Wheel resistance exercise device

An exercise apparatus that can be attached to any wheeled device that is pushed in which the wheel of the wheeled device is subjected to rolling resistance so that the person pushing it had to push harder thereby experiencing exercise.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to wheeled exercise devices.

BACKGROUND

There are various wheel resistance devices, known as stationary bicycles, for exercise in which the user sits on the device and operates pedals against a resistance mechanism.

There are also resistance devices, which allow the user to walk or run while pushing the device and which use various means to impose load or resistance to increase the effort required to push or pull the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the exercise device10has a frame12consisting of a frame haft14, at the top of which is a handle bar16, and having attached at its bottom a wheel fork18, having wheel fork legs20and22, defining between them a wheel space24, and terminating in wheel supports26A and26B. The frame12has a tube extension portion28. In this particular embodiment, the frame12consists of an upper frame shaft portion30, and a lower frame shaft portion32, which are joined together by bolts34. A wheel and tire assembly36is located in the wheel space24and is rotatably attached to the wheel supports26A and26B by an axle assembly37. This entire structure is similar to the assembly structure of a common bicycle frame front portion, handle bars, forks and wheels. The wheel assembly of a bicycle can be used.

The tube extension portion28of the frame12is adapted to hold an adjustable resistance assembly38, which is designed to cause a resistance wheel to bear on the wheel and tire assembly36and is adjustable to increase or decrease the bearing pressure on the wheel and tire assembly36.

In the preferred embodiment of the resistance assembly38, a lever40is pivotally attached between the wheel fork legs20and22by a pin or bolt42, which defines a pivot axis44for the lever40. In this embodiment the lever40is formed by a pair of spaced-apart opposed arms46A and46B connected by a brace48. The lever40has a first end50, which is forward of the pivot axis44, and a second end52, which is rearward of the pivot point. Attached to the first end50of the lever40is a small resistance wheel54rotatable on a bearing pin56mounted through the opposed arms46A,46B.

Attached at the second end52as part of the adjustable resistance assembly is an adjusting mechanism60, which adjustably pivots the lever40on the pivot axis44to cause the resistance wheel54to pivot as shown by arrow62.

The adjusting mechanism60has an adjusting link63having a lower end64and an upper end66. The lower end64enters the hole68in the brace48and is bent upward at70to be fixed in place. The upper end66is threaded (not shown). The adjusting link63passes through the tube extension portion28and has a threaded knob76threaded onto the threads at the upper end66. A spring78is fitted between the threaded knob76and the tube extension portion28and is constructed so as to be in a compressed condition for most of the useful travel of the knob76so as to keep the knob76from turning by itself. A washer80is helpful.

An additional exercise variable can be obtained by providing means to attach free weights to the device. One means for doing this is shown inFIG. 3. As shown, the upper frame shaft portion30has a hole82extending through it. A bolt84is in place through the hole and a weight86is mounted on the bolt84. In this example, the weight86is retained by a wing nut88threaded onto the bolt84along with a washer90.FIG. 4shows another means for mounting a weight in which a threaded rod92is welded to the shaft30at94. In another embodiment a clamp device could be configured with a rod or bolt attached, in which the position of the clamp can be adjusted, up or down on the shaft. Other forms could include all of the above means in which a pin or bolt extends sideways of the shaft, to each side, allowing a weight to be mounted on each side of the shaft. An example of this is shown inFIG. 5in which the shaft30has rods96,98extending oppositely to each side. The rods96,98can be welded as at100,102to the shaft30. In this configuration, weights104,106can be oppositely mounted on the respective rods100,102, held by wing nuts108,110and washers112,114.

In use, the upper shaft portion30is assembled to the lower shaft portion32. The knob76is adjusted to pivot the lever40to cause the resistance wheel54to bear on the tire36to a pressure as desired. Greater pressure will cause more resistance to turning of the tire36. To obtain exercise the user takes a position behind the device after adjusting the knob76to create the desired resistance. Then the user pushes the handlebars ahead of himself or herself to cause the tire36to turn. The tire36will turn with greater or lesser required pushing force depending on the setting of the knob76.

If the knob76is set so that resistance wheel54provides little or no resistance to turning of tire36, then the device can be pushed easily ahead of the user. But, as more resistance is placed on tire36, more effort will be required to push the device. In general, as the required force increases, more effort will be required to push the device. In general, as the required force increases the user will tilt the frame12to angle the tire36further away, but preferably not more than 45°.

Also, to change the muscles exercised, the shaft14may be tilted less and its user uses his or her arms to push downward on the shaft14to overcome the resistance, preventing the tire36from skidding.

Of course “cheating” by letting its tire36skid along the ground is self-defeating. If this happens, either greater downward pressure is exerted, or a sharper angle is created, or both.

The resistance can be adjusted according to a set plan such as, less resistance for warm-up or aerobic exercise and more resistance for muscle building such as by pushing through the legs and arms.

Other embodiments of the invention is shown inFIGS. 6,7,8,9, and10.

In those other embodiments the invention is a portable and transferable wheel resistance apparatus that can be installed on various wheeled devices and removed when no longer desired or when it desired to use it on a different wheeled device. It can be used on existing devices such as a baby carriage; or it can be used on a device especially built for it. The portable and transferable wheel resistance device has as adjustment mechanism that retards the rotation of the road wheel of the wheeled device on which it is installed and can be adjusted to increase the retarding force or to decrease the retarding force, also called resistance. This makes the wheeled device adjustably more or less resistant to being pushed and that resistance gives exercise to the user. The exercise resistance apparatus resides in two forms. In one form a friction member is in direct contact with the road wheel of the wheeled device on which the apparatus is mounted. In the other form an intermediate resistance wheel is in rotational contact with the road wheel of the device and a friction member is in contact with the intermediate resistance wheel. In both forms, the exercise apparatus is mountable onto and dismountable from the wheeled device and it may be adjusted in its position on the wheeled device for best use, and it may be removed.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7there is shown the exercise apparatus100(partial inFIG. 7) attached to a wheeled device101partially illustrated by the rod or post102and the road wheel104. The exercise apparatus100has a bracket105that has an attachment portion in the exemplary form of a vertical plate108and a drag assembly support portion in the form of a horizontal plate110that extends at a right angle from the bottom of the vertical plate108in a direction opposite to the placement of the rod or post102. The horizontal plate108is attached to and is readily removable from the rod or post102by U-bolts112that are aligned vertically to capture in their bight the rod or post102. The U-bolts112extend through holes114in the vertical plate108and are fixed by nuts such as the easily operated wing nuts116.

The drag assembly118that is attached to and extends downwardly from the horizontal plate108has two portions, the friction assembly120and the adjustment assembly122.

The friction assembly120has a friction member124that is on a movable side126of a hinge128so that it can pivot up and down on the hinge pivot130. The friction member124may be made of any suitable material that can engage the road wheel to create the resistance, metal, rubber and plastic are possible materials. The other side of the hinge, the immovable side132is mounted on the horizontal plate110by a bolt134, held tight by a nut136. The bolt134is attached to the horizontal plate110by nuts138and140and a washer142.

The adjustment assembly122also extends downwardly from the horizontal plate110and is laterally spaced from the friction assembly120. It has a bolt144that is fixed to the horizontal plate108by a nut146and a washer148on top (instead, the nut146may be welded to the horizontal plate110) and a nut150on the bottom. Alternatively the horizontal plate108could be threaded and a lock nut applied on the top or bottom of the horizontal plate108. The lower end152of the bolt144extends through an opening (not shown) in the movable side126of the hinge128, although it could simple bear on the movable side126of the hinge128. A nut154at the lower end152allows for fine adjustment although it could be welded onto the bolt144, with all adjustment being made by rotation of the bolt144.

In use the exercise apparatus100is fitted to the rod or post102with the hinge rotated upwardly to the most upward position of the movable side126, contemplating the amount of wear that might be expected. It is then fixed in place by tightening the U-bolts112. Then the adjustment assembly122is adjusted to push the friction member124down on the road wheel104. Some trials are tried until the desired resistance to pushing the device101is found. Also as the friction member124wears smaller adjustments to the adjustment assembly can compensate, although generally it is also anticipated that adjustment for wear will be accomplished by lowering the exercise device100on the rod or post102. If the resistance to pushing the wheeled device101is too much the adjustment assembly122can be backed off by unscrewing the bolt144, or if more resistance is wanted by screwing it down.

An alternative embodiment of the exercise device160is shown inFIG. 8. The side view can be appreciated byFIG. 7which is similar. In this embodiment the attachment portion and operation is as described above with respect toFIGS. 6 and 7. It differs in the drag assembly162which also has two portions, the friction assembly164and the adjustment assembly166. The friction assembly164has a resistance wheel168attached to and extending below the horizontal plate110. It is attached by nut170and171. On the shaft of the resistance wheel168is the immovable side132of the hinge128. The movable side126of the hinge128extends laterally and is pivotable on the hinge pivot130. On the movable side126is the friction member124that contacts the resistance wheel168. The far end of the movable side126is pressed by a bolt172that is adjustable on the horizontal plate110by means of nuts174and176. The very same construction for the adjustment bolt as shown inFIG. 6could be used here, but this alternative construction is shown. In this form it assumed that the resistance wheel168will not wear appreciably; so it is not contemplated that adjustment of the exercise apparatus on the rod or post102will be needed after it has been satisfactorily placed.

In use the embodiment ofFIG. 8is tightened in place with the U-bolts112(backing plates113can be used), with the resistance wheel168pushed firmly onto the road wheel104. so that it will not slip. Then the adjustment assembly is operated to get the desired amount of resistance to rotation of the resistance wheel168that will accordingly cause the road wheel104to resist rotation.

FIG. 9shows an alternative construction that is applicable to both of the foregoing embodiments. In this construction the friction member124is on a flexible bar178that could also be resiliently biased upwardly or downwardly. Although the partial figure is from the embodiment ofFIGS. 6 and 7, the flexible bar178could also be fitted to the embodiment ofFIG. 8.

As described above the exercise device can be fitted to any wheeled device such as a baby carriage, that is constructed so as to allow it to be fixed in place on a rod or post and that has a road wheel that can be contacted by the friction member or the intermediate wheel.

FIG. 10shows a wheeled device180that is specially designed for the exercise apparatus100described above. The wheeled device180has an elongated post182(shown broken inFIG. 10) At the top of the post182is handelbar184. The post182terminates at a lower end186. A road wheel188is mounted near the lower end186. It is mounted in any convenient way to facilitate rolling. Just above the road wheel188the exercise apparatus100is fitted to the post182in the manner described above. This specially designed combination of the exercise apparatus100and the wheeled device180defines a variable resistance pushing exercise device. In use the frictional engagement of the friction member124on the road wheel188is set to a desired amount of resistance. The user holds the handelbar184and pushes while walking, jogging or running. The angle of the variable resistance pushing exercise device depends on the amount of resistance; although the angle can be adjusted. For example, for added exercise. the device can be held more upright and downward pressure exerted to create sufficient friction of the road wheel on the ground to overcome the resistance set by the friction member. In this way, in addition to pushing exercise, upper body exercise can be accomplished. Additional weight190can be carried by a bolt192.

In all of the embodiments described above the portable exercise apparatus can be fitted to a wheeled device by any convenient means such as by screws or bolts or by welding or by flexible straps.