U.S. patent application number 11/646511 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-03 for power generating structure of an exerciser.
Invention is credited to Shih-Wen Hsiao.
Application Number | 20080161168 11/646511 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39584830 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080161168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsiao; Shih-Wen |
July 3, 2008 |
Power generating structure of an exerciser
Abstract
A power generating structure of an exerciser is disclosed to
include a driving wheel, a crank and pedal assembly for pedaling by
the user to rotate the driving wheel, a gravity wheel, a first
transmission belt coupled between the driving wheel and the gravity
wheel, a big idle wheel fixedly provided at one side of the gravity
wheel, a power generator, a small idle wheel provided at one side
of the power generator, and a second transmission belt coupled
between the big idle wheel and the small idle wheel for driving the
power generator to generate electricity upon rotation of the
gravity wheel by the driving wheel.
Inventors: |
Hsiao; Shih-Wen; (Tamtzu
Hsiang, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
39584830 |
Appl. No.: |
11/646511 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0605 20130101;
A63B 21/0053 20130101; A63B 21/225 20130101; A63B 2022/0652
20130101; A63B 2208/0238 20130101; A63B 21/0054 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/63 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/06 20060101
A63B022/06 |
Claims
1. A power generating structure of an exerciser comprising a
driving wheel, a crank and a pedal assembly fastened to said
driving wheel for pedaling by the user to rotate said driving
wheel, a gravity wheel having a gravity wheel diameter, a
transmission belt coupled between said driving wheel and said
gravity wheel, and a generator rotatable by said gravity wheel to
generate electricity, wherein said gravity wheel has a big idle
wheel fixedly fastened to one side thereof for synchronous
rotation; said big idle wheel having a diameter less than said
gravity wheel diameter, a controller in electrical cooperation with
said big idle wheel for adjusting the resistance of the gravity
wheel subjecting to different exercise requirements; said power
generator has a small idle wheel fixedly fastened to one side
thereof and coupled to said big idle wheel by a transmission belt
for driving said power generator to generate electricity upon
rotation of said gravity wheel, and an electricity accumulator
electrically connected to a power output end thereof for storing
generated electricity.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an exercising machine and
more specifically, to a power generating structure of an
exerciser.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A wheeled exerciser, for example, a stationary bicycle, as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a frame structure 1, a crank and
pedal assembly 2, a driving wheel 3, two transmission belts 4, a
transmission shaft 5, a transmission wheel 6, a monitor 7, a
gravity wheel 8, a reluctance generator 9. When pedaling the crank
and pedal assembly 2 to rotate the driving wheel 3, the
transmission shaft 5 is rotated by one transmission belt 4, and the
transmission wheel 6 is rotated with the transmission shaft 5 to
rotate the gravity wheel 8 and the reluctance generator 9 via the
other transmission belt 4, thereby causing the reluctance generator
9 to generate electricity for the monitor 7.
[0005] The power generating system of the aforesaid design has
numerous drawbacks as follows:
[0006] 1. The system uses the driving wheel 3, the transmission
belts 4, the transmission shaft 5, and the transmission wheel 6 to
transfer applied force from the user to the gravity wheel 8 and the
reluctance generator 9. This transmission arrangement uses a number
of parts, resulting in a complicated structure and high cost.
[0007] 2. Because the system uses a number of wheels (the driving
wheel 3, the transmission wheel 6, and the gravity wheel 8) to
transfer applied force from the user to the reluctance generator 9,
it requires much effort to drive the reluctance generator 9 to
generate electricity.
[0008] 3. The reluctance generator 9 is heavy and expensive, and
requires much installation space.
[0009] 4. The gravity wheel 8 is a metal wheel that becomes hot
quietly during operation of the exerciser, and the transmission
belt 4 that is coupled to the gravity wheel 8 will become loosened
soon when the gravity wheel 8 is hot, thereby affecting
transmission of the applied force to the reluctance generator
9.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present
invention to provide a power generating structure of an exerciser,
which is easy and inexpensive to install. It is another object of
the present invention to provide a power generating structure of an
exerciser, which is stable and durable in use. To achieve these and
other objects of the present invention, the power generating
structure is installed in a wheeled exerciser, for example, a
stationary bicycle, comprising a driving wheel, a crank and pedal
assembly for pedaling by the user to rotate the driving wheel, a
gravity wheel, a first transmission belt coupled between the
driving wheel and the gravity wheel, a big idle wheel fixedly
provided at one side of the gravity wheel, a power generator, a
small idle wheel provided at one side of the power generator, and a
second transmission belt coupled between the big idle wheel and the
small idle wheel for driving the power generator to generate
electricity upon rotation of the gravity wheel by the driving
wheel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stationary bicycle
constructed according to the prior art.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the stationary
bicycle according to the prior art.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a stationary bicycle
constructed according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side plain view of a part of the stationary
bicycle according to the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side plain view of the stationary bicycle
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 3.about.5, a wheeled exerciser, for
example, a stationary bicycle is shown mounted in the frame
structure 10 thereof a driving wheel 11, a crank and pedal assembly
12 for pedaling by the user to rotate the driving wheel 11, a
gravity wheel 13, a monitor 17, a transmission belt 14 coupled
between the driving wheel 11 and the gravity wheel 13, and a power
generator 20 for generating electricity. The gravity wheel 13 has a
big idle wheel 23 fixedly fastened to one side thereof. The power
generator 20 has a small idle wheel 21 fixedly fastened to one side
thereof. Further, a transmission belt 24 is coupled between the big
idle wheel 23 and the small idle wheel 21. Therefore, when the
gravity wheel 13 is rotated by the driving wheel 11 through the
transmission belt 14 during pedaling of the crank and pedal
assembly 12 by the user, the power generator 20 is rotated with the
small idle wheel 21 by the transmission belt 24 to generate
electricity and to have generated electricity be stored in an
electricity accumulator 22.
[0017] Further, the gravity wheel 13 is mounted with a
magnetoresistor 15 and a controller 16, as shown in FIG. 4. By
means of the controller 16, the user can adjust the
magnetoresistance of the magnetoresistor 15, i.e., adjust the
resistance to the gravity wheel 13 subject to different exercising
requirements.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, when the user is sitting on the saddle
18 of the stationary bicycle to pedal the crank and pedal assembly
12, the driving wheel 11 is driven to rotate the gravity wheel 13
through the transmission belt 14, and at the same time the big idle
wheel 23 is rotated with the gravity wheel 13 to rotate the small
idle wheel 21 and the power generator 20 via the transmission belt
24, and therefore the power generator 20 is driven to generate
electricity. The generated electricity is stored in the electricity
accumulator 22 and supplied to the monitor 17 and the controller
16.
[0019] As indicated above, the invention provides a power
generating structure of an exerciser that has the following
features:
[0020] 1. The big idle wheel 23 and the small idle wheel 21 have
different diameters, thereby providing a speed-change effect, i.e.,
the power generator 20 can be rotated at a high speed with less
effort.
[0021] 2. The big idle wheel 23 can be made of a non-metal material
of low heat transfer index, preventing quick transfer of heat
energy from the gravity wheel 13 to the transmission belt 24.
[0022] 3. The electricity accumulator 22 can be a rechargeable
battery that stores generated electricity and outputs stabilized
voltage and electric current to the monitor 17 and the controller
16.
[0023] 4. By means of the transmission belt 24 to transfer rotary
driving force from the big idle wheel 23 to the small idle wheel 21
and the power generator 20, smooth rotation of the gravity wheel 13
is maintained.
[0024] 5. The power generator 20 can be a small-sized and
inexpensive power generator to lower the cost of the system.
[0025] A prototype of power generating structure of an exerciser
has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 3.about.5. The
power generating structure of an exerciser functions smoothly to
provide all the features discussed earlier.
[0026] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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