Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/00196—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using pulsed counterforce, e.g. vibrating resistance means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
  • A63B22/06—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement
  • A63B22/0605—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
  • A63B22/06—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement
  • A63B22/0664—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement performing an elliptic movement
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
  • A63B22/06—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement
  • A63B22/0605—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movement performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
  • A63B2022/0611—Particular details or arrangement of cranks

Definitions

• This invention relates to stationary exercise machines.
• Vibrations in the range of 30 to 35 Hertz is believed to be most beneficial for recovery and injury prevention during and after exercise.
• an exercise machine of the type which have pedals or foot plates through which a person can, in use, transfer kinetic energy to the machine, which machine comprises a means for vibrating the pedals or foot plates during exercise.
• the exercise machine may be a bicycle, stationary exercise bicycle, an elliptical exercise type machine, stepping machine or the like.
• vibration is caused directly to the pedal or footplate, which places the vibration energy closest to the person doing exercises and minimizes the vibrations transmitted to the machine and its components.
• the preferred means for vibrating the pedals or foot plates during exercise may be a rotatable pedal or footplate mounting shaft of which the rotation axis and the pedal or footplate mounting point is offset to cause a wobble, vibration or oscillation of the pedal or footplate during exercise.
• the means for vibrating the pedals or foot plates during exercise may be an electrical vibration motor mounted to the footplate or pedal.
• the bicycle comprising:
• crank arms rotatably mounted and connected at one end of each crank arm through a bottom bracket of the bicycle, which bottom bracket extends through the middle of the stationary gears or stationary pulleys;
• gears engage each other directly to transfer rotational forces and in the case of pulleys a belt transfers the rotational forces.
• At least two, preferably three bearings are provided between the rotatable shaft and the hole defined in the free end of each crank arm.
• the rotatable shaft will rotate in relation to the stationary and coaxial gear or pulley ratio, which in turn will rotate the offset socket causing the socket and therefore the pedal shaft to move in a circle about the shaft.
• the circular movement of the offset socket and pedal shaft is experienced by the cyclist as a small wobble or oscillation and at speed a vibration directly transmitted to a person's feet.
• the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is equal to the offset.
• a drive belt will connect the stationary pulley and coaxial pulley and the machine may include a belt tensioner mounted near the free end of the crank arms. The belt tensioner will rotate with the free end of the crank arm.
• the gear or pulley ratio of the large stationary gear and the small coaxial gear may preferably selected such that at a typical pedaling cadence range of 70 to 100 revolutions per minute (rpm) the pedal shaft will cycle at 30 to 35 Hertz (about 2000 rpm).
• the offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration may preferably be between 1 and 5 mm.
• a pair of stationary rack gears is mounted on each side of the machine;
• translation forces are transmitted to rotational forces and the rack gears may be straight or shaped in an arc to follow the movement of the reciprocating footplates.
• the vibration source is the pedals or footplate, i.e. the working contact point between a person and the exercise machine and most of the vibrational energy is transmitted directly to the person to give maximum benefit to the person while minimizing the vibration to the bicycle thereby minimizing the destructive effect of vibrations on the bicycle or exercise machine.
• a further advantage of the bicycle or stationary exercise bicycle embodiment of the invention is that the vibrations are mechanically generated and no electrical motors are required and the machine does not have to be connected to a power source.
• the interaction of the gears provide a source of resistance to pedaling, which lowers the required resistance to be provided by the usual resistance means of stationary exercise machines.
• Figure 1 shows a rear view of part of one embodiment of an exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with the invention
• Figure 2 shows a side view of the gears of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 3 shows an end view of the gears of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 5 shows a first side view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 6 shows a second side view of the rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 7 shows an end view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 8 shows a rear view of part of another embodiment of an exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 9 shows an end view of the pulleys of the stationary exercise bicycle
• Figure 10 shows an top view of the pulleys of the stationary exercise bicycle; and Figure 1 1 shows details of the coaxial pulley.
• the exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle in accordance with an example of the invention, is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.
• the stationary exercise bicycle 10 comprises a means for vibrating the pedals during exercise.
• the exercise bicycle comprises a pair of stationary gears 12 mounted on each side of the bicycle.
• the stationary gears are bolted by means of bolts 14 onto the frame (not shown) and have a circumference similar to the circumference of rotating pedal shafts 16 of the bicycle.
• a pair of crank arms 18 rotatably mounted and connected at one end 20 of each crank arm through a bottom bracket 22 of the bicycle 10.
• a shaft 24 is rotatably mounted through a hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18 with one end 30 extending inwards towards the bicycle 10 and provided with a coaxial gear 32 respectively engaging the stationary gears 12, with the other outwardly extending end 34 provided with a socket 36 for receiving the 16 shaft of a bicycle pedal 38.
• the socket 36 is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft 24.
• a pair of bearings (not shown) are provided between the rotatable shaft 24 and the hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18.
• the gear ratio of the large stationary gear 12 and the small coaxial gear 32 is selected such that at a typical pedaling cadence range of 90 revolutions per minute (rpm) the pedal shaft 16 will cycle or wobble at 33.2 Hertz.
• the offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is 5 mm.
• the exercise bicycle comprises a pair of stationary pulleys 40 mounted on each side of the bicycle.
• the stationary pulleys 40 are bolted by means of bolts 14 onto the frame (not shown) and have a circumference similar to the circumference of rotating pedal shafts 16 of the bicycle.
• a pair of crank arms 18 rotatably mounted and connected at one end 20 of each crank arm through a bottom bracket 22 of the bicycle 10, which bottom bracket extends through the middle of the stationary pulleys.
• a shaft 24 is rotatably mounted through a hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18 with one end 30 extending inwards towards the bicycle 10 and provided with a coaxial pulley 42 respectively engaging the stationary pulleys 40 by means of a drive belt 44, with the other outwardly extending end 34 provided with a socket 36 for receiving the 16 shaft of a bicycle pedal 38.
• the socket 36 is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft 24.
• a pair of bearings (not shown) are provided between the rotatable shaft 24 and the hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18.
• the drive belt 44 connects the stationary pulleys 40 and coaxial pulleys 42 and the machine includes a belt tensioner 46 mounted near the free end of each crank arm 18. The belt tensioners 46 rotate with the free end of each crank arm 18.
• the ratio of the large stationary pulley and the small coaxial pulley 42 is selected such that at a typical pedaling cadence range of 90 revolutions per minute (rpm) the pedal shaft 16 will cycle or wobble at 33.2 Hertz.
• the offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is between 5 mm.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Cardiology (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
• Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)
• Devices For Conveying Motion By Means Of Endless Flexible Members (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=63166336

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2017
  • 2017-02-21 US US15/438,233 patent/US20180236294A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2018
  • 2018-02-22 EP EP18757013.0A patent/EP3585490A4/de active Pending
  • 2018-02-22 CA CA3054164A patent/CA3054164A1/en active Pending
  • 2018-02-22 WO PCT/ZA2018/050011 patent/WO2018157181A1/en unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-08-21 ZA ZA2019/05514A patent/ZA201905514B/en unknown

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events