Bicycle ergometer and eddy current brake therefor

A bicycle ergometer comprising:

• an exercise device for use by a user;
• means for selectively inputting physical attributes of said user into said exercise device, said inputting means including a keyboard display for generating a digital value corresponding to said inputted physical attributes;
• conversion means for converting said digital value corresponding to said inputted physical attributes to an analog value;
• a pulse sensor for measuring the number of pulses per minute of said user;
• arithmetic control circuit means coupled with said pulse sensor for calculating a training range defined by an upper limit of pulses per minute and a lower limit of pulses per minute corresponding to said inputted physical attributes, and for producing a load changing signal in response to said pulse sensor for maintaining the number of pulses of said user within said training range;
• and
• loading means coupled to said exercise device for varying a load applied to said exercise device in accordance with said load changing signal, said loading means including:
• a rotor assembly, said rotor assembly being formed of ferrous material having not more than about 0.12% carbon and not more than about 0.34% silicon;
• a stator having a plurality of series-connected coils proximate a periphery of said stator;
• and
• means connected between a power source and said coils for generating a substantially constant current in response to said load changing signal, said current generating means including a characteristic signal generating circuit for generating a square root signal in response to said load changing signal and a current control circuit connected to said signal generating circuit for controlling the current supplied to said coils through said power source, said rotor assembly providing a substantially constant torque characteristic in response to said current generating means.