Pedaling apparatus and methods
OwnerWilliam Morrisoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An epicyclic pedalling apparatus comprising: a first epicyclic arm comprising a first pedal crank arm connection for coupling a first pedal crank arm to the first epicyclic arm to enable pedalling of said first pedal crank arm about a first spindle axis; and a second epicyclic arm comprising a second pedal crank arm connection for coupling a second pedal crank arm to the second epicyclic arm to enable pedalling of said second pedal crank arm about a second spindle axis; wherein the apparatus is arranged to enable: (i) the first epicyclic arm to rotate to move the first spindle axis, and (ii) the second epicyclic arm to rotate to move the second spindle axis.
Claims20
An epicyclic pedalling apparatus comprising:
- a first epicyclic arm comprising a first pedal crank arm connection for coupling a first pedal crank arm to the first epicyclic arm to enable pedalling of said first pedal crank arm about a first spindle axis;
- and
- a second epicyclic arm comprising a second pedal crank arm connection for coupling a second pedal crank arm to the second epicyclic arm to enable pedalling of said second pedal crank arm about a second spindle axis;
- wherein each of the first and second epicyclic arms is configured to rotate about a central axis and the first spindle axis is offset from the central axis by the first epicyclic arm, so that rotation of the first epicyclic arm about the central axis displaces the first spindle axis, and the second spindle axis is offset from the central axis by the second epicyclic arm, so that rotation of the second epicyclic arm about the central axis displaces the second spindle axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second spindle axes are coaxial.
A method of controlling operation of an epicyclic pedalling apparatus, the epicyclic pedalling apparatus comprising:
- (i) a first pedal crank arm coupled to a first epicyclic arm and arranged to be pedalled about a first spindle axis, and
- (ii) a second pedal crank arm coupled to a second epicyclic arm and arranged to be pedalled about a second spindle axis,
- wherein each of the first and second epicyclic arms is configured to rotate about a central axis and the first spindle axis is offset from the central axis by the first epicyclic arm, so that rotation of the first epicyclic arm about the central axis displaces the first spindle axis, and the second spindle axis is offset from the central axis by the second epicyclic arm, so that rotation of the second epicyclic arm about the central axis displaces the second spindle axis;
- and
- wherein the apparatus is arranged to enable:
- (i) the first epicyclic arm to rotate to move the first spindle axis, and
- (ii) the second epicyclic arm to rotate to move the second spindle axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second spindle axes are coaxial and wherein each of the first and second epicyclic arms is configured to rotate about a central axis to provide said respective movement of the coaxial first and second spindle axes,
- wherein the method comprises controlling at least one of:
- (a) rotational movement of the first epicyclic arm to control the position of the first spindle axis,
- (b) rotational movement of the second epicyclic arm to control the position of the second spindle axis,
- (c) a pedalling resistance for pedalling of the first and second pedal crank arms about their respective spindle axes, wherein the first and second spindle axes are coaxial, and wherein the first and second epicyclic arms rotate about a central axis to provide said respective movement of the coaxial first and second spindle axes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.