Abstract:
A bicycle roller assembly, comprising a frame having a length and including two parallel rods running in the lengthwise dimension of said frame and having a front roller and a pair of rear rollers mounted between said parallel rods. In addition, a base assembly including a set of feet is adapted to rest on a surface. Finally, a support assembly is supported by said base assembly, and includes a set of linear bearings, into which said parallel rods are mounted, so as to permit movement in said lengthwise dimension.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/456,728 filed Jun. 22, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,790 which was a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 11/520,288 filed Sep. 13, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,575 which claimed priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/716,852 filed Sep. 14, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A bicycle training device known as “bicycle rollers” has been available for over one hundred years. This device consists of three rollers supported by a frame. In use, the rear wheel of a bicycle is brought to rest on two, relatively closely spaced (by about 20 cm) bracketing rollers and the front wheel is balanced on top of the third roller. This device permits a user to balance and steer the bicycle (within a range) and to pedal at any speed desired. Unfortunately, users are constrained as to how aggressively they can exercise since rapid changes in pedaling speed and rider position can easily cause the rear wheel to pop out of its bracketing rollers. Additionally, a bicycle which is rigidly constrained acts to discourage the rider&#39;s natural movement and is somewhat uncomfortable to ride. It is a principle object of this invention to provide an additional degree of motion to more closely duplicate the natural feel of outdoor cycling. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
     In a first separate aspect the present invention is a bicycle roller assembly, comprising a frame having a length and including two parallel rods running in the lengthwise dimension of said frame and having a front roller and a pair of rear rollers mounted between said parallel rods. In addition, a base assembly including a set of feet is adapted to rest on a surface. Finally, a support assembly is supported by said base assembly, and includes a set of linear bearings, into which said parallel rods are mounted, so as to permit movement in said lengthwise dimension. 
     In a second separate aspect the present is a bicycle roller assembly, comprising, a frame; a front roller mounted in said frame; and a pair of rear rollers mounted in said frame. a bicycle, having a front wheel and a rear wheel, is mounted on said rollers by having said front wheel balanced on said front roller and said rear wheel supported by said pair of rear rollers. Finally, a forward-movement stopping bumper/roller is mounted on said frame and is positioned so that it acts to constrain said bicycle when it moves forward from its intended position on said assembly. 
     In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a bicycle training assembly according to a preferred alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of the bicycle training assembly of  FIG. 1 , but with bungees serving as the springs. 
         FIG. 2  is side view of a bicycle training assembly according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an additional alternative preferred embodiment of a bicycle training device. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the bicycle training device of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 3A , showing a linear bearing and a portion of the shaft that passes through that linear bearing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a training assembly  10 , includes a set of bicycle rollers  12  having a rollers frame  14 , which is supported by wheels  16 . In turn rollers  12  are constrained by an assembly frame  20 , which also provides a pair of tracks  22  (only one shown) for wheels  16 , thereby permitting relative motion between the rollers  12  and the assembly frame  20 . Additionally, a light spring device  24  acts to gently return the rollers (and bicycle rider) to the center of the stroke whenever the rider&#39;s actions generate a plus or minus motion, thereby permitting equal amounts of forward and rearward motion from a central point. Preferably, a vibration damping spring, such as an elastomeric linear element (bungee) is used for spring  24  (as shown in  FIG. 1A ). 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment a stationary exercise bicycle is mounted so that fore and aft movement relative to a supporting surface is permitted during use. In the context of this application the term “bicycle-utilizing bicycle trainer” is any device into which an actual bicycle is placed, prior to use. This includes both bicycle rollers and plain or basic trainers, but not exercise bicycles. 
     Providing a frame  20  into which the bicycle training device, such as bicycle rollers  12  is set, provides a smooth, hard surface for wheels  16  to rotate and permits the tethering of a spring that gently moves rollers  12  back to the center of frame  20  when the bicycle rider&#39;s motion has pulled rollers  12  for or aft. In an alternative preferred embodiment, however, frame  20  is not present and bicycle rollers  12 , equipped with wheels  16 , is set onto a hard smooth surface, such as a concrete or cement surface. If wheels  16  are made of polymeric material, rollers  12  can even be set onto a wooden floor without damaging the floor. In addition, wheels  16  may be adapted for their intended use. For example, pneumatic tires can be used for use of rollers  12  on an asphalt surface. Although in this embodiment springs are not present to return rollers  12  to their starting position, in practice there is not a great deal of movement and a paved area that is only slightly larger than rollers  12  can accommodate a bicycle rider training on the wheeled rollers  12 . 
     The front wheel  28  of the bicycle mounted on rollers  12  is prevented from slipping off rollers  12  by a pair of horizontally mounted rollers  30 . Because they are rotatable, rollers  30  constrain front wheel  28  without stopping its rotation, which could cause an accident, potentially injuring the bicycle rider. Likewise for and aft rotatable roller/bumpers  32  prevent further movement when front and rear bicycle wheels  28  and  26  move fore or aft from the intended position on rollers  12 . Roller/bumpers  32  act to gently return wheels  28  and  26  to their intended position. Skilled persons will readily recognize, from a view of  FIGS. 1 and 1A , that when a bicycle is mounted on rollers so that the rear wheel  26  is centered midway between rear rollers, that neither the front or rear bicycle wheel  28  and  26 , touch a roller/bumper  32 . 
     In alternative preferred embodiments, wheels  16  are replaced by some other relative motion permitting assembly adapted to permit for and aft motion between the rider and the surface upon which assembly  10  or other similar assembly is resting. These preferred embodiments include the case in which frame  20  is not provided and wheels  16  rest on some available surface such as a floor or a patio. In this embodiment wheels  16  may be enlarged and/or fitted with pneumatic tires. Other embodiments include cases in which the relative motion permitting assembly includes a frame, such as frame  20 , but where wheels  16  are mounted upwardly on frame  20  rather than downwardly on trainer device  12 . Alternatively, sliding surfaces on  20  and  12  could provide relative motion, or ball bearings, possibly in races, could provide the relative motion between a frame, such as frame  20  and a trainer device, such as trainer device  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , in an alternative preferred embodiment of a training assembly  110 , a basic trainer  112  is placed on wheels  116  and set into a frame  120  to travel on tracks  122  and is returned to center by springs  124 . Trainer  112  keeps bicycle  126  laterally upright and provides resistance to rear wheel  130 . A stool  140  is provided for front wheel  128 , which does not rotate and will translate in the same constrained manner as rear wheel  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , in an additional alternative preferred embodiment of a bicycle rollers assembly  210 , longitudinal elements  212  that are round in cross-section support the set of rollers  214  upon which a bicycle rests, while in use. A set of feet  216  support a set of linear bearings  218 , into which are mounted longitudinal elements  212 . To complete a frame structure, the transversely separated linear bearings  218  are joined by cross-members  220 . There are many different types of linear bearings available that could be used as bearings  218 . In a preferred embodiment, linear bearings  218  incorporate ball bearings to support the longitudinal elements  212 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . Finally, a motion resisting assembly, in this embodiment comprising springs  222 , provides gentle resistance to the linear motion of elements  212  within bearings  218 . Skilled persons will recognize that the term “springs” is not limited to coil springs but can apply to any element that progressively resists motion. 
     In a preferred embodiment, linear bearings  218  are more specifically, 1″ linear bearings having part number A162536DD, from LM-Tarbell of 140 Industrial Drive, East Longmeadow, Mass. 01028, which has a website address of www.lm76.com. In this embodiment, linear bearings  218  may be supported by an SPB16B mounting block, and longitudinal elements  212  are LMRC-16-xx 1″ linear shafting, both also available from LM-Tarbell. 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment longitudinal elements  212  and linear bearings  218  are square in cross-section. Suitable elements for this design are available from LM-Tarbell and are shown online at www.lm76.com/profile_rail_guides.htm. 
     While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those possessed of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.