Patent Publication Number: US-10758804-B2

Title: Swimmer pacing apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/435,620 titled SWIMMER PACING APPARATUS filed Dec. 16, 2016. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     A pacing apparatus for training swimmer athletes includes a number of space apart light emitting diodes (LEDs) extending the length of the pool, below the water surface and in the center of a swimming lane and a programmable control system for illuminating LEDs in a timed order to indicate a selected swimmer pace. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Swimmers like runners have selected training schedules that may be determined by a coach. Long distance swims for endurance are scheduled for one day at a slow pace. A moderate distance at a moderate pace may be scheduled another day. A number of high speed swimming laps with a short break between laps may be scheduled for another training period. A timed fixed distance swim after a warmup may be scheduled on a following day. Different paces are selected for the training events. As a training program progresses, the paces will increase. There will be times however when the pace is decreased by a coach to provide rest and recovery time between training days. There may also be days when a swimmer will perform two of the above training events. 
     Pacing lights have been placed on the floor of swimming pools to provide a pace during training. Pools used by competitive swimmers have an end with shallow water and an end with deep water. On the shallow water end, a light for pacing is generally a few vertical feet below a swimmer&#39;s eyes when the swimmer&#39;s head is in the water. The line of sight is vertical when the swimmer&#39;s eyes are vertically above a pacing light. Distortion of light through the water and swimming goggles is small when the swimmer&#39;s head and face is in the water. Most of the time a place light will be either to the front or to the rear of the swimmer&#39;s eyes. Swimmers are trained to keep their heads in line with their bodies when under the water or partially below the water surface. Their range of view without moving their heads is limited by the swimming goggles. However, the range is still a substantial range. 
     A group of LEDs for pacing a swimmer may work well in the shallow end of a pool where the depth of the lights is substantially constant and the swimmer&#39;s eyes are in the water. As the LEDs descent into the deep end of the pool, the horizontal space between adjacent uniformly spaced lights decreases. The length, of a portion of a light strip descending into a deep end of a pool, increases to reach to a pool end. Changes in spacing between LEDs is increased to maintain a horizontal space between LEDs that is the same the entire length of the pool. The increased space between LEDs maintains the horizontal spacing and the selected pace. 
     An alternative pacing system holds the LEDs near the same depth from the shallow end to the deep end. A tension force on a rope of LEDs is required to hold the LEDs up above the pool floor in the deeper portion of the pool. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The swimmer pacing apparatus includes an LED rope with a first end and second end. A translucent and flexible plastic tube extends from the first end to the second end of the LED rope. A ribbon cable includes a ground wire, a power wire and a control wire. The wires of the ribbon cable are parallel to each other and extend from the first end to the second end of the LED rope. A plurality of LEDs are attached to the ground wire and the power wire. The LEDs are spaced apart a selected distance from each other. The ribbon cable, with the attached LEDs, is mounted in the translucent and flexible plastic tube. 
     A first coupler is connected to the ribbon cable at the first end of the LED rope. A second coupler is connected to the ribbon cable at the second end of the LED rope. 
     A transparent silicone encases the LED rope in each rope section, from the first end to the second end of the LED rope. 
     The first end of the LED rope is anchored to a pool first end. The second end of the LED rope is anchored to a pool second end. The LED rope may be held in a horizontal position a selected distance below a normal water surface. An alternative construction holds the rope on the floor of the pool entire length. 
     A power supply, a micro controller and a user input and output device is attached to the ribbon cable through the first coupler. 
     The control wire is excited to illuminate the LEDs one LED at a time in an adjustable pace. 
     The LED rope is divided up into multiple sections for transporting to swimming pools and for manufacturing. 
     Tension members are mounted in the plastic tube to prevent rotation of the LED rope about a long axis of the rope. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the pacing apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a vertical sectional view of a swimming pool with the LED rope extending the entire length at a uniform depth from the water surface; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the multi section LED rope; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of one section of the LED rope; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the rope. 
         FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view of a swimming pool with the LED rope on the floor of the pool; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the pacing system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The swimmer pacing apparatus  20  includes a user input and output device  22 . The input and output device  22  may be in an area adjacent to a pool  24  or in a room near the pool. A microcontroller  26  is positioned adjacent to the pool  24  and to a swimmer pool entry support platform  27 . The support platform  27  is raised above the water. A second support platform  29  is provided above the deep end of the pool  24 . The microcontroller  26  is connected to the input and output device  22  by a suitable communication cable  28 . A power supply  30  is connected to the microcontroller  26  by leads  32 , leads  34  and a fuse  36 . The fuse  36  connects the microcontroller  26  and the power supply  30  to a LED rope  38  through a multi wire cable  40 . The multi wire cable  40  extends from the fuse  36  down into the water where it is connected to one end of the LED rope  38 . 
     The LED rope  38  as shown in  FIG. 2 , is mounted in a swimming pool  24 . The swimming pool  24  has a shallow end wall  42 , a deep end wall  44 , side walls  46  a shallow end floor  48  and a deep end floor  50 . The shape of the shallow end floor  48  and the deep end floor  50  vary substantially from one pool to another. The walls  42 ,  44  and  46  are generally vertical. The floors usually slope some. The shallow end in a competitive racing pool is sufficiently deep for swimmers to dive in from a fixed raised platform  27 . A deep end with raised diving platforms may have a water depth that exceeds three meters. 
     Multiple parallel swimming lanes extend from the shallow end  42  to the deep end  44  of the pool  24 . The sides of lanes are marked by cable devices. Outside lanes employ a pool side wall  46  to provide one lane side. The shallow end wall  42  and the deep end wall  44  are twenty five meters apart for many competitive races. Swimmers train in lanes that are twenty-five meters long. They swim the number of laps required to complete the required distance for a specific race or training program. Entry technique and turn around technique are both important. 
     The LED rope  38  is twenty-five meters long to comply with training practices. First end  60  and second end  62  of the LED rope  38  are anchored to the shallow end wall  42  and the deep end wall  44  by suction cups  56  and  58  or other members. The suction cup  56  on the shallow end wall  42  holds the first end  60  of the LED rope  38  in the water near the depth of the shallow end floor  48 . The second suction cup  58  holds a second end  62  of the LED rope  38  in the water at substantially the same depth as the first end  60  of the LED rope. 
     The LED rope  38  is divided into sections as shown in  FIG. 3 . The first rope section  70  is five meters long and extends from a first coupler  72  to a second coupler  74 . The second rope section  76  is five meters long and extends from a second coupler  74  to a third coupler  78 . A third rope section  80  is five meters long extends from the third coupler  78  to a fourth coupler  82 . A fourth rope section  84  is five meters long and extends from the fourth coupler  82  to a fifth coupler  86 . A fifth rope section  88  is three meters long and extends from the fifth coupler  86  to a sixth coupler  90 . A sixth rope section  92  is two meters long and extends from the sixth coupler  90  to a seventh coupler  94 . The sixth rope section  92  could be two separate one-meter-long rope sections if necessary. With rope sections that are one-meter-long, two meters long and three meters long, a combination of couplers can be obtained to provide a total length of the LED rope  38  that fits a pool with a length that has a different size than a twenty-five-meter competition pool. A standard length pool  24  may replace the fifth rope section  88  and the sixth rope section  92  with a five-meter rope section  84  for example. The five-meter-long rope sections are identical and may be assembled in any order within an LED rope  38 . The shorter rope sections may be located in any location within the LED rope  38 . 
     Each rope section of the LED rope  38  has a three or four wire AGB ribbon cable  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The ribbon cable  100  has a ground wire  102 , a power wire  104 , a control wire  106  and a spare wire  108 . At least five LEDs  110  are employed in the second rope section  76  between the second coupler  74  and the third coupler  78  for example. These LEDs  110  turn on and off in a series cascade for a swimmer moving from the shallow end wall  42  toward the deep end wall  44 . The control wire  106  is programmed to generate a signal that illuminates one LED  110  and turn off another LED  110  simultaneously at a selected pace. One LED  110  may provide a green light at the entry platform  27 . The LEDs  110  in all sections of the rope are for a swimmer that enters the pool  24  at the shallow end wall  42 , when the swimmer reaches the deep end wall  44  the direction of movement is reversed and the same LEDs  110  provide the pace for returning to the shallow end wall  42 . If the swimmer is to swim more than two laps, the direction of the LEDs  110  are reversed again upon reaching the shallow end wall  42 . The LEDs  112  in the second rope section  76  between the third coupler  78  and the second coupler  74  as well as all other sections of the LED rope  38  turn on and off in a series cascade for a swimmer that started from the support platform  29  at the deep end wall  44  and toward the shallow end wall  42 . The LEDs,  110  are separated from the LEDs,  112  by one and six tenths of an inch. 
     Upon a swimmer reaching the deep end wall  44  from the shallow end wall  42 , the cascade of lights in LED&#39;s  110  continues through the LEDs  110  in the opposite direction at the same selected pace. The LEDs  112  set a pace for a swimmer that starts at the deep end wall  44 . Upon reaching the shallow end wall  42  from the start of the deep end wall  44 , the LEDs  112  reverse direction and continue the pace. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view through the LED rope  38 . The RGB ribbon cable  100  passes through a small rectangular plastic tube  126  in each rope section  70 ,  76 ,  80 ,  84   88  and  92 . The plastic tube  126  is translucent and flexible. Two tension members  128  and  130  also pass through each plastic tube  126 . The tension members  128  and  130  prevent the plastic tube  126  from rotating about a long axis of the LED rope  38 . Each section of the plastic tube  126  is encased in silicone  136 . The silicone  136  is transparent. At an elevated temperature the silicone  136  is a liquid that hardens as it cools. The couplers  72 ,  74 ,  78 ,  82 ,  86 ,  90  and  94  are marine grade IP 68  connectors. Each of the couplers has two parts that connect together in one position only to hold all of the LEDs  110  and  112  in positions to direct light upward when in use. 
     The LED rope  38  has a first end  60  that is attached to a suction cup  56  on the shallow end wall  42  of the pool  24 . The second end  62  of the LED rope  38  is attached to a suction cup  58  on the deep end wall  44  of the pool  24 . The suction cups  56  and  58  hold the LED rope  38  horizontal and a few feet below the surface as stated above. As a result the LEDs are spaced a uniform horizontal distance apart and the pace remains uniform and as selected by the swimmer. The LED rope  38  is tensioned to prevent or limit sinking to the pool floor or floating upward. 
     The suction cup  56  on the shallow end wall  42  of the pool  24  as shown in  FIG. 2  may require the LED rope  38  to be raised a few inches above the shallow end floor  48 . In that pool  24 , the deep end suction cup  58  will also be raised to maintain the LED rope horizontal. The LED rope  38  will be held above the pool floor  48  and  50  the entire length of the pool  24  that has a deep and a shallow end. 
     Pool construction may prevent the use of suction cups  56  and  58 . Other anchor structure will be required to hold the LED rope  38  in place of the suction cups. 
     The depth of the LED rope  38  depends upon the age, size and skill of the swimmers. The depth also depends on the pool  24 . A depth of the LED rope  38  from the water surface  138  may be less than one meter in some pools  24 . The maximum depth of the LED rope  38  should be less than two meters to provide a swimmer reasonably accurate position information. 
     The LEDs  110  and  112  as described above are one and six tenths of an inch apart. It may be desirable to change the spacing between adjacent LED. 
     The schematic view of the pacing system shown in  FIG. 7  has a 120 volt AC power source  150  with a ground fault interrupt circuit (GFIC)  152 . An isolated power supply  154  receives power from the GFIC  152  and the isolated power supply is grounded by a ground wire  153 . The isolated power supply  154  has an output of five volts. Two adaptors  156  and  158  supply Direct current from the adapters  156  and  158  through a capacitor  160  and three amp quick react fuses  162  and  164 . The fuses  162  and  164  are connected to the ground wire  102  and the power wire  104  of the LED rope  38 . The LED rope includes multiple marine grade connectors or couplers  72 ,  74 ,  78 ,  82  and  86  which are shown in  FIG. 7 . Each connector  72 , has a male portion and a female portion that connect four wires together. The couplers mate in one position only, form a water tight connection and lock together. The connectors  72  are capable of holding tension loads encountered by the swimmer pacing apparatus. 
     A control wire  106  in the LED rope assembly  38  is in communication with a microcontroller  26 . A resistor  170  is in the control line  106  between the LED rope  38  and the microcontroller  26 . The resistor  170  is positioned close to the microcontroller  26  and out of the water. The resistor has a 300-ohm capacity and functions to prevent voltage spikes in the system. The maximum voltage in the LED rope is five (5) volts. 
     The LEDS  110  and  112  are LED assemblies. Each assembly includes a microchip. These chips can control the color of the light emitted and the brightness. The LEDs  110  and  112  are able to produce a spectrum of colors including white, green, blue, red, yellow. Brightness could also be changed. 
     The microcontroller  26  is connected to a display  22 . The display  22  includes a touch screen and shield  176 . The touchscreen  176  is used to send instructions to the micro controller  26 . The touch screen  176  displays the status of training schedules that are underway and make changes during work outs. A start button  178  is provided on the display  22 . Start buttons may also be located in other locations.