Muscle training apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of exercising at least a non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle of two opposing implement shaft plane muscles typically used by a person when attempting to move an implement in an ideal implement shaft plane during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle applies a non-dominating implement shaft plane force to the implement in a non-dominating implement shaft plane force direction, and a dominating implement shaft plane muscle of the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles applies a dominating implement shaft plane force to the implement in a dominating implement shaft plane force direction, where the dominating implement shaft plane force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating implement shaft plane force direction, and the dominating implement shaft plane force exceeds the non-dominating implement shaft plane force, wherein if the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles would desirably apply opposing forces to the implement at appropriate levels to maintain the implement in the ideal implement shaft plane as the implement is moved by the person, the method for training the opposing implement shaft plane muscles to consistently maintain the implement in or near the ideal implement shaft plane during the movement, the method comprising:
- (a) sensing movement of a muscle trainer in an implement shaft plane using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the movement is caused by application of implement shaft plane forces exerted by the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles;
(b) determining a difference between the implement shaft plane and the ideal implement shaft plane using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, where the difference indicates the dominating implement shaft plane force direction;
(c) using one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor, applying an external force to the muscle trainer during a movement of the muscle trainer to urge the muscle trainer in the dominating implement shaft plane force direction; and
(d) using the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle during the movement to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a muscle trainer and methods for exercising opposing muscles of a person moving an implement. If the opposing muscles were of appropriate strength, the opposing muscles would apply forces in opposite directions to the implement to assist in maintaining an ideal movement of the implement. The methods train the opposing muscles to consistently move the implement in an ideal way to accomplish the function. The methods include: (a) moving the muscle trainer through an actual motion; (b) determining a difference between the actual motion and an ideal motion, the difference indicating a dominating force direction in which the dominating muscles urge the muscle trainer; (c) applying an external force to the muscle trainer to urge the muscle trainer in the dominating force direction; and (d) using the non-dominating muscles to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating muscles.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of exercising at least a non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle of two opposing implement shaft plane muscles typically used by a person when attempting to move an implement in an ideal implement shaft plane during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle applies a non-dominating implement shaft plane force to the implement in a non-dominating implement shaft plane force direction, and a dominating implement shaft plane muscle of the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles applies a dominating implement shaft plane force to the implement in a dominating implement shaft plane force direction, where the dominating implement shaft plane force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating implement shaft plane force direction, and the dominating implement shaft plane force exceeds the non-dominating implement shaft plane force, wherein if the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles would desirably apply opposing forces to the implement at appropriate levels to maintain the implement in the ideal implement shaft plane as the implement is moved by the person, the method for training the opposing implement shaft plane muscles to consistently maintain the implement in or near the ideal implement shaft plane during the movement, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing movement of a muscle trainer in an implement shaft plane using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the movement is caused by application of implement shaft plane forces exerted by the two opposing implement shaft plane muscles; (b) determining a difference between the implement shaft plane and the ideal implement shaft plane using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, where the difference indicates the dominating implement shaft plane force direction; (c) using one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor, applying an external force to the muscle trainer during a movement of the muscle trainer to urge the muscle trainer in the dominating implement shaft plane force direction; and (d) using the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle during the movement to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating implement shaft plane muscle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer-implemented method of exercising at least a non-dominating rotational muscle of two opposing rotational muscles typically used by a person when attempting to rotate an implement through an ideal rotation while moving the implement during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating rotational muscle applies a non-dominating rotational force to the implement in a non-dominating force direction, and a dominating rotational muscle of the two opposing rotational muscles applies a dominating rotational force to the implement in a dominating rotational force direction, where the dominating rotational force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating rotational force direction, and the dominating rotational force exceeds the non-dominating rotational force, wherein if the two opposing rotational muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing rotational muscles would desirably apply appropriate rotational forces to the implement in substantially opposite directions to execute ideal rotation of the implement as the implement is moved by the person, the method for training the opposing rotational muscles to consistently execute ideal rotation of the implement during the movement, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing rotation of a muscle trainer while rotating the muscle trainer through a rotation angle using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the rotation is caused by application of rotational forces exerted by the two opposing rotational muscles; (b) determining a difference between the rotation angle and an ideal rotation angle using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, where the difference indicates the dominating rotational force direction; (c) using one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor, applying an external force to the muscle trainer during a movement to further urge the muscle trainer in the dominating rotational force direction; and (d) using the non-dominating rotational muscle during the movement to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating rotational muscle. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented method for exercising at least a non-dominating hinge muscle of two opposing hinge muscles typically used by a person when attempting to perform an ideal hinging movement of an implement in a hinge plane while moving the implement during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating hinge muscle applies a non-dominating hinge force to the implement in a non-dominating hinge force direction, and a dominating hinge muscle of the two opposing hinge muscles applies a dominating hinge force to the implement, where the dominating hinge force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating hinge force direction, and the dominating hinge force exceeds the non-dominating hinge force, wherein if the two opposing hinge muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing hinge muscles would desirably apply appropriate forces to the implement in substantially opposite directions to execute the ideal hinging movement of the implement as the implement is moved by the person, the method for training the opposing hinge muscles to consistently execute the ideal hinging movement of the implement during the movement, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing movement of a muscle trainer while performing a hinging movement of the muscle trainer through a hinge angle in the hinge plane using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the hinging movement is caused by application of the hinge forces exerted by the two opposing hinge muscles; (b) determining a difference between the hinge angle and an ideal hinge angle using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, the difference indicating the dominating hinge force direction; (c) using one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor, applying an external force to the muscle trainer during a movement to urge the muscle trainer in the dominating hinge force direction; and (d) using the non-dominating hinge muscle during the movement to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating hinge muscle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-implemented method of exercising at least a non-dominating muscle of two opposing muscles typically used by a person when attempting to perform an ideal movement of an implement during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating muscle applies a non-dominating force to the implement in a non-dominating force direction, and a dominating muscle of the two opposing muscles applies a dominating force to the implement in a dominating force direction, where the dominating force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating force direction, and the dominating force exceeds the non-dominating force, wherein if the two opposing muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing muscles would desirably apply opposing forces to the implement at appropriate levels to perform the ideal movement, the method thereby training the opposing muscles to consistently perform the ideal movement, the method comprising:
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(a) determining the ideal movement of the implement for the person; (b) sensing a movement of the implement using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the movement is caused by application of forces exerted by the two opposing muscles of the person; (c) at a plurality of points during the movement of step (b), determining a difference between the movement of step (b) and the ideal movement determined in step (a) using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, where the difference at each point indicates the dominating force direction at that point; (d) performing a movement of the implement by application of forces exerted by the two opposing muscles of the person while one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor apply one or more external forces to the implement to urge the implement in the dominating force direction; and (e) using the non-dominating muscle during the movement of step (d) to urge the implement against the one or more external forces to thereby exercise the non-dominating muscle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-implemented method for determining an angular relationship between an implement shaft plane and an implement face plane of an implement swung by a person during performance of a useful or recreational function, the implement including a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and an implement surface configured to impact an object during the performance of the useful or recreational function, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing motion of the proximal end of the shaft using a sensor attached adjacent the proximal end of the shaft, wherein the motion of the proximal end of the shaft is represented by a first shaft velocity vector; (b) sensing motion of the distal end of the shaft using a sensor attached adjacent the distal end of the shaft, wherein the motion of the distal end of the shaft is represented by a second shaft velocity vector; (c) using a computer processor in electrical communication with the sensors attached to the shaft, determining an average shaft velocity vector based at least in part on the first shaft velocity vector and the second shaft velocity vector; (d) using the computer processor, determining a shaft vector aligned with the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft; (e) using the computer processor, determining a first normal vector based on a cross product of the shaft vector and the average shaft velocity vector according to
{right arrow over (N)}CS={right arrow over (r)}CS×
{right arrow over (v)}avg,CSwhere {right arrow over (N)}CS is the normal vector, {right arrow over (r)}CS is the shaft vector and {right arrow over (v)}avg,CS is the average shaft velocity vector; (f) using the computer processor, determining an implement face vector aligned with the distal end of the shaft and the implement surface; (g) using the computer processor, determining a second normal vector based on a cross product of the shaft vector and the implement face vector according to
{right arrow over (N)}CF={right arrow over (r)}CS×
{right arrow over (r)}CFwhere {right arrow over (N)}CF is the second normal vector, {right arrow over (r)}CS is the shaft vector and {right arrow over (r)}CF is the implement face vector; (h) using the computer processor, determining an angle θ
between the first normal vector and the second normal vector according to - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A computer-implemented method for determining an angular relationship between a shaft of an implement and a forearm of a person moving the implement during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the implement shaft has a proximal end and a distal end, and the forearm has an elbow end and a wrist end, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing motion of the shaft using one or more sensors attached to the shaft, (b) using a computer processor in electrical communication with the sensors attached to the shaft, determining a shaft vector aligned with the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft based on motion sensed by the one or more sensors attached to the shaft; (c) sensing motion of the forearm using one or more sensors attached to the forearm, (d) using a computer processor in electrical communication with the sensors attached to the forearm, determining a forearm vector aligned with the elbow end of the forearm and the wrist end of the forearm based on motion sensed by the one or more sensors attached to the forearm; (e) using a computer processor, determining an angle φ
between the shaft vector and the forearm vector according to
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27. A computer-implemented method of exercising at least a non-dominating muscle of two opposing muscles typically used by a person when attempting to perform an ideal movement of an implement during performance of a useful or recreational function, where the non-dominating muscle applies a non-dominating force to the implement in a non-dominating force direction, and a dominating muscle of the two opposing muscles applies a dominating force to the implement in a dominating force direction, where the dominating force direction is substantially opposite the non-dominating force direction, and the dominating force exceeds the non-dominating force, wherein if the two opposing muscles were of appropriate strength, the two opposing muscles would desirably apply opposing forces to the implement at appropriate levels to maintain the implement in an ideal path as the implement is moved by the person, the method comprising:
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(a) sensing movement of a muscle trainer in a movement path using one or more sensors in electrical communication with a computer processor, wherein the movement is caused by application of forces exerted by the two opposing muscles; (b) determining a difference between the movement path and the ideal path using the computer processor based on signals generated by the one or more sensors, where the difference indicates the dominating force direction; (c) using one or more force generators in electrical communication with the computer processor, applying an external force to the muscle trainer during a movement of the muscle trainer to urge the muscle trainer in the dominating force direction; and (d) using the non-dominating muscle during the movement to urge the muscle trainer against the external force to thereby exercise the non-dominating muscle. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification