Patent Grant
10251802
The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to vibration systems. More specifically, this application relates to a whole-body vibration apparatus
Whole-body vibration systems can provide various health and beauty benefits. For example, whole-body vibration systems can be used to prevent muscle deterioration and alleviate the following symptoms: arthritic pain, poor-balance, constipation, cystic fibrosis, diabetes symptoms, dizziness, fatigue, fibromyalgia issues, hip pain, incontinence, insomnia, knee pain, lower back pain, lymphatic system complications, poor mobility, multiple sclerosis issues, neck pain, neuropathy, osteoporosis, plantar fasciitis, poor circulation, stress, and varicose veins, among others.
However, conventional whole-body vibration systems often have various shortcomings. For example, conventional whole-body vibration systems generally lack sufficient stability because the vibrating platform is positioned relatively too far off the ground, thus raising the center of gravity and making the entire system more likely to rock back and forth or to tip-over. Further, conventional whole-body vibration systems often fail to include sufficient vibration dampers, thus allowing vibrations to undesirably transfer to the ground and/or into user handholds, thus decreasing the overall stability of the system and/or decreasing the user's comfort. Further, conventional whole-body systems often are not sufficiently durable to withstand the repeated, oscillating vibrations.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a whole-body vibration apparatus that overcomes the limitations of conventional vibration systems. Beneficially, such an apparatus would improve the ease, efficiency, and effectiveness of whole-body vibration systems.
The subject matter of the present application has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available vibration systems. Accordingly, the present disclosure has been developed to provide a whole-body vibration apparatus that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art.
According to one embodiment, disclosed herein is an apparatus for vibration of a person via a vibrating platform. The apparatus includes a support structure that has a fulcrum and a plurality of vibration isolators, a platform that has a central portion and lateral portions, a power assembly coupled to the platform to operably oscillate the platform about the fulcrum, and a base shell that extends around one or more sides of the platform. The central portion of the platform is pivotally coupled to and operably oscillates about the fulcrum of the support structure so that oscillation about the fulcrum causes the lateral portions to alternately rise and fall in a substantially vertical direction. Further, the base shell is mounted to the support structure free from connectors other than the vibration isolators.
In one implementation, the vibration isolators are first vibration isolators and the apparatus further comprises second vibration isolators positioned between the support structure and a surface supporting the apparatus that isolate vibrations from the support structure to the surface supporting the apparatus. In such an implementation, the second vibration isolators may support the support structure above the surface supporting the apparatus in addition to providing vibration isolation.
In another implementation, the apparatus further includes a riser coupled to the base shell. The riser may have handles that are located at a height convenient for a user to hold while the user is positioned on the platform during vibration. In such an implementation, one or more of the base shell and the riser may contact a surface supporting the apparatus at one or more surface contact points, with the surface contact points further stabilizing the base shell and the riser from vibrations of the platform and the support structure.
In yet another implementation, the vibration isolators have motion dampers. In a further implementation, the base shell is mounted to the support structure exclusively via the vibration isolators. The power assembly may have a displacement member that coupled to the platform to operably oscillate the platform about the fulcrum and the displacement member may extend in a displacement direction that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. In such an implementation, the platform may include an arm that extends below the central portion of the platform, the arm having multiple connection points along a length of the arm to which the displacement member can be coupled so that oscillation magnitude of the platform about the fulcrum is dependent on which connection point the displacement member is coupled to.
The power assembly in such an implementation may further include a motor mounted to the support structure, a driveshaft rotated by the motor, and two bearings mounted to the support structure for supporting the driveshaft. The driveshaft extends in a first direction and the displacement member is rotatably and eccentrically coupled to the driveshaft, with the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the displacement direction. The two bearings may be positioned on opposite sides of the displacement member. The displacement member and at least one of the two bearings may be mounted to the support structure in a position beyond a horizontal footprint of the platform.
Also disclosed herein is another embodiment of an apparatus for vibration of a person via a vibrating platform. The apparatus includes a support structure having a fulcrum and a plurality of vibration isolators, a platform having a central portion and lateral portions, a power assembly, and a base shell extending around sides of the platform. The central portion of the platform is pivotally coupled to and operably oscillates about the fulcrum of the support structure so that oscillation about the fulcrum causes the lateral portions to alternately rise and fall in a substantially vertical direction. The power assembly includes a motor mounted to the support structure, a driveshaft rotated by the motor so that the driveshaft extends in a first direction, and a displacement member rotatably and eccentrically coupled to the driveshaft and extending in a displacement direction, with the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the displacement direction. The base shell is mounted to the support structure free from connectors other than the vibration isolators.
In one implementation, the vibration isolators are first vibration isolators and the apparatus further includes second vibration isolators positioned between the support structure and a surface supporting the apparatus that isolate vibrations from the support structure to the surface supporting the apparatus. In one implementation, the vibration isolators are motion dampers. In another implementation, the base shell is mounted to the support structure exclusively via the vibration isolators. In yet another implementation, the power assembly further includes two bearings mounted to the support structure for supporting the driveshaft, with the two bearings being positioned on opposite sides of the displacement member. In such an implementation, the two bearings may be equally spaced from the displacement member and the driveshaft may have an eccentric section to which the displacement member is rotatably coupled.
Further disclosed herein is yet another embodiment of an apparatus for vibration of a person via a vibrating platform. The apparatus includes a support structure having a fulcrum and a plurality of vibration isolators, a platform having a central portion and lateral portions, a power assembly, and a base shell extending around sides of the platform. The central portion of the platform is pivotally coupled to and operably oscillates about the fulcrum of the support structure so that oscillation about the fulcrum causes the lateral portions to alternately rise and fall in a substantially vertical direction. The power assembly includes a motor mounted to the support structure, a driveshaft rotated by the motor so that the driveshaft extends in a first direction, a displacement member rotatably and eccentrically coupled to the driveshaft and extending in a displacement direction, with the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the displacement direction, and two bearings mounted to the support structure for supporting the driveshaft. The two bearings are positioned on opposite sides of the displacement member and the base shell is mounted to the support structure free from connectors other than the vibration isolators.
In one implementation, the two bearings are equally spaced from the displacement member. In another implementation, the driveshaft has an eccentric section to which the displacement member is rotatably coupled.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present disclosure should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the subject matter of the present application may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the disclosure. Further, in some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the subject matter of the present disclosure. These features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure as set forth hereinafter.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
According to one embodiment, the base shell 40 is attached to the vibrating platform module 100 via vibration isolators (described below). In addition to the vibration isolators, the base shell 40 and/or riser 50 may also include various contact points or contact surfaces that directly engage a surface (i.e., the ground) upon which the apparatus is supported. In other words, the base shell 40 and riser 50 may engage the ground via one or both of the following configurations: indirectly via the vibrating platform module 100 and directly via contact surfaces 42.
In one embodiment, the fulcrum 112 is a rotating shaft that is substantially permanently attached (e.g., via welding) to the platform framework 121. Hereinafter, substantially permanently attached may include other forms of attachment that are permanently attached, such as welding, or other forms of attachment that are intended to be permanent or securely fixed during operation. For example, substantially permanently attached may include mechanisms such as bolts, rivets, adhesives or other bonding methods intended to be permanent or permanent during operation, but may be reversed during repair and/or maintenance. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways to substantially permanently attach items together. In such an embodiment, the fulcrum 112 may be rotatably supported by bearings (see below) on the support structure 110. In another embodiment, the fulcrum 112 is a non-rotating shaft that is substantially permanently attached to the support structure 110 and the platform framework 121 rotatably engages (i.e., pivots about) the fulcrum 112. The power assembly 130 includes the components that actuate the vibrating motion. Although described in greater detail below, the power assembly 130, according to one embodiment, may simply include a motor and an attached displacement member that imparts the vibrating, oscillatory motion to the platform framework 121. For example, the displacement member may be eccentrically and rotatably coupled to the driveshaft of a motor, thus converting rotational movement into reciprocating motion. As described in greater detail below with reference to
As the platform 120 oscillates about the fulcrum 112, the lateral portions 124 of the platform 120 alternately rise and fall in a substantially vertical direction 125. The terms “vertical direction” 125 and “substantially vertical direction” 125 are used herein with reference to the generally up-and-down motion of the lateral portions 124 of the platform. In other words, although during operation of the vibrating platform module 100 the lateral edges of the lateral portions 124 actually follow a curved/arcuate path, the lateral portions 124 generally reciprocate in a vertical direction 125.
According to one embodiment (as described in greater detail below) the displacement member 136 is eccentrically coupled to the driveshaft 134 in order to convert the rotational motion of the driveshaft 134 into a reciprocating motion that oscillates the platform 120 about the fulcrum 112. The power assembly 130 may further include two bearings 138 on opposite sides of the displacement member 136 that support the driveshaft 134. Because of the eccentrical connection between the driveshaft 134 and the displacement member 136 (described in detail below), if the driveshaft 134 of the power assembly 130 were only supported by a single bearing, the load of the platform 120 would mechanically stress the single bearing. However, the vibrating platform module 100, according to one embodiment, includes at least two bearings 138, one on each side of the displacement member 136. In one embodiment, the two bearings 138 are equally spaced apart from the displacement member 136. In another embodiment, the vibrating platform module 100 may have more than two bearings. For example, the vibrating platform module 100 may have three bearings where a bearing is placed on either side of the load bearing displacement member 136 and an additional bearing near the motor 132. In another embodiment, the vibrating platform module 100 may have four bearings with two on each side of the load bearing displacement member 136. One of skill in the art will recognize other bearing configurations that may reduce wear and reduce unwanted vibrations.
The embodiment of the displacement member 136 depicted in
The vibration isolators 114 may include a body that damps the vibrations that arise from the oscillating motion of the platform 120, thus limiting the vibrations that are conveyed to the base shell 40 and/or riser 50. For example, the vibration isolators 114 may include a rubber material that absorbs the vibrations. In another embodiment, the vibration isolator 114 may include a shock-absorbing assembly or other vibration damping material. In one embodiment, the support structure 110 may have multiple, independent vibration isolators 114 (as depicted). For example, the support structure 110 may have vibration isolators 114 at each corner of the support structure 110 or may have multiple vibration isolators 114 along each side of the support structure 110. In another embodiment, the vibration isolators 114 may be connected together or may be implemented as a single, unitary damping layer disposed between the support structure 110 and the base shell 40.
The damping effect of the vibration isolators 114 may be achieved by implementing materials that have favorable compression properties (e.g., certain polymers, plastics, and rubber materials), utilizing a fluidic damping configuration (e.g., particle dampers), and/or utilizing mechanical absorbers that mechanically absorb vibrations (e.g., shock absorbers, springs, etc.). For example, the vibration isolators 114 may incorporate viscous damping, viscoelastic damping, friction damping, and impact damping. In one embodiment, the vibration isolators 114 are passive. In another embodiment, however, the vibration isolators 114 may be active and thus may be configured to respond to and dampen certain vibration conditions. For example, the damping effect of the vibration isolators 114 may be dependent on the rotations per minute of the driveshaft and/or the oscillation frequency of the platform. In another embodiment, the user may select (e.g., via the user control interface 53 of the riser 50) the properties of the vibration isolators 114, thus allowing the user to adjust the damping effect of the vibration isolators in order to choose the extent of vibration propagation from the vibrating platform module 100 to the base shell 40 and/or riser 50. For example, a user may choose to reduce the damping/isolation effect of the vibration isolators 114 in order to allow a certain degree of secondary vibrations to propagate up through the riser 50 and into the user's hands via the handles 52.
In one embodiment, the vibration isolators 114 of the vibrating platform module 100 may include a heat sink configuration that facilitates that transmission of heat away from the vibration isolators 114. Depending on the type and material of the vibration isolators 114, repeated compression/damping may produce heat. Accordingly, the vibrating platform module 100 may include heat transmission lines that draw heat away from the vibration isolators 114, thus extending the lifetime of the vibration isolators 114 and potentially improving the performance and effectiveness of the vibration isolators 114.
The support structure 110 may further include second vibration isolators 116 that engage the ground/surface upon which the vibrating platform module 100 is supported, thus damping the magnitude of vibrations transferred to the ground and thereby making the personal vibrating apparatus more stable. In another embodiment, vibration isolators may be disposed on exterior lateral sides of the support structure 110 to engage the interior lateral sides of the base shell 40. Accordingly, the vibration isolators may be constructed from a variety of materials and may be implemented in a variety of configurations, as recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.
In such an embodiment, the horizontal displacement direction 133 of the reciprocating displacement member 136 alternately pushes and pulls the arm 126 back and forth, thus causing the platform 120 to rock back and forth. Among other benefits, the horizontal displacement direction 133 may be advantageous in certain implementations in order to reduce the distance 128B between the platform 120 and the support structure 110, thus increasing the stability of the apparatus.
Accordingly, the change of the oscillation magnitude 129 is controlled, in part, by the distance between the platform 120 and the connection point 127 of the arm 126. In one embodiment, the arm 126 may have multiple connection points 127, thus allowing a user to selectively configure the vibrating platform module 100 according to his/her preferred oscillation magnitude. Further, the vibrating platform module 100 may include replaceable or telescoping displacement members 136 that facilitate the various configurations.
In another embodiment, conveying and converting rotational energy from the motor 132 to a reciprocating, oscillating force on the platform 120 includes other components not previously described. For example, the power assembly 130 may include intermediate belts, chains, shafts, or gears, among others, to actuate the oscillation of the platform 120. In one embodiment, a cam assembly or other oscillation inducing assembly may be operably inter-coupled between the motor 132 and the platform 120. As described above, these power assembly components may be positioned and oriented to minimize the height of the vibrating platform module 100. For example, a motor 132 may drive a horizontal displacement member 136, a belt, a chain, etc. connected to a cam assembly that converts horizontal movement to vertical movement. The cam assembly may connect to the platform 120, for example at a location away from the fulcrum. The cam assembly may be positioned such that the overall height of the platform 120 is lower than other embodiments described herein.
In the above description, certain terms may be used such as “up,” “down,” “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “left,” “right,” and the like. These terms are used, where applicable, to provide some clarity of description when dealing with relative relationships. But, these terms are not intended to imply absolute relationships, positions, and/or orientations. For example, with respect to an object, an “upper” surface can become a “lower” surface simply by turning the object over. Nevertheless, it is still the same object. Further, the terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
Additionally, instances in this specification where one element is “coupled” to another element can include direct and indirect coupling. Direct coupling can be defined as one element coupled to and in some contact with another element. Indirect coupling can be defined as coupling between two elements not in direct contact with each other, but having one or more additional elements between the coupled elements. Further, as used herein, securing one element to another element can include direct securing and indirect securing. Additionally, as used herein, “adjacent” does not necessarily denote contact. For example, one element can be adjacent another element without being in contact with that element.
As used herein, the phrase “at least one of”, when used with a list of items, means different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used and only one of the items in the list may be needed. The item may be a particular object, thing, or category. In other words, “at least one of” means any combination of items or number of items may be used from the list, but not all of the items in the list may be required. For example, “at least one of item A, item B, and item C” may mean item A; item A and item B; item B; item A, item B, and item C; or item B and item C. In some cases, “at least one of item A, item B, and item C” may mean, for example, without limitation, two of item A, one of item B, and ten of item C; four of item B and seven of item C; or some other suitable combination.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/985,251, filed Apr. 28, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040068211 | Leivseth | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20080300520 | Shin | Dec 2008 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150305957 A1 | Oct 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61985251 | Apr 2014 | US |
