Patent ID: 9265988
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: A61H,A63B

Claim Text:
1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a support structure; at least one pedal that is moveably attached to the support structure to move relative to the support structure in a cycle, said at least one pedal being configured to receive a crank fashion load from a user to exert a torque by force on the at least one pedal, said crank fashion load being applied by eccentric muscle action; a motor; and a power controller that is configured to control the motor; said support structure being configured such that, when a foot of the user engages the at least one pedal, the user's body is in a generally upright orientation; wherein said motor is configured to drive the at least one pedal in its cycle to rotate in a rotation direction, said controller is configured to control the motor to run at a predetermined speed, and the rotation direction in which the at least one pedal is configured to be rotated by the motor, is opposite from the direction in which the user exerts the crank fashion load and the torque on the at least one pedal, so that the load and torque applied by the user are resistive to rotation of the at least one pedal; wherein said apparatus includes a user interface that is configured for entering the predetermined speed of the motor, said motor and power controller are configured to limit torque exerted by the motor to drive the at least one pedal in the rotation direction, to a predetermined maximum torque, said user interface is configured for entering the predetermined maximum torque; and said motor is an AC servo motor and the torque exerted by the motor to drive the at least one pedal in its cycle in a second direction, is limited by limiting the current supplied to the motor.