Athletic training unit with musical rhythm reproducing speaker and exerciser's pulse detecting means

• US 4,674,743 A
• Filed: 09/11/1985
• Issued: 06/23/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hirano, Mutsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Application Number:
  US06/774,913
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 272/100, 272/DIG. 9, 368/10, 340/323 R
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 having computer circuitry

Abstract

An athletic training unit having a radio receiver and speakers for informing a music and instructor'"'"'s messages to an exerciser by a wireless manner. A desired rhythm signal is selectively supplied to the speakers from a rhythm generator so as to provide the musical rhythm to the exerciser. The unit further has a sensor for detecting the pulse of the exerciser so that the exerciser is noticed a fact that his pulse exceeds his safety upper limit for exercising. As the pulse sensor, a pair of an infrared LED and a photo transistor is used.

Claims

1. An athletic training unit for use by an exerciser comprising in combination:

first means for generating an audio signal;

electro-acoustic transducer means coupled responsively to said first means for transducing the audio signal into sound;

pulse sensing means for sensing the pulse of an exerciser using said unit;

presettable storage means for storing a preset upper limit for said pulse;

means coupled to said pulse sensing means and to said presettable storage means for comparing the sensed pulse from said pulse sensing means with said preset upper limit for said pulse, said comparing means generating a warning signal when the sensed pulse exceeds said preset upper limit of the pulse;

means for communicating to said exerciser said warning signal;

a housing having a hollow chamber containing said first means, said electro-acoustic transducer means, said pulse sensing means, said presettable storage means, said comparing means, and said alarm means therein; and

electric vibrator means within said housing chamber coupled to said first means and to said housing for communicating to said housing undertone vibration corresponding to said audio signal.

2. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a radio receiver means for receiving a radio signal training instructor'"'"'s messages.

3. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises means for generating a rhythm selecting signal, and said audio signal generating means comprising rhythm signal generating means for generating a rhythm signal, said rhythm signal comprising electric pulses having a pulse occurrence pattern corresponding to a pattern of recurrence of beats of a musical rhythm identified by said rhythm selecting signal.

4. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said audio signal generating means further comprises a radio receiver means for receiving a radio signal, and which further comprises a selection switch means for selecting one of said radio receiver means and said rhythm generator means.

5. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 4, which further comprises switch means for inputting a safety upper limit of a user'"'"'s pulse to preset the upper limit into said presettable storage means.

6. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 5, which is accompanied with a remote controller which comprises rhythm selecting switch means, said selection switch means and said inputting switch means and means for radiating an infrared light carrying a signal in response to operation of one of said rhythm selecting switch means, said selection switch means and said inputting switch means, said athletic training unit further comprising an infrared light receiving means for detecting the signal carried on the infrared light as received thereat.

7. The atheletic training unit as claimed in claim 4, which further comprises a low-pass filter for removng a high frequency component of an audio signal from one of said radio receiver means and said rhythm generator means, and means for coupling an output signal of said low-pass filter to said vibrator means for reproducing said undertone vibration.

8. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pulse sensing means comprises light source means for emitting a light of a wavelength of 0.6-1.9 μ

m to the physical body of the exerciser, and photoelectric means for receiving the light reflected by hemoglobin in the blood flowing in the human body.

9. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said light source means is an infrared light emission diode, and said photoelectric means is a photo transistor.

10. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator means comprises coil means, weight plate means supporting said coil means, and spring plate means for elastically supporting said weight means, and wherein said vibrator means is mounted on said electroacoustic transducer means.

11. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said warning communicating means comprises control means for stopping operation of said audio signal generating means in response to said warning signal, whereby the sound generation by said electro-acoustic transducer means is stopped to thereby warn the exerciser.

12. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said warning communicating means comprises a warning lamp which turns on in response to said warning signal.

13. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a thin hollow tubular portion adaptable for grasping by hand and a pair of cylindrical case portions mounted on opposite ends of said tubular portion, each cylindrical case portion having a diameter greater than said tubular portion.

14. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein said electro-acoustic transducer means comprises two speaker devices disposed in said paired cylindrical case portions, respectively.

15. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said pulse sensing means is mounted in said tubular portion.

16. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein one of said case portions is provided with a hollow opening for receiving a human finger, and said pulse sensing means is disposed in the hollow opening.

17. The athletic training unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein each case is provided with heat sink means therein and a plurality of heat radiating apertures.