Patent ID: 7976434
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: A63B,A63F

Abstract:
1. A stationary exercise bike, comprising: a support structure; a flywheel rotatably mounted to the support structure and defining a rotational velocity; a pair of input members movably interconnected with the support structure, wherein the input members are operably connected to the flywheel such that movement of the input members resulting from application of an input force to the input members by a user causes the flywheel to rotate; a force-generating device having a movable flywheel-engaging portion that provides a resistance force that varies upon movement of the flywheel-engaging portion relative to the flywheel, and wherein the resistance force tends to reduce the rotational velocity of the flywheel, and wherein the force-generating device includes a powered actuator that moves the flywheel-engaging portion relative to the flywheel to thereby vary the resistance force provided by the force-generating device; a first sensor that measures the resistance force provided by the force-generating device to provide a measured force; a second sensor that provides at least one of a velocity and a position of the flywheel; a controller that utilizes the measured force from the first sensor to determine a user input and a velocity difference between a measured velocity determined from data provided by the second sensor, and a virtual velocity that is determined utilizing a mathematical bike model that determines the effects of inertia with respect to a resistance force that would be experienced by a rider on a non-stationary bicycle if the user were riding on a non-stationary bicycle, and wherein the controller causes the powered actuator to adjust the resistance force according to the mathematical bike model.