Treadmill Motion Transducer for Triathlete Cycling Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Triathletes face challenges in training for cycling portions of triathlons due to the ineffectiveness of stationary bike training in simulating outdoor cycling, as it fails to adequately develop muscle groups, balance, and posture necessary for efficient and comfortable riding on their own bicycles.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill system with an endless tread belt, motion transducer, processor, and memory that detects exercise type and calculates work performed, allowing for dynamic adjustment of speed and incline to simulate outdoor cycling conditions, enabling users to perform both foot and cycling exercises on the same equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If stationary bike training is used to simulate outdoor cycling, then indoor exercise is enabled, but training effectiveness for muscle groups, balance, and posture is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The treadmill is designed to support multiple exercise types including cycling, running, and walking on the same equipment. The deck can accommodate exercise bicycles, and the system can detect and differentiate between various exercise types using sensors and processors, allowing one device to serve multiple training purposes effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical cycling trainers with a treadmill system that uses motion transducers, load cells, and electronic processors to detect and measure exercise parameters. This substitution enables more accurate measurement of work performed and provides better simulation of outdoor cycling conditions through electronic control
2Reliability
If multiple exercise equipment setups are used for different exercise types, then training effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The treadmill serves as a universal platform that can accommodate both foot-based exercises (running, walking) and cycling exercises. The system includes sensors and processors that can detect and differentiate between various exercise types, allowing users to perform multiple types of training on a single piece of equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple exercise capabilities into one integrated system. The treadmill deck can support exercise bicycles, and the control system merges detection methods for both foot and pedal-based exercises, consolidating what would traditionally require separate equipment into a single unified device
3Speed
If treadmill speed is increased to simulate outdoor cycling, then exercise intensity is improved, but measurement accuracy of work performed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple speed-based measurement with a comprehensive sensing system that includes motion transducers, load cells, and electronic processors. These components directly measure the forces and movements involved in exercise, providing accurate work calculation regardless of treadmill speed variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to continuously monitor exercise parameters and provides feedback through the control system. The processor analyzes data from motion transducers and load cells to calculate work performed, adjusting measurements in real-time based on actual exercise conditions rather than relying on predetermined speed settings
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill system includes a deck, an endless tread belt covering at least a portion of the deck, and a motion transducer positioned to detect movement of the tread belt. The treadmill system also includes a processor and memory where the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to receive an output of the motion transducer, determine an exercise type performed on the tread belt, and calculate an amount of work performed by a user on the tread belt based on the output of the motion transducer and the determined type of exercise.