Body balance board and method of exercise therefor

• US 4,759,542 A
• Filed: 02/03/1986
• Issued: 07/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald P. Hudec
• Original Assignee: Donald P. Hudec
• Inventors: Hudec, Donald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CROW, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US06/825,550
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 272/96, 272/97, 272/111, 272/93, 272/146, 272/54-56, 128/57
• US Class Current: 482/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/14 Platforms for reciprocating rotating motion about a vertical axis , e.g. axis through the middle of the platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/16 Platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis , e.g. axis through the middle of the platform; Balancing drums; Balancing boards or the like exercising apparatus with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0056; other exercising apparatus for improving balance A63B26/003

Abstract

A device and method for concomitently correlating cerebral, neural and muscular reflexes by rocking on an upper portion having a top surface dimensioned to address and receive the planar portion of a person'"'"'s foot having a fulcrum coacting against a bottom surface of the upper portion along a central area thereof, to allow a rocking motion of upper portion about the fulcrum and a pivot to variably orient the fulcrum with respect to the upper portion to vary the axis of rotation. A lower portion is also provided to vary the range of rocking.

Claims

1. A device for concomitantly correlating cerebral, neural and muscular reflexes comprising in combination:

an upper portion means having a top surface dimensioned to address and receive the plantar portion of a person'"'"'s foot,

a substantially cylindrical fulcrum means positioned substantially transversely of the upper portion means and coacting against a bottom surface of said upper portion means along a central area thereof, whereby a horizontal axis of rocking is provided to allow a rocking motion of said upper portion means about said fulcrum means, and means to variably orient said fulcrum means with respect to said upper portion means about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane to vary the axis of rocking of said upper portion means about said fulcrum means;

wherein said fulcrum means is attached to a bottom surface of said upper portion means via a vertical pivot pin disposed substantially at the center of the bottom surface of said upper portion means.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a lower base portion underlies said upper portion means and alters the degree of rocking motion obtainable through said upper portion means and fulcrum means alone.

3. A device for concomitantly correlating cerebral, neural and muscular reflexes comprising in combination:

an upper portion means having a top surface dimensioned to address and receive the plantar portion of a person'"'"'s foot,

fulcrum means coacting against a bottom surface of the upper portion means along a central area thereof, to allow a rocking motion of the upper portion means and about the fulcrum means, and means to variably orient to the fulcrum means with respect to the upper portion means to vary the axis the axis of rocking of the upper portion means about the fulcrum means,

wherein the fulcrum means is attached to a bottom surface of said upper portion means via a pivot pin disposed substantially at the center of the bottom surface of the upper portion means,

wherein a lower base portion underlies the upper portion means and alters the degree of rocking motion obtainable through the upper portion means and fulcrum means alone, and

wherein the lower portion is embodied as a rectangular mass having an upper surface provided with first and second troughs oriented thereon in a substantially cruciform shape, the first trough having a greater depth than the second trough, whereby corners of the lower portion form upwardly extending mesas and the fulcrum means when placed in either of the said first or second troughs will thereby alter the rocking motion due to displacement of the upper portion means further from the ground supporting surface.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said fulcrum means is embodied as a substantially elongate cylindrical rod member having one portion of a side wall truncated, thereby forming a planar surface parallel to but radially offset from a diametral plane, said flat portion placed in pivotal registry with a bottom surface of said upper portion means.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said fulcrum means is formed from an elongate cylindrical rod member having one portion of a side wall truncated, thereby forming a planar surface parallel to a diametral disposed plane but radially offset therefrom, said flat portion placed diametrically opposed from said upper portion means, and

an arcuate surface of said cylindrical rod member pivoted to a bottom surface of said upper portion means via a flexible pivot including a downwardly extending threaded screw having an enlarged head passing through said upper portion means adapted to coact with a sleeve having an internal thread pitch complemental to said threaded screw stem, said sleeve encased in a downwardly extending cylindrical elastomeric material having an enlarged head fixed in said rod, whereby articulation occurs about said cylindrical elastomeric material located where said rod and upper portion meet.

6. A body balance board comprising in combination:

an upper portion means having a substantially cylindrical fulcrum means positioned substantially transversely of the upper portion, whereby a horizontal axis of rocking is provided and pivotally attached to a bottom surface thereof, so that said fulcrum means can rotate about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane in a full 360°

range to vary the axis of rocking of said upper portion means about the fulcrum means, and a lower base portion placed beneath said upper portion means to vary the range of rocking.

7. A body balance board comprising in combination:

an upper portion means having a fulcrum means pivotally attached to a bottom surface thereof, so that said fulcrum means can rotate in a full 360°

range and vary the axis of rocking of said upper portion, and a lower base portion placed beneath said upper portion means to vary the range of rocking,

wherein said fulcrum means is attached to a bottom surface of said upper portion means via a pivot pin disposed substantially at the center bottom surface of said upper portion means, and

wherein the lower portion is embodied as a rectangular mass having an upper surface provided with first and second troughs oriented thereon in a substantially cruciform shape, the first trough having a greater depth than the second trough, whereby corners of the lower portion form upwardly extending mesas, and the fulcrum means when placed in either of the the first of second troughs will thereby alter the rocking motion due to displacement of the upper portion means further from the ground supporting surface.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said fulcrum is embodied as a substantially elongate cylindrical rod member having one portion of a side wall truncated, thereby forming a planar surface parallel to but radially offset from a diametral plane, said flat portion placed in pivotal registry with a bottom surface of said upper portion means.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said fulcrum means is formed from an elongated cylindrical rod member having one portion of a side wall truncated, thereby forming a planar surface parallel to a diametral plane radially offset therefrom, said flat portion placed diametrically opposed from said upper portion means, and

an arcuate surface of said cylindrical rod member pivoted to a bottom surface of said upper portion means via a flexible pivot including a downwardly extending threaded screw having an enlarged head passing through said upper portion means adapted to coact with a sleeve having an internal thread pitch complemental to said threaded screw stem, said sleeve encased in a downwardly extended cylindrical elastomeric material having an enlarged head fixed in said rod, whereby articulation occurs about said cylindrical elastomeric material located where said rod and upper portion meet.

10. A method of exercise including the steps of:

taking a balancing board upper portion and variably orienting an underlying substantially cylindrical fulcrum about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane with respect to the upper portion to selectively vary the axis of rocking of said upper portion about the fulcrum, including placing an underlying lower base portion strategically adjacent said upper portion substantially transversely thereof to alter the range of rocking, further providing the lower portion with a cruciform shaped trough having first and second troughs of different depths, the method of exercise including placing a foot on a top surface of said upper portion and rocking and holding an extreme position and for a time interval about a pre-selected axis of rotation while initially benefitting by balancing with the other foot on a suitable surface.

11. The method of claim 10, including placing said lower portion immediately beneath a leading edge of said upper portion.

12. The method of claim 10, including the step of placing the lower portion immediately adjacent and underlying a trailing edge of said upper portion.

13. The method of claim 12, including the step of orienting the lesser depth trough immediately underlying the fulcrum.

14. The method of claim 12, including the step of placing the greater depth trough in registry immediately underlying the fulcrum.

15. An exercise device intended to correlate the reflexes of a person using the device, comprising a first portion having a top surface adapted to support only one foot of the person using the device, a second portion disposed below the first portion and adapted to rest upon the floor, a substantially cylindrical third portion disposed between the first and second portions such that the first portion has a limiting rocking movement with respect to the second portion about a horizontal axis of rocking with respect to the third portion, vertical pin means pivoting the third portion to the first portion about a vertical axis, such that the first portion may be pivoted relative to the third position about the vertical axis and in a horizontal plane to an alternate position prior to use of the exercise device, thereby varying the axis of rocking of the first portion relative to the third portion, and means associated with the second portion for varying the degree of rocking movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion about the horizontal axis and in a vertical plane.

16. An exercise device intended to correlate the reflexes of a person using the device, comprising a first portion in the form of an elongated board having a top surface adapted to support only one foot of the person using the device, a second portion disposed below the board and adapted to rest upon the floor, a third portion comprising a substantially cylindrical member disposed between the first and second portions and adapted to be supported upon the second portion, the member having a substantially flat truncated portion in contact with one of the first and second portions, the member being arranged substantially transversely of the first portion, whereby the first portion may have a limited rocking movement with respect to the second portion about a horizontal axis and in a vertical plane, and vertical pin means for pivoting the position of the first portion about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane with respect to the member prior to use of the device, whereby the horizontal axis about which the first portion rocks may be varied.