Exercise devices – Having specific electrical feature – Equipment control
Patent
1998-12-09
2000-11-07
Richman, Glenn E.
Exercise devices
Having specific electrical feature
Equipment control
482 4, 482900, A63B 2100
Patent
active
061429112
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the technical sector of home-trainer-type apparatus for training individuals on bicycles or in wheelchairs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For the training, rehabilitation and measurement of various physical parameters it is known to use apparatus of the home-trainer type which are constructed so as to receive various types of nonmotorized rolling vehicles. For example, these home trainers or turning assemblies may receive a bicycle or a wheelchair. Essentially, such apparatus comprise at least two motorized rollers interacting either with the wheel of the bicycle driven by the user by means of a pedalling action or with the two wheels of the wheelchair driven directly by the user's arms.
In point of fact, it has become apparent that the moment imparted by the user who therefore drives a rotary system, namely the wheel or wheels of the vehicle, is not constant. In the case of a bicycle, the moment passes from a maximum value to a value which is practically zero when passing through dead center. In the case of a wheelchair, the moment imparted is variable when the subject pulls and pushes with his arms. This moment is completely zero throughout the phase during which the user takes his hands off the driven wheels in order to reposition them with a view to exerting further effort.
Particularly in the case of a wheelchair, if the movable assembly exerts a constant braking moment, the use of such a chair becomes very difficult or even practically impossible: during each of the nondrive phases, i.e. when the user is no longer exerting any moment, the speed of the vehicle decelerates and may even become zero. The result of this is that, during each drive phase, the user has to exert an acceleration force preventing him from achieving a comfortable operating speed.
The state of the art may be illustrated by the teaching of Patent DE-A-2950605, which relates to a drive apparatus for a bicycle, whose function is to cause the resistance of the drive unit to vary by means of a complementary wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks simply, safely, efficiently and rationally.
The problem which the invention proposes to solve is to enable any user of a rolling vehicle of the bicycle or wheelchair type to work under optimum conditions, i.e. to impart the desired effort at a comfortable operating speed.
To solve such a problem, a device has been designed and developed for training and measuring the physical efforts of a person in a nonmotorized rolling vehicle arranged on a turning assembly and capable of exerting a load moment, which comprises means capable of imparting to the assembly a braking moment which, in a cyclical manner, passes from a preestablished value to a zero value is a function of parameters which depend on the speed of said vehicle in order to enable the person to drive the vehicle at a constant or substantially constant speed.
In a first embodiment, the means capable of imparting to the turning assembly a braking moment which, in a cyclical manner, passes from a preestablished value to a zero value, are controlled by means for measuring and detecting the speed of said vehicle with a view to imparting said moment only when a predetermined reference speed is exceeded.
Under these conditions, if the speed of the vehicle has not reached the reference speed, no braking moment is exerted on the turning assembly so that the deceleration is zero when the user is not exerting a drive torque. In this case, the subject will therefore naturally work around the predetermined reference speed which corresponds to any value.
In another embodiment, with a view to solving the problem posed, the means capable of imparting to the turning assembly a braking moment which is not constant are controlled by members for measuring and detecting the acceleration of the vehicle with a view to imparting said moment only when said assembly is driven, i.e. when it provides a positive acceleration.
Under these conditions, when the subje
REFERENCES:
patent: 3940989 (1976-03-01), Engerstam
patent: 4625551 (1986-12-01), Carnielli
patent: 5954621 (1999-09-01), Joutras et al.
Calmels Paul
Sauvignet Bernard
Centre Stephanois de Recherches Mechaniques Hydromecanique et Fr
Richman Glenn E.
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