ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO EMPLOY IN MACHINES FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISES TO CARRY OUT RESISTANCE VALUES WITH VARIABLE INTENSITY

Abstract: For the apparatus operation, the user lays the resistance values on panel (1) by means of a keyboard (21), and the values are then transmitted to the electronic driving gear (3). This one activates an electric motor (5) controlling the gear pump (7) which, through a valveless hydraulic circuit, loads or unloads a fluid accompplisher (8) directly connected with the user by means of the transition tool (9). The accomplisher (8) and the tool (9) transmit pressure signals through the transducer (10), respectively position signals of the user interested in the motion, through the potentiometer (11), to the microprocessor (12) which elaborates such signals and sends them to the electronic drive (3).

Description: "Electronic device to employ in machines for physical exercises to carry out resistance values with variable intensity". The invention refers to an electronic device for the regulation and check of the resistance values which can be prearranged with varia- ble intensity on the control board, to employ in the machine for physical rehabilitation and muscular strengthening exercises. The present machineries for physical exercises can be suited, in the resistance values, to the requirements of the relevant exercise by employing different kinds of means, such as weights, pulleys, chains, cams or pneumatic systems. These means supply a resistance which ta¬ kes equal values both in the positive or eccentric phase of the exer¬ cise, and in its active or concetric phase, limiting the user to em¬ ploy the means according to only one eperative system. At present, how ever, four types of resistances to a given physical movement are ta¬ ken into consideration: the isometric, the isocynetic, the isodynamic and the isotonic ones. The invention device allows to suit the machine to the actual employ requirements by means of manifold combinations of active and passive resistance along with the availability of a simplified operative sy¬ stem which facilitates its employ. By means of a system checked by a microprocessing device which controls an oildynamic pump carry¬ ing out assembly of checked force values for the exercise either 5 in the active or passive phase, each combination of the above re¬ sistance modalities is carried out allowing the splitting phase and the change in the intensity of the positive and negative resi stance charges. Another feature is the instantaneous resistance change as to a given position of the organs interested in the exe Q cise. The operative possibilities of the system are manifold and, by .Inserting the system in a properly conceived structure, it is possible to interprete each reasonable muscular action. Bymeans of the invention device, the user is in a position to choose among three electronically checked programs of exercises and in particu- 5 lar: a) a manual selection of isotonic exercise which, in an inde¬ pendent way, permits to select the wished values of positive (pas¬ sive) strength and the values of negative (active) force; b) a py¬ ramidal way which permits to perform an isotonic (linear) progres¬ sion of resistance increased at each exercise repetition success- S . fully carried out, with an inverted automatic progression, begun when the user fails to complete an entire repetition with the for¬ ce in use; c) the maximum effort for the type of examination con¬ cerning the strength, which unites a positive passive phase with an active passive one. Moreover, the realization of what precedes 5 is fitted with a digital visualizer or video which enables to read the execution speed of the exercise phases, a transcription system which estimates the relevant efficiency of the user against the ma¬ chine resistance, the utmost force used for both the positive and negative phases and the time needed for the employ. The system car- 0 ries out a resistance mechanism to the physical exercise capable of carrying out active and/or passive resistance in the exercise isoto nic, isocynetic r isometric and isodynamic modalities, as well as any relevant combination. Such a mechanism is identified in a logi¬ cal assembly ofr a) electrical feeding, integrated check of micro- 5 processor and sight instrumentation; b) fluid circuit without val- ves consisting of motor-pump fluidic actuator; c) sensible check means for the fluid pressure; d) position revealer communicating the user position to the system in the mechanism employ; e) va- riator for transforming the electric power. The mechanism also enables the user to employ the resistance in either one or mul¬ tiple axle in angular and linear trip and to carry out resistan¬ ce modules according to more axles or segments of linear motion, carried out directly by a rotating starting means. The micropro¬ cessor, according to the invention, can generate numberless po- wer profiles for either concentric or eccentric excursions. The feeding means enables the user to independently select the power value for any direction of either concentric or eccentric excur¬ sion. The device, in which the above energy is absorbed and vi¬ sualized, permits to select either a maximal force examination or the type of exercise complete with two phases: a passive concentric phase and an excentric active one, and to record the utmost one generated in each phase for subsequent recalling. The feeding and visualization means enables to select an initial power value which, on completion of each excursion, progressively increases the po- wer values and, if the user is unable to perform a complete excur sion, the mechanism automatically activates a decreasing progres¬ sion. In addition, the times passed during the exercises cna be no ticed and a speed indicator in actual time is employed which stea¬ dily shows the movement rythm of the user with respect to a pre-ar ranged movement speed. By means of the micro-processor, the rele¬ vant execution by the user is calculated in respect to the previous ly pre-arranged excursion speed in both eccentrical and concentri- cal phases, and represents the said values as a limit. For the starting device, the user presets the values of the loads to which he wishes to undergo and these ones are transmitted to the e- lectronic drive by means of conducts. This drive on line controls an . electric driving motor of a gear pump which, through a hydraulic cir cuit without valves, loads and unloads a fluid actuator connected 90 with the user through the transition tool. The actuator and the tool transmit some signals, respectively of pressure through a transducer and of angular position of -the user's limb which is in terested in the action, through a potentiometer, to a microprocesr sor which elaborates and sends them to the electronic drive. 95 An execution form of the system is illustrated in a merely indica tive way in the drawings of tables 1, 2 and 3. With reference to these tables, fig. 1 in table 1 is a view of the exercise machine to which the device is fitted. In table 2, fig. 2 illustrates the 100 electronic installation and shows the signalling instrument (key¬ board) , the eletrical motor, the potentiometer and the transducer. In table 3, fig. 3 is the scheme of the hydraulic installation. For setting the device to work, the user inserts the feeding valu TQ5 es in the checking panel 1 subsequently transmitted on ducts 2 to the electronic drive 3. This one controls electric motor 5 on line 4, cooled by ventilator 6. The said motor 5 drives the gear pump 7 which, through a hydraulic circuit without valves, loads and un¬ loads an actuator 8 connected to the user through the transition 110 tool 9. The actuator 8 and tool 9 transmit pressure signals through the transducer 10 and respectively position signals of the user limb through the potentiometer 11 to the microprecessor 12 which elabora tes and sends them to the electronic drive 3. According to the in¬ vention, the device can be fitted, for instance, on a machine for 15 the arm strengthening. The said machine is a metal tubular unit, with traverse piece 13 and end part 14, fitted on vibration damping supports and with an initial support 15 for seat 16. On the other terminal, another support 16 is foreseen which crosses part 18 to form the support 19 of the transition tool 9 and the support 20 of 20 checking panel 1 with keyboard 21. By means of this keyboard 21 , the user sitting in position regulates the resistance values and qo- es on to training by driving the tool 9 with the arms leants on the support 19. The type of components of the devices, as well as the shape of the machine for muscular strengthening and rehabilitation may be fore¬ seen in different ways.

Claims: Claims. 1) Electronic device to employ in machines for physical exercises to carry out resistance values with variable intensity, characterized by the fact that by means of a microprocessor (12) the values of the active and passive resistance are regulated. For the device opera¬ tion, the user sets the values concerning the loads to which he wish es to underlie on panel (1) by means of the keyboard (21) , and the values are transmitted on a conduit to the electronic drive (3) . This last one, on line, controls an electric motor (5) for driving a gear pump (7) which, through a hydraulic circuit without valves, loads or unloads a fluid actuator (8) connected with the user thro¬ ugh the transition tool (9) . The actuator (8) and tool (9) transmit some signal respectively of pressure, through a transducer (10) , and of angular position of the user's limb which is interested in the o ve ent, through a potentiometer (11), to a microprocessor (12) which elaborates and sends them to the electronic drive (3) . 2) Electronic device to employ in machines for physical exercises to carry out resistance values with variable intensity, as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that the user can choose among three ex¬ ercise programs electronically checked, and in particular: a) an i- sotonic exercise manual selection which enables him to independent¬ ly select the wished positive (passive) and negative (active) strength values; b) a pyramidal way which enables him to carry out an isoto- nic (linear) progression of increased resistance repetition sucessful- ly carried out, with an automatic progression begun when the user fails to carry out a complete repetition with the strength in use; c) a maximum effeort for the examination type concerning the force, which connects a passive positive phase with a negative active one. 3) Electronic device to employ in machines for physical exercises to carry out resistance values with variable intensity, as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is equipped with a digital visuali zer or video, which..enables to read the execution speed of the exer cise phases, by a transcription system to estimate the relative u- ser's efficiency against the machine resistance, the maximum stren¬ gth for both positive and negative phases and the time required for the amploy. ~

Inventors: SARTI BATTISTA, SARTI, BATTISTA
Applicants: FIMA SRL, FI. MA SRL
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A63B21
IPC codes: A63B21, A63B24