Apparatus for measuring exercise performance
First Claim
1. An integrated sensing and braking component, for use with an exercise machine of the type that permits a human exerciser to spin a wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component removably attachable to said exercise machine and configured to apply friction to the spinning wheel of the exercise machine and to measure power the human exerciser manually expends to spin said exercise machine spinning wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component comprising:
- a structure removably attachable to the exercise machine;
a friction applying component directly mounted to said removably attachable structure, said friction applying component configured to, in use, apply frictional force to said spinning wheel;
a force sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the force sensor in use sensing the amount of frictional force the friction applying component applies to the exercise machine spinning wheel;
a cadence sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the cadence sensor configured to sense a cadence rate at which said spinning wheel is spinning;
a processor directly mounted on the structure, the processor coupled to said force sensor and said cadence sensor, said processor calculating power at least in part in response to said sensed force and said sensed cadence rate; and
a transmitter directly mounted on the structure and coupled to the processor, the transmitter wirelessly communicating at least one data packet representing said calculated power to a location that is remote to said structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated sensor apparatus capable of detecting exercise equipment parameters such as power output and cadence is designed so as to be easily retrofittable to existing equipment. To the extent that a particular sensor uses friction measurement, it can supplant an existing friction causing device on the equipment. Additionally, the sensor can communicate, wirelessly if desired, with a processing device. The processing device is capable of receiving and processing a plurality of sensor signals. The processing device can then output processed signals to a display, so that a plurality of people joining in a group exercise or competition can easily track their relative performance in real-time.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An integrated sensing and braking component, for use with an exercise machine of the type that permits a human exerciser to spin a wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component removably attachable to said exercise machine and configured to apply friction to the spinning wheel of the exercise machine and to measure power the human exerciser manually expends to spin said exercise machine spinning wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component comprising:
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a structure removably attachable to the exercise machine; a friction applying component directly mounted to said removably attachable structure, said friction applying component configured to, in use, apply frictional force to said spinning wheel; a force sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the force sensor in use sensing the amount of frictional force the friction applying component applies to the exercise machine spinning wheel; a cadence sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the cadence sensor configured to sense a cadence rate at which said spinning wheel is spinning; a processor directly mounted on the structure, the processor coupled to said force sensor and said cadence sensor, said processor calculating power at least in part in response to said sensed force and said sensed cadence rate; and a transmitter directly mounted on the structure and coupled to the processor, the transmitter wirelessly communicating at least one data packet representing said calculated power to a location that is remote to said structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An integrated sensing and braking component for being removably attached to an exercise machine of the type that permits a human exerciser to spin a wheel by manually pedaling foot pedals coupled to the wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component comprising:
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a structure removably attachable to said exercise machine; a brake pad directly mounted to said removably attachable structure, said brake pad in use movably contacting and frictionally engaging the wheel; a force sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure in communication with the brake pad, the force sensor in use sensing the amount of frictional force the brake pad applies to the wheel; a cadence sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the cadence sensor configured to in use sense a cadence rate at which the wheel of the exercise machine is spinning; and a wireless module directly mounted on the removably attachable structure and coupled to the force sensor and the cadence sensor, the wireless module in use wirelessly communicating data responsive to the amount of force measured by the force sensor and the cadence rate measured by the cadence sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification