The invention relates to a device for treating soft tissues of the neck in a user, the device comprising a frame and a chin rest which is fixed to the frame. The inven- tion also relates to a method for exercising soft tissues of the neck. BACKGROUND

Back and neck pain are the one of the most common medical problems worldwide. These are primarily caused by muscle spasms and degeneration of the interverte- bral discs in the spine. If not taken seriously, the pain can become disabling. Also, sports injuries and vehicular accidents can damage the neck tissues. Recovery from these injuries can be protracted and, in some cases, they can lead to chronic pain and permanent disability.

Action can be taken to prevent back pain or postpone the degeneration of the spine and intervertebral discs. Preventive measures include strengthening of the neck and back muscles and maintaining proper body mechanics. Also, exercising these muscles can speed up the healing process of an injured neck.

Patent publication US9636542 presents a helmet-like neck muscle exercising de- vice. However, it is quite cumbersome and uncomfortable when the neck is in- jured. Similarly, the neck muscle exercising device disclosed in patent publication US2855202 is very hard to use. These devices comprise chin rests and frames. Patent publication US5713816 presents a pillow-like device. Its uses are quite lim- ited, and it does not promote healing.

Vibration has been found to increase blood flow to damaged soft tissues and this is the method that is suspected of speeding up the healing process. Thus, it re- duces the chances of the injury leading a to chronic musculoskeletal disorder that could cause more pain later on. However, when vibration is applied directly to the neck, as is the case in for example patent publication US20050059909, it can cause pain or an unpleasant sensation in damaged tissues and thus the user may refrain from using the device. Also, the amplitude of the vibration is limited to avoid potential damage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The object of the invention is a solution that can significantly reduce the disad- vantages and drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, the object of the invention is a solution where a device is provided that would exercise and treat soft tissues of the neck.

The objects of the invention are attained with an arrangement that is characterised by what is stated in the independent patent claims. Some advantageous embodi- ments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The main inventor discovered that the vibration of a crash helmet, when riding a motorcycle, relieved whiplash-related neck pain. Further investigation led her to develop a device that further simulated the discovered effect. Also, the invention includes many improvements to the original findings.

A device according to the invention comprise a chin rest, which a user pushes downwards with his or her chin, and a vibration unit. When the force exerted on the chin rest exceeds a predetermined value, the vibration unit starts to vibrate. This feature allows vibration when at least some of the neck muscles contract. The vibration unit is placed against the user’s head.

It must be noted that the term‘head’ when describing placement of the vibration unit comprises the cranium and the neck near the spine, i.e. the back of the neck. Because the muscles at the back of the neck are extended when the user exerts downward force on the chin rest, the vibration unit or part of it can be placed on the neck and the prior art disadvantages described before can be avoided.

The invention is especially useful when treating injured soft tissues of the neck. It can be also used for exercising neck and upper back muscles.

When reference is made in the text to the upper or the lower parts or respective directions, a situation is described in which the device according to the invention is in use, i.e. the user is wearing the device when standing. Also, when reference is made to the vertical or horizontal directions or surfaces, the device is placed simi- larly.

A device for treating soft tissues of the neck in a user according to an embodiment comprise a frame and a chin rest, where the chin rest is fixed to the frame. Accord- ing to an embodiment the device further comprises a force sensor arrangement and a vibration unit, and the vibration unit is configured to be placed against the user’s head when the device is in use. The force sensor arrangement is configured to detect the force that the user is exerting on the chin rest, and the vibration unit is configured to start vibrating when a predetermined first force threshold value is exceeded and to stop vibrating when the detected force is smaller than a second predetermined force threshold value.

In one embodiment of the device, the vibration frequency of the vibration unit ranges from 10 to 100 Hz. The main inventor has found that the best results were achieved when using these frequencies.

A second embodiment of the device comprises a resistance element to increase or decrease the rigidity of the chin rest in relation to the frame. This is for improving the total rigidity of the device and thus minimizing the movements of the parts of the device. Also, the resistance element can be used for customizing the proper- ties of the device for different users. Also, it can be used for achieving virtual elas- ticity for the chin rest.

In a third embodiment of the device, the chin rest is pivotally fixed to the frame. This allows the chin rest to assume different positions, thus improving customiza- tion.

In a fourth embodiment, the chin rest has a first position and a second position, and the first position is a rest position, i.e. a position where the user is not exerting any force on the chin rest, and the second position is the position where the vibra- tion unit is configured to start when the chin rest is moved from the first position to the second position. The inventors have found that in some cases, the user feels more in control when he or she can move the chin rest a detectable distance. Also, in some cases the neck muscles are more stretched when the user’s head is lean- ing forward, i.e. the chin is nearer to the chest, and the vibration is more effective.

In a fifth embodiment, the device has an actuator which is configured to resist the force that the user is exerting on the chin rest or move the chin rest or do both. This allows for different exercise modes and customization options.

In a sixth embodiment, the vibration unit or parts of it are configured to be placed against the cranium. The main inventor has found that when the vibration travels through the bones and reaches the tissues attached to them, the treatment of these tissues is quite effective. In a seventh embodiment of the device, the vibra- tion unit or parts of it are configured to be placed on the occipital part of the head or the back of the neck. This allows vibration to be applied directly to the neck tis sues. In an eighth embodiment of the device, the vibration unit comprises at least two vibration sources. In a ninth embodiment, the vibration sources are configured to vibrate in different phases, i.e. they vibrate out of phase. This can be used for sim- ulating sideward movement of the head. Also, low frequency vibrations (below 10 Hz), which are usually hard to achieve, can be generated in this manner.

In a tenth embodiment, the vibration unit is configured to give a vibration trigger signal when the user is expected to push his or her chin downward to initiate the treatment. This helps users who have suffered serious injuries or are otherwise incapable of starting to move his or her chin.

In an eleventh embodiment, the first force threshold value or the frequency of the vibration unit or both are adjustable during use, allowing the use of several treat- ment modes. This is beneficial, because the main inventor has found that in some cases even small changes in the frequency have significant effects.

In a twelfth embodiment, the value of the second force threshold is below the val- ue of the first force threshold. This allows the user to relax somewhat without the vibration stopping.

In a thirteenth embodiment, the actuator is configured to issue a trigger signal by moving the chin rest away from the position where the first force threshold is reached. When this happens, the user instinctively resists this movement and starts to push his or her chin downwards and thus increases the force exerted on the chin rest.

A method for exercising soft tissues of the neck in a user according to an embodi- ment uses a device comprising a vibration unit and a force sensor arrangement for measuring a force that the user exerts by pushing his or her chin towards the chest. According to an embodiment, the method comprises steps where a vibra- tion unit is placed against the user’s head, the force with which the user is pushing his or her chin towards the chest is measured and activating the vibration unit if the measured force exceeds a first force threshold value and deactivating the vi- bration unit if the measured force falls below a second force threshold value. The first force threshold value corresponds to the force value when at least some of the user’s neck muscles are stretched, and the second force threshold value is equal to or smaller than the first force threshold value.

It is an advantage of the invention that it provides a device that can be used effec- tively for exercising neck muscles and treating soft tissues of the neck. It also pro- vides a device that is applicable to many different muscoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper back. The invention is also easy to customize.

One advantage of the invention is that it allows for vibration treatment of the neck without the drawbacks and inconveniences of the prior art. The device can also be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled. It also makes it possible to con- struct a light-weight and ergonomic device.

It is a further advantage of the invention that the user can easily control the device and stop it in case the sensation becomes unpleasant. The invention also makes it possible to apply different treatments and exercises. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

In the following, the invention is described in detail. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 a shows an example of a device in accordance with an embodiment from the side,

Figure 1 b shows the device described on the figure 1a from the front, Figure 2a shows a second example of a device in accordance with an embodi- ment from the side,

Figure 2b shows the device described on the figure 2a from the back, Figure 3 shows a third example of a device in accordance with an embodiment, Figure 4 shows an example of a control unit in accordance with an embodiment, Figure 5 shows an example of a method according to an embodiment as a flowchart, and

Figure 6 shows a second example of a method according to an embodiment as a flowchart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

The embodiments in the following description are given as examples only and someone skilled in the art can carry out the basic idea of the invention also in some other way than what is described in the description. Though the description may refer to a certain embodiment or embodiments in several places, this does not mean that the reference would be directed towards only one described embod- iment or that the described characteristic would be usable only in one described embodiment. The individual characteristics of two or more embodiments may be combined and new embodiments of the invention may thus be provided.

Figure 1 shows an example of an embodiment of a device 100 for treating soft tis- sues of the neck in a user 101. By‘treating’ is meant both exercise and therapy. The tissues include muscles and other soft structures such as for example liga- ments and tendons. In some cases, the device can treat also soft tissues of the shoulder and upper back. The user wears the device and it is ready for use. In fig- ure 1 a, the user and the device are seen from the side and in figure 1 b the user and the device are seen from the front.

The device 100 comprises a frame 102, a chin rest 103, a force sensor arrange- ment 104, padding 105, a vibration unit 106 and a neck strap 107. The device also comprises a control unit (not shown in the figure). The control unit can be integrat- ed in the device or it could be a separate apparatus which connects to the device. The connection can be for example a cable or a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth. In this embodiment, there is a connection cable 109 which provides a connection between the control unit and the device. The control unit controls the functions of the device. It has a user interface for controlling the device. The con- trol unit can be a purpose-built apparatus, but also a smart phone, a computer or similar apparatus can be used.

The frame 102 is in this embodiment constructed from metal pipe which is bent and shaped to be placed on the user’s 101 shoulders and around the neck. Natu- rally, many other materials and shapes can be used to produce the frame. What is essential is that the frame provides a support for the other parts of the device 100. To improve comfort, some parts of the frame are covered with padding 105. They can be made of any suitable material that is soft and elastic. In some embodi- ments, there are some adjustment arrangements in the frame to adjust the device to fit users with different physiques. In this example, the frame rests on both shoulders and against the chest, and it is essentially U-shaped. The chin rest 103 is attached to or part of the frame. The frame can include some straps or similar arrangements to attach the device to the user in order to keep it in place during use. The chin rest 103 is for the chin of the user 101. It can be constructed from pipe or sheet or another suitable material. Advantageously, it conforms to the shape of the user’s chin. In this embodiment, the chin rest is an integral part of the frame 102. The chin rest could be anatomically shaped, or it could be a simple sling-like con- struction. The chin rest is designed in such a way that the user is able to push it down with his or her chin or lower jaw. The chin rest can move in relation to the frame. In those embodiments, the chin rest flexes somewhat. Also, there are em bodiments where the chin rest is completely immobile in relation to the frame. In some embodiments, there may be an actuator which generates an opposite and essentially equal counterforce to the force the user is exerting on the chin rest.

The force sensor arrangement 104 detects force. It can be implemented in many ways. For example, strain gauge load cells can be used, but many other alterna- tives exist. The forces it detects should cover the range of the force that the neck muscles exert when the user pushes against the chin rest. The values of these can be given as kilograms, which are easily understood by the user. The force sensor arrangement produces an output that is proportional to the force that the user exerts on the chin rest, i.e. when the user pushes the chin rest towards the chest with his or her chin. The force sensor arrangement is placed between the frame and the chin rest. In this example, the force sensor arrangement is an elon- gated arrangement and its upper end is attached to the middle part of the chin rest, i.e. near the tip of the lower jaw, and the lower end is attached to the frame part, which rests on the chest.

The vibration unit 106 comprises one or more vibration sources. The vibration sources could be for example electrical motors that mechanically vibrate some surface. That surface could be placed on the skin. In this example, the vibration unit is placed on the back of the neck, just below the cranium. The vibration unit is held in place with the neck strap 107. The direction of the vibration could be verti- cal or horizontal. Of course, some combinations thereof are also applicable. The frequency and the amplitude of the vibration can be adjusted. This can be done by means of the control unit. In some embodiments, these adjustments can be made when the device is in use. In some embodiments, the vibration frequency ranges from 10 to 100 Hz.

The user’s chin is placed on the chin rest 103. When the user raises his or her chin, it lifts up from the chin rest, i.e. user’s head is not attached to the chin rest when the device is in use. The user can move his or her head upwards without being constrained by the chin rest. When the user moves (or tries to move) his or her chin towards the chest, some forces are exerted on the chin rest. The force sensor arrangement 104 detects this force and the control unit reads the meas- ured value. The control unit has a first force threshold value and a second force threshold value prestored. These values can be customised to suit different users. In some embodiments, the values can be changed when the device is in use. When the control unit reads a value that equals or exceeds the first force threshold value, it activates the vibration unit. When the control unit reads a value that is be- low or equal to the second force threshold value, it deactivates the vibration unit. The first force threshold value is chosen in such a manner that in order to reach it, the user’s neck muscles are extended and contracted. The main inventor has found out in her research that vibration achieves the best results when the neck muscles are contracted. It must be noted that these force threshold values repre- sent forces that the user exerts on the chin rest.

By way of example, the first force threshold value could be 5 kg and the second force threshold value 3 kg (of course, the values could be for example Newtons or millimetres, if the force sensor arrangement detects compression). The user 101 pushes the chin rest 103 downwards. When the force sensor arrangement 104 detects a value that corresponds to 5 kg or more, the vibration unit 106 is activat- ed. When the force sensor arrangement detects a value that corresponds to 3 kg (or less), the vibration unit is deactivated. Of course, the first force threshold value and the second force threshold value could be the same. It must be noted that the force threshold values and measured force values can be different quantities, but they correspond to each other.

In some embodiments, the chin rest 103 has a first position and a second position, and the first position is a rest position, i.e. a position where the user is not exerting any force on the chin rest, and the second position is the position where the vibra- tion unit is configured to start when the chin rest is moved from the first position towards the second position. When the second position is reached, the first force threshold value is reached as well. In some embodiments, there is a resistance element that increases the rigidity of the chin rest in relation to the frame. The re- sistance could be made adjustable.

In some embodiments, there is an actuator, such as a motor or similar arrange- ment, between the frame 102 and the chin rest 103. It can resist the force the user is exerting on the chin rest. Also, it can be configured to issue a trigger signal. The trigger signal is an indication to the user to start pushing against the chin rest 103. The user instinctively counter the movement of the chin rest by pushing against it. Also, there are embodiments where the vibration unit 106 can be configured to issue a trigger signal in the form of a vibration.

When the position of the chin rest 103 can be changed, also the position of the neck can be changed before or during the use of the device 100. When the neck is in a different position, also different muscle groups are extended when the chin rest is pushed by the user. By choosing the neck position (by choosing the chin rest position), different exercises and treatments can be performed.

Figure 2 shows a second example of the device 200 according an embodiment. Figure 2a shows the device on a user 201 as seen from the side. Figure 2b shows the device on the user 201 as seen from behind.

The device 200 comprises a frame 202, a chin rest 203, a force sensor arrange- ment 204, padding 205, a vibration unit 206, a neck strap 207, a pivot arrange- ment 208, a connection cable 209 and an actuator 210. The device also comprises a control unit (not shown in the figure). The connection cable connects the control unit to the rest of the device.

In this embodiment, the chin rest 203 encircles the head. The frontal part that serves as the chin rest is similar to the chin rest in the embodiment depicted in figure 1. The part at the back of the neck is raised, i.e. when the device 200 is in use the back part reaches higher than the frontal part. The pivot arrangement 208 fixes the chin rest to the frame 202. This allows the chin rest to move slightly in relation to the frame. In this embodiment, there is a pivot angle 211 that defines the boundary positions of the chin rest.

The vibration unit 206 is attached to the neck strap 207 at the back of the neck. In this embodiment, the vibration unit and its placement are similar those in the em bodiment described in figure 1.

The force sensor arrangement 204 and the actuator 210 are located between the back part of the chin rest 203 and the back part of the frame 202. The force sensor arrangement and the actuator form an elongated part which is parallel to the spine. When the user pushes his or her chin rest towards the chest, the back part of the chin rest stretches the force sensor arrangement. The force sensor arrangement therefore detects the change in extension. The actuator may adjust the rigidity of the device. It also may respond to the movements of the user by yielding to the force that is exerted by the user. For example, it may increase the load when the user is pushing against the chin rest, thus minimizing the movement of the chin rest. Of course, the load may also decrease. Also, the actuator may adjust the piv- ot angle 211. The actuator may, for example, be a linear stepper motor. The force sensor arrangement and the actuator are connected to the control unit. The control unit reads the force values from the force sensor arrangement and controls the vibration unit 206 and the actuator.

Figure 3 shows a third example of the device 300 on a user 301 as seen from side according an embodiment. The device comprises a frame 302, a chin rest 303, a force sensor arrangement 304, padding 305, a vibration unit 306, a neck strap 307 and a connection cable 309. The device also comprises a control unit (not shown in the figure). The functionality of the device is similar to what was described in the previous embodiments.

In this embodiment, the vibration unit 306 comprises three vibration sources: a first vibration source 313, a second vibration source 314 and a third vibration source (not shown in the figure) and a headband 312 which keeps the vibration sources in place. The vibration sources (and the vibration unit) are placed against the user’s 301 cranium. The first vibration source and the third vibration source are placed symmetrically on the left and right temples respectively. The second vibration source is placed the occipital area (at the back of the cranium). The vibrations are passed through the bone to the soft tissues of the neck. By varying the position of the vibration unit, different exercises and treatments can be performed. In embod- iments where the vibration unit comprises two or more vibration sources, the vibra- tions of the vibration sources can occur in different phases. In that way, different forces to the head can be simulated. Also, low frequencies can be produced.

Figure 4 shows an example of a control unit 401. The control unit controls the functionality of the device. In this embodiment, the control unit comprises three turning knobs: a first knob 402, a second knob 403 and a third knob 404 and a power button (not shown the figure). The first knob sets the vibration frequency of the vibration unit and it could vary from 10 to 100 Hz. The second knob sets a first force threshold value, i.e. a value that, when exceeded, activates the vibration unit and makes it vibrate. In this embodiment, the range of the first force threshold val- ue is between 0 and 10 kg. The third knob sets the amplitude of the vibration from a range of 0 to 100 %. Of course, many alternative embodiments are possible for the implementation of the control unit. For example, the control unit can be imple- mented as an application in a smart phone or a computer. It must be noted that the aforementioned ranges are examples only and could vary in different embodi- ments. Figure 5 shows an example of the method according to an embodiment.

The method for exercising soft tissues of the neck in a user is started at step 501. The force the user is exerting on the chin rest is measured with the force sensor arrangement at step 502. At step 503, a check is performed to establish if the re- sult exceeds the first force threshold value.

If the measured force exceeds the first force threshold value, the vibration unit is activated at step 504 (or if it was already active, it is kept active). Then, a new force measurement is taken at step 502 and a check is performed to establish if the result exceeds the first force threshold value at step 503.

If the measured force falls below the first force threshold value, the vibration unit is deactivated at step 505 (or if it was already inactive, it is kept so). Then, a new force measurement is taken at step 502 and a check is performed to establish if the result exceeds the first force threshold value at step 503.

In consequence, the user activates the vibration by pushing the chin rest with a force exceeding the force that corresponds to the first force threshold value. The first force threshold value is chosen in such a way that at least some of the user’s neck muscles are contracted sufficiently in order for the vibration to have an effect on the soft tissues of the neck compared to the situation where neck muscles are extended. The vibration is deactivated when the user is pushing against the chin rest with a smaller force than indicated by the second force threshold value. In this example, the first force threshold value and the second force threshold value are equal.

Figure 6 shows a second example of the method according to an embodiment. In this example, the chin rest is movable by some actuator between a lower and an upper limit. There are embodiments where the lower limit and the upper limit are mechanically limited. The lower limit is the position where the chin rest is nearest to the chest, i.e. in a position where the user’s chin or jaw is nearest to the chest when the chin is touching the chin rest. The lower limit is chosen in such a way that the position of the user’s neck and the contraction of the neck muscles would be optimal (or nearest optimal) for the vibration to have an effect.

The method for treating soft tissues of the neck in a user is started at step 601. The force that the user is exerting on the chin rest is measured with the force sen- sor arrangement at step 602. At step 603, a check is performed to establish if the result exceeds the first force threshold value. If the measured force exceeds the first force threshold value, the vibration unit is activated at step 604 (or if it is already active, it is kept so). Then, at step 606, a check is performed to establish if the chin rest has reached the lower limit. If the chin rest has reached the lower limit, a new force measurement is taken at step 602 and the result is below or above the first force threshold value at step 603. If the chin rest has not reached the lower limit, the chin rest is lowered further at step 608. In this way, the user’s neck is guided to the optimal position at the lower limit. Then, a new force value is measured at the step 602 and checked at the step 603.

If the measured force falls below the first force threshold value, the vibration unit is deactivated at step 605 (or if it is already inactive, it is kept so). Then at step 607, a check is performed to establish if the chin rest has reached the upper limit. If the chin rest has reached the upper limit, a new force measurement is taken at step 602 and again a check is performed to determine if the result is below or above the first force threshold value at step 603. If the chin rest has not reached the up- per limit, the chin rest is raised at step 609. In consequence, if the user wants to end the exercise by not pushing against the chin rest, the chin rest is raised to the upper limit.

In this example, the first force threshold value and the second force threshold val- ue (where the vibration is deactivated) are equal. There are embodiments where the first force threshold value and the second force threshold value are different from one another.

Some advantageous embodiments of the method and device according to the in- vention have been described above. The invention is however not limited to the embodiments described above, but the inventive idea can be applied in numerous ways within the scope of the claims.