Apparatus for measuring exercise performance

• US 7,874,957 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Artis LLC
• Original Assignee: Artis LLC
• Inventors: Hurwitz, Elisa, Brendley, Keith W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roland; Daniel F
• Application Number:
  US11/774,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20080015089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/57, 482/65, 482900-902, 482/63, 482/64, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0641 enabling a lateral movement of the exercising apparatus, e.g. for simulating movement on a bicycle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0658 for cycling with a group of people, e.g. spinning classes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0644 with display speed of moving landscape controlled by the user's performance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/107 Resisting devices being of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 : characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 : for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/003 : Position, angle or speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/226 : in which the common actuating member is moved axially , e.g. floating caliper disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/183 : with force-transmitting members arranged side by side acting on a spot type force-applying member
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

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.

Claims

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.

2. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 1, wherein:

the cadence sensor comprises an optical sensor configured to sense at least rotation speed of the spinning wheel on which at least one reflector is disposed, and

the contents of the at least one data packet transmitted by the transmitter are at least partially dependent on the rotation speed detected by the optical sensor.

3. A group sensor feedback system comprising:

plural integrated sensing and braking components as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said integrated sensing and braking component is removably attached to a different exercise machine;

at least one group processor that generates a display signal output;

a receiver coupled to the group processor; and

at least one group display that displays the group processor display signal output;

the receiver being configured to receive signals transmitted by the plural integrated sensing and braking components;

the group processor processing signals received by the receiver and in response thereto, outputting the display signal output to the at least one group display;

the at least one group display providing graphical feedback indicative of the signals transmitted by the plural integrated sensing and braking components to encourage group competition.

4. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback includes a scenic display showing a virtual view including a representation of at least one person exercising.

5. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback provides images indicative of plural people exercising and shows relative positions of the people traveling respective virtual distances.

6. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback includes a graphical representation of power.

7. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback includes a graphical representation of cadence.

8. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback includes a representation of total exercise time from a start time of a session.

9. The sensor feedback system of claim 3, wherein the graphical feedback includes a menu having choices selectable by at least one user of a group of plural users each using exercise machines.

10. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 1 wherein said removably attachable structure is configured and dimensioned to be removably attached to the exercise machine in substitution for a brake pad.

11. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 1 wherein the friction applying component comprises a passive brake pad engaging the spinning wheel, the user manually controlling, in use, the passive brake pad to apply a variable amount of friction to the spinning wheel of the exercise machine.

12. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 1, wherein the force sensor comprises a displacement sensor that senses displacement of the friction applying component against a bias, the displacement caused by spin of the spinning wheel, said displacement being indicative of a controllable amount of friction the friction applying component applies to the spinning wheel.

13. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 1 wherein the at least one friction applying component comprises a brake pad.

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:

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.

15. The integrated sensing and braking component of claim 14 wherein said integrated sensing and braking component is adaptable for field-retrofitting on a exercise machine of the type that permits a human exerciser to manually spin a wheel, the integrated sensing and braking component for being removably attached to the exercise machine in place of a mechanical brake pad of the exercise machine.