Control circuit using toggled activation to reduce inrush currents
First Claim
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1. A personal cooling system for an exercise machine, the personal cooling system comprising:
- first and second fans generating air flow;
a display console including one or more user-facing openings through which the air flow moves and is directed toward a user; and
a control circuit outputting drive signals to the first and second fans and comprising one or more electric components that may be negatively effected by currents associated with activating the first and second fans, wherein the control circuit activates the first and second fans at different times to avoid drawing sufficient current to negatively effect the one or more electric components.
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Abstract
Aspects of the present invention include a controller circuit for an exercise machine, where the controller circuit includes a board mounted transformer having tolerances near or below the inrush current generally present in activating one or more cooling fans. According to one embodiment, the controller circuit attempts to power on a subsequent fan after the sum of the inrush or steady state current of presently operating fan or fans, and the inrush current generally associated with powering on the subsequent fan, is within the tolerances of the transformer.
47 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A personal cooling system for an exercise machine, the personal cooling system comprising:
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first and second fans generating air flow;
a display console including one or more user-facing openings through which the air flow moves and is directed toward a user; and
a control circuit outputting drive signals to the first and second fans and comprising one or more electric components that may be negatively effected by currents associated with activating the first and second fans, wherein the control circuit activates the first and second fans at different times to avoid drawing sufficient current to negatively effect the one or more electric components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of activating one or more fans mounted on an exercise machine, the method comprising:
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determining a user-selected fan setting for one or more fans designed to provide moving air to a user of an exercise machine through one or more openings in the exercise machine above a height of an upper torso area of a user; and
outputting a drive signal activating the one or more fans based on the user-selected fan-setting, wherein the drive signal accounts for the one or more fans drawing current at a level unharmful to one or more components of fan controller circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A cooling system for an exercise machine, the cooling system comprising:
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means for cooling a user of an exercise machine;
means for accepting inputs and outputting toggled control signals to the means for cooling which ensure the means for cooling does not draw current above a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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Specification