WO1999047215A1 - Stationary exercise bicycle simulator - Google Patents

Description

Stationary Exercise Bicycle Simulator

Technical Field

My invention relates primarily to stationary exercise equipment,

such as bicycles, and more particul.arly to a novel stationary exercise

bicycle simulator apparatus which includes side-to-side, up-and-down and

front-to-back capabilities in simulation of a traditional free-standing

bicycle. A shock absorption capability is also provided to enhance comfort

and increase the level of simulation. Further, my bicycle simulator may be

produced as a self-contained unit or may be adapted for use with existing

bicycles.

Background Art

In the last few decades, the exercise industry has grown

tremendously due, in part, to an increased awareness and desire on the p.art

of the public to achieve and maintain a higher level of athletic fitness and

general well-being. Numerous apparatus and devices have been invented

that purport to impart long life and health upon their users. -2- More specifically, stationary bicycles have grown in popularity,

partly as a result of the increased popularity of specialty forms of bicycling,

such as mountain biking and bicycle touring. Stationary bicycles

supposedly give the user the feel of riding a real bicycle without the effort,

maintenance and safety concerns associated therewith. But as many who

have undertaken to ride a stationary bicycle have determined, most

stationary bicycles are boring, resulting in large numbers of riders giving

up on this activity.

In attempting to address this problem, there have been many who

have invested large amounts of creativity, money and effort into making the

stationary bicycle more tolerable to the average user. And many

improvements have been made. For example, a form of exercise on a

stationary bicycle that has recently caught on with the public is spinning, in

which an instructor leads a pack of stationary cyclists through an artificial

training workout that simulates a pack of actual riders engaged in an actual

road workout. This form of exercise has become successful because the

feeling of an actual riding experience is sought for and achieved to some

degree.

However, there is at least one area in which little or no improvement

has resulted, thus preventing stationary bicycles from becoming as popular -3- or as widely accepted as they could be. The physical design of stationary

bicycles typically provides for a stabile, ground contacting base upon

which the body of the bicycle is rigidly mounted. While most have a seat,

handlebars and pedals, in simulation of an actual bicycle, most do not make

provision for other standard features .and capabilities.

Real bicycles allow a rider to lean into turns, to tilt from side to side

as he or she pumps the pedals through a difficult section of terrain in which

much resistance is experienced, and to enjoy some dampening up and down

movement from the bicycle's shock absorption system resulting in a more

comfortable ride. However, these features are not found on the typical

stationary exercise bicycle. Perhaps if they were, more bicycle enthusiasts

would opt to spend more time enjoying the advantages of stationary

bicycling.

With regards to the prior art, United States Patent No. 4,082,265 by

Berkes discloses a bicycle support system for maintaining a bicycle in a

generally upright position on a roller trainer while permitting tilting of the

bicycle as an attempt to simulate normal riding conditions. The support

system has two elongated legs that fit one on each side of the bicycle. The

legs attach the bicycle's frame at the seat post and at their other end to the

roller trainer. -4- While the device disclosed by the '265 patent does have the

capability of tilting, this tilting is limited by the device's spatial

configuration and is less than that which can be achieved in realistic

conditions. Also, the simulator is not designed to have any other

movement besides its limited titling and so therefore cannot fully simulate

the vertical and pitching movements of real bicycle riding. Lastly, because

the device does not have an impedance capability it cannot train the

operator effectively.

US Patent No. 4,580,983 discloses another roller trainer that has a

support system intended to allow limited deviations from vertical.. This

attempt at a simulator has a roller trainer that has only two rollers. The

support system contains a bracket which attaches to both sides of the

existing bicycle's rear wheel hub. This symmetrical bracket is free only to

rotate about its axis of symmetry .and slide horizontally in a slideway.

The device disclosed in the '983 patent is imperfect, because if its

support system is stiff, then it renders itself non-functional, and if its

support system is flexible, it will not hold the bicycle upon the roller

trainer. Even if these problems could be overcome, the device suffers from

the same faults as the device disclosed in the '265 patent. Again there is

only a small amount of tilting and no vertical or pitching movements such -5- that realistic bicycle riding cannot effectively be simulated. Similarly and

lastly, because the device does no have an impedance capability, it cannot

train the operator effectively.

US Patent No. 4,958,832 discloses a bicycle simulator the includes a

bicycle that rides upon a textured treadmill. In order to keep the bicycle

upon the treadmill, the frame of the bicycle is connected to the frame of the

treadmill by a mechanical device. Its mechanical device allows the bicycle

the freedom to move upon the treadmill while not allowing the bicycle

enough freedom to come off of the treadmill.

One problem with the bicycle simulator disclosed by the '832 patent

is that its securing structure only allows a limited tilting of the bicycle

frame. Furthermore, this limited tilting must occur for only a short

duration of time. Upon critical examination of the specification it is clear

that a second problem of the device is that the bicycle can be driven off of

the treadmill under certain conditions, thereby endangering the operator. A

third problem is that the vertical movement of the bicycle frame is severely

limited because the vertical movement is dependent upon the vertical

texture of the treadmill. The vertical texture of the treadmill cannot be so

great as to render the treadmill unworkable. Thus, there can be only small

vertical movements of the bicycle frame. Lastly, a fourth problem with the -6- simulator is that it does not have an impedance capability and because of

this the development of the strength .and endurance of the operator is

lessened.

US Patents No. 4,817,939 and 5,050,865 issued to Augspurger and

Bartlett disclose and claim apparatus which allow some tilting about a

longitudinal axis. The means by which the tilting is facilitated includes

two cylinders attached at opposing ends to the axle of the bicycle (or body

of the dedicated stationary device) and the base of the apparatus. Each

cylinder houses a compression spring, or alternatively a pneumatic or

hydraulic cylinder, the two cylinder together acting to allow some tilt and

return.

However, while all are improvements over the prior art, none of

these apparatus mentioned provides complete simulation of the outdoor

free bicycle riding experience. For ex-ample,. the dampened up and down

motion experienced due to the bicycle's shock absorption system and to air

displacement in the tires when a rider pumps strenuously cannot be

simulated by these apparatus since up and down motion is prevented.

Furthermore, the dampened front to back motion experienced when a rider

suddenly shifts his or her weight cannot be simulated for the same reason.

Also, none of the prior art apparatus allows for a rider to simulate the -7- steering motion experienced by outdoor free bicycle riders.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a stationary

exercise bicycle simulator apparatus comprising a stabilizing base portion,

an adjustable seat, handlebars and a structure for allowing the apparatus to

experience limited side-to-side motion responsive to shifts in weight

exerted by the operator. Further, a shock absorption system may be

provided to enhance the comfort and increase the level of simulation.

The base portion further comprises a bisecting transverse section

which includes two oppositely disposed transverse extremities. At each of

these extremities, a contact point is in communication with the solid planar

surface upon which the apparatus rests. Also, each contact point includes

an elastic dampener allowing some movement. When these two elastic

dampeners react in concert to a side-to-side weight shift exerted by the

operator, a limited rocking or side-to-side motion is experienced, thus

providing an enhanced life-like simulation of riding an actual bicycle.

My apparatus may additionally include a shock absorption system in

order to provide increased up-and-down movement, again in simulation of

an actual bicycle. This system comprises a rearwardly extending member -8- having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally secured to

the base portion and the second end including a surface contacting roller.

Advantageously, an elastic dampener is disposed between the base portion

and the first end of the rearwardly extending member in order to absorb up-

down weight shifts experienced when riding.

The handlebars of my invention may also be made to simulate the

steering of .an actual bicycle by placing an elastic dampener between the

downwardly extending handlebar shaft and the handlebar receptacle. In

this manner some limited left-to-right .and right-to-left movement can be

experienced so that the operator can turn the handlebars and

simultaneously lean into a simulated turn, just as an operator of an actual

bicycle would lean into a turn.

As with other exercise apparatus, my stationary bicycle includes a

drive system, which comprises commonly used, oppositely aligned, rotating

pedals which accommodate the operator's feet; a weighted wheel in

communication with the pedals, the wheel having a magnetically attractive

strip disposed about its perimeter; and structures that, when working

together, provide resistance, thereby requiring that the operator exert a

force in order to rotate the pedals. Such structures may include an

electromagnet aligned with the magnetically attractive strip on the wheel, a -9- mechanism for selectively advancing and retracting the electromagnet

relative to the strip in order to vary the resistance, and a motor or some

other power provider that supplies electric power to the electromagnet.

Therefore, my improved apparatus possesses the advantage of

providing the same side-to-side tilting, up-and-down and front-to-back

motion capabilities in a stationary bicycle as are experienced with an actual

free-standing bicycle, which, to my knowledge, has never been

accomplished before. Hence, .an operator can obtain the feel of .an actual

bicycle without the problems of bad weather, maintenance considerations,

time restrictions and traffic congestion often experienced when riding .an

actual, free standing bicycle.

Brief Description of Drawings

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the

accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear three dimensional

perspective view of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a right side elevational

view of the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the

first embodiment; Figure 4 is front three dimensional view of a second

embodiment; Figure 5 is a right side elevational view of a third

embodiment; Figure 6 is a right side elevational view of a fourth -10- embodiment; Figure 7 is a partial cutaway three dimensional perspective

view of the shock absorption system; Figure 8 is a partial cutaway

elevational view of a first magnetic strip; Figure 9 is a partial cutaway three

dimensional view of a second magnetic strip; and Figure 10 is a cross-

sectional view of one of the cushioned contact points disposed at one of the

transverse extremities of the bisecting tr-ansverse section.

Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring now to the drawings, like numerals are used to denote like

components throughout. The apparatus of my invention, generally

designated 20, as shown, comprises in general a stabilizing base portion 22,

an adjustable seat 24, adjustable handlebars 26 and a series of structures 28

which act in concert to provide the apparatus 20 with the capability of

rocking from side-to-side. Each of these components will be described in

greater detail hereafter.

The structures 28 are in the main found in the base portion 22 of the

apparatus 20. Specifically, the base portion 22 further comprises a

plurality of contact points 30 for communicating between the apparatus 20

and the solid planar surface upon which it rests, as well as a bisecting

transverse section 32, which includes two identical, but oppositely disposed -11- tr.ansverse extremities 34. Importantly, one of the contact points 30 is

located within each of the transverse extremities 34. These two particular

contact points 30 include an elastic dampener 36, which at present is an

encapsulated spring 38. See Figure 10. An elastomeric material may also

be included or used in place of the spring 38. As shown, each dampener 36

allows up-down movement. Even more critically, however, is how these

two dampeners 36 act together when the operator shifts his or her weight

from side-to-side, as when strenuously pumping. In this event, the

placement of the dampeners 36 relative to the operator and natural

springing action thereof combine to yield a side-to-side rocking or tilting

similar to that experienced on a real bicycle when such an action is

undertaken. It will be noticed that springs 38 or other elastomeric materials

of various strengths .and elasticity may be used according to desire and

need.

The base portion 22 may also include a shock absorption system 40,

best shown in Figures 4 through 8, in order to provide limited up-and-down

motion of the apparatus 20 responsive to movement initiated by the

operator. As illustrated, this system 40 comprises a rearwardly extending

member 42 and an elastic dampener 44. In particular, the rearwardly

extending member 42 has first and second ends 46 and 48, respectively. -12- The first end 46 is pivotally secured to the base portion 22 in a standard

fashion, such as with a bolt 50 extending through rigid plates 52 (attached

to the base portion 22) and the first end 46.

The dampener 44, best seen in Figures 7 and 8, is disposed between

the first end 46 of the member 42 and the base portion 22. To facilitate this

placement, a bracket 54 may be attached to the member 42 and a

corresponding bracket 56 may be attached to the base portion 22. In this

position, the dampener 44 is easily secured to one or two of the brackets 54

or 56 and maintained therebetween. The second end 48 of the rearwardly

extending member 42 includes a surface contacting roller 58, which is

rotatably secured thereto. As is apparent from the drawings, when up-and-

down motion is instigated by the operator, the elastic dampener 44 is

compressed between the base portion 22 and the member 42, thus causing

the angle between them to decrease and some of the vertical movement to

be translated into horizontal movement as the roller 58 moves relative to

the surface. In this manner such up-and-down movement is effectively

kept within established parameters to provide a comfortable and life-like

ride.

The drawings indicate that the base portion 22 may take a variety of

different sizes and shapes while still falling within the purview of this -13- invention. In general, however, the base portion 22 comprises, in addition

to the features already mentioned, a forwardly extending arm 59 for

accommodating the mounting of the handlebars 26, an upwardly extending

arm 61 for accommodating the mounting of the seat 24, .and a rearwardly

and upwardly extending arm 63 (not to be confused with the rearwardly

extending member 42) for accommodating the mounting of a wheel

(discussed hereafter).

Another interesting feature of this apparatus 20 is the operation of

the handlebars 26. Except for the particular design of the embodiment of

Figure 5, the handlebars 26 may include a mock steering system 60 which

simulates the steering experienced when riding .an actual bicycle. The

system 60 comprises a grasping portion 62, a vertically downward

extending handlebar shaft 64, an encapsulating handlebar receptacle 66,

and an elastic dampener, not shown, disposed between the shaft 64 and the

receptacle 66. With this structure .an operator can hold the grasping portion

62 and exert a force (right or left) to make the handlebars 26 move slightly

in that direction. This allows the operator to steer and lean into "turns" as

one riding an actual bicycle would do.

As mentioned above, the seat 24 is adjustable to accommodate the

various sizes and shapes of operators who will use the apparatus 20. In its -14- most preferred embodiment, the seat 24 is adjustable in both the vertical

and horizontal directions. See Figure 2. Adjustability in both directions is

facilitated by the use of springed pins 67 which insert into one of a series

of apertures, not shown, in order to maintain the seat 24 in the desired

position.

As with most exercise bicycles, a drive system 68 is provided as the

primary means of exercise, the system 68 comprising operator activated,

oppositely aligned, rotating pedals 70, which are adapted to receive the feet

of the operator. The drive system 68 further includes a weighted wheel 72,

which is in communication with and activated by the pedals 70, as well as

structures 74 for providing resist.ance to the pedaling action supplied by the

operator.

More specifically, the structures 74 include a magnetically attractive

strip 76 disposed about the perimeter of the wheel 72, an electromagnet 78

which is aligned with the strip 76, an adjustment mechanism 80 for

selectively advancing and retracting the electromagnet 78 relative to the

magnetically attractive strip 76 in order to provide a desired amount of

resistance, and a motor 82 for providing electric power to the

electromagnet 78. The preferred motor 82 includes at least one wheel

contacting disk 84, which, when rotated by the spinning wheel 72, allows -15- the motor 82 to generate electric power for the electromagnet 78, as is well

known in the art of electric power generation.

As indicated in Figures 7 through 9, the magnetically attractive strip

76 may be disposed either 1) about the perimeter of the wheel 72 so as to

encompass its outer edge (Figures 7 and 8), or 2) about the perimeter of the

wheel 72 so as to be embedded in one side thereof (Figure 9, as well as

Figure 2). Wherever the strip 76 is disposed, the remaining structures 74

.are adapted accordingly to provide the desired effect.

The foregoing and other advantages are obvious to those skilled in

the art of exercise bicycles and the simulation of actual bicycles.