Stationary exercise device

Abstract

A stationary exercise device with a driving assembly with a driving wheel rotating around a driving axle, a first and a second crank each connected to the driving wheel and two pedals, each connected to one of the cranks, a flywheel connected to the driving assembly by at least one gear mechanism, a brake assembly for applying a braking force to the flywheel, at least one measuring device for measuring the position of the first and second crank is provided. A detection device detects several time intervals, in each of which the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle, the detection device further detects time differences between at least two of the time intervals. A control device determines, through dependence of the time differences between at least two of the time intervals, a torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A stationary exercise device, comprising:
 a driving assembly with a driving wheel rotating around a driving axle, a first and a second crank each connected to the driving wheel and two pedals, each connected to one of the cranks,   a flywheel connected to the driving assembly by at least one gear mechanism,   a brake assembly for applying a braking force to the flywheel,   at least one measuring device for measuring the position of the first and second crank,   wherein,   a detection device detects several time intervals, in each of which the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle, said detection device further detects time differences between at least two of the time intervals,   wherein a control device determines, through dependence of the time differences between at least two of the time intervals, a torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel.   
     
     
         17 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 16 , wherein the control device correlates the determined torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel to the first or second crank dependent on the position of the first and second crank. 
     
     
         18 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 17 , wherein a display is provided, on which the torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the first crank and the torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the second wheel is shown, so that the difference between the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the first crank and the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the second crank can be seen. 
     
     
         19 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 17 , wherein the control device determines the percentage of the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the first crank related to total torque at the driving wheel and/or the percentage of the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the second crank related to total torque at the driving wheel. 
     
     
         20 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 16 , wherein the brake assembly comprises a generator for electrical power generation and an eddy current magnetic resistance. 
     
     
         21 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 20 , wherein the generator produces a current, which is used to detect the time intervals, in each of which the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle. 
     
     
         22 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 20 , wherein the generator uses magnets and a set of coils to produces a n-phase AC power, wherein the detection device detects the zero crossing of each of the phases, so that time intervals between the zero crossing can be determined, in each of which the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle. 
     
     
         23 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 22 , wherein the detection device produces a rectangular wave when the zero crossing of one of the phases is detected and wherein the detection device captures the time of the rising and/or falling edge of each pulse in order to determine the time intervals between the edges of each pulse. 
     
     
         24 . The stationary exercise device according to  claim 16 , wherein the control device presets the torque of the brake assembly, wherein the torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel is determined dependent from the the time intervals, the time differences between at least two of the time intervals and the torque of the brake assembly. 
     
     
         25 . A method for measuring a torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel of an exercise device comprising a driving assembly with a driving wheel rotating around a driving axle, a first and a second crank each connected to the driving wheel and two pedals, each connected to one of the cranks, a flywheel connected to the driving assembly by at least one gear mechanism, a brake assembly for applying a braking force to the flywheel and at least one measuring device for measuring the position of the first and second crank, the method comprises the steps of:
 detecting several time intervals by a detection device, in each of said time intervals the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle, wherein further the time differences between at least two of the time intervals are determined,   determining in dependence of the time differences between at least two of the time intervals a torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the determined torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel is correlated to the first or second crank dependent on the position of the first and second crank. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the first crank and the torque at the driving wheel or the value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the second wheel are shown on a display, so that the difference between the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the first crank and the torque at the driving wheel correlated with the second wheel can be seen. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the brake assembly comprises a generator which produces a n-phase AC power, wherein the zero crossing of each of the phases is detected, so that the time intervals between the zero crossing can be determined, in each of which the flywheel is displaced a predetermined angle. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein a rectangular wave is produced when the zero crossing of one of the phases is detected and wherein the time of the rising edge of each pulse is captured in order to determine the time intervals between the edges of each pulse. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the torque of the brake assembly is preset and wherein the torque at the driving wheel or a value dependent on the torque at the driving wheel is determined from the time differences between at least two of the time intervals and the torque of the brake assembly.