Gyroscopic exercise device

Abstract

A gyroscopic exercise apparatus combining the principles of simulation and virtual reality for exercising the body and for developing balance training skills in sports such as river boarding, sledding and other sport where it is necessary for the body to be in a prone position on a board while engaged in that sport. The movement of the apparatus on its axis depends and is guided by the pressure exerted by the chest of the user on the upper section of the wobbling support board of the device. The user of the apparatus interacts with the games and video's displayed on a head mount or a computer monitor by pressing the appropriate buttons on the handles on the upper section of the wobbling support board of the device or by kicking their feet against the pressure sensitive foam mats incorporated at the bottom of the lower section of the board.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gyroscopic exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a stationary base frame structure member;   a vertical outer frame structure member;   said vertical outer frame structure member hingedly connected to said stationary base frame structure member by means of a plurality of support frame structure members;   a plurality of rotating ring members held within the said vertical outer frame structure member;   a wobbling support board structure member to support the body of a user;   a plurality of actuators to power said gyroscopic exercise apparatus, positioned between said outer vertical frame structure member and said plurality of rotating ring members to affect the movement of said rotating ring members with respect to said stationary base frame structure member; and   a plurality of pressure sensitive sensors to sense the movement of a user of said gyroscopic exercise apparatus and transmit them to a computer or head mounted display to be viewed by said user;   
     
     
         2 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of rotating ring members comprise an outer rotating ring member, a middle rotating ring member and an inner rotating ring member. 
     
     
         3 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said wobbling support board structure member comprises an upper cradle-shaped section to hold said user's upper torso and a lower flat section to hold said user's lower torso when said user lies belly down and face up on said wobbling board structure member. 
     
     
         4 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the movement of the gyroscope apparatus on its axis will depend and be guided by the pressure exerted by the chest of said user on said upper cradle-shaped section of said wobbling support board structure member. 
     
     
         5 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the upper cradle-shaped section of said wobbling support structure member is hingedly connected to a rod member through a universal joint member to allow movement of said upper cradle-shaped section of said wobbling support board structure member when the user presses their chest against said cradle-shaped section of said wobbling support board structure member to start the motion of said gyroscopic exercise apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said lower flat section of said wobbling support board structure member is hingedly connected to said rod member and the two ends of said rod member are hingedly connected to said inner rotating ring member to hold said wobbling support structure member in place within said inner rotating ring member. 
     
     
         7 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said user's upper torso is held by a torso restraint on the upper cradle-shaped section of said wobbling support board structure member and said user's lower torso is restrained by a pair of upper leg restraints and a pair of lower leg restraints on said lower flat section of said wobbling support board structure member. 
     
     
         8 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said upper cradle-shaped section of said wobbling board structure member has a pair of handle structure members for said user to hold while lying on said wobbling support board structure member. 
     
     
         9 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said handle structure members on said upper section of said wobbling board structure member has a set of buttons which when pressed will allow said user to control their movement on said gyroscopic exercise apparatus as well as to interact with a head mounted video display or a computer monitor display. 
     
     
         10 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said lower flat section of said wobbling support structure member has a foam mat section with pressure sensitive sensors to record the user's leg movements when the user strikes against said foam mat in a kicking motion or pulls on the leg restraints while trying to simulate river boarding, sledding or other sport movements and send the signals to said head mounted display or to a computer terminal to be viewed on said computer monitor by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein when the user presses their chest against said upper section of said wobbling support board structure member and starts said gyroscopic exercise apparatus, the rocking movements will be recorded either through an accelerometer positional sensor or through said pressure sensitive sensors to control the movement of said gyroscopic exercise apparatus as well as allows said user to interact with a computer game displayed either on a computer monitor or on a head mounted display. 
     
     
         12 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said gyroscopic exercise apparatus is used for exercising the body. 
     
     
         13 . The gyroscopic exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said gyroscopic exercise apparatus is used for training and practice in developing balancing skills required in sports such as river boarding, body boarding, sledding and other sport where it is necessary for the body to be in a prone position on a board while engaging in that sport.