Precessional exercising device

• US 4,703,928 A
• Filed: 01/28/1987
• Issued: 11/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gyro-Flex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gyro-Flex Corporation
• Inventors: Escher, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bender, D.
• Application Number:
  US07/007,752
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 128/36, 128/35, 128/25 B, 128/25 R, 74/5.22, 74/5.4, 74/64, 248/183, 272/128, 272/129, 272/132, 272/133, 272/140, 272/146, 272/96, 272/143, 446/233
• US Class Current: 482/110
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00061 Replaceable resistance units of different strengths, e.g. for swapping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/22 Resisting devices with rotary bodies A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/222 by overcoming gyroscopic forces, e.g. by turning the spin axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4025 Resistance devices worn on the user's body A63B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/08 for ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1218 Combined

Abstract

A precessional foot exercising device utilizing a housing containing a spinning mass which forms the rotor of a motor for spinning the mass. The spin axis of the mass is perpendicular to upper and lower surfaces of the housing. A foot plate receives the foot to be exercised. The foot plate is mounted for rotation about two mutually orthogonal axes to provide two degrees of rotational freedom of the foot. The housing is coupled to the foot plate so that the upper and lower surfaces of the housing and therefore the spin axis are rotated by rotation of the foot plate caused by rotation of the foot detachably secured thereto. Rotational movement of the foot is opposed by the gyroscopic effect of the spinning mass, producing an isometric exercise effect when the foot plate is rotated by muscles of the foot while the precessional torque of the spinning mass is opposed by other muscles of the foot.

Claims

1. A device for exercising the muscles associated with the foot by resisting precession torque generated by the device, comprising:

a housing;

bearing means within the housing;

a mass within the housing and supported by said bearing means for rotation about a spin axis, said mass being dynamically balanced about said spin axis;

means for rotating said mass about the spin axis;

frame means having housing support bearing means supporting said housing for rotation about a first axis coaxial with said housing support bearing means and perpendicular to said spin axis;

a foot support member;

means for detachably securing a foot to said foot support member;

said frame means having foot support member bearing means supporting said foot support member for rotation about a foot support member axis parallel to said first axis;

a support;

said frame means being mounted to said support for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis and said foot support member axis and passing through the centroid of mass of said housing; and

transmission means connected between the foot support member and the housing for bidirectionally coupling angular rotation of the foot support member about the foot support member axis to angular rotation of the housing about the first axis through a corresponding angle proportional to the angle of rotation of the foot support member;

whereby a leg secured to the foot support member may be exercised by rotating the foot support member about foot support member axis and resisting the resulting torque applied to said foot support member about said foot support member axis and second axis due to the generation of precessional torque by said mass.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means comprises a first wheel mounted for rotation with said housing about said first axis, a second wheel mounted for rotation with said foot support member aoout said foot support member axis, and an endless belt or chain interconnecting said wheels.

3. A device for exercising the muscles associated with the leg by resisting precession torque generated by the device, comprising:

first and second housings;

bearing means within each of said housings;

a mass within each of said housings and supported by the corresponding bearing means for rotation about a corresponding spin axis, each said mass being dynamically balanced about the corresponding spin axis;

6. The device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said mass rotating means is adapted to rotate said masses in the same direction.

4. means fcr rotating each said mass about the corresponding spin axis;

a foot support member having first and second extensions with a foot receiving portion therebetween;

said first and second housings being mounted on said first and second extensions respectively, with the spin axes of said masses parallel to each other;

means for detachably securing a foot to said foot receiving portion of said foot support member;

a first support member having foot support member bearing means supporting said foot support member for rotation about a first axis perpendicular to said spin axes; and

a second support member having first support member bearing means supporting said first support member for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to first axis and said spin axes;

whereby a log secured to the foot receiving portion of the foot support member may be exercised by rotating the foot support member about at least one of said first and second axes and resisting the resulting torque applied to said foot support member about the other of said first and second axes due to the generation of precessional torque by said masses.

5. A device for exercising the muscles associated with a movable part of the body by resisting precession torque generated by the device, comprising:

first and second housings;

bearing means within each of said housings;

a mass within each of said housings and supported by the corresponding bearing means for rotation about a corresponding spin axis, each said mass being dynamically balanced about the corresponding spin axis;

means for rotating each of said mass about the corresponding spin axis;

a body portion support member having first and second extensions with a movable body part receiving portion therebetween;

said first and second housings being mounted on said first and second extensions respectively, with the spin axes of said masses parallel to each other;

means for detachably securing a movable part of the body to said movable body part receiving portion of said body portion support member;

a first support member having body portion support member bearing means supporting said body portion support member for rotation about a first axis perpendicular to said spin axes; and

a second support member having first support member bearing means supporting said first support member for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to first axis and said spin axes;

whereby a movable part of the body secured to the movable body part receiving portion of the body portion support member may be exercised by rotating the body portion support member about at least one of said first and second axes and resisting the resulting torque applied to said body portion support member about the other of said first and second axes due to the generation of precessional torque by said masses.

7. A device for exercising the muscles associated with a movable part of the body by resisting precession torque generated by the device, comprising:

at least one housing;

bearing means within said housing;

a mass within said housing and supported by said bearing means for rotation about a corresponding spin axis, said mass being dynamically balanced about said spin axis;

means for rotating said mass about said spin axis;

body portion support means having a movable body part receiving portion;

said housing being mounted on said body portion support means;

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means for detachably securing a movable part of the body to said movable body part receiving portion of said body portion support means;

a first support member haaving body portion support means bearing means supporting said body portion support means for rotation about a first axis perpendicular to said spin axis; and

a second support member having first support member bearing means supporting said first support member for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to first axis and said spin axes;

whereby a movable part of the body secured to the movable body part receiving portion of the body portion support means may be exercised by rotating the body portion support means about at least one of said first and second axes and resisting the resulting torque applied to said body portion support means about the other of said first and second axes due to the generation of precessional torque by said masses.

8. A device for exercising the muscles associated with the foot by resisting precession torque generated by the device comprising:

a support;

an intermediate supporting structure comprising an intermediate supporting member mounted on said support for rotation about at least one axis;

a housing;

bearing means within the housing;

a mass within the housing and supported by said bearing means for rotation about a spin axis, said mass being dynamically balanced about said spin axis;

means for rotating said mass about the spin axis;

connecting means for connecting said housing to said intermediate supporting structure and for rotatably supporting said housing such that said housing is rotatable relative to said intermediate supporting member only about a first axis and a second axis, said first axis passing through the centroid of mass of said housing and perpendicular to said spin axis, said second axis passing through the centroid of mass of said housing and perpendicular to both said spin axis and said first axis;

a foot plate haaving an axis of rotation parallel to said first axis, said foot plate being mounted on said intermediate supporting structure for rotation about two mutually orthogonal axes, one of said orthogonal axes being spaced apart from said first axis;

means for securing a foot to said foot plate; and

coupling means operatively associated with said intermediate supporting structure for bidirectionally linking said actuator means to said housing, so that (i) angular rotation of said actuator means about two mutually orthogonal axes results in corresponding angular rotation of said housing about said first and second axes respectively, and (ii) any precessional torque generated by said mass about said first and second axes is coupled to said actuator means so as to apply corresponding amounts of torque to said actuator means about respective ones of said mutually orthogonal axes;

whereby the foot may be exercised by rotating the foot plate about said mutually orthogonal axes and resisting the resulting torque applied to said foot plate about said mutually orthogonal axes via said coupling means due to the generation of precessional torque by said mass.