Patent Publication Number: US-2023135018-A1

Title: Fitness machine and resistance device thereof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to fitness equipment, and in particular, to a fitness machine and a resistance device thereof. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A flywheel fitness bike imitates the feeling of real riding of a road bike, can simulate different riding slopes or resistances through a multi-level resistance device, and can train a heart, lungs, legs and whole body muscles at the same time. In addition, the flywheel fitness bike has good durability and is very suitable for trainers who want to perform High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT). 
     Current resistance devices include two types: a wind drag type and a magnetic resistance type. The single wind drag type resistance device or the single magnetic resistance type resistance device has a relatively small resistance adjusting range and cannot satisfy requirements of some users. Therefore, there are also flywheel fitness bikes on the market that have both wind drag and magnetic resistance, but the means of adjusting the wind drag and the magnetic resistance thereof are operated separately, which are troublesome and inconvenient to use. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, an object of the present application is to provide a resistance device of a fitness machine, which is convenient for adjusting the resistance and has a relatively large resistance adjusting range. 
     In order to achieve the above object, a technical solution of the present application is: a resistance device of a fitness machine including a wind drag unit and a magnetic resistance unit. 
     The wind drag unit includes a housing, a wind wheel, a rotation shaft, and an air volume adjusting disc, the wind wheel and the air volume adjusting disc are mounted in the housing, the wind wheel is fixedly connected to the rotation shaft and is rotatable around an axis of the rotation shaft relative to the housing, the air volume adjusting disc is rotatable relative to the housing and coordinates with the housing to define a flow channel for air flow, and a flow rate of the flow channel is adjusted by rotating the air volume adjusting disc; 
     the magnetic resistance unit is adjustably provided in the wind drag unit, and the magnetic resistance unit includes: 
     a guide rail disc that surrounds the axis of the rotation shaft and is fixedly connected to the housing, the guide rail disc has at least one guide disc rail; 
     a metal ring sheet that surrounds the axis of the rotation shaft and rotates with the wind wheel; 
     at least one magnetic seat that has magnetism and is used to generate a magnetic resistance with the metal ring sheet, the magnetic seat is pivotally provided on the guide rail disc and has a magnetic seat rail; and 
     at least one guide post, a number of the guide post being the same as a number of the magnetic disc, the guide post is connected to the air volume adjusting disc and penetrates through the guide disc rail and extends into the magnetic seat rail, the guide post moves in the magnetic seat rail with the rotation of the air volume adjusting disc to drive the magnetic seat to pivotally rotate relative to the guide rail disc so as to adjust the magnetic resistance between the magnetic seat and the metal ring sheet. 
     In a further improvement, the magnetic seat rail has a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a turning portion between the first end and the second end; when the guide post is located at the second end, the resistance device of the fitness machine only generates a wind drag, and when the guide post slides from the second end and passes through the turning portion, the resistance device of the fitness machine generates the wind drag and the magnetic resistance at the same time. 
     Furthermore, the magnetic seat further has a pivot point pivotally connected to the guide rail disc and a magnetic region far away from the pivot point and for generating the magnetic resistance with the metal ring sheet, the magnetic seat rail extends in a direction from the pivot point toward the magnetic region, the magnetic seat rail bends at a position near to the magnetic region, the magnetic resistance generated when the guide post slides to the first end is greater than the magnetic resistance generated when the guide post slides to the second end. 
     Furthermore, the at least one magnetic seat has a seat body pivotally connected to the guide rail disc and at least one magnetic member provided on the seat body, the seat body has a magnetic seat rail, the magnetic member forms the magnetic region, and a projection of the magnetic member overlaps the metal ring sheet when the guide post is located at the first end; the projection of the magnetic member does not fall within a range of the metal ring sheet when the guide post is located at the second end of the magnetic seat rail. 
     Preferably, the magnetic resistance unit includes two magnetic seats and two guide posts, and the magnetic seats are symmetrically arranged about the axis of the rotation shaft as a center. 
     Preferably, each magnetic seat has a seat body pivotally connected to the guide rail disc, and at least one magnetic member provided on the seat body. 
     Preferably, a position of the magnetic seat on the axis of the rotation shaft is between the guide rail disc and the metal ring sheet. 
     In a further improvement, the wind drag unit further includes an indicator fixed to the air volume adjusting disc, the indicator is exposed from the housing and used to indicate a resistance level, so as to indicate a magnitude of the generated resistance and facilitate a trainer to use. 
     Preferably, the metal ring sheet is in an annular shape, the guide rail disc is in a disc shape, a central axis of the metal ring sheet and a central axis of the guide rail disc overlap each other. 
     Another object of the present application is to provide a fitness machine which is convenient to adjust a wind drag and a magnetic resistance at the same time. 
     Thus, the fitness machine of the present application includes a frame unit, a force application assembly operationally provided on the frame unit and the resistance device of the fitness machine described-above, the resistance device of the fitness machine is used to generate a resistance and mounted on the frame unit and connected to the force application assembly. 
     Effects of the present invention lie in: generating a wind drag through a wind drag unit, generating a magnetic resistance through a magnetic resistance unit, adjusting a magnitude of the wind drag by rotating the air volume adjusting disc, and in a process of adjusting the wind drag, the air volume adjusting disc can drive the at least one guide post to slide relative to the guide rail disc to make the at least one magnetic seat pivotally rotate, thereby changing a degree of the overlap of the magnetic region of the magnetic seat on the metal ring sheet to adjust the magnitude of the magnetic resistance. Thus, the magnitudes of the wind drag and the magnetic resistance can be adjusted at the same time as long as the air volume adjusting disc is rotated, and the adjustment of the resistance is very convenient. On another aspect, since the wind drag and the magnetic resistance are superposed to generate the resistance, an adjusting range of the resistance is relatively large. It can generate greater movement resistance, improve training effects, and meet the needs of different trainers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective exploded view of a resistance device of the present application; 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the resistance device of the present application, in which a protection cover is omitted; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-section view sectioned along a line IV-IV in  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a magnetic resistance unit of the resistance device of the present application; 
         FIG.  5    is an incomplete side view illustrating that each guide post of the magnetic resistance unit is located at a second end of each magnetic seat rail; 
         FIG.  6    is a view similar to  FIG.  2    and illustrating that as the air volume adjusting disc is rotated, a wind drag becomes greater; 
         FIG.  7    is a view similar to  FIG.  5    and illustrating that when each guide post of the magnetic resistance unit passes through a turning portion of each magnetic seat rail, the magnetic resistance unit starts to generate a magnetic resistance; 
         FIG.  8    is a view similar to  FIG.  6    and illustrating that the air volume adjusting disc is continuously rotated to a maximum flow rate of the wind drag; 
         FIG.  9    is a view similar to  FIG.  7    and illustrating that when each guide post of the magnetic resistance unit is located at a first end of each magnetic seat rail, the resistance of the magnetic resistance unit is at a maximum; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a fitness machine of the present application; 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the fitness machine of the present application; and 
         FIG.  12    is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the fitness machine of the present application. 
     
    
    
     SYMBOL EXPLANATION 
       1 . Fitness Machine,  1 ′. Fitness Machine,  1 ″. Fitness Machine,  10 . Frame Unit,  10 ′. Frame Unit,  10 ″. Frame Unit,  20 . Force Application Assembly,  20 ′. Force Application Assembly,  20 ″. Force Application Assembly,  30 . Armrest,  40 . Saddle,  40 ′. Saddle,  500 . Resistance Device,  6 . Wind Drag Unit,  61 . Housing,  611 . Bottom Cover,  612 . Outer Cover,  613 . Protection Cover,  614 . Air Inlet Region,  615 . Shielding Region,  616 . Opening Slot,  62 . Rotation Shaft,  63 . Wind Wheel,  631 . Fixing Sheet,  632 . Blade,  64 . Air Volume Adjusting Disc,  641 . Opening Region,  642 . Blocking Region,  65 . Indicator,  7 . Magnetic Resistance Unit,  71 . Guide Rail Disc,  711 . Guide Disc Rail,  72 . Metal Ring Sheet,  73 . Magnetic Seat,  730 . Magnetic Region,  731 . Seat Body,  732 . Magnetic Member,  733 . Pivot Point,  734 . Magnetic Seat Rail,  735 . First End,  736 . Second End,  737 . Turning Portion,  74 . Guide Post,  75 . Connection Rod, I. Flow Channel, L. Axis, X. Front-rear Direction. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The present application provides accompanying drawings in order to further illustrate respective embodiments. These drawings are a part of the contents disclosed by the present application, which are mainly used to illustrate the embodiments and can explain an operation principle of the embodiments in cooperation with the relevant depiction in the description. With reference to these contents, those ordinarily skilled in the art should understand other possible embodiments and the advantages of the present invention. The components in the drawings are not drawn to scale, and similar component symbols are generally used to represent similar components. 
     Now the present application is further described in conjunction with the drawings and the exemplary embodiments. 
     Before the present application is described in details, it should be noted that in the following description contents, the so-called front-rear direction X is based on an orientation viewed by a trainer. 
     With reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  5   , a resistance device  500  of a fitness machine is described. The resistance device  500  is used to generate a multi-level movement resistance to expand a resistance adjusting range and facilitate improvement on exercise intensity. The resistance device  500  includes a wind drag unit  6  for generating a wind drag and a magnetic resistance unit  7  for generating a magnetic resistance. 
     With reference to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  4   , the wind drag unit  6  is actually in a shape of a drum and includes a housing  61 , a rotation shaft  62 , a wind wheel  63 , an air volume adjusting disc  64 , and an indicator  65 . The housing  61  has a bottom cover  611 , an outer cover  612  attachably mounted on the bottom cover  611 , and a protection cover  613 . More preferably, the outer cover  612  has a plurality of air inlet regions  614  and a plurality of shielding regions  615 . Each of the air inlet regions  614  is a hollowed-out structure for air inflow, and each of the shielding regions  615  is a solid structure for blocking air inflow. The protection cover  613  is provided to cover the outer cover  612  and prevent dust, and has an effect of appearance decoration. 
     The rotation shaft  62  extends along an axis L and is rotatably mounted to the bottom cover  611 . The wind wheel  63  is sleeved on the rotation shaft  62 , fixedly connected to the rotation shaft  62 , and driven by the rotation shaft  62  to rotate relative to the housing  61  and generate the wind drag. The wind wheel  63  has a fixing sheet  631  through which the rotation shaft  62  penetrates and to which the rotation shaft  62  is fixedly connected and a plurality of blades  632  that are arranged at intervals along a circumferential direction and provided on the fixing sheet  631 . 
     The air volume adjusting disc  64  is rotatably connected to the outer cover  612  to rotate relative to the housing  61 , and the air volume adjusting disc  64  coordinates with the outer cover  612  to define a flow channel I for air inflow. More preferably, the air volume adjusting disc  64  has a plurality of opening regions  641  for air inflow and a plurality of blocking regions  642  for blocking the air inflow. Each opening region  641  is a hollowed-out structure, and each blocking region  642  is a solid structure. The opening regions  641 , the blocking regions  642 , the air inlet regions  614 , and the shielding regions  615  coordinate with each other to define the flow channel I, and a flow rate of the flow channel I is adjusted by rotating the air volume adjusting disc  64  to generate the wind drag from low to high. 
     The indicator  65  is fixed on the air volume adjusting disc  64  and exposed from an opening slot  616  of the outer cover  612  of the housing  61 . Numerals of resistance levels (not shown in the figures) are etched on the housing  61 . The indicator  65  can slide within the opening slot  616  with the rotation of the air volume adjusting disc  64  and rotate relative to the outer cover  612 , thereby indicating the resistance level to facilitate the trainer distinguishing visually. 
     The magnetic resistance unit  7  is adjustably provided in the housing  61  of the wind drag unit  6 , and the magnetic resistance unit  7  includes a guide rail disc  71 , a metal ring sheet  72 , two magnetic seats  73 , and two guide posts  74 . 
     The guide rail disc  71  and the outer cover  612  are located at both sides of the air volume adjusting disc  64 , and the guide rail disc  71  is substantively in a disc shape and surrounds the axis L. The guide rail disc  71  is fixedly connected to the outer cover  612  through a plurality of connection rods  75  penetrating through the opening regions  641  of the air volume adjusting disc  64 , and the guide rail disc  71  is manufactured by a material that will not be adsorbed by a magnetic stone (such as a plastic or aluminum material). The guide rail disc  71  has two guide disc rails  711 , and more preferably, the guide disc rails  711  are arc shaped opening slots and symmetrically arranged about the axis L as a center. The metal ring sheet  72  is raised and fixed to the fixing sheet  631  of the wind wheel  63 , and metal ring sheet  72  of this embodiment is manufactured by aluminum but can also be manufactured by other metals that can generate eddy current, such as iron or copper. The metal ring sheet  72  is substantively in an annular shape, surrounds the axis L, and rotates with the wind wheel  63 . More preferably, a projection of the metal ring sheet  72  on the axis L is located outside the guide rail disc  71 . Most preferably, the metal ring sheet  72  is coaxial with the guide rail disc  71  and the air volume adjusting disc  64 . The metal ring sheet  72  is located between the fixing sheet  631  and the guide rail disc  71 . In other variations, the metal ring sheet  72  can also be eccentrically provided or located between the air volume adjusting disc  64  and the guide rail disc  71 . 
     With further reference to  FIG.  3    to  FIG.  5   , the magnetic seats  73  have magnetism and are used to generate the magnetic resistance with the metal ring sheet  72 . This embodiment has two magnetic seats  73 . However, in other variations, the number of the magnetic seats  73  may be one or more than three and can be varied according to the magnetic requirement. The magnetic seats  73  are symmetrically arranged about the axis L as a center and can be pivotally provided on the guide rail disc  71 . Positions of the magnetic seats  73  on the axis L are located between the guide rail disc  71  and the metal ring sheet  72 . Each magnetic sheet  73  has a seat body  731  pivotally connected to the guide rail disc  71  and two magnetic members  732  provided on the seat body  731 . The seat body  731  has a pivot point  733  pivotally connected to the guide rail disc  71  and a magnetic seat rail  734  that is an opening slot. The magnetic seat rail  734  has a first end  735  adjacent to the pivot point  733 , a second end  736  opposite to the first end  735 , and a turning portion  737  between the first end  735  and the second end  736 . The magnetic members  732  are far away from the pivot point  733  and form a magnetic region  730  for generating the magnetic resistance with the metal ring sheet  72 , and the magnetic seat rail  734  extends in a direction from the pivot point  733  toward the magnetic region  730  and bends at a position near to the magnetic region  730 . In this embodiment, each magnetic member  732  is a circular magnet and provided on a side surface of the seat body  731  adjacent to the bottom cover  611 . In other variations, the magnetic members  732  can also be a block-shaped magnet and spliced and combined with the seat body  731  to form the magnetic region  730 . 
     The number of the guide posts  74  adapts to the number of the guide disc rails  711  and the number of the magnetic seats  73 . One end of each guide post  74  is connected to the air volume adjusting disc  64 , and the other end of each guide post  74  penetrates through the respective guide disc rail  711  and extends into the corresponding magnetic seat rail  734 . Thus, each guide post  74  can move in the respective magnetic seat rail  734  and the corresponding guide disc rail  711  at the same time with the rotation of the air volume adjusting disc  64 , thereby driving the respective magnetic seat  73  to pivotally rotate about the pivot point  733  as a center relative to the guide rail disc  71 , so that the projection of the respective magnetic seat  73  gradually overlaps the metal ring sheet  72 . Moreover, since there is generated a relative movement between the metal ring sheet  72  and the magnetic seats  73  with continuously rotation of the wind wheel  63 , a magnetic flux on a surface of the metal ring sheet  72  will be caused to change, so as to produce the eddy current and generate the magnetic resistance. 
     With respect to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  5   , when the indicator  65  points at the lowest position of the resistance levels, the flow rate of the flow channel I (see  FIG.  3   ) is at a minimum. The wind wheel  63  drives the metal ring sheet  72  to rotate relative to the housing  61 , the air volume adjusting disc  64 , the guide rail disc  71 , and the magnetic seats  73 , and the generated wind drag is at a minimum. Moreover, when the guide posts  74  are located at the second ends  736  of the magnetic seat rails  734 , the projections of the magnetic members  732  do not fall within a range of the metal ring sheet  72 , and at this time, the magnetic resistance unit  7  does not generate the magnetic resistance. 
     With reference to  FIG.  6    and  FIG.  7   , the air volume adjusting disc  64  (see  FIG.  2   ) is rotated, the indicator  65  moves along and points at a middle position of the resistance levels, and at this time, the flow rate of the flow channel I and the wind drag are increased. Meanwhile, the guide posts  74  are driven to pass through the turning portions  737  from the second ends  736 , the magnetic seats  73  are pushed until a part of the projections of the magnetic members  732  overlaps the metal ring sheet  72 , and, due to the rotation of the metal ring sheet  72 , the magnetic resistance unit  7  starts to generate the magnetic resistance. 
     With reference to  FIG.  8    and  FIG.  9   , the air volume adjusting disc  64  is continuously rotated until the indicator  65  points at the highest position of the resistance levels, and at this time, the flow rate of the flow channel I and the wind drag are at a maximum. Moreover, the guide posts  74  are driven to move to the first ends  735  from the turning portions  737 , the magnetic seats  73  are pushed until the projections of the magnetic members  732  completely overlap the metal ring sheet  72  to make the magnetic resistance of the magnetic resistance unit  7  reach a maximum. 
     The present application adjusts the wind drag and the magnetic resistance at the same time by the guide posts  74  driving the magnetic seats  73  to pivotally rotate to make the magnetic resistance of the magnetic resistance unit  7  gradually increase in a direction from the second ends  736  toward the first ends  735 . This not only facilitates the resistance adjustment, but also increases an adjusting range of the resistance. 
     Whereby, when a trainer selects the lowest resistance level, the guide posts  74  are located at the second ends  736 , and at this time, the resistance device  500  only generates the minimum wind drag without generating the magnetic resistance. As the resistance level is adjusted to be high, after the guide posts  74  respectively slide from the second ends  736  and pass through the turning portions  737 , the wind drag is increased and the resistance device  500  generates the magnetic resistance at the same time. When the guide posts  74  are moved to the first ends  735 , the wind drag and the magnetic resistance reach a maximum at the same time, the resistance level is highest, and the exercise intensity is at a maximum. Thus, the trainer can adjust the wind drag and the magnetic resistance synchronously through rotation of the air volume adjusting disc  64  and can increase the movement resistance and improve the training effect without two operation adjustments. It is more convenient to use and can indeed achieve the purposes of the present invention. 
     It should be understood that the so-called guide posts  74  in the first embodiment are located at the second ends  736  of the magnetic seat rails  734 , and this should be understood as adjacent to or near to the second ends  736  in the practical situation. It is not intended that the two guide posts  74  must fall on the second ends  736  simultaneously and completely. In addition, in other variations, as along as shapes, sizes, or orientations of the magnetic seat rails  734  are slightly changed, the resistance level for starting to generate the magnetic resistance can be changed, and it is not intend that the magnetic resistance unit  7  starts to generate the magnetic resistance from a center resistance level. 
     With reference to  FIG.  10   , the first embodiment of a fitness machine  1  of the present application is a flywheel fitness bike, and the fitness machine  1  includes a frame unit  10 , a force application assembly  20 , an armrest  30 , a saddle  40 , and a resistance device  500 . 
     The frame unit  10  extends along a front-rear direction X. The force application assembly  20  is two pedals and is operationally provided on a rear end of the frame unit  10  for pedaling by the trainers feet, respectively. The armrest  30  is provided on a front end of the frame unit  10  for being held by the trainer with both hands. The saddle  40  is provided on the frame unit  10  for the trainer to ride. 
     The resistance device  500  is mounted on the front end of the frame unit  10  and connected to the force application assembly  20  through a sprocket chain assembly (not shown in the figures). The resistance device  500  is used to generate resistance on the force application assembly  20 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  11   , a second embodiment of the present application is similar to the first embodiment, and differences therebetween lie in: the fitness machine  1 ′ is a rowing machine and includes a frame unit  10 ′, a force application assembly  20 ′ provided on the frame unit  10 ′, a saddle  40 ′ for riding, and the resistance device  500 . The trainer rides on the saddle  40 ′ and applies force to the force application assembly  20 ′ with both hands. Various rowing situations can be simulated through the resistance device  500 . In addition to training the abdomen, the lower body can also drive the core muscles and link the upper body muscles to improve the exercise effect. 
     With reference to  FIG.  12   , a third embodiment of the present application is similar to the first embodiment, and differences therebetween lie in: the fitness machine  1 ″ is a skiing machine and includes a frame unit  10 ″, a force application assembly  20 ″ provided on the frame unit  10 ″, and the resistance device  500 . During a training process, lower limbs need to stand stably, forces are applied to the force application assembly  20 ″ with both hands, various skiing slopes are simulated through the resistance device  500 , and training of upper limbs including triceps, back, and core muscles can be strengthened. 
     Thus, the resistance device  500  of the present application can be applied to flywheel fitness bikes, rowing machines, skiing machines, upright fitness bikes, recumbent fitness bikes, sliding step machines, elliptical trainers, or resistance exercise equipment of other types, but the applications of the present application are not limited thereto. 
     Although the present application is specifically exhibited and introduced in conjunction with the preferable embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes can be made on forms and details of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application defined by the accompanying claims, and all fall within the protection scope of the present application.