Stationary exercise machine

Abstract

An exercise machine of the type which have pedals or foot plates through which a person can, in use, transfer kinetic energy to the machine is described. In embodiments the exercise machine is configured such that the pedals or foot plats vibrate during exercise.

Claims

1. The exercise machine, comprising: a stationary pulley mounted on a side of the exercise machine; a bottom bracket extending through the stationary pulley; a crank arm comprising one end connected the bottom bracket and a free end comprising a hole; a drive belt; a rotatable shaft mounted through the hole in the free end of the crank arm, the rotatable shaft comprising: one end extending inwards towards the exercise machine and comprising a coaxial pulley engaged with the stationary pulley via the drive belt; and an outwardly extending end comprising a socket; and a pedal shaft coupled to a pedal; wherein: the pedal shaft is received within the socket; and the socket is offset from a rotational axis of the rotatable shaft such that a rotation of the rotatable shaft about the rotational axis causes the pedal to wobble or vibrate.

2. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of the stationary pulley and the coaxial pulley is selected such that at a pedaling cadence in a range of 70 to 100 revolutions per minute (rpm), the pedal shaft will cycle at 30 to 35 Hertz.

3. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is between 1 and 5 mm.

4. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exercise machine is a stationary exercise bicycle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a rear view of part of one embodiment of an exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the gears of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(5) FIG. 3 shows an end view of the gears of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a first side view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a second side view of the rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(9) FIG. 7 shows an end view of a rotatable shaft of the stationary exercise bicycle; and

(10) FIG. 8 shows a rear view of part of another embodiment of an exercise machine in the form of a stationary exercise bicycle, in accordance with the invention;

(11) FIG. 9 shows an end view of the pulleys of the stationary exercise bicycle;

(12) FIG. 10 shows an top view of the pulleys of the stationary exercise bicycle; and

(13) FIG. 11 shows details of the coaxial pulley.

(14) 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.

(15) The stationary exercise bicycle 10 comprises a means for vibrating the pedals during exercise. In one embodiment, the exercise bicycle comprises a pair of stationary gears 12 mounted on each side of the bicycle. The stationary gears are bolted by means of bolts 14 onto the frame (not shown) and have a circumference similar to the circumference of 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 30 extending inwards towards the bicycle 10 and provided with a coaxial gear 32 respectively engaging the stationary gears 12, with the other outwardly extending end 34 provided with a socket 36 for receiving the 16 shaft of a bicycle pedal 38. The socket 36 is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft 24. A pair of bearings (not shown) are provided between the rotatable shaft 24 and the hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18.

(16) The gear ratio of the large stationary gear 12 and the small coaxial gear 32 is selected such that at a typical pedaling cadence range of 90 revolutions per minute (rpm) the pedal shaft 16 will cycle or wobble at 33.2 Hertz. The offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is 5 mm.

(17) In another embodiment of the invention, the exercise bicycle comprises a pair of stationary pulleys 40 mounted on each side of the bicycle. The stationary pulleys 40 are bolted by means of bolts 14 onto the frame (not shown) and have a circumference similar to the circumference of 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, which bottom bracket extends through the middle of the stationary pulleys. A shaft 24 is rotatably mounted through a hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18 with one end 30 extending inwards towards the bicycle 10 and provided with a coaxial pulley 42 respectively engaging the stationary pulleys 40 by means of a drive belt 44, with the other outwardly extending end 34 provided with a socket 36 for receiving the 16 shaft of a bicycle pedal 38. The socket 36 is offset from the axis of the rotatable shaft 24. A pair of bearings (not shown) are provided between the rotatable shaft 24 and the hole 26 defined in the free end 28 of each crank arm 18. The drive belt 44 connects the stationary pulleys 40 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.

(18) The ratio of the large stationary pulley and the small coaxial pulley 42 is selected such that at a typical pedaling cadence range of 90 revolutions per minute (rpm) the pedal shaft 16 will cycle or wobble at 33.2 Hertz. The offset and therefor the amplitude of the wobble or vibration is between 5 mm.

(19) 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.