VIBRATING STATIONARY EXERCISE MACHINE

Abstract

The invention provides an exercise machine (10) of the type which have pedals (38) or foot plates through which a person can, in use, transfer kinetic energy to the machine, which machine comprises a means for vibrating the pedals or foot plates during exercise. The exercise machine includes a mechanism (40) to engage or disengage the vibration.

Claims

1. A stationary exercise bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a pair of round rotatably lockable gears or rotatably lockable pulleys respectively mounted on each side of the bicycle and with a circumference similar to the rotation circumference of rotating pedal shafts of the bicycle; a pair of crank arms rotatably mounted to the bicycle and connected at one end of each crank arm through a bottom bracket of the bicycle, which bottom bracket extends through the middle of the rotatably lockable gears or rotatably lockable pulleys; a shaft rotatably mounted through a hole defined in the free end of each crank arm with one end extending inwards towards the bicycle and provided with a coaxial gear or coaxial pulley respectively engaging the stationary gears or stationary pulley, as the case may be, with the other outwardly extending end provided with a socket for receiving a shaft of a bicycle pedal, which socket is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft; and a locking mechanism for rotatably locking the rotatably lockable gears or pulleys.

2. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism for rotatably locking the rotatably lockable gears or pulleys includes a retractable laterally extending arm, which arm, when extended, engages with a gear or pulley, as the case may be, to rotatably lock the gear or pulley to prevent rotation of the gear or pulley.

3. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mechanism comprise a pair of retractable laterally extending arms to simultaneously engage both gears or pulleys of the pair of gears of pulleys.

4. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 3, which includes a stop protruding from the side of the gear or pulley and wherein each arm engages the stop protruding from the side of the gear or pulley.

5. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 3, wherein each arm is in the form of a pin and extends into a hole or slot formed in the side of the gear or pulley to lock the gear or pulley.

6. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism includes a housing and a pair of opposed arms mounted inside the housing, which are extendable laterally outward out of the housing.

7. An elliptical exercise type machine or stepping machine, at least one, preferably a pair of releasably lockable rack gears is mounted on each side of the machine; a pair of footplate carrying arms attached to the machine at one end and which arms are configured to oscillate about the attached end; a shaft rotatably mounted through a hole defined in the free end of each arm with one end extending inwards towards the machine and provided with a coaxial pinion gear respectively engaging the rack gears with the other outwardly extending end provided with a socket for receiving a shaft of a footplate, which socket is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft; and a locking mechanism for locking the releasably lockable rack gears in a stationary position.

8. A stationary exercise bicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism includes a housing and a pair of opposed arms mounted inside the housing, which are extendable laterally outward out of the housing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] In the drawings:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an end view of the stationary exercise bicycle;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a top left perspective view of the stationary exercise bicycle;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a top right perspective view of the stationary exercise bicycle; and

[0039] FIG. 5 shows top transparent view of the locking mechanism.

[0040] Referring now to the drawings, the exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with an example of the invention, is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

[0041] The stationary exercise bicycle 10 comprises a mechanism for vibrating the pedals during exercise. In one embodiment, the exercise bicycle comprises a pair of rotatably lockable pulleys 12 mounted on each side of the bicycle 10. The rotatably lockable pulleys 12 have a circumference similar to the circumference of a virtual circle formed by the rotating pedal shafts 16 of the bicycle. A pair of crank arms 18 rotatably mounted and connected at one end 20 of each crank arm through a bottom bracket 22 of the bicycle 10. A shaft 24 is rotatably mounted through a hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18 with one end extending inwards towards the bicycle 10 and provided with a coaxial pulley 32 respectively engaging the rotatably lockable pulley 12, with the other outwardly extending end 34 provided with a socket (not shown) for receiving the shaft 16 of a bicycle pedal 38. The socket is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft 24. The coaxial pulleys 32 respectively engages the rotationally lockable pulleys 12 by means of a drive belt 44. The drive belt 44 connects the stationary pulleys 12 and coaxial pulleys 42 and the machine includes a belt tensioner 46 mounted near the free end of each crank arm 18. The belt tensioners 46 rotate with the free end of each crank arm 18.

[0042] The stationary exercise bicycle further includes a locking mechanism 40 for rotatably locking the rotatably lockable pulleys 12. The locking mechanism 40 for rotatably locking the rotatably lockable pulleys 12 includes a pair of retractable laterally extending arms 48, which arms, when extended, engages with a stop 50 fixed to the each pulley 12 to prevent rotation of the gear or pulley. The locking mechanism 40 includes a housing 52 with the pair of opposed arms 48 mounted inside the housing, which arms are extendable laterally outward out of the housing. The arms 48 are spring loaded and urged into the retracted position. A wedge shaped cam 54, which engages the opposed inner ends of the arms is mounted inside the housing 52. When the cam 54 is moved perpendicular to the arms 48, the opposed wedge surfaces forces the arms 48 laterally out of the housing 52 into an extended position. The cam 54 is also spring loaded and urged into a position wherein the opposed surfaces of the narrow part of the wedge of the cam 54 engages the opposed arms in which the arms 48 are retracted. The cam 54 is connected to a cable 56, which when tensioned moves the cam 54 perpendicular to the arms and the opposed wedge surfaces forces the arms 48 laterally out of the housing 52 into an extended position. The housing 52 is mounted on stationary exercise bicycle 10 such that the laterally extending arms 48 will engage with the respective stops 50 protruding from the side of the pulleys 12. The cable 56 is connected to a lever 58, which lever is operable by a person using the stationary exercise bicycle 10.

[0043] The stationary exercise bicycle 10 includes known components such a fly wheel 60 which is rotated by a pulley 62 connected to the crank arm 18. The bicycle or stationary exercise bicycle may also include known resistance mechanisms to increase drag on the fly wheel in this case the fly wheel 60 is ferromagnetic iron and the resistance mechanism includes a series of magnets in a u shaped housing 62 which can be selectively engaged with the fly wheel 60 to increase or decrease the resistance on the fly wheel by a lever 64 connected to the housing 62 by a cable 66.

[0044] It shall be understood that the examples are provided for illustrating the invention further and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention and are not meant to be construed as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the invention.