GYROSCOPIC EXERCISE DEVICE WITH HANDLES

Abstract

The gyroscopic device of the preferred embodiments includes a housing; a gyroscope within the housing; and a first handle having a first joint, wherein the first joint is coupled to the housing and is located such that when a user grasps the first handle, the first joint is located along the center line of the user's palm and adjacent to the user's wrist. The gyroscope preferably includes a track defining a continuous surface with a circular shape, a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis, wherein the rotor has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, and wherein the frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the gyroscopic exercise device field and, more specifically, to an improved gyroscopic exercise device with an improved user interface.

BACKGROUND

Exercise machines can be used to improve an individual's health by providing resistance training or cardiovascular training. Conventional exercise machines for cardiovascular training are typically large and cumbersome. Conventional exercise machines for resistance training only provide resistance along one direction or path and require the user to reconfigure the machine to train the opposing muscles. Conventional gyroscopic devices were intended to overcome these disadvantages, however, they tend to cause the hands and wrists of a user to experience a large amount of torque that is not useful and in some cases may be harmful. Thus, there is a need in the gyroscopic exercise device field to create an improved gyroscopic exercise device with an improved user interface. This invention provides such an improved gyroscopic exercise device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gyroscopic exercise device with handles.

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of one of the handles with a grip portion of a gyroscopic exercise device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gyroscopic exercise device with rotating handles.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are schematic diagrams showing the motion of the handles on the gyroscopic exercise device.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views of a gyroscopic exercise device with pivoting handles.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of one of the handles with a first joint of a gyroscopic exercise device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a variation the first handle.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of a top view and a side view, respectively, of a user's right hand with a palm and a wrist.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a gyroscopic force, a moment arm, and a gyroscopic moment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to this preferred embodiment, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the gyroscopic device 10 of the preferred embodiments includes a housing 20; a gyroscope 30 within the housing 20; and a first handle 40 having a first joint 50, wherein the first joint 50 is coupled to the housing 20 and is located such that when a user grasps the first handle 40, the first joint 50 is located along the center line of the user's palm 90 and adjacent to the user's wrist 100. The gyroscope 30 preferably includes a track defining a continuous surface with a circular shape, a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis. The rotor preferably has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, and this frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis. The gyroscopic device 10 is preferably designed for the gyroscopic exercise field. The gyroscopic device, however, may be alternatively used in any suitable environment and for any suitable reason.

The housing 20 of the preferred embodiment functions to couple the handles 40 and 60 to the gyroscope 30. The housing may fully enclose the gyroscope, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or alternatively, it may partially enclose the gyroscope, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The housing may be made from rubber, plastic, metal, carbon fiber, composite or any other suitable material. The housing may be translucent, transparent, opaque, or any suitable combination thereof.

The gyroscope 30 of the preferred embodiment generates gyroscopic forces through the spin and the rotation of the rotor. When these gyroscopic forces are applied to a rotational system along an axis of rotation, the system will move along that axis and the gyroscopic forces will therefore induce substantially transverse motion of the system. These gyroscopic forces create gyroscopic moments when the gyroscopic forces are applied to a rotational system at a distance from an axis of rotation. A first rotation system includes the axes of rotation 110, 120, and 130, as shown in FIG. 7A (top view of a user's right hand in a neutral position) and FIG. 7B (side view of a user's right hand of a user in neutral position). Neutral position is with the hand parallel to the forearm (wrist 100 not bent) and the thumb up so that the palm 90 of the hand is towards the torso. A first axis 110 runs generally from the finger-tips of a user's hand to a user's wrist 100 and/or elbow. A second axis 120 runs perpendicularly to the first axis 110 and runs generally from the user's palm 90 to the back of the user's hand. A third axis 130 runs perpendicularly to the first axis 110 and the second axis 129 and runs generally from a first side of a user's hand to a second side of a user's hand.

When the gyroscopic forces are applied to a rotational system along an axis of rotation, the system will move along that axis and the forces will therefore induce substantially transverse motion of the system. More specifically, when a gyroscopic force is applied along the first axis 110, the hand and wrist 100 move forward (in the direction of the finger tips) and backwards (towards the wrist 100). When a gyroscopic force is applied along the second axis 120, the hand and wrist 100 move from left (towards the torso of the user) to right (away from the torso of the user). When a gyroscopic force is applied along the third axis 130, the hand and wrist 100 move up and down. Specifically, to operate the gyroscope 30 in an ergonomically appropriate manner, the up and down motion combines with the forwards and backwards motion to create a substantially pedaling motion which is a desirable motion for the user of a gyroscopic device, as it will tend to exercise the larger muscles of the user's arm, such as the biceps or the triceps.

The gyroscopic forces create gyroscopic moments when the gyroscopic forces are applied to a rotational system at a distance from an axis of rotation and the gyroscopic moments induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand. The pivotal motion of the user's hand is less ideal than the transverse or pedaling motion because former motion tends to fatigue the smaller muscles of the user's hands and wrists before the larger muscles such as the biceps and triceps are exercised, which may be uncomfortable and less effective. The user's hand may pivot about the first axis 110, the second axis 120, and the third axis 130. The hand pivots around the first axis 110 such that the hand remains parallel to the forearm, and the palm 90 of the hand tilts away from and towards the torso. The gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the first axis 110 are created when the gyroscopic forces are applied a distance from an axis of rotation. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when a gyroscopic force F is applied along or parallel to the second axis 120, and the gyroscopic force F is applied at a distance X along the third axis 130 from the second axis 120 (third direction moment arm), the gyroscopic force F creates a gyroscopic moment M that induces substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the first axis 110. Additionally, when a gyroscopic force is applied along or parallel to the third axis 130 at a distance along the second axis 120 from the third axis 130, the gyroscopic force also creates a gyroscopic moment that induces substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the first axis 110. Similarly, when a gyroscopic force is applied a distance from the first or third axis and creates a gyroscopic moment about the second axis 120, the hand pivots about the wrist 100 such that the hand remains parallel to the forearm and the thumb moves up and down, above and below the forearm. Further, when a gyroscopic force is applied a distance from the first or second axis and creates a gyroscopic moment about the third axis 130, the hand pivots about the wrist 100 such that the hand creates an angle with the forearm and the palm 90 of the hand moves away from and towards the torso.

The first handle 40 of the preferred embodiment couples to the housing 20 and provides a user interface for the gyroscopic device 10. The first handle 40 of the preferred embodiment has a first joint 50. The first joint 50 is coupled to the housing 20 and is located such that when a user grasps the first handle, the first joint is located along the center line of the user's palm 90 and adjacent to the user's wrist 100, as shown in FIG. 6. The location of the first joint along the center line of the user's palm 90 and adjacent to the user's wrist 100 positions the application location of the gyroscopic forces on the user such that (a) the gyroscopic moments, created by gyroscopic forces applied a distance from an axis of rotation that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand (as described above), are reduced, and (b) the gyroscopic forces, applied along an axis of rotation that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand, are applied to the user. The first joint may further be located such that it positions the application location of the gyroscopic forces on the user such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are eliminated and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user. Although preferably designed for the hands of a user, the handles may alternatively be designed for the feet of a user.

As described above, the gyroscopic forces create gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about multiple axes. The location of the first joint 50 along the center line of the user's palm 90 preferably reduces, and more preferably eliminates, the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the first axis 110. The location of the first joint 50 adjacent to the user's wrist 100 reduces, and more preferably eliminates, the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the second axis 120 and the third axis 130.

The location of the first joint 50 along the center line of the user's palm 90 reduces the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the first axis 110 by reducing a third direction moment arm. The third direction moment arm is the distance X along the third axis 130 from the second axis 120 where the gyroscopic force F (parallel to the second axis 120) is applied, as shown in FIG. 8. If distance X is reduced towards zero, the gyroscopic force F is applied close to or along the second axis 120 and will not create the gyroscopic moment M and will therefore move the hand in substantially transverse motion along the second axis 120. Similarly, the location of the first joint 50 adjacent to the user's wrist reduces the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about the second axis 120 and the third axis 130 by reducing a first direction moment arm.

The gyroscopic device 10 of the preferred embodiment may further include a second handle 60 that has a second joint 80 and couples to the housing 20 and provides a user interface for the gyroscopic device 10. The handles 40 and 60 are preferably formed from a material that can be comfortably gripped by the user, such as foam, rubber, plastic, metal, or the like. The handles 40 and 60 may further include a grip portion 70, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 6. The grip portion 70 may be made out of plastic, rubber or any other suitable material to provide a gripping surface for the user. The grip portion 70 may further include additional user interface elements such that the user may control the gyroscopic device with the first handle 40 and the second handle 60. The additional user interface elements preferably include on/off buttons, resistance control buttons, safety lock release mechanisms, any other suitable user interface elements or any combination thereof such that the user may control the gyroscopic device through the handles 40 and 60 before, during, or after use.

In a first variation, the joints 50 and 80 are fully or partially rotatable joints. The handles 40 and 60 are connected to the gyroscope 30 through the joints 50 and 80, respectively, such that the handles 40 and 60 are fully or partially rotatable and may function as a traditional crank. The user may grip the handles 40 and 60 in this variation and create a pedaling motion to activate the gyroscope. The joints 50 and 80 are preferably universal joints (such as a pin and block joint, a needle bearing joint, a ball and socket joint, or any other suitable universal joint), but may alternatively be any suitable joint or pivot such as a rod end ball joint, a clevis joint, a rotary hinge joint, a swing joint, a swivel joint, or any other suitable joint. The joints 50 and 80 may be fully rotatable joints with at least one joint having a rotation stop element such that the joint is rotatable over less than 360 degrees. Preferably, there is some rotation of each handle, particularly with respect to each other, such that the handles may be operated independently of each other. The handles 40 and 60 may alternatively be connected to the gyroscopic device by a fully rotatable joint, such that they are rotatably attached to the device and may spin freely to allow the desired motion. The joint in this variation may be a ball and socket joint or any other suitable joint. The handles 40 and 60 in this variation are preferably made out of plastic, rubber, or any other suitable material and may be rigid or flexible or any other suitable combination.

In a second variation, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, the joints 50 and 80 include a series of joints coupling portions of more rigid material and allow an oscillating motion (such as up and down). The distal portion of the handles 40 and 60 are preferably more rigid than the connecting portion and provide a suitable rigidity for the user to hold the handles 40 and 60. Alternatively, the handles 40 and 60 and the handles 40 and 60 in this variation may be entirely flexible and will allow rotational and translational movement between the gyroscopic device and the handles 40 and 60.

In a third variation, as shown in FIGS. 4A-5, the handles 40 and 60 further include a first coupling element 140 and a second coupling element 150, respectively, that couple the housing 20 to the joints 50 and 80. The coupling elements preferably couple the housing 20 to the joints such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are reduced and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user. The joints 50 and 80 may couple to any portion of the coupling elements 140 and 150 or there may be multiple joints along the coupling elements. In the third variation, the handles are connected via the joints and the coupling elements in a generally perpendicular manner. This arrangement of the handles allows for a more ergonomic user interface for the gyroscopic exercise device, which may reduce the torque experienced by the hands and wrists of a user. In this variation, the coupling elements 140 and 150 are preferably rigid and are preferably rigidly mounted to the gyroscopic device. The handles 40 and 60, on the other hand, are preferably connected to the coupling elements 140 and 150 with joints 50 and 80 such as a universal joint or any other joint that allows at least two degrees of freedom (pitching and yawing), as shown in FIGS. 4A-5. In a variation, one or both of the handles 40 and 60 may be additionally rotatably connected with a coupling element, which allows an additional degree of freedom (rolling). The handles 40 and 60 may alternatively be connected to the gyroscopic device by any other suitable joint or pivot such as a universal joint (such as a pin and block joint, a needle bearing joint, a ball and socket joint, or any other suitable universal joint), a rod end ball joint, a clevis joint, a rotary hinge joint, a swing joint, a swivel joint, or any other suitable joint. In operation, the user may grip the handles 40 and 60 in this variation and create a pedaling motion to activate the gyroscope. The handles 40 and 60 in this variation may couple to the hands of the user such that the coupling elements may extend directly towards the gyroscope 30 from the wrist 100 of the user. In this variation, the handles 40 and 60 may be wraps, gloves, wrist guards, or any other suitable handle element. Alternatively, the handles 40 and 60 may be grasped by the user and the handles 40 and 60 include an extension from the handles 40 and 60 to the joints 50 and 80 where the coupling elements 140 and 150 are coupled at the wrist 100 of the user.

The gyroscopic device 10 of the preferred embodiment is preferably used to reduce pivotal motion of a user's hand induced by a gyroscope. The method of reducing pivotal motion of a user's hand induced by a gyroscope, wherein the gyroscope generates gyroscopic that create gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about multiple axes by applying a gyroscopic force along multiple moment arms, preferably includes the steps of: providing a housing 20 that houses the gyroscope 30; providing a first handle 40 having a first joint 50 coupled to the housing 20; locating the first joint 50 such that when a user grasps the first handle 40, the first joint 50 is located along the center line of the user's palm 90 thereby reducing the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about a first axis 110 by reducing a third direction moment arm; and locating the first joint 50 such that when a user grasps the first handle, the first joint 50 is located adjacent to the user's wrist 100 thereby reducing the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about a second axis 120 and a third axis 130 by reducing a second direction moment arm.

As a person skilled in the art of gyroscopic devices will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A gyroscopic device, comprising: a housing;a gyroscope, within the housing, that generates gyroscopic forces that create gyroscopic moments;wherein the gyroscope includes: a track defining a continuous surface;a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis;wherein the rotor has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, wherein the frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis; anda first handle having a first joint,wherein the first joint is coupled to the housing and is located such that when a user grasps the first handle, the first joint is located along the center line of the user's palm and adjacent to the user's wrist.

2. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 wherein the location of the first joint positions the application location of the gyroscopic forces on the user such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are reduced and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user.

3. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 wherein the location of the first joint positions the application location of the gyroscopic forces on the user such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are eliminated and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user.

4. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 wherein the gyroscopic forces create gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about multiple axes.

5. The gyroscopic device of claim 4 wherein the location of the first joint along the center line of the user's palm eliminates the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about a first axis.

6. The gyroscopic device of claim 5 wherein the location of the first joint adjacent to the user's wrist reduces the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about a second axis and a third axis.

7. The gyroscopic device of claim 5 wherein the location of the first joint adjacent to the user's wrist eliminates the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand about a second axis and a third axis.

8. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 wherein the first joint is a rotatable joint.

9. The gyroscopic device of claim 8 wherein the first joint is a universal joint.

10. The gyroscopic device of claim 8 wherein the first joint is a fully rotatable joint having a rotation stop element such that the joint is rotatable less than 360 degrees.

11. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 wherein the first joint includes a series of joints that couple portions of rigid material, such that the first joint allows the user to move their hand in an oscillating, up and down motion.

12. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling element that couples to the first joint.

13. The gyroscopic device of claim 12 wherein the coupling element couples the housing to the first joint such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are reduced and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user.

14. The gyroscopic device of claim 1 further comprising a second handle having a second joint, wherein the second joint is coupled to the housing and is located such that when a user grasps the second handle, the second joint is located along the center line of the user's palm and adjacent to the user's wrist.

15. The gyroscopic device of claim 14 wherein the second joint is a rotatable joint.

16. The gyroscopic device of claim 15 wherein the second joint is a universal joint.

17. The gyroscopic device of claim 14 wherein the first handle and the second handle further include a grip portion that provides a gripping surface for the user.

18. The gyroscopic device of claim 14 wherein the first handle and the second handle further include additional user interface elements such that the user may control the gyroscopic device with the first handle and the second handle.

19. A gyroscopic device, comprising: a housing;a gyroscope, within the housing, that generates gyroscopic forces that create gyroscopic moments;wherein the gyroscope includes: a track defining a continuous surface;a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis;wherein the rotor has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, wherein the frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis; anda first handle having a first joint,wherein the location of the first joint positions the application location of the gyroscopic forces on the user such that the gyroscopic moments that induce substantially pivotal motion of the user's hand are reduced and the gyroscopic forces that induce substantially transverse motion of the user's hand are applied to the user.

20. A user interface for a gyroscope that generates gyroscopic forces that create gyroscopic moments, wherein the gyroscope includes a track and a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis; the user interface comprising: a housing that houses the gyroscope;a first handle having a first joint,wherein the first joint is coupled to the housing and is located such that when a user grasps the first handle, the first joint is located along the center line of the user's palm and adjacent to the user's wrist.