Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-11
2004-02-24
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Bicycling
C482S051000, C482S057000, C482S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06695752
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a resistance device for a bicycle exerciser, more particularly to a wheel-type resistance device which can provide an adjustable magnetic resisting force to the bicycle exerciser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional wheel-type resistance device for a bicycle exerciser is shown to include a flywheel
1
mounted on a bicycle frame
3
and driven to rotate by a pedaling action of a user. A magnet assembly
2
is mounted swingably on the frame
3
by a linkage assembly
4
, and has two walls
202
disposed adjacent to two lateral walls of the flywheel
1
and having a plurality of magnets
201
mounted thereon. The linkage assembly
4
includes two parallel cranks
401
with lower ends
402
mounted rotatably on the frame
3
and upper ends
405
mounted rotatably on a coupler
403
secured on the magnet assembly
2
. One of the cranks
401
is connected to one end of a connecting bar
404
. The other end of the connecting bar
404
is connected to a sliding block
502
of an adjustment member
5
. The sliding block
502
engages threadedly a guiding threaded bolt
501
which is rotated by a motor
503
to move the sliding block
502
so as to adjust the position of the magnet assembly
2
relative to the flywheel
1
, thereby adjusting the resisting force of the magnet assembly
2
to the flywheel
1
.
It is noted that the conventional resistance device has a complicated structure and is inconvenient to assemble. Moreover, use of the linkage assembly
4
and the adjustment member
5
involves increased manufacturing and maintenance costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a wheel-type resistance device which has a fewer number of components, thereby reducing the manufacturing and maintenance costs.
According to this invention, the wheel-type resistance device includes a magnetically permeable flywheel which is mounted on and which is rotatable about an axle that is mounted on a frame of a bicycle exerciser and that extends in an axial direction. The flywheel is driven to rotate by a pedaling action of a user, and has two side walls opposite to each other in the axial direction. Right and left swing arms have pivot ends which are adapted to be mounted pivotally on the frame of the bicycle exerciser about a swing axis transverse to the axial direction and outboard to a respective one of the side walls of the flywheel, and swing ends which are disposed opposite to the pivot ends in a direction radial to the axle so as to swing relative to the pivot ends about the swing axis to be remote from or close to each other respectively in a first or second position. Each of the right and left swing arms further includes a mounting member which is disposed between the pivot and swing ends and which extends in the axial direction to terminate at a mounting surface that is remote from or close to the respective one of the side walls respectively in the first or second position. Two biasing members are disposed to bias the mounting surfaces of the right and left swing arms to move from the second position to the first position. A right magnet member is mounted on and is movable with the mounting surface of the right swing arm. A left magnetically attractive member is mounted on and is movable with the mounting surface of the left swing arm. Thus, the movement of the right magnet member and the left magnetically attractive member from the first position to the second position will cause an increased dragging force on the flywheel as a result of interaction between the magnetically permeable flywheel and an increased strength of magnetic field established between the right magnet member and the left magnetically attractive member. A force adjusting cable has two cable ends which are respectively and tensely connected to the swing ends of the right and left swing arms, and an intermediate portion which is disposed between the cable ends and which is adapted to be pullably disposed on the frame of the bicycle exerciser. The intermediate portion is operable to pull the swing ends to the second position, thereby bringing the right magnet member and the left magnetically attractive member to the second position against the action of the biasing members.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5076573 (1991-12-01), Lo
patent: 5094447 (1992-03-01), Wang
patent: 5310392 (1994-05-01), Lo
patent: 5879273 (1999-03-01), Wei et al.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Nguyen Tam
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