TITHE
HAND AND PEDAL DRIVING DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a hand and pedal driving device,
and more particularly to a hand and pedal driving device comprising a pedal
driving unit actuated by feet; a hand driving unit actuated by hands; and
a back supporting unit for supporting the upper half of a person, by which
it is possible to improve the driving power of the driving units, such as
bicycles, boats, flying objects, athletic goods, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, the driving unit of a bicycle is actuated by the energy
of a person. The driving power is generated only by the rotation of the
crank pedal, which is caused by the feet of the person. For this reason,
the magnitude of the driving power depends on the force and velocity by
which the pedal is actuated, resulting in the limitation of the driving
power .
To this end, various kinds of devices which provide a maximum of the
efficiency with the same force have been developed. However, these devices
bring to a focus merely on the reduction of the weight of the bicycle.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforesaid
problems.
It is another object of the present invention is to maximize the
driving power by generating the driving power necessary for driving the
driving device not only by means of the feet but also by means of the hands
and the upper half of a person, using a hand and pedal driving device
comprising a pedal driving unit actuated by feet; a hand driving unit
actuated by hands', and a back supporting unit for supporting the upper half
of the person.
In order to accomplish the aforesaid object, it is provided a hand
and pedal driving device comprising a body frame having a saddle; a pedal
driving unit provided to the body frame, which is actuated by feet, for
driving the driving device; a hand driving unit connected to the pedal
driving unit via a transmission unit, which is actuated by hands, for
increasing the driving power of the pedal driving unit; and a back
supporting unit provided to the saddle of the body frame for resiliently
supporting the back so that the power of the person on the saddle is
increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, aspects and embodiments of the present
invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following
drawings, in which:
Fig.1 is a side elevational view showing how an preferred embodiment
of the hand and pedal driving device according to the present invention
is used;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an preferred embodiment of the hand
and pedal driving device according to the present invention;
Fig.3 is a plan view of the essential components showing an preferred
embodiment of the hand and pedal driving device according to the present
invention!
Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the pedal driving unit
showing an preferred embodiment of the hand and pedal driving device
according to the present invention;
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the hand driving unit
showing an preferred embodiment of the hand and pedal driving device
according to the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the back supporting unit showing an
preferred embodiment of the hand and pedal driving device according to the
present invention;
Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing an preferred embodiment
of the hand and pedal driving device according to the present invention
in operation;
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view showing another preferred
embodiment of the hand and pedal driving device according to the present
invention in operation;
Fig. 9 to Fig. 12 illustrate various other embodiments of the
transmission unit according to the present invention respectively;
Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 are side elevational views showing the driving
device according to the present invention applied to the tricycle
respectively;
Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the driving device according
to the present invention applied to the boat; and
Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the driving device according
to the present invention applied to the flying object.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention wi 11 now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A hand and pedal driving device according to the present invention
comprises a body frame 1 having a saddle 2; a pedal driving unit 10 provided
to the body frame 1, which is actuated by feet, for driving the driving
device; a hand driving unit 20 connected to the pedal driving unit 10 via
a transmission unit , which is actuated by hands, for increasing the driving
power of the pedal driving unit 10; and a back supporting unit 40 provided
to the saddle 2 of the body frame 1 for resilient ly supporting the back
so that the power of the person on the saddle 2 is increased.
A pedal driving unit 10 according to the present invention, as shown
in Fig.3 and Fig.4, comprises a pedal crank shaft 11 supported by a body
frame l; a pedal crank gear 12 fixed to the pedal crank shaft 11; pedal
crank 13 provided at either end of the pedal crank shaft 11; an auxiliary
crank gear 14 connected to a hand driving unit 20 via a transmission unit
and connected to the pedal crank shaft 11 via an one-way clutch 91; a pedal
clutch 13 adapted to allow the auxiliary crank gear 14 rotate together with
the pedal crank shaft 11; a pedal pawl 16 for actuating the pedal clutch
13 by means of the resilient rotation; and a lever wire 17 for rotating
the pedal pawl 16.
A hand driving unit according to the present invention, as shown in
Fig.3 and Fig.5, comprises a hand crank gear 22 supported by a body frame
1; hand crank shaft 21 supported by either end of a handle frame 3; a
universal joint 24 for connecting the hand crank gear 22 and the hand crank
shaft 21 so that the change of the angle caused by the rotation of the handle
frame 3 can be absorbed, the universal joint 24 being connected to a ball
key 24a at one end thereof so that the change of the length can be absorbed;
a hand crank 23 connected to the hand crank shaft 21 via an one-way clutch
91; a handle 25 provided at the end of the hand crank 23; and a hand pawl
26 mounted to the hand crank 23, the hand pawl 26 being actuated by means
of a hand pawl lever pin 27 which is projected through the center of the
handle 25 and restrained by a hooking groove 4a of the handle frame for
limiting the rotation of the hand crank 23.
In addition, the hand and pedal driving unit according to the present
invention further comprises a balance wire 31 connected between the hand
cranks 23 for keeping the balance of the pulling or pushing forces of the
hand cranks 23 provided to both ends of the handle frame 3; a wiring 32
provided to both ends of the balance wire 31 and connected to the hand cranks
23 respectively; a balance roller 33 provided at an auxiliary handle frame
3 fixed to the handle frame 3 for guiding the balance wire 31; and a balance
resilient roller 34 connected resiliently to the auxiliary handle frame
3 such that the balance wire 31 has a resilient force for winding the balance
wire 31.
Furthermore, the back supporting unit 40 comprises a back supporter
40 provided along the curve of the back behind the saddle 20, the back
supporter 40 being of resilience; a safety belt 41a provided to the back
supporter 40; an angle adjusting plate 43 provided beneath the saddle 2;
and a fixing lever 45 adapted to advance or retreat a fixing member 44
provided to the saddle frame 3 so that the rotation of the angle adjusting
plate 43 can be limited, as shown in Fig. 6.
Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the transmission unit
for delivering the power from the hand driving unit 20 to the pedal driving
unit 10, the hand crank gear 22 of the hand driving unit 20 and the pedal
crank gear 12 of the pedal driving unit 10 are composed of sprocket wheels,
and a timing belt 50 is used to deliver the power, as shown in Fig. 10.
According to other embodiment of the transmission unit for delivering the
power from the hand driving unit 20 to the pedal driving unit 10, the hand
crank 23 of the hand driving unit 20 and the pedal crank gear 12 of the
pedal driving unit 10 are composed of crank arms, and the crank arms are
connected via the crank link 60 for delivering the power, as shown in Fig.
11. According to other embodiment of the transmission unit for delivering
the power from the hand driving unit 20 to the pedal driving unit 10, the
hand crank gear 22 of the hand driving unit 20 and the pedal crank gear
12 of the pedal driving unit 10 are composed of bevel gears, and the bevel
gears are connected to a driving shaft 71 via an universal joint 72 for
delivering the power, as shown in Fig. 12.
In addition, another embodiment of the transmission unit according
to the present invention, as shown in Fig. 9, comprises a driving wire 81
connected between the hand crank 23 of the handle frame 3 and the pedal
crank 13 of the pedal driving unit 10 for delivering the power! a driving
ring 82 provided to both ends of the driving wire 81 and connected rotatably
to the hand crank 23 and the pedal crank 13; a plurality of driving rollers
83 provided to the handle frame 3 and the body frame 1 between the hand
crank 23 and the pedal crank 13 for winding and guiding the driving wire
81; a rotating roller 84 restrained rotatably on the center of the shaft
such that the driving wire is not twisted as the handle frame 3 is rotated;
and a driving resilient roller 85 mounted resiliently to the body frame
1 for adjusting the resilient force of the driving wire 81.
Furthermore, a bellows 92 is provided for lubricating the universal
joints 24 and 72, as shown in Fig. 3.
The following is the operation of the hand and pedal driving device
according to the present invention comprising the pedal driving unit 10;
the hand driving unit 20; and the back supporting unit 40, which is applied
to a bicycle. If the pedal 18 of the pedal driving unit 10 is actuated by
means of the feet, the rear wheel of the bicycle is rotated. At this time,
in order to increase the driving power, if the hand crank 23 is rotated
while the handle 25 of the hand driving unit 20 is gripped, the hand crank
gear 22 connected to the hand crank shaft 21 via the universal joint 24
is rotated, and then the rotation force of the hand crank gear 22 is
delivered to the pedal driving unit 10 via the transmission unit, such as
chain, belt, etc., connected between the hand crank gear 22 and the
auxiliary crank gear 14, resulting in increase of the driving power.
If the hand cranks 23 are rotated alternately by 180o , when they
rotated, the hand crank shaft 21 is rotated only in one direction by means
of the one-way clutch 91 provided to each of the hand cranks 23. As a result ,
the rotation force in one direction is delivered to the pedal driving unit
10. If the pedal crank 13 of the pedal driving unit 10 and the hand crank
23 of the hand driving unit 20 are to be rotated in unison, the lever wire
17 is pulled to rotate the pedal pawl 16, so that the pedal clutch 13 is
operated. Consequently, the auxiliary crank gear 14 is not connected to
the pedal crank shaft 11 via the one-way clutch 91, but to the pedal crank
shaft 11 directly. As a result, the pedal crank 13 and the hand crank 23
are rotated in unison.
As mentioned above, when the hand crank 23 of the hand driving unit
20 is rotated, the balance of the hand cranks 23 at both sides is maintained
by means of the balance wire wounded on the balance resilient roller 34
and the balance roller 33. Consequently, the rotational operation of the
hand crank 23 is carried out easily. When the hand driving unit 20 and the
pedal driving unit 10 is operated, the back supporter 40 of the back
supporting unit 40 supports resiliently the back of the person. As a result,
the greatest force is generated, when great force is needed, to rotate the
hand driving unit 20 and the pedal driving unit 10.
On the contrary, if it is to be used only as a handle while the hand
driving unit 20 is not operated, the hand pawl lever pin 27 projected to
the side of the handle 25 is pulled so that the hand pawl 26 is rotated
and then hooked into the hooking groove 4a of the handle frame 3.
Consequently, the rotation of the hand crank 23 is limited, resulting in
that only the function as the handle is provided.
Meanwhi le, the driving device according to the present invention may
be applied to a tricycle, as shown in Fig.13 and Fig.14. The driving device
of the present invention may also be applied to a boat, as shown in Fig.
15, in which the driving device may be converted into a propulsion device
such as a screw, a water wheel, etc. And the driving device of the present
invention may also be applied to a flying object, such as a hang glider,
as shown in Fig. 16, in which the driving device may be converted into a
propeller.
In addition, the driving device according to the present invention
may be applied to the athletic goods, in which the driving device may be
converted into a body of revolution.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
According to the present invention, it is possible to maximize the
driving power by generating the driving power necessary for driving the
driving device not only by means of the feet but also by means of the hands
and the upper half of a person, using a hand and pedal driving device
comprising a pedal driving unit actuated by feet; a hand driving unit
actuated by hands; and a back supporting unit for supporting resiliently
the upper half of the person so that the power obtained from the hands and
feet can be maximized.
In addition, it is also possible to carry out the exercise of the
whole body since the driving device according to the present invention is
applied to athletic goods.
While a preferred embodiment has been described, variations thereto
will occur to those skilled in the art within the scope of the present
inventive concepts which are delineated by the following claims.