Exercise bicycle configured to provide fan-based resistance and fan wheel thereof

Abstract

An exercise bicycle configured to provide fan-based resistance and a fan wheel thereof are disclosed. The fan wheel includes a hub and a plurality of vanes. The hub includes a pivot portion and a plurality of mounting portions. The mounting portions are arranged in an annular manner around a center defined by the pivot portion and each have a groove. Each vane includes a connecting end inserted into a corresponding one of the mounting portions and fixedly connected to the corresponding mounting portion by a plurality of fasteners. The fan wheel is thus easy to manufacture and assemble.

Claims

1. A fan wheel of an exercise bicycle configured to provide fan-based resistance, comprising: a hub comprising a pivot portion and a plurality of mounting portions, wherein the plurality of mounting portions are arranged in an annular manner around a center defined by the pivot portion and each of the plurality of mounting portions have a groove, each of said plurality of mounting portions have two opposite positioning recesses; and a plurality of vanes each comprising a connecting end, wherein the connecting end of each of said plurality of vanes is inserted into the groove of a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions and is fixedly connected to the corresponding one of the mounting portions by a plurality of fasteners, the connecting end of each of said plurality of vanes has two opposite positioning plates configured to engage respectively with the positioning recesses of the corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions.

2. The fan wheel of claim 1, wherein the hub comprises two opposite lateral sides, each said groove of the plurality of mounting portions penetrates the hub and is open on both said two opposite lateral sides, and each said plurality of mounting portions comprises a pressing surface adjacent to the groove of each said plurality of mounting portions and configured to press against a corresponding one of the plurality of vanes.

3. The fan wheel of claim 2, where the pressing surfaces are tilted.

4. The fan wheel of claim 3, wherein the pressing surfaces of the plurality of mounting portions are tilted at substantially a same angle.

5. The fan wheel of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vanes has an end portion and a through slot between the connecting portion and the end portion.

6. The fan wheel of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of vanes further includes a weighting block fixedly provided at the end portion thereof.

7. The fan wheel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of fasteners for each of said plurality of vanes comprises a threaded locking member and a screw nut, the threaded locking member extending through the two opposite positioning plates of the each of said plurality of vanes and the hub and being coupled with the screw nut.

8. A fan wheel of an exercise bicycle configured to provide fan-based resistance, comprising: a hub comprising a pivot portion and a plurality of mounting portions, wherein the plurality of mounting portions are arranged in an annular manner around a center defined by the pivot portion and each of the plurality of mounting portions have a groove; and a plurality of vanes each comprising a connecting end, wherein the connecting end of each of said plurality of vanes is inserted into the groove of a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions and is fixedly connected to the corresponding one of the mounting portions by a plurality of fasteners, each of said plurality of mounting portions has a supporting rib extending away from the hub and configured to press against a corresponding one of the plurality of vanes.

9. An exercise bicycle configured to provide fan-based resistance, comprising: a bicycle body comprising a frame; and a fan wheel comprising a hub and a plurality of vanes, wherein the hub comprises a pivot portion, a plurality of mounting portions, and two opposite lateral sides; the pivot portion is pivotally provided on the frame; the plurality of mounting portions are arranged in an annular manner around a center defined by the pivot portion and each of the plurality of mounting portions have a groove and a pressing surface; each said groove penetrates the hub and is open on both said two opposite lateral sides, each of said plurality of mounting portions has a supporting rib extending away from the hub and configured to press against a corresponding one of the plurality of vanes; the pressing surface of each of said plurality of mounting portions is adjacent to the groove of each of said plurality of mounting portions and is tilted; each said plurality of vanes comprises a connecting end inserted into the groove of a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions; and the connecting end of each of said plurality of vanes is pressed against the pressing surface of the corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions, is thereby tilted, and is fixedly connected to the corresponding one of the plurality of mounting portions by a plurality of fasteners.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise bicycle in an embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the exercise bicycle in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fan wheel of the exercise bicycle in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 A is a plan view of the hub of the fan wheel in FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 4 B is another plan view of the hub of the fan wheel in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the fan wheel in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the fan wheel in FIG. 3;

(8) FIG. 7 is a plan view of the fan wheel in FIG. 3; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) The present invention incorporates the foregoing technical features into a fan-based exercise bicycle. The major effects of the exercise bicycle and its fan wheel are demonstrated below by an embodiment of the invention.

(11) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the exercise bicycle in an embodiment of the present invention essentially includes a bicycle body 1 and a fan wheel 2. The bicycle body 1 is in the form of a bicycle for example but is not necessarily so. The bicycle body 1 includes a frame 11, and the fan wheel 2 includes a hub 21, a plurality of vanes 22, and an enclosure 23. The enclosure 23 is configured to enclose the hub 21 and the vanes 22.

(12) Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A, the hub 21 includes a pivot portion 211, a plurality of mounting portions 212, and two opposite lateral sides 213. The pivot portion 211 is pivotally provided on the frame 11. The mounting portions 212 are annularly arranged around a center defined by the pivot portion 211 and are configured to be mounted with the vanes 22 respectively. As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, each mounting portion 212 has a groove 214 and a pressing surface 215. The grooves 214 penetrate the hub 21 and are open on both lateral sides 213. The pressing surface 215 of each mounting portion 212 is adjacent to the groove 214 of the mounting portion 212 and tilted. The tilt angles of the pressing surfaces 215 of the mounting portions 212 are substantially the same to facilitate forming by and release from a mold. Since the hub 21 can be formed with a mold, one of the lateral sides 213 can be shaped as a housing (see FIG. 5).

(13) Referring to FIG. 6, each vane 22 includes a connecting end 221 configured to be inserted into the groove 214 of a corresponding one of the mounting portions 212 and fixedly connected to the corresponding mounting portion 212 via a plurality of fasteners 222. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the connecting end 221 of each vane 22 is pressed against the pressing surface 215 of the corresponding mounting portion 212 and is consequently tilted, allowing the vane 22 to be mounted at an appropriate angle without further calibration for equilibrium. In addition, each mounting portion 212 has two opposite positioning recesses 216, and each connecting end 221 has two opposite positioning plates 223. The positioning plates 223 of each vane 22 are configured to engage respectively with the positioning recesses 216 of the corresponding mounting portion 212. The fasteners 222 for each vane 22 may each include a threaded locking member 224 and a screw nut 225, and each threaded locking member 224 is passed through the positioning plates 223 of the corresponding vane 22 and the hub 21 and is coupled with the corresponding screw nut 225. In practice, however, the fasteners 222 are not limited to the foregoing and may be rivets or other fastening elements instead.

(14) Referring back to FIG. 6, it is preferable that each mounting portion 212 further has a supporting rib 217 extending away from the hub 21 to press against, and thereby increase the structural strength of, the corresponding vane 22. Moreover, each vane 22 has an end portion 226. Each vane 22 also has a through slot 227 between its connecting portion 221 and end portion 226 in order to generate a disturbed airflow during operation and thus produce a particular sound. Preferably, each vane 22 further includes a weighting block 228 fixedly provided (e.g., by locking, adhesive bonding, fastening, or other fixing means) at its end portion 226 to increase the load on the user's body.

(15) The above description of the embodiment should be able to enable a full understanding of the operation, use, and effects of the present invention. The embodiment, however, is only a preferred one of the present invention and is not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the invention. All simple equivalent changes and modifications based on the disclosure of this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention.