The present invention relates to wheeled exercise devices, and more particularly to electric motor assisted wheeled exercise devices used to achieve core and upper-body workouts.
Wheel-based exercise devices (also referred to as fitness wheels, exercise wheels, or abdominal exercisers) are often used to achieve core and upper-body workouts. Such devices typically consist of a wheel having a diameter of about six to eight inches mounted in the center of a shaft, with static handles extending axially from both sides of the wheel. The user grasps the device by the handles and rolls the wheel back and forth along the floor or other exercising surface.
Different types of wheel-based exercise devices are best categorized by their internal mechanisms, which ultimately influence the exercise experience.
The most common internal mechanism is simply a wheel-bearing-shaft assembly, favored for mass-production. Since users are restricted to exercising by resisting their own body weight, most beginners cannot complete even a single exercise repetition, and it is frustrating to get started. Meanwhile, advanced users find it difficult to get a sufficient workout, so they need to compensate by doing many high-repetition sets. The existing “abdominal exercisers” do little to correct these problems. Internal mechanisms that provide assistance and/or resistance to the user include bungee-assisted mechanisms, pneumatic mechanisms, spring-assisted mechanisms, and motors.
The bungee-assisted mechanism is a crude solution to the above issues, as it employs elastic cords, bands, or straps to give assistance (Note: In marketing materials these are often called “resistance bands” but the function is to assist (not “resist”) the user in pulling the wheel back; for the purpose of this patent, we call a force that pushes against the forward motion “assistance”). The bungee solution sacrifices portability and usability by requiring more equipment, especially if the user intends to vary their assistance as they progress over time. The bungee cord solution is very limiting in the types and amount of assistance it provides. Aside from functional disadvantages, the bungee cords can pose a significant safety issue if the user misassembles the product or slips and releases the handles. If the user reasonably decides to bail out during the exercise, a large amount of stored energy in the bungee cords may be expelled dangerously towards the user.
Pneumatic mechanisms change tire pressure to change the effective friction between the wheel and the ground, thus resisting inertia during the exercise. The pneumatic solution, however, only offers resistance over a limited range and can only provide a constant amount of difficulty throughout each repetition of exercise.
The spring-assisted mechanism uses an internal torsional spring at the center of the wheel to provide assistance. However, the user is limited in the amount of received assistance due to the material properties that define the internal spring. The geometry of torsional springs also restricts the mechanism to roll in one direction from the resting position of the exercise. As a result, only beginners benefit from the assistive properties of the mechanism; experienced users are unable to make their workout more difficult than the standard, bearing wheel.
Motors have been used to evolve fitness wheels beyond spring-assisted mechanisms. Motor-driven, geared fitness wheels with manual speed-control have been developed. Some motor-assisted devices attempt to back-drive the motor to generate electricity as a means of providing exercise. Supplementary to the features above, motor control has been adjusted to provide a resistance against the user on the rollback of the exercise, increasing the exercise difficulty for more experienced users. The motorized fitness wheel devices in the prior art have not had commercial success because they use basic motor control methods (e.g. constant speed control), resulting in a sub-par exercise experience for the user. None of the existing motor-assisted fitness wheels specifies dynamic or real-time control of the motor: characteristics of the present invention that increase accessibility and promote exercise progression (i.e., increasing difficulty over time). The existing motor-assisted fitness wheels also lack effective and practical safety mechanisms which would prevent the motor from running when the exercise is aborted. Lastly, the existing motor-assisted fitness wheels do not have intuitive, engaging user interfaces.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an exercise system for use in performing an exercise on a generally vertical wall using a motorized exercise wheel is disclosed. The system comprises an elongate wall protection device configured to be mounted to the wall and provide a generally vertical surface for the exercise wheel to be rolled against during the exercise. The system further comprises the motorized exercise wheel for performing the exercise, which has at least one cycle in which a user rolls the exercise wheel along the surface in a first direction from a first position to a second position and then rolls the exercise wheel along the surface in a second direction from the second position toward the first position thus forming an exercise cycle.
More specifically, the motorized exercise wheel includes a wheel assembly including a surface-contacting element, which is configured to contact the surface and rotate in either a forward rotational direction or a backward rotational direction and thereby roll along the surface in either the first direction or the second direction. The exercise wheel also includes a first and second handle extending outward from respective sides of the wheel assembly and configured to receive each hand of a user. The exercise wheel further comprises a motor coupled to the wheel assembly and configured to apply an output torque to the surface-contacting element in either the forward rotational direction or the backward rotational direction. Additionally, the exercise wheel includes a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and being configured to control the output torque of the motor, and a first sensor in communication with the microcontroller and useable by the microcontroller to determine a movement variable of the exercise wheel in real-time throughout the exercise cycle. Additionally, the microcontroller is further configured to control the output torque of the motor over the exercise cycle dynamically as a function of the determined movement variable. The exercise wheel also includes an on-board battery configured to power the motor and the microcontroller.
According to a further aspect a method of using a motorized exercise wheel to perform an exercise on a generally vertical surface is disclosed. The method comprises positioning, by a user, a surface-contacting element of the exercise wheel against a generally vertical surface. In particular, the exercise wheel includes a wheel assembly including the surface-contacting element. The surface-contacting element is configured to contact the surface and rotate in either a forward rotational direction or a backward rotational direction and thereby roll along the surface in either a first direction or a second direction. The exercise wheel also includes a first and second handle extending outward from respective sides of the wheel assembly and being configured to receive each hand of a user. Additionally, the exercise wheel includes, a motor coupled to the wheel assembly and configured to apply an output torque to the surface-contacting element in either the forward rotational direction or the backward rotational direction, and a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and being configured to control the output torque of the motor. Furthermore, the exercise wheel includes a first sensor in communication with the microcontroller and useable by the microcontroller to determine a movement variable of the exercise wheel in real-time throughout an exercise cycle. Moreover, the microcontroller is configured to control the output torque of the motor over the exercise cycle dynamically as a function of the determined movement variable. The exercise wheel further comprises an on-board battery configured to power the motor and the microcontroller.
The method further includes the step of rolling, by the user, the exercise wheel along the surface in the first direction from a first position to a second position while maintaining the surface-contacting element against the surface. Furthermore, during movement of the exercise wheel in the first direction the microcontroller is configured to control the output torque to one or more of resist rotation of the surface-contacting element and assist rotation of the surface-contacting element. The method also includes the step of rolling, by the user, the exercise wheel along the surface in the second direction, which is opposite the first direction, from the second position to the first position. Additionally, during movement of the exercise wheel in the first direction the microcontroller is configured to control the output torque to one or more of resist rotation of the surface-contacting element and assist rotation of the surface-contacting element.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages can be appreciated from the accompanying description of certain embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawing figures and claims.
It is noted that the drawings are illustrative and are not necessarily to scale.
By way of overview and introduction, the systems and methods disclosed herein concern a motorized fitness wheel (hereinafter referred to as an exercise wheel, fitness wheel, or wheel).
As shown in
Exemplary configurations of the motorized exercise wheel 100 are further shown and described in co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/860,892, titled “MOTORIZED FITNESS WHEEL,” filed Jul. 8, 2022, to inventors Singer et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and bodily incorporated herein below.
The wheel is a motorized exercise device that can be configured to give assistance to beginners and resistance to advanced users. The device provides torque according to the programming of its microcontroller. The internal motor in the exercise wheel, its configuration and control expands its functionality to enable novel physical exercise and therapy treatments including floor and wall exercises. The novel exercises can be completed by users of all levels of fitness and ability because the motor in combination with the microcontroller changes the exercise dynamically. The embodiments disclosed herein addresses the many novel uses and exercises that can be performed with embodiments of the smart, motorized, programmable exercise wheel. Additionally, to make wall exercises practical, a unique wall protection invention is disclosed.
A dynamically adjustable exercise wheel enables a range of exercises that cannot be achieved in other ways. The exercise wheel provides torque on demand from a microprocessor. Although the fitness wheel is described herein as performing or operating in various ways, it should be understood that these example operations are executed using the motor under control of the microprocessor/microcontroller. The programming inside of the microprocessor controls the flow of the exercise in response to real-time feedback of what the user is doing, as measured using various sensors on board the fitness wheel. For example, the exercise wheel can be configured to help hold up beginners that have weakness in their muscles. The exercise wheel provides torque back to user's hands/arms so that the user does not fall forward. The further out the user extends, the more torque is required to keep balance. Furthermore, at the extreme of motion, the user can need a boost of torque to return. Without the extra push, returning to the neutral position is difficult.
An aerobic mode (Aero mode) of this exercise can be executed for users that are a bit stronger. On the way out, the exercise wheel provides torque as a function of speed, resisting the forward motion. If the user does not stop, the resistance provides extra support and makes the user feel like they are not falling forward. Additionally, the faster the user pushes out, the more aerobic the exercise becomes. As soon as the user stops moving forward, there is a risk of him falling forward but the exercise wheel senses this and increases return torque to help the user start moving back and keeping them from falling.
In resistance mode the exercise wheel operates to make the user feel as if she is being supported when she starts moving. Furthermore, the torque is preferably applied smooth as the user starts and stops the exercise wheel, or the user experience is poor. To get a smooth supported experience and avoid any sudden torque variations, a small spring band torque profile can be combined with a damped wheel torque profile.
In one preferred embodiment, as a user starts to move, the amount of torque is (linearly or nonlinearly) proportional to distance traveled. However, once the speed of the exercise wheel exceeds a certain velocity the exercise wheel becomes damped, and the output force is now proportional to velocity. The key to making the transition smooth is to set the spring rate and the damping rate such that the velocity at transition provides the same torque as the spring at its extreme. To achieve this the exercise wheel provides a spring up to a maximum torque and then any further forward motion results in a fixed, maximum torque. The transition velocity is selected so that the torque at that speed is that maximum torque of the spring. At which point the exercise wheel can exceed the maximum spring torque. Furthermore, as the velocity increases the torque will further increase.
In another embodiment, the microprocessor computes the spring torque at a particular location and the damping torque at a particular velocity and when the two are equal, transitions the algorithm from a spring torque profile (position dependence) to a damping torque profile (velocity dependence).
In the same resistance mode, the exercise wheel is preferably able to transition back to a stopped state from moving without sudden torque anomalies. When the exercise wheel is stopping, the exercise wheel is configured to reverse this process so that the damping mode ends with a torque that matches the maximum spring rate and the spring toque profile brings the exercise wheel softly back to a stop as a function of distance. In an embodiment, the origin of the spring torque profile is moved with the exercise wheel so that when the velocity of the exercise wheel slows, the spring torque profile takes over and lowers the torque gracefully over a short distance.
In an alternative resistance mode, the exercise wheel is configured to provide a relatively constant torque over a range of motion. However, the transition to the constant torque requires care. In one embodiment, the torque is ramped with distance (or velocity) so the peak, constant torque does not suddenly turn on. This gives the user time to adjust to the torque and she is not surprised by the increased torque of the exercise wheel. If the user releases the exercise wheel, the exercise wheel will stop spinning after a certain number (or fractions) of rotations. The exercise wheel can also shutdown sooner by sensing a sudden increase in speed or acceleration. When the user returns to the starting position, the torque in the exercise wheel ramps down with distance (or velocity) to smoothly release the torque on the motor.
In addition to using the exercise wheel on the floor, with the proper programming, the exercise wheel becomes extremely useful for exercising against a vertical surface such as a wall. The exercise wheel configured for use against a wall expands the muscle groups that can be targeted for exercise. For example, by going out and back on the floor, the exercise wheel can exercise the core (i.e., abdominal muscles, lower back, and obliques), arms, and other upper body muscles. Using the exercise wheel against a wall can exercise the full body (e.g., legs, gluteus muscles, quads, calves, hamstrings, upper body muscles, and core). For example, the wheel can be configured to provide the equivalent of the following exercises to a user: Shoulder press, upright row, lat pulldown, pullover, tricep extension, bicep curl, squat, calve raise, etc.
The combination of a wheel that provides programmable torque which is held in a user's hand and adapted for certain body movements creates a novel exercise system and novel exercises. Additionally, because the user is free standing, many of the exercises below will simultaneously engage the core and abdominal muscles to create a better workout.
The fitness wheel 100 can be configured to facilitate various wall exercises, such as the example wall exercises further described herein.
Two-Direction Bicep Curls. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while it is moved by a user against a wall up and down, as shown in
Two-Direction Shoulder Press. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while it is moved by a user against a wall up and down above a user's head (See e.g.,
Two Direction Squats combined with Shoulder Press. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while it is moved by a user against a wall up and down from the user's waist to the user's head with palms facing down, one or more of deltoid, trapezius, lats (Latissimus dorsi) and back muscles can be exercised.
The exercise wheel can provide resistance in both directions (e.g., resisting movement from the position shown in illustration (a), to position (b), and then to position (c) and during movement in the opposite direction) thus working a wider range of muscles than when using a conventional weight-based machine or loose weights. Additionally, the exercise wheel can accommodate a range of fitness levels by providing assistance in one or both directions to make the exercise easier. In yet another embodiment of the exercise, the exercise wheel can be programmed to deliver a constant torque on the user requiring the user to overcome the pull force of the exercise wheel during his motion.
Two Direction Lat Pulldown. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while it is moved by a user against a wall up and down from the user's head to the user's waist with arms straight, deltoid, trapezius, lats (Latissimus dorsi) and back muscles can be exercised. The exercise wheel can provide resistance in both directions thus working a wider range of muscles than when using a conventional weight-based machine or loose weights. Additionally, the exercise wheel can accommodate a range of fitness levels by providing assistance in one or both directions to make the exercise easier. In yet another embodiment of the exercise, the exercise wheel can be programmed to deliver a constant torque on the user requiring the user to overcome the pull force of the exercise wheel during his motion.
Two Direction Squat and Press. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while it is moved by a user against a wall up and down from above the user's head and moving the exercise wheel to the chest while squatting down with the knees, upper body and leg (including quads, glutes, hamstrings, abdominal and calve) muscles can be exercised. The exercise wheel can provide resistance in both directions thus working a wider range of muscles than when using a conventional weight-based machine or loose weights. Additionally, the exercise wheel can accommodate a range of fitness levels by providing assistance in one or both directions to make the exercise easier. In yet another embodiment of the exercise, the exercise wheel can be programmed to deliver a constant torque on the user requiring the user to overcome the pull force of the exercise wheel during his motion.
Similarly, the exercise wheel can be configured to apply torque to selectively assist or resist motion during performance of other exercises.
Planking Exercises. A conventional “plank” exercise relies on the body weight and the user holds himself up for a specific amount of time thereby putting a load on his muscles. The exercise wheel can make alternative “plank” exercises possible.
Plank locking and unlocking mechanism. To turn on the torque resistance, the user will start with the exercise wheel a few inches outside of the target zone. For example, during a bicep plank a user may start with the exercise wheel at an 80 degree angle. Next the user, moves the exercise wheel in place (e.g., to the 90 degree angle). The exercise wheel can be configured to sense the user stopping and then provide torque. Once the user is finished with the exercise, the user turns off the torque by moving the exercise wheel to a fixed position on the wall. By holding back the exercise wheel and keeping it from moving, muscles are engaged in a way that builds strength. Holding the exercise wheel back is analogous to a “plank” in which a person holds up their body weight for a fixed time. The exercise wheel can be configured to be used in this fashion to put a load on various muscles and the user holds the exercise wheel for a fixed time. The exercise wheel can count the time and turn off (or in the preferred embodiment, signal to the user and gracefully lower the torque at the completion of the exercise).
In another embodiment, the exercise wheel can provide a torque in one direction for a timed period, signal to the user that the time is over and smoothly change torque to the opposite direction and time that period of time. After the end of the second duration, the exercise wheel can signal to the user and smoothly turn off. Note that the signal to the user can be haptic (for example a vibration), optical (i.e. using the LEDs in the exercise wheel), audible, or it can be provided by the app running on the user's phone or watch or similar electronic device using any of its means to notify the user.
Example Wheel Planking Exercises, Bicep plank. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while a user is holding the exercise wheel against a wall with hands underneath the handles and with arms roughly at 90 degrees (in a curl position) and resisting its upward movement for a given time, the user can do a standing bicep plank. The exercise wheel will pull up from the user and force her to hold it in place for a timed period. The exercise wheel will be able to time the exercise and provide visual and/or haptic feedback to announce to the user the completion of the exercise and turn off the torque.
Example Wheel Planking Exercises, Standing plank. By configuring the exercise wheel to selectively output torque while a user is holding the exercise wheel against a wall at chest level or higher with hands on top of the handles and resisting its movement for a given time, the user can do a standing plank. The exercise wheel will pull away from the user and force her to hold it in place for a timed period. The exercise wheel will be able to time the exercise and provide visual and/or haptic feedback to announce to the user the completion of the exercise and turn off the torque.
In some situations in which the exercise wheel is used against a wall for exercise, the force of the exercise wheel can damage the paint. In many situations this is not a problem (for example unpainted walls). However, in many residential settings the paint damage can be a problem. A further embodiment of system disclosed herein comprises a wall protection device configured to cover the wall and inhibit damage to the wall while providing a good surface for the exercise wheel to work against. For the exercise wheel to work well, the wall surface should have sufficient friction and not be too smooth or slick. Ideally, the wall protection would be removable, and capable of being stored easily, and a suitable size and shape to perform a variety of exercises. The material preferably does not stretch excessively when the exercise wheel torques against it because it will bunch up and can damage the paint—initially by making it shiny and eventually wearing it away.
In one embodiment the wall covering is made from material that can be rolled up. In one embodiment, the wall protector comprises a wall covering material and a removeable adhesive applied on the edges of the back surface of the wall covering, thus leaving a corridor for the exercise wheel to press against the wall. In an embodiment the wall covering material is vinyl, for example. Alternatively, the back surface of the wall covering can be coated with an adhesive and a central section of the wall covering covered using a second material to block the adhesive and provide wall protection. Preferably, the wall covering material has low elasticity and thus does not stretch when the exercise wheel torques against it.
In an embodiment, the removable adhesive 604 can be provided along one or more portions of the vertical edges of the back surface 610 of the wall covering. In that the adhesive 605 is removeable from the wall, the wall protection device can be mounted to a wall, removed and remounted as needed for use. In an embodiment the removeable adhesive 605 comprises a non-permanent, repositionable adhesive layer having a front surface arranged to be adhered to the wall. A back side of the non-permanent adhesive layer can be adhered to a permanent adhesive layer configured to be more permanently adhered to a back surface of the wall cover. The non-permanent adhesive layer can be directly attached to the permanent adhesive layer or via one or more intervening material layers such as a flexible backing layer. An example non-permanent and repositionable adhesive material is commercially available under the trade designation “Command” from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (“3M”) of St. Paul, Minn.
In an embodiment, preferably, the material of the front surface of the wall covering can compress a suitable amount for a) absorbing and dispersing forces applied against the front surface 615 by the user while performing exercises, and b) for increasing the contact area between the front surface and the wheel and thereby increasing friction therebetween to avoid slippage. In an embodiment, an example material that has suitable flexibility, compression and friction characteristics is PVC foam with a density of 2700 gram per square meter. In an embodiment the wall protection device comprises multiple layers of materials. In an embodiment, the wall covering has a thickness enabling the wall covering to be more easily attached to the wall, peeled away from the wall and rolled up for storage. Preferably the material thickness is less than 20 mm and greater than 2 mm, and, more preferably the material is about 12 mm thick.
In yet another embodiment the wall covering is rigid, semi rigid, or foldable structure. Again, an adhesive which does not damage wall paints may be used to make the covering removeable. The adhesive is preferably not exposed under the area on which the exercise wheel will travel to avoid removing the paint due to pressure from the exercise wheel exercises.
In yet another embodiment the wall covering can be more permanently attached to the wall. For example, screws or a more permanent adhesive can attach the covering to the wall.
In an embodiment, the wall protection device comprises a base attached to the wall and on which the outer surface is supported. The base can serve to offset the outer surface on which the exercise wheel rolls from the wall and the offset distance can be defined so as to enable a user to perform exercises without interference from the wall. For instance, the offset distance can be 5 inches, however, a greater or lesser offset distance can be provided.
In yet another embodiment of the wall covering, markings can be added to the covering to indicate distances and aid the user in performing the exercises. The software app that connects to the exercise wheel can indicate starting locations and/or ranges of motion on the wall covering.
In yet another embodiment, the wall protection device comprises a track for the exercise wheel designed to enhance certain exercises. For example, to facilitate a Bicep curl, the wall protector can comprise a three-dimensional structure comprising an arcuate track provided against the wall. In such a configuration the exercise can be more comfortable to the user for not requiring the user to move her body closer/farther from the wall during the exercise.
In an embodiment, the wall track can comprise a variety of places to engage the exercise wheel so that the exercise wheel could provide torque between the user and the wall and guide the user through the exercise. In an embodiment, the wall track can comprise a front surface having a variety of contours and curvatures to facilitate different exercises.
In an embodiment, the wall track can comprise one or more electronic tags, such as near-field communication (NFC) tags, provided on or within the wall covering/track. The tags can be positioned at known locations within the wall track that can, for example, correspond to different types of exercises. Furthermore, the fitness wheel 100 can comprise an electronic tag reader in communication with the microcontroller (not shown) and useable by the microcontroller to interrogate and detect a tag in proximity to the reader and based on the tag, determine a position on the wall track that the exercise wheel is being used. The microcontroller can also be configured to control the operation of the fitness wheel based on the determined location, for example, by automatically executing an exercise that corresponds to the detected location on the track. In this manner, the exercise wheel and wall track are configured to operate in cooperation.
Preferably, during the steps of positioning the surface-contacting element of the fitness wheel against the vertical exercise surface and moving the exercise wheel in the first and second directions, the fitness wheel is pressed against the surface with a sufficient force to provide a sufficient amount of friction between the surface-contacting element and the wall to counteract slippage of the surface-contacting element relative to the surface.
The required amount of force that needs to be applied against the wall (i.e., in the direction into the wall and perpendicular to the wall surface) to avoid slippage between the surface-contacting element and the wall is dependent upon the coefficient of friction between the surface-contact element against the wall surface, and the amount of torque being output by the exercise wheel.
In an embodiment, the wheel torque is controlled such that, throughout the exercise, the torque is output in a direction that opposes the motion of the wheel imparted by the user (e.g., torque is output in a backward rotational direction while the wheel rotates in a forward rotational direction). As a result, the user is always operating the wheel against the torque provided by the motor. In such a configuration, as soon as the controller detects that the wheel is rotating in the direction of the torque (e.g., forward rotation of the wheel detected while torque is output in a forward rotational direction), the microcontroller can detect slippage of the wheel, or a change in direction by the user and react accordingly.
In an embodiment, the exercise wheel can be configured to execute a shutdown of the exercise wheel (e.g., stop rotation) if the exercise wheel travels in a manner that is indicative of an anomalous event such as a user pulling the exercise wheel away from the surface or excessive slippage of the exercise wheel against the surface. For example, the microcontroller can be configured to monitor wheel rotation and speed to detect a sudden increase or decrease in wheel speed which is indicative of wheel slippage. Additionally, in response to detecting wheel slippage, the microcontroller can be configured to execute a damped shutdown of the wheel.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, in an embodiment, the microcontroller is configured to control the output torque of the motor as a function of the vertical orientation of the surface that the exercise is being performed on. In an embodiment, the exercise wheel has stored in memory one or more pre-programmed exercises comprising one or more torque trajectories. The torque trajectories can be specifically adapted to control the output torque of the motor for one or more physical exercises performed against a vertical wall (e.g., the exemplary physical exercises described above). In an embodiment, the operational modes of the exercise wheel can include a vertical exercise mode and a horizontal exercise mode that are selectable by a user using a user interface. In the vertical exercise mode the microcontroller can be configured to control the output torque of the motor according to a torque trajectory parameter adapted for an exercise performed against a generally vertical surface. By comparison, in the horizontal exercise mode the microcontroller can be configured to control the output torque of the motor according to a torque trajectory parameter adapted for an exercise performed against a horizontal surface. Furthermore, each pre-programmed wall exercise can comprise one or more torque trajectories, or can otherwise be adjusted, so as to provide different possible operational modes including, for example, assistance mode, resistance mode, neutral mode, aerobic mode, varied difficulty settings, and combinations and variations thereof.
In an embodiment, the amount of torque output by the motor during a given exercise performed against a wall can be controlled to simulate the experience of performing that exercise by the user lifting a prescribed amount of free weight. Additionally, in such a configuration, the amount of simulated free weight can be set according to a user input received via a user interface. For example, the microcontroller can execute a programmed torque trajectory for the combination biceps curl and triceps extension exercise discussed above and specifically adjust the output torque of the motor to simulate the weight of a fifteen pound free weight. This is achieved, for example, by the exercise wheel resisting rotation in an amount equivalent to a fifteen pound weight while the exercise wheel is rolled along the wall from the first position (shown in illustration (a) of
In an embodiment, the exercise wheel is configured to detect, using one or more on-board sensors, whether the fitness wheel is being used to perform an exercise against a vertical surface, such as a wall, or against a horizontal surface, such as a floor. Such an on-board sensor can be, for example, an accelerometer in communication with the microcontroller. By way of further example, the exercise wheel can detect whether the fitness wheel is being used for a particular type of exercise, such as a wall exercise or a floor exercise based on the measured range of motion of the exercise or other characteristics of the motions. Furthermore, in response to determining that the fitness wheel is being used to perform an exercise against a vertical surface, the microcontroller can be configured to implement, or enable selection of, an exercise mode specifically defined for vertical wall exercises. Similarly, in an embodiment, in response to determining that the exercise wheel is being used to perform an exercise against a vertical surface, the microcontroller can be configured to adapt an existing exercise mode or torque trajectory to be used in an exercise performed against a vertical wall.
Exemplary configurations of the motorized exercise wheel 100 according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure are further shown and described below in connection with
As shown in
A user interface is provided on the outside of one of the hubcaps and comprises a physical interface including a rotatable difficulty selection rotary dial 4, Bluetooth button 5, and power button 6. The fitness wheel 100 also comprises visual indicators such as an exercise difficulty display 3, which displays the difficulty selected by the user using, e.g., the difficulty selection rotary dial 4. Visual indicators also include LEDs 2, which are used to provide feedback to the user in regard to exercise status and progress, making the exercise experience more engaging and enjoyable.
The fitness wheel 100 provides a unique advantage in that it can provide assistive exercises to beginners and resistive exercises to experts, maximizing the use of any athlete's available time and energy. The fitness wheel 100 is configured such that users can interact with the device both physically, by providing inputs via a physical interface comprising electromechanical hardware (arrow 201) and digitally, by providing inputs via a digital interface (e.g., software application executed on a smart phone, tablet, personal computer, etc.) (arrow 202). Both types of inputs can be received and processed using a microcontroller 210 and used to define the type and the difficulty of exercise, often given by the user's strength, fitness, and/or experience level. For example, a user can select a difficulty level using the rotary difficulty selection rotary dial 4, which is received at the microcontroller 210 (arrow 201). Similarly, the user can select a difficulty and/or an exercise type using a smartphone application 250, which is received at the microcontroller (arrow 202) via a wireless communication connection (e.g., Bluetooth). In response to the user inputs sent to the microcontroller onboard the fitness wheel, the microcontroller initiates a motor feedback loop (arrows numbered 203) as a function of the user inputs to control the operation of the fitness wheel and thereby facilitate the exercise. In an embodiment, the motor-feedback loop subsystem is configured to operate as follows: sensors 215 measure and relay real-time current data measured from the motor to the microcontroller 210; microcontroller 210 computes the torque-generating portion of the current and identifies any discrepancy between measured and target torque-generating currents; microcontroller 210 generates corrective information as a function of the discrepancy, which is sent as a new voltage command (as a duty cycle) to the motor electronics 220 which drive the motor 9. As further described herein (see § 2.4.2), the “target” torque output is dependent on certain data, derived from the aforementioned user inputs, among other parameters. Simultaneously, a battery management loop (arrow 204) is provided to ensure that battery voltage is managed appropriately including indicating to the user when the battery needs charging. Alternatively, battery management electronics 230 may control the battery without any additional software input from the microcontroller 210. In an embodiment, the battery 240, which can comprise a single or multiple battery units referred to herein simply as a “battery”, is managed by electronics: the microcontroller 210 reads the battery voltage for control, and the battery manager/electronics 230 charges the battery whenever it is plugged in for charging and the battery need to be charged. The battery supplies voltage and current to the electronics 220. As shown in
In an embodiment, the fitness wheel 100 comprises an outrunner motor 9 in which the stator is the hub of the motor, and the rotor (the moving portion) is on the outside, surrounding the stator. The windings of the motor are connected to a motor drive (not shown) that energizes the motor. Although the illustrated embodiment of
In an embodiment, the physical user interface elements 255 are located on the hubcap 8, on one side of the fitness wheel. Various features and functionality of the fitness wheel 100 are controlled by the microcontroller 210 as a function of user inputs provided using the physical tactile elements of the interface 255, including, the difficulty selection rotary dial 4, Bluetooth button 5, and power button 6. As would be understood, the Bluetooth button causes the fitness wheel 100 to connect via a wireless communication interface (e.g., Bluetooth) to remote devices such as a user's smartphone. An exercise digital interface application can be running on the smartphone allowing the user to interact with the fitness wheel 100 via the smartphone.
In one embodiment, the microcontroller 210 is configured to display a value representing the selected exercise difficulty on the difficulty display 3. As shown, the difficulty display 3 can comprise a range of numbers on the fitness wheel hubcap (displayed as: 5 4 3 2 10 1 2 3 4 5). For instance, when a difficulty is selected using the selection rotary dial 4, the selected number can be illuminated by the microcontroller in either red (to the left of zero, signifying hard difficulty) or green (to the right of zero, signifying easy difficulty). Although the power function can be automatically controlled via a software application, a mechanical power button 6 can be provided to give the user control and confidence of the status of the fitness wheel 100. In an embodiment, Bluetooth control button 5 is provided as a separate button to avoid unwanted power cycling, instead of consolidating Bluetooth into the power button for dual functionality. In an embodiment, the Bluetooth button can be eliminated, relying on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to allow portable devices to establish a connection to the fitness wheel. This feature would be particularly beneficial in a public gym, personal training or physical therapy facility because users could walk up to the fitness wheel and quickly establish communications with it.
Other elements of the interface 255 can include: visual state communication devices (LEDs 2 on wheel rim), and haptic feedback (motor control signals causing motion that users can feel on the handles). Another interactive user interface element can include the exercise digital interface 250 (i.e., the smartphone application) executing on the user's smartphone and configured to wirelessly send user inputs and control commands to the microcontroller 210.
The wheel rim mounted LEDs 2 can be controlled by the microcontroller 210 to communicate information concerning different states of the wheel (e.g., low battery, completed repetition, Bluetooth connection status, etc.) to the user through different colors, patterns, and animations (see e.g., Table 1, below).
In an embodiment, the LEDs 2 are specifically placed on the rim of the wheel to maximize their presence in the field of view of the user. In an embodiment, as further describe herein, the fitness wheel can be configured to provide haptic feedback via the “flutter” command (see § 2.4.2.4) to designate wheel states. In an embodiment, the smartphone application 250 can also be configured to operate in tandem with the fitness wheel as a digital interface to communicate exercise progress as well as health statistics in greater detail.
In an embodiment, two circuit boards contain the electronics on-board the fitness wheel 100 for controlling its operation. It is well understood that the two boards can be combined into one or split into more than two for any reason including improved packaging or cost reduction.
As shown in
The microcontroller 210, connected to the motor 9, is configured to control the motor torque during the exercise. Reference to “microcontroller” in this document can refer to either: a) a single microcontroller or microprocessor performing one or more of the functions; b) multiple microcontrollers or microprocessors performing various functions in unison or; c) a mix of microcontrollers or microprocessors performing various functions in unison. It should also be understood that reference to microcontroller can encompass other types of custom or preprogrammed logic device, circuit, or processor, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC), computer, software, or other circuit (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) configured by code or logic to carry out their assigned task.
As shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the electronics are powered by a battery 240 that is managed by battery management electronic components (230,
In an embodiment, the motor controller 214 manages control of the device's Brushless DC (BLDC) motor 9. In addition, the motor controller utilizes a gate drive and a 3-phase bridge 260 to control a brushless three-phase motor 9. The supervisor 212 controller processes user-input from peripherals such as rotary dials 4 or inputs received over Bluetooth from the smartphone application 250. In some embodiments, the supervisor controller 212 communicates with the motor controller over a bus (such as an SPI bus) which will communicate information such as requested state changes or exercise measurements. Note that this architecture is an example, however, many related alternatives are possible, for example, one MCU can be used for both motor control and user interface, and different motor types (induction, brushed DC, variable reluctance, etc.) can be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
To properly control the motor 9, one or more sensors (e.g., sensors 215,
In an embodiment, as shown in
In the motor feedback loop (connections 203 of
In an embodiment, the output torque (τ) of a brushed DC motor drive can be expressed as follows:
τ=IakT, Eqn. 1.1
where Ia is the armature current and kT is the torque constant (motor-dependent). In the case of vector control of a three-phase motor, Ia is the torque producing component of the DQ-current (Iq). It is important to note that the magnitude of Ia in Equation 1.1 is bounded, such that:
τmax=Ia, maxkT,
τmin=−Ia, maxkT, Eqn. 1.2.1-2
where Ia, max is the maximum operating torque-producing current, dependent on the limitations of motor 9, electronics 220, and battery 240. Since the magnitude Ia may not exceed Ia, max or −Ia, max, Ia will always be a fraction of Ia, max, shown by the following relationship:
Defining torque-producing current in a nondimensionalized form (I*a ), and manipulating that variable, allows for increased utilization of the precision of the number representation used in Microcontroller/Software 210. By controlling the motor using a D-Q formulation [1], the motor controller 214 can command motor torque by commanding the Iq component of the current (set Iq→Ia). The angular sensor (encoder, hall effect, or magnetic, etc.) is used to compute the D and Q directions and align the currents.
In an embodiment, the different algorithms for controlling the motor 9 are organized to aid in the development and implementation of programmed exercises through selective combination of various algorithms. “Exercises” are most general and are defined by information such as (but not limited to):
These and other algorithms for controlling the motor can be stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (not shown) that is accessible to the microcontroller to enable execution during use. In an embodiment, the digital interface 250 can also be configured to store exercises, trajectories, profiles, events and other such motor control algorithms and provide selected algorithms to the microcontroller for local storage and implementation.
The user's form plays a critical role in dictating what muscle groups receive activity throughout the exercise, independent of trajectory and events. In an embodiment, training software matches the trajectory to a proposed user's form (movement) so the user can perform the recommended exercise (usually by doing “reps”).
Following is a discussion of user form and how form factors into the motor control.
For purposes of illustration, a computer simulation of the fitness wheel 100 and user was used to generate a “tin man” exercise simulation and an animation depicted in
If the fitness wheel 100 is inactive, the muscle generated torques working at the subject's shoulder and hip, and wrist joints 405, 410, 415 during exercise result mainly from resisting the pull of gravity. During exercise these torques vary with the user's form. Further, if the fitness wheel is active, the working torques appearing at the subject's joints can be altered by the fitness wheel. The fitness wheel can either assist or hinder (resist) the motion of the user.
Muscles can only generate tension in tendons, i.e., they can only pull. In the body, different muscles groups are arranged antagonistically to generate the positive and negative torques working at the subject's joints. Thus, when the sign of the torque changes from positive to negative, the predominate muscle groups being used change, e.g., from back muscles to abdominal muscles as the exercise starts.
The displacement (d) of the fitness wheel center during exercise is plotted in the
As an example, the torques (T) that the fitness wheel motor can apply to the wheel are plotted in
If the fitness wheel 100 is inactive, the motor applies 0 N·m torque, otherwise the motor can apply anywhere between positive full torque and negative full torque. In an embodiment, the maximum torque is between 6 and 16 N·m. In the simulations shown herein, the maximum torque was chosen to be only 6 N·m, therefore the torques in the plots range from +6 N·m and −6 N·m torque, depending on programming. The applied torque of the motor results in an opposing reaction torque at the fitness wheel handgrips of −6 N·m and +6 N·m respectively. In addition to the reaction torque, a horizontal force is generated at the wheel-floor interface, e.g., Fx=(−6 N·m/Radius_of_wheel). The horizontal force also appears at the fitness wheel handgrips and acts on the subject.
Both the torque and the force at the fitness wheel handgrips alter the joint torque to be generated by the various muscle groups. Changing the radius of the wheel, changes the proportion between force and torque at the handgrip. A smaller radius gives a larger magnitude force for the same torque.
As the curves cross the zero-torque level, the predominate muscle-group changes from back muscles to abdominal muscles. Thus, at the beginning and end of the exercise, the motor torque can be adjusted to modify the exercise for the back muscles, while during the middle of the exercise the motor torque can be adjusted to modify the exercise for the abdominal muscles.
Many different modifications are possible by the microcontroller 210 selectively adjusting the motor torque. At the extremes of the exercise cycle (i.e., when the back muscles are the predominate muscle-group), back muscle exercise could be minimized or maximized, and separately but during the same exercise sequence, abdominal muscle exercise could be maximized or minimized during the middle phase of the exercise (i.e., when the abdominal muscles are the predominate muscle-group).
As can be appreciated, minimizing both the back muscle and abdominal muscles exercise would make the exercise easier (or perhaps even possible) for a novice. Maximizing both the back muscle and abdominal muscles exercise would make the exercise most challenging and beneficial for a seasoned user. Minimizing back muscle exercise alone would be beneficial for users with sensitive back muscles.
In addition to minimizing or maximizing, in an embodiment, the working joint torque could be “leveled.” More specifically, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to selectively adjust the motor torque such that the working joint torque is kept as close as possible to a set level that challenged a given user. Thus, the user would get as much benefit as possible from each cycle of exercise.
In addition to being minimized, maximized, and leveled (as the working hip joint torques), the working shoulder joint torques could be used as constraints to limit stress on the muscle groups associated with the positive and negative working-shoulder-joint torques.
Generalizing, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to selectively adjust the motor torque such that the hip, shoulder, and wrist working joint torques could be kept within limits, while optimizing the benefit of the exercise for a given user.
Human subjects tend to adjust to a given biomechanical task such that their muscular energy expenditure is minimized. This adjustment takes some time, so it is anticipated that users will need an adjustment period as programmatic changes are made.
Profiles are the building blocks of torque trajectories, which the fitness wheel 100 follows throughout the exercise. Broadly, profiles can define the torque applied by the motor 9 as a function of movement variable data, which can include data determined by position (e.g., displacement, velocity, etc.), or data determined by time.
Profiles can include spatial profiles which define torque-producing current of the motor and thus its torque output as a function of the position of the wheel. As noted above, wheel position input data can be measured using a position sensor(s) (e.g., 275). In an embodiment, wheel position input data can be differentiated (m-times) with respect to time, and that resulting quantity can be raised to a power (n) to yield different torque curve variants. An overall gain factor (a) is applied to scale the torque curve, resulting in a family of strengths for a given characteristic torque curve:
Equation 2.1 can be expanded to more rigorously show the variables and calculations necessary to yield the appropriate torque-producing current—and therefore output torque—to be commanded (Equation 2.2).
The “max” term in the denominator is determined experimentally. While the numerator in Equation 2.2 is based on sensor data measured throughout the exercise, the denominator (e.g., maximum position, maximum velocity, etc.) is preferably prescribed before the exercise is initiated. There are two main methods for providing this information to the microcontroller 210 software: it can be entered manually (or indirectly computed from a manual entry) by the user though the user interfaces (e.g., via the digital interface 250 or physical interface 255 on the fitness wheel 100); and/or programmed in the microcontroller as a default (e.g. maximum position obtained from average human rollout distance, maximum velocity obtained from safest exercise speed, etc.). Data can be collected automatically while the wheel is in use and an upper limit for that term is determined.
Each characteristic torque curve (defined by constants m and n) is represented by a function β(α, x), where position (x) drives the curve and the scaling factor (α) amplifies the curve. The dimensionless value from the function β(α, x) is scaled by the motor-specific maximum torque-producing current Ia, max, a constant, to yield the desired torque-producing current in physical units Iq(α, x):
I
q(α,x)=β(α,x)Ia, max. Eqn. 2.3
In an embodiment, the curves generated using the above formulation can be designed to mimic physical phenomena. The following Table 2 describes three example spatial profiles, their respective variables, and governing equations. In the examples in the table below, the profiles are configured to mimic the characteristics of springs and dampers. The scaling factor (α) is shown to represent a spring constant (k) and a damping constant (c), which are also limited to the interval [−1,1].
Similar to the position-based profiles, a set of time-based profiles can be created by defining torque-producing current as a function of time:
I*
a=α(t*)n,α∈[−1,1],nÅ
≥0 Eqn. 3.1
Equation 3.1 can be expanded and rearranged to solve for the torque-producing current (Ia) as a fraction of the maximum capable torque-producing current (Ia, max) for a given motor:
with time period, T, and exponent, n. Configuring the constants (T, n) in Equation 3.2 changes the characteristic of the resulting torque curve. Each characteristic torque curve is represented by a function γ(α, t), where time (f) drives the curve and the scaling factor (α) amplifies the curve. Similar to spatial profiles, the dimensionless function γ(α, t) is scaled by the maximum torque-producing current of the motor, Ia, max, a constant (Equation 3.3). The result Iq(α, t) is the desired torque-producing current in physical units Iq(α, x).
I
q(α,t)=γ(α,t)Ia, max Eqn. 3.3
Temporal profiles (torque as a function of time) can be applied, for example, in situations where the user is to be guided through an exercise at a predetermined pace.
The human body is made up of a complex system of muscles. Sometimes, a simple torque profile relationship is not optimized for consistent muscle activity throughout the exercises as motivated by section 2.4.2.1 above. Other times, a torque profile might prevent a desired exercise experience from being realized. Thus, in an embodiment, multiple torque profiles (and/or events) can be combined to optimize an exercise for a user. Trajectories constructed from combining torque profiles and events can be preprogrammed into the microcontroller 210 or sent to the microcontroller from the digital interface 250.
In an embodiment, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to use a linear combination of the aforementioned torque profiles to construct new, complex profiles through the use of a weighting function:
where Ia, total is the total combined torque-producing current, wi is each weight, and Ia, i is each profile-specific torque-producing current. The weights can be a combination of positive and negative values as long as Ia, total is within the interval [−1, 1]. Overlapping torque profiles in a simultaneous way yields complex torque relationships (
In an embodiment, torque profiles can be further combined in a piecewise manner, such that certain aspects of an exercise path are given different characteristics. For example, a spring model can be used to smoothly ramp up the torque in the first 10% of the rollout, such that the beginning of the reverse damper model profile does not create too much sudden torque for the user.
Humans are adept at sensing small force perturbations, so the feel of the wheel is important. An important aspect of the exercise experience to be achieved by the microcontroller is the development of torque profiles that feel smooth and benefit the exercise. In order to create smooth profiles, the microcontroller 210 is configured to “stitch” together profiles without discontinuities in torque from one profile to the next. It should be understood that the foregoing are example methodologies implemented by the microcontroller to combine torque profiles to create complex trajectories and provide a smooth experience; variations can be used to achieve similar results that would fall within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that, in addition or alternatively, the example steps for generating simple profiles or complex trajectories through combining or adjusting profiles, events, and the like, can be performed by other devices in communication with the microcontroller, such as the digital interface on 250 or another remote computing device in direct or indirect communication with the microcontroller 210.
For example, the following Table 3 describes two example simultaneous combination trajectories, including respective variables, and governing equations.
As noted, events are specific events, namely, supplemental wheel torque control functions, that are selectively applied by the microcontroller 210 on top of a trajectory in response to the detection of prescribed conditions along the trajectory. Similar to a torque profile, a supplemental torque event (or simply “event”) defines a target output torque value as a function of a movement variable such as a spatial variable and/or a temporal variable. However, an event is intended to be applied for a portion of an exercise cycle.
In an embodiment, a boost event for selectively increasing torque can be integrated on top of the original exercise trajectory, say, in situations where the user may need an extra kick of torque to progress along the exercise. Although the fine details of boost implementation can vary dependent on the type of exercise, all boost variations typically share the same characteristics: one or more threshold conditions that are required to initiate the boost; a ramp up of torque from the current torque to a goal boost torque; a ramp down to the original exercise profile.
For example, the microcontroller can be configured to activate the boost event upon determining that the user has passed a certain positional threshold on the outward motion of the exercise, and when the user passes under a prescribed velocity threshold. When both terms have been met, the boost event is applied on top of the basic assistance torque profile. For instance, as shown, the boost event ramps up torque to a goal torque value as the velocity of the wheel approaches zero, which is defined as a function of exercise difficulty. On the way back to the resting position of the exercise, the torque will gradually rejoin the nominal profile. The boost gives the user the feel of an extra push backwards to initiate the return to home position.
In some embodiments, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to apply a ramp event to ramp up torque at one or more positions or velocities during an exercise. One way to increase muscle activity and intensity is to increase stress near the resting position of the exercise-an area of the exercise that is normally neglected. Thus, the user should be met with a non-zero torque at the beginning of the exercise. Directly commanding a jump in the motor torque imposes a jerky motion on the user's wrists, creating discomfort and risking safety. Instead, it is much more effective to ramp up the torque to the desired level; however, this is not trivial. In actuality, there is a balance between the distance it takes to reach the desired torque and the intensity of the ramp-up. In one embodiment, the wheel has a deadband programmed into it so that no torque is applied for some distance, (for example, 0.2 rotation), after the deadband, there is a ramp-up distance (for example 0.4 rotation) over which the torque is ramped as a linear function of the distance in the ramp-up region (See
Additionally, smooth transitions sometimes require ramping the torque in velocity. The boost event illustrated in
In some embodiments, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to apply a flutter event for providing feedback at one or more points during an exercise. Flutter is an event implemented by rapidly switching the motor between two values offset from the nominal torque on an arbitrary position along the torque profile. This event produces a vibration throughout the wheel and in one embodiment is constructed in the following manner:
τwheel=τnominal+τflutter.
where τflutter=Aflutter sin(2πƒfluttert). Eqn. 5.1.1-2
In Equation 5.1.1-2, τflutter is the output torque as a function of torque-producing current and time, τnominal is the instantaneous commanded torque, ƒflutter is the flutter frequency in Hertz, Aflutter is the amplitude of the flutter, τwheel is the overall torque commanded to the wheel, and t is time. When the flutter event is patterned, certain messages can be communicated to the user. For example, if the user has rolled out 100% outstretched, they may feel a phone-like vibration to tactically indicate that they should roll back to the resting position and finish the exercise repetition.
Certain exercises may require the user to pause at certain points along the rollout or rollback (e.g., holding a plank, performing a push-up, etc.). Accordingly, in an embodiment, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to apply a hold event at one or more positions during an exercise. The hold event is a nontrivial method for stopping the user in a deliberate yet smooth fashion. Such an effect is designed to mimic the wheel in a divot (e.g., a depression that resists forward or backward movement) on the ground. Hold can be a function of two variables: position and time. For spatial profiles, whether position or velocity based, the hold event is defined to use a position on the exercise path (x*hold) as a marker around which torque is selectively modulated so as to create the “divot” around that position. For temporal profiles, the hold effect is triggered by a prescribed time within the exercise period. Whether exercises are based upon spatial or temporal profiles, once the hold effect is activated, it might last for a period of time before smoothly returning the torque output to the nominal amount. Alternatively, the hold can be turned off if the user pushes through the divot and the normal operation can resume. An example equation is:
where τhold is the total holding torque, defined to be in the opposite direction to the velocity of the wheel, and magnified by the amplitude Ahold. While Equation 6.1.1 is a damping relationship in essence, the magnitude of damping is controlled by the proximity of the wheel to the holding position, x*hold. The constant, Shold, describes the positional range in which the τhold takes effect, such that τhold lies in the interval [x*hold−Shold, x*hold+Shold].
Combining the building blocks from the above sections (§ 2.4.2.1-4) supplemented with instructional information about exercise form (given in the digital product, such as a smartphone app) yields the end product: an exercise.
In an embodiment, the fitness wheel 100 is enabled with Bluetooth connectivity and can be integrated with a software app for smartphones and watches. The wheel can be configured to function independently of the smartphone app using the input selection rotary dial. However, the smartphone app can enhance the user experience by adding customization, advanced exercises, and in-app training.
In an embodiment of the fitness wheel 100, a separate Bluetooth and supervisory control microcontroller (e.g., 212) is configured to operate the wheel, and the detailed exercise (i.e., the instantaneous motor torque) is controlled with a second microcontroller (e.g., 214). However, it should be understood that a single microcontroller could be configured to handle both functions.
As the fitness wheel 100 incorporates the use of a motor, there are some inherent dangers and therefore the fitness wheel preferably is configured to implement safety measures and protocol.
A primary risk of using a motorized fitness wheel is the motor providing unexpected torque or spinning away. This may happen during the middle of the exercise if the user releases the wheel, the wheel is picked up off the floor, or the wheel skids on the surface. All three anomalous events share a single condition: a sudden increase/decrease in wheel speed. Accordingly, in an embodiment, a certain speed threshold can be prescribed, and the microcontroller 210 configured to shut the wheel down if the speed threshold is passed. Alternatively, acceleration can be used as a criterion for an emergency shutdown. Alternatively, if the motor rotates too far for the particular exercise, the microcontroller can shutdown the wheel.
In resistance mode, since the wheel is pulling away from the user, particular attention must be paid to safety. In an embodiment, the wheel will do a damped shutdown if the wheel travels too far (indicative of an anomalous event such as a user picking up the wheel, losing grip of the wheel, or excessive slip of the wheel). The inertia of the handles 7 and stator assembly are intentionally designed to be smaller than the inertia of the rotor and wheel assembly so if a user releases the wheel, the handles would spin but the wheel would remain in place. This is an important safety feature.
Another risk of performing wheel-based exercises with a motorized fitness wheel is overspeeding through the exercise. For the user, improperly performing the range of motion of the exercise with too much speed could lead to muscle strain. Accordingly, in an embodiment, to prevent overspeeding, a manually entered speed limit can be programmed into the software, and the microcontroller is configured to apply a dampening effect on wheel torque when the speed limit is exceeded. Additionally, in an embodiment, if the sensors onboard the wheel detect that there is still excessive force (indicative of abuse), the microcontroller can shut down the motor to prevent overcurrenting.
The simulations of section 2.4.2.1 demonstrate that the wrists will be subjected to the full torque of the wheel. This is good for building up wrist strength, however, there are instances in which certain users would want/need to reduce wrist stress. In one instance, wrist torque reduction can be achieved by changing the programming of the wheel—either by lowering the torque or slowing the application of torque. In another instance, a wrist torque reduction structure can be optionally added to the fitness wheel 100 to transfer torque from the handles to the forearm in the form of force and shear. For instance,
In another embodiment, a wrist torque structure can comprise wheels and/or glides that are attached to the handles and configured to interact with the floor to reduce or eliminate torque depending on their compliance. For instance,
In another embodiment, the wheel can comprise two, three, or four ground-contacting wheels that are spaced apart in at least the forward/backward direction to provide stability and eliminate wrist torque.
The microcontroller is constantly monitoring the exercise in progress. It can use the data it collects to adapt the exercise for a particular user. For example, by recording the starting position of the exercise and the fully extended position, the wheel can adapt to the height of the user automatically. For example, default settings for a wheel can provide that a user has a given height, say six feet (6′), and, as such, a torque trajectory can be implemented according to the average roll-out distance for a 6′ individual. However, during use, the microcontroller can determine from sensor readings whether the actual distance of the user's roll out is consistent with that of the default settings. For instance, the microcontroller might determine that the actual roll-out distance corresponds to a much shorter person, say a five foot tall individual. As can be appreciated, if the torque trajectory defines torque as a function of distance, the portion of the torque curve near the fully extended position would not be reached if the torque curve is unchanged. Accordingly, the microcontroller can be configured to adaptively adjust the torque curve to more optimally fit the actual distance between the starting position and fully extended position, for example, by re-scaling the torque trajectory as a function of the actual distance.
By recording speed throughout the exercise, the wheel can change setting to better control user speed. The wheel can use this information in conjunction with the smartphone application to encourage users to extend more fully, change pace of the exercise among other improvements to the exercise.
In some cases, one key to a good exercise can be slow repetitions and a user that is performing repetitions too fast might not be getting the full benefit of an exercise and risks injury. Accordingly, the microcontroller can be configured to monitor speed and, in the event the microcontroller determines that a person is going to too fast over the course of a cycle (or one or more portions thereof), the microcontroller can be configured to adaptively modulate the output torque so as to force the user to go slower. This can be achieved by the microcontroller reducing the amount of assistance the wheel torque is providing (e.g., to provide less assistance) or apply torque against the motion of the user (e.g., provide more resistance). For instance, if the microcontroller is applying an assistance torque trajectory and determines that the user is moving too fast during roll out, the microcontroller can increase torque against the direction of rotation to slow the user down during roll out. Similarly, if the user is determined to be moving too fast during roll-back, the microcontroller can reduce the amount of assistance (e.g., wheel torque pushing the wheel back toward the starting position) or even provide resistance as necessary to slow the user down accordingly.
The microcontroller can be configured to adaptively adjust the wheel torque using a variety of methods. For instance, the microcontroller can scale the amount of torque by a scaling factor applied to one or more portions of a torque trajectory. In addition or alternatively, the microcontroller can be configured to change the torque trajectory to another torque trajectory that is more suitable for addressing the condition. In certain implementations, the microcontroller can be configured to adaptively adjust torque over an entire cycle, over one or more segments of a cycle, e.g., during roll-out, roll-back, and/or smaller portions thereof, or a combinations of the foregoing. More generally, the microcontroller can be configured to adaptively adjust the torque trajectory based on one or more of a variety of parameters relating to the user's form including, speed, distance, acceleration, torque, and time, among others. Simultaneously, the microcontroller can provide feedback to the user regarding any detected condition or torque adjustment, for instance, by illuminating one or more of the LEDs or outputting a notification via the Application interface to inform the user (e.g., a message “Slow down—you are going to fast”).
These and other features of the fitness wheel 100 will be further appreciated from the following discussion of example embodiments of the fitness wheel, and how the fitness wheel is configured to operate when used in various exemplary scenarios.
In an exemplary scenario, the user possesses a motorized fitness 100 wheel without the associated digital interface 250. As noted, the fitness wheel 100 can be configured to be used without the use of a digital interface 250. In such a situation, the microcontroller 210 software onboard the wheel is configured to default to preprogrammed set of trajectories/events, that can be different in assistance, resistance, and neutral modes. In one embodiment, in assistance mode, the applied trajectory can be a nonlinear spring model trajectory, which includes a boost event at the end of the rollout. In resistance mode, for example, the trajectory is composed of a nonlinear spring and constant model, and there are no events. In neutral mode, the trajectory is zero torque, and there are no events (i.e., no assistance or resistance provided by the motor). The built-in trajectories/events can be general enough to allow the user to perform a variety exercises using different sequences of motion (form) without an application.
In an embodiment, the user turns on the motorized fitness wheel by pressing the power button 6. The motorized fitness wheel 100 provides feedback acknowledging a power-on state via an animation on the wheel rim LEDs 2. After the animation, the wheel rim LEDs 2 illuminate to produce solid white light as all the LED-backlit numbers on the exercise difficulty display 3 blink together, prompting the user to choose an exercise difficulty. The numbers to the left of the zero blink green (signifying assistance), and the numbers to the right of the zero blink red (signifying resistance); the zero blinks white (signifying neutral). As the user turns the difficulty selection rotary dial 4, the blinking animation stops, and the LED behind the selected number is solely lit in the appropriate color. The wheel rim LEDs 2 emphasize the selection by matching the color.
The user rotates the difficulty selection rotary dial 4 clockwise to, say, the number 2; after a few seconds, the wheel rim LEDs 2 fade to yellow, signifying that the fitness wheel 100 is ready to be used. The user places the motorized fitness wheel at the start/rest position of the exercise and begins the rollout (i.e., the user extends their body pushing the wheel such that it rolls along the surface in a forward direction). When the microcontroller 210 onboard the wheel has determined, from sensor data, that the wheel has begun rolling, the wheel rim LEDs (illuminated in green for the example selected mode) are turned off, and the microcontroller 210 causes the motor 9 to initiate the designated torque trajectory (e.g., the trajectory of
Since the user selected assistance mode, the motor controller 214 can be configured to default to a prescribed trajectory. For instance, in an embodiment, the trajectory can be based on a quadratic spring profile, such that the torque response is proportional to the square of the nondimensionalized distance from the starting/resting position. As a result, when the user pushes out from the starting/resting position, the motor pushes opposite to the direction of displacement. This response ensures the user is eased down to the extended position, and then helps the user back to the beginning of the exercise. As the wheel torque increases, the microcontroller 210 causes the LEDs 2 to glow brighter. Additionally, when the user reaches a threshold (e.g., beyond a prescribed displacement from the starting/resting position and below a prescribed velocity), the rim LEDs reach full brightness (green) and the microcontroller 210 activates a boost event. This has the effect of a kickback force, helping the user in the most difficult part of the exercise (extended position) to roll back. As described in § 2.4.2.4, the boost is created by rapidly, but smoothly, increasing the torque above nominal trajectory.
In another embodiment of the fitness wheel 100, the user possesses a motorized fitness wheel and the associated digital interface 250. When the motorized fitness wheel is used with the digital interface 250 enabled on the user's mobile device, the digital interface 250 serves as an extra interface, accompanied with extra features. Most notably, the application running on the digital interface can include a library of exercises and workouts (exercises grouped in a sequence), along with instructional videos to increase the effectiveness of the user's exercise experience. During exercise, the digital interface 250 can be configured to provide a live informational interface for the user to check their repetition count and exercise duration based on information supplied by the microcontroller 210 of the fitness wheel 100 in real time. If the user has a connected health device, information such as heart rate and estimated calorie burn can also be shown on the application interface. The application's dashboard can display any data related to fitness or health progress as chosen by the user. The user also can be provided the option to display recent and favorite exercises directly on the dashboard, such that exercises can easily be revisited on application open.
In this exemplary configuration, the motorized fitness wheel 100 and digital interface 250 are both turned on to startup the system. The user has preferably connected to the wheel before, and so as long as their smart device Bluetooth setting is turned on, the device should automatically connect to the motorized fitness wheel. The motorized fitness wheel signifies to the user that it is connected by sweeping the wheel rim LEDs 2 with blue light. After the sweeping animation, the LEDs pulse in white, prompting the user to choose an exercise on their device.
On the digital interface 250, the user can navigate to the exercise library and choose an exercise, say, to work on their core endurance. The trajectory of the exercise can be, for example, a simple damper profile, meaning that the torque response is proportional and opposite to the velocity in which the user rolls out. Upon selection of an exercise, the related information including trajectories, events and the like can be transmitted to the fitness wheel 100 for storage in the storage medium accessible to the processor and for implementation by the processor (e.g., the microcontroller 210).
After choosing the exercise, wheel rim LEDs 2 change to solid white and the LED-backlit numbers on the exercise difficulty display 3 blink together, prompting the user to select a difficulty. The user may configure the exercise difficulty by either using the selection rotary dial 4 on the wheel or using the application; the latter being configured to allow the user to choose non-integer values (e.g., 2.5, 4.2, etc.). The user sees that the application has remembered and highlighted the most recently used difficulty: 4 on resistance mode.
The user chooses, in-application, to continue with their last used difficulty, and the wheel rim LEDs fade to yellow, signifying that the wheel is ready to be used. The user places the motorized fitness wheel at the start/rest position of the exercise and begins the rollout. When the microcontroller 210 onboard the wheel has determined, from data received from the sensors 215, that the user has begun rolling out, the wheel rim LEDs 2 (illuminated in yellow) turn off, and the microcontroller 210 causes the motor to initiate the designated torque trajectory. For example, the damping mode torque shown in
As the user pushes outward from the starting/resting point of the exercise, the fitness wheel 100 responds to the velocity according to the torque trajectory. For instance, the faster the wheel is pushed, the greater the amount of torque that is commanded in the opposite direction. The resulting effect is as if the ground is muddy or made of sand. As the user performs each repetition, wheel rim LEDs 2 light up green if the user has passed the threshold distance, designated to represent the full range of motion. In an embodiment, this threshold distance can be estimated based on the user's height information provided in the application. If the user decides not to share their information, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to, by default, define a threshold distance based on an average height or a previously defined threshold distance.
In the digital interface 250, the user can define the number of repetitions they would like to perform before executing the exercise. If this information is provided, the microcontroller 210 can be configured to execute a flutter event at the penultimate repetition, thereby providing haptic feedback to remind the user that the exercise is ending.
The digital interface 250 is intended to offer exercise classes guiding the user with ongoing instruction through an exercise routine. The application can be configured to automatically provide inputs to the microcontroller 210 that serve to change wheel settings such as assistance/resistance level, the trajectory, events and instruct the wheel to signal timing to the user. For example, one part of a routine could be to instruct the user to hold position (as in a “plank” exercise) and wait for the LEDs 2 and/or the flutter of the wheel to indicate to continue with the exercise. The timing of the wheel would be synchronized with the instructions in the software application making a seamless and engaging exercise routine.
The above configurations and features are non-limiting examples, and they are not inclusive of every implementation in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that various combination, alternatives and modifications of the disclosure could be devised by those skilled in the art. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
The methods described herein may be performed in part or in full by software or firmware in machine readable form on a tangible (e.g., non-transitory) storage medium. For example, the software or firmware may be in the form of a computer program including computer program code adapted to perform some or all of the steps of any of the methods described herein when the program is run on a computer or suitable hardware device (e.g., FPGA), and where the computer program may be embodied on a computer readable medium. Examples of tangible storage media include computer storage devices having computer-readable media such as disks, thumb drives, flash memory, and the like, and do not include propagated signals. Propagated signals may be present in a tangible storage media, but propagated signals by themselves are not examples of tangible storage media. The software can be suitable for execution on a parallel processor or a serial processor such that the method steps may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously.
It is to be further understood that like or similar numerals in the drawings represent like or similar elements through the several figures, and that not all components or steps described and illustrated with reference to the figures are required for all embodiments or arrangements.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Terms of orientation are used herein merely for purposes of convention and referencing and are not to be construed as limiting. However, it is recognized these terms could be used with reference to a viewer. Accordingly, no limitations are implied or to be inferred. In addition, the use of ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third) is for distinction and not counting. For example, the use of “third” does not imply there is a corresponding “first” or “second.” Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
The terms “a,” “an,” and “the,” as used in this disclosure, means “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise.
The term “communicating device,” as used in this disclosure, means any hardware, firmware, or software that can transmit or receive data packets, instruction signals or data signals over a communication link. The communicating device can include a computer or a server. The communicating device can be portable or stationary.
The term “communication link,” or “communication connection,” as used in this disclosure, means a wired or wireless medium that conveys data or information between at least two points. The wired or wireless medium can include, for example, a metallic conductor link, a radio frequency (RF) communication link, an Infrared (IR) communication link, or an optical communication link. The RF communication link can include, for example, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, IEEE 802.11, DECT, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G cellular standards, BLE, LoRaWan, or Bluetooth.
The terms “computer” or “computing device,” as used in this disclosure, means any machine, device, circuit, component, or module, or any system of machines, devices, circuits, components, or modules which are capable of manipulating data according to one or more instructions, such as, for example, without limitation, a processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a graphics processing unit, a central processing unit, a general purpose computer, a super computer, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a workstation computer, a server, a server farm, a computer cloud, or an array of processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, central processing units, general purpose computers, super computers, personal computers, laptop computers, palmtop computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, workstation computers, or servers.
The term “computer-readable medium,” as used in this disclosure, means any storage medium that participates in providing data (for example, instructions) that can be read by a computer. Such a medium can take many forms, including non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media can include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media can include dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. The computer-readable medium can include a “Cloud,” which includes a distribution of files across multiple (for example, thousands of) memory caches on multiple (for example, thousands of) computers.
Various forms of computer readable media can be involved in carrying sequences of instructions to a computer. For example, sequences of instruction (i) can be delivered from a RAM to a processor, (ii) can be carried over a wireless transmission medium, or (iii) can be formatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols, including, for example, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, IEEE 802.11, DECT, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G cellular standards, BLE, LoRaWan, or Bluetooth.
The term “database,” as used in this disclosure, means any combination of software or hardware, including at least one application or at least one computer. The database can include a structured collection of records or data organized according to a database model, such as, for example, but not limited to at least one of a relational model, a hierarchical model, or a network model. The database can include a database management system application (DBMS) as is known in the art. The at least one application may include, but is not limited to, for example, an application program that can accept connections to service requests from clients by sending back responses to the clients. The database can be configured to run the at least one application, often under heavy workloads, unattended, for extended periods of time with minimal human direction.
The terms “including,” “comprising” and their variations, as used in this disclosure, mean “including, but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise.
The term “network,” as used in this disclosure means, but is not limited to, for example, at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a personal area network (PAN), a campus area network, a corporate area network, a global area network (GAN), a broadband area network (BAN), a cellular network, or the Internet, any of which can be configured to communicate data via a wireless or a wired communication medium. These networks can run a variety of protocols not limited to TCP/IP, IRC or HTTP.
The term “server,” as used in this disclosure, means any combination of software or hardware, including at least one application or at least one computer to perform services for connected clients as part of a client-server architecture. The at least one server application can include, but is not limited to, for example, an application program that can accept connections to service requests from clients by sending back responses to the clients. The server can be configured to run the at least one application, often under heavy workloads, unattended, for extended periods of time with minimal human direction. The server can include a plurality of computers configured, with the at least one application being divided among the computers depending upon the workload. For example, under light loading, the at least one application can run on a single computer. However, under heavy loading, multiple computers can be required to run the at least one application. The server, or any if its computers, can also be used as a workstation.
The term “transmission,” as used in this disclosure, means the conveyance of signals via electricity, acoustic waves, light waves and other electromagnetic emissions, such as those generated with communications in the radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) spectra. Transmission media for such transmissions can include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor.
Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
Although process steps, method steps, or algorithms may be described in a sequential or a parallel order, such processes, methods and algorithms may be configured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described in a sequential order does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order; some steps may be performed simultaneously. Similarly, if a sequence or order of steps is described in a parallel (or simultaneous) order, such steps can be performed in a sequential order. The steps of the processes, methods or algorithms described in this specification may be performed in any order practical.
When a single device or article is described, it will be readily apparent that more than one device or article may be used in place of a single device or article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described, it will be readily apparent that a single device or article may be used in place of the more than one device or article. The functionality or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality or features.
The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and changes can be made to the subject matter described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention encompassed by the present disclosure, and by structures and functions or steps which are equivalent to these recitations.
The present application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/482,505, titled “FITNESS WHEEL EXERCISE SYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed Jan. 31, 2023, and claims benefit of priority as a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 18/192,520, titled “MOTORIZED FITNESS WHEEL,” filed Mar. 29, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 18/160,170, titled “MOTORIZED FITNESS WHEEL,” filed Jan. 26, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/860,892, titled “MOTORIZED FITNESS WHEEL,” filed Jul. 8, 2022, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their respective entireties herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63482505 | Jan 2023 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 18160170 | Jan 2023 | US |
Child | 18192520 | US | |
Parent | 17860892 | Jul 2022 | US |
Child | 18160170 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 18192520 | Mar 2023 | US |
Child | 18429065 | US |