U.S. patent application number 10/194268 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-05 for electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional supersonic detector.
Invention is credited to Tung, Chang Huang.
Application Number | 20030104908 10/194268 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21687703 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030104908 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tung, Chang Huang |
June 5, 2003 |
Electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional supersonic
detector
Abstract
An electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector has a running belt. A front end of the running
belt has a driving device for driving the running belt. Two sides
of a front end of the electronic running exercise machine have
respective U-like handle rods. A control panel is installed between
the two handle rods. The supersonic detector has a control portion
and a reflecting portion. The control portion is installed in a
control panel of the electronic running exercise machine. The
reflecting portion is worn on the runner. The reflecting portion
emits supersonic wave to the control portion. The control portion
measures the time interval required at the two ends precisely and
then the time interval is converted into a distance so as to be
transferred to the control panel. Therefore, the rotary speed of
the running belt is controlled precisely.
Inventors: |
Tung, Chang Huang;
(Chang-Hua City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHANG HUANG TUNG
P.O. BOX 487
CHANG-HUA CITY
500
TW
|
Family ID: |
21687703 |
Appl. No.: |
10/194268 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 ;
482/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0242 20130101;
A63B 2225/50 20130101; A63B 2024/0093 20130101; A63B 2220/13
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/54 ;
482/8 |
International
Class: |
A63B 071/00; A63B
022/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 3, 2001 |
TW |
090222059 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector; the electronic running exercise machine having
a running belt; a front end of the running belt having a driving
device for driving the running belt; two sides of a front end of
the electronic running exercise machine having respective U-like
handle rods; a control panel being installed between the two handle
rods; characterized in that: the supersonic detector has a control
portion and a reflecting portion; the control portion is installed
in a control panel of the electronic running exercise machine; the
reflecting portion is worn on the runner; the reflecting portion
emits supersonic wave to the control portion; the control portion
measures a time interval required from emitting supersonic wave to
receive supersonic wave precisely and then the time interval is
converted into a distance so that the value of the distance is
transferred to the control panel; therefore, a rotary speed of the
running belt is controlled precisely.
2. The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control
portion is installed within the control panel of the electronic
running exercise machine, and the control panel has the functions
of receiving and transmitting supersonic waves at a direction
facing the running belt.
3. The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an
infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver, which cause the
instruments of the control portion and the reflecting portion to
operate synchronously.
4. The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the infrared
transmitter is installed in the control portion and the infrared
receiver is installed in the reflecting portion.
5. The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control
portion has an infrared transmitter, a supersonic receiver, a
numeric calculator, and an actuator and the reflecting portion has
an infrared receiver, and a supersonic transmitter; when the
actuator of the control portion is actuated, the control portion
will emit a set of infrared signals to the infrared receiver of the
reflecting portion through the infrared transmitter; when the
infrared receiver of the reflecting portion has received infrared,
the supersonic transmitter transmits a set of supersonic wave to
return to the supersonic receiver of the control portion; by the
time difference between the time transmitting the infrared and the
time receiving the supersonic wave, the numeric calculator of the
control portion calculates the distance between the transmitting
end and the receiving end and then a calculated result is
transferred to the control panel of the electronic running exercise
machine; thereby, the operation speed of the running belt can be
controlled precisely.
6. The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control
portion is installed with a noise filter for determining whether
the supersonic waves from the reflecting portion are noises due to
effects from environment.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic running
exercise machine with a bidirectional supersonic detector, wherein
the supersonic detector has a control portion and a reflecting
portion. The control portion is installed on a control panel of the
electronic running exercise machine and the reflecting portion is
installed on the user. The control portion measures the time
required at the two ends precisely and then the time is converted
into a distance so as to be transferred to the control panel.
Therefore, the rotary speed of the running belt is controlled
precisely.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A prior art electronic running exercise machine with a
bidirectional supersonic detector is disclosed in Taiwan Patent No.
461330, "electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector". In the prior art, a platform is installed
with a running belt. One end of the platform has a driving device
for driving a running belt. Two sides of the platform adjacent to
the driving device have respective supporting frame.
[0005] The feature of the present invention is that a cross bar
runs across two sides of the supporting frame of the electronic
running exercise machine. The cross bar has an opening on the
control device facing the running belt. The control device has a
transmitting portion which includes a pulse generator and a
transmitter. The pulse generator will cause supersonic waves to
oscillate and thus high frequency supersonic waves are generated.
The supersonic wave is emitted toward the runner through the
transmitter. A receiving portion serves for receiving the reflected
supersonic wave. The receiving portion has a receiver for sensing
supersonic waves reflected from the runner. A timer serves for
sensing time interval from the timing of transmitting a supersonic
wave to the timing of receiving wave by the receiving portion.
Thereby, the timing for the round path of the supersonic wave is
calculated so as to match the sound speed of the supersonic wave to
calculate out the round path of the supersonic wave. Then the
result is transmitted to the control panel of the electronic
running exercise machine so as to control the speed of the
electronic running belt.
[0006] In this prior art, at a predetermined position of the
electronic running exercise machine, a supersonic distance
measuring control device is installed for transmitting high
frequency supersonic wave to the runner by the transmitting portion
of the control device. Then by reflecting principle, a receiver
serves to receive the reflected supersonic pulse from the runner.
Then the distance between the transmitting end and receiving end is
calculated by using the time difference therebetween so as to
adjust the speed of the running belt. The above said device only
connects a commercial supersonic distance measures to an electronic
running exercise machine. Although it has a simple structure and
has a lower cost, when it is installed to an electronic running
exercise machine, it has only little effect. The reasons will be
described here.
[0007] 1. A large scale reflector is necessary (for example, a
wall, a large scale panel, etc. ) for reflecting the emitted
supersonic signal. If the object to be measured is uneven, or it is
only a rod, a tree, or even it is movable, then no object can be as
a reflector. Therefore, above mentioned prior art is useless.
[0008] 2. Since reflected supersonic wave will decay dramatically
so that the measured distance is reduced greatly and a large error
is induced.
[0009] 3. Supersonic distance measurement is greatly affected by
the environment factors, such as temperature, light intensity,
material, colors and hues of cloth. These will induce the
inconsistency of the reading numbers and thus a great error is
induced.
[0010] In the prior structure, the control device is installed on
the cross bar between supporting frames of the front end of the
electronic running exercise machine. From the prior art (referring
to FIG. 1 and the specification of above cited prior art), it is
known that it is at a position about the legs of the runner.
Therefore, if one leg of the runner (now the runner is a reflector)
has a slightly deviation from the transmitter of the control
device, the device can not calculate a precise distance. Even the
calculator will made a fault, that is, the calculator will consider
that the runner has moved away from the transmitting portion so as
to cut off the power of the driving device of the running belt.
Thereby, the runner is easily hurt from exercising. Furthermore,
despite that the control device is installed at a position higher
than the legs or lower than the legs of the runner, the reflected
supersonic wave will decay dramatically so that the measured
distance is reduced and even a great error is induced. Moreover, in
measuring a distance by supersonic wave, the transmitter, receiver
and reflector must be in a perpendicular relation. Otherwise, the
measured distance has a dramatic error.
[0011] Furthermore, since the prior transmitting portion of the
prior supersonic detector is aimed at the leg of the runner, when
supersonic wave is emitted to the leg of the runner, since a lifted
leg is inclined to the ground, or the trousers have wrinkles so
that the direction of returning supersonic wave is changed.
Moreover, the receiver used in the prior art is an amplifier so
that multi-path reflected supersonic wave will be received by the
receiver. In practical operation, the device can not present a
predetermined effect, while it is possible that the device makes a
fault that the runner has moved away from the control device. As a
result, the control panel cuts off the power of the driving device
of the running belt immediately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is
to provide an electronic running exercise machine with a
bidirectional supersonic detector having a running belt. A front
end of the running belt has a driving device for driving the
running belt. Two sides of a front end of the electronic running
exercise machine have respective U-like handle rods. A control
panel is installed between the two handle rods. The supersonic
detector has a control portion and a reflecting portion. The
control portion is installed in a control panel of the electronic
running exercise machine. The reflecting portion is worn on the
runner. The reflecting portion emits supersonic wave to the control
portion. The control portion measures the time required at the two
ends precisely and then the time is converted into a distance so as
to be transferred to the control panel. Therefore, the rotary speed
of the running belt is controlled precisely.
[0013] The various objects and advantages of the present invention
will be more readily understood from the following detailed
description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the supersonic detector of the
present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] At first, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic running
exercise machine with a bidirectional supersonic detector of the
present invention is illustrated. The electronic running exercise
machine 10 of the present invention has a general structure known
in the prior art and thus herein it is roughly described. The
electronic running exercise machine 10 has a running belt 11. A
front end of the running belt 11 has a driving device 12 for
driving the running belt 11. Two sides of a front end of the
electronic running exercise machine 10 have respective U-like
handle rods 13. A control panel 14 is installed between the two
handle rods 13.
[0018] A supersonic detector 20 has a control portion 21 and a
reflecting portion 22. The control portion 21 is installed in a
predetermined portion at a front end of the electronic running
exercise machine 10 and about a middle position of the handle rods
13, which is aligned to an upper half of the runner or the control
portion 21 can be directly installed on the control panel 14. The
reflecting portion 22 can be worn on the runner. The reflecting
portion 22 may emit supersonic wave to the control portion 21.
Thereby, no object is necessary to be as a reflector as in the
prior art structure. As a result, the control portion 21 can
measure the time interval required at the two ends precisely and
then the measure time interval is converted into a distance so that
the value of the distance is transferred to a control panel 14 of
the electronic running exercise machine 10. Therefore, the rotary
speed of the running belt 11 can be controlled precisely. In use,
when the control portion 21 of the supersonic detector 20 is
installed in the control panel 14 of the electronic running
exercise machine 10. A transceiver panel 141 is formed on the
control panel 14 at a side facing toward the running belt 11.
[0019] The control portion 21 has an infrared transmitter 211, a
supersonic receiver 212, noise filters 213, a numeric calculator
214, and an actuator 215.
[0020] The reflecting portion 22 has an infrared receiver 221, and
a supersonic transmitter 222.
[0021] By above mentioned components, when the actuator 215 of the
control portion 21 is actuated, the control portion 21 will emit a
set of infrared signals to the infrared receiver 221 of the
reflecting portion 22 through the infrared transmitter 211. The
infrared transmitter 211 and infrared receiver 221 cause the
instruments of the control portion 21 and the reflecting portion 22
to operate synchronously. In the present invention, by the
principle that the light speed is quicker than sound speed, it is
assumed that the speed of the infrared is unlimited, and thus the
signals of the infrared transmitter 211 and infrared receiver 221
can be used as base signals. When the infrared receiver 221 of the
reflecting portion 22 has received infrared, the supersonic
transmitter 222 transmits a set of supersonic wave to return to the
supersonic receiver 212 of the control portion 21. As comparing
with the speed of the supersonic wave, the time interval of the
infrared transmitted to the reflecting portion 22 from the control
portion 21 is almost zero. Thus, by the time difference between the
time transmitting the infrared and the time receiving the
supersonic wave, the control portion 21 can calculate the distance
between the two ends and then the distance is transferred to the
control panel 14 of the electronic running exercise machine 10.
Thereby, the operation speed of the running belt 11 can be
controlled precisely.
[0022] Moreover, since the electronic running exercise machine 10
is an indoor exercise machine, many objects in the periphery of the
machine, such as human bodies, fluorescent lamps, electric devices
possibly emit infrared wave and then the infrared is received by
the infrared receiver 221. As a result, the supersonic transmitter
222 of the reflecting portion 22 will emit supersonic wave at an
improper timing. Therefore, the control portion 21 is installed
with a noise filter 213 for determining whether the supersonic wave
from the reflecting portion 22 is noise so as to increase the
precise of the measurement. With reference to FIG. 3, when the
runner 30 wears the reflecting portion 22 on the body, and then
stands on the running belt 11 of the electronic running exercise
machine 10. The driving device 12 of the electronic running
exercise machine 10 and the actuator 215 of the control portion 21
are actuated at the same time. When the actuator 215 of the control
portion 21 is actuated, the infrared transmitter 211 of the control
portion 21 will emit infrared signals to the infrared receiver 221
of the reflecting portion 22 of the runner 30 as base signals to
instruct the supersonic transmitter 222 of the reflecting portion
22 to emit a set of the supersonic wave to the supersonic receiver
212 of the control portion 21. Then the numeric calculator 214 of
the control portion 21 calculates the distance between the runner
30 standing on the running belt 11 and the control portion 21 by
using the time difference between the timing of transmitting
infrared and timing of receiving supersonic wave. Then the result
is transferred to the control panel 14 for adjusting the rotation
speed of the driving device 12 of the running belt 11. The position
of the runner 30 is near the control portion 21. Then the control
panel 14 will instruct the driving device 12 to increase speed. On
the contrary, when the running speed of the runner 30 is slower
than the running belt 11. The distance between the runner 30 and
the control portion 21 will increase. Then the control panel 14
will reduce the rotary speed of the driving device 12 real time.
When the control portion 21 senses that the position of the runner
30 has been over a predetermined distance, the control panel 14
will instruct to automatically switch the power of the driving
device 12. Thereby, it is assured that the electronic running
exercise machine 10 of the present invention is an intelligent
device. Thereby, the runner 30 may exercise in a safety
environment.
[0023] The electronic running exercise machine with a bidirectional
supersonic detector of the present invention will be described
hereinabove. In the following, the effect and characteristics of
the present invention will be described.
[0024] In the present invention, the supersonic transmitter and
supersonic receiver are separated without needing any reflector to
reflect supersonic wave. Thereby, the error between the results of
the numeric calculator and the practical distance is below 0.5%.
Thereby, after connecting the electronic running exercise machine
with a bidirectional supersonic detector of the present invention,
a predetermined effect can be achieved. Referring to FIG. 1, the
comparison of the test data and the practical distances is
presented. It is known that from the present invention, the error
is very small. Moreover, in the same distance, the error from many
measurements is within .+-.0.1. It is very near a correct
value.
[0025] The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious
that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not
to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the
present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious
to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the
scope of the following claims.
* * * * *