US3672219A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adjustable hydraulic/electric hand grip dynamometer
Assignee: United States Department of the Air Force
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Filing: 1970-11-12
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Granted: 1972-06-27
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Expires: 1990-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A hand-grip dynamometer having a main support element mounting front and back grip members in spaced relation on opposite sides thereof, and incorporating a hydraulic system interconnected with the front grip member and combined with a potentiometric pressure transducer for measuring a gripping force applied to the front grip member.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E Van Patten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device for testing the strength of the human hand; a first, front hand-grip member having fingerengaging portions; a second, back hand-grip member supporting the palm of the hand to be tested; and a third, intermediately disposed and combined, main support-and-pressure-transmitting member retaining said front and back hand-grip members in supported position thereto and operatively associated with, and actuatable by squeezing pressure applied to said front hand-grip member; said third-named member having a first pair of rear end extension portions interconnected with, and supporting opposite end portions of said back hand-grip member in upright, rigid relation thereto, and a second pair of front end extension portions having direct support element means adapted to support opposite end portions of said front hand-grip member in semirigid and upright relation thereto for providing an initial limited movement thereof relative to said front end extension portions during the initial portion of a squeezing pressure applied to said front hand-grip member, and for ensuring the subsequent substantially isometric-type of operation during the latter portion of the squeezing pressure being applied; said pair of front end rear end extension portions comprising and being integrally formed with, a pair of parallel and spaced-apart bracket-support elements retaining said front and back hand-grip members and said main support-and-pressure-transmitting member in supported relation therebetween; said rear end extension portions of said pair of bracket-support elements incorporating adjustment means releasably attached to opposite end portions of, and thereby providing for the adjustment of the position of said back hand-grip member relative to its distance from said front handgrip member to thus accommodate human hands of various sizes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device for testing the strength of the human hand; a first, front hand-grip member having fingerengaging portions; a second, back hand-grip member supporting the palm of the hand to be tested; and a third, intermediately disposed and combined, main support-and-pressure-transmitting member retaining said front and back hand-grip members in supported position thereto and operatively associated with, and actuatable by squeezing pressure applied to said front hand-grip member; said third-named member having a first pair of rear end extension portions interconnected with, and supporting opposite end portions of said back hand-grip member in upright, rigid relation thereto, and a second pair of front end extension portions having direct support element means adapted to support opposite end portions of said front hand-grip member in semirigid and upright relation thereto for providing an initial limited movement thereof relative to said front end extension portions during the initial portion of a squeezing pressure applied to said front hand-grip member, and for ensuring the subsequent substantially isometric-type of operation during the latter portion of the squeezing pressure being applied; said pair of front end rear end extension portions comprising and being integrally formed with, a pair of parallel and spaced-apart bracket-support elements retaining said front and back hand-grip members and said main support-and-pressure-transmitting member in supported relation therebetween; said rear end extension portions of said pair of bracket-support elements incorporating adjustment means releasably attached to opposite end portions of, and thereby providing for the adjustment of the position of said back hand-grip member relative to its distance from said front handgrip member to thus accommodate human hands of various sizes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device as in claim 1, wherein said front, hand-grip member incorporates slotted end portions adapted to receive in overlapping and snug-fit relation therein said direct support element means, and each of said front end extension portions of said pair of bracket-support elements further incorporating slotted end pOrtions slightly larger than, and thereby receiving the overlapping end portions of said direct support element means in slightly loose relation therewithin to thus ensure the said initial, limited movement between said front hand-grip member and said bracket-support elements during the initial squeezing pressure being applied thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer as in claim 1, wherein said combined, main support-and-pressure-transmitting member comprises a cylinder incorporating an open-ended cylinder bore adapted to be filled with a supply of hydraulic oil, a sealed piston slidably positioned in said cylinder bore and having a nose end portion extending in overlapping relation outside the front end of said bore, a return spring in engagement at one end thereof with the rear end of said piston and maintaining the said nose end portion of said piston in continual, resilient contact with the back-side of said front, hand-grip member for actuation thereby on the application of a squeezing pressure thereto, and a filler plug element closing the rear end of said bore and in engagement with the opposite end of, and thereby retaining said return spring in compressed, resilient relation to said piston.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device as in claim 3, and a first, hydraulic oil-filled passage in communication with said cylinder bore; a combined bleeder-connector assembly releasably attached to said cylinder and adapted to debubble the hydraulic oil column within said main support-and-pressure-transmitting member, said bleeder-connector incorporating a second, hydraulic oil-filled passage in open communication with the first, hydraulic oil-filled passage of said cylinder; and a transducer device interconnected with said bleeder-connector assembly and having a third, hydraulic oil-filled passage in open communication with the second, hydraulic oil-filled passage of said bleeder-connector assembly and thereby adapted to transform the pressure added to the hydraulic oil-column filling said passages upon actuation of the said piston by the application of a squeezing pressure to the said front hand-grip member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device as in claim 4, said combined bleeder-connector assembly comprising a main, connector-body portion incorporating the said second, hydraulic oil-filled passage; and a bleeder housing portion extending transversely of said connector body portion; said bleeder housing portion having a bleeder screw element adjustably positioned therewithin and incorporating a main bleeder passage-containing portion and a handle portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a hand-grip dynamometer device as in claim 3, said filler plug being threadedly engaged in the rear end opening of said cylinder bore for adjustment to various settings each corresponding to a predetermined degree of resistance at the said front hand-grip member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a hand-grip member as in claim 1, said combined, main support-and-pressure-transmitting member comprising an upper and a lower bracket each incorporating a rear hand-grip member-supporting bracket portion having a centrally-disposed, and relatively elongated slot disposed outwardly of, and in adjacent relation to opposite end portions of a said rear hand-grip member; and a clamping screw element for clamping said rear hand-grip member-opposite end portions by the engagement thereof through each of said slots from outside of said rear, supporting bracket portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a hand-grip member as in claim 7, said upper and lower brackets each further incorporating a front hand-grip member-supporting bracket portion having an end portion with a slot of predetermined shape and size, and said front hand-grip member having oppositely-disposed end portions incorporating guide slots of similar shape to, but of slightly smaller size than, the said end portion-slots incorporated in said brackets; said front hand-grip member-end portions being arranged between said brackets with its guide slots substantially adjacent to, and in direct alignment with, the bRacket end portion-slots, and further having a separate guide block element fixedly positioned in centered and tight-fitting relation within each of the said guide slots thereof, said guide block elements having opposite end portions extending outwardly of opposite end openings of said guide slots for engagement in slightly loose-fitting relation within the aligned pair of slots formed in said front hand-grip member-supporting bracket portions and thereby interconnecting said front hand-grip member with said upper and lower brackets with a limited, relative movement provided therebetween.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-27 | 1975-12-27 | 1976-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-27 | 1979-12-27 | 1980-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-27 | 1983-12-27 | 1984-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |