Exercise machine resistance controller
AssigneeProform Fitness Products, Inc.
InventorsWilliam T. Dalebout, Curt G. Bingham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The speed of operating structure of an exercise machine is sensed and rotates a worm gear interconnected to a reduction gear assembly to rotate a driver at a preselected rate. The driver is interconnected to drive a cam surface upon which a cam follower rides to in turn operate a pivoted lever. The lever is interconnected to transmit the movement of the cam follower to operate the resistance means of the exercise machine to increase or decrease the resistance being applied to the operating structure of the exercise machine.
Claims32
A controller for use with an exercise machine having resistance means for variably resisting the movement of interconnected operable structure, said controller comprising:
- sensing means positioned proximate operable structure of an exercise machine to sense the movement of said operable structure and to supply movement signals reflective of said movement;
- conversion means secured to said exercise machine and connected to said sensing means to receive said movement signals, said conversion means having a driver and being configured to move said driver in relation to said movement signals;
- cam means positioned proximate said driver for movement thereby, said cam means having a cam surface with variations preselected by the user reflective of the desired resistance of the resistance means of said exercise machine;
- reading means positioned proximate said cam surface to generate signals reflective of said variations and to supply resistance signals reflective of said variations;
- and
- receiving means connected to said reading means to receive said resistance signals and to said resistance means to operate said resistance means to variably resist movement of said operable structure in accordance with said resistance signals.
A controller for use with a stationary exercise cycle having a rotating wheel and resistance means interconnected to resist movement of said wheel, said controller comprising:
- sensing means positioned proximate the rotating wheel of a stationary exercise cycle to sense the rotation thereof and to supply rotation signals reflective of said rotation;
- conversion means secured to said stationary exercise cycle and connected to said sensing means to receive said rotation signals, said conversion means having a driver and being configured to move said driver in relation to said rotation signals;
- cam means positioned proximate said driver for movement thereby, said cam means having a cam surface with variations reflective of the desired resistance of the resistance means of the stationary exercise cycle;
- reading means positioned proximate said cam surface to generate signals reflective of said variations and to supply resistance signals reflective of said variations;
- and
- receiving means connected to said resistance means and to said reading means to receive said resistance signals to operate said resistance means to variably resist movement of said wheel.
In combination:
- an exercise machine having a rotatable wheel operable by a user in the performance of exercises and a resistance means to vary the resistance of said rotatable wheel;
- a controller comprising:
- sensing means positioned to sense the rotation of said rotatable wheel and to supply rotation signals proportional to the rotation of said rotatable wheel,
- conversion means secured to said exercise machine and connected to said sensing means to receive said rotation signals, said conversion means having a driver and being configured to operate said driver in proportion to said rotation signals,
- cam means positioned proximate said driver for movement thereby, said cam means having a cam surface with variations reflective of the desired resistance of the resistance means of the stationary exercise cycle;
- reading means positioned proximate said cam surface to generate signals reflective of said variations and to supply resistance signals reflective of said variations;
- and
- receiving means connected to said resistance means and to said reading means to receive said resistance signals to operate said resistance means to variably resist movement of said wheel.
A controller for use with an exercise machine having resistance means for variably resisting the movement of interconnected operable structure, said controller comprising:
- power supply means positioned with respect to an exercise machine to supply driving signals;
- conversion means secured to said exercise machine and connected to said power supply means to receive said driving signals, said conversion means having a driver and being configured to move said driver in relation to said driving signals;
- cam means positioned proximate said driver for movement thereby, said cam means having a cam surface with variations preselected by the user reflective of the desired resistance of the resistance means of said exercise machine;
- reading means positioned proximate said cam surface to generate signals reflective of said variations and to supply resistance signals reflective of said variations;
- and
- receiving means connected to said reading means to receive said resistance signals and to said resistance means to operate said resistance means to variably resist movement of said operable structure in accordance with said resistance signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.