EP3628299B1 - Vibration device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a vibration device for training and therapeutic applications according to the preamble of claim 1. The vibration device has a frame on which a first standing surface element for placing a foot and a second standing surface element for placing another foot are provided. The two standing surface elements are movably held on the frame via a first and second bearing arrangement. Both the first bearing arrangement on the first standing surface element and the second bearing arrangement on the second standing surface element each have three bearing devices, each with at least two degrees of freedom. In addition, a motor-driven movement mechanism is provided, by means of which a recurring pivoting movement can be generated both around a longitudinal axis and around a transverse axis via the bearing arrangements on both standing surface elements. The first bearing arrangement has a first pair of bearings made up of two bearing devices and the second bearing arrangement has a second pair of bearing devices made up of two bearing devices on each of a first side of the standing surface elements. Here, all four bearing devices of the two bearing pairs are mounted coaxially along a common axis on the first side and can be acted upon by the motor with a driving force. As a result, both standing surface elements can be driven particularly easily via a common motor, as a result of which the manufacturing costs of the movement mechanism and the vibration device can be reduced overall. In addition, the simple structure of the movement mechanism ensures stable, low-maintenance operation. In addition, it is advantageous if the common axis is formed by a common drive shaft. This makes it possible to apply the torque generated by the motor to all four bearing devices simultaneously via the common drive shaft in order to generate a tumbling movement or vibration on the standing surface elements.

Such vibration devices are used for medical or physiotherapeutic applications or for training purposes, in which in particular the user's muscles are to be stimulated and built up and / or the sense of balance is to be improved. For this purpose, the user stands on the standing surface elements, which are moved vibrating or tumbling during operation via the movement mechanics, so that the movements are transferred to the user's feet.

The muscular system and the equilibrium organs of the user react to the movements generated by the vibration device in order to compensate for them and thus to maintain the upright stance.

Out EP1447071B1 a vibration device is known in which two standing surface elements can each be moved about a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The two standing surface elements are mounted on inner sides arranged adjacent to one another on a ball joint each and on an outer side facing away from the inner side via two connecting rod devices arranged in pairs. The connecting rod devices are each driven offset to one another via an eccentric shaft in order to generate a tumbling vibration movement on both standing surface elements.

The disadvantage of the known vibration device is that, due to the relatively far apart eccentric shafts of the two standing surface elements, a relatively complex movement mechanism with a double chain or belt drive is required. This movement mechanism causes relatively high manufacturing costs and is also prone to failure or maintenance-intensive.

WO2017 / 146597 describes a vibration device with two standing surface elements, which are moved via a common eccentric pin and additionally via a circular drive which is arranged approximately in the middle. For this purpose, an elongated hole is provided on both standing surface elements on a side facing the respective other standing surface element, through which the common eccentric pin extends.

WO2007 / 024103A1 and WO2006 / 070521A1 each disclose a training device with two standing surface elements, which are rotatably mounted on a common rear side and are acted upon by rotating eccentric disks on a common front side in order to generate a recurring up and down movement.

The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages mentioned in a generic vibration device and to increase the stimulation of the muscles.

This object is achieved by a vibration device with the features of claim 1. The bearing devices of the two bearing pairs are held eccentrically on the drive shaft offset from one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing pair offset. In this way, the two standing surface elements are offset from one another Tumbling movements generated, which can increase the stimulation of the muscles and the user's sense of balance even further.

Advantageously, the four bearing devices each have a connecting rod that is eccentrically mounted on the drive shaft. This ensures a stable transmission of movement from the drive shaft to the bearing devices and from these to the standing surface elements.

In addition, it is favorable if the connecting rod has a connecting rod eye at one end on the shaft side which interacts with an eccentric disk of the drive shaft. This arrangement allows the rotary movement of the drive shaft to be converted into a stable longitudinal movement of the connecting rods, which in turn can be used for the recurring deflection of the respective standing surface element. By appropriately dimensioning the eccentricity of the eccentric disk, a desired amplitude of the recurring lifting and lowering movement of the standing surface elements can be set when the vibration device is in operation.

The bearing devices of the first pair of bearings and the bearing devices of the second pair of bearings are advantageously held eccentrically on the drive shaft offset from one another in the direction of rotation by a bearing offset. As a result of this bearing offset, the two bearing devices each of a pair of bearings generate mutually offset lifting and lowering movements, which lead to a tumbling movement of both standing surface elements both around the longitudinal axis and around the transverse axis. In this way, the muscles and the user's sense of balance can be stimulated in a particularly effective way.

It is advantageous if the bearing offset is 10 to 30 °, which stimulates the muscles and the sense of balance in a gentle way.

The offset of the pair of bearings is advantageously adjustable, for example by means of an eccentric disk that is adjustable within a connecting rod eye. In this way, the vibration device or the vibration behavior of the two standing surface elements can be set individually depending on the application and the user.

It is also advantageous if the offset of the bearing pairs can be changed automatically, which means that the vibration device is used for a period of time The vibration behavior of the two standing surface elements is changed recurring to one another, in order to counteract any habituation effect on the part of the user, in particular during longer applications.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the bearing devices of the two bearing pairs are offset from one another by 10 to 30 °. In this area, an effective stimulation of the muscles can be achieved, while the user can maintain a sufficiently stable stance.

It is favorable here if the four bearing devices have a ball joint at an end of the respective connecting rod on the standing surface, on which the respective standing surface element is rotatably mounted. As a result, the connection between the connecting rods and the standing surface elements has three degrees of freedom, whereby an interference-free transmission of movement from the connecting rods to the standing surface elements can be ensured.

Advantageously, both the first standing surface element and the second standing surface element are held on a second side facing away from the first side via a ball bearing on the frame, whereby a particularly movable mounting of the standing surface elements is achieved during operation.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the ball bearing is rigidly connected to the frame on one side, so that only rotary movements and in particular no translational movements occur on it. In this way, an area with an amplitude of approximately zero is reserved on the ball bearings. As a result, a user, for example at the beginning of an application, can initially stand on the standing surface elements on the second side in the area with low amplitude. As soon as he has a secure footing or a secure footing, he can then move his feet in the direction of the first side of the footprint elements in order to expose his body to an increasingly larger amplitude. The ball bearings provided thus create a zone with greater stability on the second side, which can be used by the user for easier entry or for an interim recovery from the tumbling movement.

It should be noted that all of the above-described features of the subject matter according to the invention are interchangeable or combinable, provided that an exchange or a combination thereof is not excluded for technical reasons and the subject matter remains within the literal meaning of the claims.

Figur 1

eine Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Vibrationsvorrichtung,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung II aus Fig. 1,

Figur 3A

eine Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2,

Figur 3B

die Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2 bei einem vorgesehenen Versatz zwischen zwei Lagerpaaren von bis zu 90° und

Figur 3C

die Vorderansicht der Vibrationsvorrichtung in Richtung III aus Fig. 2 bei einem vorgesehenen Versatz zwischen den Lagerpaaren von 180°.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the figures. Show it:

Figure 1

a plan view of a vibration device according to the invention,

Figure 2

a side view of the vibration device in direction II from Fig. 1 ,

Figure 3A

a front view of the vibration device in the direction III Fig. 2 ,

Figure 3B

the front view of the vibration device in direction III Fig. 2 with an intended offset between two pairs of bearings of up to 90 ° and

Figure 3C

the front view of the vibration device in direction III Fig. 2 with an intended offset between the bearing pairs of 180 °.

The Figures 1 and 2 show a vibration device 2 for generating recurring pivoting movements or wobbling movements on a first standing surface element 4 and a second standing surface element 6. A user can put his feet F on this to use the movement of the vibration device 2 for training or therapeutic purposes to move his muscles and organs of balance to stimulate.

The first standing surface element 4 is held here via a first bearing arrangement 8 and the second standing surface element 6 via a second bearing arrangement 10 on a frame 12 which can be placed on a floor.

Both bearing arrangements 8, 10 each have three bearing devices L. Two of the three bearing devices L form a first pair of bearings 14 and a second pair of bearings 16 on a first side S1 of the two standing surface elements 4, 6. The third bearing device L also forms a first ball bearing 18 or a second ball bearing 20, which is attached to one of the second side S2 of the respective standing surface element 4, 6 facing away from the first side S1 is provided.

Both ball bearings 18, 20 on the second side S2 connect the respective standing surface element 4, 6 directly to the frame 12, with a rigid connection of one side of the ball bearing 18, 20 to the frame 12 and a likewise rigid connection of another side of the ball bearing 18, 20 is formed with the respective standing surface element 4, 6. In this way, when the vibration device 2 is in operation, the amplitude at the ball bearings 18, 20 approaches zero.

The two bearing pairs 14 and 16 are part of a movement mechanism that can be driven by a motor 22 and by means of which the two standing surface elements 4, 6 can be set into the desired wobbling movement in which they are both about a transverse axis AQ and about a respective longitudinal axis AL are pivotable around recurring. Both the transverse axis AQ and the two longitudinal axes AL extend here through the ball bearings 18, 20.

Like in particular from Figure 3A As can be seen, the bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 each have a connecting rod 24 for this purpose, which forms a connecting rod eye 26 at one end on the shaft side, which interacts with an eccentric disk 28. The four eccentric disks 28 are connected to a drive shaft 30 which is driven by the motor 22, as shown in FIG Fig. 1 can be found. As a result, the drive shaft 30 forms an axis A on which the four bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 are jointly and coaxially mounted and via which they can be acted upon by a driving force or a driving torque M of the motor.

Ball bearings 32 are provided on each end of the connecting rods 24 on the standing surface, which, thanks to their three degrees of freedom, allow an undisturbed tumbling movement between the standing surface elements 4, 6 and the movement mechanics of the vibration device 2 during operation.

How out Figure 3A It can also be seen that the bearing devices L of the two bearing pairs 14, 16 each have a bearing offset from one another, which is, for example, between 10 and 30 ° and by which the connecting rod 24 of the respective left bearing device L is higher at the time shown in the two standing surface elements 4, 6 is deflected than the connecting rod 24 of the respective right bearing device. As a result of this bearing offset between the bearing devices L of both bearing pairs 14, 16, a recurring pivoting movement of the two occurs when the movement mechanism is driven Stand surface elements 4, 6 generated around the respective longitudinal axis AL. Here are the two standing surface elements 4, 6 in the embodiment according to Figure 3A arranged parallel to each other at any point in time.

As an alternative to this, it is also possible for the first pair of bearings 14 to also have an overall offset of the pair of bearings in the direction of rotation D about the axis A with respect to the second pair of bearings. As a result, the two standing surface elements 4, 6, as in Fig. 3 B shown, pivoted offset to one another during operation of the vibration device 2. In this way, the reactions to be produced by the musculature and the equilibrium organs of the user to compensate for the vibration or tumbling movements of the two standing surface elements 4, 6 can be increased even further, whereby the training effect can also be increased.

Here, for example, an adjustability of the bearing pair offset can also be provided, for example by means of an eccentric disk 28 (not shown) which can be adjusted with respect to the connecting rod eye. In this way, the intensity of the movement of the vibration device 2 to be compensated by the user can be set individually depending on the application and the user. It is also possible to automatically change the bearing pair offset during an application, for example by means of an electric actuator on the adjustable eccentric disk 28, which works according to a predetermined control profile or according to a random principle (not shown). In this way, particularly in the case of longer applications or frequent use of the vibration device by the same user, a habituation effect can be prevented, which could reduce the training effect or muscle build-up.

In a further alternative embodiment of the vibration device 2 according to the in Figure 3C The time shown during an application, the first pair of bearings 14 is arranged in a mirror-inverted manner with respect to the second pair of bearings 16. In this way, both standing surface elements 4, 6 move exactly in opposite directions during operation of the vibration device 2.

Regardless of the alignment of the two pairs of bearings 14, 16 to one another, a maximum amplitude occurs on the first side 1 of the two standing surface elements 4, 6 in each case during operation of the vibration device, while on the in the Figures 1 and 2 illustrated second side S2 on the ball bearings 18, 20, the amplitude is zero.

As a result, the user has the option of starting an application, for example by placing his feet on the second side S2, in order to initially only expose his muscles and his sense of balance to a lower amplitude. By shifting his feet F in the direction of the first side S1, he can then automatically increase the intensity of the application depending on his own feelings.

It should be noted that all of the above-described elements and features of the various embodiments of the subject matter according to the invention are interchangeable or combinable, provided that an exchange or a combination thereof is not excluded for technical reasons and the subject matter remains within the literal meaning of the claims.

Claims (10)

1. Vibration device (2) for training and therapeutic applications
   comprising a frame (12),
   a first standing surface element (4) for a foot (F) to be set on, which is held movably on the frame (12) by means of a first bearing assembly (8), a second standing surface element (6) for a further foot (F) to be set on, and which is held movably on the frame (12) by means of a second bearing assembly (10),
   wherein both the first bearing arrangement (8) at the first standing surface element (4) as well as the second bearing assembly (10) at the second standing surface element (6) in each case comprise three bearing devices (L) with in each case two degrees of freedom,
   and a movement mechanism driven by a motor (22), by means of which a repetitive pivoting movement can be generated by way of the bearing assemblies (8, 10) on both standing surface elements (4, 6), in each case about both a longitudinal axis (AL) as well as about a transverse axis (AQ),
   wherein, of the bearing devices (L) of the first bearing assembly (8), two bearing devices (L) form a first pair of bearings (14), and of the bearing devices (L) of the second bearing assembly (10), two bearing devices (L) form a second pair of bearings (16) respectively on a first side (S1) of the standing surface elements (4, 6), and in this situation all four bearing devices (L) are mounted coaxially along a common axis (A), which is formed by a common drive shaft (30), and can be subjected to a drive force from the motor (22),
   characterised in that the two pairs of bearings (14, 16) are held in relation to one another, in the direction of rotation, offset eccentrically by a bearing pair offset in respect of the drive shaft (30).
2. Vibration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the four bearing devices (L) of the two pairs of bearings (14, 16) each comprise a connecting rod (24), which is mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft (30).
3. Vibration device according to claim 2, characterised in that the connecting rod (24) comprises at a shaft-side end a connecting rod eye (26), which interacts with an eccentric disk (28) of the drive shaft (30).
4. Vibration device according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the bearing devices (L) of the first pair of bearings (14) and the bearing devices (L) of the second pair of bearings (16) are in each case held at the drive shaft (30) beneath one another, and displaced eccentrically in the direction of rotation by a bearing offset.
5. Vibration device according to claim 4, characterised in that the bearing offset amounts to 10 to 30°.
6. Vibration device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the bearing offset can be adjusted.
7. Vibration device according to claim 6, characterised in that the offset of the pair of bearings is automatically adjustable.
8. Vibration device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the four bearing devices (L) of the two pairs of bearings (14, 16) comprise a ball joint (32) at an end of the respective connecting rod (24) on the standing surface side, on which the respective standing surface element (4, 6) is mounted such as to rotate.
9. Vibration device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that both the first standing surface element (4) as well as the second standing surface element (6) are in each case held at the frame (12) by a ball bearing (18, 20), on a second side (S2) facing away from the first side (S1).
10. Vibration device according to claim 9, characterised in that the ball bearing (18, 20) is rigidly connected to the frame (12).

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