Power tester

• US 6,672,157 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Inventors: Visser, Mary, Athinarayanan, Ragu, MacFarlane, Pamela, Mirman, Clifford
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US10/115,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20020139185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 733/790.1, 733/790.2, 733/790.3, 733/790.6, 733/790.7, 733/790.8, 733/790.9
• US Class Current: 73/379.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• 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

Abstract

There is provided a method of testing power in an individual by measuring the amount of time it takes to move an object from one location to a second location and calculating the power based on the time it took to move to object. Also provided is a power tester including a sensor device for sensing movement of a weight between at least two points, measuring device for measuring time for weight to move between at least two points, and a calculating device for automatically calculating power based upon the measurements.

Claims

1. A power tester comprising:

sensor means for sensing movement of a mass between at least two points;

measuring means for measuring time for the mass to move between said at least two points, said measuring means beginning the measurement when the mass moves past the first point and stopping when the mass moves past the second point; and

calculating means for automatically calculating power based upon the measurements.

2. The power tester according to claim 1, further including cueing means for cueing said sensor means of initial movement of the mass.

3. The power tester according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means includes a trigger selected from the group consisting essentially of whiskers, a beam of light, and an electronic sensitive eye reflector.

4. The power tester according to claim 1, wherein said power tester is portable.

5. The power tester according to claim 1, wherein said power tester includes energy means operably connected to said power tester for providing energy to said power tester.

6. The power tester according to claim 5, wherein said energy means are selected from the group consisting essentially of batteries and an AC/DC connection.

7. The power tester according to claim 1, wherein said calculating means is a computer program for calculating power.

8. The power tester according to claim 1, wherein said power tester 10 includes an isokinetic machine for testing power.

9. A method of testing power in an individual by measuring the amount of time it takes to move an object from one location to a second location when the individual is cued electronically to do so, said measuring step including cuing an individual to move a mass past a first point thereby starting the measuring and stopping the measuring when the mass passes a second point, and calculating the power based on the time it took to move to object.