Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed that cools an exerciser using an exercise machine by blowing chilled air directly onto the exerciser from an airflow director that is independent of the exercise machine. The airflow director is either located within the living space of the exercise room, or able to project a directed stream of chilled air into the living space of the exercise room. The airflow director can include adjustments for chilled air direction, flow rate, and other qualities. The chilled air source can include adjustments for temperature, humidity, and other qualities. A plurality of airflow directors can be included, so as to provide uniform cooing and/or to deliver chilled air to a plurality of exercise machines. A barrier and/or chilled air return vent can be included, so as to save energy and enhance the localization of the chilled air. Some embodiments can also warm the exerciser using warmed air.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention generally relates to exercise machines, and more specifically to devices for cooling an individual while using an exercise machine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Exercise is generally known to have many benefits for individuals of all ages. These benefits include improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, prevention of bone and muscle loss, maintenance of a healthy weight, improved psychological heath, and many others. However, exercise is generally accompanied by a certain degree of discomfort, including overheating, sweating, fatigue, etc, and this leads to a significant reduction in the amount of exercise undertaken by many individuals, thereby reducing the health benefits derived from exercise. 
         [0003]    Because of weather variability, convenience, and time constraints, exercise often takes place indoors using an exercise machine such as a stepper, stationary bicycle, elliptical, treadmill, etc. Attempts are sometimes made to increase the comfort of exercising individuals in these environments by optimizing the surrounding temperature, but this can be largely unsatisfactory because exercisers generally require different degrees of cooling depending on individual physiology and on how long and how vigorously they have been exercising. If the surrounding air is warm enough to be comfortable for individuals just beginning an exercise session, it will be too warm for individuals well into a vigorous session. And if the surrounding air is cool enough to be comfortable for an individual who has been exercising vigorously for a significant amount of time, it will be too cold for individuals just beginning to exercise. 
         [0004]    Some exercise machines include a fan that can direct a flow of air onto some portion of an exerciser&#39;s body during exercise, thereby providing a certain degree of cooling that can be initiated and controlled by the exerciser. However, such fans can provide only a small amount of cooling, and they are typically limited to cooling only the face of the exerciser, and/or some other fixed, limited region of the exerciser&#39;s body. Also, many exercise machines do not include any facilities for cooling an exerciser, and it can be prohibitively expensive to replace an exercise machine merely for the purpose of obtaining a similar exercise machine that includes a cooling fan. 
         [0005]    Another approach is to place an exercise machine near a fixed vent of a built-in air conditioning system. However, this requires that such a vent be available in a convenient location. If a plurality of exercise machines are to be placed within the same room, it is highly unlikely that each of them can be placed near a conveniently located air conditioning vent. Fixed air conditioning vents and ducts are typically either built into a wall, floor, or ceiling, or they are mounted directly onto a wall, floor, or ceiling. In all such cases, vents and ducts for built-in air conditioning systems are located within a space that can be considered not to be part of the “living space” of a room, even though the vent, and even the duct, may be visible from within the room. This places significant limits on how closely an exercise machine can be placed to an outlet vent of a built-in air conditioning system. And even when an exercise machine can be placed near a conveniently located air conditioning vent, the vent is typically not configured so as to direct a localized flow of cooling air that can be directed specifically onto an exerciser using the exercise machine. 
         [0006]    Yet another approach is to position a fan or portable air conditioner on the floor, on a table, or on some other support near an exercise machine, and to direct therefrom a flow of cooling air toward the exercise machine. However, a fan can provide only limited cooling, and a portable air conditioner provides only a very limited ability to target the local environment of an exerciser. 
         [0007]    If a plurality of exercise machines are arranged in close proximity to one another, a portable air conditioner directed toward one of the exercise machines will necessarily tend to affect the environment of nearby exercise machines, thereby reducing the ability of each exerciser to control his or her individual exercise environment. Even if only a single exercise machine is present, it is difficult or impossible using a portable air conditioner to cool only the region immediately surrounding an exerciser. As a result, energy will be wasted and cost will be increased in cooling the entire room in which the exercise machine is located. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An apparatus is disclosed for cooling an exerciser while using an exercise machine in an exercise room. The apparatus includes an airflow director that is either located within the living area of the exercise room and able to direct chilled air onto an exerciser while using the exercise machine, or supported by a wall, the floor, or the ceiling of the exercise room, and able to project a directed stream of chilled air directly upon the exerciser. The airflow director is connectable to a chilled air source by an air duct. In preferred embodiments, the airflow director can be free standing and movable, or fixed to an adjoining structure such as a wall or ceiling. Airflow directors can be adjustable so as to allow the exerciser to control the speed, volume, and/or direction of the chilled air. The chilled air source can include a controller that provides for control of the temperature, humidity, speed, and volume of the chilled air. 
         [0009]    Various embodiments include a plurality of independent airflow directors that enable chilled air to be directed onto the exerciser from multiple directions, thereby improving the efficiency and uniformity of cooling of the exerciser while improving the localization of the cooling to the immediate region of the exercise machine. In some embodiments, a partial wall or other structure is included that tends to confine the chilled air to a region immediately surrounding the exerciser. Other embodiments include an air return vent that removes and recirculates chilled air from the region surrounding the exerciser, thereby limiting the impact of the chilled air on other, nearby exercisers and on the surrounding environment. And some embodiments include multiple, independent airflow directors are connected to a common source of chilled air and provide cooling to a plurality of exercise machines. 
         [0010]    One general aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for cooling an exerciser while using an exercise machine in an exercise room. The apparatus includes an airflow director located in a living region of the exercise room and supported independently of the exercise machine, the airflow director being able to blow chilled air directly upon the exerciser, thereby providing cooling that is localized to the exerciser, and an air duct that is connectable to a chilled air source and able to convey the chilled air from the chilled air source to the airflow director. 
         [0011]    In preferred embodiments, the airflow director is free-standing. In some preferred embodiments, the airflow director is adjustably locatable within the living region of the exercise room. In some preferred embodiments the airflow director is supported by a structure located near the exercise machine. In some of these embodiments the structure is a mounting bracket attached to a wall, a mounting bracket attached to a ceiling, a mounting bracket attached to a floor, an air duct extending from a wall into the living region of the exercise room, an air duct extending from a ceiling into the living region of the exercise room, a floor stand, an article of furniture, and/or a stand supporting a video display, the video display being located within view of the exerciser. 
         [0012]    In certain preferred embodiments, a quality of the chilled air blown upon the exerciser is adjustable by the exerciser. In some of these embodiments the quality of the chilled air is, distance from the exerciser of an origin of flow of the chilled air, direction of flow of the chilled air, rate of flow of the chilled air, concentration of flow of the chilled air, and/or percentage of admixture of the chilled air with ambient air in the flow of the chilled air. And other of these preferred embodiments further include a remote control in wireless communication with the airflow controller, the remote control enabling the exerciser to remotely adjust the at least one quality of the chilled air blown upon the exerciser. 
         [0013]    In various embodiments, the apparatus includes at least one additional airflow director. In some of these embodiments a quality of the chilled air blown upon the exerciser by at least one of the airflow directors is adjustable by the exerciser independently of the other airflow directors. And in other of these embodiments at least one of the airflow directors is adjustably locatable within the living region of the exercise room independently of the other airflow directors. In still other of these embodiments at least two of the airflow directors are configured so as to blow chilled air directly onto the exerciser from substantially opposing sides of the exerciser. And in yet other of these embodiments the airflow directors are configured so as to deliver chilled air from the cooling air source to a plurality of exercisers, each exerciser using a respective exercise machine. 
         [0014]    In preferred embodiments, the apparatus further includes a chilled air return vent configured so as to withdraw chilled air after it is blown directly onto the exerciser, thereby tending to confine the effects of the chilled air to a region immediately surrounding the exerciser. And in some of these embodiments the airflow director and the chilled air return vent are located on substantially opposing sides of the exerciser and configured so as to direct the chilled air across the exerciser. 
         [0015]    In various preferred embodiments the apparatus further includes a chilled air controller that is able to control a property of the chilled air that is speed of flow of the chilled air, volume of flow of the chilled air, temperature of the chilled air, humidity of the chilled air, and quantity of cooling mist included in the chilled air. 
         [0016]    In preferred embodiments, the apparatus further includes an airflow barrier configured so as to form at least a partial barrier to airflow, thereby tending to confine the chilled air to a region surrounding the exerciser. And in some of these embodiments the airflow barrier is configured to at least partly surround the exerciser. 
         [0017]    In some preferred embodiments the source of chilled air provides outdoor air, where the outdoor air is cooler than the air inside the exercise room. In other preferred embodiments the airflow director includes a fan, an electrostatic air mover, a directable vent, a vent with fixed air directors that tend to direct the chilled air onto the exerciser, a vent with adjustable louvers, and/or an airflow valve. 
         [0018]    In certain preferred embodiments the apparatus further includes a warm air source capable of supplying warm air to the airflow director so as to warm an individual while using the exercise machine. 
         [0019]    Another general aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for cooling an exerciser while using an exercise machine in an exercise room. The apparatus includes an airflow director supported by one of a wall, a floor, and a ceiling of the exercise room, and able to project a directed stream of chilled air directly upon the exerciser, thereby providing cooling that is localized to the exerciser, and an air duct that is connectable to a chilled air source and able to convey the chilled air from the chilled air source to the airflow director. 
         [0020]    In preferred embodiments a quality of the chilled air blown upon the exerciser is adjustable by the exerciser. In some of these embodiments the quality of the chilled air direction of flow of the chilled air, rate of flow of the chilled air, concentration of flow of the chilled air, and/or percentage of admixture of the chilled air with ambient air in the flow of the chilled air. 
         [0021]    In various preferred embodiments the airflow director includes at least one nozzle. And in certain preferred embodiments the airflow director includes a fan, an electrostatic air mover, a directable vent, a vent with fixed air directors that tend to direct the chilled air onto the exerciser, a vent with adjustable louvers, and/or an airflow valve. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art device approach includes a cooling fan built into an exercise machine as well as a free-standing fan placed next to the exercise machine; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention that includes an airflow director mounted on a stand and connected by a duct to a portable air conditioner; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2B  is a close-up perspective view of the airflow director of  FIG. 2A , showing controls for directing the direction and flow rate of the chilled air; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrated a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 2A , but including a chilled air return vent that returns and recirculates the chilled air; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  illustrates a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 2A , but including airflow directors both behind and in front of the exercise machine, the front airflow director being attached to an entertainment system provided for the exerciser; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a prior art approach in which an exercise machine is placed near a vent of a built-in air conditioning system, the vent and associated duct being built into a wall of the exercise room; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5B  illustrates a prior art approach in which an exercise machine is placed near a vent of a built-in air conditioning system, the vent and associated duct being mounted to the surface of a wall of the exercise room; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5C  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is supported by a duct that is mounted to a wall of the exercise room and extends into the living area of the exercise room; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5D  illustrates a prior art approach in which an exercise machine is placed beneath a vent of a built-in air conditioning system, the vent and associated duct being built into the ceiling of the exercise room; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5E  illustrates a prior art approach in which an exercise machine is placed beneath a vent of a built-in air conditioning system, the vent and associated duct being attached to the ceiling of the exercise room; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5F  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is supported by a duct that is mounted to the ceiling of the exercise room and extends downward into the living area of the exercise room; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5G  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is mounted within a wall of the exercise room and able to project a directed stream of chilled air directly upon the exerciser; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5H  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is attached to a duct that is fixed to a wall of the exercise room and able to project a directed stream of chilled air at an angle directly upon the exerciser; 
           [0035]      FIG. 5I  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is mounted within the ceiling of the exercise room and able to project a directed stream of chilled air at an angle directly upon the exerciser; 
           [0036]      FIG. 5J  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director is attached to a duct that is fixed to the ceiling of the exercise room and able to project a directed stream of chilled air at an angle directly upon the exerciser; 
           [0037]      FIG. 6A  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director and an airflow return vent are mounted to a barrier that partially surrounds the exercise machine; 
           [0038]      FIG. 6B  is a top view of an embodiment similar to  FIG. 6A , except that, a pair of airflow directors are mounted to opposing sides of the barrier, and a chilled air return vent is not included; 
           [0039]      FIG. 6C  is a top view of an embodiment similar to  FIG. 6A , except that each opposing side of the barrier includes both an airflow director and a chilled air return vent; 
           [0040]      FIG. 6D  is a top view of an embodiment similar to  FIG. 6C , but with the airflow directors and return vents reversed in their locations as compared to  FIG. 6C ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 6E  is a perspective view of one half of an embodiment similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 6A , except that a plurality of air flow directors are included in the barrier; 
           [0042]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment that includes a plurality of elongated air flow directors supported by movable stands that direct chilled air onto a plurality of exercise machines; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a plurality of airflow directors supported by air ducts attached to a ceiling and able to direct chilled air onto a plurality of exercise machines. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , approaches known in the prior art for cooing an exerciser using an exercise machine  100  include cooling fans  102  that are built into a portion  104  of the exercise machine, as well as stand-alone cooling fans  106 , mounted for example on floor stands  108 , and able to direct a flow of air  110  onto the exerciser. However, a flow of ambient air propelled by a fan provides only limited cooling of an exerciser. 
         [0045]    With reference to  FIG. 2A , the present invention  200  includes an airflow director  202  located within a living region of an exercise room that is able to blow chilled air directly onto an exerciser while the exerciser is using an exercise machine  100 . In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 2A , the airflow director  202  is supported by a moveable floor stand  204 . An air duct  206  is connectable to a source of chilled air  208 , which in the embodiment of  FIG. 2A  is a portable air conditioner. The air duct  206  delivers the chilled air to the airflow director  202 . Warm air generated by the portable air conditioner  208  is exhausted through an exhaust duct  210  to a location outside of the room. 
         [0046]    A close-up view of the airflow director  202  of  FIG. 2A  is shown in  FIG. 2B . In this embodiment, a pair of manually controlled knobs  212 ,  214 , control the pitch of a set of horizontal and vertical louvers  216 , thereby controlling the direction and the flow rate of chilled air directed by the airflow director  202  onto an exerciser. 
         [0047]      FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 2A , but including a chilled air return vent  300  positioned opposite to the airflow director  202  so as to withdraw and recirculate the chilled air  302  after it has cooled the exerciser, thereby increasing the localization of the cooling and conserving energy. For simplicity of illustration, the exercise machine has been omitted from the figure. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment similar to  FIG. 2A , but including a pair of airflow directors  202 , one supported by a movable stand located behind the exerciser  400 , and the other attached to an entertainment stand  404  that is also supporting a television screen  406  that can be viewed by the exerciser  400  during exercise. The pair of airflow directors  202  in this embodiment provide a more uniform cooing of the exerciser, as compared to the single airflow director  202  of  FIG. 2A . 
         [0049]      FIG. 5A  is a top view of a prior art approach in which an exercise machine is simply placed near a cooling vent  500  of a built-in air conditioning system. In  FIG. 5A , the cooling vent  500  and a corresponding cooling air duct  502  are built into a wall  504  of the exercise room. The vent is therefore well outside of the living area of the room, which is separated from the walls by the imaginary boundary  506  shown in the figure.  FIG. 5B  is a top view of a similar prior art approach, in which the cooling vent  500  and duct  502  are attached to the wall. While the vent  500  and duct  502  extend into the room and are visible from the room, they are closely attached to the wall  504  and do not extend beyond the boundary  506  and into the living area of the room. 
         [0050]    In the prior art approaches illustrated by  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , the cooling vents  500  cannot be placed close enough to the exercise machine  100  to provide localized cooling of the exerciser. In addition, cooling vents  500  included with built-in air conditioning system are typically designed to disburse cooling air so as to uniformly cool the interior of an entire room, rather than locally cooling only one area of a room. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5C  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the airflow director  202  is suspended from a wall  504  by a duct  206  that extends from the wall through the boundary  506  and into the living area of the exercise room. The airflow director  202  is thereby placed close to an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , and can be specially designed to direct chilled air onto the exerciser. 
         [0052]      FIG. 5D  and  FIG. 5E  are side views of prior art approaches that are similar to  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , respectively, except that the cooling air vent  500  and duct  502  are located either within the ceiling  508  of the exercise room ( FIG. 5D ) or are attached to the ceiling  508  of the exercise room ( FIG. 5E ). As in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , the cooling vents  500  cannot be placed close enough to the exercise machine  100  to provide localized cooling of the exerciser, and the cooling vents  500  are typically designed to disburse cooling air so as to uniformly cool the interior of an entire room, rather than locally cooling only one area of a room. 
         [0053]      FIG. 5F  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention that is similar to  FIG. 5C , except that the airflow director  202  is suspended from the ceiling of the exercise room  508  by a duct  206  that extends from the ceiling through the boundary  506  and into the living area of the exercise room. As in  FIG. 5   c , the airflow director  202  is thereby placed close to an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , and can be specially designed to direct chilled air onto the exerciser. 
         [0054]      FIG. 5G  is a side view of a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 5C , except that the airflow director  510  is built into the wall  504  of the exercise room. However, unlike the prior art approach of  FIG. 5A , the airflow director of  FIG. 5G  is designed to project a directed stream  512  of chilled air directly upon an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , while the vent  500  of a typical air conditioning system, as shown in  FIG. 5A , is typically designed to disburse chilled air so as to cool a room as uniformly as possible. 
         [0055]      FIG. 5H  is a side view of a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 5C , except that the airflow director  510  is attached to a duct  502  that is fixed to the wall  504  of the exercise room. Unlike the prior art approach of  FIG. 5B , the airflow director of  FIG. 5H  is designed to project a directed stream  512  of chilled air directly upon an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , while the vent  500  of a typical air conditioning system, as shown in  FIG. 5B , is typically designed to disburse chilled air so as to cool a room as uniformly as possible. In the specific embodiment of  FIG. 5H , the airflow director  510  is configured at an angle so as to direct the flow of chilled air  512  partly from behind the exerciser. 
         [0056]      FIG. 5I  is a side view of a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 5F , except that the airflow director  510  is built into the ceiling  508  of the exercise room. However, unlike the prior art approach of  FIG. 5D , the airflow director of  FIG. 5I  is designed to project a directed stream  512  of chilled air directly upon an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , while the vent  500  of a typical air conditioning system, as shown in  FIG. 5D , is typically designed to disburse chilled air so as to cool a room as uniformly as possible. In the specific embodiment of  FIG. 5I , the airflow director  510  is configured at an angle so as to direct the flow of chilled air  512  from above and partly from behind the exerciser. 
         [0057]      FIG. 5J  is a side view of a preferred embodiment similar to  FIG. 5F , except that the airflow director  510  is attached to a duct  502  that is fixed to the ceiling  508  of the exercise room. Unlike the prior art approach of  FIG. 5E , the airflow director of  FIG. 5J  is designed to project a directed stream  512  of chilled air directly upon an exerciser using the exercise machine  100 , while the vent  500  of a typical air conditioning system, as shown in  FIG. 5E , is typically designed to disburse chilled air so as to cool a room as uniformly as possible. 
         [0058]      FIG. 6A  is a top view of a preferred embodiment that includes a physical barrier  600  that partly surrounds the exercise machine  100  so as to enhance the localization of the chilled air  302  to the region immediately surrounding the exercise machine  100 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 6A , the airflow director  202  is contained within one side of the barrier  600 , and a chilled air return vent  300  is located opposite to the airflow director  202  on the other side of the barrier  600 . This arrangement causes chilled air to flow directly across an exerciser using the exercise machine  100  and then to be recirculated, saving energy and enhancing the localization of the chilled air to the area immediately surrounding the exerciser. 
         [0059]      FIG. 6B  is a top view of an embodiment similar to  FIG. 6A , except that a chilled air return vent is not included, and a second airflow director  202  is included so as to provide more uniform cooling of the exerciser by providing flows of chilled air from both sides of the exerciser.  FIG. 6C  and  FIG. 6D  are top views of embodiments similar to  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , except that an airflow director  202  and a chilled air return vent  300  is provided in each half of the barrier  600 , thereby providing uniform cooling and enhanced localization of the chilled air and enhanced energy efficiency. 
         [0060]      FIG. 6E  is a perspective view of one-half of an embodiment similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 6A , except that a plurality of airflow directors  202  is provided in the wall of the barrier  600 . In this embodiment the airflow directors  202  are independently adjustable, and include independently adjustable fans, so as to provide enhanced flexibility for an exerciser to configure the cooling provided by the invention according to the physiological needs and preferences of the exerciser. For example, one exerciser may wish to direct relatively more chilled air onto his or her legs, while another exerciser may wish to direct more chilled air onto his or her face. The opposite half of the barrier  600  has been omitted from the drawing for clarity of illustration. 
         [0061]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment in which a plurality of airflow directors  202  and chilled air ducts  204  draw chilled air from a common source and direct the chilled air onto a plurality of exercise machines  100 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the airflow directors  202  are vertically elongated as compared to the airflow directors of  FIG. 2A , so as to provide localized cooling of the length of an exerciser&#39;s body. Barriers  600  are attached to the airflow directors  202 , so as to enhance the localization of the chilled air to each exercise machine. This allows each exerciser to control the cooling of his or her local exercise environment according to individual physiologies and preferences. 
         [0062]      FIG. 8  illustrates a preferred embodiment that includes a plurality of airflow directors  202  supported by air ducts  204  that are attached to the ceiling  508  of the exercise room and extend past the imaginary barrier  506  and into the living area of the exercise room in a manner similar to  FIG. 5F . The plurality of airflow directors  202  are positioned above a plurality of exercise machines  402 , with one airflow director  202  dedicated to each exercise machine  402 . A chilled air return vent  300  is provided in the floor  800  beneath each exercise machine  400  so as to save energy and enhance the localization of the chilled air to each of the exercise machines  402 . A remote control  802  is attached to each exercise machine  402 , and is in wireless communication with a corresponding chilled air controller  804  located in the ceiling  508  above each air duct  204 . This allows each exerciser  400  to control the amount of chilled air  302  that is blown directly upon the exerciser  400 . 
         [0063]    Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention except as indicated in the following claims.