Vibration unit and use thereof in a vibration ergometer for the lower and upper extremities

Abstract

The invention relates to a bicycle ergometer, composing at least one pedaling device for a user and a vibration unit, wherein: the vibration unit has at least ore main shaft (12), which is driven directly or indirectly by a motor (54) and has an eccentric disk (6) fastened thereto; the eccentric disk (6) is rotatably coupled to a connecting rod (1); and the connecting rod (1) transmits, by means of a rod eye (1a) disposed on opposite from the eccentric disk (6), the vibrations to the bearing (29) of the pedaling device such that the vibrations are applied substantially exclusively to this bearing (29) in the vertical direction.

1 . Ergometer having at least one pedal device for a user, and having a vibration unit,
 wherein   the vibration unit has at least one main shaft which is driven directly or indirectly by a motor and which has an eccentric disk fastened thereto, wherein the eccentric disk is rotatably coupled to a con rod, and   wherein the con rod by way of a con rod head disposed opposite one of the eccentric disk thereof transmits the vibrations to the bearing of the pedal device such that the vibrations bear on this bearing substantially exclusively in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         2 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit is disposed below the bearing, and wherein the con rod head is coupled directly to the bearing, and wherein the con rod solely and without any further guide supports substantially the entire load directed vertically downward on the bearing. 
     
     
         3 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bearing of the pedal device is mounted in a vertical linear guide having a linear slide, wherein the linear slide at the top is fixedly connected to the bearing, and at the bottom is connected to the con rod head. 
     
     
         4 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a floor plate is disposed, the main shaft being disposed therebelow and the pedal device being disposed thereabove, wherein provided in the floor plate is a recess through which the con rod passes and by way of which the con rod head thereof is coupled directly to the bearing. 
     
     
         5 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a brake is disposed, which brake by way of a force transmission element is coupled to the pedal device, and wherein the bearing of the pedal device is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal swivel axle. 
     
     
         6 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the swivel axle mounting of the bearing is defined by a substantially fork-shaped construction in which the fork ends of the arms are mounted so as to be rotatable about the swivel axle, and the opposite converged arms are connected to the bearing. 
     
     
         7 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the vibration unit is disposed below this brake. 
     
     
         8 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ergometer is mounted on a base plate which acts as a mechanical high-pass filter for the vibrations generated by the vibration unit, and/or in that a further eccentric disk by way of which a counterweight is set in a compensating vibration is disposed on the main shaft. 
     
     
         9 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the further eccentric disk drives a further con rod which is rotatably mounted on the further eccentric disk and is coupled to a counterweight which is set in vibration substantially in the same direction as the vibration device on the bearing but with an action compensating the vibration on the bearing. 
     
     
         10 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a brake is disposed, which brake by way of a force transmission element is coupled to the pedal device, and the counterweight is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal swivel axle mounting. 
     
     
         11 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the eccentric disk and/or an optionally present further eccentric disk are/is mounted on the main shaft so as to be displaceable and adjustable along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the main shaft. 
     
     
         12 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one adjustment element is mounted in a recess or through-opening in the main shaft so as to be adjustably displaceable by way of actuating means, and a gate in or on the adjustment element adjusts the eccentricity of the eccentric disk by interacting with a sliding block on the eccentric disk. 
     
     
         13 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein an eccentric disk for generating the desired vibration, and a further eccentric disk for the counterweight, are mounted on the main shaft, and in wherein either an adjustment element by way of which the eccentricity of both eccentric disks can be adjusted in a correlated manner so as to be offset by 180° is provided, or wherein two individual adjustment elements by way of which the eccentricity of the disks can be individually adjusted are provided for the respective eccentric disk. 
     
     
         14 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ergometer is conceived for the operation at a frequency of 1-50 Hz with a vibration amplitude at the bearing in the range from 1-10 mm, or in the range from 3-7 mm, or at a load in the range from 50-500 W, or in the range from 100-300 W. 
     
     
         15 . Method of using an ergometer as claimed in  claim 1  for therapeutic and/or form-building therapy, wherein frequencies at the bearing are adjusted in the range from 5-50 Hz, or in the range from 7-25 Hz, and/or with amplitudes in the range from 1-10 mm, or 3-7 mm. 
     
     
         16 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein it is a bicycle ergometer. 
     
     
         17 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit is disposed below the bearing, and wherein the con rod head is coupled directly to the bearing, in that it forms a bearing shell for the bearing, and wherein the con rod solely and without any further guide supports substantially the entire load directed vertically downward on the bearing, wherein the axis of the main shaft runs parallel to the axis of the bearing. 
     
     
         18 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bearing of the pedal device is mounted in a vertical linear guide having a linear slide, wherein the linear slide at the top is fixedly connected to the bearing, and at the bottom is connected to the con rod head ( 1   a ), wherein the axis of the main shaft runs parallel to the axis of the bearing. 
     
     
         19 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a floor plate is disposed, the main shaft and also the motor being disposed therebelow and the pedal device being disposed thereabove, wherein provided in the floor plate is a recess through which the con rod passes and by way of which the con rod head thereof is coupled directly to the bearing. 
     
     
         20 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a brake is disposed substantially at the same level as the pedal device, which brake by way of a force transmission element, in the form of a chain, of a timing belt or of a V-belt, is coupled to the pedal device, and wherein the bearing of the pedal device is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal swivel axle disposed at the level of an axle of the brake, wherein the swivel axle is disposed in such a manner that the pivoting movement at the location of the bearing is permitted substantially exclusively in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         21 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the swivel axle mounting of the bearing is defined by a substantially fork-shaped construction in which the fork ends of the arms are mounted so as to be rotatable about the swivel axle, and the opposite converged arms are connected to the bearing, in that the converged region forms a bearing receptacle for the bearing of the pedal device. 
     
     
         22 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the vibration unit is disposed below this brake, above a floor plate, and wherein the coupling of the con rod to the bearing is implemented by at least one strut which runs obliquely upward and connects the con rod head directly or indirectly to the bearing, and wherein this strut is furthermore rigidly connected to the swivel axle mounting. 
     
     
         23 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ergometer is mounted on a base plate which acts as a mechanical high-pass filter for the vibrations generated by the vibration unit, and/or in that a further eccentric disk by way of which a counterweight is set in a compensating vibration is disposed on the main shaft, wherein this further eccentric disk is disposed on the main shaft by way of eccentricity which is counter to the eccentric disk for driving the con rod. 
     
     
         24 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a brake is disposed substantially at the same level as the pedal device, which brake by way of a force transmission element, in the form of a chain, of a timing belt or of a V-belt, is coupled to the pedal device, and the counterweight is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal swivel axle mounting disposed at the level of an axle of the brake, wherein the swivel axle is disposed such that the counterweight in the region of the bearing performs the pivoting movement substantially exclusively in the vertical direction, wherein the counterweight in the region of the bearing has a weight head, and this weight head at least partially encompasses the bearing region at the top and the bottom in the shape of a fork. 
     
     
         25 . Ergometer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the eccentric disk and/or an further eccentric disk are/is mounted on the main shaft so as to be displaceable and adjustable along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the main shaft, wherein this mounting is implemented by a gate guide in which at least one adjustment element when displaced along the axis of the main shaft causes a displacement of the eccentric disk along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the main shaft.