Method and Apparatus for Measuring Pedaling Dynamics of a Cyclist

• US 20120042725A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alan Francis Cote, Jean Joseph Cote, John Charles Croy
• Original Assignee: Alan Francis Cote, Jean Joseph Cote, John Charles Croy
• Inventors: Cote, Alan Francis, Croy, John Charles, Cote, Jean Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/216,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042725A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/488
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0652 Visualisation or indication relating to symmetrical exercise, e.g. right-left performance related to spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/414 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/423 on or besides the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/126 Chain guides; Mounting thereof

Abstract

The invention detects variation in the speed of the bicycle'"'"'s drive chain using a sensor. Variations in chain speed are measured, with the resulting numbers displayed to be visible to the cyclist in real-time and/or saved for later downloading and viewing via computer. Metrics that can be calculated using variations in chain speed include: a smoothness index, which indicates how evenly the cyclist is applying force/power; chain speed variation to show the contribution of each leg to the overall force/power delivered; pedaling cadence; and a calculation of gear ratios. Some of these metrics can use inputs from additional sensors, such as a cadence sensor that is tripped by each revolution of the bicycle'"'"'s crank arm, and wheel speed or GPS sensor for measuring the bicycle'"'"'s speed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting variations in speed of a bicycle chain, comprising:

sensing movement corresponding to links of said chain, and transmitting said sensing movement data to a computer.

2. The method of claim 1, where movement is sensed by said links moving past a sensor mounted to a rear derailleur of a bicycle.

3. The method of claim 1, where movement is sensed by an accelerometer housed in a pulley wheel of said rear derailleur.

4. The method of claim 1, where movement is sensed by an accelerometer housed in a crankset of a bicycle.

5. The method of claim 1, where movement is sensed by at least one magnet housed in a crankset of said bicycle, and at least one sensor mounted to a bicycle.

6. The method of claim 1, where movement is sensed by at least one sensor housed in a crankset of said bicycle, and at least one sensor mounted to a bicycle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a cadence sensor to measure pedaling cadence, using a sensor to measure bicycle speed, and combining outputs of said cadence sensor and said movement sensor and said bicycle speed sensor to calculate gear ratios of a bicycle.

8. An apparatus for detecting variations in right to left pedaling balance of a cyclist, comprising:

a sensor which detects movement of chain links, said sensor mounted in proximity to a chain; and

a computer for receiving a resulting signal from said sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which said sensor is mounted a bicycle'"'"'s rear derailleur.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a crank cadence sensor, whose signal is transmitted to said computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, where said computer displays a value corresponding to said right to left pedaling balance.

12. An apparatus for calculating a pedaling smoothness index of a cyclist, comprising:

a sensor which detects movement of chain links, said sensor mounted in proximity to a chain; and

a computer for receiving a resulting signal from said sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, in which said sensor is mounted a bicycle'"'"'s rear derailleur.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising using bicycle speed as an additional factor in calculating said pedaling smoothness index.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, where bicycle speed is determined by a sensor that measures rotations of a bicycle wheel.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, where bicycle speed is determined from a global positioning system sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, where said computer displays a value corresponding to said pedaling smoothness index.

18. An apparatus for measuring pedaling cadence of a cyclist, comprising:

a sensor which detects movement of chain links, said sensor mounted in proximity to a chain; and

a computer for receiving a resulting signal from said sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, in which said sensor is mounted a bicycle'"'"'s rear derailleur.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, where said computer displays a value corresponding to said pedaling cadence.