NZ503014A - Tricycle with pedals rotating respective rear wheels independently, each via a respective chain, spring and ratchet drive to wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

A user's feet press pedals 33 down so as to rotate rear wheels 20. This extends springs 33 which raise pedals 33 and rotate sprockets 31. This is stated to provide beneficial exercise, especially for the young and elderly.

Description

Patents Form # 5 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION DATED TITLE Exercising bike I, CHAO, Yu-Chao Address. No 73-1 Tsao Chung Lane, Lu-Kang Town, Chang-Hua Hsien, Taiwan, ROC Nationality A Taiwan, ROC citizen do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement • ^intellectual' prFpeWofrce! of nz ' PF05 IWP FEE CODE 1050 2 4 FEB 20C03llowed f i page 1A .RECEIVED TTTT.F,: EXERCISER BTKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exerciser bike, and more particularly to an exerciser bike having two treadle-typed driving mechanisms for driving two rear wheels respectively. 2. Description of the Prior Art Everybody knows that exercise is beneficial to our health. Traditional exercising devices such as treadmill and stationary exercising bike are indoor and quite tedious. Therefore, outdoor bicycle and tricycle exercises are more and more popular.

Regarding bicycle, not everyone can ride a bicycle.

Basically, a tricycle is easier, safer and more stable than % a bicycle. For those persons who are not suitable to ride a bicycle or who cannot ride a bicycle (such as kids, elders, weak patients, etc.), riding a tricycle seems to be a better choice for exercising.

A typical tricycle comprises a front wheel and two rear wheels. The two rear wheels are secured on a rear wheel axle and rotated in concert with the rear wheel axle. The conventional tricycle comprise a single ro.tary driving mechanism for driving the rear wheel axle such that the two rear wheels will be actuated by the single driving mechanism simultaneously. Because there is no any differential gear system m the rear wheel axle, the tricycles may not be turned left or right easily.

The present invention is provided to obviate the above-described disadvantages of the conventional tricycles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciser bike having two treadle-typed driving mechanisms for driving the rear wheels respectively and separately and for allowing the exerciser bike to be easily turned with the rear wheels.

The second objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciser like which is driven by two treadlelike driving mechanism so that a repeated up-and-down treading exercising is achieved and the user's body can be kept straight up.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exerciser bike comprising a frame including a front portion having a front wheel and a handle for steering the front wheel, and including a rear portion having two rear wheel axles, two rear wheels rotatably secured to the rear wheel axles, and two treadle-typed driving means for driving the rear wheels separately. The exerciser bike is allowed to be turned with the rear wheels when the rear wheels are actuated with different speeds with the two driving means.

The two driving means each includes a ratchet sprocket wheel secured on the rear wheel axles, a foot support having a middle portion pivotally coupled to the frame at a pivot shaft and having a first end and a second end, a foot pedal secured on the first end of the foot support, and a chain engaged on the ratchet sprocket wheel and having a first end secured to a predetermined point of the foot support and a second end connected to a resilient element and then secured to the second end of the foot support, for allowing the rear wheels and the ratchet sprocket wheels to be driven by the foot supports via the chains.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided below, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRTFF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exerciser bike m accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the rear portion of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side views illustrating the operation of the exerciser bike.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exerciser bike in accordance with the present invention comprises: a frame 10 including a front portion 11 having a front wheel 12 and a handle 13 for steering the front wheel 12, and including a rear portion 14 having two rear wheel axles 15; two rear wheels 20 rotatably secured to the rear wheel axles 15; and two treadle-typed driving means 30 for driving the rear wheels 20 separately. The exerciser bike is allowed to be turned with the rear wheels 2 0 when the rear wheels 2 0 are actuated with different speeds with the two driving means 30. The two driving means 30 each includes a one-way ratchet 15 sprocket wheel 31 secured on the rear wheel axles 15, a L-shaped foot support 32 having a middle portion 321 pivotally coupled to the frame 10 at a pivot shaft 16 and having a first end 322 and a second end 323, a foot pedal 33 secured on the first end 322 of the foot support 32, and a chain 34 engaged on the 20 ratchet sprocket wheel 31 and having a first end 341 secured to a predetermined point 324 of the foot support 32 and a second end 342 connected to a resilient element 35 (such as a spring or the like) and then secured to the second end 323 of the foot support 32, for allowing the rear wheels 20 and the ratchet 25 sprocket wheels 31 to be driven by the foot supports 32 via the chains 34.

In operation, as shown m FIGS. 3, when the user steps on one of the foot pedals 33 and rotates the L-shaped foot supports 32 about the pivot shaft 16, the resilient element 35 be drawn and extended (storing energy) . When the user lift up his foot as shown m Fig. 4, the resilient element 35 will become the original state (releasing energy) and the foot pedal 33 will move up. At this moment, the train 34 will drive the one-way ratchet wheel 31 rotate and make the rear wheel 20 rotate. Therefore, by repeating this kind of step down and lift up, the treadle-typed movement can make this tricycle move. This is totally different to the conventional rotary-typed movement.

Thus, a repeated up-and-down treading exercising is achieved and the user's body can be kept straight up (like walking). Moreover, during the exercising, the user's head, chest, and waist (especially the spine) are almost kept straight. So, it can significantly reduce the possibility to injury the spine.

It is to be noted that the two foot supports 32 are coupled to the rear wheels 20 respectively and are not coupled together with each other such that the rear wheels 20 may be driven separately by the two driving mechanisms 30. The two rear wheels 2 0 may be driven with different speeds such that the exerciser bike may be easily turned left or right.

Alternatively, the chains 34 and the sprocket wheels 31 may be replaced by belts and pulleys.

Accordingly, the exerciser bike m accordance with the present invention includes two treadle-typed driving mechanisms for driving the rear wheels respectively and separately and for allowing the exerciser bike to be easily turned with the rear wheels . So, this invention is safe, stable and easy to be controlled.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims (4)

I CLAIM:

1. An exerciser bike comprising: a frame including a front portion having a front wheel 5 and a handle for steering the front wheel, and including a rear portion having two rear wheel axles; two rear wheels rotatably secured to the rear wheel axles; and two treadle-typed driving means for driving the rear 10 wheels separately; wherein each driving means includes: (a) a ratchet sprocket wheel secured on the rear wheel axles, (b) a foot support having a middle portion pivotally 15 coupled to the frame at a pivot shaft and having a first end and a second end, (c) a foot pedal secured on the first end of the foot support, and (d) a chain engaged on the ratchet sprocket wheel and 20 having a first end secured to a predetermined point of the foot support and a second end connected to a resilient element which is secured to the second end of the foot support, for allowing the rear wheels and the ratchet sprocket wheels to be driven by the foot 25 supports via the chains. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 3 APR 2001 RECEIVED 7

2. The exerciser bike according to claim 1, wherein said resilient element is a spring.

3. The exerciser bike according to claim 1, wherein foot support is L-shaped and the predetermined point is at a point between the middle portion and the second end of the foot support.

4. An exerciser bike, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. END OF CLAIMS