Reactive control apparatus

An apparatus for exercise has a frame structure for hand holding standing up on a restrained universal mount fixed on a platform. A coil spring in compression and a stretched elastic cord laced around in tension restrains the universal mount providing adequate force for restoring the frame structure to its normal vertical position except as the user of the device deflected from that position. A two-axis sensor at the pivot center within the universal mount provides electrical inputs to a computer game programmed for video display. The position of the structure determines the direction of activity and the deflection specifies the amount of exertion input within the framework of a computer program for simulation of any of a variety of existing and new sports. The characteristics of the universal mount offer the player a challenge in terms of muscular strength, coordination and body balance.

This invention relates to exercise equipment, particularly to the 
interaction of exercise and computer to simulate a variety of sports. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Since the beginning of sports, equipment has played a major role in the 
performance and enjoyment of the sport. Discus throwing and pole vaulting 
are examples of the early interaction of equipment and the athlete. 
Technological advances have helped to break many sports records and is 
responsible for creating many new sports. Often with new technology 
sports, such as hang gliding, boardsailing and skiing, an element of 
danger prevents many people from participating. Also, the frustration in 
the early learning stages can be discouraging. 
Simulators have been used to bridge the learning process and build 
confidence. One example is the ski training device (U.S. Pat. No. 
3,659,842) that used a boot mounting system above pivoting cantilever arms 
to allow a feel of cushioned turning as with downhill skiing. 
Computers have been used to increase the information associated with 
standard exercise devices, tredmills, cycle exercisers, and rowing 
machines and to control the exercise program, as in Lapeyre's exercise 
monitor (U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,095). Besides the information gathering and 
analysis, computers can be helpful in providing the stimulus to overcome 
the boredom of exercise and create an environment on the video screen to 
enhance the involvement with the exercise. Uemura (U.K. Pat. No. 2038597) 
teaches the use of pure rotary motion, a turntable and roller game, to 
affect the computer game, here the rotation is in response to the twisting 
on a platform mounted on a bearing. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is my invention to encompass a two axis position sensor within a 
restrained universal joint mounted on a platform with a handle bar used by 
the participant to overcome the restraining forces of the joint and 
position the handle bar in response to the action in a video game, thus 
affecting the position and speed of an object or the background. Every 
position of the user's center of gravity and every direction of force can 
be obtained from the deflection of the constrained universal joint and 
therefore the simulation of many sports can be obtained through the 
programmed input of the handle position. It is a further object of the 
invention to combine the foregoing with a restrained rotary coupling or 
platform and torque sensor to provide the equivalent of a three-axis 
spring-return position sensor to enable still more sports, especially 
gliding and flying, to be simulated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In the preferred embodiment, a handlebar is attached to a platform with a 
restrained elastic joint so that a force applied to the handle by a user 
while standing on the platform causes a rotation about the restrained 
elastic joint in the direction of the applied force. A joystick is mounted 
within the joint to sense the position of the handle and inputs the values 
of the position to a computer or video game as the user's response to the 
activity on the computer monitor. 
As shown in FIG. 1 the handle 1 is formed from aluminum tubing into a shape 
to provide a horizontal section on the top and two vertical legs on the 
side for hand holding by the user 5. The vertical legs are attached to the 
top of the restrained universal joint 2. The joint 2 is rigidly attached 
to a base 4 and a platform 3. The user 5 stands on the platform 3 while 
holding onto the handlebar 1 and applies a force in any direction to 
affect the rotation of the handlebar 1 about a center of rotation within 
the restrained universal joint 2. A position sensor within the joint 2 
inputs the handle position to a computer 6 through an input cable 7 for 
analysis by a computer program to affect graphic output to the video 
monitor 9 through the output cable 8. Programs can be loaded through the 
keyboard 11 or through a game cartridge 10. Mode changes including levels 
of difficulty, can be specified through the keyboard 11. 
A complete variety of positions and force transfer through the user's body 
can be achieved. FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 demonstrate four basic positions 
encountered with the invention. Many more positions exist as combinations 
and variations in between the basic positions. 
The user 5 in FIG. 2 is shifting his weight backward while hanging from the 
handlebar 1 and with his feet in front of his body on the platform 3. This 
position is encountered in many sports that can be simulated. Some 
examples include windsurfing, waterskiing and motorcross. In order to 
reach the extreme of this position the user 5 would lower his center of 
gravity by bending the knees and pull the handlebar over his head. The 
alternate method of leaning the handlebar back is with a stiff posture, 
however recovery from this position can be difficult. The opposite of this 
position is shown in FIG. 3. The user 5 is leaning forward pushing the 
handlebar 1 in front of his body. Hang gliding, tobogganing and ski 
jumping are some examples of sports that can be simulated from this 
exercise. 
In FIG. 4 the user 5 is pushing the handlebar 1 to the right. The user 5 is 
shown standing on the platform 3 nearly erect and pushing the handlebar 
with her arms. This position is particularly important for exercises to 
enhance the chest and side muscles. Handlebar positions can be obtained by 
many different methods. The two basic techniques are pushing with the arms 
while the body is nearly upright and pulling to lift the body as a result 
of weight shift. The best method of achieving the correct handle position 
depends on the direction and speed of change from the previous positions 
in response to the activity on the video monitor. In order to change from 
the position of FIG. 2 to the handlebar position of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 the 
user 5 would simply swing his lower body to the right for the handlebar 
position of FIG. 4 and to the left for the handlebar position of FIG. 5. 
The user would still be hanging as in FIG. 2. In order to change the 
user's position of FIG. 3 to the handlebar position of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 
it would be most efficient to come up to the upright positions as shown in 
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. 
The universal restrained joint 2 of FIGS. 1-5 is detailed in FIG. 6 and 
FIG. 7. The design shows a composite spring constructed from a heavy duty 
compression spring 13 of 5" in diameter and a 5" length 1" pitch with a 
1/2" diameter wire size, coiled, with flat, square and ground ends. This 
compression spring 13 is nested between the handlebar connector 12 and the 
platform base 4 with an elastic tension cord 14 laced between the 
handlebar connector 12 and the base 4 surrounding the compression spring 
13 on all sides. The compression spring 13 is centered and held in place 
by a top hub 15 and a bottom hub 16 that engage the inside diameter of the 
spring ends. The top hub 15 is attached to the handlebar connector 12 and 
the lower hub 16 is attached to the base 4. The tension cord 14 compresses 
the compression spring 13 to a desired amount. The bending torque through 
the joint can be adjusted by tightening the tension cord to increase the 
force required to operate the handle and by loosening the tension cord 14 
to decrease the operating force. The compression spring 13 is always in 
the compression mode and thus greatly increases the life of the spring. 
When a force is applied to the handle the corresponding torque is resisted 
by the compression of the spring 13 on the side of the applied force and 
by the tension of the tension cord 14 along the side opposite to the 
spring compression. A joystick mechanism 17 is mounted to the handlebar 
connector 12 and the top hub 15 in the center of the compression spring 
13. The joystick mechanism 17 is of the dual potentiometer type and must 
be aligned with the horizontal selection of the handlebar. One 
potentiometer is to sense the forward and backward positions, and the 
other is to sense the right to left positions. The joystick shaft 19 is 
attached to the joystick mechanism 17 through a ball joint 18. A 
compensator spring 20 is attached to the joystick shaft 19 and to the 
center of the bottom hub 16 by attachment to the base post 21. This spring 
is always in tension and has a relatively low spring rate to insure a 
small force, to the joystick mechanism to prevent damage. When the handle 
force is applied the compression spring 13 and tension cord 14 are working 
in opposition and the entire upper structure including handlebar 1, 
handlebar connector 12, top hub 15, and the joystick mechanism 17 travel 
through the handlebar angle. The compensator spring 20 extends to 
compensate for length changes and keeps the joystick shaft 19 pointed 
towards the base post 21 and thus effects the joystick position. The 
computer program is continuously reading the joystick position and 
analyzing the position, change in position and the rate of change to 
control the video display. 
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate one method of construction for the restrained 
universal joint, however, the invention is not limited by any particular 
configuration. This joint can be fabricated from a single hollow urethane 
rubber molded part that would act as the compression and tension members. 
In addition, periferal devices can be attached to the handlebar 1 or 
platform 3 for interactive computer output. Spring loaded handle grips, 
foot switches, foot straps, and harnesses are some examples of add-on 
devices to complicate the control and increase the challenge of the video 
sport. The restrained universal mount should preferably be capable of 
permitting displacement of the handlebar structure from its unactuated 
position by an angle of at least 60.degree. about said universal joint as 
a fulcrum in any direction of displacement. 
FIG. 8 shows the angular sensor referred to above as the "joystick" in a 
commonly available form. The external lever 19, the provision of which is 
set by the spring 20 in FIGS. 6 and 7 has a ball pivot 18 and an internal 
extension pin 21 that passes through the slots of two pivoted arches 22 
and 23 that pivot about manually perpendicular axes and respectively drive 
the shaft of the potentiometers 24 and 25. The angular displacement of the 
pin 21 is thereby resolved into angular displacements about two mutually 
perpendicular axes and the respective potentiometers provide electrical 
signals corresponding to the respective angular displacements about these 
two axes. One of these axes is preferably aligned parallel to the line 
between the grips of the handlebar in the rest position of the handlebar 
structure. 
FIGS. 6 and 7, as already mentioned, show the preferred construction for 
the restrained universal mount for the handle bar frame 1. Of course the 
compression resilient member 13 and the tension resilient member 14 can 
have other forms, for example they could be tubes of resilient foam, of 
great thickness in the former case and of less thickness in the latter, 
for instance. It is also conceivable that a single hollow urethane rubber 
molded part would act as both the compression and tension member, the 
difficulty in such a case being mainly in providing a firm enough 
attachment at the top and bottom to resist tearing stresses. 
Peripheral devices can be attached to the handle bar 1 or platform 3 for 
supplementary interactive computer inputs. Spring loaded handle grips, 
foot switches, foot straps and harnesses are some examples of add-on 
devices to complicate the control of the display and increase the 
challenge of the video sport. A reactive torsion joint could be superposed 
on the top member 12 of the reactive universal mount of FIGS. 6 and 7 or a 
horizontal surface capable of rotating about the universal mount might be 
provided for the feet of the user, either freely rotatable or reactively 
restrained, as shown in FIGS. 9-13. In the latter cases the torsion of 
rotary members could be caused to operate a third potentiometer. 
FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate the use of a sports simulator according to 
the invention in which provision is made for exerting the user's muscles 
for producing movement about a vertical axis. It has already been 
mentioned that a torsion sensor could be coupled to the restrained 
universal joint illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 in order to respond to a 
twisting movement of the handlebar as distinguished from the angular 
movement illustrated in FIGS. 2-5. The sports simulator illustrated in 
FIGS. 9-13, instead of coupling the restrained universal joint to a 
spring-return device permitting the twisting of the handlebar relative to 
the universal joint take place and to be detected for control of the game 
or sports display, provides a rotary platform 100 which rotates around the 
reactive universal joint 102 relative to the same base 103 to which the 
base 4 (FIGS. 6 and 7) of the universal joint is fixed, thus by rotating 
the platform 100 from the position shown in FIG. 9, through the position 
shown in FIG. 10, to the position shown in FIG. 11, the user 105 exerts 
himself in the same way as if he were swinging the handlebar 101 around a 
vertical axis while standing on a fixed platform. This may give a more 
realistic aspect of the resulting displacement of the scene shown on the 
television display 109 in azimuth and, furthermore, makes it possible to 
use the same reactive universal joint manufactured for use in a two-axis 
sport simulation in another sport simulation that requires angular 
movement about 3 axes, as for example in simulation of flying or 
maneuvering a submarine. 
FIG. 12 illustrates one way of providing the mounting of the spring-return 
(i.e. reactive) platform 100 shown in FIGS. 9-11. In this case, slightly 
more than one and one-half turns of a flat spiral spring 113 is mounted on 
the base 103 around the outside of the reactive universal joint 102 which 
is not shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The spring 113 has an internal diameter 
sufficient to provide adequate space for the reactive universal joint 102. 
At its inner end, the spring 113 has a bracket mounting it on the base 103 
and its outer end another bracket 121 attaches the end of the spring to 
the platform 100 along a portion o the bottom edge of its central hole 
provided to its space for the spring 113 and the universal joint 102 
inside it. The platform 100 is supported around its edge by a number of 
small wheels 125 which have their axes oriented on radii passing through 
the center of the central hole of the platform, so that it is not 
necessary for the spring 113 to carry much of the weight of the person 105 
standing on the platform. Since the platform is reasonably stiff and 
supported around its edge, it is not necessary to keep the spring 113 more 
than slightly above the base 103 (to avoid friction) and the spring is 
accordingly stressed only around the axis of its turns. 
A multi-turn potentiometer 117 fixed on the base 103 is driven by a 
friction wheel 118, and detects the position of the platform 100 about its 
vertical axis of rotation and therefore provides an appropriate signal for 
causing the display in the television display 109 to move in a panoramic 
manner. 
FIG. 14 illustrates the fact that where space is limited and the full range 
of body movements illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 is therefore out of the 
question, a more compact form of sports simulator operating on the same 
principle can be provided by mounting the reactive universal joint on a 
horizontal axis, so that the handlebar with which angular displacement is 
produced extends from a location just below the display which the user is 
watching towards the place where the user is standing. In FIG. 14, the 
user 205 is shown standing somewhat aside; so that the location of the 
reactive universal joint 202 and the disposition of the handlebar 201 may 
be fully shown. In this case, the cabinet 203 provides the fixed base for 
the reactive universal joint that also supports the display 209. 
It is not necessary for the universal joint 202, when mounted on a cabinet, 
as in FIG. 14, to be mounted on a horizontal axis at a place just below 
the display, but instead, as shown in FIG. 15, it may be mounted obliquely 
in a mid-position near the bottom of the front of the cabinet. The 
universal joint 302 thereshown is mounted at an axis inclined forward from 
the vertical by about 30.degree. and can be swung by pushing the handle 
bar 301 upward, down or sideways or in any combination of vertical and 
lateral movement. 
FIG. 16 shows, mainly in cross-section, the base mounting of a modified 
form of a restrained universal joint of the kind shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in 
which restrained motion is permitted about the axis of the universal joint 
mounting. The base 404 of the universal joint corresponds to the base 4 of 
FIGS. 6 and 7. Only part of the spring 413 which corresponds to the spring 
13 of FIGS. 6 and 7 is shown in FIG. 15. Likewise, only a part of the 
spring connection 420 to a joystick control not shown in FIG. 16 appears 
here. It corresponds to the spring connection 20 of FIGS. 6 and 7. A 
portion of the outer elastic restraint 414, corresponding to the elastic 
restraint 14 of FIGS. 6 and 7, also appears in FIG. 16. 
The shaft 421, which corresponds to the post 21 of FIGS. 6 7 on which the 
spring connection 20 of those figures is fastened, extends downward in 
this case to center the base 404 in its ball-bearing support 425 which is 
carried by the collar 426 to which is fastened a spiral flat spring 427, 
the outer end of which is fastened to the collar 426 and the inner end of 
which is pinned to the shaft 421. The collar 426 is fixed on the base 
plate 403, the attitude of which determines whether the axis of the 
universal joint will be vertical or perhaps set at some angle to the 
vertical as in FIG. 15. 
The shaft 421 passes through the base plate 403, preferably through a 
simple self-oiling bearing 430. A thrust bearing holds the universal joint 
down against the plate 403 while permitting rotation of the base plate 
404. At the lower end of the shaft 421 is a potentiometer 435 mounted on a 
bracket 436 and having electric connection leads 437. 
Means may, of course, be provided by members respectively affixed to the 
rotary base 404 and the fixed base 403 to prevent the base 404 from being 
rotated beyond the limits through which the potentiometer 435 may be 
turned. The spring 427 should be stiff enough so that such stop provisions 
would only occasionally come into action. 
The portions of the device of FIG. 16 that extend below the base 403 may 
fit in a cavity in a sub-base (not shown) or else the base 403 may 
actually be a shallow pedestal mounted by means of a downwardly extending 
flange (not shown) on a true base (not shown) located below. 
Ultimately, with the use of a telephone modem, competition between 
participants actuating identical equipment in places many miles apart can 
be provided on the same or on twin displays. Network or cable television 
can provide each of thousands of performers a display showing the 
performance of a number of seeded contestants and his own performance in 
comparison. In a similar way, a person in his own home could match his 
performance with a preprogrammed or live taped performance of a proficient 
athlete. 
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a 
particular illustrative example and certain possible variations have 
already been mentioned, it will be understood that other variations and 
modifications are possible within the inventive concept.