Swim instruction, training, and assessment apparatus

• US 5,813,945 A
• Filed: 09/05/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Total Performance Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert H. Bernacki
• Inventors: Bernacki, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US08/708,644
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 434/247, 434/254, 482/1-9, 482/51, 482/55, 482/56, 482/63, 482/92, 482/901, 482/903, 4/904, 441/55
• US Class Current: 482/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/153 wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/12 Arrangements in swimming pools for teaching swimming or for training

Abstract

An instructional, training, and assessment apparatus is provided for use in the activity of swimming. The apparatus includes a cable having a proximal end and a distal end, and a harness for coupling the distal end of the cable to a swimmer. A motorized drum mechanism is coupled to the proximal end of the cable for winding and unwinding the cable to apply forces to the swimmer as the swimmer swims laps in a pool. A pressure roller applies pressure to the cable as it is wound and unwound in multiple layers upon the drum. A bailer sheave and idler roller engaged with the sheave and mounted on shafts transverse to the drum guide the cable in even rows onto the drum. A cable diameter limit sensor coupled to the above described bailer sheave and the motorized drum senses the increased diameter of the distal end of the cable whereupon the motorized drum halts the winding action in response to the limit sensor signal. Cable speed and force sensors are provided for generating output signals responsive to the speed of and force exerted on the cable. The apparatus also includes a controller responsive to the output signal from the force sensor and the speed sensor and to an external speed parameter represented by a reference signal for controlling the forces applied by the winding and unwinding mechanism. The controller of the apparatus further includes a signal averaging means coupled to the speed sensor signal and to the controller limiting the rate of change of positive forces to the swimmer while the swimmer is swimming in response to changes in the swimmer'"'"'s speed.

Claims

1. A swim instruction apparatus comprising:

a cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a harness for coupling the distal end of the cable to a swimmer in a body of water;

a motorized drum coupled to the proximal end of the cable for winding and unwinding the cable for applying forces to the cable;

a speed sensor coupled to the cable for generating an output signal proportional to a speed of the cable;

a first signal filter coupled to the speed sensor output for generating an output signal proportional to a short-term average speed of the cable and characterized by an averaging interval of at least one half of a swimming stroke interval in duration;

a speed controller coupled to the output of the filter, the speed controller generating a speed control output signal inversely proportional to the output signal of the first filter;

a force sensor coupled to the cable for generating an output signal responsive to a cable tension force;

a second signal filter coupled to the force sensor output for generating an output signal proportional to a short-term average force on the cable and characterized by an averaging interval of no more than approximately one half, but at least approximately one twentieth, of a swimming stroke interval in duration and no less than approximately a maximum cycle period of force variation attributable to characteristics of the motorized drum; and

a force controller coupled to the speed controller output, the second signal filter output and to the motorized drum whereby the force controller controls the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims in the body of water in proportion to the output signal of the speed controller and inversely proportional to the output signal of the second signal filter, the applied forces being responsive to both interstroke variations in speed and intrastroke variations in force while being unresponsive to both variations in force attributable to characteristics of the motorized drum and variations in intrastroke speed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motorized drum includes an electric motor coupled to the force controller and to the force sensor, the force sensor including a motor armature current sensor for generating an output signal proportional to the cable tension force.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speed controller includes an adjustable signal source for generating an output signal representing a value of a speed parameter selected from a range of values, the output signal from the speed controller being derived from both the output signal of the first filter and the output signal of the speed parameter signal source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speed controller includes a signal source for generating an output signal representing a varying speed parameter, the output signal from the signal source smoothly varying according to approximately a straight slope from an initial speed value to a final speed value over a pushoff time interval of approximately one to two seconds commencing at the start of a lap and ending shortly after the swimmer'"'"'s initiation of stroking, the initial speed value being a percentage greater than one hundred percent of a final speed value whereby

the speed controller generates a speed control output signal inversely proportional to the output signal of the filter and proportional to the output of the varying speed parameter signal source to control the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims laps in the body of water.

5. A swim instruction apparatus comprising:

a cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a harness for coupling the distal end of the cable to a swimmer in a body of water;

a drum coupled to the proximal end of the cable for winding and unwinding the cable;

a multipole electric motor of a skewed armature type of construction coupled to the drum for applying forces to the cable;

a force sensor coupled to the cable for generating an output signal responsive to a cable tension force;

a signal filter coupled to the force sensor output for generating an output signal proportional to a short-term average force on the cable and characterized by an averaging interval of no more than approximately one half of a swimming stroke interval in duration; and

a force controller coupled to the signal filter output and to the electric motor whereby

the force controller controls the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims in the body of water, the applied forces being inversely proportional to the output signal of the signal filter and exhibiting minimal variations attributable to the armature construction of the electric motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the force sensor includes a motor armature current sensor coupled to the motor for generating an output signal proportional to the cable tension force.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the force controller includes an adjustable signal source for generating an output signal representing a value of a force parameter selected from a range of values, the output signal from the force controller being derived from both the output signal of the filter and the output signal of the force parameter signal source.

8. A swim instruction apparatus comprising:

a cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a harness for coupling the distal end of the cable to a swimmer in a body of water;

a drum coupled to the proximal end of the cable for winding and unwinding the cable;

a multipole electric motor of a skewed armature type of construction coupled to the drum for applying forces to the cable;

a speed sensor coupled to the cable for generating an output signal proportional to a speed of the cable;

a signal filter coupled to the speed sensor output for generating an output signal proportional to a short-term average speed of the cable and characterized by an averaging interval of at least approximately one half of a swimming stroke interval in duration;

a speed controller coupled to the output of the filter and to the electric motor whereby

the speed controller generates a speed control output signal inversely proportional to the output signal of the filter to control the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims in the body of water, the applied forces being responsive to the interstroke variations in speed and only exhibiting minimal variations attributable to the armature construction of the electric motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the speed controller includes an adjustable signal source for generating an output signal representing a value of a speed parameter selected from a range of values, the output signal from the speed controller being derived from both the output signal of the filter and the output signal of the speed parameter signal source.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the speed controller includes a signal source for generating an output signal representing a varying speed parameter, the output signal from the signal source smoothly varying according to approximately a straight slope from an initial speed value to a final speed value over a pushoff time interval of approximately one to two seconds commencing at the start of a lap and ending shortly after the swimmer'"'"'s initiation of stroking, the initial speed value being a percentage greater than one hundred percent of a final speed value whereby

the speed controller generates a speed control output signal inversely proportional to the output signal of the filter and proportional to the output of the varying speed parameter signal source to control the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims laps in the body of water.

11. A swim instruction apparatus comprising:

a cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a harness for coupling the distal end of the cable to a swimmer in a body of water;

a motorized drum coupled to the proximal end of the cable for winding and unwinding the cable for applying forces to the cable;

a speed sensor coupled to the cable for generating an output signal proportional to a speed of the cable;

a signal filter coupled to the speed sensor output for generating an output signal proportional to a short-term average speed of the cable and characterized by an averaging interval of at least approximately one half of a swimming stroke interval in duration;

a signal source for generating an output signal representing a varying speed parameter, the output signal from the signal source smoothly varying according to approximately a straight slope from an initial speed value to a final speed value over a pushoff time interval of approximately one to two seconds commencing at the start of a lap and ending shortly after the swimmer'"'"'s initiation of stroking, the initial speed value being a percentage greater than one hundred percent of a final speed value; and

a speed controller coupled to the output of the filter, to the output of the signal source and to the motorized drum whereby

the speed controller generates a speed control output signal inversely proportional to the output signal of the filter and proportional to the output of the varying speed parameter signal source to control the forces applied to the swimmer through the cable as the swimmer swims laps in the body of water.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the motorized drum includes an electric motor coupled to the force controller and to the force sensor, the force sensor including a motor armature current sensor for generating an output signal proportional to the cable tension force.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the varying speed parameter signal source includes an adjustable signal source for generating an output signal representing a value of the final speed parameter selected from a range of values, the output signal from the varying speed parameter signal source being derived from the output signal of the adjustable signal source.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the motorized drum includes a multipole electric motor of a skewed armature type of construction coupled to the drum.