CRANK ARM WITH STRAIN AMPLIFIER
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A crank arm (200) includes a mechanical ring amplifier (232), having a cavity and a connecting bridge (140), to amplify the radial strain exerted on the crank arm by a rider. Strain sensors (234, 235) are positioned to detect the amplified radial strain. The crank arm (200) may include further strain sensors (228, 229) adapted to detect tangential strain on the crank arm, allowing both the tangential and radial forces exerted by a bicycle rider to be measured. The crank arm (200) may also comprise means for adjusting the position of a pedal axle relative to the crank arm, via the loosening, rotation and retightening of a carrier disc held by the crank arm, where the carrier disc has an eccentrically mounted aperture for holding the pedal axle.
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Citations
97 Claims
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1-55. -55. (canceled)
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56. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end portion with a pedal connection, a second end portion with an axle connection and a central longitudinal axis through said end portions; a strain amplifier adapted to amplify the effect of a force directed through said pedal connection, at least a portion of said amplifier being integrally formed with said body to form a cavity; and a strain detector operatively connected to said amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end portion with a pedal connection, a second end portion with an axle connection and a central longitudinal axis through said end portions, said body having a cavity which passes through the central longitudinal axis; a strain detector mounted within said cavity, said detector being aligned in a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis, said detector being adapted to detect a force directed through said pedal connection; and an amplifier adapted to amplify the strain detected by said detector. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for determining force exerted by a rider on a bicycle, comprising:
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detecting strain on a crank arm of the bicycle; amplifying the strain detected; and determining the effort exerted by the rider on the crank arm based at least in part on data obtained from the amplified strain. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67)
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68. A method for determining force exerted by a rider on a bicycle, comprising:
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detecting strain on a crank arm of the bicycle while the rider is rotating the crank arm; independently measuring the amount of radial force and tangential force exerted by the rider on the crank arm; and generating a pedalling profile of the user based at least in part on the measurements obtained. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end portion with a pedal connection, a second end portion with an axle connection, a central longitudinal axis through said end portions, and a length from said first end portion to said second end portion; a first strain gage adapted to detect strain along a portion of said body; and a second strain gage adapted to detect strain along a portion of said body, said second strain gage being located at a different point along the length of said body relative to said first strain gage. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73)
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74. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end portion with a pedal connection, a second end portion with an axle connection, a central longitudinal axis through said end portions, and a length from said first end portion to said second end portion; a first strain gage adapted to detect strain along a portion of said body, said first strain gage having a plurality of grid elements substantially in a plane; and a second strain gage adapted to detect strain along a portion of said body, said second strain gage having a plurality of grid elements substantially in a plane, the plane of grid elements of said first strain gage being non-parallel to the plane of grid elements of said second strain gage. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76)
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77. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end portion with a pedal connection, a second end portion with an axle connection, a central longitudinal axis through said end portions, and a length from said first end portion to said second end portion; and a strain gage adapted to detect strain along a portion of said body, said body having an expandable portion adapted to amplify the strain detected by said strain gage. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79)
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80. A method for determining force exerted by a rider on a bicycle, comprising:
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detecting two non-parallel components of strain on a crank arm of the bicycle; and determining the effort exerted by the rider on the crank arm based at least in part on data obtained from the strain detected. - View Dependent Claims (81)
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82. A method for determining force exerted by a rider on a bicycle, comprising:
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detecting strain on a crank arm of the bicycle at two different locations along a length of the crank arm; and determining the effort exerted by the rider on the crank arm based at least in part on data obtained from the strain detected. - View Dependent Claims (83)
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84. A method for determining force exerted by a rider on a bicycle, comprising:
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measuring a radial force exerted by the rider while the rider is pedalling the bicycle; measuring a tangential force exerted by the rider while the rider is pedalling the bicycle; and determining the effort exerted by the rider while pedalling based at least in part on data obtained from the radial and tangential forces measured. - View Dependent Claims (85)
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86. A crank arm for a bicycle, comprising:
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a body having a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said second end having upper and lower portions moveable relative to one another, said upper and lower end portions at least in part defining an aperture through the sides of said body; and a pedal carrier having an aperture adapted to receive an axle of a pedal, said pedal carrier being sized to fit in said aperture of said body. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88)
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89. A method for selectively adjusting the length and/or height of the axle of a pedal relative to a crank arm of a bicycle, comprising:
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moving two portions of the crank arm apart from one another to enlarge an opening in the crank arm; moving a pedal carrier in the opening of the crank arm until the axle of the pedal associated with the pedal carrier is at a desired length and/or height along the crank arm; and moving the two portions of the crank arm toward each other to tighten against the pedal carrier. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91)
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92. A strain amplifier for amplifying strain applied to a longitudinal member, the strain amplifier comprising:
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first and second strain amplifying arms defining and separated by a cavity, whereby the longitudinal member is interrupted by the strain amplifying arms and by the cavity; and at least one strain sensor; whereby longitudinal strains applied to the longitudinal member are amplified by the arms such that amplified strain is applied to the at least one strain sensor. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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Specification