Heart rate monitors and displays for climbing walls

• US 7,381,154 B1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everlast Climbing Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Everlast Climbing Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Mrvos, Mertyce, Sudeith, Timothy S., Helke, Lyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C.
• Application Number:
  US11/286,458
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 482 35- 37, 482/51, 482/52, 482 1- 9, 482 53- 57
• US Class Current: 482/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/04 Constructional details of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0048 for mountaineering, e.g. climbing-walls, grip elements for climbing-walls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A heart rate monitor assembly for use in a climbing wall assembly. The assembly includes heart rate monitor devices and heart rate display units for climbers. The monitors, display devices, and pulse sensors may be incorporated into the climbing wall structure, hand holds, and/or the wall or route plates mounted on the climbing wall.

Claims

1. A monitor device for a climbing wall assembly comprising:

a) a climbing wall structure having a plurality of hand holds extending therefrom;

b) at least one said hand holds having a body structure with a sensor device to detect a climber'"'"'s body function data, said sensor device being constructed to monitor the heart rate of the climber; and

c) a display device located on said climbing wall structure showing the body function data, said display device being constructed to show the heart rate of the climber.

2. The monitor device of claim 1, wherein said body structure of said at least one hand hold includes a flat mounting surface and a curved grabbing surface and wherein said sensor device has a sensing surface, said sensing surface being generally flush with and integral said curved grabbing surface of said handhold body so that a climber contacts the curved sensing surface when grabbing said handhold.

3. The monitor device of claim 2, wherein said sensor device is mounted to the exterior surface of the hand hold.

4. The monitor device of claim 1, wherein a wall plate structure is mounted to said climbing wall structure and wherein said display device is contained in said wall plate structure.

5. The monitor device of claim 1, wherein a computer device is provided to record, store and analyze the body function data of the climber.

6. The monitor device of claim 5, wherein said computer device has input means for receiving a high and low limit of a climber'"'"'s body function data and wherein an alarm is provided when either the high or low limit is reached.

7. The monitor device of claim 1, wherein a chest or wrist strap having a sensor and transmitter is provided for use by the climber to monitor the climber'"'"'s body functions.

8. The monitor device of claim 1, wherein said at least one hand hold has a cavity and a protrusion and wherein said display device is positioned in said cavity and wherein a wrist watch with a sensor and display is positioned about said protrusion.

9. A heart rate sensing and display system for use with a climbing wall assembly comprising:

a) a climbing wall assembly having an exterior wall surface and at least one hand hold structure thereon having a body having a generally flat mounting surface and a curved grabbing surface extending therefrom, said curved grabbing surface having a contour;

b) heart rate sensing means for sensing a user'"'"'s pulse data which produces a signal containing sensed pulse data, said heart rate sensing means being located on said at least one hand hold and having a sensing surface which is generally flush with and having generally the same contour as said curved grabbing surface of said at least one handhold; and

c) heart rate display means located either on said exterior wall surface of said climbing wall assembly or on at least one hand hold visible to the climber, said heart rate display means receiving said signal containing said sensed pulse data and displaying said sensed pulse data.

10. The heart rate sensing and display system of claim 9, wherein said system further includes a heart rate sensing means located on a watch worn by a user.

11. The heart rate sensing and display system of claim 9, wherein said climbing wall assembly further includes a wall plate and wherein said heart rate sensing means is located on said wall plate.

12. The heart rate sensing and display system of claim 9, wherein said climbing wall assembly further includes a wall plate and wherein said heart rate display means is located on said wall plate.

13. The heart rate sensing and display system of claim 9, wherein said heart rate display means is located on a wall panel of said climbing wall assembly.

14. The heart rate sensing and display system of claim 9, wherein a computer interface system is utilized to aggregate a climber'"'"'s heart rate data over time.

15. A monitoring and display system for climbing wall assemblies comprising:

a) a climbing wall structure having a plurality of hand holds defining at least one climbing route having a beginning and an end;

b) a sensor structure incorporated into at least two said hand holds, said sensor structure being constructed and arranged to detect body function data of a climber and having signal transmitting means;

c) a display structure incorporated into either said climbing wall structure or at least one said hand hold structure, said display structure being constructed and arranged to receive a signal from said sensor structure transmitting means to visually show said body function data; and

d) a computer device to record, store and analyze said body function data and having input means for receiving a high and low limit of a climber'"'"'s body function data and wherein an alarm is provided when either said high or low limit is reached.

16. The monitoring and display system of claim 15, wherein said sensor structure is constructed to monitor the heart rate of the climber, wherein said display structure is constructed to show the heart rate of the climber and further wherein a sensor structure is disposed in a hand hold at the beginning and end of said climbing route.

17. The monitoring and display system of claim 15, wherein said sensor structure is incorporated into and integral with a hand hold and wherein said display structure is incorporated into another handhold which is visible to the climber along said at least one climbing route.

18. The monitoring and display system of claim 17, wherein a wall plate structure is mounted to said climbing wall structure, wherein said wall plate structure has magnetic or metallic properties and wherein said display structure is contained in said wall plate structure or magnetically held to said wall plate structure.