Abstract:
A rotary-type exercise device in which the user jogs, runs, or walks within a cylindrical treadwheel. A safety harness attached to a horizontal stationary beam within the treadwheel above the user prevents the user from falling. A remote control baton controls a braking system for braking and selectively varying the rolling resistance of the treadwheel. Another embodiment provides a harness tied to the hull of a space station to simulate gravity when the exercise device is used in an outer-space, gravity-free environment. Additional embodiments include safety rails. Another embodiment forms the treadwheel in two mating semi-cylindrical sections for facilitating transportation and shipping of the treadwheel. An electronic console continuously apprises the user of his horizontal velocity, time, distance and load factor.

Description:
This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/596,782 filed Jun. 19, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,097 the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     My invention described herein relates to significant improvements for rotary exercise devices. An exemplary prior art rotary exercise device is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,047. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides the advantages of the treadwheel or mill wheel type exercise device while enabling novice runners, elderly runners, and anyone with balance problems to use the treadwheel device for promoting overall cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness. The invention also enhances sprint performance. 
     In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a safety harness is worn by the user and attached to an overhead horizontal beam. This harness ensures that the user does not fall within or fall out of the rotating exercise wheel should the user lose his balance while exercising. Other embodiments include safety rails for novices and physically challenged users. 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention further incorporate a wireless handheld controller in the form of a baton. A control button on this baton permits the user to control an electromagnetic brake to provide a selected amount of resistance to the treadwheel to selectively increase or decrease the drag on the treadwheel or to cause it to brake to a stop. 
     In another embodiment, the safety harness is used to simulate gravity in an outer space environment. In this embodiment, the vest garment is strapped below the bottom of the safety harness to the hull of a space station. 
     One embodiment of the invention substantially facilitates transporting and shipping by making the exercise wheel in two semi-cylindrical sections. These sections may be easily transported or shipped and quickly and easily assembled on location into a complete treadwheel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial sectional perspective view of one embodiment of the invention as seen from within the treadwheel; 
     FIG.  2 ( a ) is an end elevational view of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG.  2 ( b ) is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG.  2 ( a ); 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handheld remote control baton that is carried by the person exercising and used for controlling the braking system of the preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing one embodiment of the braking system of this invention, as well as the support rollers and axle array mounted on the base; 
     FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of the embodiment of the braking system of FIG. 4, with the rotary exerciser mill wheel removed; 
     FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned view of another embodiment of the safety harness of this invention wherein the rotary exerciser device is to be located in an outer space location with the vest secured by bungee cords to produce “artificial gravity”; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing a parallel bar safety rail; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing an L-shaped bar safety rail, the console being located off to one side so that user may easily grasp the safety bar; 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view illustrating utilizing the invention for weight training; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view illustrating one embodiment of the read-out provided at the console; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  11 — 11  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a two-piece treadwheel; 
     FIG. 13 is a partially exploded bottom view of the treadwheel shown in FIG. 12; and 
     FIG. 14 illustrates one embodiment of a transducer for providing velocity and distance signals to the console. The transducer and electromagnetic clutch wheels are one in the same. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A detailed description of a rotary exercise device is found in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,047. This patent is incorporated by reference in its entirety in this application. 
     The exercise device described in the &#39;047 patent is an excellent device for athletes. The preferred embodiments of the present invention retain many of the structural and functional features of the &#39;047 device while particularly enabling novices, the elderly or patients with balance problems to enjoy the distinct advantages of the rotary wheel exercise device. Another advantage is that the exercise device of this invention rehabilitates leg and back injuries by virtue of providing a gently rotating running surface. The curved running surface also simulates “hill training” to enhance sprint performance and anaerobic endurance. 
     Referring to the Figures, the preferred embodiments of the invention include a base  10 . As shown in FIGS.  2 ( a ),  4 ,  5  and  11 , base  10  mounts a plurality of support rollers  20   a ,  20   b ,  21   a ,  21   b ,  22   a ,  22   b ,  23   a ,  23   b  on which freely rotate a cylindrical treadwheel or mill wheel  30 . As shown, the axles  32  on which the support rollers rotate are parallel to the axis of the treadwheel  30 . The four roller/axle assemblies are spaced along the base to give even support to the treadwheel  30 . The roller/axle assemblies are advantageously mounted on pillow blocks  31  at various heights. Each axle has two rollers with a space  25  between them. 
     Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 11, the treadwheel  30  includes rib  26  and flanges  27 ,  28 . This rib and the flanges provide extra strength for the treadwheel  30 . In addition, rib  26  and flanges  27 ,  28  form a pair of parallel tracks to both prevent the treadwheel  30  from jumping off the support rollers, and keep the treadwheel centered by virtue of the rib  26  which tracks the space  25  between the rollers. 
     The support roller/axle assemblies advantageously allow for bi-directional rotation of the treadwheel  30 . This allows athletes to build the muscles involved in forward and backward running. 
     Treadwheel  30  is advantageously constructed of a strong, durable lightweight material such as aluminum, fiberglass, or a plastic having these desired properties. The inner surface of the treadwheel  30  advantageously includes a runner  130  of non-skid material, such as rubber, to provide the runner with good footing while using the exercise device. The diameter of the treadwheel is sufficient to allow a normal size adult to walk, run, or jog within the treadwheel  30  to rotate the treadwheel  30 . It will be apparent that larger and smaller diameter treadwheels can also be employed in this invention to respectively accommodate exceptionally tall and short adults and children. 
     An overhead safety harness  40  is attached to a horizontal beam  45  suspended within the interior of mill wheel  30  and above the safety harness and the user. In one embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, beam  45  is supported from the ceiling of the room in which the rotary exercise device is located. In another embodiment shown in FIGS.  2 ( a ) and  2 ( b ), beam  45  is supported by stanchion supports  50 ,  51  located on opposite sides of beam  45 . Each of the stanchion supports  50 ,  51  advantageously include, as shown in FIG.  2 ( b ), a pair of generally vertical legs  60 ,  61  supporting a pair of members  65 ,  66  joined to form an inverted “V”. 
     A significant feature of this invention is the overhead safety harness  40  shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ( b ). This harness offers particular advantages for novice runners, elderly runners, and anyone with balance problems by preventing the runner from falling if they lose their balance while running within the treadwheel  30 . Referring to FIGS.  1  and  2 ( b ), the safety harness  40  advantageously includes a vest  70  to fit the individual. The respective shoulder portions  71 ,  72  of the vest  70  are attached to one end of respective flexible straps  75 ,  76 . The opposite ends of the straps  75 ,  76  are attached to the overhead horizontal beam  45 . 
     Another significant feature of the invention is a braking system advantageously controlled by a hand-held baton  100  (see FIGS.  2 ( b ) and  3 ) that remotely controls an electromagnetic clutch  105  shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown, clutch  105  is attached by a belt  110  to a pulley  115  attached to support rollers  23   a ,  23   b . It will be apparent that other embodiments of the invention include drives other than a belt for coupling the clutch  105  to one or more of the support rollers. During the exercise workout, the clutch provides a selectively variable resistance to build the user&#39;s muscle mass and power. 
     In still another embodiment not shown, a motor is coupled to the support rollers  23   a  and  23   b  so that the support rollers are both driven and braked to provide a controllable driven running surface. 
     Baton  100  incorporates a transmitter of wireless radio frequency or light waves (such as nonvisible infrared signals) to a console controller unit  125  supported by the base  10  (see FIG.  2 ( b )). Advantageously, console  125  responds both to commands entered into its entry pad and to wireless signals received from baton  100 . Console  125  is connected to clutch  105  to provide the requisite control over the braking force applied by this device. Clutch  105  responds to control signals from console  125  to provide a controlled resistance and a controlled brake for the treadwheel  30  by providing a controlled braking torque to rollers  23   a  and  23   b  which, in turn, apply a braking drag on the mill wheel  30 . 
     A typical workout routine using the invention and baton control  100  is as follows: 
     1. The user sets up a workout program on console  125  shown in FIG.  2 ( b ). 
     2. Signals from the console  125  cause clutch  105  to fully engage to place a treadwheel  30  in an initial braked condition. 
     3. The user then gets onto the inside circular treadmill track  130  of mill wheel  30 . 
     4. The user then actuates a control button  135  on baton  100  which sends wireless lightwave or RF signals to console  125  to release clutch  105 . 
     5. The user controls the speed and resistance of the treadwheel by actuating button  135  one or more times to signal the clutch  105  to apply greater or less resistance to rotation of the treadwheel  30 . 
     6. In an emergency, the baton  100  control can be used to the clutch  105  to brake and thus prevent rotation of treadwheel  30 . In one embodiment, continuously pressing down on the button  135  will brake the treadwheel. In an alternative embodiment, button  135  must be continuously depressed to turn off the braking force on treadwheel  30 . This latter embodiment has the advantage that in a panic, the user need only drop the baton to release pressure on button  135  thus causing clutch  105  to brake automatically treadwheel  30 . 
     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.  6 . This embodiment has particular utility in the gravity-free environment of space, such as the space station currently being constructed by NASA. The treadwheel with running track  130  would be installed in the space station. Safety harness  150  is then used to simulate the force of gravity on earth. Flexible bungee-like cords  155 ,  156  attached to opposite bottom sides of the vest  160  are connected below the vest  160  to the hull  165  of the space station producing artificial gravity. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate two embodiments of rotary exercising devices having safety rails. These rails may be provided both on exercise devices having the safety harness already installed and an exercise device, as shown in FIGS. 7-8 that does not have a safety harness. In FIG. 7, the safety rail  200  is formed by two parallel bars  205 ,  206  located on opposite sides of the treadwheel  30 . The console  125  is advantageously supported by one of the parallel bars. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the safety bar  210  is formed by an L-shaped member  211  having one end rotatably mounted to the base  215  of the rotary exercise device. In the position shown in FIG. 8, the cantilever horizontal bar  216  is positioned in front of the runner with the console advantageously attached at one side of the horizontal bar  216  so that the user may easily grasp the safety bar. Rotation of this bar in the clockwise direction of arrows  220  moves both this bar  216  and console  120  to be swiveled out of the way of the runner. 
     A feature of rotary exercise devices constructed in accordance with this invention is that they facilitate building leg muscle mass and power. Enhanced exercise is achieved by weight training exercising, in which, as shown in FIG. 9, the runner can both hold hand weights  225 ,  226  and wear a weighted belt  227 . 
     The console  125 , shown in detail in FIG. 10, advantageously includes four LED or similar read-outs showing the load factor selected by the user on read-out  250 , the duration of the exercise shown on read-out  255 , the speed of the runner on read-out  260 , and the distance traveled by the runner on read-out  265 . This information, particularly the substantially instantaneous readout of velocity, provides the “biofeedback” information needed by the runner in order to improve his or her stride technique and sprint performance. Also, a coach or trainer standing by, may give sprint technique instruction to an athlete while he or she is running full speed. In one embodiment of the invention, the console includes a computer which is programmable to provide a programmed workout in the exercise device. 
     One embodiment of a transducer  274  for supplying the velocity and distance signal to the console  125  is shown in FIGS. 4 and 14 in which a pulley  275  is rotated by a belt  27  connected to a support roller. Each rotation of the pulley  275  translates into a signal pulse by virtue of infrared light source  280  and an infrared responsive detective  276 . This pulse is produced once each rotation when aperture  281  in pulley  275  is in alignment with source  280  and detector  276 . In one embodiment, the transducer  274  is independent of the electromagnetic clutch as shown, for example, in FIG.  4 . However, it will be apparent that in another embodiment of the invention, the transducer can, instead, be combined as part of the clutch so that each rotation of the clutch is detected for velocity and distance rather than using a separate transducer wheel  275  for this purpose. 
     An additional embodiment of this invention enables the treadwheel to be disassembled into two halves that are more easily shipped or transported. In this embodiment, treadwheel  300  is formed in two semi-cylindrical sections  305  and  310  and joined, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, by metal plates  315 , bolts  316 , washers  317  and nuts  318 . Alternatively, two-piece toggle clamps mounted on the outer flanges of the treadwheel halves can be used to quickly release and clamp together the mating sections  305 ,  310 . In addition, mating joints in the form of dowels or pins in one half section  305  can be used to fit into mating holes of the abutting section half  310  to provide aligned mating sections and prevent motion or slipping of the sections  305 ,  310  after their assembly. Assembly of the treadwheel  300  is accomplished quickly and easily and the resultant complete treadwheel has, as shown, the outer flanges  27 ′,  28 ′ and rib  26 ′ of the one-piece treadwheel  30  described above, so that this assembled treadwheel  300  functions in an identical manner to the one-piece wheel.