Patent Application
20200023221
The present invention relates to a speed reduction device provided on a rotating wheel, especially to a magnetically-controlled damping device that decelerates the rotating wheel with magnetic resistance.
A spinning bike is a common fitness equipment. By adjusting resistance applied on a rotating wheel of the spinning bike, a user can train his or her cardiorespiratory endurance to improve exercise efficiency during a long-term pedaling process. Conventional resistance devices on the spinning bike may be frictional or hydraulic. The frictional resistance device is prone to wear and instability under long-term use. The hydraulic resistance device has the disadvantages of causing oil leakage, noise, and high temperature. Therefore, a non-contact magnetically-controlled damping device is invented.
In a conventional magnetically-controlled damping device, magnetic flux applied to the rotating wheel is changed by changing a distance between magnets of the conventional magnetically-controlled damping device and the rotating wheel, and the resistance applied on the rotating wheel is adjusted according to magnetic force applied on the rotating wheel. A mechanism for guiding the movement of the magnets has a guide rod, which will be worn under long-term use, resulting in a change in a preset travel distance between the magnets and the rotating wheel. Thus, a damping value provided by the conventional magnetically-controlled damping device is unstable.
Therefore, the conventional magnetically-controlled damping device needs to be improved.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a magnetically-controlled damping device that can decrease abrasion on guiding rods and resistance caused by the guiding rods during movements of the guiding rods.
The magnetically-controlled damping device comprises a fixing disk, a rotating disk, a plurality of friction-proof sleeves, a plurality of moving disks, a plurality of moving disks, a plurality of magnets, an elastic element, and an operating element.
The fixing disk comprises an assembling surface, and a fixing portion disposed on the assembling surface of the fixing disk.
The rotating disk is rotatably mounted on the assembling surface of the fixing disk, is located between the fixing disk and the moving disks, and includes a first side surface facing the fixing disk, a second side surface being opposite to the first side surface, and a plurality of guiding rods protruding from the second side surface of the rotating disk.
The friction-proof sleeves are mounted on the guiding rods respectively.
The moving disks are movable relative to the rotating disk and the fixing disk and each of the moving disks includes a plurality of guiding grooves. The guiding grooves are located around the friction-proof sleeves respectively. Each guiding groove has a respective inner sidewall defined around the guiding groove and abutting against an outer sidewall of a corresponding one of the friction-proof sleeves.
The magnets are mounted on outer side surfaces of the moving disks. The elastic element is mounted between and is connected to the fixing portion and the rotating disk, and allows the rotating disk to rotate relative to the fixing disk. The operating element is able to drive the rotating disk to rotate relative to the fixing disk against an elastic force of the elastic element. When the operating element drives the rotating disk to rotate, the rotating disk moves the moving disks through the guiding rods, the friction-proof sleeves, and the guiding grooves.
The magnetically-controlled damping device of the present invention has the following advantages. Since the friction-proof sleeves are disposed between the guiding rods and the inner sidewalls defined around the guiding grooves, the inner sidewalls defined around the guiding grooves rub the friction-proof sleeves during movement of the moving disks. Thus, by mounting the friction-proof sleeves on the guiding rods, the guiding rods do not wear, such that the magnetically-controlled damping device can provide a relatively stable damping value. In addition, when the friction-proof sleeves need to be replaced, the friction-proof sleeves can be taken out from the guiding rods and replaced with new ones, which is easy and convenient. Accordingly, the guiding rods can have a longer service life.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
The fixing disk 10 comprises an assembling surface 11 and a fixing portion 12. The fixing portion 12 is disposed on the assembling surface 11 of the fixing disk 10. In other words, one of two side surfaces of the fixing disk 10 is the assembling surface 11.
In a preferred embodiment, the fixing disk 10 is circular, and an annular wall 13 is circular and coaxially protrudes from the assembling surface 11. However, shapes of the fixing disk 10 and the annular wall 13 are not limited to circles and may be other shapes.
In addition, the fixing portion 12 that is mounted on the assembling surface 11 is for connecting with the elastic element 60. In the preferred embodiment, the fixing portion 12 is a protrusion protruding from the assembling surface 11 of the fixing disk 10, and can be, connected with the elastic element 60, but it is not limited thereto.
In addition, the fixing disk 10 further comprises a plurality of limiting rods 14. The limiting rods 14 are disposed on the assembling surface 11 and restrict the moving disks 40 to move linearly only. In the preferred embodiment, the limiting rods 14 comprise, but are not limited to, square and circular rods that can limit moving directions of the moving disks 40.
The rotating disk 20 is rotatably mounted on the assembling surface 11 of the fixing disk 10. The rotating disk 20 comprises a first side surface, a second side surface, and a plurality of guiding rods 21. The first side surface faces the fixing disk 10. The second side surface is opposite to the first side surface. The guiding rods 21 are mounted on the second side surface of the rotating disk 20. In the preferred embodiment, the rotating disk 20 is, but it is not limited thereto, hollow and is rotatably mounted around the annular wall 13 of the fixing disk 10, so as to allow the rotating disk 20 to rotate on the fixing disk 10. In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the guiding rods 21 include, but not limited to, six cylinders. The numbers, shapes, and arrangements of the guiding rods 21 are only for the purpose of guiding.
The friction-proof sleeves 30 are respectively mounted on the guiding rods 21. In the preferred embodiment, the friction-proof sleeves 30 are hollow tubes and are made of metal. An inner diameter of each friction-proof sleeve 30 is equal to an outer diameter of a corresponding one of the guiding rods 21. Therefore, the friction-proof sleeves 30 can be fitted on the guiding rods 21. However, the friction-proof sleeves 30 are only used for the purpose of anti-abrasion and are not limited to the above-mentioned material and size.
With reference to
In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of moving disks 40 include two moving disks 40 and each of the moving disks 40 is semi-circular. The two moving disks 40 are oppositely disposed on the second side surface of the rotating disk 20 with the guiding grooves 41 of the moving disks 40 located around the friction-proof sleeves 30 on the guiding rods 21 respectively. Specifically, each of the two moving disks 40 has, but not limited to, three guiding grooves 41 and three limiting grooves 42. The numbers, shapes and arrangements of the guiding grooves 41 and the limiting grooves 42 are only for the purpose of guiding and limiting.
With reference to
With reference to
The elastic element 60 is mounted between and is connected to the fixing portion 12 and the rotating disk 20, and allows the rotating disk 20 to rotate relative to the fixing disk 10. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic element 60 is, but not limited to, a tension spring, a compression spring, or other elastic elements.
With reference to
Specifically, the rotating disk 20 is provided with an engaging slot 22, and the connector 74 is mounted in the engaging slot 22. The fixing disk 10 is provided with a stopping portion 15, and the connecting base 72 is mounted in the stopping portion 15.
When the wire 73 moves into the wire sleeve 71, the rotating disk 20 is rotated to drive the moving disks 40 to move. In other words, when the operating element 70 drives the rotating disk 20 to rotate, the rotating disk 20 drives the moving disks 40 to move through the guiding rods 21, the friction-proof sleeves 30 and the guiding grooves 41. However, the operating element 70 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration, and can be of any other forms of control element.
With reference to
As shown in
With further reference to
In the preferred embodiment, the friction-proof sleeves 30 are sleeved on the guiding rods 21, and the friction-proof sleeves 30 are disposed between the guiding rods 21 and the inner sidewalls defined around the guiding grooves 41. Thereby, the guiding rods 21 do not wear and can provide a stable damping value when the moving disks 40 are moved. In addition, when the friction-proof sleeves 30 need to be replaced, the friction-proof sleeves 30 can be taken out from the guiding rods 21 and replaced with new ones, which is easy and convenient. Accordingly, the guiding rods 21 can have a long service life.
In the preferred embodiment, since the moving disks 40 comprise the limiting grooves 42 and are mounted on the limiting rods 14 of the fixing disk 10, the limiting rods 14 can limit the moving directions of the moving disks 40 when being moved. Thus, the moving disks 40 do not arbitrarily offset. Moreover, with the rod sleeves 40 on the limiting rods 14, the limiting rods 14 can also have increased service life.
In the preferred embodiment, since the connecting wire is used as the operating element 70, the movement of the moving disks 40 can be adjusted in a relatively linear manner, so that the user can easily adjust the magnetically-controlled damping device to form a desired damping value.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
