Damping device for a stationary bicycle

Abstract

A damping device for a stationary bicycle has a main wheel defining a side-opening chamber. The main wheel has a magnetic layer mounted thereon. Multiple clamping wheels are received in the side-opening chamber and sandwich a sleeve securely mounted on the main wheel. The clamping wheels are respectively connected to a driving disk. The driving disk is securely connected with a shaft. At least one damping member having at least one magnetic member is pivotally connected inside the side-opening chamber so as to generate magnetic force with the magnetic layer of the main wheel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A damping device for a stationary bicycle, the damping device comprising: 
 a main wheel having a disk portion and a wall extending from a circumference defining the disk portion, the disk portion and the wall defining a side-opening chamber, a sleeve securely mounted on the disk portion, and a magnetic layer mounted on an inner surface of the wall;    multiple clamping wheels received in the side-opening chamber and firmly sandwiching the sleeve between the multiple clamping wheels so as to drive the main wheel;    a driving wheel received in the side-opening chamber and having multiple driving shafts extending through the driving wheel, each one of the driving shafts having a connecting end and a head end, the connecting end securely connected to the clamping wheel, and the driving wheel further having a tube centrally formed on the driving wheel;    an inner disk securely mounted in the side-opening chamber and having an annular flange and a shaft hole centrally defined through the inner disk, the head ends of the driving shafts firmly engaged with the flange so that when the driving wheel rotates, the flange provides reaction forces to the driving shafts to drive the clamping wheels to rotate;    a controlling ring positioned in the side-opening chamber and pivotally mounted on the inner disk;    a wire connected to the controlling ring so as to pivot the controlling ring;    a spring connected to the controlling ring and an immovable point of the damping device so as to provide return force when the controlling ring is pivoted by the wire;    at least one damping member positioned in the side opening chamber, the at least one damping member having an end pivotally connected with the inner disk and an opposed end connected to the controlling ring so as to control the pivotal movement of the at least one damping member, the at least one damping member further having at least one magnetic member to generate magnetic force with the magnetic layer of the main wheel;    a shaft extending through the shaft hole defined in the inner disk, the tube of the driving wheel, the sleeve of the main wheel, wherein the tube is securely connected with the shaft; and    two pedals respectively connected to opposite ends of the shaft for a user to step on to drive the shaft,    whereby the user steps on the two pedals to drive the main wheel, and the magnetic force generated by the magnetic layer and the magnetic member provides a damping resistance to the rotation of the main wheel so as to exercise the user's leg, and also the damping resistance is able to be adjusted by pulling or releasing the wire to suit requirements of different users.    
     
     
         2 . The damping device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controlling ring further has at least one sliding slot defined in the controlling ring, and the opposite end of the at least one damping member further has a leg extending from the at least one damping member, a protuberant is formed at a distal end of the leg and slidingly received in the at least one sliding slot so as to control the pivotal movement of the at least one damping member.  
     
     
         3 . The damping device as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a cover disk securely mounted to the main wheel opposed to the disk portion of the main wheel so as to cover the side-opening chamber defined in the main wheel.  
     
     
         4 . The damping device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the cover disk further has a communicating slot defined therethrough to allow the wire to extend into the side opening-chamber defined in the main wheel via the communicating slot.  
     
     
         5 . The damping device as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising two retaining plates, one of the retaining plates being securely mounted on an outer surface of the cover plate and adapted to securely connect to the stationary bicycle, and the other one of the retaining plates being securely mounted on an outer surface of the disk portion of the main wheel and adapted to securely connect to the stationary bicycle so as to securely connect the damping device to the stationary bicycle.  
     
     
         6 . The damping device as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising two retaining plates, one of the retaining plates being securely mounted on an outer surface of the cover plate and adapted to securely connect to the stationary bicycle, and the other one of the retaining plates being securely mounted on an outer surface of the disk portion of the main wheel and adapted to securely connect to the stationary bicycle so as to securely connect the damping device to the stationary bicycle.