US 12,576,310 B2Granted

Motorized fitness wheel

AssigneeZeroWheel, LLC

InventorsNeil Singer, Pranav Solanki, Brian Singer, Kenneth Pasch

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Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein concern a motorized fitness wheel. The fitness wheel includes a wheel that rotates about an axle with two handles that extend outward from respective sides of the wheel along the rotational axis. In use, the user grasps the handles with their hands and rolls the wheel back and forth along the floor. A motor is configured to apply a torque to the wheel in either forward or backward direction to apply resistance or assistance and enhance the exercise. A position sensor feeds positional information of the motor to a microcontroller. Based on the positional information, the microcontroller dynamically controls the output torque of the motor as a function of one or more torque trajectories. The torque trajectories define the output torque of the motor over a cycle of the exercise as a function a spatial variable (e.g., wheel position) and/or time.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A motorized exercise wheel for performing an exercise having at least one cycle in which a user rolls the wheel along a surface in a forward direction from an approximate resting position to an extended position and then rolls the wheel along the surface in a backward direction from the extended position toward the resting position thus forming an exercise cycle, the motorized exercise wheel comprising:

a wheel assembly including a surface-contacting element, the surface-contacting element being configured to contact the surface and rotate about an axle in either a forward rotational direction or a backward rotational direction and thereby roll along the surface in either the forward or backward direction;
a first and second handle configured to receive each hand of a user, the first and second handle extending outward from respective sides of the wheel assembly;
a motor coupled to the wheel assembly and configured to apply an output torque to the surface-contacting element in either the forward rotational direction or the backward rotational direction;
a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and being configured to directly control the output torque of the motor;
a first sensor in communication with the microcontroller and useable by the microcontroller to determine an amount of a movement variable of the exercise wheel in real-time over the exercise cycle, wherein the movement variable includes one or more of a position of the exercise wheel, a velocity of the exercise wheel, an acceleration of the exercise wheel, and the output torque of the motor;
and
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium accessible by the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to directly control an amount of output torque produced by the motor over the exercise cycle dynamically as a function of the determined amount of the movement variable and according to a plurality of torque profiles, wherein each torque profile respectively defines a target output torque value for the motor over at least a portion of the exercise cycle that varies as a function of the amount of the movement variable, wherein the microcontroller directly controls the amount of output torque produced by the motor according to the target output torque value;
and
a battery on-board the exercise wheel and configured to power the motor and the microcontroller.

6 more elements

A method of operating a motorized exercise wheel for performing an exercise having at least one cycle in which a user rolls the wheel along a surface in a forward direction from an approximate resting position to an extended position and then rolls the wheel along the surface in a backward direction from the extended position toward the resting position, thus forming the exercise cycle, the wheel having a wheel assembly including a surface contacting element, an electric motor coupled to the wheel assembly, first and second handles extending from the wheel assembly for handling by the user, a microcontroller and a battery on-board the exercise wheel and configured to power the motor and the microcontroller, the method, performed by the microcontroller, comprising:

determining, using a first sensor, an amount of a movement variable concerning movement of the exercise wheel during the exercise, the movement variable being determined using the first sensor in real-time throughout the at least one cycle, wherein the movement variable includes one or more of a position of the exercise wheel, a velocity of the exercise wheel and an acceleration of the exercise wheel,
determining a target output torque for the motor based at least in part on the determined amount of the movement variable according to a plurality of torque profiles, wherein each torque profile among the plurality of torque profiles respectively defines a target output torque value for the motor over at least a portion of the exercise cycle that varies as a function of the amount of the movement variable;
and
directly controlling an output torque of the motor over the exercise cycle as a function of the target output torque value defined by the plurality of torque profiles.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/860,892Filed 8 Jul 2022
Published: US 2024/0009518 A111 Jan 2024
Granted: 17 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

A63B 21/4035
Handles, pedals, bars or platforms: for operation by hand
A63B 24/0087
Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training…
A63B 21/00181
Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without…:…
A63B 21/0058
Using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters: using motors