Switching mechanism for a pedal exerciser

Abstract

A pedal exerciser includes a shaft rotatably mounted to a shaft coupling portion of a base. Two pedal rods are mounted on two ends of the shaft. A non-automatic mechanism is mounted to the base and releasably coupled to the shaft. An automatic mechanism is mounted to the base and releasably coupled to the shaft. The automatic mechanism includes a power source. A switching mechanism includes a driving wheel coupled to the shaft. The driving wheel is mounted around the shaft and located between the non-automatic mechanism and the automatic mechanism. The driving wheel is movable between the non-automatic mechanism and the automatic mechanism to control engagement/disengagement of the driving wheel with/from the non-automatic mechanism and the automatic mechanism, allowing switching between a non-automatic mode and an automatic mode.

1 . A pedal exerciser comprising:
 a base including a shaft coupling portion;   a shaft rotatably mounted to the shaft coupling portion and including two ends outside of the base, with two pedal rods mounted on the two ends of the shaft, with the shaft further including an annular toothed portion on an intermediate portion thereof between the two ends of the shaft;   a non-automatic mechanism mounted to the base and releasably coupled to the shaft, with the non-automatic mechanism including a first coupling portion;   an automatic mechanism mounted to the base and releasably coupled to the shaft, with the automatic mechanism including a power source and a second coupling portion; and   a switching mechanism including a driving wheel having a central hole, with the central hole of the driving wheel including a toothed inner periphery meshed with the annular toothed portion of the shaft, with the driving wheel mounted around the shaft and located between the non-automatic mechanism and the automatic mechanism, with the driving wheel further including first and second sides, with a first engagement portion provided on the first side of the driving wheel, with a second engagement portion provided on the second side of the driving wheel, with the driving wheel movable between first and second position between the non-automatic mechanism and the automatic mechanism,   with the driving wheel in the first position, the first engagement portion of the driving wheel engages with the first coupling portion of the non-automatic mechanism, the second engagement portion of the driving wheel disengages from the second coupling portion of the automatic mechanism, and the pedal exerciser is in a non-automatic mode, and   with the driving wheel in the second position, the first engagement portion of the driving wheel disengages from the first coupling portion of the non-automatic mechanism, the second engagement portion of the driving wheel engages with the second coupling portion of the automatic mechanism, the pedal exerciser is in an automatic mode, and the shaft driven by the power source.   
     
     
         2 . The pedal exerciser as claimed in  claim 1 , with the non-automatic mechanism including a first wheel having a through-hole, with the shaft rotatably received in the through-hole of the first wheel, with the first coupling portion provided on a side of the first wheel, with the first coupling portion including a plurality of first coupling holes, with the first engagement portion of the driving wheel of the switching mechanism including a plurality of first pegs releasably engaged with the plurality of first coupling holes. 
     
     
         3 . The pedal exerciser as claimed in  claim 1 , with the driving wheel including a coupling groove in an outer periphery thereof, with the switching mechanism further including an actuation member having an engagement portion engaged in the coupling groove of the driving wheel, with the actuation member actuatable to move the driving wheel along the shaft to cause engagement/disengagement of the first and second engagement portions with/from the first and second coupling portions, with the switching mechanism further including a control device coupled to the actuation member, with the control device operable to actuate the actuation member. 
     
     
         4 . The pedal exerciser as claimed in  claim 1 , with the non-automatic mechanism further including a second wheel, a first belt, and a damping device, with the second wheel rotatably mounted to the base, with the first belt mounted around the first and second wheels, with the second wheel driven by the first wheel via the first belt, with the damping device mounted to the base and including a resistance wheel and a magnetic control seat, with the resistance wheel jointly rotatable with the second wheel, with the magnetic control seat mounted to a side of the resistance wheel, with the magnetic control seat operable to control a resistance of the resistance wheel. 
     
     
         5 . The pedal exerciser as claimed in  claim 4 , with the automatic mechanism including a third wheel driven by the power source, with the third wheel including a through-hole, with the shaft rotatably received in the through-hole of the third wheel, with the second coupling portion provided on the third wheel, with the second coupling portion including a plurality of second coupling holes, with the second coupling portion spaced from the first coupling portion along the rotating axis of the shaft, with the second engagement portion of the driving wheel of the switching mechanism including a plurality of second pegs releasably engaged with the plurality of second coupling holes. 
     
     
         6 . The pedal exerciser as claimed in  claim 5 , with the automatic mechanism further including a fourth wheel and a second belt, with the power source including a motor operable by a controller to drive the fourth wheel, with the second belt mounted around the third and fourth wheels, with the third wheel driven by the fourth wheel via the second belt.