CH708378A2 - Folding ergometer in the form of a bicycle. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an ergometer (1), which can be folded out on land or under water, which on the bogie (4) the central folding function and attachment of the Fußausleger (2a, 2b) and main carrier (7) and generator (22), unfolded to be able to train on the stationary bike and by means of the accessory of a backrest (24) or a hand crank drive (23) to turn the ergometer (1) in a recumbent bike or in a hand crank ergometer, and the ergometer (1) when not in use fold and in to provide the folding housing (15) elegant and no longer visible.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a folding ergometer, in the form of a bicycle, especially for swimming pools, according to the preamble of the first claim.

State of the art

Ergometers, also referred to as indoor bike, such devices are increasingly used due to medical precaution, as well as for high levels of sporting activities in the water under the title «Aqua fitness». Such devices are placed in use in the water of the swimming pool and taken out again after training from the pool. Chrome steel tends to be corrosive, especially when using chlorinated water in combination with oxygen, so the equipment must be cleaned with fresh water after use. To increase the resistance on the foot pedals of an ergometer, devices in the water use water brakes in the form of plates on the pedals or propellers with adjustable wings, which are connected to the pedals in a mold.

Foldable ergometers are known per se and also held in patents, as in the US Pat. No. 5,071,117, US Pat. No. 4,632,386 or ergometer with an additional mode in US Pat. No. 4,602,781.

Presentation of the invention

The invention has for its object, especially in a swimming pool to leave an ergometer permanently in the water, which is hinged and, if necessary, is housed in a folding housing when not in use, according to the preamble of the first claim.

The use of ergometer (bicycle rack with pedal) in a swimming pool have tangible benefits such as. Protection of the joints or higher calorie consumption per unit time. The pedaling resistance is generated in a swimming pool by means of water braking, on land by means of eddy current brake, magnets, brake bands and other. In a swimming pool, the sports equipment must be lifted above the edge of the pool and brought back after training to damage the equipment, but it can also affect the edge of the pool. Furthermore, such sports equipment is often over 25 kg heavy, which can lead to insurance problems with salaried Poolbetreuern in certain countries, but also otherwise, the improper lifting of such a device out of the water can lead to injuries to the spine. The other dilemma is where to go with the sports equipment afterwards. Also, this should be cleaned after use with plenty of fresh water, because chlorine water reacts with oxygen on the chrome steel and leads to corrosion, which is soon noticeable by unsightly rust streaks and stains. An ergometer or a recumbent ergometer or a hand crank ergometer are extremely sturdy devices because they often have high forces or high pedaling speeds on the pedals and may also be used by people who have a high body weight. The invention solves these problems with respect to spinal load and corrosion on the device by the ergometer permanently in the water of the swimming pool remains, thus not always in and out of the water is lifted and as long as the chromium steel of the sports equipment does not come into solid contact with oxygen, that remains Device protected against corrosion. To save space, the ergometer can also be easily and quickly folded. Furthermore, the whereabouts of the sports equipment in the water is solved by means of a folding housing in that it shields the floats against contact with the parts such as handlebars, pedals, etc. on such a sports equipment as a hedge, as well as a carrier, i. Foundation for the sports equipment and is placed by means of a hinge on the wall of the swimming pool. Thus, a mounted in folding housing ergometer is always ready to use by folding down only the folding housing or folded up or needs to be opened laterally, without the sports equipment difficult to lift or looking for a place for stowage after use, respectively. to transport the device to the repository. The force required for lifting and lowering the folding housing is correspondingly reduced by floating bodies in the water or gas springs on land.

Furthermore, such stable ergometer or recumbent or hand crank ergometer are expensive, especially those that are used in the water, since they are made of high quality chrome steel and must be maintained accordingly. The invention combines these diverse tasks in a single device, which saves money and space, without sacrificing comfort or in the sports or therapy use. Of course, the folding ergometer can also be used in the terrestrial area and be supplied due to the simple and efficient combination of the device at the pivot point of the crankshaft, with little space on the wall or in a closet or under the bed.

The ergometer is designed so that it can be equipped with various braking systems and can also be used as a recumbent ergometer, as well as use as a hand-crank ergometer.

This is achieved by the features of the first claim according to the invention.

The core of the invention is to safely and simply unfold an ergometer by means of a folding housing and thus to be able to start training immediately. Thereafter, the sports equipment can be closed again, possibly in addition to the folding housing and so with little effort to fold up a wall and secure there or supply to another location, and make invisible to the outside if necessary.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. The same elements are provided in the various figures with the same reference numerals.

[0012] FIG. <Tb> FIG. 1 <SEP> A schematic side view of a foldable ergometer with swiveling base stand, floor joint, bogie, crank handle, adjustable seat, adjustable handles, display and buoyant body, and a hinged housing with the latch <Tb> FIG. 2 <SEP> a schematic side view of a folding ergometer with swiveling stand-up arms, floor joint, bogie, crank handle, an adjustable seat, adjustable handles, display an indicated hand crank drive, and a folding housing with the lock <Tb> FIG. 3 <SEP> a schematic side view of a folding housing on the wall with the ergometer folded in it.

Only essential elements for the immediate understanding of the invention are shown schematically.

Way to carry out the invention

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a folding ergometer 1 with a pivoting Standfussausleger 2a with a bottom joint 3 and opposite a bogie 4, which on the one hand holds the second Standfussausleger 2b rotatably and on the other hand on the bogie 4, the crank handle 5 is attached to which the brake 6 attacks, as well as on the bogie 4, the main carrier 7 is mounted, which has adjustable handles 8 at its other end, receiving a display 9, carries a buoyant body 10, as well as at this also the pivot mechanism 11 for the folding and adjustable Seat tube 12 is mounted with attached saddle 13, a cable 14, and a folding housing 15 with lock 16th

Normally, folding bicycles are folded laterally by a hinge is attached to the main carrier, or ergometers in the form of a large X, centered a pivot bearing is mounted and folded the X is slightly narrower, similar to a collapsible ironing board. The solution shown here has an extremely compact folding mechanism in the folding center of the foot crank 5 at point Z. There unfold on the one hand the Standfussausleger 2a, 2b and on the other hand, the main carrier. 7 If the ergometer 1 is fixed rotatably mounted on the floor panel 15b of the folding housing 15 by means of the floor joint 3, then e.g. the ergometer 1 by opening the latch 16 and by means of the housing mounting 17 are folded out of the folding housing 15 and the ergometer are placed horizontally. A gas spring cylinder or leg spring or the like, not shown here, ensures that the unfolding is pleasantly easy. By pulling on the handle 8 obliquely upward, pivots the Standfußausleger 2a, together with the bogie 4 and thus also the Fussauslenker 2b, which of an optional spring damping 18, which may be a gas spring or a mechanical damping means, cushioned and gently into the End position at the bottom B is left. A stop 19 ensures that the main carrier 7 with respect to the Standfussausleger 2b occupies a certain angular position. The stop 19 may have a snap element, so that when you close the ergometer 1 this first must be unlocked again. Thereafter, the seat tube 12 is tilted with the saddle 13 to the rear and locked and locked by the fixing member 20 on the pivot mechanism 11 in the desired angular position or there is a rope 14 between the main carrier 7 and the seat tube 12, or the telekopierenden part of the seat tube 12a , The cable 14 can be extended or shortened accordingly and thus can also adjust the seat angle position of the saddle 13 to the foot pedal 5a optimally. The rope 14 may be a chain or a high strength plastic rope, e.g. the high quality PE material, known under the brand Dyneema from the company Royal DSM N.V. This is the ergometer 1 ready for training. The saddle 13 can be adjusted and locked accordingly by means of the clamping means 21 in the desired height position, and the inclination of the saddle 13 can be adjusted, as well as the handles 8 on the main carrier 7, and the inclination angle of the display 9. In this way, an ergometer extremely be set up quickly and take into account all body length mass and body positions. At the Fußkurbel 5 is the brake 6, which is not visible in practice and is controlled by the display 9, respectively. by means of an algorithm which has stored road routes on the computer and the brake 6 thus brakes more or less according to the topography in the software. If the brake 6 is a generator - a watertight in the water, the resulting current energy is used for the activation of the display and the computer and battery charge, the residual energy is destroyed in a diode or a heater. With such a generator, the foot crank 5 can be driven and is thus ideal for the rehabilitation of patients. If the ergometer 1 is in the water, it may have a buoyancy means (not shown here) on the floor panel 15a, so that the ergometer 1 does not sink too quickly to the bottom of the swimming pool. In addition, there is a buoyancy body 10 on the main carrier 7, which ensures that it is easy to lift and not to quickly down when re-supplying. The buoyancy bodies 10 replace gas springs, which in a swimming pool together with the chemistry, in particular chlorine, could possibly lead to problems.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic side view of a folding ergometer 1 with pivoting fuseholder 2a, 2b, bottom joint 3, bogie 4, crank 5, an adjustable saddle 13 with backrest 24, adjustable handles 8, a hand crank drive 23, and a folding housing 15 with Lock 16.

Another advantage of this construction, together with the simple installation of a generator 22 on the bogie, which can be sealed easily and inexpensively against ingress of water by the generator housing shaft protruding at the waterproof generator housing 22a and just by means of an O-ring package, which Today represents the state of the art in propeller shafts on marine propulsion, thus reliably protects against water intrusion into the generator 22. The generator shaft is connected to the crank arm 5.

The ergometer 1 is also multifunctional, by the seat tube 12 can be folded so far down, in the recumbent ergometer position Q, so that it can ultimately be converted to a recumbent ergometer. In addition, there is a backrest 24, possibly a wider saddle 13 and side handles 25, so that the seated person can comfortably and optimally hold on the ergometer 1. In order to safely prevent tilting of the ergometer 1 to the rear, the Standfussausleger 2b is secured to the bottom plate 15b by means of a lock 26 or the bottom joint 3 is blocked. It is also conceivable that the Standfussausleger 2b is held in a rail guide 27 and thus always automatically guided and held. The simple and inexpensive construction, which e.g. can be produced by means of lasered and folded sheet metal parts of at least the main beam 7 and the Standfussausleger 2a and at the same time allows plenty of space for additional technical means with high rigidity of the components can be on the main carrier 7 thus also attach a hand crank 23, which by means of a drive belt 28 to the generator 22 can be switched on. The hand crank drive 23 is pluggable and at the same time the drive belt 28 may be e.g. be stretched over a cone and thus the training mode is activated, when not in use, the hand crank drive 23 can be removed again. In crank mode, the crank arm 5 can be deactivated or be inactive by means of a freewheel. As a variant is also that the hand crank drive 23 is mounted on a rotatably mounted linkage, which is folded out of the main carrier 7 or on the seat tube 12 and the hand crank drive 23, a separate small generator is coupled.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of a folding housing 15 on the wall W with the ergometer folded therein.

The unfolding of the ergometer 1 is described in Fig. 1, thus the collapse is to be made in the opposite order. After the simple collapse, the bottom plate 15b can swing up, supported in the terrestrial area by gas springs or torsion springs or other mechanical aids, in the water by simple buoyancy body on the bottom plate 15b plus the buoyancy body 10 on the main carrier 7. The size of the folding housing 15 depends on whether only the slim version with the slender saddle 13 or the more generous version with the backrest 24 as shown in Fig. 2, must fit into the folding process, so that the ergometer 1 is fully supplied. A storage space 29 also allows for the supply of bulky accessories, e.g. a wide saddle, the backrest 24, hand crank drive 23 as shown in Fig. 2 u.v.m.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0022] <Tb> 1 <September> Ergometer <tb> 2a, 2b <SEP> Standfloor <Tb> 3 <September> ground joint <Tb> 4 <September> bogie <Tb> 2b <September> Stand boom <Tb> 5 <September> foot crank <Tb> 5 <September> Foot pedal crank <Tb> 6 <September> brake <Tb> 7 <September> main carrier <Tb> 8 <September> handle <Tb> 9 <September> Display <Tb> 10 <September> float <Tb> 11 <September> swivel mechanism <tb> 12, 12a <SEP> Seat tube <Tb> 13 <September> Seat <Tb> 14 <September> rope <Tb> 15 <September> clamshell <Tb> 15b <September> floor panel <Tb> 16 <September> locking <Tb> 17 <September> Housing storage <Tb> 18 <September> Spring Stopper <Tb> 19 <September> stop <Tb> 20 <September> fixing <Tb> 21 <September> clamping devices <Tb> 22 <September> Generator <Tb> 22 <September> generator housing <Tb> 23 <September> Hand crank <Tb> 24 <September> backrest <Tb> 25 <September> side handle <Tb> 26 <September> locking <Tb> 27 <September> rail guide <Tb> 28 <September> Transmission belts <Tb> 29 <September> storage <Tb> B <September> Floor <Tb> W <September> Wall <Tb> Z <September> folding center <tb> Q <SEP> Position Recumbent ergometer

Claims (12)

1. ergometer (1), characterized in that the ergometer (1) on the bogie (4) is hinged, by means of the stand-foot boom (2a, 2b) and the main carrier (7) which are rotatably mounted on the bogie (4), the seat tube (12) is separately folded and by means of the fixing element (20) or the rope (14) in the predetermined angular position can be locked and the ergometer (1) also serves as a recumbent and hand crank ergometer. 2. Ergometer (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the ergometer (1) to the stop (19) is folded out and locked there if necessary or the ergometer (1) by means of the lock (26) on the bottom plate (15b) can be locked is. 3. Ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seat tube (12) adjustable in length and can be folded and the ergometer (1) in the recumbent position (Q) or in any other intermediate position can be performed. 4. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the recumbent mode the bottom plate (15b) is locked with the Standfussausleger (2b) or the bottom joint (3) is blocked or the Standfussausleger (2b) in a rail guide ( 27) is held. 5. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main carrier (7) a hand crank drive (23) is mounted, which by means of the drive belt (28) to the generator (22) is connected. 6. Ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main carrier (7) or the seat tube (12) is a fold-out linkage is located on which the hand crank drive (23) is fastened and a separate generator (22) attacks. 7. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ergometer (1) by means of the bottom joint (3) is connected and the bottom plate (15 b) by means of the housing mounting (17) is hinged and in the vertical to the folding housing ( 15) is adjacent and lockable. 8. Ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the folding housing (1) is a buoyancy body (10) or a gas spring. 9. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ergometer (1) is a buoyancy body (10) or a gas spring. 10. Ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ergometer (1) can be used on land and in the water. 11. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the generator (22) is waterproof and can serve as a brake and as a drive. 12. ergometer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of the generator (22) a pure brake (6) acts.