Foot controlled rolling ball signal generator

Abstract

A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball to operate a main unit, a display device, or to be used as a foot exerciser or for entertaining purpose.

1 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball to operate a main unit, a display device, or to be used as a foot exerciser or for entertaining purpose, essentially comprised of: 
 a housing  100 : made of plastic, metal or wood or other selected material, including a ball holder  101  to couple a rolling ball  102 ; one or more than one segmental structure on the edge of the ball holder  101  to secure and restrict the segmental structure  103 ; and a selected number of low friction bearing, roller or needle structure at selected locations on the ball holder  101  to support the rolling ball  102  with low friction; the housing  100  being supported by multiples of foot in stationary model or each of those feet being provided with a roller and a braking device for mobile model;    a power supply  104 : comprised of a DC source converted from city power, a rechargeable battery, a super capacitor, or other storage device to supply power;    a rolling ball  102 : made of selected material in a full or approximately spherical shape to be coupled to a spherical ball holder  101  of the housing  100  subject to operation by foot; a coupling mechanism for the roller ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  allowing to be removed or installed as desire, or being provided with an optional ring or a protruding bit to prevent falling of the rolling ball  102 ;    a detection  105 : operating by means of optical-electric or electromagnetic induction or static induction or conduction contact means to directly detect the motion status of the rolling ball  102 ; or being driven indirectly by the rolling ball  102  through a transmission system to detect direction and momentum of the rolling ball  102 ; or as required, the detection  105  being capable of indicating rolling speed to control a main unit  106  or a display  107 ;    an auxiliary pedal controller  108 : comprised of a mechano-electronic or solid-state electronic switching device; one or more than one unit of the auxiliary pedal controller  108  being incorporated to the housing  100  or independently provided for helping operation of kicking or stepping by the foot; further provided with a function of pressure detection to be adapted to the main unit  106  or the display  107  for relative control of the operation of the main unit  106  or the display  107 ;    a main unit  106 : an optional unit, comprised of a mechano-electronic or a solid state electronic device, or a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits depending on the application; furthermore, a conductor, infrared, a RF electromagnetic wave, or ultrasonic equipment being provided to execute one-way or two-way wired or wireless transmission with the detection  105 , the auxiliary pedal controller  108 , and an active propelling device  109  for relative signal process based on operation signals from the rolling ball  102  and the auxiliary pedal controller  108 , and for driving outputs to the display  107  or other devices;    the display  107 : also an optional device comprised of a mechano-electronic device, a solid-state electronic device, or a video CRT, multi-point LED, or OLED combination, PLED, PDP, LCD, TNLCD, PLED, bulb, or other device converting electric power into optical energy to display graphics, text, indication, and alarm; and to execute one-way or two-way wired transmission by means of conductor or wireless transmission by infrared or RF electromagnetic wave or ultrasonic device with the main unit  106 ; and    the active propelling device  109 : also an optional device, driven by electromagnetic effect, air pressure, oil hydraulic means, manual, or other sources to actively provide for the rolling ball  102  programmable, cyclic, irregular propelling or flapping in a same director or various directions at identical or various forces, or to drive the rolling ball  102  for displacement of other status to change the spacing between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  and to transmit signals to the main unit  106  by means of a flat detection  110 .    
     
     
         2 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, the coupling plane between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  is equivalent to, smaller than or slightly larger than a semi-sphere; or alternatively, between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  a segmental structure  103  is provided on the side closer to where operation takes place to facilitate manipulation of the rolling ball  102  by foot.  
     
     
         3 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , a floating structure by magnetism is provided between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  for indicating substantially absence of friction; alternatively, a pressurized gas using an air pump provided between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100  is jetted from an outlet provided at a selected position on the ball holder  101  to float the rolling ball  102 , thus to reduce the friction between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101  of the housing  100 .  
     
     
         4 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, a hand rest is added to help operation in standing position and a portion of the preferred embodiment of the present invention between the hand rest  111  and the housing  100  is made foldable, KD type, or integrated.  
     
     
         5 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, the size of the rolling ball is selectable by providing one or more than one unit of auxiliary pedal controller  108  on a platform of the housing  100  so to allow the rolling ball to be operated by one foot or by both feet of one or more than one users.  
     
     
         6 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, as required, either of the main unit  106  or the display  107  is or both are provided, and either separately or integrated with the housing  100 .  
     
     
         7 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, one or more than one active propelling device  109  and one or more than one flat detection  110  are provided between the rolling ball  102  and the ball holder  101 .  
     
     
         8 . A signal generator of foot controlled rolling ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, the detection  105  of the manipulation means comprised of the foot controlled rolling ball  102 , the detection  105  and the active propelling device  109  is replaced by the flat detection  110  to detect foot operation status by means of an optical-electric, electromagnetic, ultrasonic or mechano-electronic switch and to send signals to the main unit  106  where comparison is made depending on the preset comparison programs to generate relative signals for outputting to the display  107  or other interface device.