Patent ID: 6812918
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: A63B,A63F,G06F

Abstract:
A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball to operate a main unit, a display device, interacting, or to be used as a foot exerciser or for entertaining purpose, essentially comprised of:a housing 100: made of plastic, metal or wood or other selected material and a selected geometric form, including a ball holder 101 to couple a rolling ball 102; one or more than one segmental structure on the edge of the ball holder 101 to secure and restrict the segmental structure 103; and a selected number of low friction bearing, roller or needle structure at selected locations on the ball holder 101 to support the rolling ball 102 with low friction; the housing 100 being supported by multiples of foot in stationary model or each of those feet being provided with a roller and a braking device for mobile model; the housing 100 may be in a structure extending sideways to improve stability, furthermore, an operation switch may be added as required; a power supply 104: comprised of a DC source converted from city power, a rechargeable battery, a super capacitor, or other storage device to supply power; a rolling ball 102: made of selected material in a full or approximately spherical shape to be coupled to a spherical ball holder 101 of the housing 100 subject to operation by foot; a coupling mechanism for the roller ball 102 and the ball holder 101 of the housing 100 allowing to be removed or installed as desire, or being provided with an optional ring or a protruding bit to prevent falling of the rolling ball 102; the rolling ball 102 may be made in a specified structure to match the housing 100, and may be provided or omitted as required while its housing 100 is available to be adapted to any spherical object with given dimension and material; a detection 105: operating by means of optical-electric or electromagnetic induction or static induction or conduction contact means to directly detect the motion status of the rolling ball 102; or being driven indirectly by the rolling ball 102 through a transmission system to detect direction and momentum of the rolling ball 102; or as required, the detection 105 being capable of indicating rolling speed to control a main unit 106 or a display 107; an auxiliary pedal controller 108: comprised of a mechano-electronic or solid-state electronic switching device; one or more than one unit of the auxiliary pedal controller 108 being incorporated to the selected location for the housing 100 or independently provided for helping operation of kicking or stepping by the foot; further provided with a function of pressure detection to be adapted to the main unit 106 or the display 107 for relative control of the operation of the main unit 106 or the display 107; a main unit 106: an optional unit, comprised of a mechano-electronic or a solid state electronic device, or a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits depending on the application; furthermore, a conductor, infrared, a RF electromagnetic wave, or ultrasonic equipment being provided to execute one-way or two-way wired or wireless transmission with the detection 105, the auxiliary pedal controller 108, and an active propelling device 109 for relative signal process based on operation signals from the rolling ball 102 and the auxiliary pedal controller 108, and for driving outputs to the display 107 or other devices; the main unit 106 may share the same structure with the housing 100 or can be an combined structure; the display 107: also an optional device comprised of a mechano-electronic device, a solid-state electronic device, or a video CRT, multi-point LED, or OLED combination, PLED, PDP, LCD, TNLCD, PLED, bulb, or other device converting electric power into optical energy to display graphics, text, indication, and alarm; and to execute one-way or two-way wired transmission by means of conductor or wireless transmission by infrared or RF electromagnetic wave or ultrasonic device with the main unit 106; and the active propelling device 109: also an optional device, driven by electromagnetic effect, air pressure, oil hydraulic means, manual, or other sources to actively provide for the rolling ball 102 programmable, cyclic, irregular propelling or flapping in a same director or various directions at identical or various forces, or to drive the rolling ball 102 for displacement of other status to change the spacing between the rolling ball 102 and the ball holder 101 of the housing 100 and to transmit signals to the main unit 106 by means of a flat detection 110; the active propelling device 109 is an optional device.