GB2390554A

GB2390554A - Passive exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2390554A
Application number: GB0215791A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chin-Tsun Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-07-09
Filing date: 2002-07-09
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2022-07-09
Also published as: GB0215791D0; DE20211402U1; US20040009848A1; GB2390554B

Abstract

An exercise-aid device comprises a base, a transmission mechanism, and a pair of cranks. The transmission mechanism comprises a motor, 21, a first shaft, 25, and a second shaft 26. The motor includes an output shaft with a worm 211. A drive gear 22 is mounted on the first shaft 25 and meshes with the worm 211. A follower gear 23 is fixed to a side of the drive gear 22 to turn therewith. A driven gear 24 is mounted on the second shaft 26 and meshes with the follower gear, 23. Each crank has a pedal 31 mounted thereto and is securely attached to an end of the second shaft 26 to turn therewith. The worm 211 and the drive gear 22 provide a first-stage reduction. The follower gear 23 and the driven gear 24 provide a second-stage reduction, thereby providing a torque sufficiently high for driving said pedals to turn even if two feet of a user are placed on the pedals.

Description

1 1Dxercise-Aid Device 2 Background of the Invention

3 1. Field of the Invention

4 The present invention relates to a device that aids in exercising of legs of a 5 seated user.

6 2. Description of the Related Art

7 Modern people have few physical activities, and We body of a seated 8 person often feels tired after a period of time. The blood circulation is thus not 9 smooth, and one would feel uncomfortable. Although various exercisers are 10 available, they, however, cannot be used in working hours, as the exercisers 11 would distract and exhaust the user. It is, therefore, a need in a device that aids 12 in exercising a seated user without distracting and exhausting the user.

13 SummarY of the Invention

14 An object of the present invention is to provide a device that may exercise 15 the legs of a seated user in a manner that the legs of the user are exercised 16 without any effort from the user. The user would be more vigorous, for the 17 body circulation is improved. The user would not be distracted from the 18 exercising of his or her legs, for no effort is required.

19 An exercise-aid device in accordance with the present invention comprises 20 a base, a transmission mechanism, and a pair of cranks. The transmission 21 mechanism comprises a motor, a first shaft, and a second shaft. The first shaft 22 and the second shaft are rotatably supported by the base. The motor includes 23 an output shaft rotatably supported by the base. A worm is provided on the 24 output shaft. A drive gear is mounted on the first shaft to turn therewith. The 2s drive gear meshes with the worm. A follower gear is fixed to a side of the 26 drive gear to turn therewith. The follower gear is mounted on the first shaft. A

l 1 driven gear is mounted on the second shaft to turn therewith. The driven gear 2 meshes with the follower gear. Each crank has a pedal mounted thereto and is 3 securely attached to an end of the second shaft to turn therewith.

4 The worm and the drive gear provide a first-stage reduction. The follower 5 gear and the driven gear provide a second-stage reduction, thereby providing a 6 torque sufficiently high for driving said pedals to turn even if two feet of a user 7 are placed on the pedals. Thus, the exercise-aid device exercises the legs of a 8 seated user in a manner that the legs of the user are exercised without any 9 effort from the user.

10 Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become 11 more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in

12 conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

13 Brief Descrintion of the Drawings 14 Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exercise-aid device in 15 accordance with the present invention.

16 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the exercise-aid device in accordance with 17 the present invention, the cover being shown in broken lines for showing 18 interior of the device.

19 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the exercise-aid device in accordance with the 20 present invention taken along a transverse direction.

21 Fig. 4 is another sectional view of the exercise-aid device taken along 22 another plane.

23 Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating use of the exercise-aid device in 24 accordance with the present invention.

2s Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a modified embodiment of the 26 exercise-aid device in accordance with the present invention.

1Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

2Referring to Figs. 1 through 3, an exercise-aid device in accordance with 3the present invention generally comprises a base 1, a transmission mechanism 42, and a pair of cranks 3. The base 1 includes axle holes 11, 12, and 13 in 5which bearings are mounted for assembly with the transmission mechanism 2 6and the cranks 3. A cover 14 is mounted on top of the base 1 for covering the 7transmission mechanism 2. A display 17 is mounted on the cover 14 and 8includes a sensor (not labeled) for detecting the turns of the rotational 9movements of the cranks 3. Further, the display 17 may display time, turns, 10average rpm, and consumed calories. Further, the display 17 allows setting of 11circulating display, countdown display, zeroing, and sound, thereby providing 12the user with required information.

13The transmission mechanism 21 includes a motor 2, a drive gear 22, a 14follower gear 23, and a driven gear, providing a two-stage reduction. The 15motor 21 is electrically connected to a power supply (not labeled) and a 16control (not labeled). The power supply is electrically connected to an A.C. or 17D.C. power source and has a voltage-stabilizing function. The control includes 18the functions of controlling the rotational speed of the motor 21, compensating 19the torque, providing protection when without service of electricity, and 20automatically cutting off power when in abnormal conditions.

21A first-stage reduction provided by the transmission mechanism 2 includes 22a worm 211 on an output shaft (not labeled) of the motor 2 and the drive gear 2322 mounted on a shaft 25 that is rotatably supported in the axle holes 12 of the 24base 1. Thus, the worm 211 and the drive gear 22 meshed with the worm 211 2sand having proper number of teeth together provide a first-stage reduction.

26The output shaft of the motor 21 is rotatably held in the axle holes 11 of the

1 base 1. A second stage reduction provided by the transmission mechanism 2 2 includes a follower gear 23 that is fixed to a side of the drive gear 22 to turn 3 therewith and a driven gear 24 mounted on a shaft 26 that is rotatably held in 4 the axle holes 13 of the base 1. The follower gear 23 is mounted on the shaft 5 25. The number of teeth of the driven gear 24 is larger than that of the follower 6 gear 23 meshed with the driven gear 24, thereby providing a second-stage 7 reduction. The motor 21 may be a small-size, high rotational speed motor in 8 which the rotational speed is reduced through two-stage reduction to an 9 appropriate speed to thereby provide a larger torque.

10 Each crank 3 is fixed to an end of the shaft 26 to turn therewith and has a 11 pedal 31 mounted thereto. A number of knurls 32 are provided on the pedal 31 12 to provide a massaging function while cycling.

13 Referring to Figs. 3 through 5, since the small-size motor 21 provides a 14 sufficiently high torque through two-stage reduction, the overall size of the 15 exercise-aid device in accordance with the present invention is relatively small 16 and can thus be used under the desk of the seated user. After activating the 17 motor 21, the worm 211, the drive gear 22, the follower gear 23, and the driven 18 gear 24 turn, thereby driving the pedals 31. The legs of the user are exercised 19 without any effort from the user. The two-stage reduction of the transmission 20 mechanism 2 provides a sufficiently high torque for driving the pedals 31 even 21 if the user's legs are placed on the pedals 31. No labor work is required for the 22 user to cycle the pedals 31, and the user would not be distracted from the 23 cycling that requires no effort from him or her. The blood circulation of the 24 body is improved, and the user would be more vigorous, for the legs, pelvis, 2s and butt of the user are exercised. The knurls 32 on which the user's feet are 26 stepping on provide a massaging function while cycling.

1 The drive gear 22 and the shaft 25 may be integrally formed with each 2 other, so are the driven gear 24 and the shaft 26.

3 Fig. 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein the 4 base 1 further includes a battery unit 4 and a charging-protecting circuit (not s labeled). Thus, the exercise-aid device can be used without electrical 6 connection to an A.C. power source.

7 Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred 8 embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and 9 variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as lo hereinafter claimed.

Claims

l 1 What is claimed is:

. 2 1. An exercise-aid device comprising: 3 a base; 4 a transmission mechanism comprising a motor, a first shah, and a 5 second shaft, said first shaft and said second shaft being rotatably 6 supported by said base, said motor including an output shad rotatably 7 supported by said base, a worm being provided on said output shaft, a 8 drive gear being mounted on said first shad to turn therewith, said drive 9 gear meshing with said worm, a follower gear being fixed to a side of said lo drive gear to turn therewith, said follower gear being mounted on said first l l shaft, a driven gear being mounted on said second shaft to turn therewith, 12 said driven gear meshing with said follower gear; and 13 a pair of cranks each having a pedal mounted thereto, each said crank 14 being securely attached to an end of said second shaft to turn therewith; 15 said worm and said drive gear providing a first-stage reduction, said 16 follower gear and said driven gear providing a second- stage reduction, 17 thereby providing a torque sufficiently high for driving said pedals to turn.