Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-12
2004-06-15
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
active
06749545
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a force-retarding device for a stationary bicycle, particularly to one improved to produce almost no vibration or noise in pedaling a stationary bicycle, and subsequently to prolong service life of the stationary bicycle.
A conventional force-retarding device for a stationary bicycle is shown in
FIG. 1
, containing a supporting base
10
, a flywheel
20
mounted on the supporting base
10
, a transmitting element
30
(such as a multi-grooved belt wheel) fixed with one side of the flywheel
20
, and a shaft
40
with which are pivotally combined the flywheel
20
and the transmitting element
30
at the same time. Further, a plurality of permanent magnets
201
are equidistantly fixed on the inner annular surface of the flywheel
20
, facing a silicon sheet stator
202
wound with coils immovably fixed with the supporting base
10
. So when the flywheel
20
is rotated together with the transmitting element
30
, the permanent magnets
201
rotate against the stator
202
, with induction force produced between the magnets
201
and the stator
202
. And the speed alteration of the flywheel
20
in rotation controls the volume of electric current and further controls the torque of the transmitting element
30
. Then the torque forms the force-retarding action against pedaling of the stationary bicycle, obtaining effect of health improving exercise by pedaling.
However, the conventional force-retarding device for a stationary bicycle has been found to often give rise to vibration and noise in pedaling the stationary bicycle. After deep research, the cause of the problem has been found the way of positioning of the flywheel
20
, which needs two bearings
50
deposited between the transmitting element
30
and the shaft
40
to enable the flywheel
20
together with the transmitting element
30
to rotate on the shaft
40
smoothly. As shown in
FIG. 1
, to position the bearings
50
, C-shaped retain rings
50
are used to secure the outer surface of the bearings
50
. Nevertheless, the C-shaped rings
50
may often have error in its thickness, say 0.1-0.2 mm, so that a 0.1-0.2 mm gap may be formed after the C-shaped retain rings
501
are fixed with the bearings
50
. Then the result is that the bearings
50
may slide right and left, colliding with and rubbing the C-shaped retain rings
50
or other components when the flywheel
20
together with the transmitting element
30
rotates. Therefore, vibration and noise may arise in pedaling the stationary bicycle, with the colliding condition just mentioned above possibly breaking the C-shaped retain rings
50
in case of light colliding, or with the life of the bearings
50
shortened in case of serious colliding. In addition, there is another problem of insufficient loading force of the shaft
40
having only 15 mm diameter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is to offer a force-retarding device for a stationary bicycle, which produces very little vibration or noise in pedaling it so as to prolong its service life.
The feature of the invention is a movement-stopping base provided between a flywheel and a transmitting element, both of which are pivotally combined on a shaft, and the movement-stopping base has an annular contact surface on which a first bearing, a separating ring and a second bearing are orderly mounted. Outside The second bearing an annular sealer is screwed on an inner surface of the transmitting element, pressing the second bearing, the separating ring and the first bearing toward the movement-stopping base so that there remains almost no gap between any of these components, and consequently no vibration or noise may be produced by the force-retarding device in pedaling the stationary bicycle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4786050 (1988-11-01), Geschwender
patent: 4809970 (1989-03-01), Beistegui
patent: 5094447 (1992-03-01), Wang
patent: 5711404 (1998-01-01), Lee
patent: 6641507 (2003-11-01), Warner et al.
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Nguyen Tam
Tonic Fitness Technology, Inc.
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