Patent ID: 6352493
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A swimming simulation system for allowing swimmers to exercise and train out of the water while being able to monitor their progress on a computer display comprising, in combination:a base assembly including an elongated central section in a rectangular configuration with a short front edge and with a short parallel rear edge and long parallel side edges there-between and a planar upper surface and a planar lower surface, the base assembly also including a generally v-shaped section, with legs extending upwardly from adjacent to the front edge of the central section, the v-shaped section having a central portion as an extension of the central section with interior slopping faces extending upwardly from the central portion at angles of about 60 degrees from the horizontal; a table in a generally horizontal orientation having an upper contoured surface to receive the torso of the user and a lower surface overlying and supported above the central section intermediate to the front and rear edges; a table support block in a rectangular configuration secured to the upper surface of the central section spaced rearwardly of the v-shaped section and supporting the table; a upper air cylinders and lower air cylinders each having an exterior end and an interior end with a ball joint coupled to each associated interior sloping face for universal rotation, each air cylinder having a reciprocable rod extending from within the exterior end of its associated air cylinder and a hand-receiving loop with an associated thumb-receiving loop coupled to the exterior ends of the reciprocable rods of each sloping face; a template beneath each ball joint constituting a template set for a particular stroke and with a slot through each template corresponding in shape to the arm movements of a particular swimming stroke with a finger secured to the ball joint extending through the slot to ensure proper arm movements of a user; a horizontal pivot pin coupling the table and the table support block to allow for lateral pivoting of the table with respect to the table support and with laterally positioned springs to control the pivoting of the table with respect to the table support, the table also having a strap with an associated clamp to releasably retain the user on the table during operation and use; and a control assembly including a Hall effect magnetic sensors operatively coupled with respect to each finger and a fixed portion of the housing and with a display panel on the upper surface of the base assembly between the legs of the v-shaped section within view of the user to display duration as â€œlaps,â€  and speed as â€œaverageâ€  as a function of the rate of triggering of a sensor on a loop by a finger when a user moves through a full range of motion and with a computer system to read the output from the sensors to effect a proper display.