Patent Application
20050020413
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus that can automatically rotate a jump rope.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,985 issued to Rudell et al., discloses a motorized unit that can automatically rotate a jump rope. The motorized unit includes a motorized rotating hub that can be coupled to one end of a jump rope. The hub can be coupled to a pedestal so that the jump rope can rotate about a horizontal axis. The other end of the jump rope can be attached to a post or other stationary object. The apparatus allows the players to “jump rope” without manually swinging the rope. The apparatus also has a vertical mode wherein a hub platform is laid on the ground and the rope swings about a vertical axis. A player(s) then jumps over the swinging rope.
The Rudell motorized unit has an on/off switch located on the hub platform. Unfortunately, it is difficult to reach the platform and turn off the switch while jumping rope. Additionally, when in the vertical mode, it is difficult to turn on the motorized hub without getting whipped by the rope and adjoining crank arm. The patent addresses this issue by describing a wireless transmitter that can be worn by the user to turn the motorized hub on and off. Wireless transmitters add to the cost of the product and are susceptible to damage, thereby rending the apparatus inoperative. The patent also describes the use of a pull string, but the string may become entangled with the rope.
The owner of the '985 patent had developed a product that included a timer. The timer would control the time interval at which the motorized hub would be active. Unfortunately, the user had no indication of when the motor was to start or end.
There have been marketed a number of jump rope games such as SKIP-IT, TWIRL N JUMP, SKIP STICK and STICK-N-ROPE that all required manual activation of the rope.
An apparatus that can move a jumping element. The apparatus includes a motor that is attached to a housing and coupled to a hub. The hub is adapted to be coupled to the jumping element. The apparatus also includes a timer that is coupled to the motor. An indicator is coupled to the timer.
Disclosed is an apparatus that moves a jumping element. The apparatus includes a motorized hub that is attached to a housing. The hub can rotate a jumping element, such as a jump rope, about a horizontal axis and/or a vertical axis. The hub is connected to a motor that is controlled by a timer. A player can select a time interval that establishes the activation time of the motor. The apparatus includes an indicator that may provide an indication of the time interval. The indicator may be an LED that indicates the numerical value of the time interval. The apparatus may also have an indicator that provides an indication of when the motor is to be activated, so that the player can be in position when the hub begins to rotate the rope.
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers,
The apparatus 10 may further include a crank arm 22 that is coupled to a rotating hub 24. The crank arm 22 may be attached to one end of the jump rope 12. The other end of the rope 12 may be attached to a post 26 or other stationary structure. The crank arm 22 may have a protective sleeve 28 constructed from an impact absorbing material such as a soft foam.
The hub 24 may rotate about a horizontal axis 30 to swing the rope 12 in an automated manner. The hub platform 14 may include buttons 32, 34, 36 and 38 that can be depressed by a user to set the time interval for rotation of the hub 24. Each button 32, 34, 36 and 38 has a corresponding indicator 40, 42, 44 and 46 that provides an indication of the time interval selected by the user. The indicators 40, 42, 44 and 46 may be light emitting diodes (LEDs).
By way of example, button 32 and indicator 40 may be associated with a 1 minute interval, button 34 and indicator 42 may correspond to a 3 minute interval, button 36 and indicator 44 a 5 minute interval, and button 38 and indicator 46 a 10 minute interval. The platform surface may have indicia adjacent to the indicators that provide the corresponding numerical value. By way of example, depressing button 36 will cause the hub 24 to rotate for 5 minutes. Illumination of the indicator 46 will allow the user to determine which interval was selected. Alternatively, one of the buttons may be an on/off switch and the other buttons may be used to select the speed of hub rotation.
As shown in
In operation, the user depresses one of the buttons 32, 34, 36 or 38 to set the time interval of operation. Alternatively, the buttons 32, 34, 36 or 38 may set the speed of the motor 60. Upon selecting a button the timer 64 begins a count until the motor 60 is activated. The timer 64 may drive the speaker 66 to emit a sound such as a beeping sound to indicate that the motor 60 is about to be activated. The timer 64 also illuminates an indicator that corresponds to the selected button.
At the end of the count the timer 64 activates the motor 60. The timer 64 may begin another count that corresponds to the selected time interval. At the end of the time interval the timer 64 deactivates the motor 60. The timer 64 may cause the indicator to flash to indicate to the user that the motor is about to be deactivated.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
