Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
1996-01-25
2001-05-22
Crow, Stephen R. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Bicycling
C482S057000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234939
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to bicycles for exercise and/or therapeutic purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The bicycle has been tremendously successful not only as a form of transportation, but for exercise purposes as well. The term bicycle used in this context includes road bikes as well as stationary bikes. In the marketplace, road bikes and stationary bikes have proven to be extremely successful. Literally tens of millions of both road bikes and stationary bikes are used on a regular basis which demonstrates not only the popularity of the bicycle as a machine per se, but also the general interest of the population in using machines for exercise, conditioning and therapeutic purposes.
In this regard, the proliferation and success of a myriad of exercise machines has been extensive over the last two decades. This proliferation coincides with an increased awareness in the community of health consciousness, physical conditioning, and a sense of well-being from exercise.
The road bike and stationary bike, however, have remained a very popular alternative for exercise and rehabilitation. There have been no significant technological or structural changes to the bicycle over the past decades. Inherent in the concept of the bicycle as a machine is the creation of efficiency, i.e., to reduce the workload required to perform a certain function. The stationary bicycle continues to use a single drive sprocket (may or may not include a flywheel) joined by a single axle having two cranks coupled 180 degrees out of phase with each other while utilizing various types of resistance. The resistance and work output are related to the amount of resistance applied to the cranks. Of great interest to the exercise community, both for exercise and therapeutic purposes, is the ability to maximize work output per unit time. An example of an attempt to expand work output as well as expanding the physical demands on an increased number of muscles can be seen in an aerodyme bike. The aerodyme bike requires pedaling while simultaneously exercising the upper body with the use of crank arms.
In reference to the muscles worked during bicycling, the extensor muscles, i.e., the quadriceps and hip extensors are essentially emphasized. During pedaling, most of the work output is created on the downstroke with momentum while the opposite pedal takes the leg through the upstroke with a much reduced work demand. Experienced professional riders learn to push and pull to maximize their workload during short bursts, but even in this regard, the upstroke pedal is still assisted by the opposite downstroke pedal.
Herein is where the deficiency lies. When someone with an injury in one leg wants to use a road bike or a stationary bike, one leg is dependent on the other because normal bicycles are bipedal. In other words, the injured leg can not be independently worked without the use of the other leg. Furthermore, current bicycle operations are efficient while only working specific muscle groups in the leg. Hence, the user does not have an option to simultaneously exercise both the agonist and antagonist muscles through the cycle of rotation, i.e., quad and hamstrings, hip flexors and hip extenders.
It would be an improvement on the current art to create a unipedal cycle wherein each leg's movement is independent of the other. This aspect would serve to expand the effectiveness of bicycling in reconditioning of an injured leg. Independent operation of the legs would also increase the work output demands per unit time but not at the expense of overstressing the joints, muscles and soft tissues. It would be counterproductive if additional injuries were created. A device that overcomes the shortcomings as just described for a road bike or stationary bike is not disclosed in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It an aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus wherein the movement of each leg is independent of the other.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that can be alternatively bipedaling.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus where both legs must work fully throughout each pedal revolution.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that has the ability to work each leg independently.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that increases work output over bipedal cycles.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that increases work output without overstressing the joints, muscles and soft tissues.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is used for exercise purposes.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is used for conditioning.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is used for therapeutic purposes.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that provides isotonic (same force) resistance.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that provides isokinetic (same speed) resistance.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that specifically addresses aerobic repetitive cyclic exercising of the hamstrings.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that specifically addresses aerobic repetitive cyclic exercising of the hip flexors.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that works the hamstrings and hip flexors on the upstroke of the pedaling motion.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that increases muscle strength without the risk of tightening and overstrengthing.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that does not promote muscle injury.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that works the abdominals muscles.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus to exercise both the agonist and antagonist muscles through the cycle of rotation. i.e., quad and hamstrings, hip flexors and hip extenders.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is inherently safe.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is user friendly.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that has an adjustable crank arm to lessen or increase the range of motion of the leg in pedaling.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that has adjustable pedals to alter demands on the different muscles being exercised.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that has an adjustable seat that be adjusted vertically thereby allowing for a variation of leg length and that be adjusted horizontally thereby allowing for different positioning fore and aft relative to the hub.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that is adaptable to any variety of resistance methods such as electromagnetic, friction belt, disc brake and hydraulic and a variety of resistance controls such as isotonic and isokinetic.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that works each leg indendently with varying resistance.
It is a final aspect of the invention to provide a unipedal cycle apparatus that can be applied to either a stationary or road bicycle.
The invention is a pedal apparatus having a left pedal attached to a left crank and a right pedal attached to a right crank wherein the pedal apparatus comprises a left drive system connected to the left crank and a right drive system connected to the right crank such that the left drive system is substantially identical to the right side drive system and wherein a pedalling resistance on the left ped
Bolduc Andrew John
Moser Thomas V.
Ross Virginia L.
Vailas Nicholas James
Crow Stephen R.
Ritchie William B.
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