ALTERNATELY VIBRATORY-TYPE EXERCISE APPARATUS

Provided is an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus that alternately vibrates a pair of vibration generators each other in which a vibration plate of each vibration generator is vibrated by up- and down-displacement of a moving driving coil inserted into a magnetic gap of a magnetic circuit, to thereby enable an alternate exercise of both of the feet of a trainee. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus include: a base; a drive signal generator that generates first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween; and first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates that are connected with the first and second driving coils vibrate up and down alternately as the first and second drive signals are applied to the first and second driving coils that are disposed in first and second magnetic gaps, respectively, by a magnetic gap drive mode.

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Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus, and more particular to an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus that alternately vibrates a pair of vibration generators each other in which a vibration plate of each vibration generator is vibrated by up and down displacement of a moving drive coil inserted into a magnetic gap of a magnetic circuit, to thereby enable an alternate exercise of both of the feet of a trainee.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, childhood obesity, especially abdominal obesity tends to sharply increase due to a high-calorie dietary life culture and owing to handling of business affairs and playing computer games for long hours. Adults can treat corpulence according to their own will through diet meals and suitable exercises. However, obesity treatments for adults are not easy to apply for childhood obesity. Indeed, exercise apparatuses that enable users to make aerobic exercises effectively while avoiding extreme exercises are highly needed.

Vertical exercise apparatuses are being proposed as exercise equipment that helps aerobic exercises but does not affect burdens to joints of knees. The exercise equipment using a rotating motor in a vibrator has been known as a conventional vertical exercise apparatus. The rotary type vertical exercise apparatuses apply vibration only for the abdominal region according to establishment of a proper frequency. As a result, the rotary type vertical exercise apparatuses are being medically used for abdominal obesity patients, specially.

By the way, the conventional vertical exercise apparatus includes an eccentric weight on the rotational axis of a rotating motor, and vibrates a support plate up and down while rotating. Accordingly, partial wear of bearings becomes severe due to eccentricity, to thus cause structural problems of deteriorating durability and greatly producing noise.

Also, the rotary type vertical exercise apparatus produces too a weak intensity of vibration, for example, under a low frequency of 20 Hz or less, to thus provide little vibration effect. Also, the rotary type vertical exercise apparatus produces vibration from side to side, or does not perform an accurate vertical exercise but a deviated vertical exercise to accordingly give a burden to an articulation of the human body.

Further, the rotary type vertical exercise apparatus uses a rotating motor, and thus has the difficulty in accurately controlling the number of vibrations and providing a sufficient vibration force, with respect to a vibration plate.

Meanwhile, a conventional vibration generator or massage unit for generating vibration corresponding to an audio signal using a magnetic circuit of a speaker employing a permanent magnet has been proposed. However, the conventional vibration generator or massage unit is appropriate for making a user feel vibration stereophonically through a user's hand or body in correspondence to an audio signal. However, the conventional vibration generator or massage unit lacks a magnetic force for driving a vibration plate for an aerobic exercise.

That is, since a magnetic force of a direct-current (DC magnetic field using a permanent magnet in a limited magnitude is 5000 Gauss at maximum, the conventional vibration generator is not appropriate for a vibration plate driving mechanism for an aerobic exercise.

In order to solve the above problems, this applicant proposed a magnetic circuit having dual magnet, a magnetic gap type speaker and a magnetic gap type vibration generator using the magnetic circuit, through the Korean Patent No. 651766 and thereafter also proposed a vibration type exercise apparatus using the magnetic gap type vibration generator through the Korean Patent No. 620147.

Meanwhile, the vibration type exercise apparatus applies vibration to the physical body of a user at a state where both of the feet of the user are put on the vibration generator. Accordingly, the vibration generated from the vibration generator tends to be strongly delivered to the physical body. Therefore, an exercise effect is advantageously enlarged due to the strongly delivered vibration, but the strongly delivered vibration is mostly delivered to the head to thereby cause the brains to be vibrated and to thus raise a problem that the vibration type exercise apparatus is inappropriate for the old, the weak or the child.

That is to say, when a single vibration plate is used in the same manner as that of the vibration generator, it is necessary to increase vibration power so that a significant impact may be applied to the abdominal region in order to treat abdominal obesity. In this case, since vibration is delivered to the whole body of a user through both of the feet of the user, the strong impact is delivered to the head through the backbone and the neck bone as well as the abdominal region, to thereby cause the brains in the head or the neck bone to be injured.

Meanwhile, a seesaw exercise apparatus was proposed in which a pair of tread boards are configured into a seesaw structure around the center of action, to thereby generate vibration at a state where both of the feet of a user are put on the respective tread boards. However, in the case that the legs of a user are spread out in order to make an exercise, a hip joint is biased to the left and right because of an inclined intersections of the seesaw structural tread boards and an interval between the tread boards, to thereby cause transformation of the hip joint and produce a bad side effect such as secession of the hip joint.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

To solve the above problems or defects, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus having a pair of vibration plates that are driven in an alternate vibration manner so that vibration can be alternately delivered to both of the feet of a user, to thereby prevent the vibration from being transferred to the head, prevent the hip joint from being burdened, make it easy to control the number of the vibrations and heighten a physical exercise effect.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus that is designed to enable a user to selectively and easily control a vibration width (that is an intensity) and the number of vibrations of left-hand and right-hand vibration plates, to thus heighten a physical exercise effect and simultaneously make it possible to be used for the purpose of rehabilitation treatment and exercise reinforcement with respect to the particular region of the human body.

Technical Solution

To accomplish the above and other objects of the present invention, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;

first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates vibrate up and down alternately as first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween are applied to the first and second vibration plates; and

a control unit that generates the first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween in order to alternately vibrate the first and second vibration plates of the first and second vibration generators, respectively,

wherein each of the first and second vibration generators comprises:

a vertical vibrator that vibrates one of the first and second vibration plates that is connected with one of driving coils as one of the first and second drive signals is applied to the one of the driving coils that are disposed in a magnetic gap by a magnetic gap drive mode;

a number of guides both ends of which are connected with the base and each of the first and second vibration plates, respectively, and that guide vertical movement of each of the first and second vibration plates; and

a number of vibration absorbers that restrict a range of motion of each of the first and second vibration plates when the first and second vibration plates move up, and that absorb an impact when the first and second vibration plates move down.

Preferably but not necessarily, the control unit comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;

a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and

an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal and generates the first and second drive signals having the 180-degree phase difference therebetween to then be applied to the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators, respectively.

Preferably but not necessarily, the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the sine wave drive signal generated from the sine wave drive signal generator according to the control signal of the control unit and thus generates first and second outputs that equal each other;

an invertor that inverts the second output of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result;

a first power-amplifier that power-amplifies the first output of the pre-amplifier to thus drive the first vertical vibrator; and

a second power-amplifier that power-amplifies the inversion result of the second output having passed through the invertor to thus drive the second vertical vibrator.

Preferably but not necessarily, the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the drive signal generated from the signal generator and thus outputs the pre-amplified result;

a power-amplifier that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier to thus output first and second outputs that equal each other, to thereby apply one of the first and second outputs directly to one of the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators, respectively; and

an invertor that inverts the other of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result so as to have the 180-degree phase difference therebetween, to thereby apply the inversion result to the other vertical vibrator to which no output is applied.

Preferably but not necessarily, the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the drive signal generated from the signal generator and thus outputs the pre-amplified result;

a power-amplifier that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier to thereby generate outputs that are applied to the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators; and

a phase shifter that shifts the outputs of the power-amplifier so as to have the 180-degree phase difference therebetween, to thereby apply the shift result to the first and second vertical vibrators.

Preferably but not necessarily, the control unit further comprises:

a vibration number setting knob that selects the oscillating frequency from the signal generator and thus sets the number of vibrations of each vibration generator; and

a pair of vibration width setting knobs that selectively controls the first and second outputs of the amplifying unit to thus selectively set a vibration width of each vibration generator.

Preferably but not necessarily, each guide comprises:

a guide bearing that is provided in the base; and

a guide rod that is provided in each vibration plate to thus be coupled with the guide bearing.

Preferably but not necessarily, each of the lower and upper magnets comprises a number of division type discs made of neodymium in which N-poles face each other.

Preferably but not necessarily, the vertical vibrator comprises:

lower and upper magnets that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other so that magnetic poles face each other, to thereby generate a non-alternating magnetic field;

a first yoke that integrally has a loop type circulation circuit that is extended from the lower surface of the lower magnet to the upper surface of the upper magnet and an extension portion that is vertically extended upwards at a regular interval from the inner circumference of the lower side of the lower magnet;

a second yoke that is connected between the lower and upper magnets in which a magnetic gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the second yoke and the outer circumferential surface of the extension portion of the first yoke;

a driving coil that generates an alternating magnetic field when the drive signal is applied, and that is disposed in the magnetic gap to thus be displaced up and down according to interaction with the non-alternating magnetic field generated from the lower and upper magnets; and

a cylindrical bobbin around the cylindrical portion of which the driving coil is wound.

Preferably but not necessarily, the vertical vibrator comprises a magnetic circuit including a permanent magnet or electromagnet.

Preferably but not necessarily, the exercise apparatus further comprises:

a frame at one side of the lower end of which the base is placed; and

a display that is placed on the upper end of the frame and connected with the control unit, to thereby display an operational situation of the exercise apparatus, wherein the control unit further comprises a manipulator for setting a control signal of driving the vertical vibrator.

Preferably but not necessarily, the exercise apparatus further comprises:

a load sensor that is placed in each vibration plate, to thus transmit a load detection signal to the control unit,

wherein the control unit detects a load weight of an object put on each vibration plate through the load sensor, to thus drive the vertical vibrator with the number of vibrations and the vibration width that are appropriate for the detected load weight.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;

a drive signal generator that generates first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween; and

first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates that are connected with the first and second driving coils vibrate up and down alternately as the first and second drive signals are applied to the first and second driving coils that are disposed in first and second magnetic gaps, respectively, by a magnetic gap drive mode.

Preferably but not necessarily, the drive signal generator comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;

a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and

an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal and generates the first and second drive signals having the 180-degree phase difference therebetween to then be applied to the first and second driving coils of the first and second vibration generators, respectively.

Preferably but not necessarily, the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the sine wave drive signal generated from the sine wave drive signal generator according to the control signal of the control unit and thus generates first and second outputs that equal each other;

an invertor that inverts the second output of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result;

a first power-amplifier that power-amplifies the first output of the pre-amplifier to thus drive a first driving coil of the first vertical vibrator; and

a second power-amplifier that power-amplifies the inversion result of the second output having passed through the invertor to thus drive a second driving coil of the second vertical vibrator.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;

a drive signal generator that generates first and second drive signals that equal each other;

a phase shifter that inverts the second drive signal and thus generates a third drive signal having a 180-degree phase difference from the first drive signal; and

first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates that are connected with the first and second driving coils vibrate up and down alternately as the first and third drive signals are applied to the first and second driving coils that are disposed in first and second magnetic gaps, respectively, by a magnetic gap drive mode.

Preferably but not necessarily, the drive signal generator comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;

a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and

an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal,

wherein the phase shifter comprises an invertor that inverts the second drive signal and thus generates a third drive signal having a 180-degree phase difference from the first drive signal.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention is an exercise apparatus using vertical vibration in which non-contact vibration generators of a magnetic gap mode using magnets and driving coils are used in order to generate the vertical vibration, to thereby reduce occurrence of impacts during operation to thus reduce noise and mitigate shock applied to user's joints.

In this case, since this invention uses a pair of vibration plates that vibrate alternately, vibration is alternately transferred through both of user's feet, so that impacts can then be absorbed in the user's body. Thus, the present invention provides an effect of preventing the head or neck bone from being damaged due to a strong impact that is transferred to the head.

In addition, this invention enables a user to make an exercise through an alternate vibration of both the feet of the user, and also vibration plates on which both the feet are respectively put to vibrate on the horizontal plane, to accordingly provide an effect of relieving a hip joint of an impact.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view for explaining an external appearance of an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view for explaining a structure of dismantled vibration generators that are applied in this invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view for explaining a structure of assembled vibration generators of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a separated cross-sectional view for explaining the detailed structure of vertical vibrators of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a configuration of a control system that is used in an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to this invention.

FIGS. 8 to 10 are block diagrams for explaining an example of an amplifying unit that is used in this invention, respectively.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a coupling structure of a spring and a guide.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing an electromagnet type vibration generator that is used in an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a permanent magnet type vertical vibrator that is used for an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a permanent magnet type vertical vibrator that is used for an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

 BEST MODE

Hereinafter, an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to respective preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 14.

FIG. 1 is a side view of explaining an external appearance of an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to this invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of explaining a structure of dismantled vibration generators that are applied in this invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of explaining a structure of assembled vibration generators of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a separated cross-sectional view of explaining the detailed structure of vertical vibrators of this invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to this invention includes a pair of vibration generators 20a and 20b that vibrate alternately at the lower end of an “L”-shaped frame 10.

A handle 11 for stable use during making an exercise is protrudingly mounted in the front direction at the upper end of the frame 10, and a display 12 for displaying an operational state is mounted on the upper surface of the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus.

The display 12 and the handle 11 are not essential components that are needed to achieve the objects of this invention, and can be deformed according to a purpose of usage. Otherwise, it can be determined whether or not the display 12 and the handle 11 will be provided for the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3 or 6, each of a pair of the vibration generators 20a and 20b includes a vertical vibrator 30 and a vibration plate 22 that are mounted at a distance spaced from each other on the base 21.

As shown in FIG. 6, each vertical vibrator 30 has a structure that an external magnetization type magnet 32b and an internal magnetization type magnet 32a are used to form first and second magnetic circuits, a uniform distribution of the lines of a magnetic force is realized on opposing surfaces of a yoke 31 that forms a magnetic gap 33 of the first magnetic circuit including the external magnetization type magnet 32b, a flux leakage of the magnetic gap 33 is prevented by the second magnetic circuit of a loop type including the internal magnet 32a, and a bobbin 39 around which a driving coil 34 is wound to drive the vibration plate 22 up and down is inserted into the magnetic gap 33 formed in the first magnetic circuit.

The external magnetization type magnet 32b and the internal magnetization type magnet 32a provide the magnetic forces of the first and second magnetic circuits, respectively, in which both the external magnetization type magnet 32b and the internal magnetization type magnet 32a are made of magnets that are formed by molding a neodymium (Nd) magnetic material having a flux density larger by 11.5 times or higher than that of an existing ferrite magnetic material into disc-shaped divided pieces and thereafter by strongly magnetizing the disc-shaped divided pieces in a direct magnetization method.

Thus, neodymium magnets that have strong magnetic forces and that are directly magnetized in advance are used in this invention. As a result, an inexpensive direct magnetization facility can be used instead of an expensive indirect magnetization facility, to thus reduce a facility investment expense. A magnetization time is also shortened because of employing a direct magnetization method.

In addition, a number of divided pieces are used to assemble a magnet that is fixed to the yoke 31 by an adhesive. Accordingly, a problem of adsorbing other components by a strong sucking force when a single annular magnet is assembled, or a problem of making it difficult to assemble magnets due to a strong repelling force when magnets having an equal polarity are assembled, does not happen.

Moreover, it is of course possible to use magnetized magnets as the magnets 32a and 32b after having used and assembled ferrite or other magnetic materials.

The first magnetic circuit is accomplished by consisting of the external magnetization type magnet 32b, an extension portion that is extended upwards in a pole piece form with a certain gap from the inner circumference of the outer side of the yoke 31 that is disposed at the lower portion of the external magnetization type magnet 32b, and the inner side of the yoke 31 that is disposed at the upper portion of the external magnetization type magnet 32b and that forms a magnetic gap 33 between the pole piece type extension portion and the opposing surface thereof, and the second magnetic circuit is accomplished by consisting of the inner side of the yoke 31, the internal magnetization type magnet 32a that is disposed on the upper surface of the inner side of the yoke 31 in the same polarity (for example, an S-pole) as that of the external magnetization type magnet 32b, and a loop type circulation circuit that is extended from the upper end of the internal magnetization type magnet 32a to the lower end of the external magnetization type magnet 32b.

The loop type circulation circuit forms the outer side of the yoke 31 integrally with the extension portion. In addition, the inner side of the yoke 31 is ramified in a linear form from the opposing surface constituting the magnetic gap 33 to the upper surface of the external magnetization type magnet 32b or the lower surface of the internal magnetization type magnet 32a, and is extended symmetrically to thus accomplish a passageway of the lines of the magnetic force.

As a result, the internal and external magnetization type magnets 32a and 32b having an identical dimension and an identical polarity are arranged in a symmetrical structure, at the upper and lower portions of the inner side of the yoke 31 in the first and second magnetic circuits having the above-described configuration. Accordingly, the lines of the magnetic force that are generated from the extension portion of the outer side of the yoke 31 do not lean toward any one of the upper and lower portions of the inner side of the yoke 31, and returns to the internal and external magnetization type magnets 32a and 32b via the inner side of the yoke 31. As a result, the lines of a magnetic force are uniformly distributed on the opposing surface of the yoke 31, to thus improve a linear response characteristic (that is, straightforwardness of a coil) in a vibrating field.

In addition, since the inner side of the yoke 31 forming an S-pole is surrounded by the outer side of the yoke 31 forming an N-pole and the internal and external magnetization type magnets 32a and 32b, a flux leakage phenomenon is suppressed, to thereby reinforce a drive force with respect to the vibration field and to thus increase a magnetic efficiency.

The bobbin 39 around which the driving coil 34 is wound is inserted into the magnetic gap 33 formed in the first magnetic circuit is connected with the vibration plate 22 through a joint 26.

In addition, a bobbin guide 35 consisting of a vertical bearing is placed at the inner-center of the yoke 31, and one end of a bobbin guide rod 27 that is coupled with the bobbin guide 35 is fixed to one end of the joint 26 together with the bobbin 39 through the central portion 38 of the bobbin 39.

Meanwhile, a heat radiation pipe 36 made of a material whose thermal conductivity is excellent, for example, an aluminum (Al) material is inserted into the inner side of the yoke 31, in order to quickly discharge heat generated from the driving coil 34, the internal and external magnetization type magnets 32a and 32b, and the yoke 31, to the outside by an air cooling method. Therefore, the bobbin guide 35 is finally placed in the middle of the heat radiation pipe 36.

The heat radiation pipe 36 plays a role of supporting the bobbin guide 35 in addition to the heat radiating function. The heat radiation pipe 36 also plays a role of minimizing the magnetic force that reaches from the extension portion of the outer side of the yoke 31 forming an N-pole to the bobbin guide 35 of the inner side of the yoke 31, and inducing the lines of the magnetic force to be concentrated toward the magnetic gap 33.

In addition, the bobbin 39 is fabricated thick at the central portion 38 with which the upper end of the bobbin guide rod 27 is coupled, and thin at the cylindrical portion around which the coil 34 is wound considering the interval of the magnetic gap 32, by means of an injection molding method of a plastic material. A portion around which the coil 34 is wound may be formed of a recessed groove. In this case, the wound coil 34 is made of a multi-layered structure in order to increase an allowable input.

In addition, the bobbin 39 can be made of a metallic material such as aluminum or brass. Further, the bobbin 39 may be made of a film when it is fabricated in compact size.

Since the bobbin guide 35 is provided in the present invention, the bobbin 35 is guided so that linear movement of the vertical direction is performed without left and right eccentricity even in the case that a large input is applied to the driving coil 34 and thus the vibration plate 22 is greatly vibrated up and down.

In the present invention, the opposing surfaces of the magnetic gap 33 are inserted into the magnetic gap 33 and are preferably lengthily formed to sufficiently cover a vibration range of the driving coil 34 so that a magnetic force is efficiently applied to the driving coil 34 which vibrates up and down.

The above-described vertical vibrator 30 is installed between the base 21 and the vibration plate 22, and a number of guides 23 made of vertical bearings are installed in the base 21 located near the vertical vibrator 30, in order to heighten a vertical movement capability of the vibration plate 22. Also, guide rods 24 which are respectively coupled with the guides 23 are fixed to the lower surface of the vibration plate 22.

Also, in order to mitigate impact applied to the vertical vibrator 30 via the vibration plate 22, a number of springs 25 are symmetrically spread out, so that both ends of the springs 25 are fixed to the upper surface of the base 21 and the lower surface of the vibration plate 22. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the springs 25 are placed to surround the guides 23 to make it possible to reduce the entire size of the vibration generator.

The joint 26 is connected between the vibration plate 22 and the bobbin 39, and plays a role of transferring an up-and-down vibration generated from the bobbin 39 to the vibration plate 22. The joint 26 should meet the following conditions.

That is, since the joint 26 transfers vertical movement, it should have a column structure, in which it should accommodate displacement such as rotation and movement as much as a clearance of the bobbin guide 35. Since the clearance is not more than 1 mm or less, a column of a minimum area which does not lead to a buckling phenomenon is erected in order to transfer forces. Accordingly, the above-described condition can be met.

As described above, since the joint 26 of the simple structure can be used, a production cost is minimized, noise is not generated, and durability thereof is heightened. It is preferable to use elastic elements such as springs in order to suppress a buckling phenomenon. Here, the buckling means that a thin vertical element is collapsed in the case that it is compressed.

Meanwhile, FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a configuration of a control system that is used in an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to this invention, and FIGS. 8 to 10 are block diagrams for explaining an amplifying unit that is used in this invention, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 7, each of the vibration generators 20a and 20b includes a load sensor 16 that is provided on the vibration plate 22 to measure a user's weight, and a proximity sensor 17 which is a kind of an object sensor, in order to confirm whether or not a user or an object approaches. The results measured in the load sensor 16 and the proximity sensor 17 are input to the controller 19. The controller 19 may be implemented into a central processing unit (CPU) for example, or a microcontroller equipped with a first memory containing a system control program and a second memory temporarily storing data during signal processing, as needed.

In addition, a manipulator 15 includes a mode setting knob 15a for setting an operation of each vibration generator 20a or 20b, that is, a system operation to an automatic mode or a manual mode, a vibration number setting knob 15b for setting the number of vibrations of the vibration plate 22, a vibration width setting knob 15c for setting the vibration width of the vibration plate (that is, an intensity), and a time setting knob 15d for setting an operating time. A memory 18 storing the vibration conditions of each vibration generator 20a or 20b, for example, data for the vibration number and the vibration width appropriate to the user's weight and a system control program, is connected to the controller 19.

The manipulator 15 preferably includes a vibration number setting knob and a vibration width setting knob for use in the left-hand vibration plate and those for use in the left-hand vibration plate divided from the vibration number setting knob 15b and the vibration width setting knob 15c, respectively, in order to allow a user to select the vibration number and the vibration width of the left and right vibration plates 22 while taking the physical features of the user into consideration.

Therefore, the controller 19 detects a user's weight through the load sensor 16 when the mode setting knob 15a is set to be at an automatic mode by manipulation of the manipulator 15 by the user, and calculates an optimal vibration number and an optimal vibration width according to the detected user's weight using data stored in the memory 18, to thereby control a drive signal that is applied to the driving coil 34 of the vertical vibrator 30. However, when the mode setting knob 15a is set to be at a manual mode, the controller 19 generates a control signal according to the vibration number and vibration width that are set by the user, to thereby set a vibration number of a signal generator 50 and controls the magnitude of an output from an amplifying unit 40 to thereby set a vibration width thereof.

In addition, the controller 19 confirms whether or not a user uses the vibration generators 20a and 20b of the exercise apparatus through the proximity sensor 17. Thus, the controller 19 controls operations of vertical vibrators 30a and 30b to stop as soon as he or she goes down from the vibration generators 20a and 20b.

The vibration generators 20a and 20b are driven by the amplifying unit 40 under the control of the controller 19. The amplifying unit 40 receives a sine wave signal generated from the signal generator 50 and amplifies the received sine wave signal, to thereby alternately vibrate first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b that are configurational elements of the vibration generators 20a and 20b, respectively.

In the case that the mode setting knob 15a is set to be at a manual mode in the controller 19, and thus a user sets a vibration number and a vibration width (that is, an intensity) through the manipulator 15, the controller 19 applies a control signal to the signal generator 50, to thereby control an oscillating frequency of the sine wave signal generated from the signal generator 50 and control the outputs and inputs of power-amplifiers 42a and 42b or 47 to thus control an intensity.

The amplifying unit 40 can be implemented in various examples as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, a first example of an amplifying unit 40 according to the present invention, includes: a pre-amplifier 41 that pre-amplifies a drive signal generated from a signal generator 50 according to a control signal of a controller and thus generates first and second outputs; an invertor 43 that inverts one of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier 41, that is, the second output to have a 180-degree phase difference with respect to the first output and outputs the inversion result; a first power-amplifier 42a that power-amplifies the first output of the pre-amplifier 41 to thus drive the first vertical vibrator 30a (that is, a first driving coil 34a); and a second power-amplifier 42b that power-amplifies the second output of the pre-amplifier 41 after passing through the invertor 43 to thus drive the second vertical vibrator 30b (that is, a second driving coil 34b).

As shown in FIG. 8, the drive signals that are respectively amplified by the first power-amplifier 42a and the second power-amplifier 42b are reversed to each other and a phase difference of the drive signals is 180 degrees in the case of a first example of the amplifying unit 40 according to this invention. Accordingly, it is possible that the first vertical vibrator 30a and the second vertical vibrator 30b vibrate alternately.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 9, a second example of the amplifying unit 40 includes: a pre-amplifier 46 that primarily amplifies a drive signal that has been generated in the signal generator 50; a power-amplifier 47 that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier 46, to thereby obtain a first output to then be applied to the first vertical vibrator 30a (that is a first driving coil 34a); and an invertor 43 that inverts the first output to have a 180-degree phase difference with respect to the first output to thereby obtain a second output to then be applied to the second vertical vibrator 30b (that is a second driving coil 34b).

Therefore, in the second example of the amplifying unit 40 according to the present invention, the first output from the power-amplifier 47 and the second output from the invertor 43 are applied to the first vertical vibrator 30a and the second vertical vibrator 30b, respectively, bin a reverse polarity to each other. The first vertical vibrator 30a and the second vertical vibrator 30b vibrate alternately.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 10, a third example of the amplifying unit 40 includes: a pre-amplifier 46 that primarily amplifies a drive signal that has been generated in the signal generator 50; and a power-amplifier 47 that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier 46, to thereby obtain an output to then be applied to the first vertical vibrator 30a (that is a first driving coil 34a) and the second vertical vibrator 30b (that is a second driving coil 34b), respectively.

In the third example of the amplifying unit 40 as shown in FIG. 10, positive (+) and negative (−) output ends of the power-amplifier 47 are connected to the positive (+) and negative (−) input ends of the first driving coil 34a of the first vertical vibrator 30a via first and second connection wires 48a and 48b, respectively, and the positive (+) and negative (−) output ends of the power-amplifier 47 are connected to the negative (−) and positive (+) input ends of the second driving coil 34b of the second vertical vibrator 30b via second and first connection wires 48b and 48a, respectively. That is, polarities of the first and second connection wires 48a and 48b that are connected to the positive (+) and negative (−) output ends of the power-amplifier 47 are reverse to each other for the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b.

Therefore, the first and second connection wires 48b and 48a are respectively connected with the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b reversely with respect to each other in the third example of the amplifying unit 40. Accordingly, the output of the power-amplifier 47 is applied to the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b, respectively, with a reverse polarity. As a result, the first vertical vibrator 30a and the second vertical vibrator 30b vibrate alternately.

The first and second connection wires 48a and 48b plays a role of a phase shifter 48 that shifts the first output of the power-amplifier 47 into the second output to have a 180-degree phase difference from the first output to then be output to one of the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b, in the same manner as the invertor of the first and second examples of the amplifying unit 40.

Here, the drive signal that is generated in the signal generator 50 is preferably output as a sine wave in principle.

In other words, if a drive signal that drives the vertical vibrator 30 is formed of a rectangular wave, an ascent and descent of the vibration plate 22 is instantaneously accomplished, to thus cause a burden to a user's physical body. Thus, the drive signal is better to consist of a sine wave so that an ascent and descent of the vibration plate 22 is gently accomplished.

Meanwhile, the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention includes a pair of vibration generators 20a and 20b each having a vertical vibrator 30 and a vibration plate 22. In this case, output intensities of the first power-amplifier 42a and the second power-amplifier 42b that are applied to the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b, respectively can be selectively controlled.

In other words, variable resistors 45a and 45b may be added to the input ends of the first and second power-amplifiers 42a and 42b that a user can select an output intensity of each power-amplifier. It is also to control an output intensity of each power-amplifier by a well-known method such as a method of controlling an amplification factor of each of the power-amplifiers 42a and 42b.

In general, if the first and second vibration generators 20a and 20b are made to vibrate alternately in an identical intensity in the case of a user whose one leg is a little shorter than the other leg or an infantile paralysis disabled person, a vibration force that is applied to the vertical vibrator 30, that is, the vibration plate 22 of the vibration generator on which the longer leg is put is greater than a vibration force that is applied to the vertical vibrator 30, that is, the vibration plate 22 of the vibration generator on which the shorter leg is put. Accordingly, the user's waist, that is, user's backbone can be burdened or injured.

However, the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention enables a user to control the output intensities of the first and second power-amplifiers 42a and 42b selectively, so that the intensity of the vibration generator on which the longer leg is rest is set to be relatively weaker than the intensity of the vibration generator on which the shorter leg is rest.

Meanwhile, when the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention is used for the purpose of rehabilitation or strengthening exercise of unbalanced legs or backbone calibration, users can select the output intensities of the first and second power-amplifiers 42a and 42b in the manipulator 15, respectively, in order to obtain an effect of a desired treatment purpose. In addition, when the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention is used for the treatment purpose, it is preferable that the number of vibrations of the vibration plate 22 is also set by controlling an oscillating frequency of the signal generator 50 as well as the output intensities of the first and second power-amplifiers 42a and 42b.

The vibration generators that are implemented by using a magnetic circuit using permanent magnets have been illustrated in the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, but it is possible to apply vibration generators using electromagnets in the alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing an electromagnet type vibration generator that is used in an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Since most elements of the electromagnet type vibration generator that is applied for the second embodiment of the present invention are identical to those of the vibration generator of the first embodiment of the present invention, except for an electromagnet that is used as a vertical vibrator 60, the same reference numerals are assigned for the same elements and thus the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The electromagnet type vertical vibrator 60 has a structure that a bobbin 39 around which a drive coil 34 is wound is inserted into a magnetic gap G formed in a magnetic circuit using an electromagnet 63, in order to drive the vibration plate 22 up and down.

The electromagnet 63 plays a role of inducing the driving coil 34 to move up and down according to the Fleming's left-hand law, in which a coil 62 through which a direct-current (DC) power supply voltage is applied is wounded on a yoke 61 that is mounted through an insulating material (not shown) over the center of a base 21 made of metal, and thus a strong continuous direct-current (DC) magnetic flux is supplied in the magnetic circuit formed of the yoke 61.

The yoke 61 forming a magnetic circuit path includes: a circular base 61a that is located at the center of the base 21; a rod-shaped center pole 61b that is projected upwards from the center of the base 61a and around which an electromagnet coil 62 is wound; a cylindrical outer extension portion 61c that is extended by height of the center pole 61b upwards from the end of the base 61a; and a magnetic gap forming portion 61d that is bent and extended at two points inwards from the outer extension portion 61c to thus form a magnetic gap with respect to the upper end of the center pole 61b.

Therefore, a spatial structure through which a sufficient number of turns of the electromagnet coil 62 is wound exists between the center pole 61b and the outer extension portion 61c in the structure of the yoke 61, to thus form a strong electromagnet. In this case, the magnetic gap forming portion 61d of the yoke 61 is formed lengthily enough to cover a vibrating range of the driving coil 34 so that a magnetic force can efficiently reach the driving coil 34 that is inserted into the magnetic gap to then vibrate up and down.

The electromagnet coil 62 that is wound around the center pole 61b of the yoke 61 is configured to set a coil winding direction and an electric current flow direction so that the upper portion of the center pole 61b accomplishes an N-pole, and the magnetic gap forming portion 61d accomplishes an S-pole.

Therefore, when a sine wave drive signal whose polarity changes periodically is applied to the driving coil 34, an alternating-current (AC) rotating magnetic field of the driving coil 34 and the direct-current (DC) magnetic field in the magnetic gap interact each other. Accordingly, the driving coil 34 wound around the bobbin 39 is vibrated up and down in the magnetic gap according to the Fleming's left-hand law. As a result, the vibration plate 22 also vibrates up and down.

The function of the electromagnet type vibration generator according to this invention having the above-described structure will be described below.

If a DC power voltage is applied to the electromagnet coil 62, the coil 62 is excited. Accordingly, the yoke 61 forms an electromagnet. As a result, the upper portion of the center pole 61b accomplishes an N-pole, and the magnetic gap forming portion 61d accomplishes an S-pole. Thus, the magnetic gap is formed between the upper portion of the center pole 61b and the magnetic gap forming portion 61d in the magnetic circuit formed by yoke the 61 of the electromagnet 63.

If a user establishes the number of vibrations of the manipulator 15, then a sine wave signal having a selected frequency is generated from the signal generator 50 and is applied to the amplifying unit 40.

As shown in FIG. 7, 8 or 9, the amplifying unit 40 pre-amplifies and power-amplifies the sine wave signal to thereby generate the first and second outputs having a 180-degree phase difference mutually to then be applied to the first and second driving coils 34a and 34b of the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b, respectively. As a result, the first and second vertical vibrators 30a and 30b vibrate alternately.

In the case of the electromagnet type vertical vibrator 60 according to this invention, the vibration plate 22 vertically moves along the guide 23 in correspondence to inversion of the polarity of the sine wave drive signal. Accordingly, it is possible for a user to accurately control the number of times of the vertical movement in correspondence to setting of the frequency of the sine wave drive signal.

One of the vertical vibrators 30 and 60 is used for each vibration plate 22, in the vibration generator 30 according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, but it is possible to use two or more vertical vibrators 30 and 60 in combination.

Meanwhile, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the vertical vibrator 30 has a structure of forming the first and second magnetic circuits using the external magnetization type magnet 32b and the internal magnetization type magnet 32a, respectively, realizing uniform distribution of the lines of the magnetic force on the opposing surface of the yoke 31 that forms the magnetic gap 33 of the first magnetic circuit including the external magnetization type magnet 32b, and preventing magnetic flux leakage of the magnetic gap 33 by the loop type second magnetic circuit including the internal magnetization type magnet 32a.

However, in the case that the vertical vibrator 30 has no strict regulation about the magnetic flux leakage, it is possible to modify the vertical vibrator 30 into that of the third embodiment according to the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 13.

That is, the vertical vibrator 30a of the third embodiment of the present invention is configured to have only the first magnetic circuit that forms the magnetic gap 33 by the external magnetization type magnet 32b, in which the loop type second magnetic circuit including the internal magnetization type magnet 32a is omitted.

That is, the first magnetic circuit has a structure that is formed by including: the external magnetization type magnet 32b; an extension portion that is extended at a certain interval in a pole piece form upwards from the inner circumference of the outer portion of the yoke 31 that is disposed on the bottom of the external magnetization type magnet 32b; and the inner portion of the yoke 31 that is disposed on top of the external magnetization type magnet 32b and that forms the magnetic gap 33 with respect to the opposing surface of the pole piece type extension portion.

The bobbin 39 around which the driving coil 34 is wound in order to drive the vibration plate 22 up and down is inserted into the magnetic gap 33 formed in the first magnetic circuit.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 14, it is possible to use a permanent magnet type vertical vibrator 70 having an internal magnetic circuit according to a fourth embodiment of this invention.

That is, in the case of the permanent magnet type vertical vibrator 70 as illustrated in FIG. 14, a single magnet 73 is placed in the inside of a yoke 71, and a top plate 72 is placed on top of the magnet 73, to thereby form a magnetic circuit, and a bobbin 39 around which a driving coil 34 is wound is inserted into a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit.

In the case of the permanent magnet type vertical vibrator 70, a non-alternating (DC) magnetic flux that is generated in the fixed magnetic circuit and an alternating (AC) rotating magnetic flux that is generated in the driving coil 34 that can move up and down interact with each other according to the Fleming's left-hand law, to thereby produce inhalation and repelling forces, and thus the vibration plate 22 connected with the bobbin 39 and the driving coil 34 wound around the bobbin 39 vibrate up and down. Accordingly, the permanent magnet type vertical vibrator 70 generates vertical vibration in correspondence to a driving signal.

It is desirable to use a neodymium magnetic material in the magnet 73 even in the permanent magnet type vertical vibrator 70. It is desirable to include two or more vertical vibrators 70 in a vibration generator that is configured by using the permanent magnet type vertical vibrator, in order to obtain a preset vertical vibration power.

Vertical movement is accurately generated in correspondence to the number of vibrations, that is, a frequency that is set by a user, and the bobbin that is connected with the vibration plate and around which the driving coil is wound is inserted into the magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit using the electromagnet or permanent magnet, so that the driving coil can produce a strong magnetic force even in the low-frequency (LF) of 20 Hz or less. Accordingly, the present invention provide a sufficient vertical movement power.

Meanwhile, the drive signal of the signal generator is formed of distribution of a frequency range of 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. It is desirable to use 3 Hz to 50 Hz for a diet purpose, to use 0.1 Hz to 25 Hz for a bodily rehabilitation purpose, to use about 20 kHz for the purpose of cleaning and extension of capillary blood tubes, and to use a long-term resonance frequency for a long-term exercise purpose.

However, in the case of using the present invention for the bodily rehabilitation purpose or for the purpose of cleaning and extension of capillary blood tubes, it is necessary to control the output intensity of the amplifying unit 40 to thereby set a relatively smaller vibration width than in the case of using the present invention for the diet purpose.

In addition, this invention may use a low frequency drive signal of a 3 Hz to 50 Hz frequency band for a diet purpose and an audio signal of a 30 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency band for a music listening purpose, selectively or by simultaneous superimposition thereof.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to particularly preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it is possible for one who has an ordinary skill in the art to make various modifications and variations, without departing off the spirit of the present invention. Thus, the protective scope of the present invention is not defined within the detailed description thereof but is defined by the claims to be described later and the technical spirit of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention is applied to an alternate vibration type exercise apparatus having a pair of vibration plates that are driven in an alternate vibration manner so that vibration can be alternately delivered to both of the feet of a user, to thereby prevent the vibration from being transferred to the head, and prevent the hip joint from being burdened.

Claims

1. An alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;
first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates vibrate up and down alternately as first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween are applied to the first and second vibration plates; and
a control unit that generates the first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween in order to alternately vibrate the first and second vibration plates of the first and second vibration generators, respectively,
wherein each of the first and second vibration generators comprises:
a vertical vibrator that vibrates one of the first and second vibration plates that is connected with one of driving coils as one of the first and second drive signals is applied to the one of the driving coils that are disposed in a magnetic gap by a magnetic gap drive mode;
a number of guides both ends of which are connected with the base and each of the first and second vibration plates, respectively, and that guide vertical movement of each of the first and second vibration plates; and
a number of vibration absorbers that restrict a range of motion of each of the first and second vibration plates when the first and second vibration plates move up, and that absorb an impact when the first and second vibration plates move down.

2. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;
a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and
an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal and generates the first and second drive signals having the 180-degree phase difference therebetween to then be applied to the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators, respectively.

3. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the sine wave drive signal generated from the sine wave drive signal generator according to the control signal of the control unit and thus generates first and second outputs that equal each other;
an invertor that inverts the second output of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result;
a first power-amplifier that power-amplifies the first output of the pre-amplifier to thus drive the first vertical vibrator; and
a second power-amplifier that power-amplifies the inversion result of the second output having passed through the invertor to thus drive the second vertical vibrator.

4. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the drive signal generated from the signal generator and thus outputs the pre-amplified result;
a power-amplifier that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier to thus output first and second outputs that equal each other, to thereby apply one of the first and second outputs directly to one of the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators, respectively; and
an invertor that inverts the other of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result so as to have the 180-degree phase difference therebetween, to thereby apply the inversion result to the other vertical vibrator to which no output is applied.

5. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a vibration number setting knob that selects the oscillating frequency from the signal generator and thus sets the number of vibrations of each vibration generator; and
a pair of vibration width setting knobs that selectively controls the first and second outputs of the amplifying unit to thus selectively set a vibration width of each vibration generator.

6. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical vibrator comprises:

lower and upper magnets that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other so that magnetic poles face each other, to thereby generate a non-alternating magnetic field;
a first yoke that integrally has a loop type circulation circuit that is extended from the lower surface of the lower magnet to the upper surface of the upper magnet and an extension portion that is vertically extended upwards at a regular interval from the inner circumference of the lower side of the lower magnet;
a second yoke that is connected between the lower and upper magnets in which a magnetic gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the second yoke and the outer circumferential surface of the extension portion of the first yoke;
a driving coil that generates an alternating magnetic field when the drive signal is applied, and that is disposed in the magnetic gap to thus be displaced up and down according to interaction with the non-alternating magnetic field generated from the lower and upper magnets; and
a cylindrical bobbin around the cylindrical portion of which the driving coil is wound.

7. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the drive signal generated from the signal generator and thus outputs the pre-amplified result;
a power-amplifier that power-amplifies the output of the pre-amplifier to thus generate outputs that are applied to the first and second vertical vibrators of the first and second vibration generators, respectively; and
a phase shifter that shifts the outputs of the power-amplifier so as to have a 180-degree phase difference mutually and applies the shift result to the first and second vertical vibrators.

8. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical vibrator comprises a magnetic circuit including a permanent magnet or electromagnet.

9. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a load sensor that is placed in each vibration plate, to thus transmit a load detection signal to the control unit,
wherein the control unit detects a load weight of an object put on each vibration plate through the load sensor, to thus drive the vertical vibrator with the number of vibrations and the vibration width that are appropriate for the detected load weight.

10. An alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;
a drive signal generator that generates first and second drive signals having a 180-degree phase difference therebetween; and
first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates that are connected with the first and second driving coils vibrate up and down alternately as the first and second drive signals are applied to the first and second driving coils that are disposed in first and second magnetic gaps, respectively, by a magnetic gap drive mode.

11. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the drive signal generator comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;
a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and
an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal and generates the first and second drive signals having the 180-degree phase difference therebetween to then be applied to the first and second driving coils of the first and second vibration generators, respectively.

12. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the amplifying unit comprises:

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the sine wave drive signal generated from the sine wave drive signal generator according to the control signal of the control unit and thus generates first and second outputs that equal each other;
an invertor that inverts the second output of the first and second outputs of the pre-amplifier and outputs the inversion result;
a first power-amplifier that power-amplifies the first output of the pre-amplifier to thus drive the first driving coil of the first vertical vibrator; and
a second power-amplifier that power-amplifies the inversion result of the second output having passed through the invertor to thus drive the second driving coil of the second vertical vibrator.

13. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first and second vibration generators comprise a magnetic circuit including a permanent magnet or electromagnet, respectively.

14. An alternate vibration type exercise apparatus comprising:

a base;
a drive signal generator that generates first and second drive signals that equal each other;
a phase shifter that inverts the second drive signal and thus generates a third drive signal having a 180-degree phase difference from the first drive signal; and
first and second vibration generators having first and second vibration plates that are disposed at a distance spaced from each other on the left and right sides of the base and that are mounted so as to vibrate up and down, respectively, in which the first and second vibration plates that are connected with the first and second driving coils vibrate up and down alternately as the first and third drive signals are applied to the first and second driving coils that are disposed in first and second magnetic gaps, respectively, by a magnetic gap drive mode.

15. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the drive signal generator comprises:

a controller that produces a control signal corresponding to establishment of an input by a user in an input manipulator;
a sine wave drive signal generator that produces a sine wave drive signal having an oscillating frequency that is set according to the control signal; and
an amplifying unit that amplifies the sine wave drive signal,
wherein the phase shifter comprises an invertor that inverts the second drive signal and thus generates a third drive signal having a 180-degree phase difference from the first drive signal.

16. The alternate vibration type exercise apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a number of guides both ends of which are connected with the base and each of the first and second vibration plates, respectively, and that guide vertical movement of each of the first and second vibration plates; and
a number of vibration absorbers that restrict a range of motion of each of the first and second vibration plates when the first and second vibration plates move up, and that absorbs an impact when the first and second vibration plates move down.
Patent History
Publication number: 20120157264
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 25, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2012
Inventor: Seong Bae Kim (Seoul)
Application Number: 13/392,762
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Equipment Control (482/4)
International Classification: A63B 24/00 (20060101);