U.S. patent application number 11/062836 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-24 for magnetic resistance device for upright bikes.
Invention is credited to Ming-Fu Chou.
Application Number | 20060189452 11/062836 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36913492 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060189452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chou; Ming-Fu |
August 24, 2006 |
Magnetic resistance device for upright bikes
Abstract
A magnetic resistance upright bike includes a frame and a
driving wheel and a fly wheel are connected to the frame wherein
the fly wheel is driven by the driving wheel. A magnetic resistance
device includes a support member fixed on the frame and a magnet
assembly is connected on the support member. The magnet assembly
includes two magnets supported on the support member and the fly
wheel is rotatably located between the two magnets. A circuit board
is electrically connected to the two magnets and a control device
is connected to the circuit board. The gap between the fly wheel
and the magnets are fixed and the magnetic force can be controlled
by adjusting the current powering the magnets.
Inventors: |
Chou; Ming-Fu; (Taichung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
36913492 |
Appl. No.: |
11/062836 |
Filed: |
February 23, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0051 20130101;
A63B 21/0052 20130101; A63B 22/0605 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/063 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/06 20060101
A63B022/06; A63B 69/16 20060101 A63B069/16 |
Claims
1. A magnetic resistance upright bike comprising: a frame and a
transmission device connected to the frame, the transmission device
including a driving wheel and a fly wheel which is driven by the
driving wheel; a magnetic resistance device including a support
member fixed on the frame and a magnet assembly connected on the
support member, the magnet assembly including two magnets which are
supported on the support member, one of the drive wheel and the fly
wheel rotatably located between the two magnets, and a circuit
board electrically connected to the two magnets and a control
device connected to the circuit board.
2. The bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member is a
U-shaped member including a base plate and two sidewalls, the base
plate is fixed on the frame and the two magnets are located on the
base plate and between the two sidewalls.
3. The bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member is a
U-shaped member including a base plate and two sidewalls, the two
sidewalls are connected to a shaft of the fly wheel and the two
magnets are located on the base plate.
4. The bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fly wheel includes a
generator set connected to spokes of the fly wheel and coils which
are connected on a periphery of the fly wheel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a magnetic resistance
device for upright bikes and the device is easily assembled and
manufactured and suitable for different types of upright bikes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A conventional upright bike 70 with a magnetic resistance
device 76 is disclosed in FIG. 9, and generally includes a bike
frame 72 and a transmission device 74 which is connected to the
frame 71 and is composed of a drive wheel 742 with a crank
connected thereto, and a fly wheel 741 which is rotated by rotation
of the crank by the users. The magnetic resistance device 76
includes an electric magnet 761 which is composed of silicon steel
strips and coils. A control device 762 is connected to the magnet
761 so that the user can operate the control device 762 to control
the current passing through the magnet 761 to control the magnetic
resistance between the magnet 761 and the fly wheel 741. The
silicon steel strips have to be made according to the curvature of
the fly wheel 741 so as to keep an even gap between the fly wheel
741 and the silicone steel strips. However, the sizes of the fly
wheels 741 may vary for different types of upright bikes so that
the manufacturers have to prepare different molds for the
manufacture. This increases the manufacturing cost.
[0003] Another conventional magnetic resistance upright bike 80 is
disclosed in FIGS. 10 and 11, and includes a frame 82 with a
transmission device 84 which includes a drive wheel 841 and a fly
wheel 842 which is rotated by the rotation of the crank on the
drive wheel 841 by the users. A magnetic resistance device 86 is
located at a distance from an outer periphery of the fly wheel 842
so as to provide a magnetic resistance to the fly wheel 842. The
magnetic resistance device 86 includes a support member 861 on
which a plurality of permanent magnets 862 are connected, a spring
863, a cable 864, a threaded rod 865 and a nut 866. The spring 863
has one end fixed to the support frame 861 and the other end of the
spring 863 is connected to the frame 82. The spring force of the
spring 863 can be adjusted by movement of the threaded rod 865 and
the cable 864 and in turn to adjust the angle of the support member
861. The spring 863 keeps the support member 861 to have a tendency
to maintain a t the position where a certain gap is defined between
the periphery of the fly wheel 842 and the magnets 862 connected on
the support member 861. A link 865 has one end pivotably connected
to a base by a rivet 866 and the other end of the link 865 is
connected to the other end of the cable 864. The user may operate
the link 865 to adjust the width of the gap between the support
member 861 and the periphery of the fly wheel 842. However, the
pivotable support member 861 cannot keep the gap precisely as
desired and the spring 863 has an inherent fatigue problem.
[0004] The present invention intends to provide a magnetic
resistance device for an upright bike wherein the magnets are
located on two sides of the fly wheel and are manufactured
modularized so as to obtain an economical and compact magnetic
resistance device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention relates to a magnetic resistance
upright bike which comprises a frame and a transmission device is
connected to the frame. The transmission device includes a driving
wheel and a fly wheel which is driven by the driving wheel. A
magnetic resistance device includes a support member fixed on the
frame and a magnet assembly connected on the support member. Two
magnets are supported on the support member and the fly wheel is
rotatably located between the two magnets. A circuit board is
electrically connected to the two magnets and a control device
connected to the circuit board.
[0006] The fly wheel is located between the two magnets so that the
magnets are not necessary made in different shapes according to the
sizes of the fly wheel, so that the magnet assembly can be made
modularized which is less expensive when compared with the
conventional magnetic resistance devices.
[0007] The present invention will become more obvious from the
following description when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration
only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the magnetic resistance
device and the upright bike of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show that the magnetic
resistance device is connected to the upright bike of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of perspective view to show the
upright bike with the magnetic resistance device of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an end view to show that the fly wheel is
rotatably located between the two magnets of the magnetic
resistance device of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 shows that the magnetic resistance device is
connected to another position relative to the fly wheel;
[0013] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the support member of the
magnetic resistance device of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 7 shows two sets of the magnetic resistance device of
the present invention are used on one upright bike;
[0015] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the upright bike of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 9 shows a conventional magnetic resistance device on an
upright bike;
[0017] FIG. 10 shows another conventional magnetic resistance
device on an upright bike, and
[0018] FIG. 11 shows that the support member of the magnetic
resistance device in FIG. 10 is pivoted away from the fly
wheel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the upright bike of the present
invention comprises a frame 10 including two posts and a
transmission device 20 is connected to the frame 10. The
transmission device 20 includes a driving wheel 21 and a fly wheel
23 which is driven by the driving wheel 21 by a belt or a chain.
The fly wheel 23 is rotatably connected between the two posts and
the driving wheel 21 is connected to a crank to which two pedals
are connected so that when the user rotates the crank, the fly
wheel 23 is rotated by the driving wheel 21 via the belt.
[0020] A magnetic resistance device 30 includes a support member 31
fixed on a transverse bar between the two posts of the frame 10 and
a magnet assembly 32 is connected on the support member 31. The
magnet assembly 32 includes two magnets 321, 322 which are
supported on the support member 31. The fly wheel 23 is rotatably
located between the two magnets 321, 322. The support member 31 is
a U-shaped member including a base plate and two sidewalls, wherein
the base plate is fixed on the transverse bar by a bolt and the two
magnets 321, 322 are located on the base plate and between the two
sidewalls.
[0021] A circuit board 11 is electrically connected to the two
magnets 321, 322 and a control device 12 connected to the circuit
board 11. The user may operate the control device 12 to adjust the
current powering the magnets 321, 322 so as to obtain different
magnetic force.
[0022] Therefore, the magnet resistance device 30 can be
independently manufactured regardless of shapes and sizes of the
fly wheels 23. The magnet resistance device 30 can be made
modularized to reduce the manufacturing cost.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the position of the magnet resistance
device 30 can be moved to any position on the frame 10 as long as
the fly wheel 23 goes between the two magnets 321, 322.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 6, the support member 31 is a U-shaped
member including a base plate and two sidewalls, wherein the two
sidewalls are connected to the shaft of the fly wheel 23 and the
two magnets 321, 322 are located on the base plate. There can be
two sets of the magnetic resistance device 30 which are
electrically connected in parallel with each other to provide more
powerful magnetic resistance to the fly wheel 23. As shown in FIG.
7, the number of the magnet assembly 32 can be arranged in parallel
or in series with each other so as to have desired magnetic
forces.
[0025] FIG. 8 shows that the fly wheel 23 includes a generator set
connected to spokes of the fly wheel 23, and coils 24 which are
located along the periphery of the fly wheel 23. The generator set
and the coils can also be fixed on the pedals so as to control the
voltages and currents, or magnetic farce to be used.
[0026] The magnets 321, 322 can be manufactured modularized and the
number of the magnets can be adjusted according to the
specifications of the fly wheel 23. The magnetic resistance device
30 is installed regardless of the thickness, the diameter or the
shape of the fly wheels. Furthermore, the fly wheel 23 is not in
contact with the magnets 321, 322 so that no noise is produced. It
is noted that the magnetic resistance device 40 can be installed to
either of the drive wheel 21 or the fly wheel 23 to achieve the
same purpose.
[0027] While we have shown and described the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those
skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
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