Method and Device for Providing a Bio-Feedback on a Muscle Trainer

• US 20100302250A1
• Filed: 08/23/2008
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medica Medizintechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Medica Medizintechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Hoebel, Otto
• Granted Patent: US 8,917,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/221 Ergometry, e.g. by using bicycle type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0652 Visualisation or indication relating to symmetrical exercise, e.g. right-left performance related to spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0005 with particular movement of the arms provided by handles moving otherwise than pivoting about a horizontal axis parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0007 by alternatively exercising arms or legs, e.g. with a single set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

In a method for controlling a display device on a muscle trainer equipped with at least one force sensor for sensing a person'"'"'s periodic or sustained muscular force, in which display device a currently applied muscular force is depicted in relation to a target muscular force or to a maximum muscular force, and the display device is controlled such that a force queried by the patient is always depicted in a predefined target area of a panel in the display device, a multifunctional performance profile of a trainee is achieved in a clear and rapidly recognized manner in that the target muscular force is depicted by a first panel of predefined area and the currently applied muscular force is depicted by a second, variable panel positioned within the first panel, and the area of said second panel is caused to change according to a specific relationship to the currently applied muscular force.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display device (101, 103, 104) of a muscle trainer equipped with at least one force sensor (150) for sensing a person'"'"'s periodic or sustained muscular force, and in the display device (101, 103, 104) a currently applied muscular force is depicted in relation to a target muscular force or a maximum muscular force and the display device (101) is controlled such that a force queried by the patient is always depicted in a specific target region of a panel in the display device (101), characterized in that the target muscular force is depicted by a first panel (110) of predefined area and the currently applied muscular force is depicted by a second, variable panel (120) positioned within the first panel (110), and the area of said second panel (120) is caused to change according to a specific relationship to the currently applied muscular force.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the change in the area of said second panel (120) is linearly proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the change in the area of said second panel (120) is quadratically proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) increases proportionally to the currently applied muscular force.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) decreases proportionally to the currently applied muscular force.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) is equal to the statistical deviation, known as variance, of a time-averaged currently applied muscular force.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that when the currently applied muscular force increases to a maximum muscular force, the first panel (110) of predefined fixed area is completely covered by said second, variable panel (120).

8. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area has a coloration that differs from that of said second, variable panel (120).

9. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area is rectangular in shape and said second, variable panel (120) is positioned at the center of said first panel (110) and is likewise rectangular in shape.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area is circular in shape and said second, variable panel (120) is positioned at the center of said first panel (110) and is likewise circular in shape.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said force sensor (150) is formed by a crank (151) to be actuated manually or by foot pressure.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the target muscular force or a maximum muscular force is depicted by the height or width of a first panel (110) of predefined fixed area and the currently applied muscular force is depicted by a second panel (120) which is positioned within said first panel (110) and which is caused to move according to a specific relationship to the currently applied muscular force in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction of said first panel (110).

13. The method as defined in claim 12, characterized in that the movement of said second panel (120) in the vertical direction (y) or in the horizontal direction (x) of said first panel (110) is linearly proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, characterized in that when the currently applied muscular force increases from a minimum muscular force to the maximum muscular force, the second panel (120) is caused to move from a first border (111) region of said first panel (110) in the vertical direction (y) or in the horizontal direction (x) of said first panel (110) toward a second border region (112) opposed to said first border region (111) of said first panel (110).

15. The method as defined in claim 12, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area has a coloration that differs from that of said second panel (120).

16. The method as defined in claim 12, characterized in that said first panel (110) is divided into one or more distinguishable sectors, of which each sector represents a predefined standard range.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, characterized in that said force sensor (150) is formed by a crank (151) adapted to be actuated manually or by foot pressure and provided with an angle-measuring sensor adapted to sense an angular position, and within said first panel (110) there is provided a third, displaceable panel (130) which is caused to move in a direction at right angles to said second panel (120) through a distance depending on the angular position of said crank (151).

18. The method as defined in claim 17, characterized in that when said crank (151) is actuated evenly, said third panel (130) is caused to move at a constant speed between two opposing assigned border regions (113, 114).

19. The method as defined in claim 17, characterized in that when the crank (151) is actuated evenly, said third panel (130) is caused to move between two opposing assigned border regions (113, 114) with a speed profile corresponding to a harmonic oscillation.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, characterized in that said third panel (130) is caused to move unidirectionally.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, characterized in that said third panel (130) is caused to reciprocate bidirectionally.

22. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a resistance counteracting the muscular force being applied by a trainee is constant over time.

23. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a resistance counteracting the muscular force being applied by a trainee is proportional to, but acts contrary to, the muscular force applied.

24. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that time-variable default requirements for a muscular force to be applied to the muscle trainer and changing over time are provided by means of operational speeds varying over time during muscle training sessions.

25. A device for controlling a display device (101, 103, 104) of a muscle trainer equipped with at least one force sensor (150) for sensing a person'"'"'s periodic or sustained muscular force, wherein in the display device (101, 103, 104) a currently applied muscular force can be depicted in relation to a target muscular force or a maximum muscular force and the display device (101, 103, 104) can be controlled such that a force queried by the patient can be depicted in a specific target region in a panel of said display device (101), characterized in that the target muscular force can be depicted by a first panel (110) of predefined area and the currently applied muscular force can be depicted by a second, variable panel (120) positioned within said first panel (110), and the area of said second panel (120) can be caused to change according to a specific relationship to the currently applied muscular force.

26. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that the change in area of said second panel (120) is linearly proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

27. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that the change in area of said second panel (120) is quadratically proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

28. The device (200) as defined in any one of claim 25, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) increases proportionally to the currently applied muscular force.

29. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) decreases proportionally to the currently applied muscular force.

30. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that the area of said second panel (120) is equal to the statistical deviation, known as variance, of a time-averaged currently applied muscular force.

31. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that when there is an increase in the currently applied muscular force to a maximum muscular force, the first panel (110) of predefined fixed area is completely covered by said second, variable panel (120).

32. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area has a coloration that differs from that of said second, variable panel (120).

33. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area is rectangular in shape and said second, variable panel (120) is positioned at the center of said first panel (110) and is likewise rectangular in shape.

34. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that said first panel (110) of a predefined fixed area is circular in shape and said second, variable panel (120) is positioned at the center of said first panel (110) and is likewise circular in shape.

35. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that said force sensor (150) is formed by a crank (151) to be actuated manually or by foot pressure.

36. The device (200) as defined in claim 25, characterized in that the target muscular force or a maximum muscular force is depicted by the height or width of a first panel (110) of predefined fixed area and the currently applied muscular force is depicted by a second panel (120) which is positioned within said first panel (110) and which can be caused to move in a specific relationship to the currently applied muscular force in the vertical direction (y) or in the horizontal direction (x) of said first panel (110).

37. The device (200) as defined in claim 36, characterized in that the movement of said second panel (120) in the vertical direction (y) or in the horizontal direction (x) of said first panel (110) is linearly proportional to the currently applied muscular force.

38. The device (200) as defined in claim 36, characterized in that when there is an increase in the currently applied muscular force from a minimum muscular force to the maximum muscular force, the second panel (120) can be caused to move from a first border region (113) of said first panel (110) in the vertical direction (y) or in the horizontal direction (x) of said first panel (110) toward a second border region (114) of said first panel (110) which is opposed to said first border region (113).

39. The device (200) as defined in claim 36, characterized in that said first panel (110) of predefined fixed area has a coloration that differs from that of said second panel (120).

40. The device (200) as defined in claim 36, characterized in that said force sensor (150) is formed by a crank (151) which is to be actuated manually or by foot pressure and is provided with an angle-measuring sensor (141) for sensing an angular position, and within said first panel (110) there is provided a third, displaceable panel (130) which can be caused to move in a direction at right angles to said second panel (120) depending on the angular position of said crank (151).

41. The device (200) as defined in claim 40, characterized in that when the crank is actuated evenly, said third panel (130) can be caused to move at a constant speed between two opposing assigned border regions (113, 114).

42. The device (200) as defined in claim 40, characterized in that when the crank is actuated evenly, said third panel (130) can be caused to move between two opposing assigned border regions (113, 114) with a speed profile corresponding to a harmonic oscillation.

43. The device (200) as defined in claim 40, characterized in that said third panel (130) can be caused to move unidirectionally.

44. The device (200) as defined in claim 40, characterized in that said third panel (130) can be caused to reciprocate bidirectionally.

45. The method as defined in claim 25, characterized in that said first panel (110) can be divided into one or more distinguishable sectors, of which each sector represents a predefined standard range.