Apparatus for physical exercise comprising a vibrating handle

Abstract

The present invention concerns an apparatus for physical exercise comprising at least one handle, vibrating means being coupled to said at least one handle, the apparatus being characterised in that said vibrating means is connected to a processing and controlling device that is housed in a control panel and in turn connected to interface means for inputting data capable to set a vibration frequency of said vibrating means, said at least one handle comprising first sensing means capable to detect a vibration frequency of said at least one handle and to send detection data to said processing and controlling device, said processing and controlling device controlling an operation of said vibrating means so that the vibration frequency detected by said first sensing means is equal to a vibration frequency set through said interface means.

1 . An apparatus for physical exercise comprising at least one handle, vibrating means being coupled to said at least one handle, wherein said vibrating means is connected to a processing and controlling device that is housed in a control panel and in turn connected to interface means for inputting data capable to set a vibration frequency of said vibrating means, said at least one handle comprising first sensing means capable to detect a vibration frequency of said at least one handle and to send detection data to said processing and controlling device, said processing and controlling device controlling an operation of said vibrating means so that the vibration frequency detected by said first sensing means is equal to a vibration frequency set through said interface means. 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibrating means comprises at least one electric motor, that is housed in a respective seat with which said at least one handle is provided, capable to make a shaft  arranged along a longitudinal axis of said at least one handle rotate, to which shaft one or more eccentric masses are integrally coupled. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said first sensing means comprises an encoder capable to detect an angular position and/or a rotation speed and/or a rotation frequency of the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one handle is provided with at least one pressure sensor capable to detect at least one pressure exerted on a handgrip of said at least one handle and to send detection data to said processing and controlling device, said interface means comprising one or more visual and/or acoustic signalling devices through which said processing and controlling device signals at least one condition of gripping said at least one handle depending on said at least one pressure detected by said at least one pressure sensor. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said processing and controlling device signals a gripping condition wherein said at least one detected pressure is lower than at least one minimum value. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said processing and controlling device disables an operation of said vibrating means when said at least one detected pressure is lower than at least one minimum value. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , it further comprising a detection system comprising movement sensing means capable to detect a movement of said at least one handle, said movement sensing means being connected to said processing and controlling device to which it sends detected data related to one or more movement parameters. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising vibration sensing means connected to said processing and controlling device to which it sends detected data related to one or more movement parameters. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it further comprising a system for determining an optimal frequency of a vibration generated by said vibrating means and for automatically setting parameters of operation of said vibrating means, comprising one or more muscular electrical activity sensors, applicable to one or more muscles of a user, capable to send detection data to said processing and controlling electronic device, said processing and controlling electronic device processing the data received from said one or more sensors so as to determine, within a range included between a lower limit frequency, and an upper limit frequency, an optimal frequency of the vibration generated by said vibrating means at which the electrical activity of said one or more muscles of the user is maximum, said processing and controlling electronic device setting a frequency of the vibration generated by said vibrating means so that it is equal to such optimal frequency. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one handle further comprises a fan capable to cause an air exchange between said seat of said at least one electric motor and the outside of said at least one handle. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one electric motor is capable to generate an undulating movement at a frequency ranging from 1 to 1000 Hz, preferably from 5 to 500 Hz, more preferably from 20 to 55 Hz, and of amplitude ranging from 1 to 10 mm, preferably from 2 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one electric motor is capable to rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise and said interface means for data input is capable to set at least one direction of rotation of said at least one electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said movement sensing means comprises at least one triaxial accelerometer incorporated into or integrally coupled to said at least one handle. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said one or more movement parameters related to said detected data sent by said movement sensing means to said processing and controlling device are selected from the group comprising movement amplitude, acceleration, and velocity. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said processing and controlling device automatically controls said vibrating means on the basis of said data detected by said movement sensing means. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said vibration sensing means comprises at least one triaxial accelerometer incorporated into or coupled to at least one support applicable to and/or wearable by a user. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said at least one support is selected from the group comprising an elastic collar and an elastic band. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said one or more movement parameters related to said detected data sent by said vibration sensing means to said processing and controlling device are selected from the group comprising vibration amplitude, frequency, acceleration, and velocity. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said processing and controlling device automatically controls said vibrating means on the basis of said detected data by said vibration sensing means. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said lower limit frequency is variable and/or said upper limit frequency is variable.