US 4,984,986 A · Apparatus and method for training oarsmen

Abstract

A pair boat simulator is provided including a housing which is mounted about a longitudinal roll axis upon supports above a training facility floor. Two racing shell seats are mounted within the housing adjacent simulated oars which are mounted, in turn, upon oarlocks positioned, in turn, upon outrigger assemblies. The simulated oars are foreshortened and include a blade flotation assembly at their tips along with load beam type force transducers. The oars serve to drive a rotatable mass such as a flywheel. Thus, the physical output of each oarsman is commonly coupled to the rotating mass. Instrumentation includes transducers looking to inclinations of the housing about the roll or longitudinal axis, oar elevation and sweep angle as well as blade rotation. These parameters are combined and developed under computer driven control into data presented at visual readouts made available both to the oarsman and coach. Such readouts include, for example, force versus sweep angle graphs, animated displays of heading, lateral position and hull velocity; values of effective power and rowing efficiency.

Claims28

Dependent claims

Apparatus for training oarsmen to row a racing shell operationally exhibiting give mass and hydrodynamic drag terms, comprising:

a racing shell simulative housing having a longitudinal roll axis and a given boat plane;
an oarsman seat mounted upon said housing;
an oarlock supported from said housing;
a simulated oar extending along an oar axis and pivotally mounted with a oarlock;
a rotatable mass mounted for rotation with respect to said housing for simulating said mass term;
a drive linkage coupled in driven relationship with said oar and in driving relationship with a rotatable mass;
drag means for imposing a select drag upon said rotatable mass simulative of said hydrodynamic drag term;
a sweep angle transducer responsive to the sweep angle of said oar for providing a sweep angle output;
a force transducer responsive to the forces transmitted by an oarsman through said oar while positioned upon said seat for providing a force output;
control means responsive to said sweep angle output and said force output for deriving a power stroke output representing values of said force exerted from said oar with respect to sweep angle;
and
readout means responsive to said power stroke output for providing a perceptible readout representative thereof.

9 more elements

Apparatus for training oarsmen to row a racing shell operationally exhibiting given mass and hydrodynamic drag terms, comprising:

a racing shell simulative housing having a longitudinal axis and a given boat plane;
first and second spaced oarsman's seats mounted upon said housing;
first and second oarlocks supported from said housing adjacent respective said first and second seats;
first and second simulated oars each extending along an oar axis and pivitally mounted with respective said first and second oarlocks;
a rotatable mass mounted for rotation with respect to said housing for simulating a mass term;
a first drive linkage connected in driven relationship with said first oar and in driving relationship with said rotatable mass;
a second drive linkage connected in driven relationship with said second oar and in driving relationship with said rotatable mass;
and
drag means for imposing a select drag upon said rotatable mass simulative of a viscous drag term.

6 more elements

The method for evaluating the performance capability of an oarsman for rowing a racing shell exhibiting given mass and hydrodynamic drag terms, comprising the steps of:

providing a racing shell simulative housing having a longitudinal axis and a given boat plane;
providing an oarlock supported from said housing;
providing a simulated oar extending along an oar axis and pivotally mounted with said oarlock;
providing an oarsman seat mounted for rotation with respect to said housing for simulating a mass term;
providing a drive linkage coupled in driven relationship with said oar and in driving relationship with said rotatable mass;
providing a drag assembly for selectively controlling the rotation of said rotatable mass;
providing a sweep angle transducer responsive to the sweep angle of said oar for providing a sweep angle output;
providing a force transducer responsive to the forces transmitted by an oarsman through said oar into said drive linkage and rotating mass while positioned upon said seat for providing a force output;
causing said oarsman to sit upon said seat and execute an oarstroke with said oar;
providing a computer driven control responsive to said sweep angle output and said force output for generating a power;
a power stroke output representing the values of force exerted during said oarstroke with respect to sweep angle;
and
displaying said power stroke output to said oarsman in visual graphic form.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for training oarsmen

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for training oarsmen

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28