Electrical computers: arithmetic processing and calculating – Electrical digital calculating computer – Having specialized input
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-11-27
Ngo, Chuong Dinh (Department: 2121)
Electrical computers: arithmetic processing and calculating
Electrical digital calculating computer
Having specialized input
C361S080000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324557
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combination of a gripper and a calculator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exercise grippers including two handles which are compressed by manual force of the user's hand are well known. Furthermore, electronic calculators also well known.
However, neither has been combined into a single unit for both exercise and mathematical calculations.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means to release the mental stresses of the users in their working place.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a means to exercise the arm and upper body muscles while the users are thinking or idling in their working place.
It is yet also an object of the present invention to provide a counter to count the number of compressions the user has done on the unit.
It is yet also an object of the present invention to provide a combination exercise gripper and calculator which, when placed on a desk, looks and works as a calculator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The combination exercise gripper and calculator includes an electronic calculator, with a keypad, a power source, a liquid crystal display and a calculating computing means, which is responsive to manual input from sequential depression of selected keys of the keypad for determining mathematical calculations.
A switch is used to calculate these mathematical inputs.
The manual griping means, includes a pair of depressible handles, which are forcibly separated by at least one compressible spring wherein compression of the handles towards each other compresses this spring or springs to provide a resistance against the compression. The switch includes a physical condition sensor, communicating with the calculating means.
The switch is responsive to the calculating means upon compression of the handles. To facilitate numerical tabulations, a counter is used to count the number of compressions the user has made by squeezing the handles. When pressing an on/off switch, the keypad designated as #
1
and a keypad designated as “plus sign,” when pressed in sequence, causes the correct number of compressions of the handles to be displayed upon the display of the calculator.
The exercise gripper further includes a flexible but resistant connection sheet, connecting the calculator to the left and right gripping handles. The connection sheet is flexible to accommodate movement of the handles toward each other and compression of the spring, whereby flexing of the connection sheet activates a switch within the calculator to activate the tabulation means therein.
Each handle includes a soft elastomeric sleeve to provide a comfortable manual gripping surface.
The spring may alternately include a plurality of springs, providing uniform resistance to the handles. The plurality of springs may include an upper guide and a lower guide between which guides the springs are located. These guides move the springs equally during the compression process.
For example, while three springs are used for a person of average strength and muscular build, for smaller persons the compression force can be reduced by reducing the number of springs to one or two springs.
Furthermore, upon squeezing of the handles toward each other, the spring or springs are compressed, resulting in the calculator portion of the combination exercise gripper and calculator being spatially displaced to a separate and distinct plane parallel to that of the handles and the spring or springs.
In addition, a bracket provides both a mechanical connection and a cushion between the plastic connection sheet and the gripping handles.
It is further noted that compression of the handles causes the visual display means, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), to display each subsequent mathematical calculation calculated by impression of sequential depressions of the keypads.
The calculator includes a calculator housing containing a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a printed circuit board. The integrated circuit is attached to a board which also has the conductive keypad patterns for the plurality of user depressible keys on the keyboard on an opposite side. A single keypad pattern forms the part of the special switch or key which pattern is etched on the surface of the board.
A conductive elastomeric keypad is positioned in registration with the keypad when the cover is attached to the housing. A switch handle extends through the cover and pivots. It is biased by a leaf spring to maximize the excursion of the handle away from the surface of the calculator cover. The opposite end of the handle inside of the cover is therefore biased, to force the center of the keypad outward in such a way as to bridge the keypad pattern, thereby “closing” the switch. In the normal mounting of the calculator to the flexible connection sheet, this switch is in the “off” position, since the external end of the handle is against a part of the flexible sheet. In use, the switch makes momentary contact with each stroke of the exerciser gripping handles.
Electronically, the integrated circuit contains a calculator processor, an accumulator register, a display register, an operation register and an operand register. The keyboard has an “=/+” key switch.
In another embodiment, optionally the special key switch may be wired in parallel with the “=/+” key so that actuation of either is an equivalent operation.
In a further embodiment, optionally the keyboard may have separate “+” and “=” keys.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 426849 (2000-06-01), Lee
patent: 5432510 (1995-07-01), Matthews
patent: 5604493 (1997-02-01), Behlke
patent: 6164853 (2000-12-01), Foote
patent: 6178085 (2001-01-01), Leung
CCL Products Enterprises
Morganstern Allen R.
Ngo Chuong Dinh
LandOfFree
Combination exerciser gripper and calculator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Combination exerciser gripper and calculator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Combination exerciser gripper and calculator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2592096