Balance training apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the balance training of athletes, and which is particularly adapted for use in training for downhill skiing, and comprisinga base adapted to rest upon a horizontal supporting surface,a foot plate upon which the athlete is adapted to stand,means supporting said foot plate in spaced relation above said base, said supporting means including resilient means joining said base and foot plate and disposed in a generally circular arrangement around the central portion of the foot plate, anddrive means for imparting continuous irregular tilting movement of said foot plate relative to said base, whereby an athlete standing upon said foot plate is required to continuously adjust to the changing inclination of the foot plate, said drive means including a circular cam plate defining an irregularly undulating cam surface which is disposed between said base and said foot plate and coaxially about said central portion of said foot plate, with said cam plate being fixed to one of either said base or said foot plate, and cam follower means disposed between said cam surface and the other of said base or said foot plate, and means for drivingly moving said cam follower means in a circular path of travel along said cam surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for the balance training of athletes, such as downhill skiers, is disclosed, and which comprises a base adapted to rest upon the floor, and a foot plate mounted in spaced relation above the base. The foot plate and base are interconnected by a plurality of springs disposed in a circular arrangement around the center of the foot plate so as to permit tilting of the foot plate relative to the base in all directions. Drive means is also provided for imparting a continuous irregular tilting movement to the foot plate, and which includes an electric motor, a vertical centerpost connected to the output of the motor, an undulating cam plate fixed to the underside of the foot plate, and a follower fixed to the centerpost. Thus upon operation of the motor, the centerpost is rotated and a continuous irregular tilting movement is imparted to the foot plate.
69 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for the balance training of athletes, and which is particularly adapted for use in training for downhill skiing, and comprising
a base adapted to rest upon a horizontal supporting surface, a foot plate upon which the athlete is adapted to stand, means supporting said foot plate in spaced relation above said base, said supporting means including resilient means joining said base and foot plate and disposed in a generally circular arrangement around the central portion of the foot plate, and drive means for imparting continuous irregular tilting movement of said foot plate relative to said base, whereby an athlete standing upon said foot plate is required to continuously adjust to the changing inclination of the foot plate, said drive means including a circular cam plate defining an irregularly undulating cam surface which is disposed between said base and said foot plate and coaxially about said central portion of said foot plate, with said cam plate being fixed to one of either said base or said foot plate, and cam follower means disposed between said cam surface and the other of said base or said foot plate, and means for drivingly moving said cam follower means in a circular path of travel along said cam surface.
-
4. An apparatus for the balance training of athletes, and which is particularly adapted for use in training for downhill skiing, and comprising
a base adapted to rest upon a horizontal supporting surface, a circular foot plate upon which the athlete is adapted to stand, means supporting said foot plate in spaced relation above said base, said supporting means including resilient means joining said base and foot plate along at least a plurality of locations disposed in a generally circular arrangement around the center of the foot plate, and drive means for imparting continuous irregular tilting movement of said foot plate relative to said base, said drive means including an electric motor mounted to said base, an upwardly directed centerpost defining an axis which perpendicularly intersects the center of said foot plate, means operatively interconnecting the output of said electric motor to said centerpost, means interconnecting the upper end of said centerpost to said foot plate so as to permit rotation of said centerpost relative to said foot plate and tilting movement of said foot plate relative to said base, a circular cam plate defining an irregularly undulating cam surface which is disposed between said base and said foot plate and coaxially about said center of said foot plate, with said cam plate being fixed to one of either said base or said foot plate, and cam follower means disposed between said cam surface and the other of said base and said foot plate, and means operatively interconnecting said centerpost to said cam follower means such that operation of said motor causes the centerpost to rotate and the cam follower means to move along a circular path of travel along said cam surface, and whereby an athlete standing upon said foot plate is required to continuously adjust to the changing inclination of the foot plate.
Specification