Paddle simulator

Abstract

A paddle simulator comprises a base and a sliding rail, pedals and a movable seat are adjustably installed on the base, a pair of wings is connected to the front side of the base of the simulator, a paddle is installed on the other side of each wing in a hinged mode, and each paddle is connected to an air resistance fan of the paddle through a gearbox of the paddle. Therefore, lifelike training of paddling actions on a real racing boat is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sports machinery and simulators, more specifically to rowing machines and simulators, in particular to sculling simulators designed for realistically simulating rowing training and competitions. Background Art

[0002] Rowing machines are currently used by athletes around the world. However, these machines fail to match the strokes performed in a rowing boat due to their technical limitations and simplification of mechanical operation.

[0003] Most existing rowing machines are trainers equipped with an air resistance fan connected to a continuous chain, at the end of which is a rod connected to the center (as shown in US design patent USD367508S). The rod imitates an oar, and the athlete holds the two ends of the rod; when the rod is pulled, the air resistance fan blades rotate and generate the necessary resistance. However, it is this rod that significantly restricts the rower's movements, which are different from those in a rowing boat. The rower fixes his hands in one position on the rod and holds it at a long distance, but this is not the case in a rowing boat. At the same time, the connection to a single air resistance fan does not correspond to the two oars that the rower has in a rowing boat.

[0004] Alternative embodiments include magnetic resistance mechanisms, but even in these embodiments, a common resistance mechanism is still used to control the rower's hands.

[0005] Although rowing machines with oars are disclosed in the patent literature (e.g., patent application Nos. WO 2014 / 179866 A1, EP2545 965A2, US2006 / 0270528 A1, US2011 / 0245044 A1, WO97 / 22389), these rowing machines are still severely limited because they use a common and combined resistance mechanism and the rower cannot feel the correct dynamics of each arm individually, as in a rowing boat.

[0006] Existing machines are mainly used for winter training, but due to their imperfect technical design, rowers lose their trained movements and have to struggle to find the movements they trained when they return to rowing after winter training. Using existing machines, athletes cannot achieve the same pectoralis major stretch as in rowing, and the movement of the shoulder joint is also limited.

[0007] The present invention is an improved rowing simulator which allows realistic training of all movements, including the coordinated arm movements required for subsequent rowing in a rowing boat, thereby eliminating the drawbacks of rowing simulators used hitherto. Summary of the invention

[0008] The invention relates to a rowing simulator, comprising a base, a slide rail, a pedal and a movable seat which are adjustably mounted, and a pair of wings connected to the front side of the simulator base, a paddle being hingedly mounted on the other side of each wing, and each paddle being connected to its own air resistance fan through its own transmission system.

[0009] Sculls are when each rower has two oars. Sculls can be single sculls, double sculls, quad sculls or the unconventional eights.

[0010] For the purposes of this application, "rowing simulator" and "trainer" are considered partially synonymous and refer to a machine that allows rowing training to be performed on land, provided that a rowing simulator means a machine that is more similar and realistic to actual water training.

[0011] The rowing simulator according to the invention is generally plane-symmetrical, with the plane of symmetry passing through the middle of the slide rail and extending the length of the machine.

[0012] The paddling simulator has a base that provides stability and is used to house at least a portion of the drive train and the air resistance fan, and may also be used to mount the wing. The base may be in the form of a housing or frame, preferably metal to increase weight and stability. The base may be located in front of or behind the athlete, but is preferably located in front of the athlete.

[0013] The slide rail passes through the center of the rowing simulator and is firmly fixed to the rowing simulator base on one side. The fixing can be done by welding or screws.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the slide rail is composed of two or more parts that can be folded to facilitate transportation and storage of the paddling simulator.

[0015] The footrests (i.e. supports for the athlete's footwear) are adjustably mounted on the rails. The position of the footrests can be adjusted, for example by a trapezoidal structure mounted at the front of the rails, which is close to the rear of the base when the base is in front of the athlete.

[0016] Next comes the moving part of the slide, designed to support and move the seat. The seat consists of an ergonomic seat for paddling and a device that allows smooth movement on the slide. This device can be, for example, castors or rollers. The limit of the seat movement is provided by two stops - one located behind the trapezoidal structure and the other at the opposite end of the slide. The stops can be, for example, bolts with rubber caps on top.

[0017] The wings are the non-moving parts during training. There is a wing on each side of the base. The wings are symmetrically arranged, pointing to one side of the base. The wings are fixed to the base of the machine at one end. They form an acute angle with the plane of the slide rail. They are usually fixed at an angle of about 45° to 50°. The external structure of the wing can consist of a pair of tubes (for example, aluminum, steel or composite materials). The components of the transmission system (for transmitting the force of the paddle to the air resistance fan) are housed inside the wing. The wings can also be equipped with a protective cover (for example a plastic cover) to prevent dust or other small particles from clogging the rod. In one embodiment, the wings can be folded towards the slide rail of the rowing simulator during transportation, so that the space occupied by the rowing simulator will be greatly reduced.

[0018] At the other end of each wing is hingedly mounted an oar which is specially shortened (compared to the standard oars used in rowing), i.e. without blades. The oar can be equipped with a rubber sleeve at its free end, which helps to better grip the oar and prevents it from slipping in the athlete's hands.

[0019] Each propeller is connected to its own air resistance fan through its own drive system.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the air resistance fan is an air resistance fan with a resistance adjuster.

[0021] Air resistance fans equipped with resistance adjusters can be enclosed in a perforated base frame to reduce air leakage, and the resistance can be controlled by adjusting the air intake grille. The resistance in the fan is created by the rotating blades and is controlled by the amount of air entering the fan.

[0022] The drive train further transmits the force applied by the athlete on the paddle to the drag fan. The drive train refers to the entire arrangement from the paddle's pivot and wing to the drag fan. The drive train may include various components such as shafts, rods, levers, rods and gear sets, planetary gears, etc.

[0023] As mentioned before, each oar has its associated drivetrain and air resistance fan. Therefore, the resistance the athlete feels on each arm is real and can vary depending on the athlete's ability and skill, just like in rowing. The difference between these fans can be measured and compared in a computer in front of the athlete so that they can track and improve their performance.

[0024] Typically, the drivetrain and drag fan for a particular paddle are located on the same side of the paddle. This means that the drivetrain and drag fan for the left paddle will be located on the left side of the paddling simulator, and the drivetrain and drag fan for the right paddle will be located on the right side of the paddling simulator.

[0025] In some implementations, each paddle is connected to its wing by an oarlock and a shaft. The paddles are inserted into the oarlocks, which provide three basic functions: leverage of the paddles, rotation of the paddles, and transfer of force to the shaft. Force is thus transferred from the paddles through the oarlocks and shaft. The wings also have built-in steel, aluminum, or composite rods that transfer the force of the paddles through leverage to the base of the machine, where the gearbox and air resistance fan are mounted.

[0026] As an example, the shaft is longitudinally perforated with holes to adjust the height of the oar lock by locking it in position, thereby adjusting the height of the oar. This allows athletes of different heights to hold the oar more comfortably.

[0027] In another specific implementation, each oar is also connected to the oarlock through a spring system, which is responsible for balancing the weight of the oar and simulating the water surface.

[0028] Further, the rowing simulator includes two brackets located below the rails and base (one at the rear and one at the front) to allow the rowing simulator to be positioned and operated. Alternatively, the entire rowing simulator can be mounted on a standard rowing machine mounting rail. The brackets or one of the brackets (the rear bracket) are preferably resilient to further simulate the movement of the rowing boat.

[0029] In a possible configuration, the rowing simulator further includes a control unit consisting of a sensor, a processor and a storage module. The processor collects data about the transmitted force from the sensor, further stores the data in the storage module, evaluates the data, and can also provide the data to the athlete.

[0030] An alternative to a fixed control unit is to transmit the data from the rowing simulator sensors directly to the athlete's external mobile device (smartphone or tablet), where the data is processed and stored by the mobile device's processor and storage module. The mobile device is connected to the rowing simulator via wireless technology such as Bluetooth. In this way, athletes can analyze the data immediately on their device at any time, no matter which rowing simulator they use. At the same time, they can share this data with coaches, teammates, etc.

[0031] In another preferred embodiment, the rowing simulator further comprises a touch screen display. The touch screen display allows the user to set up the rowing simulator (e.g., set the duration of a training session, etc.) and provides the user with data related to his / her athletic performance processed by the processor. Due to the distribution of the oars and the fan, the different strokes of each oar can be displayed, which is important for practicing keeping a straight line, which is particularly difficult for young or inexperienced rowers to do during competition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] [ Figure 1 ] shows a top view of a paddling simulator;

[0033] [ Figure 2 ] shows a schematic side view of a paddling simulator;

[0034] [ Figure 3 ] shows a front schematic diagram of the paddling simulator.

[0035] [ Figure 4A ]、[ Figure 4B ]and[ Figure 4C ] shows a schematic diagram of the transmission system.

[0036] The reference numerals are as follows:

[0037] 1......Base

[0038] 2......Wing

[0039] 3... oar

[0040] 4......Slide rail

[0041] 5......Foot pedal

[0042] 6......Adjustable footrest installation trapezoidal structure

[0043] 7...... Seats

[0044] 8......Transmission system

[0045] 9......Air resistance fan

[0046] 10......Resistance regulator

[0047] 11......Stand

[0048] 12......Control unit

[0049] 13......Touch screen display

[0050] 14......Oarlock

[0051] 15......Axis

[0052] 16......Spring system

[0053] 17......Rod

[0054] 18......Gearbox

[0055] 19......Leverage DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] It should be understood that the examples described below are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention to these examples. Of course, those skilled in the art can construct embodiments equivalent to the specific embodiments described herein through routine experiments. These equivalent embodiments are also included in the scope of protection defined by the following patent claims.

[0057] Implementation Method 1

[0058] A rowing simulator comprises a solid base 1 in the form of a metal shell located in front of the athlete. The base 1 has two gear boxes 18 in the form of a gear set and two air resistance fans 9 with resistance regulators 10. The resistance of the fans 9 can be adjusted by mechanically opening or closing the grid of the regulator 10.

[0059] The slide rail 4 is firmly fixed to the base 1. A trapezoidal structure 6 is provided on the slide rail 4 near the base 1 for adjustably mounting the footrest 5. The continuation of the slide rail 4 is exposed and a seat 7 is mounted, which is an ergonomic seat for paddling and is equipped with rollers so that the seat 7 can move smoothly along the slide rail 4. Limitation of the range of movement of the seat 7 is provided by two stops - one located behind the trapezoidal structure 6 and the other at the opposite end of the slide rail 4. These stops can be in the form of bolts with rubber caps on top.

[0060] Attached to the base 1 is a pair of wings 2, each wing being at an angle of 45° to the plane of the base 1, pointing to the side opposite to the base 1. The wings 2 are made up of a pair of aluminum tubes forming the reinforcement of the wings 2 and the intermediate space in which a steel rod 17 is placed, transmitting the force of the paddle 3 to the gearbox 18 via a lever 19.

[0061] At the other end of each wing 2, an oar 3 is hingedly mounted via an oar lock 14 and an axle 15, the free end of the oar 3 being equipped with a rubber sleeve for a better grip of the oar 3. A steel rod 17 in the wing 2 is connected to the axle 15 via a lever 19. A spring system 16 is connected to the oar 3 at the end of the oar lock 14 to compensate for the weight of the oar 3 and simulate the water surface.

[0062] Each paddle 3 is connected to its own gear box 18 and air resistance fan 9 through a transmission system 8 (including a paddle frame 14, a shaft 15, a rod 17, and a lever 19). The transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the left paddle 3 are located on the left side of the simulator, and the transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the right paddle 3 are located on the right side of the simulator.

[0063] Two metal brackets 11 are connected to the rowing simulator by screws, one is located at the base 1 at the bottom of the slide rail 4, and the other is located at the opposite free end of the slide rail 4.

[0064] Implementation Method 2

[0065] A rowing simulator comprises a solid base 1 in the form of a metal shell located in front of the athlete. The base 1 contains two gear boxes 18 in the form of a gear set and two air resistance fans 9 with resistance regulators 10. The resistance of the fans 9 can be adjusted by mechanically opening or closing the grid of the resistance regulator 10.

[0066] The slide rail 4 is firmly fixed to the base 1. A trapezoidal structure 6 is provided on the slide rail 4 near the base 1 for adjustably mounting the footrest 5. The continuation of the slide rail 4 is exposed and a seat 7 is mounted, which is an ergonomic seat for paddling and is equipped with rollers so that the seat 7 can move smoothly along the slide rail 4. Limitation of the range of movement of the seat 7 is provided by two stops - one located behind the trapezoidal structure 6 and the other at the opposite end of the slide rail 4. These stops can be in the form of bolts with rubber caps on top.

[0067] Attached to the base 1 is a pair of wings 2, each wing being at an angle of 45° to the plane of the base 1, pointing to the side opposite to the base 1. The wing 2 consists of a pair of steel tubes forming the reinforcement of the wing 2 and the intermediate space in which is placed a steel rod 17 that transmits the force of the paddle 3 to the gear box 18 via a lever 19. The wing 2 is provided with a plastic cover to prevent the rod 17 from being blocked by dust or other small particles.

[0068] At the other end of each wing 2, an oar 3 is hingedly mounted via an oar lock 14 and an axle 15, the free end of the oar 3 being equipped with a rubber sleeve for a better grip of the oar 3. A steel rod 17 in the wing 2 is connected to the axle 15 via a lever 19. A spring system 16 is connected to the oar 3 at the end of the oar lock 14 to compensate for the weight of the oar 3 and simulate the water surface.

[0069] Each paddle 3 is connected to its own gear box 18 and air resistance fan 9 through a transmission system 8 (including a paddle frame 14, a shaft 15, a rod 17, and a lever 19). The transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the left paddle 3 are located on the left side of the simulator, and the transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the right paddle 3 are located on the right side of the simulator.

[0070] Two metal brackets 11 are connected to the rowing simulator by screws, one at the base 1 at the bottom of the slide 4 and the other at the opposite free end of the slide 4. This rear bracket 11 is elastic and simulates the movement of the rowing boat on the water.

[0071] The paddling simulator is also equipped with a control unit 12, including a processor and a memory module and a touch screen display 13. The processor processes the data of the transmitted forces and stores the data in the memory module. Intermediate and overall training data are displayed on the touch screen display 13. These data include speed data, the number of strokes per minute, the difference between the left and right paddle strokes, including visualization of the steering caused by uneven paddling. The touch screen display 13 also allows the user to adjust the paddling simulator, such as setting the duration of the training session.

[0072] Implementation 3

[0073] A rowing simulator comprises a solid base 1 in the form of a metal frame located behind the athlete. The base 1 contains two gear boxes 18 in the form of a gear set and two air resistance fans 9 with resistance regulators 10. The resistance of the fans 9 can be adjusted by manually and mechanically opening or closing the grid of the resistance regulator 10.

[0074] A foldable slide 4 is made of two parts and is bolted to the base 1. On the side of the slide 4 remote from the base, a trapezoidal structure 6 is provided for adjustably mounting the footrests 5. The continuation of the slide 4 is exposed and a seat 7 is mounted, which is an ergonomic seat for paddling and is equipped with rollers to allow smooth movement of the seat 7 along the slide 4. Limits to the range of movement of the seat 7 are provided by two stops - one behind the trapezoidal structure 6 and the other at the opposite end of the slide 4. These stops can be in the form of bolts with rubber caps on top.

[0075] Attached to the base 1 is a pair of wings 2, each wing being at an angle of 45° to the plane of the base 1, pointing to the side opposite to the base 1. The wings 2 consist of an aluminum profile forming the reinforcement of the wings 2 and the intermediate space in which a steel rod 17 is placed, transmitting the force of the paddle 3 to the gearbox 18 via a lever 19.

[0076] At the other end of each wing 2, an oar 3 is hingedly mounted via an oar lock 14 and an axle 15, the free end of which is equipped with a rubber sleeve for a better grip of the oar 3. A steel rod 17 in the wing 2 is connected to the axle 15 via a lever 19. A spring system 16 is connected to the oar 3 at the end of the oar lock 14 to compensate for the weight of the oar 3 and simulate the water surface. The axle 15 connecting the wing 2 and the oar 3 is perforated to adjust the height of the oar 3.

[0077] Each paddle 3 is connected to its own gear box 18 and air resistance fan 9 through a transmission system 8 (including a paddle frame 14, a shaft 15, a rod 17, and a lever 19). The transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the left paddle 3 are located on the left side of the simulator, and the transmission system 8 and air resistance fan 9 of the right paddle 3 are located on the right side of the simulator.

[0078] Two metal brackets 11 are connected to the rowing simulator by screws, one is located below the start of the slide rail 4 of the rowing simulator base 1, and the other is located at the opposite free end of the slide rail 4. This rear bracket 11 is elastic and simulates the movement of the rowing boat on the water. The rowing simulator is further mounted on a standard rail for rowing machines.

[0079] The simulator is also equipped with a control unit 12, including a processor and a memory module and a touch screen display 13. The processor processes the data of the transmitted forces and stores the data in the memory module. Intermediate and overall training data are displayed on the touch screen display 13. These data include speed data, the number of strokes per minute, the difference between the left and right paddle strokes, including visualization of the steering caused by uneven paddling. The touch screen display 13 also allows the user to adjust the paddling simulator, such as setting the duration of the training session.

[0080] Industrial Applicability

[0081] The rowing simulator of the present invention improves the results of winter training and competitions and provides realistic training of the movements of real rowing. It will be particularly useful for rowing clubs, associations and rowing competition organizers. It will also find application in gyms. Indoor rowing training using oars is more fun than using bars on current machines. Athletes will have a smooth transition to training on a rower after winter training and will achieve better results because their training will not be disturbed by the change in movements.

[0082] Children, complete novices and top athletes preparing to represent their country in international competitions can learn and train on rowing simulators. These machines are also designed for competitions. Rowing simulators are designed to match the shape and curves of a rowing boat as closely as possible, thus having a better effect on the athlete's psychology.

[0083] The main advantage of the rowing simulator according to the invention is a faithful simulation of all the movements in the rowing, the athlete's shoulder joint movement is not restricted, and the muscles can be stretched as in the rowing. At the same time, it allows the coach to observe whether the athlete holds the oar correctly and pulls it correctly towards the body, so as to maximize the execution of the rowing action and maintain this in the subsequent summer rowing competitions. Therefore, the athlete does not have to train hard again after winter training to restore the correct rowing action, but can just switch to the rowing.

[0084] The paddling simulator can be used not only for winter training but also for clubs that have limited on-water training only on designated days, when training needs to be done more frequently than on-water training.

Claims

1. A paddling simulator, comprising a base (1) and a slide rail (4), wherein the paddling simulator is provided with a pedal (5) and a movable seat (7) which can be adjusted, a pair of wings (2) being firmly connected to the front side of the paddling simulator base (1), and a paddle (3) being hingedly mounted on the other side of each wing (2), characterized in that Each of the propellers (3) is connected to its own air-blocking fan (9) via its own transmission system (8), wherein at least parts of the air-blocking fan (9) and the transmission system (8) are located or installed on the base (1).

2. The paddling simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that The air resistance fan (9) is an air resistance fan (9) with a resistance regulator (10).

3. According to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that The oar (3) is connected to the wing (2) via an oar lock (14) and a shaft (15).

4. The paddling simulator according to claim 3, characterized in that The shaft (15) is provided with a hole in the longitudinal direction so as to adjust the height of the paddle (3).

5. The paddling simulator according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The oar (3) is also connected to the oar cage (14) via a spring system (16).

6. According to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that The slide rail (4) is composed of two or more parts and is foldable.

7. According to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that The rowing simulator also includes two brackets (11) located below the slide rail (4) and the base (1).

8. The paddling simulator according to claim 7, characterized in that At least one support (11) is elastic.

9. According to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that The paddling simulator also includes a control unit (12).

10. According to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that The paddling simulator also includes a touch screen display (13).

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