Apparatus for cooling an exerciser while using a stationary exercise device

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed that cools an individual on an exercise device by supplying a cooling fluid such as cool air or cool water to an applicator at least attached to the exercise device, and by bringing the cooling fluid into cooling contact with the individual. The fluid source can include a cooler, and/or a drier, can supply fluid from a colder and/or drier region, can be attached to the exercise device, and/or can supply multiple exercise devices. Some cooling air embodiments supply dry air or air with mist, provide a flow directed onto the individual, and/or control and/or allow the individual to control the direction, speed, flow rate, divergence, volume, and/or temperature of the air. Other embodiments cool by direct conductive cooling through a seat, backrest, handgrip, etc or indirectly by conductive cooling of air. Some embodiments can also warm the individual in a similar manner using warming fluid.

1 . An apparatus for cooling an individual while using a stationary exercise device, the apparatus comprising:
 a cooling fluid source capable of supplying a flow of cooling fluid to the stationary exercise device, the cooling fluid having a cooling ability that exceeds the cooling ability of the ambient air surrounding the stationary exercise device; and   a cooling fluid applicator at least attached to the stationary exercise device, connected to the cooling fluid source, and capable of bringing the cooling fluid into cooling contact with the individual.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source includes a cooler that is able to cool the cooling fluid before supplying it to the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is a cooling air source that supplies cooling air, and the cooling air source includes a dehumidifier that is able to dry the cooling air before supplying it to the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is a cooling air source, and the cooling air source includes a misting device that is able to add water droplets to the cooling air before supplying the cooling air to the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid applicator is part of the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is a source of cooling air, and wherein the cooling fluid applicator is a cooling air blower that is able to direct a flow of cooling air onto the individual. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the source of cooling air supplies cooling air that is at least one of cooler and drier than the ambient air surrounding the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the source of cooling air provides air to the stationary exercise device from a region where the ambient air is at least one of cooler and drier than the ambient air surrounding the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the cooling air blower is able to direct a flow of cooling air toward the individual from at least one of the front of the individual, the back of the individual, the side of the individual, above the individual, and below the individual. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller capable of controlling at least one aspect of the cooling air from the cooling air blower, the aspects including:
 direction of flow;   speed of flow;   rate of divergence;   volume of flow;   temperature and   quantity of cooling mist.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the controller enables the individual to control at least one aspect of the cooling air from the cooling air blower. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller includes at least one of a fan, an electrostatic air mover, a directable vent, a louvered vent, and other air movement and directing devices. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is at least attached to the stationary exercise device. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is not attached to the stationary exercise device and is connected to the cooling fluid applicator at least partly by a cooling fluid conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid source is able to supply cooling fluid to a plurality of stationary exercise devices. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid applicator is able to bring the cooling fluid into thermal contact with the individual by conduction. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the conduction is through at least one of a seat on which the individual sits, a backrest against which the individual places his back, hand grips that are grasped by the individual, and other surfaces that come into conductive thermal contact with the individual. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid applicator is able to bring the cooling fluid into thermal contact with the individual by cooling a surface with the fluid, cooling air by bringing it into contact with the surface, and then bringing the cooled air into thermal contact with the individual. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is also able to warm an individual while using a stationary exercise device, the apparatus further comprising a warming fluid source capable of supplying warming fluid to the stationary exercise device and a warming fluid applicator at least attached to the stationary exercise device, connected to the warming fluid source, and capable of bringing the warming fluid into warming contact with the individual.