Balance training system

Abstract

Balance training systems and methods are disclosed. A balance training system is disclosed, comprising: a lower member having a ground contacting surface and an upward facing surface; an upper member having a foot receiving surface and a downward facing surface; the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface being shaped for contact with each other; and the upper member having a balance position when a balance point on the upper member is in contact with the lower member. A balance training system is also disclosed comprising a first platform having a top surface (ground plane) which supports the user's weight, a support having flexible and/or compressible upward facing surface in contact with a downward facing surface of the first platform, the ground plane being within 0.5″ of the top surface of the flexible and/or compressible upward facing surface to reduce or prevent horizontal movement of the ground plane when the first platform changes angle. A balance training system is further disclosed, comprising a first platform having a top surface (ground plane) that supports the user's weight, a curved downward facing convex surface of the first platform, the top surface being aligned within ½″ of the downward facing curved surface.

1 . A balance training system, comprising:
 a lower member having a ground contacting surface and an upward facing surface, the ground contacting surface providing stabilization of the lower member against tilting;   an upper member having a foot receiving surface and a downward facing surface;   the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface being shaped for contact with each other; and   the upper member providing a support for a person to train balancing on when a balance point, line or area on one of the upper member and the lower member is in contact with a respective apex of the lower member or the lower member.   
     
     
         2 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface are shaped for rolling contact with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The balance training system of  claim 2  in which one or more portions of one or both of the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface are convex and the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface are shaped for contact with each other at least along the one or more portions of one or both of the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The balance training system of  claim 1 , in which the upper member and lower member have a contact interface configured to provide differential tilting in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The balance training system of  claim 4  in which:
 the downward facing surface has a first radius of curvature at the balance point, line or area or is flat with infinite radius of curvature; 
 the upward facing surface has the apex and a second radius of curvature at the apex; and 
 the second radius of curvature is smaller than the first radius. 
 
     
     
         6 . The balance training system of  claim 5  in which one or both of the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface includes a stability zone formed by the respective upward facing surface or the downward facing surface having decreasing radius of curvature with distance from the respective apex or balance point. 
     
     
         7 . The balance training system of  claim 6  where the stability zone is formed by a flat or concave area in the upward facing surface. 
     
     
         8 . The balance training system of  claim 5  in which one or both of the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface includes a rocker zone formed by the respective upward facing surface or the downward facing surface having increasing radius of curvature with distance from the respective apex. 
     
     
         9 . The balance training system of any one of  claim 3  in which the one or more convex portions are spaced on either side of the foot receiving area of the upper member. 
     
     
         10 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the lower member comprises compressible material. 
     
     
         11 . The balance training system of  claim 1  where the upper member is biased to a position by a spring force. 
     
     
         12 . The balance training system of  claim 11  where the spring force is adjustable. 
     
     
         13 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the foot receiving surface of the upper member is vertically spaced from the downward facing contact surface by less than 2″, 1″, ½″ or ¼″. 
     
     
         14 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the upper member has rolling contact with the lower member in only one direction. 
     
     
         15 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the upper member has rolling contact with the lower member in more than one direction. 
     
     
         16 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The balance training system of  claim 1  in which the foot receiving surface is recessed downward to be level with the contact between the upper member and the lower member. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A sliding or rolling sport balance training system with a single or multi-direction tilting platform resting on a member which is able to move freely in one or more directions. 
     
     
         21 . An angle change platform with a flat or curved downward facing surface in rolling contact with a lower member having a convex upward facing surface and the lower member being stabilized against tilting. 
     
     
         22 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The angle change platform of  claim 21 , comprising a first platform having a top surface (ground plane) which supports the user's weight, a support having at least a convex upward facing surface in rolling contact with a flat or curved downward facing surface of the first platform, the top surface being aligned or nearly aligned with the top surface of the convex upward facing surface. 
     
     
         33 . The angle change platform of  claim 21  where the platform is only able to change angle on one plane. 
     
     
         34 . The angle change platform of  claim 21  in which the platform is able to change angle on more than one plane. 
     
     
         35 . The angle change platform of  claim 21  where at least one of the contacting surfaces is a compressible or deformable material of less than 100 Shore A durometer that compresses or deforms under the weight of the user. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The angle change platform of  claim 21  where the ground plane is aligned with the angle change means in such a way as to minimize the horizontal movement of the ground plane which could result from a change of angle of the ground plane when the ground plane changes angle. 
     
     
         38 . The angle change platform of  claim 37  where the platform and angle change means are together (as one assembly) able to move horizontally on slides, rollers, linkages or other means in one or more directions in response to acceleration of the user's center of gravity in the opposite direction. 
     
     
         39 . The angle change platform of  claim 21  with one or more curved generally vertical surfaces on the fixed lower member which limit horizontal movement of a rolling or sliding member attached to the angle change platform. 
     
     
         40 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A balance training system, comprising:
 an upper member having a foot receiving surface and a downward facing convex surface;   the upper member providing a support for a person to train balancing on when a point or area on a contact zone of the upper member is in contact with a supporting surface;   the contact zone having an apex and a changing curvature across the contact zone.   
     
     
         44 . The balance training system of  claim 43  in which the contact zone has a greater curvature member at an apex of the contact zone than at areas surrounding the apex. 
     
     
         45 . The balance training system of  claim 43  in which the contact zone has a first curvature in a first direction away from the apex and a second curvature, different from the first curvature, in a second direction away from the apex. 
     
     
         46 . The balance training system of  claim 45  in which the first direction and the second direction are at right angles to each other. 
     
     
         47 . The balance training system of  claim 43  further comprising a lower member forming the supporting surface. 
     
     
         48 . The balance training system of  claim 47  in which the lower member has portions that allow the lower member to slide or roll on a surface. 
     
     
         49 . The balance training system  claim 43  in which the upper member comprises material that is compressible under tilting of the upper member. 
     
     
         50 . The balance training system of  claim 47  in which the foot receiving surface is recessed downward in relation to an upwardly extending supporting portion or portions of the lower member to bring the foot receiving surface into close proximity to the supporting portion or portions of the lower member. 
     
     
         51 . The balance training system of  claim 47  in which the upper member and lower member are spring biased to a horizontal position. 
     
     
         52 . The balance training system of  claim 51  in which the upper member and lower member spring biased by a spring having adjustable force. 
     
     
         53 . The balance training system of  claim 43  further comprising a means of adjusting the amount of force required to tilt the platform. 
     
     
         54 . The balance training system of  claim 43  in which the contact zone includes a stability zone in which a given tilt provides less height change of a user's center of gravity than provided by the given tilt outside the stability zone. 
     
     
         55 - 59 . (canceled)