Sway Capable Stationary Bicycle Base
First Claim
1. A sway capable base for a stationary bicycle comprising:
- a rectangular base core positioned in a horizontal plane at equilibrium, unto which a bicycle frame is firmly attached in the center thereof;
a rectangular horizontal base support resting on the ground, of the same size as the said base core and placed aligned under the said base core, unto which the base core and consequently the bicycle frame can sway side to side by rotating around the horizontal axis which is the intersection between the bicycle frame plane and the base core plane;
said horizontal rotation axis, which is placed vertically above and parallel to the median line of the said base support;
two hinges, fixed on the said base support, which define the opposite ends of the said axis and which act as mounting means of the base core unto the base support;
four stiffening pneumatic or hydraulic struts or elastic air-filled chambers, each one connecting each corner of the base core to the corresponding underlying corner of the base support;
said four stiffening struts being connected through ball-and-socket joints to the corresponding corner of the said base core and to the underlying corner of the said base support;
said four stiffening elastic air-filled chambers having elastic casing allowing them to be firmly connected at its top center to the base core corner and at its bottom center to the base support corner;
said two hinges being able to glide vertically (up and down) to allow the struts to self-adjust their resistance according to the weight of the rider in order to provide a constant sway response.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sway capable stationary bicycle system comprises a bicycle frame with an inertial wheel firmly mounted on a sway capable base comprising a base core which can sway side to side relative to the upright equilibrium plane of the bicycle frame by rotating on two hinges mounted on a base support which rests on the ground and which has 4 pneumatic or hydraulic struts or elastic air-filled chambers connecting each corner of the base support to the corresponding corner of the base core above. A rider can mount the bike frame which comprises further a saddle, a pedal and crank arm mechanism with a sprocket driving a chain which in turn drives the inertial wheel by means of a concentric gear. The entire rider plus bicycle system exhibits an unstable equilibrium at the upright position which challenges the rider to sway his body from side to side to counterbalance the swaying of the bicycle itself in a similar manner to a real road bicycle. The struts or elastic air-filled chambers have a stiffening response at large sway angles in order to limit the swaying to safe limits and avoid the crashing of the rider sideways under the lateral component of the rider own weight. The entire system potential energy dependence on the sway angle has the shape of a gravitational well with a raised bottom center.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A sway capable base for a stationary bicycle comprising:
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a rectangular base core positioned in a horizontal plane at equilibrium, unto which a bicycle frame is firmly attached in the center thereof; a rectangular horizontal base support resting on the ground, of the same size as the said base core and placed aligned under the said base core, unto which the base core and consequently the bicycle frame can sway side to side by rotating around the horizontal axis which is the intersection between the bicycle frame plane and the base core plane; said horizontal rotation axis, which is placed vertically above and parallel to the median line of the said base support; two hinges, fixed on the said base support, which define the opposite ends of the said axis and which act as mounting means of the base core unto the base support; four stiffening pneumatic or hydraulic struts or elastic air-filled chambers, each one connecting each corner of the base core to the corresponding underlying corner of the base support; said four stiffening struts being connected through ball-and-socket joints to the corresponding corner of the said base core and to the underlying corner of the said base support; said four stiffening elastic air-filled chambers having elastic casing allowing them to be firmly connected at its top center to the base core corner and at its bottom center to the base support corner; said two hinges being able to glide vertically (up and down) to allow the struts to self-adjust their resistance according to the weight of the rider in order to provide a constant sway response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification