Gyroscopic exerciser

• US 20090247375A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tom Smith
• Original Assignee: Tom Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,935,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/110
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/22 Resisting devices with rotary bodies A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/222 by overcoming gyroscopic forces, e.g. by turning the spin axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 3/02 having pull-cords

Abstract

A gyroscopic exercise device has a pair of handles attached to a housing. A user holds and rotates the handles along cone-like paths causing precession of a rotor, which is rotating about its spin axis, to provide resistance to the user. The device has an axle disc that holds ends of an axle of the rotor. The periphery of the axle disc and the ends of the rotor axle are within a circular race in the housing. A retracting spool allows pull starting. An optional motor attached to the axle disc has a wheel for rotating the rotor about a spin axis by a temporary supply of power from included batteries in one of the handles. An optional abdominal rolling ring provides abdominal exercise.

Claims

1. A gyroscopic exercise device comprising:

a gyroscopic rotor comprising a rotor balanced around a primary axis of rotation, and a secondary axis of precession;

a housing for protecting the gyroscopic rotor from inadvertent physical contact by a user while permitting limited access to the gyroscopic rotor during a manual gyroscopic pull start;

an axle upon which the right rotor portion and the left rotor portion are mounted, wherein the axle is oriented to have a longitudinal spin axis in the horizontal direction, further comprising a pair of opposite ends of the axle;

an annular racetrack for rotatably holding the axle at the opposite ends of the axle which are shaped to rotate in the annular racetrack, wherein the annular racetrack is oriented about the precession axis crossing the longitudinal spin axis, wherein the precession axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal spin axis, and wherein the opposite ends fit into the annular racetrack which is formed as a groove with a circumferential profile disposed around an internal circumferential surface of the housing, allowing both rotation and precession of the gyroscopic rotor and axle;

a pull handle attached to a pull cord in a swivel relationship, wherein the pull handle is for pulling the pull cord, wherein the pull cord is attached to the handle at a pull cord first end;

a grip sleeve made to be retractable, wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a grip sleeve and a spool member fitting around the axle, and attached to the pull cord at a pull cord second end, wherein the spool member receives and stores the pull cord in a coil around the spool;

wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a one-way bearing member mounted to the spool member and the axle, and wherein the one-way bearing member allows rotation of the spool member in one direction around the longitudinal spin axis, but stops rotation of the spool member in the opposite direction, wherein the one-way bearing has a bearing housing with a bearing housing exterior surface which is mounted to the spool member;

wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a spring which is coiled around the axle and has a first inside end attached to either the grip sleeve housing or the spool, and a second outside end attached to either the grip sleeve housing or the spool, wherein the spring is extended when a user pulls the cord away from the spool, and wherein the spring retracts when the user releases the cord, whereby the spring biases the spool to rewind the cord after the cord is pulled and released, whereby pulling the pull cord provides a positive engagement to initiate a high speed precession of the gyroscopic movement unit.

2. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 1, wherein the gyroscopic rotor further comprises a right rotor portion and a left rotor portion, wherein between the right rotor portion and the left rotor portion the rotor has a deep groove that circumferentially extends from peripheral surfaces inward in the direction of the axle, wherein the grip sleeve is retractable and is mounted between the right rotor portion and the left rotor portion, wherein the deep groove is on the axis of precession.

3. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 2, further comprising:

a. a pair of opposite handles, at least one handle having an interior cavity to accommodate a manual pull starter, wherein the pull cord passes through at least a portion of the interior cavity; and

b. a ring-shaped frame assembly having an outer ring member with an annular flange and a inner ring member received in the flange of the outer ring member and fastened thereto, both ring members having opposing annular recesses for cooperatively holding the top and bottom halves of the racetrack of the gyroscopic movement unit;

4. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 2, wherein the pull cord is attached to the pull handle at a swivel element, wherein the swivel element rotates with minimal friction relative to the pull handle.

5. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 2, wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a cage having a plurality of slots, wherein each slot is sized to receive a needle bearing member and a leaf spring, wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a bearing housing having an inside surface having numerous ramp shaped edges.

6. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 1, wherein the gyroscopic rotor, wherein the grip sleeve is retractable and is mounted at an end of the gyroscopic rotor, between the gyroscopic rotor and the annular racetrack.

7. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 6, further comprising:

a. a pair of opposite handles, at least one handle having an interior cavity to accommodate a manual pull starter, wherein the pull cord passes through at least a portion of the interior cavity; and

b. a ring-shaped frame assembly having an outer ring member with an annular flange and a inner ring member received in the flange of the outer ring member and fastened thereto, both ring members having opposing annular recesses for cooperatively holding the top and bottom halves of the racetrack of the gyroscopic movement unit;

8. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 6, wherein the pull cord is attached to the pull handle at a swivel element, wherein the swivel element rotates with minimal friction relative to the pull handle.

9. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 6, wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a cage having a plurality of slots, wherein each slot is sized to receive a needle bearing member and a leaf spring, wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a bearing housing having an inside surface having numerous ramp shaped edges.

10. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 1, wherein the gyroscopic rotor is formed as a pair of discs, wherein the gyroscopic rotor comprises a pair of primary discs, and a pair of removable secondary disks.

11. A gyroscopic exercise device comprising:

a gyroscopic rotor comprising a rotor balanced around a primary axis of rotation, and a secondary axis of precession;

a housing for protecting the gyroscopic rotor from inadvertent physical contact by a user while permitting limited access to the gyroscopic rotor during a manual gyroscopic pull start;

an axle upon which the right rotor portion and the left rotor portion are mounted, wherein the axle is oriented to have a longitudinal spin axis in the horizontal direction, further comprising a pair of opposite ends of the axle;

an annular racetrack for rotatably holding the axle at the opposite ends of the axle which are shaped to rotate in the annular racetrack, wherein the annular racetrack is oriented about the precession axis crossing the longitudinal spin axis, wherein the precession axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal spin axis, and wherein the opposite ends fit into the annular racetrack which is formed as a groove with a circumferential profile disposed around an internal circumferential surface of the housing, allowing both rotation and precession of the gyroscopic rotor and axle;

a pull handle attached to a pull cord in a swivel relationship, wherein the pull handle is for pulling the pull cord, wherein the pull cord is attached to the handle at a pull cord first end;

a grip sleeve made to be retractable, wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a grip sleeve and a spool member fitting around the axle, and attached to the pull cord at a pull cord second end, wherein the spool member receives and stores the pull cord in a coil around the spool;

wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a one-way bearing member mounted to the spool member and the axle, and wherein the one-way bearing member allows rotation of the spool member in one direction around the longitudinal spin axis, but stops rotation of the spool member in the opposite direction, wherein the one-way bearing has a bearing housing with a bearing housing exterior surface which is mounted to the spool member;

wherein the grip sleeve further comprises a spring which is coiled around the axle and has a first inside end attached to either the grip sleeve housing or the spool, and a second outside end attached to either the grip sleeve housing or the spool, wherein the spring is extended when a user pulls the cord away from the spool, and wherein the spring retracts when the user releases the cord, whereby the spring biases the spool to rewind the cord after the cord is pulled and released, whereby pulling the pull cord provides a positive engagement to initiate a high speed precession of the gyroscopic movement unit; and

wherein the pull cord is attached to the pull handle at a swivel element, wherein the swivel element rotates with minimal friction relative to the pull handle; and

wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a cage having a plurality of slots, wherein each slot is sized to receive a needle bearing member and a leaf spring, wherein the one-way bearing further comprises a bearing housing having an inside surface having numerous ramp shaped edges.

12. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, further comprising:

a. a pair of opposite handles, at least one handle having an interior cavity to accommodate a manual pull starter, wherein the pull cord passes through at least a portion of the interior cavity; and

b. a ring-shaped frame assembly having an outer ring member with an annular flange and a inner ring member received in the flange of the outer ring member and fastened thereto, both ring members having opposing annular recesses for cooperatively holding the top and bottom halves of the racetrack of the gyroscopic movement unit.

13. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, further comprising:

light emitting diodes mounted on the rotor.

14. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, wherein the rotor is formed of a plastic and wherein the rotor further comprises a metal ring mounted within the rotor and mounted around the axle, wherein the metal ring is balanced for high-speed rotation.

15. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, wherein the pull cord passes through the interior cavity, and wherein the pull handle further comprises a stop that lodges within at least a portion of the interior cavity.

16. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, wherein the gyroscopic rotor is formed as a pair of discs, wherein the gyroscopic rotor comprises a pair of primary discs, and a pair of removable secondary disks.

17. The gyroscopic exercise device of claim 11, further comprising an abdominal rolling ring mounted on an outer ring member of the housing, wherein the abdominal rolling ring rotates relative to the outer member of the housing.