Balancing device and method

[0001] Persons experiencing injuries or diseases that affect their movement and mobility can improve their condition and recovery using various balancing exercises. Typically balancing devices and practices involving pivoting on a ball or pivoting on a roller that is fixed to the floor. Such devices generally do not independently move either laterally (from side to side), or forward and back, or both, while also rocking, pivoting or rolling. This prevents the user from practicing or exercising their balance with natural-like movements.

[0002] The present invention provides a more functional balance board or platform that moves more like natural movement. This allows a person to practice activities in either a rehabilitative or training situation that would translate into a quicker recovery or learned activities. While typical balance boards are unstable surfaces that pivot around a fixed tilt point or line on the floor or ground, this balance board floats above the floor, allowing excursion in sagital, horizontal, and circumductive directions while still having a pivot point for control of vertical balance. The ability to stabilize while the board moves away from the upper body enhances core stabilization while providing a more natural loading of the lower extremities which is beneficial in rehabilitation and functional training.

[0003] The present invention provides a balancing device including: a stationary support structure including an overhead support and a plurality of upright supports; a suspended platform having a periphery and a bisecting pivot line, and having a first position and a second position on opposite sides of the platform proximate the periphery and along the bisecting pivot line; a first and second suspending members, each having a first and second end, each secured at the first end to the overhead support and at the second end to the platform at the first position and second position, respectively; and at least two elastic supports, each elastic support having a first end attached proximate a portion of the periphery of the platform on opposite sides of the bisecting pivot line, and a second end attached to one of the plurality of upright supports.

[0004] The present invention provides a balancing device including: a stationary support structure including an rectangular overhead support frame having four corners, and a plurality of upright support beams supporting the support frame at each of the four corners; a suspended rectangular platform having four corners and a periphery, and a bisecting pivot line dividing the rectangular platform into two rectangular portions, and having a first position and a second position on opposite sides of the platform proximate the periphery and along the bisecting pivot line; a first and second suspending cables, each having a first end and a second end, each secured at the first end to the overhead support and at the second end to the platform at the first position and second position, respectively; and at least two elastic supports, each elastic support having a first end attached proximate a portion of the periphery of the platform on opposite sides of the bisecting pivot line, and a second end attached to one of the plurality of upright supports.

[0005] The present invention also provides an element of a balancing device system, the elements selected from the group consisting of the stationary support structure described herein, and the suspended platform described herein.

[0010] A suspended platform 30 is provided having a periphery defined by four sides 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d. Adjacent pairs of sides form corners 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d. The platform 30 is substantially bisected along a bisecting pivot line 100 into two sides 40a and 40b of substantially equal area and dimensions. A first securement, shown as a ring bolt 64a, is affixed at a first position 38 along the bisecting pivot line 100 proximate the front side 32a, and a second ring bolt 64b is affixed at a second position 39 along the bisecting pivot line 100 proximate the opposite rear side 32c

[0011] The suspended platform 30 is typically constructed of a wooden frame with a wooden upper surface 42, and is conveniently made in a square or rectangular shape. The typical size of the platform is about 0.5-1 meter wide, and about 0.5-1 meter in length. The platform can also be made of plastic, aluminum or other construction material. The platform is typically constructed so that its shape, size and weight are symmetrical about the bisecting pivot line 100. The ring bolts and other connector hardware mentioned below can be secured platform with screws, bolts and other well known means of attachment.

[0012] The platform 30 is suspended from a stationary support structure 2 that includes an overhead support 4 and a plurality of upright supports 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the overhead support 4 consists of a frame 8 formed by edge channels 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, and a crossing channel 9 that spans between opposite edge channels 10a and 10c of the frame 8. The crossing channel 9 is positioned along longitudinal line 101. It can be understood that the overhead support can include a plurality of the crossing channels oriented in the same direction or in the cross direction from the longitudinal line 101, as well as in diagonal directions.

[0013] The upright supports 6 are channels or beams that generally extend vertically (in a z direction) down from and are positioned along the periphery of, the overhead support 4, to position the overhead support 4 at a height H well over the head of most standing adults, typically from about seven to eights feet from the floor F of the building in which the balancing device is used. The illustrated embodiment shows each upright support 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d positioned at a corner of the overhead support 4. The upright supports are typically spaced apart by several (3-5) feet from the platform, or about 6-8 feet apart from the adjacent support in a square or rectangular pattern. The upright supports 6 can be made with a base 12, or can be attached to a base structure 14 that has a separate floor 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0014] The stationary support structure 2 and its component overhead support 4 and upright supports 6 can be made of metal or wood, though steel and aluminum are preferred, and constructed by well known means including welding and fasteners, such as bolts, screws, slots and tabs, etc.

[0015] The platform 30 is suspended off of the floor by suspending members 60, each secured at one end 61 to the overhead support 4 and at the other end 62 to the platform 30 at the first position 38 and second position 39, respectively. Typically the platform is suspended about 1 to about 12 inches, more typically about 3-6 inches, off of the floor. The illustrated embodiment shows a pair of suspending members 60a and 60b. Suspending member 60a is secured at its first end 61a to a first securement, which is secured by bolting or screwing, to the crossing channel 9 proximate the edge channel 10a and along longitudinal line 101. A second suspending member 60b is secured at its first end 61b to a second securement, shown as ring bolt 63b, which is secured to the crossing channel 9 proximate the opposite edge channel 10b and along longitudinal line 101. The first platform securement is shown as a ring bolt 64a. A second suspending member 60b is secured at its first end 61b to a second securement, shown as ring bolt 63b, which is secured to the crossing channel 9 proximate the opposite edge channel 10c and along longitudinal line 101. Suspending members 60a and 60b are secured to the platform 30 at their second end 62a to the ring bolts 64a and 64b, respectively. The suspending member 60 is typically a non-extensive flexible member, which has a maximum length when elongated, but is also capable of being rolled up into a loop. A preferred suspending member 60 is a metal or plastic chain having a plurality of links of suitable size to bear the body weight of a person. The suspending member can have some elasticity or stretch; however, its primary purpose is to suspend the platform off of the floor when a patient ascends upon the platform. The chain can be affixed to the several ring bolt securements by well known means, such as a hook, a carabiner, a U-bolt, or other.

[0016] The suspended platform 30 resembles a playground swing. The platform 30 is capable of swinging laterally, from side to side in an ±x direction, perpendicular to the pivot line 100. That is, the bisecting pivot line 100 can swing in a tangential arc below the longitudinal line 101, in a ±y direction. Generally, the longitudinal line 101 is parallel to and above the bisecting pivot line 100. The platform 30 is also capable of swinging forward and backward along the axis of the bisecting pivot line 100 within a restricted distance. FIG. 1 shows that the suspending members 60 extend upward and forward from the ring bolts 64 at an angle θ, which is typically between 70° and 90°. The distance of forward swing becomes more restricted as the angle θ is reduced from 90°.

[0017] The platform is also fitted with at least two elastic supports 70. At least one each of the elastic supports is attached along the periphery on either side of the platform. More typically at least two elastic supports are attached along the periphery on either side of the platform. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four elastic supports 70a, 70b, 70c, and 70d. The elastic support 70a has a first end 76a attached proximate one of the corners of the platform to ring bolt 36a or equivalent. The opposite end 78a of the elastic support 70a is secured to the stationary support structure 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the opposite end 78a is secured along the length of the near upright support 6a to a ring bolt 80a or equivalent means, typically in the upper portion of the upright support 6a. The elastic support 70 is an elastic strand or rope, which is capable of being stretched along its length by application of a force. A typical elastic support is a bungee cord, which can consist of an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, covered in a woven sheath usually of nylon or cotton. The bungee has a hook or requivalent means, secured to both ends of the elastic cord. A first portion 72a of the elastic strand 70a extends in a substantially horizontal direction from one of the corners of the platform 30 toward a pulley assembly 87a that is variably positioned and secured to a lower portion of the upright support 6a. A second portion 74a of the elastic strand 70a extends in a substantially vertical direction from the pulley assembly 87a toward the upper portion of the upright support 6a. The pulley assembly includes a rotating pulley wheel 88a and an extending arm 89a that is positionable along and secured to the upright support 6a. The vertical positioning of the pulley assembly 87 along upright support 6 defines an angle δ of the elastic strand extending from the platform 30, relative to horizontal “h”. It can be understood that if the position of the pulley assembly is raised along the upright support, the angle δ will increase from horizontal “h”.

[0018] In use, as the platform 30 pivots along centerline 100, a corner 34 of the platform 30 can raise, which decreases or makes negative the angle δ; or the corner can lower, which increases or makes positive the angle δ. The angle δ is typically between about −10° to about +30° from horizontal “h” when the platform is unloaded or at rest. The use of the pulley assembly allows a longer elastic strand to be used so that some of the elongation of the strand is taken up in the horizontal portion 72a, and the remaining elongation of the strand is taken up in the vertical portion 74a. The elastic strands 70b, 70c, and 70d, and pulley assemblies 87b, 87c and 87d, are typically similarly constructed and configured.

[0019] The elastic strands 70 typically hold the platform 30 stationary when the platform is unloaded (the patient is not standing upon on it), as shown in FIG. 3. At the unloaded position, the elastic strands are typically adjusted in size and length to exert some force upon the corner of the platform in the upward and outward direction, and depending upon the positioning of the pulley assemblies, the elastic strands may lift the platform upward, allowing some slack to form in the suspending members 60.

[0020] When a patient P ascends onto the platform 30, the suspending members 60 become fully extended, and the elastic strands 70 exert lateral and vertical forces on the corners 34 of the platforms 30. As shown in FIG. 4, when the platform 30 is pivoted around the pivot line 100, such as by the shifting of the patient's weight, the downward movement of the right side 40a of the platform 30 increases the angle δ¹ of strand portion 72a and elongates elastic strand 70a, which in turn exerts a force with both upward (vertical) and outward (in the lateral and/or longitudinal directions) force vectors upon the platform corner 34a, to assist the patient P to stabilize the platform. On the opposite side, the upward movement of the left side 40b of the platform 30 decreases, and typically makes negative, the angle δ² of strand portion 72b and elongates elastic strand 70b, which in turn exerts a force with both downward and outward force vectors upon the platform corner 34b, again assisting the patient P to stabilize the platform. It is within the scope of the present invention for the technician or user to adjust the size or force factor of the elastic strands, the positioning of the pulley assembly along the vertical support 6, and the overall length of the elastic strands 70 to provide more or less resistive or assistive force upon the corners 34 of the platform 30 around the pivot line 100.

[0021] It can also be understood that the elastic strands cooperate to exert lateral and longitudinal resistive forces upon the platform 30 to also resist movement of platform 30 in the lateral and longitudinal directions, relative to the pivot line 100 when the platform 30 is at rest.

[0022] The device can provide independent movement of the platform laterally (from side to side) and forward and back, and both, while also allowing rocking and/or pivoting the platform.

[0023] The current invention can allow a person to stand on the platform and move either laterally, horizontally or a combination of both, while controlling vertical balance via the pivot point or pivot line. The patient can stand straddling the pivot point or line, bisecting the pivot point or in a variety of staggered positions which allows a variety of balance challenges. Activities like sitting or kneeling on the board can isolate more core muscles, allowing more unique challenges. Activities can be assisted via holding on the static vertical supports or by being supported by external elastic cords, or they can be resisted by having the elastic bands pulling downward from the overhead support. Increased challenges can be accomplished by having the patient or user balance without holding on to the supports, and squatting and moving the platform in a variety positions. The openness of the design allows for the individual to enhance multiple disciplines while balancing (including, catching a ball, reaching for targets, bumping a volleyball, lifting weights, and other activities.)