The present invention relates to an exercise device, particularly to an exercise device with timely assistive functions.
In the past, exercise devices include flywheels that are common on the market and treadmills in rehabilitation clinics. For example, Taiwan Invention Patents No. I300718 and No. I548409 and Taiwan Utility Model Patent No. M581485 disclosed cyclically pedaling exercise equipment that is provided to a user for performing bicycle-like exercise to achieve fitness effects. Generally speaking, most of the foregoing exercise devices can provide users with increased resistance during exercise using manual or electric methods, thereby increasing the user's exercise intensity.
The past exercise devices can only provide users with a certain degree of muscle strength and coordination to complete cyclically pedaling exercise. However, users who have suffered a stroke or cerebral palsy or have experienced major accidents may be in complex situations such as the insufficient muscle strength in one limb or bilateral coordination disorders, making it difficult to use the foregoing exercise device to complete the cyclically pedaling exercise.
The present invention provides an exercise device with assistive functions to help users perform pedaling exercise.
The exercise device of the present invention includes a base unit, a training unit, a detection unit, an analyzing and processing module, and an electrical auxiliary unit. The training unit is arranged on the base unit. The detection unit includes a detector arranged on the corresponding position of the training unit and at least one object to be detected. The analyzing and processing module is coupled to the detector of the detection unit. The electrical auxiliary unit, coupled to the analyzing and processing module, assists in driving the training unit. A user applies force to the training unit to perform a corresponding action (e.g., pedaling exercise). The detector detects the state of the object to be detected relative to the detector when the training unit performs the action and generates a detection signal. The analyzing and processing module receives the detection signal and determines that the training unit is in a normally-used state or an assistance-required state according to the detection signal. The analyzing and processing module generates an electrical auxiliary signal and transmits it to the electrical auxiliary unit in an assistance-required state. The electrical auxiliary unit assists in driving the training unit according to the electrical auxiliary signal and helps the user to perform pedaling actions.
The effect of the present invention can help the user complete pedaling exercise when the user slows down or stagnates the pedaling exercise. As a result, the effects of displacement and exercise can be produced to improve the user's willingness and motivation to exercise, so that the purpose of the present invention can be achieved.
Below, the embodiments are described in detail in cooperation with the drawings to make easily understood the technical contents, characteristics and accomplishments of the present invention.
The technical contents, features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
Referring to
When the user applies force to the training unit 2 to perform exercise, the detector 31 detects the state of the object 34 to be detected relative to the detector 31 to generate a detection signal. The analyzing and processing module 4 receives the detection signal and determines that the training unit 2 is in a normally-used state or an assistance-required state according to the detection signal. In the normal state, the user uses the training unit 2 to complete cyclically pedaling exercise. In the assistance-required state, the pedaling force is insufficient at a certain angle or multiple angles of the cyclically pedaling exercise such that the speed slows down or becomes zero. The analyzing and processing module 4 will generate an electrical auxiliary signal and transmits the electrical auxiliary signal to the electrical auxiliary unit 5 when determining that the training unit 2 is in the assistance-required state. The electrical auxiliary unit 5 assists in driving the training unit 2 according to the electrical auxiliary signal to assist the user in performing pedaling exercise, thereby completing a pedaling cycle.
The effect of the present invention can be used for users to perform pedaling exercise, especially when the user is a patient with lower limbs injured. When performing pedaling exercise, the pedaling action may have insufficient force at a certain pedaling angle, which easily causes the pedaling exercise to stagnate. The electrical auxiliary unit 5 is used to assist in driving the training unit 2 to help the user complete the pedaling exercise, thereby achieving the purpose of the present invention.
As illustrated in
Further explanation is that the height of the cushion 13 is adaptable according to requirements. When performing pedaling exercise, the user can sit on the cushion 13 or leave the cushion 13 to perform exercise in a standing position. In addition, the cushion 13 can also be installed or removed according to usage requirements.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
In the present invention, please refer to
Refer to
Refer to
In some embodiments, the detector 31 is a magnetic proximity sensor, namely a Hall sensor. For example, the electromagnetic Hall sensors MS08-10N and MS08-10P of Yang Ming Electric can be used. Alternatively, magnetic proximity sensors of different models or brands are included within the scope of the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, the objects 34 to be detected are magnets and the number of the objects 34 to be detected is four. The objects 34 to be detected are spaced at uniform angles. Each angle has 30 degrees. The total angle has 90 degrees. That is to say, when the user cyclically pedals the training unit 2, the detection unit 3 can detect a range of about 90 degrees of the trajectory. The number of the objects 34 to be detected can be increased or decreased according to requirements. The angle between the objects 34 to be detected can also be adaptable according to requirements. The coverage range of the objects 34 to be detected can also be increased or decreased according to requirements. For example, the coverage range of the objects 34 to be detected has 360 degrees, which is included within the scope of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the objects 34 to be detected can also be a plurality of electromagnets. The effect of detecting a specific range is achieved by turning on or off a part of the objects 34 to be detected. In other words, the objects 34 to be detected can be turned on or off, which is equivalent to the objects 34 to be detected adjustably arranged on the training unit 2.
It is worthy noted that in some embodiments, the power suppling manner of the detector 31 can be similar to that of an electric brush, so that the positions of the detector 31 and the object 34 to be detected 34 can also be interchanged. In addition, the objects 34 to be detected can be holes on the disc 32. The detector 31 is a photointerrupter arranged around the disc 32. When each hole passes through the photointerrupter, a detection signal is generated. The analyzing and processing module 4 determines that the training unit 2 is in a normal state or an assistance-required state according to a time interval when the detection signal is received.
Referring to
In some embodiments, when the user's left and right lower limbs respectively apply force to the first pedal 22 and the second pedal 24 to perform pedaling exercise relative to the base unit 1, the detector 31 detects the position state of the object 34 to be detected relative to the detector 31 to generate a detection signal. The analyzing and processing module 4 receives and analyzes the detection signal to generate an electrical auxiliary signal and transmit the electrical auxiliary signal to the electrical auxiliary unit 5. For example, a user who has suffered a stroke may have insufficient muscle strength or coordination on one side, such that the user stagnates exercise in a specific angle range. The detection unit 3 can rotate the disk 32 to detect the specific angle range. When the rotation speed becomes too slow or zero due to insufficient muscle strength within the detection range, the analyzing and processing module 4 analyzes the detection signal to determine that assistance should be provided and thus transmits the electrical auxiliary signal to the electrical auxiliary unit 5. The electric auxiliary unit 5 drives the electric motor 53 according to the electrical auxiliary signal to assist in rotating the front wheel set 26, thereby assisting the user in performing complete cyclically pedaling exercise to pass a specific angle range.
Further explanation is that when the electrical auxiliary unit 5 helps the user pass through a specific angle range, the user can complete the exercise in the remaining angle range without stagnation. Therefore, the detection unit 3 does not need to output the detection signal and the analyzing and processing module does not need to analyze the detection signal within the remaining angle range, thereby achieving the purpose of saving the power of the rechargeable battery 52.
More specifically, the front wheel set 26 is driven and rotated by the electrical auxiliary unit 5. Alternatively, the front wheel set 26 rotates with the rear wheel set 25. The rear wheel set 25 is mainly driven by the user pedaling the first force-bearing member 21 and the second force-bearing member 23. When the user needs assistance, the electrical auxiliary unit 5 assists in driving the front wheel set 26 and the rear wheel set 25 rotates with the front wheel set 26. Furthermore, the rear wheel set 25 rotates with the front wheel set 26 to drive the transmission member of the training unit 2. That is to say, the transmission member 20 will respectively drive the first pedal 22 and the second pedal 24 through the first force-bearing member 21 and the second force-bearing member 23. The user's left and right feet respectively move with the first pedal 22 and the second pedal 24 such that the left and right lower limbs move together. As a result, the left and right lower limbs complete a pedaling motion.
In conclusion, the user can also use the exercise device to exercise outdoors or in open indoor spaces. As the user pedals, the exercise device will move forward, move backward, turn, etc. The movement can enrich the visual, auditory and other experiences during exercise, thereby improving exercise effects.
Some users cannot or cannot easily walk to the outdoor space, or do not have an open indoor space to use the exercise device. Refer to
In addition to normal people, the exercise device of the present invention can also be used by some patients who need muscle training. When these patients use the present invention, they can indeed activate the function of the user's lower limb muscles. In some embodiments,
Muscle activation is defined as the muscle recruitment (Burden, 2010) during each cycle when the user pedals the exercise device to exercise. The electromyographic signal is the comprehensive signal of muscle potential. Based on the electromyographic signal, the sequence of muscle groups participating in movements, muscle contraction intensity and the degree of participation of different muscle groups during exercise, so as to evaluate the excitability, coordination, training effect and fatigue of muscles. In time domain with time as the horizontal axis and voltage as the vertical axis, the electromyographic signal records the sum of the superposition of multiple muscle activities. Using the root mean square (RMS) operation, the analog electromyographic signals with continuous characteristics is converted into numbers, which represent muscle recruitment in physiological terms.
The co-contraction situation of muscle groups is used to analyze the ratio (Q:H ratio) of the extensor muscle groups (e.g., quadriceps, Q) of a knee joint to the flexor muscle groups (e.g., hamstrings, H) of the knee joint. Q represents the sum of rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM). H represents the sum of biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (ST). The ratio is Q divided by H. When the ratio is 1, the user's knee joint is the most stable at this time, which means that the contraction of the quadriceps muscles is equal to that of the hamstring muscles. When the ratio is greater than 1, the contraction of the quadriceps muscles is greater. When the ratio is less than 1, the contraction of the hamstring muscles is greater (Begalle, DiStefano, Blackburn, & Padua, 2012). Observing the co-contraction of muscle groups is an important factor in observing movement efficiency and the stability of the knee joint (Aune, Nordsletten, Skjeldal, Madsen, & Ekeland, 1995). The co-contraction formula is described as follows:
The experiment adopts three different speeds, including those of comfortable speed, medium speed, and slow speed. The comfortable speed is the most comfortable pedaling speed for the user. A metronome to control the pedaling speed as the medium speed, such that each of the user's left and right lower limbs pedals 30 times per minutes. A metronome to control the pedaling speed as the medium speed, such that each of the user's left and right lower limbs pedals 20 times per minutes. The height of the cushion 13 is defined as the standard cushion height S, where S is the user's crotch length multiplied by 0.85 in centimeters. The height of a low cushion is S+10, which means that the height of the cushion 13 is adjusted upward by 10 cm from the standard cushion height. The height of a high cushion is S+20, which means that the height of the cushion 13 is adjusted upward by 20 cm from the standard cushion height.
The instant muscle activation is analyzed when the pedaling motion starts and the cushion 13 is located at different heights. The experimental data are shown based on the heights of a high cushion and a low cushion at riding comfortable speed, slow speed, and medium speed. Regardless of the heights of a high cushion and a low cushion, the activation rate of each muscle group is less than 40% when pedaling motion starts instantly. Therefore, it is very suitable for the elderly and exercise patients to exercise in a gentle manner with their own exercise prescription and intensity.
Refer to
It is worthy noted that the exercise device of the present invention is not limited to performing the foregoing cyclically pedaling exercise with elliptical trajectories. In some embodiments, the exercise device can also be used to perform upper-limb exercise or pedaling exercise. The exercise device of the present invention can be used as a hand and foot exercise bike, a simulated walking machine, an elliptical machine, a leg pressing machine, a chest pressing machine, a rowing machine, etc. A person with ordinary knowledge in the art makes equivalent modification based on the preferred embodiments disclosed in the present invention to obtain any exercise device that can allow the user to perform cyclical exercise, which is included within the scope of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the exercise device of the present invention can include the first force-bearing member 21 on one side and exclude the second force-bearing member 23 on another side to greatly reduce the volume of the present invention. Especially when the exercise device of the present invention is used in a small space, the user can use the exercise device to perform single limb exercise, such as the left upper limb exercise or the right lower limb exercise, etc., which is included within the scope of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the electrical auxiliary unit 5 can also be used to drive the rear wheel set 25 of the training unit 2. The function of the front wheel set 26 is to change the forward direction of the exercise device when the handle 15 moves the vertical rod 14. In some embodiments, the training unit 2 only needs a single wheel set. For example, the training unit 2 only needs the rear wheel set 25 and the electrical auxiliary unit 5 can also be used to drive the rear wheel set 25 of the training unit 2.
In conclusion, the exercise device of the present invention can be widely used by users to exercise, especially for patients with cerebral palsy, stroke, major accidents, etc. who are accompanied by weakness of one side or a specific muscle group. When the user performs pedaling exercise continuously, the exercise may stagnate or the rotation speed may become too slow within a certain angle range such that assistance is required. In such a case, the electrical auxiliary unit 5 assists in driving the training unit 2 to help the user complete cyclically pedaling exercise and improve the muscle strength of each limb of the user.
The embodiments described above are only to exemplify the present invention but not to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent modification or variation according to the shapes, structures, features, or spirit disclosed by the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the present invention.
This application claims priority for the U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/500,948 filed on 9 May 2023, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirely.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63500948 | May 2023 | US |