GB2352644A

GB2352644A - Magnetic resistance device for exercise machine

Info

Publication number: GB2352644A
Application number: GB9926413A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yu-Peng Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-21
Filing date: 1999-11-08
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Also published as: GB9926413D0; FR2797192A1; DE29912725U1

Abstract

An exercise machine, eg a bicycle, is equipped with a retarding device which includes a flanged rotary disc 14 having a circumferential array of permanent magnets 2 attached to the outside, Fig 1, or the inside (Fig 5, not shown), of the flange 13. Control cable 8 works via cam mechanism 6 against the action of spring 56 to open or close the two semi-circular halves 5 of adjuster 50 against the magnets by means of limited movement about fixed pivot points 501. In an alternative embodiment (Figs 8 to 10, not shown), the rotary disc (140) supports an annular array of permanent magnets 2, and the control cable (90) moves a corresponding annular ring (15) into and out of contact in opposition to spring (91).

Description

2352644

MAGNETIC DAMPING DEVICE FOR AN EXERCISING DEUCE FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a damping device for an exercising device which includes a disk with a flange to which magnetic members are attached and an adjusting means is movably or pivotably connected to the frame.of the exercising device. The adjusting means is moved relatived to the damping device so as to obtain different damping feature for the exercising device.

BACKGRO= OF THE USTWNTION A conventional exercising device such as a exercising bicycle which has a frame with a seat tube on which a seat is connected, a crank, a first wheel is coaxially connected to the crank, and a second wheel is connected to the first wheel by a chain. A user may sit on the seat and rotate the crank by his/her feet to rotate the second wheel. In order to increase the exercising feature of the exercising device, a damping device is cooperated with the wheel so as to increase the friction force while the wheel is rotated by the user. The damping device is a belt which is pulled by the user to contact the periphery of the wheel so as to adjust the friction force of the wheel. Another damping device includes a disk made of Aluminum and a - magnetic device is fixedly connected to the frame of the exercising device and beside the disk.The disk is co-axially connected to a first wheel made of casting steel. A second wheel is connected to the crank and connected to the first wheel by a chain so that when rotating the crank, the first wheel and the disk are rotated, and the magnetic device will produce a damping force to the disk Nevertheless, the structure of the exercising device is so complicated and the manufacturing is costly.

The present invention intends to provide a damping device having a disk with magnetic members attached thereto. The disk and the magnetic members are rotated by the user. An adjusting means is connected to the frame of the exercising I device and is moved relative to the disk and the magnetic members so as to adjust the damping force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a damping device for an exercising device comprises a disk having a flange extending outward from the periphery of the disk and a plurality of magnetic members are attached to the flange. An adjusting means has two semi-circular parts and each of the parts has a first lug on the first end thereof which is pivotally connected to the frame of the exercising device. Each part has a second lug extending from the second end thereof so that a spring is connected between the two second lugs.

A shaft extends between the two parts and extends through the hole of the disk. A cam means is connected to the frame and rotatably connected between the two second lugs of the two parts so that the two parts are moved relative to the magnetic members by rotating the cam means to push the two lugs apart, The object of the present invention is to provide a damping device for an exercising device wherein the magnetic members are attached to a rotatable disk, and an adjusting means comprising two parts is pivotably connected to the frame of the exercising device so that the two parts are moved relative to the magnetic members by rotating the cam means.

These and ftirther objects, features and advantages of 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, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention..

BRIEF DES!CRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. I is an exploded view of thefirst embodiment of a damping device for an exercising device in accordance with the present invention; 3 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. I in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 3 in accordance with the present invention, wherein the cam means is not yet rotated; Fig. 4 is a front view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 3 in accordance with the present invention, wherein the cam means is rotated; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the second embodiment ' of a damping device for an exercising device in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6 is a front view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 5:.in accordance with the present invention, wherein the cam means is not yet rotated; Fig. 7 is a front view,.partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 5 in accordance with the present invention, wherein the cam means is rotated; Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the third embodiment of a damping device for an exercising device in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 8 in accordance with the present invention wherein the ring is not yet moved toward the disk, and Fig. 10 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the damping device as shown in Fig. 8 in accordance with the present invention wherein the ring is not moved toward the disk.

DETAILED DESCRRTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the first embodiment of a damping device of the present invention for an exercising device comprises a disk 14 having a flange 13 extending outward from the periphery of the disk 14. A hole 11 is defmed through the disk 14 and a plurality of magnetic members 2 are attached to the outside of the 4 flange 13. A engaging portion 12 extends from one of two sides of the disk 14 so as to be engaged with a transmission belt or the like so that when the user rotates the crank (not shown) of the exercising device, the disk 14 rotates.

An adjusting means 50 has two semi-circular parts 5, each of the parts 5 having a first lug 502 on the first end thereof which is pivotally connected to the frame 7 of the exercising device by two bolts 55 extending through two respective holes 501 in the two first lugs 502. Each part 5 has a second lug 5 10 extending from the second end thereof and each of the two second lugs 5 10 has a lip 51 so that a spring 56 is connected between the two lips 51 of the two second lugs 5 10. The disk 14 is received between the two parts 5. In other words, the magnetic members 2 face the inside of the flange 13 of the disk 14.

A shaft 4 extends between the two parts 5 and extends through the hole 11 of the disk 14 with two bearings 3 mounted to the shaft 4. A cam means 6 is connected to the frame 7 and rotatably connected between the two second lugs 510 of the two parts 5. The cam means 60 has a central portion 60 with two pairs of lugs 603 extending from two sides of the central portion 60 so that two rollers 61 are rotatably connected between the two pairs of lugs 603 by two pins 63. The central portion 60 has a rectangular section 601 extending from one of two ends thereof so that the rectangular section 601 extends through the frarne 7 and fixedly connected to a wheel 62. The wheel 62 has a notch 621 defined in the periphery thereof and a control wire 8 has an end member 81 which is securely engaged with the notch 621 so that the cam means 60 is rotated by pulling the control wire 8 as shown in Fig.4, the two parts 5 are then moved away from the magnetic members 2. When releasing the control wire 8, the two parts 5 are again moved toward the magnetic members 2 by the spring 56.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 7, the second embodiment of the damping device is shown and in the second embodiment, the magnetic members 2 are attached to the inside of the flange 13 and the two parts 5 are enclosed by the flange 13 of the disk 14. The disk 14 has two rods 55 extending laterally therefrom and each of the two parts 5 has a passage 500 for the corresponding rod 55 extending therethrough. Each part 5 has a plurality of panels and two lips 51 respectively extend from the panels in the two parts 5 so that a spring 56 is connected between the two lips 5 1.

Therefore, when pulling the control wire 8, the cam means 6 is rotated and the two parts 5 are separated apart and moved toward the magnetic members 2 attached to the inside of the flange 13 of the disk 14. Similar to the first embodiment of the present invention, when releasing the control wire 8, the two parts 5 are pivoted away from the magnetic members 2 by the spring 56.

Figures;.8 to 10 show a third embodiment of the damping device of the present invention, wherein a disk 140 having a shaft 141 extending from the first side thereof and a plurality of recesses 142 defined in the second side of the disk 140.

A plurality of magnetic members 2 are received in the recesses 142 of the disk 140.

A shaft 143 extends through the disk 140 and is rotatably connected to the frame 7 of the exercising device. A ring 15 is connected to a supporting member 150, both of the ring 15 and the supporting member 150 are movably mounted to the shaft 143.

The frame 7 has a guiding rod 70 extending therefrom and the supporting member has a sleeve 151 which is movably mounted to the guiding rod 70.

A control wire 90 is connected to the ring 15 and a spring 91 is mounted to the control wire 90 and the spring 91 is biased between the frame 7 and the ring 15.

Therefore, when the user pulls the control wire 90, the ring 15 is movable on the shaft 143 so that the user can decide whether the ring 15 moves toward or away from the magnetic members 2 in the recesses 142 of the disk 140.

Accordingly, the magnetic members 2 are rotatably with the disk 140 and the adjusting means can be pivoted or moved relative to the magnetic members 2 so as to adjust the damping force of the exercising device.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departig from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

7 CLAIMS

1. A damping device for an exercising device which has a frame, said damping device comprising:

a disk having a flange extending outward from the periphery of said disk, a hole defined through said disk a plurality of magnetic members attached to said flange; an adjusting means having two parts, each of said parts being a semicircular member and each part having a first lug on the first end thereof which is adapted to be pivotally connected to the frame of the exercising device, each part having a second lug extending from the second end thereof so that a spring is connected between said two second lugs; a shaft extending between said two parts and extending through said hole of said disk, and a cam means adapted to be connected to said frame and rotatably connected between said two second lugs of said two parts so that said two parts are moved relative to the magnetic members by rotating said cam means which pushes said two lugs apart.

2. The damping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic members are attached to the outside of said flange and said disk is received between said two parts.'

3. The damping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic members are attached to the inside of said flange and said two parts are enclosed by said flange of said disk.

4. The damping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam means has a central portion with two rollers connected to two sides of said central portion.

5. The damping device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said central portion of said cam means adapted to extend through said frame, a wheel fixedly connected 9 to said central portion and a control wire is connected to said wheel so that said cam means is rotated by pulling said control wire.

6. The damping device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said wheel has a notch defined in the periphery thereof and said control wire has an end member is securely engaged with said notch.

7. The damping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said two second lugs has a lip and said spring is connected between said two lips of said two second lugs.

8. A damping device for an exercise device, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereiribefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the 10 accompanying drawings.

8. A damping device for an exercising device which has a frame, said damping device comprising:

a disk having a shaft extending from the first side thereof and a plurality of recesses defined in the second side of said disk; a plurality of magnetic members received in said recesses of said disk; a shaft extending through said disk and adapted to be connected to the frame of the exercising device, and a ring movably mounted to said shaft and adapted to be located between the frame of the exercising device and said disk, a control wire connected to said ring, a spring mounted to said control wire and adapted to be biased between the frame and said ning.

9. The damping device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a supporting member which is fixedly connected to said ring and is movably mounted to said shaft.

10. A damping device for an exercise device, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

q Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows to said central portion and a control wire is connected to said wheel so that said cam means is rotated by pulling said control wire.

6. The damping device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said wheel has a notch defined in the periphery thereof and said control wire has an end member which is 5 securely engaged with said notch.

7. The damping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said two second lugs has a lip and spring is connected between said two lips of said two second lugs.