GB2476943A - A sparring device with impact detecting means and pistons to deliver strikes towards a user. - Google Patents

Abstract

A sparring training aid comprising an upright body 100, a weighted base 102, a motion sensor, force detecting means, a printed circuit board, an air compressor and a multiplicity of pistons 108 wherein each piston 108 includes an air cylinder and a solenoid valve. The sensors may be used to measure the blows delivered to the body 100 and the pistons 108 may be used to strike out towards a user. The circuit board may be used to deliver random piston 108 movement or a programmed sequence of piston 108 movement. There may be an emergency stop and the pistons 108 may be straight or curved. The body may have pistons 108 on its left and right hand side which are designed to simulate different types of punch. Blow moulded polypropylene may be used for the body 100. The force delivered by the pistons 108 may also be programmed to match the force of an impact on the body 100.

Description

Patent Application of Tony Albanese for Responsive punch simulator for sparring training

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to training aids for boxing or sparring, and in particular to interactive training aids.

[21 Boxing training aids comprising a body for punching at approximately fist height, are known in the art as punch balls, punch bags, and the like.

[3] Boxing aids designed to teach a boxer to aim are known in the art. WO 2009137869 to Fazio, for example, discloses a boxing training device comprising a support frame, a first set of pads each resiliently secured relative to the support frame, and a second set of pads each resiliently connected relative to the support frame. The first set of pads comprises a plurality of pads located at multiple heights having faces angled towards a right hand side of a boxer for receiving right handed blows and the second set of pads comprises a plurality of pads located at multiple heights having faces angled towards a left hand side of a boxer for receiving left handed blows.

[4] It is known in the art to attach arms to punch bags or balls. For example, GB 2458688 to Brennan discloses a boxing training aid comprising a punch bag with a vertical central rod and an arm rotatably attached to the central rod. The punch bag may be padded. The arm may have a pad mounted on the free end of the arm. The training aid may be fixed or free standing.

[51 GB 2453578 to Nina discloses a training aid for boxing, sparring or martial arts in addition or supplement to a punch bag or punch ball. The aid comprises a device that may be attached to said punch bag by sliding over the bag or attaching with Velcro, hook and ioop, threaded means or by a strap. The device may have one or more projections that a user may choose to avoid or use as targets during training. The device may have a soft, resilient outer surface and a harder or rigid inner core.

[61 It is further known in the art to have a boxing training aid which measures and reports the force of a punch. For example, CN 101091828 to Ziming discloses a combined training system for a boxer, comprising a substantially human-shaped air bag, a central processor, a punching portion, a data memory, a pressure sensor, and a communication module. An ADO converter in the central processor utilizes the air pressure sensor to obtain the pressure change in the air bag when punched, and calculates the punching force. The communication module displays the force to the boxer.

[7] CN 101480524 to Laurent discloses an impact detection device, as well as a system that includes such a device, and is employed particularly in electronic training systems for a combat sport, or for simulation of such a combat sport, such as boxing, karate, kendo, or fencing, directly or by means of an object that is liable to transmit the impact. This device includes a sensor to detect an impact and its intensity, mounted on a printed circuit, and indicating means to be activated when the detector detects an impact and/or to indicate to a user that he must generate an impact, and which is imbedded in a protective covering. The indicating means are mounted directly on the printed circuit, so that the embedding material also covers the printed circuit and the sensor.

Brief Su1nmary of the Invention [8] It can be seen from the forgoing that a need has arisen for boxing training aids, and specifically for apparatus to act as a sparring partner. It would be advantageous to have a sparring partner substitute apparatus which could simulate punching action. It would further be advantageous to have a sparring partner which could simulate punches responsively to the boxer. It would be yet further advantageous to have a degree of unpredictability to the simulated punches, to train the boxer's reflexes.

[9] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a substitute sparring partner which measures the impact of a boxer's punch and responds with a punch of the same impact.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a substitute sparring partner which simulates punches, wherein the originating position of the punches is unpredictable.

[10] To this end, a sparring training aid is disclosed, comprising: an upright body; a weighted base; a motion sensor; force detecting means; a multiplicity of pistons; an air cylinder and a solenoid valve for each piston; a FOB; and an air compressor.

[11] An advantage of the present invention is that it can simulate punches of a force matching that of the user. A further advantage is that it can simulate punches originating from an unpredictable position. A yet further advantage is that it can be programmed to respond in a variety of ways as suitable to different users at different stages of their training and abilities.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [12] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [13) Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[14] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[15] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein like numerals refer to like components, a sparring training aid is disclosed, comprising: an upright body 100; a weighted base 102; a motion sensor 104; force detecting means 106; a multiplicity of pistons 108; an air cylinder 110 and a solenoid valve (not shown) for each piston; a POB (not shown); and an air compressor 116.

[16] The upright body preferably comprises polypropylene which is preferably blow-moulded into a human-like shape although it may also be any shape tall enough to punch at chest height.

The upright body preferably comprises hollows, and protrudes at its rear, to accommodate the pistons. Other materials may also be used but an advantage of blow-moulded polypropylene is that it has a high impact resistance and is cheap to produce.

[17] The weighted base preferably comprises a refillable sand box 102. Preferably, the sand box comprises a hopper 101 for refilling, and is encased in a housing 103 which also accommodates the upright body in cavity 107. Preferably the base also comprises an access door 105 for accessing the air compressor disposed therein. The weighted base may also comprise a heavy material such as iron or stone, or may be fillable with water. The base may comprise any shape which will hold the upright body but is preferably as shown in the figures.

[18] The motion sensor detects that the upright body has been punched and is connected to the force detecting means. Upon punching, the motion sensor sends a signal to the force detecting means to calculate the force of the punch. Many motions sensors are known in the art and one skilled in the art will be readily able to choose a suitable motion sensor for this purpose.

[19] The force detecting means is connected to the motion sensor and to the PCB. Upon receiving a signal from the motion sensor, the force detecting means calculates the force of the punch and sends the result to the FCB. Force detecting means are similarly known in the art and one skilled in the art will also be readily able to choose a suitable force detector.

[20] The PCB controls the response of the apparatus to a punch, that is, which pistons are activated at which times. The action of the PCB upon receiving a result from the force detector may vary depending on the precise embodiment of the invention, as will be discussed below. However, generally speaking, the FCB is connected to the solenoid control valves which are in turn connected to the pistons. The PCB therefore sends a signal to at least one solenoid valve to operate at least one corresponding piston, that is, simulate a punch in response to the user's punch. Preferably the simulated punch has the same force as that of the user.

[21] Most preferably, the apparatus comprises a random electronic selector, which may be disposed on the FOB, or other random selection means, as known in the art, which randomly chooses one of the multiplicity of solenoid valves to activate.

Thus the PCB uses the random selector to simulate a punch at random, originating from an unpredictable location on the upright body, that is, from an unpredictable piston. An advantage of this is that it more accurately simulates sparring with a human partner, where one person does not know from where the other will throw the next punch.

[22] The FOB may also be pre-programmed as known in the art with various pre-programmed punch sequences. A control pad 115 may be provided for selecting the pre-programrned punch sequences.

For example, when a user needs to work on defending a particular type of punch, the user may select a mode which will only throw that type of punch, or which will mostly throw that type of punch. Furthermore, if a user needs to work on defending from a particular side, there may be programmed a mode which will only or mostly respond with punches from that side. Furthermore, there may be modes comprising precise and predictable sequences with no degree of randomness, for precise and repetitive practice, for example, alternate right and left jabs, repeated uppercut left punches, or the like. It will be readily understood that many variations of sequences may be programmed into the FOB and those skilled in the art will appreciate the methods by which to do so.

Furthermore, it may be possible for a user to programme their own sequence of punches in to the apparatus.

[23] The control pad provided for this purpose may be disposed anywhere on the apparatus but preferably on the base where it will not be affected by punch impacts. The control pad may comprise buttons, a touch screen, or any means known in the art. The control pad is electrically connected to the FOB and enables a user to choose between settings available on the FOB, such as selecting a pre-programmed punch sequence, setting a punch response speed, setting a minimum, maximum, or precise punch force, setting the apparatus to respond with a punch force matching the user's force programming a punch sequence, or other functions. Some, all or none of these functions may be available depending on the complexity of the FOB and the control pad.

[24] An emergency stop control may be disposed on the control pad, or alternatively elsewhere, for stopping the apparatus from throwing any further punches, for example, if the user is injured. This may be a large, brightly coloured push button as known in the art, or any other control.

[25] The air compressor is preferably disposed in the base of the apparatus although it may be disposed anywhere, and is as known in the art. The air compressor is connected to the pistons via the solenoid valves and causes air to push out the pistons when the valves are open, then recompresses the air to retract the pistons, when the valves are closed.

[26] The solenoid control valves are as known in the art and comprise solenoids and gas valves. When a current flows through the solenoid (as directed by the PCB), it is magnetized and converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to open the valve, which allows air to flow through the valve. All solenoid valves are electrically connected to the PCB and respond to signals from the FCB. Furthermore, all solenoid valves are hydraulically connected to the air compressor. One solenoid valve is hydraulically connected to each piston. Thus when the PCB sends a signal to a solenoid valve, it opens and releases air from the air compressor to the corresponding piston, pushing the piston out of its cylinder, therefore simulating a punch. The air compressor then recompresses the air, retracting the piston.

[27] The pistons comprise a moving member and a hollow static member, and preferably also comprise a soft end member which is most preferably a silicon rubber moulding and may be shaped substantially like a fist, or may be any shape. An advantage of a soft end member is that it reduces a risk of injury to the user.

[28] The pistons may be straight, that is, the moving and static members comprise cylinders. Alternatively, the pistons may be curved, that is, the moving and static members comprise curved hollows of circular cross section. In particular, the preferred arrangement of the pistons is to have three pistons on each of a left side and a right side. The upper piston on each side is preferably straight and punches substantially horizontally, representing a jab' punch. The middle piston on each side is preferably curved and punches slightly upwards, representing an uppercut' punch. The lower piston on each side is preferably curved and punches upwards to a greater degree than the middle piston, representing a hook' punch. However, this is only one arrangement, designed to have the advantage of most closely representing a human partner's common punching moves, and any arrangement of straight or curved pistons, punching in any direction from any location, may be used.

Claims (10)

1. Claims 1. A sparring training aid comprising: an upright body; a weighted base; a motion sensor; force detecting means; a multiplicity of pistons; for each piston: an air cylinder; and a solenoid valve; a PCB; and an air compressor.
2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said piston further comprises a soft end.
3. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said multiplicity of pistons is straight.
4. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said multiplicity of pistons is curved.
5. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upright body has a left side and a right side; wherein said multiplicity of pistons comprises: on said left side, a straight piston and two curved pistons; and on said right side, a straight piston and two curved pistons.
6. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said PCB comprises an electronic random selector for selecting a piston at random.
7. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control pad.
8. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an emergency stop control.
9. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control pad comprises means for selecting at least one pre-programmed punch sequence.
10. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control pad comprises means for programming a punch sequence.