Resistance adjustment device for exercise equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a resistance adjusting device for exercise equipment, comprising a metal disc capable of being rotated by the user's exercise, a displacement seat capable of being displaced by the user's control, and at least one magnet arranged on the displacement seat, the magnet being capable of approaching or moving away from the rotating axis of the metal disc along an adjusting path as the displacement seat is displaced, so as to increase or decrease the area of the magnet's axial projection on the metal disc, thereby adjusting the rotating resistance of the metal disc; in an embodiment, the cross section of the magnet is a parallelogram, and gradually widens from the side closer to the rotating axis to the side farther away from the rotating axis, so that the increasing rate of the projection area gradually increases as the magnet is displaced from the side farther away from the rotating axis to the side closer to the rotating axis at a constant speed along the adjusting path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to sports equipment, and more particularly to a resistance adjustment device for sports equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Figure 1 This illustrates a prior art exercise bike 90, more specifically a recently popular so-called "spinning bike," which allows users to simulate road cycling indoors. When the user pedals the crank assembly 91 of the exercise bike 90, a metal disc 93 is rotated in place via a transmission system 92. The metal disc 93 functions as a flywheel, generating sufficient rotational inertia to allow the linked crank assembly 91 to rotate smoothly and accelerate and decelerate smoothly. Furthermore, the exercise bike 90 is equipped with a resistance adjustment device 94 that adjusts the rotational resistance of the metal disc 93, commonly such as an eddy current brake, allowing the user to adjust the effort required to pedal.

[0003] A typical structure of the resistance adjustment device 94 of the eddy current brake type is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the exercise bike 90 has a displacement seat 95 that can swing within a predetermined angle range according to the swing axis A1. The user can turn an adjustment handle 96 at the front of the exercise bike 90 (see reference). Figure 1 The position of the displacement seat 95 is controlled by shortening or lengthening a steel cable 97 connected to the displacement seat 95; the displacement of the displacement seat 95 is proportional to the displacement of the user turning the adjustment handle 96; the displacement seat 95 is provided with two ingot-shaped magnets 98 located on opposite sides of the metal disk 93 along the axial direction (Note: when viewed along the axial direction, the two magnets 98 overlap). Figure 2 (Only one is shown in the text); Magnet 98 can move along an arc-shaped adjustment path T1 across the circular edge 931 of metal disk 93, approaching or moving away from the axis of metal disk 93, as displacement seat 95 swings, causing the area of ​​magnet 98 projected onto metal disk 93 along the axial direction of metal disk 93 to increase or decrease. The aforementioned projected area can be understood as the actual area of ​​action of magnet 98 in generating eddy current effect on metal disk 93. Simply put, at the same rotational speed, the resistance of magnet 98 to the rotation of metal disk 93 is proportional to the aforementioned projected area.

[0004] Please see Figure 2Viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 93, when the magnet 98 is located at the end of the adjustment path T1 furthest from the center of the metal disk (left end in the figure), as shown by the imaginary line 98' at the outer critical position, the circular edge of the magnet 98 is externally tangent to the circular edge 931 of the metal disk 93. Since the projected area is zero and cannot be smaller, the resistance exerted by the magnet 98 on the metal disk 93 is also the minimum value of the adjustable range. Conversely, when the magnet 98 is located at the end of the adjustment path T1 closer to the center of the metal disk (right end in the figure), as shown by the imaginary line 98' at the inner critical position, the circular edge of the magnet 98 is internally tangent to the circular edge 931 of the metal disk 93. Because the projected area is equal to the circular cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 98 and cannot be larger, the resistance exerted by magnet 98 on metal disk 93 is also the maximum value of the adjustable range. It is conceivable that as magnet 98 moves from the outer critical position to the inner critical position, the projected area will gradually increase from zero to equal the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 98, and the resistance will gradually increase from the minimum value of the adjustable range to the maximum value. However, under the aforementioned prior art, when the user controls the position of magnet 98 on the adjustment path T1 by turning the adjustment handle 96 to adjust the motion resistance, the expected change in resistance may differ from the actual change in resistance. The reason for this is explained below:

[0005] Figure 3 The sequence of magnet 98 is illustrated in terms of multiple levels from the outer critical position to the inner critical position. The position of the magnet in each level changes equally. Specifically, the state with the minimum resistance is set as Lv.0 and the state with the maximum resistance is set as Lv.10. That is to say, the highest level is the highest level, which is 10 levels higher than the lowest level. Assuming that the position of the magnet (referring to the angular position of magnet 98 relative to the swing axis A1) of Lv.10 and Lv.0 is 60 degrees apart, the positions of the magnets in adjacent levels are always 6 degrees apart. Figure 3 The blackened areas at each segment represent the axial overlap between magnet 98 and metal disk 93. Clearly, with each segment the magnet 98 advances, the area of ​​the overlap (i.e., the aforementioned projected area) increases, correspondingly increasing the resistance. However, because the cross-section of magnet 98 is circular, during its constant-speed displacement from the outer critical position (Lv.0 position) to the inner critical position (Lv.10 position), the rate of increase in the aforementioned projected area gradually accelerates in the first half and gradually slows down in the second half. The above phenomena are combined with… Figure 4To make it easier to understand: when magnet 98 is at position Lv.0, no part of the circular cross-section of magnet 98 overlaps with metal disk 93; when magnet 98 is at position Lv.1, a small area (a1) at the edge of the circular cross-section of magnet 98 overlaps with metal disk 93; when magnet 98 moves from position Lv.1 to position Lv.2, the overlapping area of ​​the magnet cross-section and metal disk 93 will increase by a slightly larger area (a2); thus, for every unit distance magnet 98 moves forward (e.g., swings 6 degrees), the overlapping area will increase, and the area increased by each segment will be larger than the previous segment, for example, a3 is larger than a2, a4 is larger than a3, and so on; however, after about half of the circular cross-section has been moved forward, for every unit distance magnet 98 moves forward, the area increased by each segment of the overlapping area will be smaller than the previous segment, for example, a8 is smaller than a7, a9 is smaller than a8, and finally a10 is smaller than a9.

[0006] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the relationship between the area of ​​the overlapping portion and the position of the magnet. The horizontal axis represents the position of the magnet, indicating 10 equal intervals for each segment. The vertical axis represents the area of ​​the overlapping portion, with the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 98 (i.e., the maximum projected area) as 100%. It shows the percentage of the area of ​​the overlapping portion below each segment relative to the maximum value, which also represents the percentage of the resistance exerted by magnet 98 on metal disk 93 relative to the maximum possible resistance. As shown in the data, from Lv.0 to Lv.6, with each segment the magnet advances, the resistance increases sequentially by 3.0%, 6.0%, 8.5%, 10.6%, 12.3%, and 13.5% of the maximum resistance, showing that the rate of increase in resistance gradually accelerates. From Lv.6 to Lv.10, with each segment the magnet advances, the resistance increases sequentially by 14.0%, 13.5%, 11.7%, and 6.9% of the maximum resistance, showing that the rate of increase in resistance gradually slows down. Looking at the curve itself, the slope of the line segment in the middle is relatively large, while the slope of the line segments at the bottom and top is relatively small. This indicates that the resistance is relatively sensitive to changes in the magnet's position in the middle region of the adjustable range, while the response is relatively sluggish in the lower and higher regions of the adjustable range. Based on... Figure 5 As shown in the proportional relationship, the magnet needs to advance approximately 32.8% of the total length of the adjustment path T1 from the outer critical position to increase the resistance from zero to 20% of the maximum resistance. After that, to increase the resistance from 20% to 40%, from 40% to 60%, and from 60% to 80%, the magnet only needs to advance approximately 17.0%, 14.7%, and 14.6% of the total length of the stroke, respectively. Finally, to increase the resistance from 80% to 100% of the maximum resistance, the magnet needs to advance approximately 21.1% of the total length of the stroke, and the adjustment efficiency (the ratio of resistance change to displacement distance) decreases again.

[0007] These characteristics may cause users to feel a lack of coordination between resistance changes and adjustment movements when adjusting exercise resistance, especially with exercise equipment such as fly bikes that are often used for high-intensity interval training. This is because users may frequently increase and decrease the exercise resistance during exercise, and the range of increase and decrease is quite large. Therefore, it is easy to feel that the same adjustment movement (such as turning the adjustment lever 96 to the same angle, or adjusting a segment) results in a more obvious resistance change at the middle resistance level, while the resistance change is less obvious at low and high resistance levels. Moreover, from minimum resistance to maximum resistance, the rate of resistance change in response to adjustment movements increases in the first half and decreases in the second half. The operation response is neither linear nor does it have a unified trend. Most obviously, when using a fly bike for high-intensity interval training, the resistance is usually increased from the intermediate level to the high level (e.g., 70-80% or more of the maximum resistance) after a proper warm-up to simulate the situation where it is very difficult to pedal when climbing hills or against the wind (usually while standing). However, when the user wants to perform high-intensity exercise and moves the lever 96 to the end of the adjustable range, the rate of increase in resistance at the higher range is not as fast as at the intermediate range, so the increase in resistance may be lower than the user's expectations and needs. In addition, during fly bike exercise, when the user wants to slow down or even stop the rotating pedal as soon as possible, or as a safety measure before dismounting, the lever 96 is moved directly to the end, which is to make the resistance reach its maximum value, making it difficult to rotate the pedal. This final stage of increased resistance is also inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems, the main objective of this invention is to provide a resistance adjustment device for sports equipment, which has a uniform and predictable operational response and provides a better user experience.

[0009] Another objective of this invention is to provide a resistance adjustment device for exercise equipment, whose operational response in the higher range of adjustable resistance better meets the user's expectations and needs for increasing resistance when engaging in high-intensity exercise.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a resistance adjustment device for sports equipment, which is suitable for use in sports equipment that may require rapid damping of motion inertia during exercise, and has high operational efficiency when performing the aforementioned damping.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a resistance adjustment device for sports equipment, which is particularly suitable as a resistance adjustment device for flywheel bicycles.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a resistance adjustment device for exercise equipment, comprising: a frame; a metal disc pivotally mounted on the frame according to a rotation axis, capable of rotating by the movement of the user of the exercise equipment; the metal disc having a circular edge centered on the rotation axis; a displacement seat disposed on the frame, capable of displacement according to the user's control; at least one magnet disposed on the displacement seat, capable of moving along an adjustment path across the circular edge of the metal disc towards or away from the rotation axis as the displacement seat moves, thereby increasing or decreasing the area of ​​the magnet projected onto the metal disc along the axial direction of the metal disc; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the projected area is the minimum value of the adjustable range, and when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, the projected area is the minimum value of the adjustable range. At the second end of the path, the projected area is the maximum value of the adjustable range; characterized in that: the cross-section of the magnet on the radial plane of the rotation axis is non-circular, and the outer edge of the magnet cross-section includes a first side and a second side opposite to each other, the first side and the second side each having a head end and a tail end, the two head ends being located on the same side and separated by a convergence distance, the two tail ends being located on the other side and separated by a divergence distance greater than the convergence distance, the width of the magnet cross-section between the first side and the second side gradually widens from the side where the two head ends are located to the side where the two tail ends are located; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the head ends of the first side and the second side of the magnet cross-section are closer to the circular edge of the metal disk than the tail ends.

[0013] In the above-described technical solution of the present invention, the first side and the second side of the magnet cross-section are two non-parallel straight lines.

[0014] When the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, at least one of the first side and the second side of the magnet's cross-section intersects the circular edge of the metal disk at a point.

[0015] During the process of the magnet being moved from the first end to the second end along the adjustment path, at least when the projected area increases from the minimum value to between 5% and 95% of the difference between the maximum and minimum values, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the circular edge of the metal disk simultaneously passes through the first side and the second side of the magnet cross-section.

[0016] The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a short side, which connects the head end of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the short side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

[0017] The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a long side, which connects the tail ends of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the long side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

[0018] The displacement seat is pivotally mounted on the frame based on a swing axis parallel to the rotation axis; the relative directions of the first and second sides of the magnet's cross-section correspond to the relative directions of the magnet and the swing axis.

[0019] The first side of the magnet's cross-section is closer to the swing axis than the second side, while the length of the second side is greater than the length of the first side.

[0020] The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a short side and a long side, the short side connecting the head ends of the first side and the second side, and the long side connecting the tail ends of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the short side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk; when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the long side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

[0021] The displacement frame is provided with two magnets located on opposite sides of the axial direction of the metal disk. Each magnet has an inner side with a shape corresponding to the cross section. The inner side is parallel to the corresponding side of the metal disk, and the spacing between them remains unchanged. The projections of the two magnets along the axial direction of the metal disk coincide with the shape of the metal disk.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the resistance adjustment device for sports equipment provided by the present invention has at least the following effects:

[0023] First, during the process of the magnet moving at a constant speed from the first end to the second end along the adjustment path, the rate of increase of the projected area gradually accelerates, that is, the rate of increase of resistance gradually accelerates, so that the operation response has a uniform trend and predictability, resulting in a better user experience.

[0024] Second, in the higher range of adjustable resistance, the rate at which resistance is increased can still gradually accelerate as resistance increases, which better meets the user's expectations and needs for increasing resistance when engaging in high-intensity exercise.

[0025] Third, in the final stage of increasing resistance, the maximum resistance can be reached with a shorter displacement distance and a shorter time, so it is suitable for sports equipment that may require rapid deceleration of motion inertia during movement.

[0026] IV. It is particularly suitable as a resistance adjustment device for flywheels that can be used for high-intensity interval training. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a side view of a fitness bike in the prior art;

[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of the resistance adjustment device in an exercise bike, showing the adjustment path of the magnets and the critical positions at both ends;

[0029] Figure 3 Illustrated in the form of sequence changes Figure 2 The magnet in the image has multiple segments between the outer critical position and the inner critical position, where the blacked-out areas represent the axial overlap between the magnet and the metal disk.

[0030] Figure 4 show Figure 3 The amount of change in the overlapping part of the magnets in each segment;

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A graph showing the relationship between the area of ​​the overlapping portion and the position of the magnet;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a side view of a resistance adjustment device and the transmission system of the sports equipment to which it is applied, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Bottom view of the resistance adjustment device and transmission system;

[0034] Figure 8A yes Figure 6 A partial enlarged view of the resistance adjustment device shows the magnet located at the first end of the adjustment path;

[0035] Figure 8B similar Figure 8A However, the display shows that the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path;

[0036] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 A three-dimensional view of the displacement seat and its associated structure in the resistance adjustment device;

[0037] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the displacement seat and its associated structure from another perspective;

[0038] Figure 11 Illustrated in the form of sequence changes Figure 8A , 8B The magnet in the middle consists of multiple segments between the first and second ends of the adjustment path, where the blacked-out blocks represent the axial overlap between the magnet and the metal disk;

[0039] Figure 12 show Figure 11 The amount of change in the overlapping part of the magnets in each segment;

[0040] Figure 13 yes Figure 11 A graph showing the relationship between the area of ​​the overlapping portion and the position of the magnet;

[0041] Figure 14 This illustration shows the shape and displacement direction of the magnet in another possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 15 This illustration shows the shape and displacement direction of the magnet in another possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 16 This illustrates a relative relationship between the magnet and the metal disk in this invention;

[0044] Figure 17 This illustrates another relative relationship between the magnet and the metal disk in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Please refer to the following first. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, a resistance adjustment device 10 of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is assembled at the driven end of a transmission system 20 of a sports device. In contrast to the prior art described above, this embodiment demonstrates that the resistance adjustment device 10 is also applied to, for example... Figure 1The flywheel bike shown allows users to adjust the resistance of their pedaling as needed. However, it should be noted that the resistance adjustment device of this invention can also be applied to other types of exercise bikes (e.g., upright bikes or recumbent bikes) through similar embodiments or other suitable combinations, and even to various exercise equipment other than exercise bikes, including cardio training equipment (e.g., elliptical trainers, steppers, rowing machines, etc.), weight training equipment, hybrid exercise equipment (e.g., the running and weight training equipment disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,398,933), and any exercise equipment that may utilize eddy current brakes to generate resistance and allows for adjustment of the resistance strength. The structure and effects of this invention described in this specification, whether general concepts or specific embodiments, are equally applicable to other types of exercise bikes or other kinds of exercise equipment, unless explicitly limited to flywheel bikes.

[0046] Returning to this embodiment, the resistance adjustment device 10 includes a circular metal disc 30, which is pivotally mounted on a frame 15 via a rotation axis A2 passing through its own center and corresponding to the left-right axis of the exercise equipment, and can rotate in place on the frame 15. The frame 15 is typically a metal support that remains stationary during use of the exercise equipment, for example, Figure 6 The frame 15 shown can correspond to Figure 1 The frame 99 directly supports the pedal crank assembly 91 and the metal disc 93. Figure 1Similar to prior art, the metal disc 30 is integrally formed from aluminum, with a predetermined diameter and thickness, and the circular disc surface is flat and without hollows, generating sufficient rotational inertia when rotating. When a user uses the exercise equipment to perform a specific exercise, the metal disc 30 can be rotated by the user's movement. In this example, the user's exercise force is transmitted to the metal disc 30 in the form of torque through the transmission system 20. Specifically, the transmission system 20 includes a drive shaft 21, a large pulley 22, a small pulley 23, and an annular belt 24. The drive shaft 21 is pivotally mounted on the frame 15 along the left and right axes. The large pulley 22 and the small pulley 23 are coaxially connected to the drive shaft 21 and the metal disc 30, respectively. The annular belt 24 simultaneously wraps around the large pulley 22 and the small pulley 23. Thus, when the user's exercise force (e.g., pedaling a bicycle) drives the drive shaft 21 (e.g., the crankshaft of a bicycle) to rotate, it also drives the metal disc 30 to rotate at a higher speed. In exercise equipment such as fly bikes or elliptical trainers, the large pulley 22 is usually fixedly connected to the drive shaft 21, while the small pulley 23 is fixedly connected to the metal disc 30. In other words, the drive shaft 21 and the metal disc 30 have bidirectional transmission. Therefore, during exercise, the inertial force of the metal disc 30, which is driven to rotate by the drive shaft 21, also acts on the drive shaft 21, allowing the drive shaft 21 to rotate smoothly and accelerate and decelerate smoothly. However, in upright or reclining bicycles, a one-way bearing is usually installed between the large pulley 22 and the drive shaft 21, allowing the bicycle pedals to stop or even reverse at will during forward rotation, without being restricted by inertial force. The above-mentioned structure, in which the metal disc 30 can be rotated by the user's movement, is basically still considered prior art.

[0047] Please see Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the resistance adjustment device 10 also includes a displacement seat 40 located near the circular edge 31 of the metal disc 30. The displacement seat 40 is displaceably mounted on the frame 15. In this embodiment, the displacement seat 40 is pivotally mounted on the frame 15 based on a swing axis A3 corresponding to the left-right axis of the exercise equipment, and can swing and move within a predetermined angle range according to the user's control, for example... Figure 8A and Figure 8B The device swings back and forth between the two positions shown and stops at the desired position. The position control of the displacement seat 40 also employs conventional techniques in the art, namely: a torsion spring 70 is provided between the displacement seat 40 and the frame 15 (see...). Figure 9 , Figure 10 The spring force of the torsion spring 70 can cause the displacement seat 70 to rotate relative to the frame 15 in the first direction ( Figure 8A , Figure 8BThe device swings clockwise; one end of a steel cable 80 is connected to a displacement seat 40, and the other end is connected to a reel (not shown in the figure, usually located near the control panel of the exercise equipment), the reel being connected to an adjustment element (e.g., a stepless adjustment element that can rotate in stages within a predetermined adjustable range). Figure 1 The adjustment mechanism (either 96 or a knob-type adjustment knob) is connected; when the user rotates the adjustment mechanism a certain amount in the direction representing increased resistance, the rotating reel winds up the cable 80 to the corresponding length, causing the displacement seat 40 to be pulled by the cable 80 and resist the elastic force of the torsion spring 70 in the opposite second rotation direction. Figure 8A , Figure 8B The adjustment element (rotates counterclockwise) corresponds to the angle of rotation. When the user rotates the adjustment element in the direction representing reduced resistance by a certain amount, the rotating reel releases the steel cable 80 by a corresponding length, causing the displacement seat 40, which is continuously subjected to the torsion spring 70, to swing in the first rotational direction by a corresponding angle. When no external force is applied, the reel can be stopped at the current angle by friction. Simply put, within the predetermined adjustable range, the position of the adjustment element determines the position of the displacement seat 40. Moreover, during adjustment, the displacement amount / displacement rate of the adjustment element and the displacement amount / displacement rate of the displacement seat 40 maintain a certain proportional relationship. For example, assuming the adjustable range of the adjustment element is 200 degrees and the adjustable range of the displacement seat 40 is 50 degrees, then when the adjustment element is rotated 20 degrees in a certain rotational direction, the displacement seat 40 will swing 5 degrees in the corresponding rotational direction.

[0048] Please see Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the displacement seat 40 has two side plates 41 that are parallel to each other in the left-right axis. A plate-shaped magnet 50 is attached to the inner side of each side plate 41. The two magnets 50 are located on opposite sides of the metal disk 30 in the left-right axis (see reference). Figure 7 The inner surface 51 of each magnet 50 is parallel and close to the corresponding side of the metal disk 30. Even if the displacement seat 40 swings and / or the metal disk 30 rotates in place, the axial distance between each magnet 50 and the metal disk 30 remains unchanged. One magnet 50 faces the metal disk 30 with its N pole, and the other magnet 50 faces the metal disk 30 with its S pole. In this embodiment, the shape of the inner surface 51 of each magnet 50 (corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the magnet 50 on the radial plane of the rotation axis A2) is a non-parallelogram. Because the two magnets 50 have the same shape and size and corresponding positions and angles, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30 (e.g., Figure 8A , Figure 8B The irregular quadrilateral cross sections of the two magnets 50 completely overlap.

[0049] like Figure 12As shown, the outer edge of the cross-section of each magnet 50 includes a first side 52 and a second side 53, as well as a short side 54 and a long side 55, all four (52, 53, 54, 55) being straight lines and none of them being parallel. The relative direction of the first side 52 and the second side 53 corresponds to the relative direction of the magnet 50 and the swing axis A3 (approximately up and down in this embodiment). The first side 52 is closer to the swing axis A3 than the second side 53 (in this embodiment, the magnet 50 is located below the swing axis A3, and the second side 53 is located below the first side 52), and the length of the second side 53 is greater than the length of the first side 52. The first side 52 and the second side 53 each have a head end and a tail end, with the two heads located on the same side. Figure 12 (on the right side) and separated by a convergence distance, with the two tail ends located on the other side ( Figure 12 The cross section between the first side 52 and the second side 53 (on the left side) and a divergence distance greater than the convergence distance is gradually widened from the side where the two ends are located to the side where the two ends are located. The short side 54 connects the beginning ends of the first side 52 and the second side 53, and its length is equal to the convergence distance. The long side 55 connects the end ends of the first side 52 and the second side 53, and its length is equal to the divergence distance.

[0050] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the inner side of each side plate 41 of the displacement seat 40 is provided with several transverse positioning pins 42. The bottom end face of each magnet 50 (corresponding to the second side 53) abuts against two of the positioning pins 42, and the front end face of each magnet 50 (corresponding to the long side 55) abuts against another positioning pin 42. Through the design of the positioning pins 42, the assembler can quickly and accurately position the magnet 50 when it is glued to the displacement seat 40, and at the same time, it can also increase the stability of the magnet 50 on the displacement seat 40.

[0051] Please refer to it again. Figure 8A and Figure 8B When the displacement seat 40 is controlled by the user to swing and move according to the swing axis A3, the magnet 50 can move along an arc-shaped adjustment path T2 across the circular edge 31 of the metal disk 30, approaching or moving away from the rotation axis (hereinafter referred to as the metal disk axis) A2 of the metal disk 30, so that the magnet 50 moves along the axial direction of the metal disk 30 (i.e., along the swing axis T2 of the metal disk 30). Figure 8A , Figure 8BThe area projected onto the metal disk 30 (from the direction of observation) increases or decreases. Because the shapes of the two magnets 50 projected onto the metal disk 30 along the axial direction of the metal disk 30 coincide, the relationship between the magnet position and the projected area described below applies to either magnet 50. When magnet 50 is located at the end of adjustment path T2 that is farther from the metal disk axis A2 (e.g., the left end in the figure, hereinafter referred to as the first end), the projected area is the minimum value of the adjustable range; conversely, when magnet 50 is located at the end of adjustment path T2 that is closer to the metal disk axis A2 (e.g., the right end in the figure, hereinafter referred to as the second end), the projected area is the maximum value of the adjustable range. In this embodiment, when magnet 50 is located at the first end, as... Figure 8A As shown, magnet 50 is adjacent to the outer edge 31 of the circular edge 31 of metal disk 30, with a projected area of ​​approximately zero; when magnet 50 is located at the second end, as... Figure 8B As shown, magnet 50 is adjacent to the inner side of the circular edge 31 of metal disk 30, and its projected area is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50.

[0052] More specifically, the relative direction of the short side 54 and the long side 55 of the magnet cross-section corresponds to the displacement direction of the magnet 50 along the adjustment path T2 as it approaches or moves away from the metal disk axis A2 (in this embodiment, it is approximately the front-to-back direction, i.e., Figure 8A , Figure 8B (in the left and right directions), where the shorter side 54 is closer to the metal disk axis A2 than the longer side 55.

[0053] When the magnet 50 is located at the first end of the adjustment path T2, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30, the head ends of the first side 52 and the second side 53 of the magnet cross-section are closer to the circular edge 31 of the metal disk 30 than the tail ends. In other words, the side with a narrower width of the magnet cross-section (i.e., the side where the short side 54 is located) is closer to the circular edge 31 than the side with a wider width (i.e., the side where the long side 55 is located). Moreover, at least one of the first side 52 and the second side 53 intersects the circular edge 31 at a point. In this embodiment, the short side 54 approaches or coincides with the circular edge 31, and the head ends of the first side 52 and / or the second side 53 are exactly located on the circular edge 31, making the projected area zero (or so small as to be considered zero). Correspondingly, the resistance exerted by the magnet 50 on the metal disk 30 is the minimum value of the adjustable range. In other possible implementations (not shown), when the magnet 50 is located at the first end of the adjustment path T2, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30, the first side 52 and the head of the second side 53 of the magnet cross-section are both located inside the circular edge 31 of the metal disk 30. In other words, the narrower side of the magnet cross-section is partially located inside the circular edge 31, making the minimum value of the projected area greater than zero.

[0054] In contrast, in this embodiment, when magnet 50 is located at the second end of adjustment path T2, viewed along the axial direction of metal disk 30, magnet 50 completely (or almost completely) overlaps metal disk 30, and the long side 55 of the magnet's cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge 31 of metal disk 30, making the projected area equal to (or nearly equal to) the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50. Correspondingly, the resistance exerted by magnet 50 on metal disk 30 is the maximum value of the adjustable range. In fact, the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50 can be compared with the circular cross-sectional area of ​​ingot magnet 98 in the prior art, so that the maximum resistance that magnet 50 may exert on metal disk 30 is equal to the maximum resistance in the prior art (assuming that the metal disk specifications, magnet thickness, and material parameters are the same as before). Of course, the magnet size and maximum resistance in this invention can still be appropriately selected according to actual needs. In other possible implementations (not shown), when the magnet 50 is located at the second end of the adjustment path T2, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30, the tail ends of the first side 52 and the second side 53 of the magnet cross-section are both located outside the circular edge 31 of the metal disk 30. In other words, the wider side of the magnet cross-section is partially located outside the circular edge 31, so that the maximum value of the projected area is less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the magnet 50.

[0055] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown in the illustration, in this embodiment, the displacement seat 40 is further provided with a rubber friction block 60. The friction block 60 is fixed between the two side plates 41, corresponding to the side of the two magnets 50 that is farther from the axis A2 of the metal disk. It has a friction surface 61 facing the metal disk 30. The friction surface 61 (ignoring the grooves on the surface and considering it as a plane) is roughly flush with the long side 55 of the two magnets 50. When the user controls the displacement seat 40 to swing in the second direction until the magnets 50 reach the vicinity of the second end of the adjustment path T2, in addition to the magnets 50 exerting maximum resistance on the metal disk 30, the friction surface 61 will also contact the circumferential surface of the metal disk 30, directly hindering the rotation of the metal disk 30 with frictional force. Depending on the implementation choice or the wear state of the friction block 60, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30, the friction surface 61 of the friction block 60 may be entirely or partially located within the cross-sectional area of ​​the magnets 50, or it may be completely located outside the cross-sectional area of ​​the magnets 50. Friction block 60 is mainly used for quick braking or to prevent the metal disc 30 from rotating, and is particularly suitable for use on flywheel bikes; conversely, some sports equipment may not require friction block.

[0056] It should also be noted that, as with previous techniques, in order to ensure that the projected area of ​​magnet 50 can be adjusted to a minimum of zero and / or a maximum of equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50, the possible displacement range of magnet 50 is usually slightly beyond... Figure 8A and / or Figure 8B As shown in the diagram, for example, in response to the user rotating an adjustment element (e.g., adjustment handle 96), the displacement seat 40 may be... Figure 8AThe position shown may then be slightly rotated clockwise, and / or from Figure 8B The position shown is then slightly swung counterclockwise until the displacement seat 40 or the adjusting member is blocked by a preset stop structure (not shown in the figure), or the friction surface 61 of the friction block 60 abuts against the circumferential surface of the metal disk 30. However, even if the magnet 50 is... Figure 8A The position shown (i.e., the first end of adjustment path T2) is further away from the metal disk axis A2, and the projected area is still zero and will not be smaller; similarly, even if the magnet is moved from... Figure 8B The position shown (i.e., the second end of adjustment path T2) is further closer to the metal disk axis A2, and the projected area is still equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50 and will not be larger. This means that the displacement of magnet 50 can only increase or decrease the projected area within the range of adjustment path T2, or in other words, can only increase or decrease the resistance applied by magnet 50 to metal disk 30, thus producing the effect of adjusting resistance (Note: In fact, the range of adjustment path T2 is defined by the two critical positions where magnet 50 can apply minimum and maximum resistance to metal disk 30). Based on the above meaning, the "adjustable range" of magnet 50 or displacement seat 40 (e.g., 50 degrees as mentioned above) basically corresponds to the range of adjustment path T2, rather than the actual possible displacement range; the same applies to the "adjustable range" of the adjusting element used to control the displacement of displacement seat 40 and magnet 50 (e.g., 200 degrees as mentioned above).

[0057] Imagine that when the adjusting member is located at one end of its adjustable range, the magnet 50 is located at the first end of the adjustment path T2. Conversely, when the adjusting member is located at the other end of its adjustable range, the magnet 50 is located at the second end of the adjustment path T2. Moreover, if the adjusting member moves from one end of its adjustable range to the other end at the same speed, the magnet 50 will also move from the first end to the second end at the same speed along the adjustment path T2. In short, the position of the magnet 50 in the adjustment path T2 always reflects the position of the adjusting member in its adjustable range.

[0058] Figure 11The diagram illustrates the multiple levels of magnet 50 from the first to the second end of adjustment path T2, presented as a sequence of changes. The magnet positions within each level change sequentially. Specifically, the state of minimum resistance is defined as Lv.0, and the state of maximum resistance as Lv.10. Assuming the adjustable range of magnet 50 (i.e., the arc of the circular adjustment path T2) is 50 degrees, the positions of magnets in adjacent levels always differ by 5 degrees. The key concept here is that if the adjusting component rotates by one-tenth of its adjustable range (e.g., 20 degrees out of 200 degrees), magnet 50 will also move by one-tenth of its adjustable range, for example, from Lv.0 to Lv.1 in the diagram; similarly, if the adjusting component rotates by half its adjustable range, magnet 50 will also move by half its adjustable range, for example, from Lv.0 to Lv.5 in the diagram.

[0059] Figure 11 The blackened areas in each section represent the axial overlap between magnet 50 and metal disk 30. Figure 12 This displays the changes in the overlapping portion of magnet 50 at each position. When magnet 50 is at position Lv.0, no part of the magnet cross-section overlaps with the metal disk 30. When magnet 50 is at position Lv.1, a small area (b1) on the side of the short side 54 of the magnet cross-section overlaps with the metal disk 30. When magnet 50 moves from position Lv.1 to position Lv.2, the overlapping portion of the magnet cross-section with the metal disk 30 expands by a slightly larger area (b2). This pattern continues, meaning that when magnet 50 moves sequentially to positions Lv.3, Lv.4, Lv.5, ..., Lv.10, the overlapping portion increases by b3, b4, b5, ..., b10 respectively, eventually equaling (or nearly equaling) the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50.

[0060] Depend on Figure 12 It can be seen that the horizontal widths of the aforementioned 10 areas, b1 to b10, are roughly equal, but the vertical length gradually increases from approximately equal to the length of the shorter side 54 of b1 to approximately equal to the length of the longer side 55 of b10. Clearly, for every unit distance the magnet 50 advances (e.g., swings 5 ​​degrees), the overlap between the magnet's cross-section and the metal disk 30 increases, and the area added in each segment becomes larger than the last, from the lowest segment (projected area is zero) to the highest segment (projected area equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the magnet 50). For example, Figure 12In the diagram, a2 is larger than a1, a3 is larger than a2, a4 is larger than a5, and so on, until the final a10 is larger than the previous a9. It must be emphasized that setting the highest segment to Lv.10 and dividing the cross-section of magnet 50 into 10 smaller sections is merely a simplified example for ease of explanation. In reality, the adjustment mechanism (e.g., adjustment handle 96) used to control the displacement of magnet 50 may be a segmented rotation with various numbers of segments, such as 16, 20, or 24, or it may be a stepless rotation, meaning it can be rotated at any angle and stopped at any position within the adjustable range. In other words, the controlled displacement of magnet 50 does not actually have a specific unit distance. In any case, when the magnet 50 moves along the adjustment path T2 from the first end to the second end, the overlapping part of the magnet 50 and the metal disk 30 always expands from the narrower side of the magnet cross-section (i.e. the side where the short side 54 is located) to the wider side (i.e. the side where the long side 55 is located), so the rate of increase of the projected area always gradually accelerates.

[0061] Figure 13 This is a graph showing the relationship between the projected area and the magnet's position in this embodiment. (Similar...) Figure 5 The representation method, Figure 13 The horizontal axis represents the magnet's position, indicating 10 equal intervals corresponding to each segment. The vertical axis represents the projected area, with the cross-sectional area of ​​magnet 50 as the maximum value, showing the percentage of the projected area below each segment relative to the maximum value. This also represents the percentage of the resistance exerted by magnet 50 on metal disk 30 relative to the maximum possible resistance. As shown in the data, from Lv.0 to Lv.10, for each segment the magnet advances (i.e., one-tenth of the total length of adjustment path T2), the resistance increases sequentially by 7.0%, 7.6%, 8.2%, 8.9%, 9.6%, 10.3%, 11.0%, 11.8%, 12.7%, and 12.9% of the maximum resistance, showing that the rate of increase in resistance gradually accelerates overall. From another perspective, based on... Figure 13 The proportional relationships shown indicate that to increase the resistance from zero to 20% of the maximum resistance, from 20% to 40%, from 40% to 60%, from 60% to 80%, and from 80% to 100%, the magnet needs to advance approximately 26.7%, 22.0%, 19.0%, 16.7%, and 15.6% of the total length of the adjustment path T2, respectively. This also demonstrates that the adjustment efficiency (the ratio of resistance change to displacement distance) gradually increases.

[0062] As can be seen from the above preferred embodiments, the resistance adjustment device 10 of the present invention designs the inner surface 51 of the magnet 50 facing the metal disk 30 (corresponding to the cross-section of the magnet 50 on the radial plane of the metal disk axis A2) into a specific geometry, and arranges the magnet 50 and the metal disk 30 in a specific relative relationship (including the position and angle change of the magnet cross-section relative to the metal disk 30 when the magnet 50 is displaced along the adjustment path T2), so that during the process of the magnet 50 being displaced at a constant speed from the first end to the second end along the adjustment path T2, the rate of increase of the area of ​​the magnet 50 projected onto the metal disk 30 along the axial direction of the metal disk 30 gradually increases, that is, the rate of increase of the resistance applied by the magnet 50 to the metal disk 30 gradually increases. Specifically, during the process of the magnet 50 being displaced from the first end to the second end along the adjustment path T2 (at least during the process where the projected area increases from the minimum value to the maximum value by 5% to 95% of the difference between the minimum and maximum values), when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk 30, the circular edge 31 of the metal disk 30 simultaneously passes through the first side 52 and the second side 53 of the magnet cross-section.

[0063] The resistance adjustment device provided by this invention offers users a better experience when adjusting exercise resistance due to the consistent and predictable operational response. Secondly, in the higher range of the adjustable resistance, the rate of resistance increase gradually accelerates as resistance increases, better meeting the user's expectations and needs for increasing resistance during high-intensity exercise. Furthermore, because maximum resistance can be reached in a shorter distance and time during the final stage of resistance increase, it is suitable for exercise equipment that may require rapid deceleration of motion inertia during exercise. Considering these advantages and characteristics, this invention is particularly suitable as a resistance adjustment device for flywheels used for high-intensity interval training.

[0064] Figure 14The illustration shows another possible embodiment of the invention (partial), which differs from the preferred embodiment described above in that the magnet 250 has a trapezoidal cross-section, with its outer edge including a first side (top side in the figure) and a second side (bottom side in the figure) that are opposite but not parallel, as well as a short side (right side in the figure) and a long side (left side in the figure) that are parallel and opposite. In addition, when adjusting the resistance, the magnet 250 moves along the radial direction 232 of the metal disk 230 across the circular edge 231 of the metal disk 230, approaching or moving away from the axis of the metal disk (located directly to the right of the magnet 250 in the figure, but not shown in the figure), so that the area of ​​the magnet 250 projected onto the metal disk 230 along the axial direction of the metal disk 230 increases or decreases. The relative direction of the short side and the long side of the magnet cross-section corresponds to the displacement direction of the magnet 250 approaching or moving away from the axis of the metal disk, and the short side is closer to the axis of the metal disk than the long side. As a result, as the magnet 250 moves toward the axis of the metal disk, the overlapping part of the magnet 250 and the metal disk 230 in the axial direction will expand from the narrower side of the magnet cross-section to the wider side (as shown by several imaginary lines on the magnet cross-section in the figure), so that the rate of increase of the projected area gradually accelerates, that is, the rate of increase of resistance gradually accelerates.

[0065] Figure 15 The illustration shows another possible embodiment of the invention (partial), in which the cross-section of the magnet 350 is approximately trapezoidal, but the four sides of its outer edge are not straight lines. For example, the first side (top side in the figure) and the second side (bottom side in the figure) are both outwardly convex arcs (as shown in the figure), or they may be inwardly concave arcs. Even so, the width of the magnet cross-section between the first and second sides still gradually widens from the side with the shorter side (right side in the figure) to the side with the longer side (left side in the figure). Similarly, as the magnet 350 moves radially 332 toward the axis of the metal disk 330, the axial overlap between the magnet 350 and the metal disk 330 expands from the narrower side of the magnet cross-section to the wider side (as shown by several imaginary lines on the magnet cross-section in the figure), gradually accelerating the rate of increase in resistance.

[0066] In other possible implementations (no figure), when the resistance is at the minimum of the adjustable range, i.e. when the magnet is at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axis of the metal disk, the circular edge of the metal disk does not intersect with the first and second sides of the magnet's cross-section. Instead, the side (short side) connecting the first and second sides of the magnet's outer edge may be a convex arc or other convex shape, and intersect with the circular edge of the metal disk.

[0067] In this invention, a motor or linear actuator may be used to drive the magnet's displacement. The user may also control the magnet's displacement through an electronic interface; for example, pressing a button marked "+" (indicating increased resistance) once will advance the magnet by one segment, and pressing a button marked "-" (indicating decreased resistance) once will retract the magnet by one segment.

[0068] Figure 16 This illustration depicts a relative relationship between the magnet and the metal disk in this invention. The outermost edge of the metal disk 430, furthest from its axis of rotation (center), forms a circular edge 431. The magnet 450 is located near this circular edge 431. The magnet's cross-section gradually widens from the side closer to the metal disk's axis to the side farther away. This causes the area projected onto the surface of the metal disk 430 to increase as the magnet 450 crosses the circular edge 431 and approaches the metal disk's axis (e.g., in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure), resulting in a corresponding increase in applied resistance. In other words, of the two ends of the magnet 450's adjustment path (not shown in the figure), the first end, corresponding to the minimum resistance, is farther from the metal disk's axis than the second end, corresponding to the maximum resistance. Figure 6 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 The structures shown all belong to this type.

[0069] Figure 17 This illustration shows another relative relationship between the magnet and the metal disk in this invention. The metal disk 530 has a ring-shaped surface and may be coaxially fixed to the outer periphery of a flywheel, allowing it to rotate in place around a rotation axis. The inner edge of the metal disk 530 closest to the rotation axis forms a circular edge 531, also centered on the rotation axis of the metal disk 530. The magnet 550 is located near the inner edge of the metal disk 530, i.e., the circular edge 531. The cross-sectional shape of the magnet gradually widens from the side farther from the rotation axis (hereinafter referred to as the metal disk axis) to the side closer to the metal disk axis. This causes the area projected onto the surface of the metal disk 530 to increase as the magnet 550 crosses the circular edge 531 away from the metal disk axis (e.g., in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure), resulting in a corresponding increase in the applied resistance. In other words, of the two ends of the adjustment path of the magnet 550 (not shown in the figure), the first end corresponding to the minimum resistance is closer to the metal disk axis than the second end corresponding to the maximum resistance.

[0070] In this invention, there may be only one magnet, located alone on one side of the axial direction of the metal disk, with its inner side of a specific shape facing the corresponding side of the metal disk. This can also cause the rotating metal disk to generate an eddy current effect and form rotational resistance. Moreover, when adjusting the resistance, the above-mentioned effects of this invention can be achieved.

[0071] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A resistance adjustment device for sports equipment, comprising: A frame; A metal disc is pivotally mounted on the frame according to a rotation axis and can be rotated by the movement of the user of the exercise equipment; the metal disc has a circular edge with the rotation axis as the center; A displacement seat is provided on the frame and can be moved according to the user's control; At least one magnet is disposed on the displacement seat and can move along an adjustment path across the circular edge of the metal disk to approach or move away from the rotation axis as the displacement seat moves, so that the area of ​​the magnet projected onto the metal disk along the axial direction of the metal disk increases or decreases; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the projected area is the minimum value of the adjustable range, and when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, the projected area is the maximum value of the adjustable range; Its features are: The magnet has a non-circular cross-section on the radial plane of the rotation axis, and the outer edge of the magnet cross-section includes a first side and a second side opposite to each other. The first side and the second side each have a head end and a tail end. The head ends of the first side and the head ends of the second side are located on the same side and are separated by a convergence distance. The tail ends of the first side and the tail ends of the second side are located on the other side and are separated by a divergence distance greater than the convergence distance. The width of the magnet cross-section between the first side and the second side gradually widens from the side where the two head ends are located to the side where the two tail ends are located. When the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the head ends of the first side and the second side of the magnet cross-section are closer to the circular edge of the metal disk than the tail ends.

2. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The first and second sides of the cross-section of the magnet are two non-parallel straight lines.

3. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, at least one of the first side and the second side of the magnet's cross-section intersects the circular edge of the metal disk at a point.

4. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that: During the process of the magnet moving from the first end to the second end along the adjustment path, at least when the projected area increases from the minimum value to between 5% and 95% of the difference between the maximum and minimum values, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the circular edge of the metal disk simultaneously passes through the first side and the second side of the magnet cross-section.

5. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a short side, which connects the head end of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the short side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

6. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a long side, which connects the tail ends of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the long side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

7. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The displacement seat is pivotally mounted on the frame based on a swing axis parallel to the rotation axis; the relative directions of the first and second sides of the magnet's cross-section correspond to the relative directions of the magnet and the swing axis.

8. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The first side of the magnet's cross-section is closer to the swing axis than the second side, while the length of the second side is greater than the length of the first side.

9. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The outer edge of the magnet cross-section also includes a short side and a long side, the short side connecting the head ends of the first side and the second side, and the long side connecting the tail ends of the first side and the second side; when the magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the short side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk; when the magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, when viewed along the axial direction of the metal disk, the long side of the magnet cross-section approaches or coincides with the circular edge of the metal disk.

10. The resistance adjustment device for sports equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The displacement seat is provided with two magnets located on opposite sides of the axial direction of the metal disk. Each magnet has an inner side with a shape corresponding to the cross section. The inner side is parallel to the corresponding side of the metal disk, and the spacing between them remains unchanged. The projections of the two magnets along the axial direction of the metal disk coincide with the shape of the metal disk.

Images