Training device

Abstract

The invention relates to a training device (1), in particular for the hand and arm muscles, having a long device axis (6) and an elongated shell with a circular inner cross-section, in which at least one ball (4) is located, the end regions of which are fastened to a handle part (3), the shell and handle part (3) lying at least in one plane and the shell forming a belly (9) and being flexible, and the at least one ball being freely movable within the shell. To improve the training effect, it is provided that - the end regions of the shell are directed at an angle between 70° and 120°, preferably of approximately 90°, to one another, that - the handle part (3) comprises a gripping region (8), and that - the gripping part (3) is doubly offset, such that the gripping region (8) runs within the outline of the training device and is closer to the long device axis (6) than the belly (9).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a training device according to the preamble of claim 1 and EP 2 029 241 A1.

[0002] EP 2 029 241 A1 discloses a training device, particularly for the hand, arm, and upper body muscles, comprising an elongated shell with a substantially circular inner cross-section, inside which at least one ball is freely movable between its ends. The opposing ends of the shell, curved in a single plane, are connected to a straight, cylindrical handle with a soft exterior. Although consistently good training results are achieved with this device, there is a desire for even greater training efficiency.

[0003] US Pat. No. 6,099,444 A and JP 2005 / 278840 A disclose training devices with movable inner bodies, in which handles protrude from a plane of movement of the inner body. The former discloses a variety of training devices with movable balls or egg-shaped bodies inside differently designed tracks with a closed cross-section. In principle, a distinction can be made between closed (oval, figure-eight, etc.) tracks and straight tracks. Only the latter have shock absorbers at their ends to prevent the transmission of shocks to the test subjects' joints.

[0004] Another training device is known from GB 855,312 A. This consists of a tube within a straight tube with a closed cross-section that serves as a guide and handle, with the inner tube being linearly movable between shock absorbers.

[0005] Other training equipment is available in the form of dumbbells, expanders, and the like. The disadvantages of these devices are that they usually provide a relatively monotonous workout and make it difficult or impossible to perform this training while doing another activity, such as running.

[0006] The invention has the object of creating a training device which does not have these disadvantages and which can be used in a variety of ways, wherein an increase in the training effect compared to EP 2 029 241 is particularly desired.

[0007] According to the invention, the main objective is achieved in that the ends of the sheath end at an angle of less than 180° to each other at a handle part which encompasses or forms the actual handle area, and in that the handle part is double-cranked so that the handle area lies within the outline of the training device.

[0008] In principle, it should be noted that the grip section can be constructed as a single piece or from multiple components. The grip area can be foamed or cast as a kind of "cover," or it can form a separate central section between the ends of the grip section. The transition from the grip section to the hose can be realized in various ways, with intermediate elements also being provided here. All of these can be freely combined, since the hose connection and the grip section design are technically independent of each other.

[0009] This creates an essentially oval, but "squashed" training device in which, for example, the closed shell consists of a spiral tube, inside which one or more balls made of a solid material with sufficient inertia (e.g., steel balls) are inserted. The spiral tube is then pushed and secured by its ends over the end sections of the handle. This can be achieved, if necessary, by means of a piece of connecting tubing, which in turn is pulled over a tube (or inserted into one), thereby giving the spiral tube a roughly oval shape. A handle, a grip area made of a suitable material, is attached or formed in the area of ​​the tube to enable a firm and comfortable grip.

[0010] In principle, both in training equipment and in occupational medicine, attempts are made to reduce the occurrence and intensity of vibrations to an absolute minimum. Such vibrations are often perceived as unpleasant in training equipment. In occupational medicine, the avoidance of vibrations, for example in the area of ​​jackhammers, is even a priority. In the course of therapeutic trials with Parkinson's sufferers, it was surprisingly discovered that increasing the vibrations can lead to an increase in muscle tone, which leads to an enhanced training effect. Even more surprising was that training with this newly developed training device can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms in Parkinson's sufferers. A handle part, or at least a handle area, made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) has proven particularly advantageous in this context.

[0011] Due to its design, the training device has no sharp edges and can therefore be safely used during hikes, jogging or other activities in which the muscles of the upper body, and in particular the arms and hands, are not usually trained.

[0012] The flexibility of the hose and the mobility of the inertia balls (e.g., steel balls) result in a constantly changing grip sensation, triggering a reaction from the muscles involved in holding the training device. This also trains fine motor skills and reflexes. The training effect is particularly enhanced by the relatively hard grip section, which directly transfers all force peaks (excessive forces when the balls hit the end of the hose are buffered) from the training device to the arms of the person exercising, providing an additional training stimulus.

[0013] When using a spiral tube (which includes any type of tube with a spiral (or rather, helical) reinforcement), the balls moving within the spiral tube are caused to vibrate and rotate due to the helical protrusions on the inner surface of the tube, which specifically stimulates the nerves in the user's palms and activates the associated muscles. In combination with a rigid grip, this further enhances the training effect.

[0014] The tube forming the handle, which does not need to have a circular cross-section, can be made of copper, steel, aluminum, or their alloys, or even of mechanically stable plastics such as PVC. At both ends, the hose either extends beyond the hose for a certain length or surrounds it. This ensures that the spiral hose does not kink at the end of the tube but is supported as resiliently as possible by the handle. The hose can be a standard garden hose or have similar mechanical properties. It is of course possible to manufacture a special, one-piece handle onto which the spiral hose is pushed (and possibly glued) with slight elastic deformation to ensure it is held in place. Damping or springy ends of this part can also be provided.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, mechanically dampening or spring-loaded elements are inserted into the spiral tube at both ends of the tube to absorb the shock when a ball hits it, thus reducing the strain on the user's joints. The simplest dampener to use is a plug-like piece of foam rubber; coil springs, foam rubber, and other elastically deformable elements can also be used. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, this shock absorber can be omitted if the end of the tube itself is designed to be dampening or spring-loaded. In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the dampening element is deliberately omitted in order to increase the training effect through an even stronger impulse.

[0016] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle portion is designed such that, when viewed from above, it is not tubular or rod-shaped with a substantially straight axis, but rather has a strongly curved shape, similar to a "W" (or upside down, depending on the case), with the central point of the W elongated to form a gripping area. The ends of the tube thus converge into the angled end legs of the W. This makes it possible to move the gripping area of ​​the training device closer to its center of gravity (if the balls are considered to be in the middle of the length of the tube or simply ignored), which is described by exercisers as pleasant.In addition, it is possible to influence the curvature of the tube simply by changing the shape of the handle in such a way that the balls hitting the handle during training is dampened or massively reduced, or even prevented, thus influencing the intensity of the ball impulses.

[0017] The different designs of the handle part can be combined in any way with the different designs of the damping properties.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. The single figure shows a training device according to the invention, partly in side view and partly in section.

[0019] A training device 1 comprises a flexible tube 2, which serves as the casing, and a dimensionally stable handle 3. The tube 2 has a flat, curved shape, the ends of which form an angle between 70 and 120°, preferably approximately 90°, as shown. A "flat shape" means that the plus / minus deviations of the curved tube axis from an imaginary center plane (in the figure, the paper plane) are no greater than the outer diameter of the tube 2.

[0020] The handle part 3 is designed such that its ends (legs) are aligned in the direction of the hose ends, thus at an angle between 70 and 120°, preferably, as shown, approximately 90°, and then, through a double bend, forms an actual handle area 8 that is closer to the long device axis 6 than the belly 9 of the hose 2. This means, as explained in detail, that the outside of the handle area 8 is closer to the device axis 6 than the outside of the hose 2 in the area of ​​the belly. It also means that the handle area 8 lies at a distance within an outer plane 7 of the training device 1, which includes the two points of the handle part 3 that are the greatest distance from the longitudinal axis 6.

[0021] Due to this design, the grip area 8 is located close to the center of gravity of the device (without taking into account the current position of the balls), which improves handling and training with the device compared to state-of-the-art devices and also allows and encourages exercises that cannot or cannot easily be performed with state-of-the-art devices.

[0022] Even in the prior art closest to the invention, EP 2 029 241, the handle is located closer to the long axis of the device than the belly of the tube. There, the straight handle is also aligned with the mutually facing ends of the tube, so that at the end of the ball's movement, an impulse can only be transmitted in the longitudinal direction of the handle. In the training device according to the invention, the shock-like, albeit dampened, impulse occurring at the end of the ball's movement is also transmitted with a component in the direction of the transverse axis 5 (which runs almost horizontally during use), which leads to an additional angular momentum and significantly improves the training effect.

[0023] The gripping area 8 is advantageously, as shown, adapted to the inner shape of a grasping hand and has corresponding recesses for the fingers and a curvature for the ball of the hand.

[0024] The handle part 3 preferably has damping elements, so-called shock absorbers 10, or stoppers, at both of its end areas for the balls 4 rolling freely inside the hose 2. This allows unpleasant shocks to be absorbed without reducing the usefulness of the device. In the simplest case, these damping elements can be made of sponge rubber, foam rubber, or similar. It is of course also possible to provide stop plates or similar elements supported by coil springs. With knowledge of the invention, the skilled person will have no problem taking suitable measures here, which are completely independent of those for the hose assembly and the design of the handle part / grip area.

[0025] The balls 4 that move freely within the tube 2 are preferably steel balls, as the density of the steel provides a noticeable training effect due to their relatively large mass. Their diameter is matched to the inner diameter of the tube 2 in such a way that there is no risk of them getting stuck, while radial movement within the circular inner cross-section of the tube 2 is barely noticeable.

[0026] Hose 2 is preferably, as already mentioned at the beginning, a spiral hose; it should actually be called a screw hose, and can be a regular garden hose reinforced in this way or something similar. Due to the ribbed design of the inner surface, possibly formed by the screw threads of the hose reinforcement, a rattling noise is transmitted to the grip area and subsequently to the user during training. This, as explained above, produces or strengthens beneficial effects in a wide variety of medical conditions.

[0027] Grip part 3 and grip area 8 are preferably (each) made of one piece from plastic or metal; of course, different parts can be used / combined, for example, to adapt to different hand sizes. The hose 2 is connected either directly to the grip part 3 or at each end by means of a connecting piece that holds the end of the hose, preferably with a certain degree of flexibility. Preferably, two to five, particularly preferably four, steel balls can be used.

[0028] Typical external dimensions are approximately 30cm ±10% in the direction of the long device axis 6 and between 18 and 25cm perpendicular to it, thus between the outside of the belly 9 and an outer plane 7 on the handle side. The inner diameter of the tube 2 is 3.5cm ± 0.5cm; the size and exact shape of the handle part 3 and the handle area 8 depend on the user and can be adjusted accordingly. These dimensions represent a typical training device. It is of course possible to manufacture devices that deviate from the above dimensions, possibly even noticeably.

[0029] The invention thus relates to a training device 1, in particular for the hand, arm and upper body muscles, with a long device axis 6, with an elongated shell with an at least substantially circular inner cross-section, in the interior of which at least one ball 4 is located, and end regions of the shell are fastened to a handle part 3, wherein the shell and the handle part 3 lie at least substantially in one plane and the shell forms a belly 9, wherein the shell is flexible over at least part of its longitudinal extent, and wherein the at least one ball is freely movable between the ends of the shell, which is characterized in that the end regions of the sleeve are directed at an angle between 70° and 120°, preferably of approximately 90°, to one another, that the handle part 3 comprises or forms an actual handle region 8, and that the handle part 3 is doubly cranked, thus having the shape of a "W", so that the handle region 8 runs within the outline of the training device and is closer to the long device axis 6 than the belly 9.

[0030] A further development is characterized in that the sheath is a hose 2 made of plastic, preferably a spiral hose.

[0031] One embodiment is characterized in that shock absorbers 10 are provided at both ends of the casing in its end region.

[0032] A further development is characterized in that at least one ball 4 is made of steel.

[0033] A preferred embodiment is characterized in that the handle part 3 is made of plastic or metal.

[0034] A further development thereof is characterized in that the handle part 3 in the handle area 8 comprises a covering or overlay made of softer material such as softer plastic, foam rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane. List of reference symbols:

[0035] 1Training device 2Hose 3Handle 4Ball(s) 5Transverse axis 6Long device axis 7Outer plane 8Grip area 9Abdomen 10Shock absorber

Claims

1. Training device (1), in particular for the hand, arm and upper body muscles, with a long device axis (6), with an elongated shell with an at least substantially circular inner cross-section in the interior of which at least one ball (4) is located, and with end regions which are fastened to a handle part (3), wherein the shell and the handle part (3) lie at least substantially in one plane and the shell forms a belly (9), wherein the shell is flexible over at least part of its longitudinal extent, and wherein the at least one ball is freely movable between the ends of the shell, characterized in that - the end regions of the cover are directed at an angle between 70° and 120°, preferably of approximately 90°, to one another, that - the handle part (3) comprises or forms an actual handle region (8), and that - the handle part (3) is doubly cranked, thus having the shape of a "W", so that the handle region (8) runs within the outline of the training device and is closer to the long device axis (6) than the belly (9).

2. Training device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheath is a hose (2) made of plastic, preferably a spiral hose.

3. Training device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Shock absorbers (10) are provided at both ends of the casing in the end area thereof.

4. Training device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one ball (4) is made of steel.

5. Training device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle part (3) is made of plastic or metal.

6. Training device according to claim 5, characterized in that the handle part (3) in the handle area (8) comprises a covering or covering made of softer material such as softer plastic, sponge rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane.

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