Individually adjustable appliances for gymnastics

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for adjusting at least one gymnastic appliance, preferably height adjustment.

Background of the Invention

[0002] It is commonly known that gymnasts use various aids in connection with take-off at e.g. pits, cushioning mattresses, trampolines or at a vaulting horse in connection with performing various gymnastic exercises.

[0003] Such gymnastic appliances may usually be adjusted to different levels. Typically there is made an adjustment that substantially fits the present users. Examples of settings may be the height of a vaulting horse, height or angle of a mini trampoline which is used for take-off at a gymnastic exercise by a horse, a pit or a cushioning mattress.

[0004] Adjusting the height etc. occurs manually by loosening various locking means that possibly may be spring loaded, by operating buttons or by suitable hand tools.

[0005] Such a manual adjustment of height and/or angles is, however, never optimal, as particularly during training there are frequently several users with different height and width, and which do not all may be challenged with advantage by demanding gymnastic exercises on equipment which is set for an average user.

Object of the Invention

[0006] It is thus the purpose of the invention to indicate a method for individual adjustment, and gymnastic appliances which are arranged for individual adjustment, where this adjustment is effected on the basis of data for the individual user.

Description of the Invention

[0007] As mentioned in the introduction, the present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for adjusting at least one gymnastic appliance, preferably height adjustment. The term 'gymnastic appliance' in connection with the present invention is to be regarded restrictively, as traditional gymnastic appliances, such as pits, cushioning mattresses, trampolines or a vaulting horses for use by performing jumps, where the gymnastic appliances are typically used by several users who in succession perform the given gymnastic exercise.

[0008] By a method according to the invention, adjustment takes place individually in relation to the personal data of each gymnast, e.g. expressed by the physical height of the gymnast, or by a height, weight or strength defined in beforehand by the gymnast himself, where the personal data of the gymnast is used as input data prior to the individual adjustment. Alternatively, previously used settings may be applied as input as well, and an expected improvement in these input data may possibly be incorporated such that after a certain number of performed exercises, an increased degree of difficulty in the exercise in the form of a higher obstacle to be passed or the like is proposed automatically.

[0009] An apparatus for performing the method may advantageously include an input unit and at least one gymnastic appliance, where the input unit is connected with at least one gymnastic appliance, and where one or more physical conditions of the at least one gymnastic appliance are changed as a function of individual inputs to the input unit via one or more actuators, preferably linear actuators. Such actuators may be of various types which may be electric, pneumatic, hydraulic or with other means of action. Furthermore, other known types of actuators than linear actuators may be used, if only the desired effect of change in the physical conditions at the gymnastic appliance is achieved. These actuators of different types may be connected to fixed electric, pneumatic or hydraulic installations, but may also be provided with e.g. a battery, a pressure container or other suitable energy source, whereby is achieved an increased freedom by not needing connection to a fixed installation.

[0010] The input unit may be connected via a wire to one or more gymnastic appliances, but may advantageously be wirelessly connected, whereby wires will not lie on the floor and whereby there is no dependency on fixed installations any more.

[0011] By such a method and such an apparatus it is possible to adapt the physical conditions by one or more gymnastic appliances such that an optimal individual desired setting is achieved. The very obvious advantage of this is that conditions which are adapted to the height, weight or strength of the individual gymnast may be provided in a rapid and easy way. By the invention it is e.g. possible in simple way to increase or lower the height of a vaulting horse in beforehand for each individual user just by using personal data for the user for the adjustment immediately before performing the exercise.

[0012] A variant of a method according to the invention is that the input data are electronically stored on a medium, that a given gymnast manually identifies himself before performing a gymnastic exercise, and that the said input data are converted into a signal for one or more height adjustable devices on the particular gymnastic appliance or appliances. In that data already have been stored on a medium before performing the exercise, there is provided opportunity for a coach or the gymnast himself to plan his training with laid in suggestions for changes or increases in e.g. height, or similar. The gymnast or coach may thus just confirm or reject a suggestion which the input unit has been programmed to propose. Such a confirmation or rejection may be effected via keyboard on the input unit. The manual identification of the individual gymnast may occur by selection of himself on a list on the input unit or e.g. by finger print reading, but may also occur by direct entering of the required data.

[0013] A preferred variant of the invention is, however, where the input data are electronically stored on a medium, e.g. a so-called RFID tag, where this medium is carried by the gymnast and is detected electronically and wirelessly, where the said input data are converted into a signal for one or more adjustable devices on the particular gymnastic appliance or appliances.

[0014] Such an electronic storage medium as an RFID tag may in principle be a small data chip without energy source, a so-called passive RFID tag which, when brought in contact with or in immediate vicinity of a scanner is detected, whereby personal data may be read and transmitted to respective receivers such that an individual adjustment takes place. Such a storage medium may e.g. be arranged in a wristband, in a shoe, in a small pocket in the clothes, or in other suitable places. If a so-called RFID tag is used which, as opposed to the passive RFID tag, frequently contains batteries, a such may e.g. be integrated in a wristwatch or similar, where even there may be possibility of continuously correcting previously stored data.

[0015] A variant like this with a personal electronic storage medium may possibly be coupled together with the manual variant as mentioned above. Hereby is achieved a very great freedom of following a previously established training program, and at the same time having the possibility of making changes manually. These changes may possibly be performed by the gymnast or a coach by a PC, where the data stored on the personal electronic medium can be changed and adapted according to need. This may occur on the spot in a gymnasium or subsequently in an office.

[0016] A particularly preferred method according to the invention is where input data are additionally used for starting and stopping and for identifying recordings of the exercise of the particular gymnast, e.g. recordings by a camera. Such recordings may advantageously form the basis of a closer analysis where coach and gymnast together or separately study and analyse the performed exercises, after which input to the adjustable gymnastic appliances may be corrected optimally in order to achieve a better or more optimal performance.

[0017] An apparatus for adjusting at least one gymnastic appliance according to the invention may advantageously include that the at least one gymnastic appliance is a vaulting horse or a cushioning mattress that may be adjusted in height. On a horse it will thus preferably be the leg length which is adjusted, while the height on a cushioning mattress may e.g. be adjusted by actuating a pit mechanism. For the sake of good order it is to be mentioned that other examples than those mentioned here may be provided with means for individual adjustment as well. For example, the supports on which a high jump bar is placed may be coupled together with an apparatus according to the invention.

[0018] Another particularly preferred variant of an apparatus according to the invention is where the at least one gymnastic appliance is a trampoline where its height and possible angle is adjusted via one or more actuators. It is thus possible to adjust a trampoline, typically a trampoline used for taking off before the actual gymnastic exercise, such that it fits in height and angle to the individual user. Such an adjustment may e.g. be effected by incorporating one or more actuators in the underlying structure.

[0019] A further variant of an apparatus according to the invention where a trampoline is adjusted individually may also include that the trampoline is arranged with further adjusting means for individual adjustment of the tension in the canvas of the trampoline. Hereby is achieved possibility of achieving further optimised conditions which are particularly adapted to the individual user. Adjusting the canvas of the trampoline may be stepwise or stepless according to need. By the invention it is thus possible to adjust a take-off trampoline, a vaulting horse and a cushioning mattress in exactly the way preferred by a specific gymnast. It is thus not only about adjusting a single appliance, but about several appliances in succession, increasing the value of the training considerably as the individual gymnasts may have the opportunity of making optimal gymnastic exercises.

[0020] An apparatus according to the invention may, as mentioned above, be provided with an input unit that includes a scanner, where the scanner interacts with a personal storage medium, e.g. an RFID tag, from which personal data are read, where these data are converted into an individual physical adaptation of at least one gymnastic appliance. Such a scanner may be a so-called RFID reader forming part of a network that includes a computer, a database, e.g. an internet-based database, and possibly webbased programs.

[0021] A further variant of an apparatus according to the invention includes a weighing system consisting of at least one weighing cell, where the weighing system is connected with either an input unit or a gymnastic appliance. By such a variant, a very rapid individual adjustment can be achieved which is only based on the weight of the gymnast. Such an adjustment may e.g. advantageously be used in connection with adjusting the tension in a trampoline canvas. Thus it may be the weight measured and registered immediately before a jump that serves as input for the gymnastic appliance.

[0022] Another use of a weighing system in connection with a gymnastic appliance or similar may be where the weighing system is built into the appliance and while loaded registers the force or weight with which the appliance is to be loaded. This registered loading may then be used subsequently to determine how or how well the gymnast has performed his exercise, or alternatively as a part of the input for correcting the individual setting of the appliance.

[0023] The invention may thus be used for various purposes; however, common to these is the fact that the different purposes all include an input unit and one or more machines or appliances that may readily be adjusted to the individual user.

[0024] A single input unit may advantageously be adapted to be used together with a plurality of different gymnastic appliances or sets of appliances at the same time. It is thus possible that gymnasts that e.g. are making high jumps and other gymnasts e.g. making jumps over horse may use the same input unit, which advantageously can be centrally disposed between the areas in which the exercises take place.

Claims

1. An apparatus including an input unit and at least one gymnastic appliance, where the input unit preferably is connected with at least one gymnastic appliance, and where one or more physical conditions of the at least one gymnastic appliance are changed as a function of individual inputs to the input unit, characterised in that the gymnastic appliance it adjusted at least in height, the adjusting being effected via one or more actuators, preferably via linear actuators.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one gymnastic appliance is a vaulting horse or a cushioning mattress.

3. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 -2, characterised in that the gymnastic appliance is a trampoline, the height and possibly angle of which being adjusted via one or more actuators.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the trampoline is further provided with adjusting means for individual adjustment of the tension in the canvas of the trampoline.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the input unit includes a keyboard for entering data, that these data preferably cause retrieval of previously stored data, and that actual data are transformed to an individual physical adaptation of at least one gymnastic appliance.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the input unit includes a scanner that the scanner interacts with a personal storage medium, e.g. an RFID tag, from which personal data are read, that these data are converted into an individual physical adaptation of at least one gymnastic appliance.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the apparatus includes a weighing system consisting of at least one weighing cell, where the weighing system is part of either an input unit or a gymnastic appliance.

8. A method for using an apparatus according to any of claims 1-7, characterised in that height adjustment takes place individually in relation to the personal data of each gymnast, e.g. expressed by the physical height of the gymnast, or by a height, weight or strength defined in beforehand by the gymnast himself, where the personal data of the gymnast is used as input data prior to the individual adjustment.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that the input data are electronically stored on a medium, that a given gymnast manually identifies himself before performing a gymnastic exercise, and that the said input data are converted into a signal for one or more height adjustable devices on the particular gymnastic appliance or appliances.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that the input data are electronically stored on a medium, e.g. a so-called RFID tag, that this medium is carried by the gymnast and is scanned and read electronically and wirelessly, that the said input data are converted into a signal for one or more adjustable devices on the particular gymnastic appliance or appliances.

11. Method according to any of claims 8-10, characterised in that input data are additionally used for starting and stopping and for identifying recordings of the exercise of the particular gymnast, e.g. recordings by a camera.