Spiral Roller Omnidirectional Exercise Platform

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing omnidirectional physical exercise platforms face limitations in providing a realistic and safe movement experience due to passive designs, high maintenance costs, and noise issues associated with chain transmission systems.

Innovation Solution

A roller-type omnidirectional physical exercise platform with alternately-placed spiral rollers driven by motors, eliminating waist strapping and using gear transmission for reduced noise and maintenance, allowing for more natural and immersive movement experiences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If chain transmission is used to drive the rollers, then the structure can achieve omnidirectional movement, but tooth jumping and slippage occur leading to high maintenance costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveomnidirectional movement capabilityVSAvoidmaintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chain transmission mechanical system with a direct roller rotation system. Instead of using chains that engage with gears, the motors directly drive the rollers to rotate, eliminating the chain transmission components that cause tooth jumping and slippage. This substitution maintains the omnidirectional movement capability while significantly reducing maintenance requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If chain transmission is used to drive the rollers, then the structure can achieve omnidirectional movement, but friction between chain and components causes noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveomnidirectional movement capabilityVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the chain transmission system that generates noise through friction. By directly rotating the rollers using motors without intermediate chain components, the source of friction-induced noise is removed, achieving quiet operation while maintaining omnidirectional movement functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If passive treadmill design with waist strapping is used, then safety during movement is improved, but the movement experience becomes unnatural

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during movementVSAvoidnaturalness of movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional passive treadmill approach by making the treadmill active. Instead of strapping the user to a stationary or slowly moving belt, the system actively detects user movement intent and rotates the rollers to match the user's stepping rhythm, allowing free movement without restraints while maintaining safety through active coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect user movement patterns and adjust roller rotation accordingly. This feedback loop allows the treadmill to adapt to user movements in real-time, providing safety without requiring waist strapping, and enabling natural movement patterns including backward walking and turning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The platform offers a slimmer, active, low-noise, and easy-to-maintain design that enhances the realism of movement experiences while reducing the risk of injury and maintenance costs.

Implementation Method 1

The spiral rollers are configured to provide a reverse moving speed for a human body moving on a surface of the platform

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

gear transmission

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGear transmission: Gear

Data Source

PatentUS11173364B2Roller-type omnidirectional physical exercise platform and speed synthesis method for same

Publication Date: 2021.11.16 NANJING ZHONGLING SHIJING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention discloses a roller-type omnidirectional physical exercise platform, mainly including a housing, a plurality of groups of alternately-placed spiral rollers disposed inside the housing, a motor configured to drive the spiral rollers. The spiral rollers include clockwise spiral rollers and counterclockwise spiral rollers. Roller bodies of the clockwise spiral rollers are obliquely embedded with rotatable wheels at particular angles. Two ends of the roller are mounted with gears and bearings providing a support function. The counterclockwise spiral roller is mirror-symmetrical with the clockwise spiral roller. The present invention presents an active omnidirectional physical exercise platform. Compared with a passive omnidirectional exercise platform, a human body does not need to be strapped, thereby providing more real movement experience, effectively resolving a problem that movements in a virtual space are limited by a real space, and achieving features such as low noise and a slim machine body.