Abstract:
An exercise apparatus is mechanically engaged with an electrical current producer so that exercise by a person using the apparatus produces output power which is used at the time of exercising or saved for later use. A motor provides additional drive force by rotating a rotor engaged with the apparatus, the rotor operating by magnetic attraction and repulsion depending on relative positions of permanent magnets on the rotor and electromagnets on a stator. The apparatus is light in weight, low cost to produce and highly durable.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates to the field of exercise equipment and more particularly to an exercise equipment enabled for generating electrical energy and for using and storing said energy. Exercise equipment is well known in the field of this disclosure. However, it is not known to use an exercise equipment in conjunction with a magnetic motor to improve the output of the apparatus. The following disclosure defines an apparatus which is able to produce a significant output current using such an integrated motor. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES 
     The present disclosure describes an exercise apparatus or system, and method for generating and storing electrical energy. The apparatus in one embodiment is a stationary bicycle with a means for turning an electrical generator by pedaling. The generator provides resistance against which the bicycle rider peddles. In alternate embodiments the apparatus may be configured as a treadmill, an elliptical exerciser or any other personal exercise machine. An electromagnet motor is coupled to the bicycle in a manner such that it is actuated by electromagnetic switching during peddle rotation and delivers rotational energy to the generator complimenting the energy provided by the peddles and relieving the amount of force required to drive the generator. The electrical energy generated by the apparatus may be stored in batteries, used locally at the time of production, delivered to the utility grid, or used in other ways. Those of skill in the art will know how to rectify, transform, frequency convert, and invert the output of the apparatus directly, or from storage batteries, for its intended uses. 
     The daily output of the apparatus may be 1-3 kilowatts during one hour of cycling, that is the apparatus may drive four 500 watt alternators. If this is repeated each day according to one exercise program, a total of 62 kilowatt hours may be produced (stored and/or used) per month. In the United States, retail electricity costs between eight and seventeen cents per kilowatt hour according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Assuming a residential cost per kilowatt hour is 12 cents, then for a residence paying $50 per month for electric service, a total of 417 kilowatt hours of electricity is consumed. In this example we see that about 15% of the residential cost of electricity is saved. In locations such as Hawaii where electricity may cost a multiple of that in the continental Unites States, the apparatus may provide as much as a 50% reduction in domestic costs for residential electricity. 
     The system is intended to be used in a residential or commercial environment. When used with multiple units operating simultaneously, as for example within a public or commercial exercise facility, it is conceivable that the electrical output of many units of the system might fully pay for electric service to the facility and also enable placing power onto the public utility grid. 
     The primary advantage of the presently disclosed apparatus is the two-fold benefit of using exercise energy for health and simultaneously for reducing the cost of electrical power drawn from the electric utility grid. Other advantages include light weight, small size, relatively low cost, production of no greenhouse gases or other environment degrading products, use of output at the time of production or storage for later use, and operation in conjunction with solar and wind power generators. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of these concepts are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of these concepts will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an example schematic diagram of the presently described apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is an example block diagram of a concept of the operation of en embodiment of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is an example concept elevational view of a rotor of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is an example concept elevational view of a stator of the apparatus; and 
         FIG. 5  is an example electrical schematic diagram of a signal flow of the apparatus. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As described in the above summary, system  10  provides resistance training to a user, where the resistance is created by one or more electricity producers  20  such as generators and alternators, but not limited thereto. In the schematic diagram of  FIG. 1  details of system  10  are shown including: a human exercise device  30  which provides pedals or other human drive interface. Device  30  may be a stationary exercise bicycle for instance in one embodiment. The device  30  may be mechanically connected to one or more of the electricity producers  20 . If alternating current (AC) is produced it may be single phase, 60 hertz, at 115 volts, or 50 hertz, at 230 volts, and therefore may be applied directly within a residence for instance for operating lights, toasters, mixers, drills, and other small or large appliances. If direct current (DC) is produced, it may be used directly for operating computers, television sets, amplifiers, recorders, and other DC devices. Of course, in each case, a system output current  40  must be adapted by an interface circuit  50  to the voltage level, frequency, harmonic balance, intermittence and other requirements of the devices  60  being powered. The produced energy may also be directed to and stored for later use in one or more batteries  62  whose size and type will be known by those of skill in the art. Those of skill in the electrical arts will be able to enable such interfaces using rectification circuits, phase shifting circuits, frequency control and stabilizing circuits, inverter circuits, transformer circuits, and by other means within the electrical circuit engineering and electrical power engineering fields. Such circuits are able, as is well known, for converting between AC and DC current as well. Output power may also be provided to the electrical utility grid which considerations and means are also very well known. Output power may also be provided to on-board utilities such as controls and displays of the exercise device  30  and such facilities may be any of the known appliances in the exercise fields and any that may be introduced to this field in the future. 
     An electric motor  70  may be integrated within system  10  as shown conceptually in  FIG. 2  and may also include a flywheel  100  to maintain constant speed of rotation of the motor  70  and therefore constant power output from producers  20 . Motor  70  has a rotor  72  ( FIG. 3 ) and a stator  82  ( FIG. 4 ). Rotor  72  may function also as the flywheel  100  or one or more flywheels  100  may be inserted in the mechanical drive transmission line, which is shown in  FIG. 2  by dashed lines as is typical in diagrams of this sort. The rotor  72  is mounted for rotation on axle  75  and may be driven mechanically by device  30  through a chain drive, a shaft drive, a direct drive, or any other mechanical energy transfer device, to deliver rotational motion to the rotor  72  as well as electricity producers  20  through any gear or sprocket arrangement which will be known by those of skill in the art of mechanical transmissions. The rotor  72  may be constructed as a disc-shaped wheel  74 , for instance: a sprocket, gear, disk, or similar alternative, and may be made of a non-ferrous metal such as an aluminum alloy. Rotor  72  may have a plurality of high-energy permanent magnets  76  fixedly mounted thereon or therein in selected positions, as shown, by example, in  FIG. 3 . Magnets  76  may be linear in shape with a north magnetic pole (north  76 ) at one end of each, and a south magnetic pole (south  76 ) at the opposing end of each magnet  76 . The north  76  poles may be positioned for leading the south  76  poles in the direction of rotation of rotor  72  as is shown, however the reverse may be used equally as well. Magnets  76  may be arranged, as shown, in angularly separated radial rows  78  shown by center lines in a spoke-like arrangement around rotor  72  and with magnetic poles of magnets  76  radially aligned as shown in  FIG. 3 . Magnets  76  may be linear in shape, as shown, or may be circumferentially curved magnet segments. Magnets  76  are illustrated in one radial row in  FIG. 3 , but it should be realized that similar sets of magnets  76  would be positioned on all of the rows  78 , and more or less of the magnets per row and the number of radial rows may be adjusted. 
     Stator  82 , shown in  FIG. 4 , may have a disc-shaped rigid support structure  84  fixedly secured at points  85  or otherwise, so that it cannot move, and may be made of a non-ferrous metal such as an aluminum alloy. Structure  84  may have mounted thereon or therein a plurality of electromagnets  86 . Magnets  86  may be linear in shape with a nominal north magnetic pole north  86  at one end of each, and a south magnetic pole south  86  at the opposing end of each electromagnet  86 . Magnetic poles: north  86  and south  86  are able to reverse instantaneously by reversing the direction of electrical current flowing in them. The physical positions of electromagnets  86  on structure  84  may be identical to the permanent magnet arrangement on rotor  72  so that with structure  84  placed in a mutually concentric, parallel, and in close adjacency to rotor  72  magnetic fields of the poles of rotor  72  and stator  82  magnets produce attraction and repulsion forces. Stator  82  may comprise only one or a pair of the above described structures  84  with electromagnets  86  mounted fixedly on them in the identical described manner. When structures  84  are positioned on both sides of rotor  70 , magnets  76  may be mounted within apertures on wheel  74  so that their magnetic fields engage the fields of electromagnets  86  on structures  84  on both sides. As rotor  72  rotates, it is clear that the magnetic fields of magnets  76  and  86  interact with each other to produce rotational driving forces on rotor  72 . 
     Magnets  76  and  86  may be circumferentially curved segments so that magnetic interaction therebetween is both more intimate and has a more effective duration. It should be clear from standard motor operation that by timing current direction changes in electromagnets  86 , attractive and repulsive magnetic forces may be derived to provide rotational impulses to rotor  72 . Relatively little, but not negligible, electrical current is expended in establishing and changing the polarity of the poles of electromagnets  86  so relatively little energy is used in this process. The momentum added to rotor  72  is generated by the attractive and repulsive magnetic forces experienced by magnets  76  as they pass magnets  86 . Those of skill in motor engineering, especially with magnet motors, will be able to determine the best proximity of the magnets in the present apparatus as well as when to reverse the current in electromagnets  86  with respect to the relative positions of magnets  76  and  86  as rotor  72  completes each rotation. Alternate means of various kinds for providing magnetic forces to the rotor  72  by electromagnets  86  may be applied to the present apparatus including a swing-arm or arms that mechanically move the respective magnets into and out of mutual proximity during rotation of rotor  72 . The objective is to apply as many high energy permanent magnets and corresponding high current electromagnet in the closest possible proximity to achieve the strongest magnetic attractions and repulsions possible. 
     A switching circuit  90  as shown in  FIG. 5  uses a tachometer, digital rotating sensor, pulse motor, or similar instrument  92  engaged with rotor  72  to produce an electrical output signal  93  related to the instantaneous position of rotor  72 . This position signal  93  is conducted to signal generator  94  and amplifier  95  whose output, a sinusoidal current with frequency related to rotor  72  rotational speed and position, drives electromagnets  86  on stator(s) in synchrony with the relative positions of the magnets  76 ,  86 . The construction of circuit  90 , i.e., reduction to practice, is within the ability of one of skill in the art, but the concept of this circuit is not. Circuit  90  enables operation and generation of electrical power at any and all speeds of rotor  72  rotation. This circuit is considered to be novel and non-obvious in light of its operation with the presently described apparatus and method of operation. 
     Embodiments of the subject apparatus and method have been described herein. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and understanding of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments and approaches are within the scope of the following claims.