FINGER EXERCISING DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR THE TRAINING, WARMING UP, AND/OR REHABILITATION OF MUSCLES, TENDONS, AND PULLEYS OF THE PHALANGES AND METHOD OF DETERMINING ADHESION FOR CLIMBING

Abstract

The invention relates to a finger exercising device and system, comprising a base (10), including at least one longitudinal guide (11), a carpal support (20), at least one distal phalangeal support (30) guided by the at least one longitudinal guide (11); at least one elastic element (40) configured to offer elastic resistance to the sliding of the at least one distal phalangeal support (30); wherein the carpal support (20) defines a concave carpal seating (21) between a sagittal carpal surface, mostly facing a sagittal direction (DS), and a longitudinal carpal surface, mostly facing a longitudinal direction (DL) perpendicular to the sagittal direction, which are adjacent to one another, forcing an arched, semi-arched, or extended grip of a hand between the concave carpal seating (21) and the concave distal phalangeal seating (31).

Claims

1. A finger exercising device for the training, warming up, or rehabilitation of muscles, tendons, and pulleys of a phalanx, comprising: a base configured to define a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a sagittal direction orthogonal to one another and a front face perpendicular to the sagittal direction, the base comprising at least one longitudinal guide extending in the longitudinal direction; a carpal support, associated with the base and configured to support the base of the palm of the hand where the carpal bones are located; at least one distal phalangeal support, associated with the base and configured to define a concave distal phalangeal seating to support the ends of the fingers where the distal phalanges are located; the distal phalangeal support being guided by the at least one longitudinal guide and configured to allow a relative sliding between the carpal support and the distal phalangeal support in the longitudinal direction along a travel distance between a maximum extension position and a minimum extension position; at least one elastic element configured to offer elastic resistance to the sliding, in the longitudinal direction, of the at least one distal phalangeal support; the carpal support configured to define a concave carpal seating defined by a concavity formed between a sagittal carpal surface, mostly facing the sagittal direction, and a longitudinal carpal surface, mostly facing the longitudinal direction, the longitudinal carpal surface being disposed closer to the distal phalangeal support than the sagittal carpal surface and being disposed adjacent to the sagittal carpal surface, and configured to force an arched, semi-arched, or extended grip of a hand between the concave carpal seating and the concave distal phalangeal seating.

2. The exercising device according to claim 1 further comprising a control device, or a control device comprising a memory configured to store the information received by the control device, connected to at least one measuring device comprising at least one of the following: a strain sensor configured to determine a force exerted by the user when moving the distal phalangeal support, a movement sensor configured to determine a movement made by the distal phalangeal support and a configuration sensor configured to detect at least one setting of the exercising device selected by the user.

3. The exercising device according to claim 2, wherein the configuration sensor is selected from an elastic element tension adjustment sensor, a sensor configured to detect the minimum extension position or the maximum extension position of the travel distance, a detector configured to detect a fixing position of the carpal supports or of the distal phalangeal supports, or an identification sensor configured to identify, from among the various selectable supports, the distal phalangeal support actually fixed to the exercising device at the time of performing an exercise.

4. The exercising device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one measuring device further comprises at least one additional measuring device comprising at least one of the following: a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a GPS positioning sensor, an orientation sensor, and a time meter configured to determine the time or date when an exercise is performed or the duration thereof.

5. (canceled)

6. The exercising device according to claim 2, wherein the control device comprises an interface configured to display at least one of the following data: the information received by the control device, and the information stored in the memory, or the interface configured to input at least one of following data: input information to the control device, input information to the control device selected from user identification information, or geographic location information.

7. The exercising device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one distal phalangeal support is a replaceable distal phalangeal support selected from a set of different distal phalangeal supports, or from a set of different distal phalangeal supports with different sizes, grip configurations, surface textures or made of different materials, the replaceable distal phalangeal support being fixed to the device by a releasable fixing element or by a releasable fixing element formed by complementary protrusions and recesses, magnets, or hook and loop fasteners.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the concave distal phalangeal seating comprises a bulbed shape or an irregular roughness; or; the concave distal phalangeal seating is defined between a longitudinal distal phalangeal surface mostly facing the longitudinal direction and a sagittal distal phalangeal surface, mostly facing the sagittal direction, or a sagittal distal phalangeal surface defined by the front face of the base, adjacent to one another; the sagittal carpal surface and the distal phalangeal surfaces being substantially coplanar with one another; or the concave distal phalangeal seating is mostly facing the sagittal direction and providing at least one frictional distal phalangeal seating.

9. (canceled)

10. The exercising device according to claim 1, wherein the carpal support or the distal phalangeal support can be fixed to the rest of the device in different positions by means of a releasable fixing element, or by a releasable fixing element formed by complementary protrusions and recesses, magnets, or hook and loop fasteners, modifying the separation between the carpal support and the distal phalangeal support; or an adjustment device is configured to modify the maximum extension position or the minimum extension position of the travel distance between the carpal support and the distal phalangeal support, the adjustment device configured to adapt the travel distance to different user hand sizes.

11. The exercising device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic element consists of at least one spring, at least one band of elastic material or at least one pneumatic piston, located between a first stop associated with the at least one distal phalangeal support and a second stop associated with the base, the at least one elastic element configured to cause and elastic compression or elongation of the at least one elastic element with the relative movement between the at least one distal phalangeal support and the carpal support.

12. The exercising device according to claim 11, wherein an elastic resistance adjustment device is configured to modify the tension of the at least one elastic element and to determine a force needed for the relative movement between the carpal support and the distal phalangeal support, or to modify the tension of the at least one elastic element by adjusting the distance between the first stop and the second stop in the longitudinal direction.

13. The exercising device according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one distal phalangeal support is elongated in the transverse direction and configured to offer support for the index finger up to the pinky, or the at least one distal phalangeal support comprises a plurality of independent distal phalangeal supports, each one being guided in the longitudinal direction and defining an independent concave distal phalangeal seating, or the at least one distal phalangeal support are a plurality of independent distal phalangeal supports, each one being guided in the longitudinal direction and configured to define an independent concave distal phalangeal seating, with each independent distal phalangeal support having an independent elastic element, and with the elastic resistance of each elastic element being independently adjustable.

14. The exercising device according to claim 23 wherein the control device is connected, through the communication antenna or the data connection port, to a portable computing device; the portable computing device, the communication antenna, the data connection port, a memory of the portable computing device, an interface, and the portable computing device cooperatively configured to execute a software application; the control device of the exercising device being configured to transmit information from the at least one measuring device to the portable computing device, and the software application being configured to execute an algorithm to analyze information supplied by the control device of the exercising device.

15. The exercising device according to claim 14, wherein the portable computing device comprises: at least one additional measuring device selected from: a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a GPS positioning sensor, an orientation sensor, a time meter configured to determine a time or a date when an exercise is performed or a duration thereof; and the portable computing device being configured to transmit the information provided by the at least one additional measuring device to the exercising device, or to analyze the information together with the information transmitted from the exercising device by the algorithm.

16. The exercising device according to claim 14, wherein the portable computing device comprises a connection to a remote server and is configured to transmit the information obtained by the at least one measuring device to the remote server.

17. A method of determining adhesion for climbing by the system described in claim 14, wherein the method comprises: transporting the exercising device to a climbing site; configuring the exercising device according to predefined adjustment parameters; performing a grip test by placing a hand in the exercising device, supporting the carpal area of the palm of the hand in the carpal support and the distal phalangeal area of the hand in the distal phalangeal support in the extended grip position, and performing a relative sliding between the carpal support and the distal phalangeal support towards the arched grip position along the travel distance until the distal phalangeal support escapes from the user's hand; calculating, by the algorithm executed by the software application, a climbing performance estimate based on the analysis of a result of the grip test, in relation to stored reference data and correlating the results of the grip tests and climbing performance data.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the reference data contains results of the grip tests performed with the same predefined parameters as the grip test to be analyzed; or the predefined adjustment parameters comprise the placement of a distal phalangeal support defining a frictional distal phalangeal seating on a sagittal distal phalangeal surface mostly facing the sagittal direction, or the use of a surface mostly facing the sagittal direction of the distal phalangeal support as the frictional distal phalangeal seating.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the predefined adjustment parameters comprise the placement of a distal phalangeal support defining a frictional distal phalangeal seating on a sagittal distal phalangeal surface mostly facing the sagittal direction, or the use of a surface mostly facing the sagittal direction of the distal phalangeal support as the frictional distal phalangeal seating.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the point of the travel distance where the escape occurs is determined by the strain sensor, by the movement sensor, or by an analysis performed by the algorithm on the information supplied by the strain sensor or by the movement sensor.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the stored reference data also correlates the results of the grip tests and the climbing performance data with stored information: referring to existing environmental atmospheric values when and where the grip tests and climbs were performed, and the method further comprises obtaining environmental atmospheric values at the climbing site, calculating the climbing performance estimate considering measured and stored environmental atmospheric values.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the stored reference data also correlates the results of the grip tests and the climbing performance data with stored information about the geographic location of where the grip tests and climbs were performed, and the method further comprises obtaining values of the geographic location where the grip test is performed, and calculating the climbing performance estimate by comparing the result of the grip test with stored reference data obtained at the same geographic location, or at an equivalent geographic location with similar climbing conditions.

23. The exercising device according to claim 2 wherein the control device comprises a communication antenna or a data connection port.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0103] The aforementioned and other advantages and features will be better understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment in reference to the attached drawings which are to be interpretated in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, in which:

[0104] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the exercising device, showing the position of a hand of a user using the device with a discontinuous line;

[0105] FIG. 2 shows the same perspective view as FIG. 1 but showing the carpal and distal phalangeal supports separated from the rest of the device;

[0106] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the exercising device shown in FIG. 1 along a plane coinciding with one of the first longitudinal guides;

[0107] FIG. 4 shows another cross-section of the exercising device shown in FIG. 1 along a central plane of the exercising device coinciding with the elastic resistance adjustment device in the form of a screw;

[0108] FIG. 5 shows the same cross-section shown in FIG. 4, but according to another embodiment;

[0109] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the proposed system, in which the exercising device and also the portable computing device are shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0110] The attached figures show illustrative, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention.

[0111] The present invention consists of an exercising device including a base (10) which defines the longitudinal direction (DL), transverse direction (DT), and sagittal direction (DS) orthogonal to one another and a front face (A) facing the sagittal direction (DS), and wherein the base (10) includes at least one longitudinal guide (11) extending in the longitudinal direction (DL).

[0112] In this preferred embodiment, said base (10) is box-shaped with general dimensions somewhat greater than those of a mobile phone (15 cm10 cm1.4 cm).

[0113] The base has associated, protruding from the front face (A) thereof, a carpal support (20) and a distal phalangeal support (30) in the form of a climbing crimp, consisting of a small slat, for example made of plastic, wood, or another material, between 6 mm and 26 mm thick in the sagittal direction (DS). The carpal support 20 defines a concave carpal seating 21 defined by a concavity formed between a sagittal carpal surface 23, mostly facing the sagittal direction DS, and a longitudinal carpal surface 24, being closer to the distal phalangeal support 30 than the sagittal carpal surface 23 and being adjacent to the sagittal carpal surface 23, forcing the climbing gestures known as extension, semi-arching, and arching of the fingers.

[0114] The inside of the base (10) contains two parallel rods extending in the longitudinal direction (DL), by way of first longitudinal guides (11).

[0115] A holder (33), contained inside the base (10), is placed on both rods, allowing the sliding thereof in the longitudinal direction (DL) inside the base (10). Each rod has a spring placed around same, said spring acting as an elastic element (40), compressed between the holder (33), performing the first stop functions of the spring, and a second stop (42). The position of the second stop (42) in the longitudinal direction (DL) is adjustable by means of an elastic resistance adjustment device (43) which, in this embodiment, is a screw extending in the longitudinal direction and which, by means of the rotation thereof, causes the second stop (42) to move in the longitudinal direction, increasing or reducing the elastic compression of the spring, and therefore, adjusting the force required to move the holder (33).

[0116] The front face (A) of the base (10) has two elongated slots in the longitudinal direction (DL) through which a releasable fixing element (32) connects the distal phalangeal support (30), located above the front face (A) of the base (10), with the holder (33) contained therein, allowing the movement of the distal phalangeal support (30) in the longitudinal direction, on the front face (A) of the base (10), together with the movement of the holder (33) contained inside the base (10).

[0117] A concave distal phalangeal seating (31), where the user can insert the distal ends of his/her fingers in a direction parallel to the sagittal direction (DS), is defined between the front face (A) of the base (10), which is in the form of a flat surface extending in the longitudinal direction (DL) and transverse direction (DT), and the distal phalangeal support (30), protruding from said front face (A) in the sagittal direction (DS). Said distal phalangeal seatings (31) provide a firm gripping point.

[0118] Similarly, a carpal seating (21), where the user can introduce the base of the palm of his/her hand, where the carpal bones are located, in a direction parallel to the sagittal direction (DS), is also defined between said flat surface of the front face (A) of the base (10) and the carpal support (20), protruding from said front face (A) in the sagittal direction (DS).

[0119] Alternatively, both the carpal seating (21) and the distal phalangeal seating (31) can be defined not between the front face (A) of the base (10) and the corresponding support, but rather by a depression or hole provided in the carpal support (20) itself and/or in the distal phalangeal support (30) itself, on a face facing the sagittal direction (DS).

[0120] Said arrangement of the carpal seating (21) and distal phalangeal seating (31) determines the position of the hand in an arched, semi-arched, or extended grip, which allows exercising the hand both in an eccentric and in a concentric and isometric manner.

[0121] Furthermore, the releasable fixing element (32) allow replacement of the distal phalangeal support (30) with another different distal phalangeal support (30), with a different texture, material, roughness, in order to provide the user with different sizes, textures, or relief patterns.

[0122] This would allow customizing the device to the user's needs, to the treatment of a specific type of injury, to a training for a specific climbing texture, or to adapt the device to the dimensions of the user's fingers or to adapt it for one-finger, two-finger, and three-finger training grips, for example.

[0123] Different distal phalangeal supports can be obtained, for example, by means of additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, or by means of subtractive manufacturing techniques such as grinding with a computer-controlled machine tool, with both techniques allowing the precise manufacture of different distal phalangeal supports (30).

[0124] The flat surface of the front face (A) of the base (10) can include a measurement ruler to be able to observe the quantity of movement performed, and to thus know (by means of a table provided in the instruction manual or by means of a second ruler) the force being exerted at all times based, likewise, on how the elastic resistance adjustment device (43) has been adjusted. This force reading could also be done digitally by adding a small electronic device that measures movement and, by knowing the initial tension of the elastic element (40) when the user does not exert pressure on same, the effort made by the user in each movement of the distal phalangeal support (30) could be calculated.

[0125] According to one embodiment of the invention, the device can integrate a control device 50, for example a programmable logic controller, with a memory 52, connected to a measuring device 51. In this example, the measuring device is a strain sensor measuring the force applied on the elastic element by the user. In this example, the measuring device 51 consists of a load cell, for example of a dielectric material.

[0126] Optionally, this exercising device can also include a communication antenna 53 for the transmission of the data obtained to a remote server or to a portable computing device 60, or for the reception of data, for example other users' data or meteorological data, provided by the remote server or by the remote computing device 60.

[0127] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the exercising device described is connected to a remote computing device 60 forming an exercising system. The remote computing device 60 integrates a computing device 61, connected to a memory 62 and to a communication antenna 63.