DE29512162U1 - Device for loading spring elements - Google Patents

Description

"&EEgr;: Söhmitft S B.

Patent Attorneys Graf-Toerring-Str. 45

FKuR Research Institute Te<.(08152)70515 Kunststoff-Recycling GmbH , 82229Seefeld 47877 Willich D3-2

Device for loading spring elements

The present invention is generally a device for loading spring elements, in particular for use, for example, as a hand-held testing device for testing rubber mixtures or as a training device for the hand and forearm muscles.

There are so-called hand expanders that consist of a coil spring made of thick spring wire with handles attached to the spring legs. This is an inseparable connection of a coil spring made of spring steel with plastic handles, whereby problems arise during production when joining the materials plastic and steel. For assembly, a form is also required in which both a holder for the spring and a holder for the handles are provided. With regard to recycling, which is becoming increasingly important, particular attention must be drawn to the disadvantage of the inseparable or at least difficult to separate connection between steel and plastic.

Hand expanders are also known that are designed in the form of two essentially semi-cylindrical plastic shells that are parallel to one another, between which two or more spiral springs are inserted. Grip recesses for four fingers each are molded into the two identical plastic shells. By using spiral springs with different spring characteristics, it is possible to adjust the amount of force required to press the two plastic shells together. However, since the two shells are

If they are not guided, they perform an uncontrolled, voluntary movement when compressed.

There is another device known for loading spring elements for training the hand and forearm muscles, which consists of an essentially homogeneous elastomer torus that can be compressed or deformed with greater or lesser effort due to its elasticity. However, this torus does not allow for guided movement, nor can the load be changed. A different device is required for a training program with increasing load. In addition, the round outer contour of a torus is in no way adapted to the ergonomic conditions of the human hand.

The devices mentioned above have a number of disadvantages, some of which will be discussed here. For example, a useful training program sometimes requires several devices of the same type with different spring strengths or material stiffnesses. The designs are largely not sufficiently adapted to the ergonomic conditions of the human hand. This sometimes leads to the thumb and index finger bearing the main load, while the other fingers are only slightly loaded. In addition, in some cases, such as the previously mentioned two-shell model, the identical design of the finger side and the thumb side is a criticism. Only one of the two sides is adapted to the hand.

The present invention is based on the object of creating a device for loading spring elements, whereby the above-mentioned disadvantages are avoided or at least reduced.

The object is achieved by a device according to claim 1. This results in the advantage that the frame part used for the finger side and for the thumb side is identical and nevertheless, since it is

18 0°, ergonomically favorable hand grip is possible, i.e. there are no finger recesses on the thumb side that cut into the ball of the thumb. This also saves considerable tool costs. The arrangement of the U-shaped frame parts and their "interpenetrating" assembly and the arrangement of the elastic connecting elements in the brackets arranged at the ends of the arms enable a compact and stable design. Dismantling the object to be recycled after wear is uncomplicated and problem-free due to the lack of permanent connections such as welding, gluing or the like. An advantageous further development of the invention also results from designing the frame parts with guides that enable a controlled relative movement of the frame parts to one another.

This leads to a controlled, repeatable relative movement of the frame parts when spring elements are loaded and is particularly advantageous when using the device according to the invention for the medical development of the hand and forearm muscles, for example in rehabilitation therapy.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the frame parts are made of plastic molded parts with only one cavity. This has the advantage that only a single injection molding tool has to be used, and the further advantage that a tool can be used without special "pulls". The molded parts can be demolded by simply opening the injection molding tool, which brings with it cost and time advantages. In a further embodiment of the invention, the holders are designed to accommodate standardized connecting elements in the form of elastomer rods. In this case, for example, an elastomer test rod can be advantageously tested in accordance with the DIN 53504 standard, or the device for loading spring elements can be used as a corresponding hand-held test device for testing rubber mixtures. In addition, the use of the

The advantage of standardized connecting elements is that their shape allows for a very simple, positive, secure connection of the frame parts and the connecting elements, and yet they can be exchanged or replaced very easily. This also has particular advantages when it comes to recycling. However, other forms of tension rods or rods with local thickening can also be used. Rods with different compositions can be used and their properties can be compared with one another. Of course, any type of tension spring can be used.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the number of elastic connecting elements can be varied so that a universal individual load can be set. The bars can be advantageously marked and distinguished from one another by printing or color marking. The high adaptability of the device according to the invention to the most varied strength levels makes it possible to use the device in a range from sports training equipment to medical therapy equipment for building up the hand and forearm muscles. As already mentioned, recycled materials of the same or different types can be used for the frame parts and the connecting elements. It is obvious that the device can be recycled without any problems. The frame parts and connecting elements can be separated and reused in the same type after use without any problems.

In addition to the universal design options in plastic mold construction, with regard to the ergonomic requirements of the human hand and practicality in use through appropriately profiled surface design, an advantageous use of the device according to the invention as a promotional item is also conceivable due to large flat surfaces that can be attached to the outer surface.

Further advantages of the device according to the invention can be found in the subclaims and the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing.

Figure 1 shows a frame part used in the device according to the invention in section along its axis of symmetry.

Figure 2 shows an elevation of the frame part shown in Figure 1 viewed from the right with an elastic connecting element inserted from above.

Figure 3 shows the same view of the frame part as Figure 2, but with an elastic connecting element already pulled downwards.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of two frame parts before they are pushed together, where one is shown rotated by 180° relative to the other.

Figure 5 also shows a cross-sectional view of two frame parts just before they are moved transversely to each other.

Figure 6 shows the state of the two frame parts shown in section after the displacement according to Figure 5.

Figure 7 shows the two frame parts of Figure 6 in section with elastic connecting elements already inserted.

Figure 8 shows the representation of Figure 7 seen from the left side.

Figures 9 and 10 show the device according to the invention in the loaded state, with Figure 9 being a sectional view and Figure 10 schematically showing the grip position of a hand.

Figure 1 shows a frame part 2, which in this embodiment is designed as a plastic injection-molded part and here

shown cut along its axis of symmetry S, which is parallel to the plane of the drawing.

The U-shaped design of the frame part 2 can be seen with a crossbar 6, a first arm 8 on the left side and a second arm 10 on the right side. The actual structure of the embodiment described here can be seen better by looking at the various figures together. For example, the reinforcing ribs 20 can be seen from figures 1, 2 and 3 together. In figure 1, an outer wall 22 can also be seen mainly on the right side. The ribs 20 visible in figure 2 from the front side 21 end, as can be seen in figure 1, in front of an opening 12 that extends through the frame part 2 from top to bottom. The first arm 8 has a guide surface 26 on its outside. The second arm 10 shown on the right side has an inward-facing guide surface 28 that ends with the edge 29 towards the opening 12 of the frame part 2. A holder 16 arranged at the end of the second arm 10 is designed as a tapered pocket 32 which accommodates the connecting element 4, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, whereby the pocket 32 has an undercut, indicated by dashed lines in Figures 2 and 3, which prevents the connecting element 4 from slipping out of the pocket 32, in particular in a direction out of the plane of the drawing. The position of the connecting element 4 in Figure 3 is the end operating position. This will be discussed in more detail later.

What has been said for the pocket 32 of the second arm 10 also applies analogously to a pocket 30 which is designed as a tapered holder 14 in the first arm 8.

Two of the frame parts 2 shown in Figure 1 are, as shown in Figure 4, rotated by 180°, aligned with each other and pushed towards each other in the direction of the arrow Z shown in Figure 4, so that the first arm 8 of the frame part 2 with the outer edge of its holder 14 is at

slides along the guide edge 28 of the adjacent second arm 10 until the end of the first arm moves in the direction of the now opposite opening 22 and dips there in order to strike the inside of the base 34 of the cross bar 6 in the position shown in Figure 5.

This position is shown in Figure 5. According to the arrow Y shown there, one frame part 2 is then moved against the other frame part 2 so that the position shown in Figure 6 is reached. Here, it can be seen that the two frame parts 2 have moved slightly towards each other in the Z direction, whereby the lower edge of the holder 14 of the first arm 8 has slipped under the end 29 of the guide edge 28. It can also be seen in Figure 6 that due to the last relative movement of the two frame parts 2 to each other, the holders 14 and 16 of the arms 8 and 10 and their pockets 30 and 32 are aligned with each other in the Z direction. As already mentioned in the description of Figure 2, after the frame parts 2 have been positioned relative to each other, a connecting element 4 is hooked into the corresponding pockets 16 and then hooked into the pocket 14 of the first arm 10. In this case, the connecting element 4 is briefly stretched slightly. The final position of the two connecting elements 4 and the frame parts 2 in the basic functional position is shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8, whereby in the example according to Figure 7, 3 elastomer rods 4 lying parallel one behind the other are used as connecting elements.

If you now press the two frame parts together in the Z direction, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the connecting element 4 is stretched in the Z direction. The connecting element 4 or the connecting elements 4 now strive to bring the two frame parts 2 or their cross bars 6 back together.

Figure 10 shows very clearly the use of the device according to the invention in a left hand in a compressed state. The ergonomic design of the frame parts 2 and the cross bars 6 achieved in the exemplary embodiment presented can be clearly seen here. Figure 10 also shows an advantageous flat extension of the second arms 10, on which advertising spaces designated 36 can be accommodated.

The embodiment of the device according to the invention described here is only an example and can, as is easily apparent to the person skilled in the art, be varied in a universal manner.

Claims (11)

EXPECTATIONS 1. Device for loading spring elements, with a) two identical frame parts and b) at least two elastic connecting elements holding the frame parts together, characterized in that c) the frame parts (2) are essentially U-shaped and d) have first (8) and second (10) arms extending in the same direction from an approximately central crossbar (6), e) each crossbar (6) having a through opening (12) extending in the direction of the extension of the arms, f) through which the first arm of the other frame part extends, rotated by 180°, and g) that the frame parts are displaced relative to each other in such a way h) that a first (8) and a second (10) arm are substantially aligned with each other, i) and that the arms (8; 10) have holders (14; 16) at their ends for fastening the elastic connecting elements (4). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the arms (8; 10) extend approximately at a right angle from the cross bars (6). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame parts (2) are designed &iacgr;&ogr; are such that they are guided in a controlled manner over their entire path when moving relative to one another. 4. Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the frame parts (2) consist of plastic molded parts with only one cavity. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holders (14; 16) are designed to accommodate standardized connecting elements in the form of elastomer rods (4). 6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the plastic and/or the elastomer rods (4) consist of recycled material and are themselves recyclable. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross bars (6) are adapted to the ergonomic needs of the human hand and are shaped accordingly. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting elements (4) are each arranged multiple times. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that connecting elements (4) of different elasticity are used. 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting elements (4) are colored. 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surfaces (18) of the cross bars (6) facing away from one another have a rough surface structure.