US20070042867A1

US20070042867A1 - Device having wireless rotational speed detector and display

Info

Publication number: US20070042867A1
Application number: US11/205,088
Authority: US
Inventors: Chia-Lu Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-17
Filing date: 2005-08-17
Publication date: 2007-02-22

Abstract

A device having wireless rotational speed detector and display includes a pedal assembly and a display assembly. This pedal assembly has a treadle surface and a receiving portion. When a rotation occurs between the shaft and the receiving portion, it will generate a wireless signal to the display assembly and then show out related data such as rotational speed. So, it can avoid the short circuit problem. The user can install this invention by oneself. And, it can be used on other application device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device having wireless rotational speed detector and display. It can avoid the short circuit problem. The user can install this invention by oneself. And, it can be used on other application device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, they show the traditional rotational speed detector and display installed on a stationary exercising bike. A traditional rotational speed detector 81 and a traditional display 82 are mounted on the stationary exercising bike 90. This traditional stationary exercising device 90 also has a pipe 91 and a flywheel 92 (see FIG. 2) inside.
The traditional rotational speed detector 81 includes a magnetic block 811, which is mounted on the flywheel 92, a magnetic sensor 812, several wires 813, and several wire connectors 814.
About the traditional installation method, the pipe 91 should be detached first and then several wires 813 can be inserted in. Then, by means of these wire connectors 814, the wires 813 and the traditional display 813 are connected. Finally, all these separated parts are secured together.
However, the internal space in the traditional stationary exercising bike 90 is narrow and contains many other elements (not shown). These wire connectors 813 usually be contacted, squeezed, or locked by others unintentionally and then a short circuit problem occurs.
Besides, there are several wire connectors 814. Theses connectors might loose and become disconnected. Thus, a false signal will occur.
Because all these wires and connectors need to be installed by a professional worker, it is hard to be designed as a D-I-Y (Do-It-Yourself) product that is assembled or installed by a general consumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device having wireless rotational speed detector and display. It can avoid the short circuit problem.
The next object of the present invention is to provide a device having wireless rotational speed detector and display. In which, the user can install this invention by oneself.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device having wireless rotational speed detector and display. It can be used on other application device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the traditional stationary exercising bike.
FIG. 2 shows the traditional device having rotational speed detector and display with wires.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing this invention is installed on an application device.
FIG. 4 is a view showing the simplified structure of this invention.
FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the pedal assembly of the present invention.
FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the auxiliary pedal assembly of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top view showing the pedal assembly of this invention.
FIG. 7 is a view showing the internal structure of the pedal assembly of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is perspective view showing the disassembled pedal assembly.
FIG. 9 illustrates the movement of the pedal assembly.
FIG. 10A shows the pedal assembly is at the first position.
FIG. 10B shows the pedal assembly is at the third position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5A and 6, the present invention is a device having wireless rotational speed detector and display. It mainly comprises a pedal assembly 10 and a display assembly 20.
With regard to this pedal assembly 10, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it has a treadle surface 11 and a receiving portion 12. The receiving portion 11 includes a shaft 13, a rotation detector 14 (such as a magnetic detector or an optical detector), a first signal processing portion 15, a wireless signal transmitter 16 and a power source 17 (such as a battery). This shaft 13 connects with a rotational application device 30 (for example, a stationary exercising bike). The shaft 13 is disposed with a signal portion 131 (for generating a magnetic signal or an optical signal).
Practically, when the signal portion 131 moves toward said rotation detector 14 and arrives to a closest position, there still is a gap therebetween (approximately 0.1 mm to 2 mm).
About the display assembly 20, it has a wireless signal receiver 21, a second signal processing portion 22 and a display 23.
Thus, when a rotation occurs between the shaft 13 and the receiving portion 12, the signal portion 131 passes by the rotation detector 14 and generates a passing signal; the passing signal is received by the first signal processing portion 15 and then this wireless signal transmitter 16 sends out a wireless signal (such as a radio wave or infrared wave, with a predetermined frequency) to the wireless signal receiver 21 of the display assembly 20; after the second signal processing portion 22 processing the wireless signal, this display 23 shows data. The data can include one or more items of rotational speed, revolutions, velocity, distance, calorie consumed, and total steps.
FIGS. 9, 10A and 10B illustrate the operation of this invention. When a user exercises on this application device 30. One's right foot contacts the pedal assembly 10. At the beginning, this pedal assembly 10 is at the highest position, namely a first position P1. When the right foot presses down, it will move to a medium position, namely a second position P2 and then reaches the lowest position, namely a third position P3.
When it is at the first position P1, the signal portion 131 moves to the lowest position that is the closest position (with a gap) to the rotation detector 14, as shown in FIG. 10A.
When it is at the third position P3, the signal portion 131 moves to the highest position that is the farthest position to the rotation detector 14, as shown in FIG. 10B.
Meanwhile, once the user steps for a cycle, the signal portion 131 will rotate a cycle accordingly. That is, once the signal portion 131 passes by the rotation detector 14, a passing signal will be generated. Therefore, if the user steps 30 cycles per minute, 30 passing signals will generate. By using the wireless transmission technology, the passing signals will be received by the wireless signal receiver 21 and then can be processed by the second signal processing portion 22. Finally, the display 23 will show out data. The data at least include the information of rotational speed, such as 30 rpm.
In addition, in this embodiment, it can further comprise:
an auxiliary pedal assembly 40 containing a counterweight 41 (as illustrated in FIG. 5B). The weight of the auxiliary pedal assembly 40 should be approximately equal to the weight of the pedal assembly 10, so that both pedal assemblies (one on the right; the other on the left) are balanced.
The application device 30 can be a stationary exercising bike or other kind of exercising apparatus having the rotational stepping exercise.
When the user finishes the exercise, in case the signal portion 131 just stays near the rotation detector 14, an automatic cut-off function should be added into the first signal processing portion 15. When it continues to send out the passing signals for a preset period, it will be shut down automatically for avoid the waste of the electricity of the power source 17.
Thus, the advantages and functions of this invention can be summarized as follows:
[1] It can avoid the short circuit problem. Because this invention is wireless and there is no wire connector, the short circuit problem in the traditional device can be avoided.
[2] The user can install this invention by oneself. The installation of this invention is very easy, it does not need to detach the main structure of the exercising bike (such as the pipe and body). Thus, it can be designed as a D-I-Y product.
[3] It can be used on other application device. In other kind of application device 30, this invention still can be applied. The traditional pedal assembly can be replaced by the pedal assembly 10 of this invention. In addition, the display assembly 20 is installed. So, it can be applied on other device. Its application scope is wide.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device having wireless rotational speed detector and display comprising:

a pedal assembly having a treadle surface and a receiving portion, said receiving portion including a shaft, a rotation detector, a first signal processing portion, a wireless signal transmitter and a power source; said shaft connecting with a application device that can be rotated, said shaft being disposed with a signal portion; and

a display assembly having a wireless signal receiver, a second signal processing portion and a display;

so that when a rotation occurs between said shaft and said receiving portion, said signal portion passing by said rotation detector and generates a passing signal; said passing signal is received by said first signal processing portion and then said wireless signal transmitter sends out a wireless signal to said wireless signal receiver of said display assembly; after said second signal processing portion processing said wireless signal, said display shows data.

2. The device having wireless rotational speed detector and display as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said data include at least one item of rotational speed, revolutions, velocity, distance, calorie consumed, total steps;

said wireless signal from said wireless signal transmitter is a radio wave with a predetermined frequency.

3. The device having wireless rotational speed detector and display as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the signal portion moves toward said rotation detector and arrives to a closest position, there is a gap between 0.1 mm to 2 mm therebetween.

4. The device having wireless rotational speed detector and display as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said signal portion generates a magnetic signal or an optical signal; and

said rotation detector is selected from a magnetic detector or an optical detector.

5. The device having wireless rotational speed detector and display as claimed in claim 1, the first signal processing portion further includes an automatic cut-off function.

6. The device having wireless rotational speed detector and display as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary pedal assembly containing a counterweight, a weight of the auxiliary pedal assembly being approximately equal to a weight of the pedal assembly; and

said application device being a stationary exercising bike.