Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/IL2006/001399, International Filing Date Dec. 5, 2006, entitled “Collapsible Training Device and Method” published on Jun. 14, 2007 as International Publication Number WO 2007/066330, claiming priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No., 60/748,151, filed Dec. 8, 2005, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Nowadays indoor training devices, such as a spinning device, a treadmill training device and the like, suffer of some drawbacks the most disturbing of them in the daily routine of a user is the space they require in the home or the office where they are installed. An invention that allow for reducing of the space required for such training device when not in use is therefore of great importance. 

   
     SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a training device in its open position, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a training device in its collapsed position, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of a training device in its open position, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a training device in its collapsed position, according to some embodiments of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a training device in a stowed away position, according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
   

   It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Indoor training devices of the known art, such as a spinning device, require a considerable space for installation. While in use the space required for the device is unavoidable, the same space, when the device is not in use, is a nuisance, that disturb the user and other people who use that space and may even cause a potential user to refrain from installing such training device or remove pone that has already been installed. 
   The present invention discloses devices and methods for solving this problem, as well as other aspects, such as aesthetic aspects. Attention is made to  FIG. 1 , which is a schematic illustration of a collapsible training device  10  in its open position, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Collapsible training device  10  may comprise a collapsible main frame  12  comprising frame sub-units  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  and  12   d,  a pedal mechanism  14 , a driving chain  16 , a driving gear  18 , a flywheel  20  and a seat  22 . Collapsible  12  may comprise 3 or more sub-units. In the example depicted in  FIG. 1  collapsible frame  12  comprises of a top sub-unit  12   a,  a back sub-unit  12   b,  a bottom sub-unit  12   c  and a front sub-unit  12   d.  The four sub-units  12   a - 12   d  are pivotally connected to construct a collapsible parallelogram frame in which sub-units  12   a  and  12   c  are substantially parallel to each other and sub-units  12   b  and  12   d  are substantially parallel to each other. Accordingly, the angle between each consecutive pair of sub-units of frame  12  may be changed. When frame  12  is in its fully unfolded position that angle is substantially a right angle, but these angles of the unfolded position may be set to a different set of angles as desired. When in unfolded position sub-units  12   b  and  12   d  may further function as supporting legs for device  10 . Further, sub-unit  12   b  may further be used to affix device  10  a stabilizing steady part, such as a wall of a room (not shown) or the like. Front sub-unit may be used, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , for the installation of the user&#39;s handles. Top sub-unit  12   a  may also be used for supporting user&#39;s seat  22 . Bottom sub-unit  12   c  may be used for supporting the pedal mechanism  14 . Back sub-unit  12   b  may also be used to support driving gear  18  and flywheel  20  which may be installed with its turning axis substantially parallel to sub-units  12   a  and  12   c  when device  10  is in its unfolded position, thus allowing installation close to sub-unit  12   b  and minimal protruding when device  10  is in stowed away position. According to some embodiments of the invention the axis of the driven toothed wheel  24  in driving gear  18  may serve as the pivotal connection between sub-units  12   b  and  12   c.    
   Attention is made now to  FIG. 2 , which is a schematic illustration of a training device  10  in its collapsed position, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Based on the collapsible parallelogram construction of frame  12 , when device  10  is collapsed to its up-right position, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , its size may be minimized, and if it is installed next to a wall, it may then be collapsed to a small up-right collapsed frame by the wall thus leaving most of its formerly occupied space free. 
   Attention is made now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are a schematic illustration of a training device  20  in its open position and a schematic illustration of that training device in its collapsed position, respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3 and 4  the mechanism of driving flywheel  20  comprises a worm gear rotatable by pedal mechanism  14 , a drive shaft  32  and a friction wheel  34 . While in the depicted example of device  20  the method of driving the flywheel is different from that of device  10 , aspects of the present invention addressing device and method for a collapsible training device are kept in both examples. It should be noted that either the driving mechanism of  FIGS. 1 and 2  or that of  FIGS. 3 and 4  the folding of frame  12  to a fully collapsed position or opening frame  12  to a fully opened working position are possible without any obstruction. In the driving mechanism embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  driven toothed wheel  24  and driving gear  18  may have their input axis coaxial with the corresponding pivot joining frame members  12   b  and  12   c  and thus allowing free opening or collapsing of frame  12 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3 and 4  friction wheel  34  is placed so that when frame  12  is closed to a collapsed position it departs from flywheel  20  and when frame  12  is opened to an open working position friction wheel  34  engages flywheel  20  to a rotatable coupling. Attention is made now to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic illustration of a training device  10 ,  20  in a stowed away position, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In cases where not only saving of space of device  10 ,  20  when not in use is important but also the aesthetic aspect, device  10 ,  20  may be stowed away in a cabinet  50  built with front openings, such as doors  52 , to allow easy pulling out or stowing way of device  10 ,  20  as required.

Technology Category: 4