Exercise device

Abstract: This invention relates to an exercise device (10; 50), and in particular to a device suitable for exercising the muscles of the jaw. According to the invention the device includes a first member (12; 52) and a second member (14; 54), the first and second members being relatively movable, and a resilient biassing means (32; 84) acting upon one or both of the first and second members. The resilient biassing means can resist opening or closing movement of the jaw. The resilient biassing means can be adjustable.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an exercise device, and in particular to a device suitable for exercising the muscles of the jaw. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Persons who suffer facial injuries, perhaps as a result of a car accident, may suffer damage to the muscles of their face, and in particular to the muscles of their jaw. It is known that physiotherapy can help damaged muscles to recover, most typically through the repeated exercise of those muscles against a resistive force. The applicant is not aware of any device specifically designed for use with facial muscles, and which can provide a resistive force against which the muscles can work. The inventor believes that providing a device for the jaw muscles, which are the largest muscles in the face, will provide a significant physiotherapeutic benefit to those muscles, and may also provide a consequent benefit to other muscles of the face. Prior art document US-A-1,587,558 discloses an exercise device for the muscles of a person's jaw having the features of the preamble of claim 1. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is provided an exercise device for the muscles of a person's jaw, the device comprising a first member and a second member, the first and second members being relatively movable, the device including a resilient biassing means acting upon one or both of the first and second members, the resilient biassing means being adapted to resist opening movement of the jaw, characterised in that the second member is guided to move by two pairs of spaced-apart bars carried by the first member. Preferably, the resilient biassing means includes adjustment means, so that the resistance to jaw movement provided thereby can be varied. Since the device is arranged so that the resilient biassing means resists opening movement of the jaw, the resilient biassing means can be arranged to resist the (increased) separation of respective parts of the first and second members. Suitably the first member engages the top of the user's head and the second member engages the underside of the chin. Preferably, the first member includes at least one flexible strap which can be passed over a part of the head of the user; desirably there are two or more flexible straps arranged at angles to one another so that they can be passed at different angles over respective parts of the head. Desirably also, the flexible straps are joined to a headband which can be passed around a part of the head; usefully the headband is adjustable so that the first member can be secured to the user's head. Preferably the first member includes a substantially rigid hoop which can encompass a part of the user's head and surround the headband; preferably also the flexible straps and headband are carried by the hoop. Usefully, the second member is slidably mounted relative to the first member, the second member sliding as the jaw is opened and closed; usefully also the slidable mounting between the first and second members can accommodate a significant amount of lateral movement as the jaw pivots upon opening and closing. Desirably, the first member is connected to a substantially rigid frame to which the second member is in turn slidably mounted. Usefully, the second member is adjustably connected to the frame. In such embodiments, different orientations between the head and mandible can be accommodated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig.1 is a perspective view of a device, not according to the invention, to provide resistance to closing movement of the jaw; Fig.2 is a sectional view of the mounting for the resilient biassing means in the device of Fig.1; Fig.3 is a side view of a device according to the invention to provide resistance to opening movement of the jaw; Fig.4 is a front view of the device of Fig.3; Fig.5 is a plan view of the hoop of the device of Figs. 3 and 4; Fig.6 is a sectional view of the adjustable connection between the hoop and frame; Fig.7 is a sectional view of part of the frame and second member; and Fig.8 is a sectional view of the guide plate and part of the frame. The exercise device 10 shown in Fig.1 comprises a first member 12 and a second member 14, which have cooperating parts 16,18, each of which has an aperture to receive a pivot pin 20. By way of the pivot pin 20, the first and second members 12,14 can pivot relative to one another. The first member 12 has an integral extension 22, and the second member 14 has a corresponding integral extension 24, the extensions being adapted to be inserted into the open mouth of the user (not shown). Each extension has a recess 26 to receive the teeth of the user, the recess 26 of the extension 22 receives the teeth of the maxilla whilst the recess 26 of the extension 24 receives the teeth of the mandible, in the orientation of use as shown. It will readily be understood that the purpose of the recesses 26 is to locate the extensions (and thus the device 10) relative to the teeth of the user, and to help prevent the device inadvertently slipping either further into, or out of, the user's mouth during use. The first member 12 and the second member 14 each have a respective leg 28,30 which extends away from the pivot axis provided by pin 20 in the opposite direction to the respective extension 22,24. Accordingly, movement of the extensions 22,24 towards one another (for example by closure of the user's mouth) causes the legs 28,30 to be moved further apart. The resilient bias means which resists jaw movement in this design is provided by a compression spring 32 which is carried by a bolt 34 and retained by a nut 36. Thus, as better shown in Fig.2, the bolt 34 is secured to the leg 30 by a cross-pin 40 and passes through an aperture 42 in the leg 28; the aperture 42 is sufficiently large relative to the bolt 34, and the cross-pin 40 allows sufficient pivoting movement of the bolt 34, to accommodate the pivoting of the first and second members 12,14, and thus the pivoting of the legs 28,30, during their relative movement. One end of the spring 32 sits in a well 44 in the leg 28, the spring 32 acting against the ledge 46 at the bottom of the well 44 (in the orientation as shown). The other end of the spring 32 engages the nut 36, and acts thereagainst. Since the spring 32 is a compression spring, it acts to press the ledge 46 away from the nut 36, i.e. it seeks to keep the legs 28,30 together and the extensions 22,24 apart. In use, therefore, when the user closes his or her jaw, such movement is resisted by the spring 32. The degree of resistance to jaw closure can be adjusted by movement of the nut 36 along the bolt 34. Desirably, the range of relative movement of the extensions 22,24 is around 30 mm, for example the separation of the recesses 26 ranging from about 10 mm to about 40 mm. Such range of movement will encompass most of the range of movement of a typical adult jaw. The embodiment of Figs. 3-8 is for a device 50 which can provide resistance to the opening movement of a user's jaw. The device 50 comprises a first member 52 and a second member 54. In this embodiment the first member comprises {i} a hoop 56 to surround a part of the user's head, {ii} a number of straps (shown schematically by the dashed line) which cross over the top of the user's head, and {iii} an adjustable headband (not shown) which lies partially or fully within the hoop and can engage the user's head. The straps and headband are preferably flexible so as to be more comfortable to the user. The flexible straps and headband will readily be recognised as similar or identical to those used on the inside of safety helmets and the like, and provide for secure location upon the user's head without undue discomfort. As seen in Fig.5, in this embodiment the hoop 56 has eight "T" section cut-outs 60a-h spaced therearound, the cut-outs 60a-h each receiving an end piece of a flexible strap. In this embodiment there will be four flexible straps, the first connected between cut-outs 60a and 60e, the second connected between cut-outs 60b and 60f, the third connected between cut-outs 60c and 60g, and the fourth connected between cut-outs 60d and 60g. The flexible straps may additionally also be connected together adjacent their cross-over. As will be known to users of safety helmets and the like, the adjustable headband (not shown) is connected to the flexible straps adjacent their "T" section connectors, and surrounds the user's head adjacent but inside the hoop 56. Thus, in use none of the hoop 56 will contact the user's head, and the hoop 56 can be sized to accommodate the largest of heads; the first member will be securely located upon the user's head by tightening the headband in known fashion. Connected to the hoop 56 is a frame 62 which is generally of U-shape in front view (Fig.4), and is substantially symmetrical about its centre line L-L. The frame 62 is connected to two carriers 64, by which the frame 62 is adjustably connected to the hoop 56. Thus, as shown in more detail in Fig.6, the hoop carries a bolt 66 which is received in an elongated slot 68 of the carrier 64. The nut 70 can be tightened on the bolt so as to clamp the carrier 64 against the hoop 56. However, when the nut 70 is loosened the carrier 64 can be moved relative to the hoop 56 (with the bolt 66 sliding along the slot 68). In this way, the position of the frame 62 can be adjusted relative to the hoop 56, which is desirable since in practice such movement may be needed to suit the head shape and comfort requirements of different users of the device. The two "sides" of the frame 62 comprise a pair of bars 72 which are spaced apart and are substantially linear and parallel. The bars 72 are connected at one end to the respective carrier 64, and at the other end to a cross-beam 74, the cross-beam 74 adding rigidity to the frame 62. The second member 54 is carried by the frame 62, and is slidable relative thereto. The second member 54 comprises a plate 76 (Figs.4,7) which extends across the frame 62; the plate 76 having integral extensions 78 which are located and retained between the respective bars 72 to each side of the device. The plate 76 carries a chin rest 80, which is desirably of cushioning or other resiliently yielding material so as to be comfortable against the chin of the user (not shown). The extensions 78 of the plate 76 each carry a lug 82 which can receive one end of a tension spring 84. The other end of the tension spring 84 is connected to the end of a threaded rod 86. The threaded rod 86 carries a guide plate 88 (see Fig.8) which is shaped to locate the end of the threaded rod 86 relative to the bars 72. The threaded rod 86 passes through an aperture in the carrier 64, and carries a nut 90. In use, the user places the hoop 56 around his or her head, and adjusts the headband until it is a tight but comfortable fit upon his or her head. The user then passes the plate 76 and chin rest 80 underneath his or her chin. The user can subsequently open his or her jaw against the resistance of the tension springs 84. To vary the resistance to jaw opening movement, the nut 90 may be moved along the threaded bar 86, increasing or reducing the resistance to opening jaw movement accordingly. It will be understood from Fig.7 in particular that the plate 76 can move some distance (in the directions shown by the double-headed arrow 92) relative to the bars 72. This movement is desirable so that the plate 76, which does not itself undergo pivoting movement, can nevertheless accommodate the pivoting movement of the mandible. Whilst it will be understood that the device has been designed, and is generally intended for, the physiotherapeutic treatment of patients who have suffered facial injury, the device is not limited to such use. Thus, persons who wish to improve the muscle tone of the face for aesthetic reasons as well as or instead of therapeutic reasons could obtain benefit from use of the device, it being understood that improving the muscle tone in the face can also have a beneficial effect upon the skin tone of the face.

Claims: An exercise device (50) for the muscles of a person's jaw, the device including a first member (52) and a second member (54), the first and second members being relatively movable, and resilient biassing means (84) acting upon one or both of the first and second members, the resilient biassing means being adapted to resist opening movement of the jaw, characterised in that the second member is guided to move by two pairs of spaced-apart bars (72) carried by the first member. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the bars (72) in each pair are substantially linear and parallel. An exercise device according to any one of claim 1 or claim 2 in which the resilient biassing means seeks to resist the separation, or an increase in the separation, of respective parts (56,76) of the first and second members. An exercise device according to any one of claims 1-3 in which the resilient biassing means includes adjustment means (86,90). An exercise device according to any one of claims 1-4 in which part of the first member is adapted to engage an upper part of the user's head and part of the second member is adapted to engage the underside of the user's chin. An exercise device according to any one of claims 1-5 in which the first member includes at least one strap which can be passed over a part of the head of the user. An exercise device according to claim 6 in which the or each strap is joined to a headband which can fit around a part of the user's head. An exercise device according to claim 7 in which the headband is adjustable. An exercise device according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the first member includes a substantially rigid hoop (56) which can encompass a part of the user's head and surround the headband, the or each strap and the headband being carried by the hoop.

Inventors: MCINTYRE IAN JOSEPH, MCINTYRE, IAN JOSEPH
Applicants: MCINTYRE IAN JOSEPH, MCINTYRE, IAN JOSEPH
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A63B23
IPC codes: A63B23, A63B21