JP2000140153A - Exercise equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide exercise equipment for improving load accuracy, making a structure simple, compact and inexpensive and simplifying load control work or the like. SOLUTION: A load resistance generator 20 is constituted integrally with a flywheel 10 and its main part is arranged along with the outer periphery of the flywheel 10. The load resistance generator 20 is composed of an L-shaped supporter 29 attached to a flywheel shaft 11, circular arc-shaped permanent magnet 21 arranged along with the outer peripheral surface of the flywheel 10, circular arc-shaped supporting plate 22 for supporting the permanent magnet 21, presser 23 for pushing the supporting plate 22 to the side of the flywheel 10, elastic piece 24 attached to the terminal part of the supporting plate 22 for energizing the supporting plate 22 away from the flywheel 10, and supporting shaft 25 for supporting the elastic piece 24 so as to rotate it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exercise machine for pedaling exercise.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ergometer, which is a general exercise device of this kind, is intended to eliminate exercise deficiency, promote health, improve endurance, etc. by pedaling exercise indoors. As shown in FIG. 6, a main body 70 having a load resistance generator and the like, and a saddle bar 71
, A pair of pedals 73 rotatably attached to the main body 70, and a handle 7.
5 and a handlebar 76 projecting upward from the main body 70. The pedal 73 is linked to a load resistance generator, and the force required for rotating the pedal 73 can be changed by the load resistance generator. The user can use the saddle 72
Exercise is performed by sitting on the pedestal and pedaling the pedal 73.

FIG. 7 shows the structure of this ergometer.
This will be described in more detail with reference to (a partially omitted structural diagram). In FIG. 7, a saddle bar 71 is joined to a base 80 that supports the entire ergometer, and a handlebar 76 is joined to a front frame 81 joined to the base 80. After the saddle bar 71 is joined to the base 80, the saddle bar 71 is reinforced by a frame 82. An upper frame 83 is provided between the saddle bar 71 and the handle bar 76, and both bars 71, 76 are reinforced.

[0004] The pedal 73 is provided on a crank 90 of a crankshaft 91 rotatably supported by the saddle bar 71, and a large sprocket 92 is mounted on the crankshaft 91. On the other hand, a flywheel (rotor) 95 is rotatably supported on the front frame 81 by a flywheel shaft 96, and a small sprocket 97 is attached to the flywheel shaft 96. Large and small sprockets 92, 9
A belt (or chain) 98 is hung on 7 and the large sprocket 92 and the belt 9
8. Flywheel 95 through small sprocket 97
Is designed to rotate. The large sprocket 9
The rotation ratio between 2 and flywheel 95 is set to 1: 4-10.

A load resistance generator 100 that applies a load to the rotation of the flywheel 95 is mounted on a device mounting frame 85 that is installed between the saddle bar 71 and the upper frame 83, and is adjacent to the outer periphery of the flywheel 95. Arc-shaped permanent magnets 101 arranged in a circle. The permanent magnet 101 approaches or separates from the outer periphery of the flywheel 95 by, for example, the operation of a cam connected to a motor. Due to the rotation of the flywheel 95, an eddy current is generated by the permanent magnet 101, and a load due to the eddy current is applied to the flywheel 95. Therefore, the strength of the load is
The adjustment is performed by changing the distance between the flywheel 95 and the permanent magnet 101, and the force required for the rotation of the pedal 73 changes depending on the strength of the load.

Incidentally, the load applied to the flywheel 95 needs to be properly adjusted. This load adjustment is performed by a servomotor 110 as shown in FIG.
Is rotated and the distance between the flywheel 95 and the load resistance generator 100 is adjusted while measuring the torque with the torque measuring device 111. On the other hand, there are the following devices as load resistance generators. Using a friction belt Belt placed on the outer periphery of the flywheel and a weight such as a spring connected to the end of the belt (obtaining tensile force)
The belt is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the flywheel by pulling the belt with weight, and the load is adjusted by the frictional force.The eddy current brake using an electromagnet is supplied to the eddy current brake using an electromagnet. Adjusting the load by controlling the current and changing the eddy current generated in the flywheel Using a generator Connect the flywheel to the generator and consume the current generated by the generator through a variable resistor The load is adjusted by changing the position of the permanent magnet placed adjacent to the flywheel by changing the position of the permanent magnet placed adjacent to the flywheel. What to adjust. This type has the advantage of not using an AC power supply, not using a complicated electric circuit, and changing the position of the permanent magnet because the permanent magnet is driven by an inexpensive DC motor using a dry cell.
Because of the advantage that a large load torque can be obtained without a large increase in speed, it is used for exercise equipment.

[0007]

However, the above-mentioned load resistance generators have the following problems. Using a friction-type belt Since the load is a mechanical torque, the tensile force applied to the belt is liable to change depending on manufacturing and aging, and adjustment of the tensile force is complicated. Using an eddy current brake by an electromagnet It is necessary to supply current to the electromagnet, a complicated electric circuit is required to control the current, and the magnetic force generated by the electromagnet is weak, so to obtain a sufficient load To increase the size of the flywheel or increase the rotation of the crankshaft using a chain (or a belt) in order to rotate the flywheel at high speed, exercise equipment becomes complicated and expensive. Using a generator Because a generator is expensive and large, exercise equipment is also expensive and large. Further, in order to control the load resistance, a complicated electric circuit is required as in the case of the eddy current brake by the electromagnet. Moreover, since the generator generates stable torque at high speed rotation, it is necessary to rotate the flywheel at high speed, and the rotation of the crankshaft must be increased by using a chain (or belt). It becomes complicated and expensive. Using an eddy current brake with permanent magnets Since the flywheel and load resistance generator are separately mounted on the frame, the flywheel is mounted on the frame, then the load resistance generator is mounted on the frame, and the flywheel Since the distance from the load resistance generator is adjusted while measuring the load generated by rotating the crankshaft, there are the following problems a to d. a) Load characteristics vary due to variations in the mounting positions of the flywheel and the load resistance generator on the frame, making it difficult to obtain an accurate load resistance generator. b) Since the discrimination between a non-defective product and a defective product due to an error in the magnetic force of the permanent magnet cannot be known until after the assembly to the frame, if the permanent magnet is a defective product, it is necessary to re-assemble the non-defective product. c) Usually, the rotation of the flywheel is increased by increasing the rotation of the crankshaft, and in the load adjustment, the position of the permanent magnet is adjusted by measuring the load resistance torque generated on the crankshaft of the ergometer. It is necessary to measure a torque larger than the torque generated in the flywheel, and a large torque measuring device is required to measure the large torque. d) If a malfunction occurs in the flywheel or the load resistance generator and the like is removed from the frame, the load adjustment work must be performed again after assembly.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned problems a to d particularly in exercise equipment using an eddy current brake using a permanent magnet. The present invention has improved load accuracy, simplified structure, reduced size, and reduced cost. It is another object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus that can simplify load adjustment work.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising: a main body; a saddle projecting upward from the main body; And a flywheel attached to the main body so as to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the pedal, and a permanent magnet arranged adjacent to the flywheel. A load resistance generating device for applying a load by the accompanying eddy current, wherein the load resistance generating device is integrally formed with the flywheel.

This exercise equipment uses an eddy current brake by a permanent magnet, but unlike the conventional one,
Since the load resistance generator and the flywheel are integrally formed, the problems a to d can be solved.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments. However, the exercise equipment of the present invention is characterized by the peripheral structure of the load resistance generator and the flywheel, and the other configuration may be the same as the conventional one. I will explain mainly.

FIG. 1 (a state in which the permanent magnet of the load resistance generator is separated from the flywheel) and FIG. 2 (FIG. 2) show a peripheral structure of the load resistance generator and the flywheel in a general ergometer as the exercise equipment according to the embodiment. (A state in which the permanent magnet is close to the flywheel). In FIG. 1, the flywheel 10 and the load resistance generator 20 are integrally formed. The load resistance generator 20 is attached to the flywheel 10 via a flywheel shaft 11, and a main part of the flywheel 10 is attached to the flywheel 10. It is arranged along the outer circumference.

In this embodiment, the load resistance generator 20
Includes an L-shaped support 29 attached to the flywheel shaft 11 that rotatably supports the flywheel 10, an arc-shaped permanent magnet 21 arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the flywheel 10, An arc-shaped support plate 22 for supporting the support plate 21, a pressing device 23 for pressing the support plate 22 toward the flywheel 10, and an end mounted on the support plate 22 for urging the support plate 22 away from the flywheel 10. Elastic piece 24 and support shaft 2 rotatably supporting elastic piece 24
And 5.

Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flywheel 10 is rotated by rotating a pedal so that a flywheel shaft (or a chain) wrapped around a sprocket attached to the flywheel shaft 11 is used. 11 (see FIG. 7). The flywheel shaft 11 is fixed to the non-rotating case,
0, but in the case of non-rotation, after the both ends of the flywheel shaft 11 are fixed and supported, a bearing is provided in the flywheel shaft 11 insertion portion of the flywheel 10; Both ends of the shaft 11 are rotatably supported by bearings provided on a support 29.

The pressing machine 23 here comprises a motor, a cam attached to a rotating shaft of the motor, and a cam follower rotatably supported. When the cam is rotated by the motor,
The cam follower swings about the flywheel shaft 11, thereby causing the support plate 22 (ie, the permanent magnet 21) to approach or move away from the flywheel 10. However, the pressing machine 23 operates a piston in the cylinder by a fluid (oil, water, air, etc.) and displaces the support plate 22 connected to the piston, in addition to the motor, the cam, and the cam follower. Alternatively, the shaft may be inserted through a solenoid, and the support plate 22 connected to the shaft may be displaced by excitation / demagnetization of the solenoid.

In any case, if the permanent magnet 21 is farthest from the flywheel 10 by the operation of the pressing machine 23 (see FIG. 1), the flywheel 10
Therefore, the load due to the eddy current generated by the rotation is minimized, and the force required for rotating the pedal is minimized. Conversely,
When the permanent magnet 21 is closest to the flywheel 10 (see FIG. 2), the load due to the eddy current is the highest, and the force required for rotating the pedal is the highest.

According to the integrated structure of the flywheel 10 and the load resistance generator 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flywheel 10 rotates around the flywheel shaft 11, and the permanent magnet 21 of the load resistance generator 20 Also swings on the basis of the flywheel shaft 11, no matter how this unitized integral structure is attached to the ergometer frame (see FIG. 7), the outer peripheral surface of the flywheel 10 and the permanent magnet 21 The distance can always be stably and accurately secured. Therefore, compared to a case where the flywheel 10 and the load resistance generating device 20 are separately mounted on the frame of the ergometer, a highly accurate load characteristic can be obtained.

Also, since the load characteristics can be measured with the unitary integrated structure, the torque can be measured by a torque measuring device that measures a torque smaller than the torque generated as an ergometer. Furthermore, since the load characteristics can be grasped with the integrated structure as it is, there is no need to mount a device on the ergometer frame for measuring the load characteristics, and the measurement can be performed even in a small place, so that the productivity can be improved. Moreover, when a failure occurs in the load resistance generator 20,
It is only necessary to replace the load resistance generator 20, and there is no need to measure the load characteristics again.

FIG. 3 (a state in which the permanent magnet of the load resistance generator is close to the flywheel) and FIG. 4 (permanent) show a peripheral structure of the load resistance generator and the flywheel in a general ergometer as an exercise apparatus according to another embodiment. This is shown in a simplified view in which the magnet is close to the flywheel and in FIG. 5 (a simplified view in which the permanent magnet is away from the flywheel). In this embodiment, the load resistance generator 40 is mounted on the flywheel 3 so as to be housed in the flywheel 30 having a U-shaped cross section.
0, is attached to the flywheel 30 via the flywheel shaft 31, and is arranged along the inner periphery of the flywheel 30. Here, the flywheel 30 and the flywheel shaft 31 are integrated,
The other end of the flywheel shaft 31 is connected to a load resistance generator 4 by a bearing (not shown) provided separately.
The bearing is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided at the first position.

The load resistance generator 40 is rotatably supported by a motor (not shown), a cam 42 attached to a rotating shaft 41 of the motor and eccentrically rotating, and a flywheel shaft 31. A cam follower 43 which is pushed and oscillated by 42, an annular plate 44 arranged along the inner peripheral surface of the flywheel 30, and one end is fixed to the annular plate 44 by fittings 51 and 61, respectively. The end is a cam follower 4
3 are supported by the elastic support plates 50 and 60, respectively, and are supported by the elastic support plates 50 and 60, penetrate the annular plate 44, and face the inner peripheral surface of the flywheel 30. It is composed of arc-shaped permanent magnets 52 and 62.

As the cam 42 rotates eccentrically, the cam 42 is displaced between a position where the cam follower 43 is pushed (a dotted line position) and a position where the cam follower 43 is separated from the cam follower 43 (a solid line position). The elastic support plates 50 and 60 are rotatable around the ends (fulcrums) attached by the attachments 51 and 61, and normally bias the permanent magnets 52 and 62 toward the inner peripheral surface of the flywheel 30. I do. The permanent magnets 52 and 62 protrude from the annular plate 44 so as to be displaceable outward.

In this load resistance generating device 40, as shown in FIG.
3, the elastic support plates 50, 60
Is displaced toward the inner peripheral surface of the flywheel 30 by its own elastic force, whereby the permanent magnets 52 and 62 approach the inner peripheral surface of the flywheel 30, and the cam follower 43 is also moved to the elastic support plate 50, It is pulled by 60 and rotates. When the permanent magnets 52 and 62 come closest to the flywheel 30, the load due to the eddy current becomes the highest and the force required for the rotation of the pedal becomes the maximum.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is rotated by being pushed by the cam 42, the elastic support plates 50, 60 are pulled and rotated with the rotation, and the permanent magnets 52, 60 are rotated.
62 leaves flywheel 30. When the permanent magnets 52 and 62 are farthest from the flywheel 30,
The load due to eddy currents is minimized and the force required to rotate the pedal is minimized. Also in this case, the above-described effects can be obtained.

[0024]

As described above, according to the exercise equipment of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Since the load resistance generator is integrally formed with the flywheel, the positional relationship between the flywheel and the load resistance generator is based on the flywheel axis, and the load resistance generator and the flywheel are mounted on the frame of the exercise equipment. A more accurate load characteristic can be obtained as compared with a case where the components are separately mounted. (2) Since the load resistance generator and the flywheel are integrated into a single unit, the load characteristics can be measured by the load resistance generator alone, and when an exercise machine, for example, an ergometer is configured, the torque is smaller than the torque generated by the ergometer. Load characteristics can be measured with a torque measuring device that measures torque. (3) Since the load resistance generator and the flywheel are integrated into a unit, the load can be identified as a unit, and there is no need to mount the device on the frame of exercise equipment for measuring load characteristics. Since measurement can be performed even in a small place, productivity can be improved. (4) When a failure occurs in the load resistance generator, it is only necessary to replace the load resistance generator, and it is not necessary to measure the load characteristics again. (5) Since it is a load resistance generator using a permanent magnet,
Compared to those using an electromagnet, it is possible to use a dry battery even in a place where there is no AC power supply nearby. or,
Compared to those using electromagnets or generators, the number of revolutions of the flywheel can be reduced,
Inexpensive exercise equipment can be provided with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a peripheral structure of a load resistance generator and a flywheel in a general ergometer as an exercise apparatus according to an embodiment (a state in which a permanent magnet of the load resistance generator is separated from a flywheel).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another state of the structure of FIG. 1 (a state in which a permanent magnet approaches a flywheel).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a peripheral structure of a load resistance generating device and a flywheel in a general ergometer as an exercise apparatus according to another embodiment (a state in which a permanent magnet of the load resistance generating device is close to a flywheel).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a simplified structure of the structure of FIG. 3 (a state in which a permanent magnet approaches a flywheel).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a simplified structure of the structure of FIG. 3 (a state in which a permanent magnet is separated from a flywheel).

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a general ergometer as exercise equipment.

FIG. 7 is a partially omitted front view showing the internal structure of the ergometer of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration for adjusting a load by a load resistance generator in a conventional ergometer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30 Flywheel 11, 31 Flywheel shaft 20, 40 Load resistance generator 21, 52, 62 Permanent magnet 22 Support plate 50, 60 Elastic support plate

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A main body, a saddle projecting upward from the main body, a pedal rotatably mounted on the main body, and a flywheel mounted on the main body so as to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the pedal. And a load resistance generator that has a permanent magnet disposed adjacent to the flywheel and applies a load to the flywheel by eddy current due to the rotation of the flywheel by the permanent magnet. An exercise machine characterized by being integrally formed with a flywheel. 2. The exercise equipment according to claim 1, wherein the load resistance generating device is integrally formed with the flywheel via a flywheel shaft that rotatably supports the flywheel. 3. The exercise equipment according to claim 1, wherein the load resistance generator is arranged along an outer periphery of the flywheel. 4. The exercise equipment according to claim 1, wherein the load resistance generator is arranged along an inner periphery of the flywheel. 5. The load resistance generating device according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet has an arc shape in which the permanent magnet is arranged along a peripheral surface of the flywheel, and the arc-shaped permanent magnet is swung with respect to a rotation center of the flywheel. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet is moved closer to or away from the peripheral surface of the flywheel.