Spine exercise equipment
View Patent ↗A spine treating apparatus is presented. The apparatus includes a plurality of frames arranged in an x-direction to form a surface, suspension pieces supporting the plurality of frames, a rotator on which the suspension pieces rest, and a motor that turns the rotator about an axis that extends in the x-direction. The rotator has an uneven outer surface such that when the motor turns the rotator, the suspension pieces move according to the contours of the rotator's uneven outer surface. The movement of the suspension pieces treats the back of a patient lying on the surface. A method of treating a user's spine is also presented. The method entails arranging frames to form a surface, providing a suspension piece for each of the frames to support the frames, providing a rotator with an uneven surface to contact the suspension piece, and turning the rotator.
1 . A spine treating apparatus comprising:
a support surface made of a plurality of frames arranged in an x-direction, the plurality of frames extending in a z-direction that is perpendicular to the x-direction and being capable of moving independently of one another;
a plurality of suspension pieces having a first end and a second end, wherein each of the plurality of frames is connected to the first end of one of the suspension pieces;
a rotator comprising a plurality of protrusions forming an uneven outer surface, the second end of the suspension pieces resting on the uneven outer surface; and
a motor that turns the rotator about an axis that extends in the x-direction with the second end of the suspension pieces resting on a portion of the rotator that is closest to the support surface and changes a point of contact on the rotator's outer surface as the rotator turns.
2 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the uneven outer surface has an asymmetrically-shaped cross section with varying radiuses measured from the axis.
3 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotator comprises four identically-shaped sections connected together.
4 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of the sections has six segments separated by a distance interval D, wherein the six segments have the same cross section rotated 60° with respect to an adjacent one of the six segments.
5 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein there are 24 suspension pieces supporting 24 frames, and one of the suspension pieces contacts each one of the segments.
6 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of suspension pieces maintain contact with the rotator as the rotator turns.
7 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising one or more of a wheel, a ball, and a slippery surface at the second end of each of the suspension pieces.
8 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support surface undulates in response to the rotator turning.
9 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of suspension pieces are arranged in a row in the x-direction.
10 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suspension pieces compress in response to force on the frames and contours of the rotator.
11 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of frames individually turn about a vertebrae axis that extends through a center of the plurality of frames.
12 . The spine treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of frames comprises a vertebrae support piece that is held in position by a spring but moves in the z-direction in response to force on the support surface.
13 . A method of treating a user's spine, comprising:
arranging a plurality of frames in an x-direction to form a support surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of frames extends in a z-direction perpendicular to the x-direction and moves independently of the other frames;
providing suspension pieces, each having a first end and a second end, wherein each of the plurality of frames is connected to the first end of one of the suspension pieces;
providing a rotator comprising a plurality of protrusions forming an uneven outer surface, wherein the second end of the suspension piece rests on the rotator; and
turning the rotator about a first axis that extends parallel to the x-direction, with the second end of each of the suspension pieces resting on a portion of the rotator that is closest to the support surface and changes a point of contact on the rotator's outer surface as the rotator turns.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotator has an asymmetrically-shaped cross section with varying radiuses measured from the axis.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotator comprises four identically-shaped sections connected together, and each of the sections comprises six segments that are rotated 60 ° about the axis relative to an adjacent one of the six segments.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing one or more of a wheel, a ball, and a slippery surface at an end of the suspension piece closest to the rotator.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising configuring the frames to rotate about an axis that is parallel to the x-axis and extends through a center of the frames.
18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a vertebrae support piece connected to at least one of the plurality of frames, wherein the vertebrae support piece is held in position by a spring but moves in the z-direction in response to force on the support surface.