Multi-rotor apparatus and method for motion sculpting

• US 9,149,705 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William B. Priester
• Original Assignee: William B. Priester
• Inventors: Priester, William B., May, Richard E., Dawson, C. Bryan, Ward, David A., Pingen, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGESSE, NINI F
• Application Number:
  US13/602,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 473/219, 473/221, 473/222, 473/223, 473/226, 473/257, 473/437, 473/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0602 Non-electronic means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

A reversibly attachable muscle trainer includes a multi-arm structure with motion sensors and force generators for exercising opposing muscles of a person moving an implement so as to maintain an ideal movement. When attached to the implement, the muscle trainer trains the opposing muscles to consistently move the implement in an ideal way. While the person moves the implement with the muscle trainer attached, a processor receives signals from the motion sensors and determines differences between the actual implement motion and an ideal implement motion. The difference indicates a dominating force direction in which the dominating muscles urge the implement. The processor activates the force generators to apply external forces to the implement to urge the implement in various types of training force directions.

Claims

1. A muscle training apparatus for determining characteristics of a movement of a shaft of an implement by a person during performance of a useful or recreational function, the muscle training apparatus comprising:

a support structure comprising a plurality of arms extending outwardly from a central portion of the support structure, each of the plurality of arms having a proximal end and a distal end, the plurality of arms including a first arm and a second arm disposed to an opposite side of the central portion from the first arm;

an attachment mechanism for reversibly attaching the central portion of the support structure to the shaft of the implement such that the proximal ends of the arms are disposed adjacent the shaft;

a first sensor disposed adjacent the distal end of the first arm, the first sensor for generating a first sensor signal indicative of a plurality of first positions and first directions of travel of the distal end of the first arm during the movement;

a second sensor disposed adjacent the distal end of the second arm, the second sensor for generating a second sensor signal indicative of a plurality of second positions and second directions of travel of the distal end of the second arm during the movement,

where the first and second positions and the first and second directions of travel of the first sensor and the second sensor at any particular point in the movement define an individual average shaft velocity vector substantially coinciding with the direction of travel of the shaft, and an individual shaft displacement vector aligned with the first position and the second position at the particular point; and

a processor for calculating a plurality of individual average shaft velocity vectors, a plurality of individual shaft displacement vectors, a plurality of individual normal vectors, and a plurality of corresponding individual implement shaft planes based on the first and second sensor signals, wherein at any particular point in the movement an individual implement shaft plane substantially coincides with a corresponding individual average shaft velocity vector and an individual shaft displacement vector at the particular point and is perpendicular to an individual normal vector at the particular point.

2. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the plurality of arms of the support structure including a third arm and a fourth arm disposed to an opposite side of the central portion from the third arm, wherein a line that is parallel to the third and fourth arms is perpendicular to a line that is parallel to the first and second arms;

a third sensor disposed adjacent the distal end of the third arm, the third sensor for generating a third sensor signal indicative of a plurality of third positions and third directions of travel of the distal end of the third arm during the movement;

a fourth sensor disposed adjacent the distal end of the fourth arm, the fourth sensor for generating a fourth sensor signal indicative of a plurality of fourth positions and fourth directions of travel of the distal end of the fourth arm during the movement,

where the first position, second position, third position and fourth position at any particular point in the movement define an implement face plane at the particular point; and

the processor for calculating the implement face plane based on the first, second, third, and fourth sensor signals.

3. The muscle training apparatus of claim 2 further comprising the processor for calculating a rotation angle between the implement face plane and the corresponding implement shaft plane at one or more positions during the movement.

4. The muscle training apparatus of claim 3 further comprising the processor for determining whether a difference between the rotation angle and an ideal rotation angle exceeds a rotation angle tolerance at one or more positions during the movement, and for generating an error signal when the difference exceeds the rotation angle tolerance.

5. The muscle training apparatus of claim 4 further comprising one or more force generators attached adjacent one or more of the distal ends of the arms for generating a training force based on the error signal to urge the shaft to rotate in a direction which would increase or decrease the difference if the training force is not opposed by muscle force exerted by the person.

6. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a fifth sensor operable to be attached adjacent a wrist portion of a forearm of the person moving the implement, the fifth sensor for generating a fifth sensor signal indicative of a plurality of fifth positions and fifth directions of travel of the wrist portion of the forearm during the movement;

a sixth sensor operable to be attached adjacent an elbow portion of the forearm of the person moving the implement, the sixth sensor for generating a sixth sensor signal indicative of a plurality of sixth positions and sixth directions of travel of the elbow portion of the forearm during the movement,

where the fifth and sixth positions and the fifth and sixth directions of travel at any particular point in the movement define an individual average forearm velocity vector substantially coinciding with the direction of travel of the forearm of the person, and an individual forearm displacement vector substantially aligned with the fifth position and sixth position at the particular point; and

the processor for calculating a plurality of individual average forearm velocity vectors, a plurality of individual forearm displacement vectors, a plurality of individual normal vectors, and a plurality of corresponding individual forearm planes based on the fifth and sixth sensor signals, wherein at any particular point in the movement an individual forearm plane substantially coincides with a corresponding individual average forearm velocity vector and an individual forearm displacement vector at the particular point and is perpendicular to an individual normal vector at the particular point.

7. The muscle training apparatus of claim 6 further comprising the processor for calculating a hinge angle between an individual forearm displacement vector and a corresponding individual shaft displacement vector at one or more positions during the movement.

8. The muscle training apparatus of claim 7 further comprising the processor for determining whether a difference between the hinge angle and an ideal hinge angle exceeds a hinge angle tolerance at one or more positions during the movement, and for generating an error signal when the difference exceeds the hinge angle tolerance.

9. The muscle training apparatus of claim 8 further comprising one or more force generators attached adjacent one or more of the distal ends of the arms for generating a training force based on the error signal to urge the shaft in a hinge direction which would increase or decrease the difference if the training force is not opposed by muscle force exerted by the person.

10. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a seventh sensor operable to be attached adjacent a xiphoid process at a lower portion of a sternum of the person moving the implement, the seventh sensor for generating a seventh sensor signal indicative of a plurality of seventh positions and seventh directions of travel of the xiphoid process during the movement,

where the seventh positions and seventh directions of travel at any particular point in the movement define an individual average xiphoid process velocity vector substantially coinciding with the direction of travel of the xiphoid process of the person, and an individual arc displacement vector aligned between the second position and seventh position at the particular point; and

the processor for calculating a plurality of individual average arc velocity vectors, a plurality of individual arc displacement vectors, a plurality of individual normal vectors, and a plurality of corresponding individual arc planes based on the second and seventh sensor signals, wherein at any particular point in the movement an individual arc plane substantially coincides with a corresponding individual average arc velocity vector and an individual arc displacement vector at the particular point and is perpendicular to an individual normal vector at the particular point.

11. The muscle training apparatus of claim 10 further comprising the processor for calculating an arc distance between the seventh position and the second position during the movement.

12. The muscle training apparatus of claim 11 further comprising the processor for determining whether a difference between the arc distance and an ideal arc distance exceeds an arc distance tolerance at one or more positions during the movement, and for generating an error signal when the difference exceeds the arc distance tolerance.

13. The muscle training apparatus of claim 12 further comprising one or more force generators attached adjacent one or more of the distal ends of the arms for generating a training force based on the error signal to urge the shaft in a direction which would increase or decrease the difference if the training force is not opposed by muscle force exerted by the person.

14. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further for calculating a composite implement shaft plane based on the plurality of individual implement shaft planes.

15. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the processor for determining whether a difference between one or more of the individual shaft planes and an ideal individual shaft plane exceeds a shaft plane tolerance at one or more positions during the movement, and for generating an error signal when the difference exceeds the shaft plane tolerance.

16. The muscle training apparatus of claim 15 further comprising one or more force generators attached adjacent one or more of the distal ends of the arms for generating a training force based on the error signal to urge the shaft in a direction which would increase or decrease the difference if the training force is not opposed by muscle force exerted by the person.

17. The muscle training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more force generators attached adjacent one or more of the distal ends of the arms for generating random training forces.