with the features of claim 1. The first bearing arrangement has a first pair of bearings from two bearing devices and the second bearing arrangement has a second pair of bearings from two bearing devices, each on a first side of the standing surface elements. Here, all four bearing devices of the two bearing pairs are mounted coaxially on the first side along a common axis and can be acted upon by the motor with a driving force. As a result, both footprint elements can be driven in a particularly simple manner via a common motor, as a result of which the manufacturing costs of the movement mechanism and of the vibration device can be reduced overall. In addition, the simple construction of the movement mechanism ensures low-maintenance and stable operation.

It is advantageous if the common axis is formed by a common drive shaft. This makes it possible to apply the torque generated by the motor to all four bearing devices simultaneously via the common drive shaft in order to generate a wobbling movement or vibration on the standing surface elements.

Advantageously, the four bearing devices each have a connecting rod which is mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft. This ensures a stable transmission of movement from the drive shaft to the bearing devices and from these to the base elements.

In addition, it is favorable if the connecting rod has a connecting rod eye at one end on the shaft side, which cooperates with an eccentric disk of the drive shaft. With this arrangement, the rotational movement of the drive shaft can be converted into a stable longitudinal movement the connecting rods are converted, which in turn can be used for the recurring deflection of the respective base element. By appropriately dimensioning the eccentricity of the eccentric disk, a desired amplitude of the recurring lifting and lowering movement of the standing surface elements can be set during operation of the vibration device.

Advantageously, the bearing devices of the first pair of bearings and the bearing devices of the second pair of bearings are each eccentrically held to one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing offset on the drive shaft. As a result of this bearing offset, the two bearing devices each of a pair of bearings produce mutually offset lifting and lowering movements, which leads to a wobbling movement of both standing surface elements both about the longitudinal axis and about the transverse axis. In this way, the muscles and the sense of balance of the user can be stimulated in a particularly effective manner.

It is advantageous if the bearing offset is 10 to 30 °, which stimulates the muscles and the sense of balance in a gentle manner.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the bearing devices of the two bearing pairs are held eccentrically on the drive shaft offset from one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing pair offset. In this way, wobbling movements offset to one another are generated on the two standing surface elements, which can further increase the stimulation of the muscles and the sense of balance of the user.

The bearing pair offset is advantageously adjustable, for example by means of an eccentric disc held adjustably within a connecting rod eye. As a result, the vibration device or the vibration behavior of the two standing surface elements can be set individually to one another depending on the application and user.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the bearing pair offset can be changed automatically, as a result of which the vibration behavior of the two standing surface elements changes with respect to one another over a period of use of the vibration device, in order to counteract a habituation effect of the user, particularly in the case of longer applications.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the bearing devices of the two bearing pairs have an offset of 10 to 30 ° to one another. An effective stimulation of the muscles can be achieved in this area, while the user can maintain a sufficiently stable position.

It is advantageous here if the four bearing devices have a ball joint on a base-side end of the respective connecting rod, on which the respective base element is rotatably mounted. As a result, the connection between the connecting rods and the standing surface elements has three degrees of freedom, as a result of which a trouble-free transmission of movement from the connecting rods to the standing surface elements can be ensured.

Advantageously, both the first standing surface element and the second standing surface element are held on a second side facing away from the first side via a ball bearing on the frame, as a result of which a particularly movable mounting of the standing surface elements is achieved during operation.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the ball bearing is rigidly connected to the frame on one side, so that only rotational movements and in particular no translatory movements occur on the frame. In this way, an area with an amplitude of approximately zero is provided on the ball bearings. As a result, a user, for example at the beginning of an application, can initially stand on the second surface in the area with low amplitude on the stand area elements. As soon as he has a secure footing or a secure footing, he can then move his feet in the direction of the first side of the footprint elements in order to expose his body to an increasingly greater amplitude. The ball bearings provided thus create a zone with greater stability on the second side, which can be used by the user for easier entry or for an interim recovery from the wobble movement.

It is pointed out that all of the features of the subject matter according to the invention described above are interchangeable or combinable, provided that an exchange or a combination thereof is not excluded for technical reasons.

Figur 1

eine Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Vibrationsvorrichtung,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung II aus Fig. 1,

Figur 3A

eine Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2,

Figur 3B

die Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2 bei einem vorgesehenen Versatz zwischen zwei Lagerpaaren von bis zu 90° und

Figur 3C

die Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2 bei einem vorgesehenen Versatz zwischen den Lagerpaaren von 180°.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the figures. Show it:

Figure 1

a plan view of a vibration device according to the invention,

Figure 2

a side view of the vibration device in the direction II Fig. 1 ,

Figure 3A

a front view of the vibrating device in the direction III Fig. 2 ,

Figure 3B

the front view of the vibrating device in direction III Fig. 2 with an intended offset between two pairs of bearings of up to 90 ° and

Figure 3C

the front view of the vibrating device in direction III Fig. 2 with an intended offset between the bearing pairs of 180 °.

The Figures 1 and 2 show a vibrating device 2 for generating recurring pivoting movements or wobbling movements on a first standing surface element 4 and a second standing surface element 6. A user can put his feet F on these to move his muscles and his balance organs through the movement of the vibrating device 2 for training or therapeutic purposes to stimulate.

The first standing surface element 4 is held by a first bearing arrangement 8 and the second standing surface element 6 by a second bearing arrangement 10 on a frame 12 which can be placed on a floor.

Both bearing arrangements 8, 10 each have three bearing devices L. Two of the three bearing devices L each form a first bearing pair 14 and a second bearing pair 16 on a first side S1 of the two standing surface elements 4, 6. The respective third bearing device L also forms a first ball bearing 18 or a second ball bearing 20, which is connected to one of the second side S2 of the respective base element 4, 6 facing away from the first side S1 is provided.

Both ball bearings 18, 20 on the second side S2 connect the respective base element 4, 6 directly to the frame 12, a rigid connection of one side of the ball bearing 18, 20 to the frame 12 and a likewise rigid connection of another side of the ball bearing 18, 20 is formed with the respective base element 4, 6. In this way, the amplitude of the ball bearing 18, 20 goes to zero during operation of the vibration device 2.

The two bearing pairs 14 and 16 are part of a movement mechanism which can be driven by a motor 22 and by means of which the two standing surface elements 4, 6 can be set into the desired wobble movement, in which they move both about a transverse axis AQ and about a respective longitudinal axis AL can be pivoted around repeatedly. Both the transverse axis AQ and the two longitudinal axes AL extend through the ball bearings 18, 20.

How especially out Figure 3A can be seen, the bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 each have a connecting rod 24 for this purpose, which forms a connecting rod eye 26 at one end on the shaft side, which cooperates with an eccentric disc 28. The four eccentric disks 28 are connected to a drive shaft 30 which is driven by the motor 22, as from Fig. 1 can be seen. As a result, the drive shaft 30 forms an axis A on which the four bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 are mounted jointly and coaxially and via which they can be subjected to a driving force or a driving torque M of the motor.

At each end of the connecting rods 24 on the base surface, ball bearings 32 are provided which, in operation, allow an undisturbed wobble movement between the base surface elements 4, 6 and the movement mechanism of the vibration device 2 due to their three degrees of freedom.

How from Figure 3A can also be seen, the bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 each have a bearing offset, which is, for example, between 10 and 30 ° and by the connecting rod 24 of the left bearing device L in the case of two standing surface elements 4, 6 higher at the time shown is deflected as the connecting rod 24 of the right bearing device. This bearing offset between the bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 results in a recurring pivoting movement of the two when the movement mechanism is driven Footprint elements 4, 6 generated about the respective longitudinal axis AL. Here, the two footprint elements 4, 6 are in the embodiment according to Figure 3A arranged parallel to each other at all times.

As an alternative to this, it is also possible for the first pair of bearings 14 to have a total of a pair of bearings offset in the direction of rotation D around the axis A compared to the second pair of bearings 16. As a result, the two footprint elements 4, 6, as in Fig. 3 B shown, pivoted offset to one another during operation of the vibration device 2. In this way, the reactions to be brought about by the muscles and the equilibrium organs of the user to compensate for the vibration or tumbling movements of the two standing surface elements 4, 6 can be increased still further, whereby the training effect can also be increased.

In this case, for example, an adjustability of the bearing pair offset can also be provided, for example by means of an eccentric disk 28 (not shown) that is adjustable relative to the connecting rod eye. In this way, the intensity of the movement of the vibration device 2 to be compensated by the user can be set individually, depending on the application and the user. It is also possible to change the bearing pair offset automatically during an application, for example by means of an electric actuator on the adjustable eccentric disc 28, which operates according to a predetermined control profile or according to a random principle (not shown). In this way, a habituation effect can be prevented by the same user, in particular in the case of longer applications or frequent use of the vibration device, by means of which the training effect or the muscle building could be reduced.

In a further alternative embodiment of the vibration device 2 according to the in Figure 3C shown time during an application, the first pair of bearings 14 is arranged in mirror image relative to the second pair of bearings 16. In this way, both footprint elements 4, 6 move in opposite directions during operation of the vibration device 2.

Irrespective of the orientation of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 to one another, a maximum amplitude occurs on the first side 1 of the two standing surface elements 4, 6 during operation of the vibration device, while on the Figures 1 and 2 illustrated second side S2 on the ball bearings 18, 20, the amplitude is zero.

The user thus has the possibility of starting an application, for example, by putting the feet on the second side S2 in order to initially expose his muscles and his sense of balance to a lower amplitude. By shifting his feet F in the direction of the first side S1, he can then automatically increase the intensity of the application depending on his own sensation.

It is pointed out that all the elements and features of the various embodiments of the subject matter according to the invention described above are interchangeable or combinable, provided that an exchange or a combination thereof is not excluded for technical reasons.

Claims (12)

Vibration device (2) for training and therapeutic applications
with a frame (12),
a first standing surface element (4) for placing a foot (F), which is movably held on the frame (12) via a first bearing arrangement (8), a second standing surface element (6) for fitting a further foot (F), which lies over a second Bearing arrangement (10) is movably held on the frame (12),
wherein both the first bearing arrangement (8) on the first standing surface element (4) and the second bearing arrangement (10) on the second standing surface element (6) each have three bearing devices (L), each with at least two degrees of freedom,
and a movement mechanism driven by a motor (22), by means of which a recurring pivoting movement can be generated both about a longitudinal axis (AL) and about a transverse axis (AQ) via the bearing arrangements (8, 10) on both standing surface elements (4, 6) ,
characterized in that the first bearing arrangement (8) has a first bearing pair (14) made up of two bearing devices (L) and the second bearing arrangement (10) has a second bearing pair (16) made up of two bearing devices (L) on a respective first side (S1) of the Has standing surface elements (4, 6) and all four bearing devices (L) are coaxially supported along a common axis (A) and can be acted upon by a driving force of the motor (22). Vibration device according to claim 1, characterized in that the common axis (A) is formed by a common drive shaft (30). Vibration device according to claim 2, characterized in that the four bearing devices (L) of the two bearing pairs (14, 16) each have a connecting rod (24) which is mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft (30). Vibration device according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting rod (24) has a connecting rod eye (26) at one end on the shaft side, which cooperates with an eccentric disc (28) of the drive shaft (30). Vibration device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the bearing devices (L) of the first pair of bearings (14) and the bearing devices (L) of the second pair of bearings (16) are each eccentrically held to one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing offset on the drive shaft (30) are. Vibration device according to claim 5, characterized in that the bearing offset is 10 to 30 °. Vibration device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the two bearing pairs (14, 16) are held eccentrically on the drive shaft (30) offset from one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing pair offset. Vibration device according to claim 7, characterized in that the bearing pair offset is adjustable. Vibration device according to claim 8, characterized in that the bearing pair offset can be changed automatically. Vibration device according to one of Claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the four bearing devices (L) of the two bearing pairs (14, 16) have a ball joint (32) on one end of the respective connecting rod (24) on which the respective standing surface element ( 4, 6) is rotatably mounted. Vibration device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that both the first standing surface element (4) and the second standing surface element (6) each on a second side (S2) facing away from the first side (S1) via a ball bearing (18, 20) are held on the frame (12). Vibration device according to claim 11, characterized in that the ball bearing (18, 20) is rigidly connected to the frame (12).

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