U.S. patent application number 10/735712 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-16 for resistance adjuster for adjusting a resistance-providing member on a stationary bicycle.
Invention is credited to Lin, Pillar.
Application Number | 20050130808 10/735712 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34634519 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050130808 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Pillar |
June 16, 2005 |
RESISTANCE ADJUSTER FOR ADJUSTING A RESISTANCE-PROVIDING MEMBER ON
A STATIONARY BICYCLE
Abstract
A resistance adjuster for adjusting a resistance-providing
member on a stationary bicycle includes a tubular housing, an
elastic buffering member disposed in the housing and having upper
and lower ends, an upper connecting member connected to the upper
end of the buffering member, a lower connecting member connected to
the lower end of the buffering member, a first string connected to
the lower connecting member, a second string connected to the upper
connecting member and the resistance-providing member, and an
operating member connected to the first string and operable to
displace the buffering member, the upper and lower connecting
members, and the first and second strings in the axial
direction.
Inventors: |
Lin, Pillar; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 8910
RESTON
VA
20195
US
|
Family ID: |
34634519 |
Appl. No.: |
10/735712 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 74/2045 20150115;
A63B 21/00069 20130101; A63B 21/012 20130101; A63B 21/225 20130101;
A63B 22/0605 20130101; Y10T 74/20462 20150115; A63B 21/4049
20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/057 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/06; A63B
069/16 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A resistance adjuster for adjusting a resistance-providing
member, which is in frictional contact with a flywheel of a
stationary bicycle, said resistance adjuster comprising: a tubular
housing adapted to be mounted on the stationary bicycle and
defining an axial direction; an elastic buffering member that is
disposed in said housing, that has upper and lower ends opposite to
each other in said axial direction, and that is elastically
compressible in said axial direction; an upper connecting member
connected securely to said upper end of said buffering member; a
lower connecting member opposite to said upper connecting member in
said axial direction and connected securely to said lower end of
said buffering member; a first string that extends into said
housing to connect securely with said lower connecting member; a
second string that extends into said housing to connect securely
with said upper connecting member and that is adapted to be
connected securely to the resistance-providing member; and an
operating member adapted to be mounted movably on the stationary
bicycle, connected securely to said first string, and operable to
displace said buffering member, said upper and lower connecting
members, and said first and second strings in said axial direction
so as to permit adjustment of the resistance-providing member.
2. The resistance adjuster of claim 1, wherein said buffering
member is in the form of a coil spring, said housing having an
inner wall, said upper and lower connecting members being in
sliding contact with said inner wall of said housing.
3. The resistance adjuster of claim 1, wherein each of said upper
and lower connecting members is in the form of a cylindrical block
that is formed with a clamping hole therein for extension of a
respective one of said first and second strings therethrough, and a
radial slit extending in a radial direction relative to said axial
direction, intersecting said clamping hole, and dividing said
cylindrical block into first and second halves, said clamping hole
having a cross-section and extending in said axial direction, each
of said upper and lower connecting members including a screw bolt
that engages threadedly said cylindrical block, that extends
through said first half of said cylindrical block and into said
second half of said cylindrical block in a transverse direction
relative to said slit, and that intersects said slit so as to
reduce said cross-section of said clamping hole and to thereby
clamp the respective one of said first and second strings between
said first and second halves of said cylindrical block upon
tightening of said screw bolt.
4. The resistance adjuster of claim 3, wherein said cylindrical
block of each of said upper and lower connecting members is further
formed with a confining hole therein for extension of the other of
said first and second strings therethrough.
5. The resistance adjuster of claim 1, wherein said first string
has an upper end that is connected securely to said operating
member, and a lower end that is opposite to said upper end and that
is connected securely to said lower connecting member, said second
string having an upper end that is connected securely to said upper
connecting member, and a lower end that is opposite to said upper
end of said second string and that is adapted to be connected
securely to the resistance-providing member.
6. The resistance adjuster of claim 1, wherein said housing has
upper and lower ends that are opposite to each other in said axial
direction, said resistance adjuster further comprising upper and
lower caps that are mounted respectively on said upper and lower
ends of said housing, each of said upper and lower caps defining a
confining recess that extends from the respective one of said upper
and lower ends of said housing in said axial direction, each of
said first and second strings extending through said confining
recess in a respective one of said upper and lower caps.
7. The resistance adjuster of claim 1, wherein said first string
has an upper end that is connected securely to said operating
member, and a lower end that is opposite to said upper end and that
is connected securely to said lower connecting member, said second
string having an upper end that extends outwardly of said housing
and that is adapted to be connected securely to a brake operating
member, a lower end that is opposite to said upper end of said
second string, that extends outwardly of said housing, and that is
adapted to be connected securely to the resistance-providing
member, and a middle segment that extends through and that is
connected securely to said upper connecting member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a resistance adjuster, more
particularly to a resistance adjuster for adjusting a
resistance-providing member on a stationary bicycle.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional stationary bicycle that
includes a flywheel 70, a resistance-providing member 71 that is in
frictional contact with the flywheel 70 so as to provide resistance
to the flywheel 70, and a resistance adjuster for adjusting the
resistance-providing member 71. The resistance adjuster includes an
operating member 72 mounted on a handlebar of the stationary
bicycle, and a string 73 interconnecting the operating member 72
and the resistance-providing member 71. The conventional resistance
adjuster is disadvantageous in that the resistance-providing member
71 tends to wear easily due to a rigid connection between the
resistance-providing member 71 and the operating member 72 through
the string 73.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a resistance adjuster with a buffering member that is capable of
overcoming the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.
[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a
resistance adjuster for adjusting a resistance-providing member,
which is in frictional contact with a flywheel of a stationary
bicycle. The resistance adjuster includes: a tubular housing
adapted to be mounted on the stationary bicycle and defining an
axial direction; an elastic buffering member that is disposed in
the housing, that has upper and lower ends opposite to each other
in the axial direction, and that is elastically compressible in the
axial direction; an upper connecting member connected securely to
the upper end of the buffering member; a lower connecting member
opposite to the upper connecting member in the axial direction and
connected securely to the lower end of the buffering member; a
first string that extends into the housing to connect securely with
the lower connecting member; a second string that extends into the
housing to connect securely with the upper connecting member and
that is adapted to be connected securely to the
resistance-providing member; and an operating member adapted to be
mounted movably on the stationary bicycle, connected securely to
the first string, and operable to displace the buffering member,
the upper and lower connecting members, and the first and second
strings in the axial direction so as to permit adjustment of the
resistance-providing member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
invention,
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional
resistance adjuster for a resistance-providing member on a
stationary bicycle;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the first preferred
embodiment of a resistance adjuster for a resistance-providing
member on a stationary bicycle according to the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first
embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines IV-VI in FIG.
3;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines V-V in FIG.
3;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first
embodiment, with a buffering member and two connecting members
displaced in an axial direction;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the second preferred
embodiment of the resistance adjuster according to the present
invention; and
[0015] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] For the sake of brevity, like elements are denoted by the
same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0017] FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a
resistance adjuster for adjusting resistance provided by a
resistance-providing member 300 to a flywheel 200 of a stationary
bicycle 100 that is in frictional contact with the
resistance-providing member 300 according to the present invention.
The resistance adjuster includes: a tubular housing 10 mounted on
the stationary bicycle 100 and defining an axial direction; an
elastic buffering member 20 that is disposed in the housing 10,
that has upper and lower ends opposite to each other in the axial
direction, and that is elastically compressible in the axial
direction; an upper connecting member 23 connected securely to the
upper end of the buffering member 20; a lower connecting member 22
opposite to the upper connecting member 23 in the axial direction
and connected securely to the lower end of the buffering member 20;
a first string 42 that extends into the housing 10 to connect
securely with the lower connecting member 22; a second string 32
that extends into the housing 10 to connect securely with the upper
connecting member 23 and that is connected securely to the
resistance-providing member 300; and an operating member 50 mounted
movably on a handle bar 500 of the stationary bicycle 100,
connected securely to the first string 42, and operable to displace
the buffering member 20, the upper and lower connecting members 23,
22, and the first and second strings 42, 32 in the axial direction
(see FIGS. 3 and 6) so as to permit adjustment of the
resistance-providing member 300. Preferably, the buffering member
20 is in the form of a coil spring.
[0018] In this embodiment, each of the upper and lower connecting
members 23, 22 is in the form of a cylindrical block that is in
sliding contact with an inner wall of the housing 10 and that is
formed with a clamping hole 231 (221) therein for extension of a
respective one of the first and second strings 42, 32 therethrough,
and a radial slit 233 (223) extending in a radial direction
relative to the axial direction, intersecting the clamping hole 231
(221), and dividing the cylindrical block into first and second
halves 238, 239 (228, 229). The clamping hole 231 (221) in each of
the upper and lower connecting members 23, 22 has a cross-section,
and extends in the axial direction. Each of the upper and lower
connecting members 23, 22 includes a screw bolt 234 (224) that
engages threadedly the cylindrical block, that extends through the
first half 238 (228) of the cylindrical block and into the second
half 239 (229) of the cylindrical block in a transverse direction
relative to the slit 233 (223), and that intersects the slit 233
(223) so as to reduce the cross-section of the clamping hole 231
(221) and to thereby clamp the respective one of the first and
second strings 42, 32 between the first and second halves 238, 239
(228, 229) of the cylindrical block upon tightening of the screw
bolt 234 (224).
[0019] The cylindrical block of each of the upper and lower
connecting members 23, 22 is further formed with a confining hole
232 (222) therein for extension of the other of the first and
second strings 42, 32 therethrough. The confining hole 232 (222)
and the clamping hole 231 (221) in each of the upper and lower
connecting members 23, 22 are diametrically disposed.
[0020] Each of the first and second strings 42, 32 is enclosed by a
protective sheath 40 (30). The first string 42 has an upper end
that is connected securely to the operating member 50, and a lower
end 421 that is opposite to the upper end and that is connected
securely to the lower connecting member 22. The second string 32
has an upper end 231 that is connected securely to the upper
connecting member 23, and a lower end that is opposite to the upper
end of the second string 32 and that is connected securely to the
resistance-providing member 300.
[0021] The resistance adjuster further includes upper and lower
caps 13, 12 that are mounted respectively on upper and lower ends
of the housing 10. Each of the upper and lower caps 13, 12 defines
a confining recess 131 (121) that extends from the respective one
of the upper and lower ends of the housing 10 in the axial
direction. Each of the first and second strings 42, 32 extends
through the confining recess 131 (121) in a respective one of the
upper and lower caps 13, 12.
[0022] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the second preferred embodiment of
the resistance adjuster according to the present invention. The
resistance adjuster of this embodiment is similar to the previous
embodiment, except that the second string 32 has an upper end
connected securely to a brake operating member 60, which is mounted
on the handlebar 500, and a middle segment 320 connected securely
to the upper connecting member 23 and extending through the
clamping hole 231 in the upper connecting member 23.
[0023] With the inclusion of the buffering member 20 in the
resistance adjuster of this invention, the aforesaid wearing
problem as encountered in the prior art can be eliminated.
[0024] With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that
various modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *