Resistance adjustment device of exercise apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12558584-B2
Application number	US-202318219696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2023
Priority date	Jul 9, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A resistance adjustment device of an exercise apparatus include a metal disc that can be driven by movement of a user, a bracket that can be controlled by the user and at least one magnet disposed on the bracket. The magnet can be movable along an adjustment path to approach or move away from a rotation axis of the metal disc so as to increase or decrease a projection area of the magnet on the metal disc for adjusting rotational resistance of the metal disc. The magnet has an irregular quadrilateral cross section gradually widening from a front side closer to the rotation axis to a rear side farther away from the rotation axis, so that during the period of the magnet moving along the adjustment path to approach the rotation axis at a constant speed, the increase rate of the projection area will be gradually accelerated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A resistance adjustment device of an exercise apparatus, comprising:
a frame; a metal disc pivotally mounted on the frame about a rotation axis, and movement of a user of the exercise apparatus causing rotation of the metal disc, the metal disc defining an outer edge; a bracket movably mounted on the frame; and at least one magnet disposed on the bracket, the at least one magnet having a non-circular cross section defining a first edge and a second edge, both the first edge and the second edge having a front end and a rear end, the two front ends being located at the same side and separated by a first distance, the two rear ends being located at the other side and separated by a second distance greater than the first distance, the cross section of the at least one magnet having a width between the first edge and the second edge, the width of the at least one magnet being gradually enlarged from a front side where the two front ends are located to a rear side where the two rear ends are located, wherein the at least one magnet being movable along an adjustment path across the outer edge of the metal disc to approach or move away, from the rotation axis along with movement of the bracket so as to increase or decrease an overlapping area of the at least one magnet and the metal disc; wherein when the at least one magnet is located at a first end of the adjustment path, the overlapping area is at a minimum value within an adjustable range, and when the at least one magnet is located at a second end of the adjustment path, the overlapping area is at a maximum value within the adjustable range.

2 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bracket is pivotally mounted on the frame about a swing axis parallel to the rotation axis, and wherein the orientation between the first edge and the second edge of the cross section of the at least one magnet corresponds to the orientation between the at least one magnet and the swing axis.

3 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first edge of the cross section of the at least one magnet is closer to the swing axis than the second edge, and the length of the second edge is greater than the length of the first edge.

4 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the cross section of the at least one magnet further has a short edge and a long edge opposite to each other, the short edge connecting the front ends of the first edge and the second edge, the long edge connecting the rear ends of the first edge and the second edge; wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the short edge of the cross section approaches or overlaps the outer edge of the metal disc; and wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, the long edge of the cross section approaches or overlaps the outer edge of the metal disc.

5 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, at least one of the first edge and the second edge of the cross section of the at least one magnet intersects the outer edge of the metal disc.

6 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein during a period of the at least one magnet moving along the adjustment path from the first end to the second end, the overlapping area increases at least 5% to 95% of a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value, and both the first edge and the second edge of the at least one magnet are kept passing through the outer edge of the metal disc at the same time.

7 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first edge and the second edge are two non-parallel straight lines.

8 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the at least one magnet further has a short edge which connects the front ends of the first edge and the second edge, and wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, the short edge of the cross section approaches or overlaps the outer edge of the metal disc.

9 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the at least one magnet further has a long edge which connects the rear ends of the first edge and the second edge, and wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the second end of the adjustment path, the long edge of the cross section approaches or overlaps the outer edge of the metal disc.

10 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet includes two opposite magnets located at two opposite sides of the metal disc; each magnet of the two opposite magnets has an inner side with a shape corresponding to the cross section; the inner side of each of the magnets is parallel to the corresponding side of the metal disc and spaced apart by a distance; and axial projections of the two opposite magnets on the metal disc are overlapped with each other.

11 . A resistance adjustment device of an exercise apparatus, comprising:
a frame; a metal disc pivotally mounted on the frame about a rotation axis, and movement of a user of the exercise apparatus causing rotation of the metal disc, the metal disc defining an outer edge; a bracket movably mounted on the frame; and at least one magnet disposed on the bracket, the at least one magnet having a non-circular cross section, the at least one magnet being movable along an adjustment path across the outer edge of the metal disc to approach or move away from the rotation axis along with movement of the bracket so as to increase or decrease a projection area of the at least one magnet on the metal disc for increasing or decreasing resistance applied to the metal disc, the cross section of the at least one magnet gradually widening from a front side closer to the rotation axis of the metal disc to a rear side farther away from the rotation axis of the metal disc; wherein when the at least one magnet is operable to move from a first end to a second end of the adjustment path, the projection area is increased from a minimum value to a maximum value, and the resistance applied to the metal disc is increased from a minimum resistance to a maximum resistance.

12 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the cross section of the at least one magnet is a quadrilateral which defines a first edge at a top side, a second edge at a bottom side, a short edge at the front side, and a long edge at the rear side, and wherein the first edge and the second edge are opposite but not parallel to each other.

13 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the first end of the adjustment path, at least one of the first edge and the second edge of the cross section of the at least one magnet intersects the outer edge of the metal disc.

14 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein when the at least one magnet moves along the adjustment path from the first end to the second end, the projection area increases at least 5% to 95% of a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value, and both the first edge and the second edge of the at least one magnet are kept passing through the outer edge of the metal disc at the same time.

15 . The resistance adjustment device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein when the at least one magnet is located at the first end of the a

Assignees

• Johnson Health Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kannel Mark

Classifications

• A63B22/0605

  performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers · CPC title

• A63B21/00192 Primary

  using resistance provided by magnetic means (A63B21/005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2225/09

  Adjustable dimensions · CPC title

• A63B21/225 Primary

  with flywheels · CPC title

• A63B21/00069

  Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve · CPC title