Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RECUMBENT SEAT MECHANISM
FIELD OF THE DESCRIBED MECHANISMS
[0001] The described mechanisms relate generally to exercise
devices, and more particularly to seat mechanisms for use with stationary
exercise bicycles.
BACKGROUND OF THE DESCRIBED MECHANISMS
[0002] Bicycling is recognized by the avid mountain and road
cyclists riding on hilly or mountainous terrain or by the average or "Sunday"
rider as a particularly effective type of aerobic exercise. Also, bicycling
provides a low impact type of exercise which is especially easy on the knees
and feet. As a result, stationary exercise bicycles facilitating this type of
exercise are popular for both home and health club use.
[0003] Seat adjustment capability is also desirable in recumbent
type exercise bicycles. Typically, adjustment mechanisms on these types of
machines permit the seat to move horizontally or at an angle with the horizon
to accommodate users of different heights. As an example, Life Fitness, a
division of Brunswick Corporation provides a recumbent exercise machine
having a seat mounted for movement along a track where a handle attached
to a spring loaded pin on one side of the seat is used in combination with a
rack bolted to the side of the track to hold the seat in place.
SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION
[0004] Described is a mechanism utilizing a release handle along
with a latch mechanism that can allow for positional adjustments to a
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recumbent type stationary exercise bicycle seat in order to provide users with
a
convenient method of selecting a variety of seat positions.
[0004A] Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention resides in a seat
mechanism for use on a stationary recumbent exercise bicycle having a frame
comprising; a generally horizontal carriage support member, having a
substantially
annular cross section with an inner and an outer surface, secured to the
frame; a seat
support frame; a carriage secured to said seat support frame and adapted for
longitudinal movement along said carriage support member; a release handle
secured to said carriage; a latch mechanism, having a portion located within
said
carriage support member, secured to said carriage and operatively connected to
said
release handle effective to selectively position said carriage on said
carriage support
member; and a carriage housing enclosing substantially all of said latch
mechanism.
[0004B] In another aspect, the present invention resides in a seat
mechanism for use on a stationary recumbent exercise bicycle having a frame
comprising; a generally horizontal carriage support member, having a
substantially
annular cross section with an inner and an outer surface, secured to the
frame; a rack
secured to said inner surface of said carriage support member; a seat support
frame;
a carriage secured to said seat support frame and adapted for longitudinal
movement
along said carriage support member; a latch mechanism secured to said carriage
effective to selectively engage said rack; and a release handle secured to
said carriage
and operatively connected to said latch mechanism effective to disengage said
latch
mechanism from said rack.
[0004C] In yet a further aspect, the present invention resides in a seat
mechanism for use on a stationary recumbent exercise bicycle having a frame
comprising; a generally horizontal carriage support member, having a
substantially
annular cross section with an inner and an outer surface and configured with a
slot
extending through and substantially along the length of a bottom portion of
said
carriage support member, secured to the frame; a seat support frame; a
carriage
secured to said seat support frame via said slot and adapted for longitudinal
movement within said carriage support member; a latch mechanism, located
within
said carriage support member, secured to said carriage effective to
selectively engage
said inner surface of said carriage support member; and a release handle
secured to
said support frame and operatively connected to said latch mechanism via said
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slot effective to disengage said latch mechanism from said carriage support
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a representative recumbent
exercise
bicycle apparatus;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a left perspective view of a seat mechanism for use
with
the recumbent apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 is left perspective view of certain components of the
seat
mechanism of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 4 is right perspective view of latch mechanism components
of
the seat mechanism of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIGS. SA and 5B are right expanded views illustrating the
operation
of latch mechanism of FIG. 4;
[0010] FIG. 6 is front perspective view of a portion of a carriage
assembly
for use with the seat mechanism of FIG. 2; and
[0011] FIG. 7 is partial sectional back view illustrating a carriage
support
arrangement portion of the seat mechanism taken along a section line 7-7 of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MECHANISMS
[0012] FIG. 1 depicts a representative recumbent type exercise bicycle
400 with typical recumbent components indicated in dashed line that
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include, for example, a frame 412 having a central support member 414, a
control panel 416, a drive assembly generally indicated at 418, a handgrip
420, a seat support frame 422 for supporting a seat (not shown) and a back
rest support frame 424 for supporting a back rest (not shown). Also shown in
FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment of an adjustable seat mechanism as
indicated within the line 426. The seat mechanism 426 includes: a carriage
support member 428 mounted on the frame 412 on top of the central support
member 414, a cross section of which is depicted in FIG. 26; a carriage
housing 430 attached to the seat support frame 424; a pair of support
brackets 432 and 434 encompassing the carriage support member 428 and
attached to each end of the carriage housing 430; and a latch release handle
436.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows in some more detail the outer portions of the
seat mechanism 426 without the carriage housing 430. In this embodiment,
the seat support frame 422 includes a pair of longitudinal members 438 and
440 to which the seat can be attached and a pair of lateral members 442 and
444 secured to the longitudinal members 438 and 440 as well as to the
backrest support frame 424.
[0014] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 except that the carriage support
member 428 has been removed showing details of some of the inner portions
of the seat mechanism 426. Included is a rack 446 configured with a number
of teeth 448 and secured to an upper inner surface 450 of the carriage
support member 428 as illustrated in FIG. 7. A carriage 452 having a set of
eight wheels 454-468 mounted for rotation on four axels 470-476 that are
secured to the carriage 452. Also attached to the carriage 452 is a latch
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mechanism indicated at 478 that includes a pawl 480 having, in this
embodiment, a pair of end projections 482 and 484 configured to engage the
448 in the rack 446.
[0015] With reference to FIG. 4, which a sectioned right view of the
latch mechanism 478 with the carriage 452 removed, the pawl 480 is pivotally
attached to the carriage 452 by a shaft 486. Operatively engaged with the
pawl 480 is a pawl retaining member 488 that is pivotally attached to the
carriage 452 by a shaft or axel 490. Pivotally connected at a point 492 to a
lower extension 494 of the pawl retaining member 488 is a cable 496 that
runs through a tube 498 to a connection point 500 on a tab 502 that forms
part of the release handle 436. The release handle 436 is rotationally
attached to the carriage housing 430 via a bracket structure 504 at a pivot
point 506.
[0016] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the operation of the latch
mechanism 478. Normally the handle 436 will be in a lowered state as shown
in FIG. 24A with the pawl 480 fully engaged with two of the teeth 448 on the
rack 446. A biasing force tending to maintain the pawl 480 with the teeth 448
is provided by a torsion spring 508 and the pawl retaining member 488, which
is biased upward by another torsion spring 510 provides a wedging force on
the pawl 480 to aid in maintaining the pawl 480 engaged with the rack 446.
This will prevent the carriage 452 and hence the seat from moving
longitudinally along the carriage support member 428. As shown in FIG. 5B,
an upward pull on the handle 436 by a user will be transmitted by the cable
496 to the pawl retaining member 488 causing it to rotate downwardly. As the
pawl retaining member rotates a boss indicated by 512 on the retaining
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member 488 will also cause the pawl 480 in turn to rotate downwardly and
disengage from the rack 446. At this point the carriage 452 is free to roll
along the carriage support member 428 on the wheels 454-466 so as to allow
the user to move the seat to a desired position. Releasing the handle 436 will
result in the springs 508 and 510 causing the pawl 480 to lock the carriage
452 and hence the seat in place.
[0017] FIG. 6 depicts portions of the carriage 452 and the latch
mechanism 478. In particular, FIG. 6 illustrates that the four center wheels
456, 458, 464 and 466 are raised in comparison with the four end wheels 454,
460, 462 and 468. Also, FIG. 6 shows that the outer surfaces of the first
wheel 454 and the last wheel 460 on the left side of the carriage 452 are
configure in a v-shape as indicated at 514 and 516. The remaining wheels
456, 458, 464 and 466 have flat outer surfaces as indicated at 518-528.
[0018] FIG. 7 provides a rear cross sectional view of the carriage
support member 428. The carriage support member 428 is configured with a
pair of upper tracks 530 and 532 having planar surfaces that provide a riding
surface for the upper or middle wheels 456, 458, 464 and 466. On the lower
left side, the carriage support member 428 is configured with a grooved track
that provides a riding surface for the wheels 454 and 460 having the v-shaped
outer surfaces 514 and 516. A track 538 having a planar surface that
provides a riding surface for the lower wheels 462 and 468 is configured on
lower right side of the carriage support member 428.
[0019] Also shown in FIG. 7 is the carriage housing 430 that
encompasses the carriage support member 428. The carriage housing 430 is
secured to a lower portion 540 of the carriage 452 by a set of fasteners,
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indicated at 542 that extend through a pair of brackets 544 and 546 integrated
with the housing 430. The lower portion 540 of the carriage also extends
through a slot, indicated by 548, configured in the bottom of the carriage
support member 428 that extends along the length of the member 428. As a
result the housing 430 can move along the carriage support member 428 with
the carriage 452.
[0020] The preferred embodiment of the recumbent seat
mechanism 426 as described above has a number of advantages. For
example, the adjustable seat mechanism 426 encloses substantially all of its
operating components within the carriage support member 428 and the
carriage housing 430 thus reducing potential user interference. Also, the
mechanical arrangement of the mechanism 426 permits the location of the
release handle 436 forward and just below the seat, which is particularly
convenient for users
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