Apparatus for digitally displaying muscle strength

• US 4,307,608 A
• Filed: 01/14/1980
• Issued: 12/29/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fitness Motivation Institute of America
• Original Assignee: Fitness Motivation Institute of America
• Inventors: Useldinger, Ronald E., Byerly, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruehl, Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US06/112,120
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 73/379, 73/380, 73/141 R, 73/141 A, 73/139, 73/770, 73/862.53, 324/99 D, 272/125, 272/135, 272/137, 272/141, 272/142
• US Class Current: 73/379.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2256 involving digital counting

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an apparatus for digitally displaying muscle strength. This apparatus measures the output of a load cell under tension or compression and presents a digital readout of the force applied to the load cell in pounds. This apparatus features among other things an analog output which is linearly related to force in pounds for driving a chart recorder, a digital readout of force in pounds and a memory feature which permits retention of the peak value in pounds as a number readout until such time as the result is cancelled at the press of a button.

Claims

1. A digital strength meter apparatus for measuring human strength comprising, in combination, means for converting each one of an applied human compressive and human tensive force to an electrical signal, gripping means coupled to said converting means for applying said force to said converting means, peak detector means electrically coupled to said converting means for retaining a signal representative of the maximum force applied to said gripping means, and digital readout means electrically coupled to said peak detector means for digitally displaying in units of force per digit unit the peak force applied to said converting means by said gripping means.

2. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for converting an applied force to an electrical signal comprises a load cell.

3. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gripping means comprises at least one handgrip member.

4. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said gripping means comprises two handgrip members.

5. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for converting an applied force to an electrical signal comprises a load cell.

6. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said converting means comprises amplifier means for amplifying said electrical signal, and said digital readout means comprises digital voltmeter means coupled to said amplifier means for converting the amplified signal received from said amplifier means from an analog signal to a digital signal.

7. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including analog electrical output means coupled to said amplifier means for driving a strip chart graphic recorder.

8. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including means for adjusting the zero point of said digital readout means.

9. A digital strength meter apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said peak detector means comprises switching means for cancelling the digital readouts displayed by said digital readout means.