ERGOMETER DEVICE

• US 3,845,756 A
• Filed: 06/28/1972
• Issued: 11/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sven-Gunnar Sigvard Olsson
• Original Assignee: Sven-Gunnar Sigvard Olsson
• Inventors: Olsson, Sven-Gunnar Sigvard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/266,891
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2R,2S,2.5R,2.5T,2.6F,2.6R 272/69,73,DIG.6 73/379R
• US Class Current: 600/520
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances

Abstract

An ergometer device consists of an exercise machine such as a pedalling device, braking means to control the force exerted by the operator upon the pedalling device, and control means to control the amount of application of the braking means. The control means are adjusted by means of a control signal which is developed by a continuous comparison of the pre-selected heartbeat rate as against the actual rate of the subject'"'"''"'"'s heartbeat together with the alteration of the rate during the time period of use of the device.

Claims

1. An ergometer comprising, in combination, force exerting means adapted to be operated by a subject, braking means controlling the force to be exerted upon the force exerting means, and control means for determining the amount of braking force to be applied, a heart frequency measuring means enclosing electrodes connectable to the subject for producing an electrical signal corresponding to the real heart frequency f of the subject, an ideal heart frequency generating means for setting an ideal heart frequency fe and producing an electrical signal corresponding to this ideal heart frequency fe, a differentiator connected to the output of the heart frequency measuring means for producing the first derivative df/dt of the real heart frequency signal, and further comprising an electronic control signal calculator means connected to the outputs of said heart frequency measuring means, sAid ideal heart frequency generating means and said differentiator for calculating from the outgoing signals of said heart frequency measuring instrument, said ideal heart frequency generator and said differentiator a control signal SR pursuant to the equation SR (fe - f) . K - (df/dt) . A . Bf , where K and A are constants and Bf is a variable proportionality factor, said calculator means including means to provide said proportionality factor as a function of both the real heart frequency f and the polarity of the real heart frequency alteration df/dt, which factor Bf in the presence of a positive polarity of the heart frequency alteration (df/dt >

0) increases with higher real heart frequencies, remains constant in the presence of negative polarity (df/dt <

0), said control signal SR is connected to the input of said brake control means for controlling said brake control means to produce a higher amount of braking force when the strength of the control signal increases, and a lower amount of braking force when the strength of the control signal decreases.

2. An ergometer as described in claim 1, wherein the said producing means includes control means connected to the outputs of said heart frequency measuring instrument and said differentiator for automatically controlling the factor Bf in function of the real heart frequency f and the polarity of the heart frequency alteration df/dt as follows:

3. An ergometer as described in claim 1, wherein said electronic control signal calculator means includes calculating means for calculating the constants K, A so that the frequency alterational signal (df/dt . A . Bf) corresponds in strength to a variation signal (fe - f) . K of 10 beats/min when

4. An ergometer as described in claim 2, wherein said providing means of said electronic control signal calculator means for controlling the factor Bf comprising in combination first circuit means, operational amplifiers, connected to the output of the real heart frequency measuring instrument, and producing one output signals when the real heart frequency f increases in said steps f <

110 , f 110 to 130, f 130 to 150, f 150 to 170, f >

170 beats/min, and second circuit means connected to the output of said differentiator for producing an output signal corresponding to the polarity of the signal df/dt, third circuit means connected to outputs of the first and second circuit means and connecting the output signals of the first circuit means to switching means, such as switching transistors only in that case when at the same time, at the output of the second circuit means exists an output signal correspoNding to a positive polarity of df/dt, said switching means setting amplifying means connected to the output of said differentiating device for an amplification of the signal df/dt in the ratio 1;

2;

3;

4;

5 corresponding to the appearance of outgoing signals of the first circuit means in the steps f <

110, f 110 to 130, f 130 to 150, f 150 to 170, f >

170 beats/min.