Patent Description:
Fitness bicycles with two pedals for driving one wheel of the fitness bicycle and with additional electric drive can also be used by users with a physical impairment in one of their two lower extremities. This means that the two pedals for mechanically driving the wheel are usually operated asymmetrically by the user - due to the physical impairment - during a full rotation of the wheel, since by means of the physically and thus also functionally impaired lower extremity in comparison to the other, unimpaired extremity, typically only a reduced torque can be generated by the user to drive the wheel. The resulting asymmetrical motion sequence can complicate training on the fitness bicycle to a not inconsiderable extent and reduce the desired training effect.

Document <CIT> discloses a method for operating a fitness bicycle having a wheel, two pedals and an electric drive.

It is an object of the present invention to create an improved method for operating a fitness bicycle which addresses the problem explained above.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims.

The method according to the invention serves for operating a fitness bicycle having at least one wheel, which has an electric drive and two pedals for electrically or mechanically driving the wheel, by a user with a physical impairment in one of his two lower extremities.

The basic idea of the invention is to determine at least one measured variable characterizing this rotational movement during the rotational movement of the wheel, while the user of the fitness bicycle is pressing the pedal assigned to his unimpaired extremity. This information is taken into account when controlling an electric drive of the fitness bicycle to additionally drive the wheel - i.e. in addition to the drive by the mechanical pedal actuation of the user - while the pedal assigned to the impaired extremity is actuated by the user. In this way - by appropriate control of the electric drive, in particular with regard to the drive line generated by the drive and supplied to the wheel or the drive torque generated by the drive and supplied to the wheel - the existing impairment in one of his two lower extremities can be compensated. In this way, a user with physical impairment can exercise effectively by means of a fitness bicycle. In connection with the present invention, the two lower extremities include not only the user's pelvis and hip joint, but also his thigh, knee joint, lower leg with tibia and fibula, ankle joint, and also his foot with ankle, metatarsus and toes.

Moreover, the present invention also supports rehabilitation. For example, the muscles of a person's legs after a fracture can partially ortrophy. In this case, the method according to the invention will help facilitate rehabilitation.

In detail, the method according to the invention comprises two measures a) and b). In a first measure a) at least one measurement parameter characterizing the movement of the wheel is determined by means of the sensor system, while a first of the two pedals is actuated by the lower extremity of the user, which does not have said physical or functional impairment. In a second measure b), the electric actuator is controlled as a function of the determined measurement parameter, while a second of the two pedals is actuated by the lower extremity of the user having said physical or functional impairment. The two measures a) and b) can be executed alternately one after the other iteratively, i.e. several times. By recording the measured variable, it is possible to simulate how the functionally impaired lower extremity would behave if there were no impairment. By controlling the electric drive accordingly, it can compensate for the impairment so that the bicycle moves as if a user without physical impairment in his two lower extremities were exercising on the fitness bike. This provides an improved training effect for a user with a physically or functionally impaired extremity.

In a preferred embodiment, the following are determined in the course of measure a) at least the following three measured variables are determined: Pedal crank angle, pedal torque, cadence. Said measured variables, in particular a combination of two or even all three measured variables, allow the rotational movement of the wheel to be characterized particularly precisely during measure a), which has an advantageous effect on the control of the electric drive in measure b).

Particularly preferably, the at least one measured variable is determined as a function of time in measure a). In this way, temporal changes in the at least one measured variable that occur during the rotation of the wheel or the pedals can also be taken into account for the control of the electric drive.

In an advantageous further development, in which a full rotation of the pedals about a predetermined axis of rotation corresponds to an angle of rotation of <NUM>°, the full rotation is composed of a first and a second partial rotation, each of which corresponds to an angle of rotation of <NUM>°. In this further development, measure a) is executed during the first partial rotation and measure b) during the second partial rotation. The procedure will thus adapt the control of the drive at each individual revolution to the actuation of the two pedals that occurred during the respective revolution.

In a preferred embodiment, in measure b) a drive power provided by the electric drive for driving the wheel is set or/and varied as a function of the at least one measurement parameter. If the user exerts a different amount of torque on the two pedals - due to the impairment of one of the two extremities - this can be compensated for by the drive torque provided by the electric drive during measure b).

According to an advantageous further development of the method according to the invention, a control/regulation device of the fitness bicycle controls the electric drive in such a way that at least one measurement parameter determined in measure a) substantially maintains the parameter value determined in measure a) during measure b).

Particularly expediently, in measure a) the at least one measured parameter can be determined over at least two, preferably from several, partial rotations. The measured data obtained in this way can then be taken into account for the control of the electric drive in measure b).

In another preferred embodiment, the measurement data is evaluated by means of machine learning. Here, the result of the evaluation is taken into account for the control of the electric actuator in measure b). In this way, the provision of additional drive torque by the electric drive can be optimized over time as a function of the amount of pedal actuation performed by the user.

Particularly preferably, machine learning can be performed with the aid of a neural network. This neural network can be implemented in the control system, in particular as a computer program product. In this way, machine learning can be integrated into the control/regulation device and thus into the fitness bicycle in a costeffective manner.

In another preferred embodiment, the result of the evaluation can be stored so that it can or will be taken into account in a subsequent use of the fitness bicycle by the same user.

The invention further relates to a fitness bicycle, in particular an exercise bike. The fitness bicycle according to the invention comprises a wheel which is drivable by means of two pedals of the fitness bicycle. Furthermore, the fitness bicycle comprises an electric drive for driving the fitness bicycle, in particular its wheel. Furthermore, the fitness bicycle comprises a sensor system for determining at least one measurement parameter characterizing the movement of the wheel.

Furthermore, the fitness bicycle comprises a control/regulation device which is set up/programmed for carrying out the method according to the invention presented above. The advantages of the method according to the invention explained above are therefore transferred to the fitness bicycle according to the invention.

Further important features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the sub-claims, from the drawings and from the accompanying figure description based on the drawings.

It is understood that the above-mentioned features and those still to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

Preferred examples of embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference signs refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a fitness bicycle <NUM> according to the invention in the form of an exercise bike. The fitness bicycle <NUM> comprises a body <NUM>, on which a wheel <NUM> is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation D. The wheel <NUM> can be driven by the two lower extremities 21a, 21b - not shown in <FIG>, cf. <FIG> only - of a user <NUM> of the fitness bicycle <NUM> by actuating two pedals 4a, 4b of the fitness bicycle <NUM> which are drivingly connected to the wheel <NUM>. Furthermore, the fitness bicycle <NUM> comprises an electric drive <NUM>, also indicated only schematically in <FIG>, for driving the wheel <NUM> of the fitness bicycle <NUM>.

A sensor system <NUM> arranged on the body <NUM> adjacent to the wheel <NUM> with sensors <NUM> not shown in more detail serves to determine three measured variables which characterize the movement of the wheel <NUM>.

Furthermore, the fitness bicycle <NUM> comprises a control/regulating device <NUM>, which is operatively connected to the sensor system <NUM> or its sensors <NUM>, for controlling the electric drive <NUM>. In addition, the control/regulating device <NUM> is set up and programmed for carrying out the method according to the invention, which will be explained below by way of example using <FIG>.

The method according to the invention serves for operating the fitness bicycle <NUM> by a user <NUM> indicated in <FIG> with a physical impairment in one of his two lower extremities 21a, 21b. Purely by way of example, a first, left lower extremity 21a including the left knee joint 22a of the user <NUM> operating the left pedal 4a does not exhibit any functional or physical impairment. In contrast, a second lower right extremity 21b operating the second pedal 4b is impaired in the right knee joint 22b of the user <NUM>.

The exemplarily explained method comprises two measures a) and b). In a first measure a), three measured variables characterizing the rotational movement of the wheel <NUM> are determined as a function of time by means of the sensor system <NUM> (cf. <FIG>) - purely exemplarily - during the rotational movement of the wheel <NUM>. In the example scenario, the three measured variables pedal crank angle M1, pedal torque M2 and cadence M3 are determined in the course of action with the aid of the sensors <NUM> of the sensor system <NUM>. This is done while a first 4a of the two pedals 4a, 4b is operated by the left lower extremity 21a of the user <NUM>, who has no physical or functional impairment.

In a second measure b), the electric actuator <NUM> is controlled as a function of the determined measured variables M1, M2, M3 (cf. <FIG>), while a second 4b of the two pedals 4a, 4b is actuated by the right lower extremity 21b with the functionally impaired right knee joint 22b of the user <NUM>.

In this regard, the measurement data obtained in measure a) by means of the sensor system <NUM> is taken into account for the control of the electric drive <NUM> in measure b). In particular, a drive power provided by the electric drive <NUM> for driving the wheel <NUM> can be adjusted and, if necessary, varied.

In the example, the control/regulation device <NUM> controls the electric drive <NUM> in such a way that at least one, preferably all, of the measurement parameters determined in measure a) substantially maintains value of the measurement parameter determined in measure a) during measure b). Said measurement data can preferably be evaluated by means of machine learning. The machine learning in turn can be done with the help of a neural network. In this case, the neural network may be integrated as a computer program product in the control/regulation device <NUM> of the fitness bicycle1. The result of said evaluation can be stored in a memory unit <NUM>, for example present in the control/regulation device <NUM>, so that it can be or is taken into account in a subsequent use of the fitness bicycle by the same user <NUM>.

The two measures a) and b) can be executed alternately one after the other iteratively, i.e. several times, over several <NUM>°. By recording said measured variable, it can be simulated, so to speak, how the functionally impaired lower extremity would behave if no impairment were present. By controlling the electric drive accordingly, the impairment can be compensated for by the latter, so that the bicycle moves as if a user without physical impairment in his two lower extremities 21a, 21b were exercising on the fitness bicycle <NUM>. This provides an improved training effect for a user with a physically or functionally impaired extremity.

Claim 1:
Method for operating a fitness bicycle (<NUM>) having a wheel (<NUM>), which bicycle (<NUM>) has an electric drive (<NUM>) and two pedals (4a, 4b) for electrically and mechanically driving the wheel (<NUM>), by a user (<NUM>) with a physical impairment in one of his two lower extremities (21a, 21b),
- according to which, in a measure a), at least one measurement parameter (M1, M2, M3) characterizing the movement of the wheel (<NUM>) is determined by means of a sensor system (<NUM>) while a first (4a) of the two pedals (4a, 4b) is actuated by the lower extremity (21a) of the user (<NUM>) which does not have the physical impairment,
- according to which, in a measure b), the electric drive (<NUM>) is actuated by a control/regulating device (<NUM>) of the fitness bicycle (<NUM>) as a function of the at least one determined measured variable (M1, M2, M3), while a second (4b) of the two pedals (4a, 4b) is actuated by the lower extremity (21b) of the user (<NUM>) which has the physical impairment.