Apparatus With Rolling Contact Handle

Abstract

Apparatuses with rolling contact handles are described. An apparatus for hand exercising includes an outer frame having a first rail and a second rail spaced apart and an outer handle extending between the first and second rails, the outer handle configured to engage with a thenar of a hand, a roller bar slideably coupled to the first and second rails, the roller bar having a plurality of rollers capable of rotating about an axis of the roller bar, wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to support a plurality of fingers of the hand, and a resistance assembly coupled to the roller bar and the outer frame, the resistance assembly resisting movement of the roller bar towards the outer handle.

1 . An apparatus for hand exercising, comprising:
 an outer frame having a first rail and a second rail spaced apart and an outer handle extending between the first and second rails, the outer handle configured to engage with a thenar of a hand;   a roller bar slideably coupled to the first and second rails, the roller bar having a plurality of rollers capable of rotating about an axis of the roller bar, wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to support a plurality of fingers of the hand; and   a resistance assembly coupled to the roller bar and the outer frame, the resistance assembly resisting movement of the roller bar towards the outer handle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer handle is inclined towards the first rail. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the roller bar is inclined towards the first rail and is substantially in parallel with the outer handle. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a profile of the roller bar forms a convex curve. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer handle has a concave surface facing the roller bar, the concave surface receiving the roller bar when the roller bar is pulled towards the outer handle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rollers have non-uniform sizes. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of rollers has annular recess. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a profile of the outer handle is curved. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a profile of the outer handle is straight. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a supporting unit extending from the outer frame configured to support a wrist. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is embedded with a motion vibration element configured to generate a tactile sensation in the at least one of the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is embedded with a sensor configured to detect at least one of force, position, and acceleration applied on the at least one of the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly includes at least one interchangeable spring configured to generate mechanical resistance in a linear motion. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly includes at least one interchangeable spring configured to generate mechanical resistance in a rotational motion. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly includes at least one interchangeable spring and at least one position sensor configured to measure at least one of force, position, velocity and acceleration of a linear motion. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly includes at least one interchangeable spring and at least one position sensor configured to measure at least one of torque, position, velocity and acceleration of a rotational motion. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is embedded with a sensor configured to detect a motion of the at least one of the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is embedded with a sensor configured to detect rotation of the at least one of the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to a haptic device that provides feedback according to the linear motion of the roller bar with respect to the outer handle. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to a haptic device configured to provide feedback according to a rotational motion of the outer frame. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to an actuator configured to provide a linear force to the roller bar. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to an actuated haptic device configured to provide force feedback according to a linear motion of the roller bar with respect to the outer handle. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to an actuated device configured to provide rotational torque to the outer frame. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance assembly is coupled to an actuated haptic feedback configured to provide feedback according to a rotational motion of the outer frame. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the roller bar has a groove; and   at least one of the plurality of rollers has a protrusion on an inner surface of the at least one roller, where the protrusion is configured to engage the groove to stop the at least one roller from rolling.   
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for hand exercising, comprising:
 an outer frame having a first rail and a second rail spaced apart and an outer handle extending between the first and second rails, the outer handle configured to engage with a thenar of a hand;   a first roller bar slideably coupled to the first rail and decoupled from the second rail, the first roller bar having a first plurality of rollers capable of rotating about an axis of the first roller bar, wherein the first plurality of rollers are configured to support a first plurality of fingers of the hand; and   a first resistance assembly coupled to the first roller bar and the outer frame, the first resistance assembly resisting movement of the first roller bar towards the outer handle.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a second roller bar slideably coupled to the second rail and decoupled from the first rail, the second roller bar having a second plurality of rollers, wherein the second plurality of rollers support the second plurality of fingers of the hand; and   a second resistance assembly coupled to the second roller bar and the outer frame, the second resistance assembly resisting movement of the second roller bar towards the outer handle.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the first plurality of rollers are partially recessed into the first roller bar. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the first roller bar includes a pistol grip. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the pistol grip includes an additional binary state input device. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the outer handle includes a pistol grip. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the pistol grip includes an additional binary state input device. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of rollers is embedded with a motion vibration element configured to generate a tactile sensation in the at least one of the first plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of rollers is embedded with a sensor configured to detect at least one of force, position, and acceleration applied on the at least one of the first plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         35 . A method of exercising hands by a user, comprising:
 placing a thenar of a hand of the user against an outer handle of a hand exercise device;   grabbing a plurality of rollers on a roller bar of the hand exercise device using a plurality of fingers;   pulling each of the plurality of rollers towards the outer handle using each of the plurality of fingers; and   curling the plurality of fingers while rotating each of the plurality of rollers and keeping a metacarpophylangeal (MCP) joint of the user stable.