WO2014076212A2

WO2014076212A2 - Aqua bike crankset

Info

Publication number: WO2014076212A2
Application number: PCT/EP2013/073885
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hermann Burel
Original assignee: Societe Industrielle Radio Electrique Et Mecanique ''sirem''
Priority date: 2012-11-15
Filing date: 2013-11-14
Publication date: 2014-05-22
Also published as: WO2014076212A3; FR2998021A1; HK1197658A1; EP2732853B1; EP2732853A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake system (14) for an aqua bike, having a fixed holder (16) intended to be secured to the frame (2, 6) of the aqua bike and a friction member (17) that is carried by the fixed holder (16), being able to move with respect to this fixed holder (16), this friction member (17) being intended to bear against a rotary plate (8) driven by the crankset (7) in order to brake the latter by exerting a pressing force on this plate (8), and also actuating means for exerting an adjustable force, corresponding to the pressing force, on the friction member (17). The actuating means comprise a hydraulic cylinder intended to be supplied by a hydraulic circuit of the aqua bike, in order to adjust the braking force by acting on the hydraulic circuit. The holder (16) is in the form of a casing that has an open face through which the friction member (17) is fitted in a sliding manner, and this holder (16) comprises an opening (18) for connecting to a hydraulic supply, in order to introduce water into a chamber (22) delimited by this casing (16) and the friction member (17) that together form the hydraulic cylinder.

Description

Aquatic bike crankset

The invention relates to an apparatus of the aquatic bike type, comprising a bathtub enclosing a seat and a pedal and water jets, and in which the user settles to pedal with his legs immersed and massaged by the jets d 'water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such an installation allows the user to practice physical effort without supporting the weight of his body while being massaged by the water jets. It typically comprises a bathtub or tub equipped with nozzles on its inner face, surrounding a central structure carrying a pedal and a seat, these nozzles being directed towards the center of the tub to generate jets of water massaging the user's legs. .

In practice, the user first installs on the central structure by sitting on the seat while placing his feet on the pedals, before engaging the filling of the tub and the activation of the jets of water to start your exercise session.

For this purpose, the pedal is equipped with a braking system for the user to pedal against a resistant torque that is adjustable, in the same way as in the case of a exercise bike.

In use, the components of the adjustable brake that equip the crankset deteriorate fairly quickly, because they bathe almost continuously in the water, as well as their control means.

Furthermore, FR-A-1,584,106 discloses an aquatic bicycle comprising a seat, a handlebar and a pedalboard immersed in a water basin. The pedal has a wheel that is rotated during pedaling and can be braked by a brake pad. The pad is actuated by a jack to abut against the wheel of the pedal so as to cause, by friction, braking of the wheel. The braking force applied by the pad on the wheel can be adjusted by the user by manipulating a lever. This mode of adjustment is not very ergonomic because the user must manipulate the lever by pedaling. Furthermore, US-A-5,267,925 discloses a weight machine that trains to pedaling. This machine is not suitable for being placed in a water basin since it has significant dimensions and includes an alternator. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a water bike whose braking is more easily adjusted and whose brake components wear out less quickly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end, the subject of the invention is a braking system for aquatic cycling, comprising a fixed support intended to be secured to the frame of the aquatic bicycle and a friction member carried by the fixed support by being movable by relative to this fixed support, this friction member being intended to rest on a rotating plate driven by the pedal to brake it by exerting a pressing force on this plate, as well as actuating means for exerting on the body of friction an adjustable effort corresponding to the pressure force, the actuating means comprising a hydraulic cylinder for being fed by a hydraulic circuit of the water bike, to exert the adjustable force corresponding to the pressure force. According to the invention the support has a box shape having an open face through which the friction member is slidably mounted, and wherein the support has an opening for connection to a hydraulic supply, for introducing water into a chamber defined by this housing and the friction member jointly forming the hydraulic cylinder. According to advantageous but not compulsory aspects of the invention, a braking system may incorporate one or more of the following features, taken in any technically permissible combination:

- The plate has a shape réa, and wherein the friction member has a wedge shape engaging in the groove of réa to exert a pressure force oriented radially relative to this réa.

- The system is intended to be installed below the turntable. - The connection opening to the hydraulic supply is arranged at the bottom of the housing.

- The pressing force of the friction member on the turntable is adjustable by modulating the characteristics of the hydraulic supply of the opening of the housing, including flow and pressure.

- Modulation of the characteristics of the hydraulic supply is obtained by acting on a valve or a tap.

- The friction member is slidably mounted loosely relative to the housing. - Hydraulic supply means of the housing chamber comprise a pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of a central structure for aquatic bicycle equipped with a braking system according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the central structure for aquatic bicycle equipped with a braking system according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a front view of the central structure for water bike equipped with a braking system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The central aquatic bicycle structure which is shown in FIG. 1 by being indicated by 1 has a main foot 2 which is oriented vertically when the pedal is installed as in FIG. This foot 2 carries at its upper end a seat or saddle 3, and a set 4 pedaling at its lower front. This assembly 4 includes a frame made of sheet metal 6 rigidly secured to the lower portion of the foot 2, and which carries a pedal 7 on which is mounted a central plate shaped sheave 8, this pedal comprising two cranks 9 and 1 1 carried by a traversing axis and located on both sides of the sheave 8 which is mounted in a central position. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the frame 6 comprises two parallel flanks 12 and 13 in sheet metal, crossed by the axis of the pedal, and which are located on either side of the sheave or plate 8. The cranks are located on either side of these sheet metal flanks bearing the bearings, unmarked, supporting the axis of the crankset.

A braking system 14 of the pedal 7 is installed in the lower part of the frame 6, and this system comprises a housing 16 which is rigidly secured to the lower part of the frame 6, and a friction member 17 which is slidably mounted in this housing 16 Thus, the braking system 14 is disposed below the central plate 8.

The friction member is slidably mounted along a vertical axis coinciding with a radial axis of the pedal, so that the friction member 16 is adapted to come radially bearing on the sheave 8 to fit into the groove 18 of this sheave in order to exert a pressing force which brakes this sheave 8 by friction effect. As indicated above, the central aquatic bicycle structure of the various figures is intended to be mounted in the center of a bath to be immersed in water, in a system equipped with a hydraulic pump to produce jets of water. water intended to massage the user of the system.

The hydraulic pump is connected to the braking system 14 via a pipe connected to a front opening 19 provided for this purpose on the front face of the fixed support housing 16 of the braking system 14.

As shown in the figure, the opening 19 for connection to the hydraulic system is located in the lower part of the housing 16, to introduce water into an internal cavity which is delimited by the bottom or bottom of the housing 16 and a lower face 21 of the friction member 17. This cavity which communicates with the opening 19 is indicated by 22 in FIG.

As shown in the figures, the friction member 17 has, in its upper part, a generally wedge-shaped trapezoidal section to engage in the groove 18 of the sheave 8 which itself has a trapezoidal section. Under these conditions, when the friction member 17 is subjected to a force tending to bring it closer to the axis of rotation of the sheave 8, it generates on the flanks of the trapezoidal groove 18 relatively large pressing forces. As understood, the assembly constituted by the housing 16 of the fixed support and the fictional member 17 which jointly delimit the cavity 22, constitutes a hydraulic cylinder capable of displacing and / or exerting forces on the friction 17 to tend to bring it closer to the axis of the pedal to brake by applying a pressure force on the flanks of the peripheral groove 18 of the sheave 8.

In general, the friction member 17 can be slidably mounted in the box 16 in a relatively loose sliding fit, which makes it possible to simply cause the evacuation of air trapped in the cavity 22 during the commissioning of the equipment. In practice, the radial clearance between the friction member 17 and the housing 16 is between 0.5 mm and 1 mm on each side of the member 17. In addition, the internal cavity 22 is supplied with water by a conduit hydraulic fluid connected to a pump, so that the water can leak more or less of the cavity 16. As can be understood, the adjustment of the braking intensity that generates the system according to the invention is obtained very simply by modulating the characteristics of the hydraulic supply of the opening 19, namely the pressure and the water supply flow.

This modulation can simply be obtained by means of a valve or valve crossed by the pipe in question. The valve, or the valve, is arranged on the pipe in question, connecting the hydraulic pump to the opening 19 of the housing 16. In the case where the user wishes to reduce the braking level, he must then actuate this valve or valve in a closing direction to reduce the flow rate and the water pressure introduced into the cavity 22. The user wishing to increase the braking level must open this valve or valve to increase the water flow and thereby the pressure of the water that is present inside the cavity 22.

Alternatively, the valve is disposed on a bypass line of the pipe connecting the pump to the opening 19 of the housing 16. In this case, when the valve is on, the pressure of the water flowing to the housing 16 drops and there is less leakage within the friction member 17. The valve makes it possible to regulate the flow rate of leakage in the bypass line and, consequently, when the pump operates at constant speed, the flow rate and the pressure in the supply duct of the cavity 22. In general, the invention makes it possible to produce a braking system which is highly adapted to an aquatic bicycle context since it has a single moving part and is hydraulically controlled.

The single moving part, namely the friction member 17 may be made of a plastic material or the like, and a hydraulic control (such as a valve or valve) which is necessarily simple to implement in the case of a water bike, presents a risk of malfunction almost zero.

Claims

1. Braking system (14) for aquatic cycling, comprising a fixed support (16) intended to be secured to the frame (2, 6) of the aquatic bicycle and a friction member (17) carried by the fixed support (16) while being mobile relative to this fixed support (16), this friction member (17) being intended to bear on a turntable (8) driven by a pedal (7) of the water bike to brake it by exerting a pressing force on this plate (8), as well as actuating means for exerting on the friction member (17) an adjustable force corresponding to the pressing force, the actuating means comprising a hydraulic jack intended to be fed by a hydraulic circuit of the aquatic bicycle, to exert the adjustable force corresponding to the pressure force, this braking system being characterized in that the support (16) has a box shape having an open face through which the friction member (17 ) is slidably mounted, and in which support (16) has an opening (19) for connection to a hydraulic supply, for introducing water into a chamber (22) delimited by this housing (16) and the friction member (17) jointly forming the hydraulic cylinder.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the plate (8) has a shape réa, and wherein the friction member (17) has a wedge shape engaging in the groove (18) of réa (8). ) to exert a pressure force oriented radially with respect to this sheave (8).

3. System according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it is intended to be installed below the turntable (8).

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (19) for connection to the hydraulic supply is disposed at the bottom of the housing (16).

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing force of the friction member (1 7) on the turntable (8) is adjustable by modulating the characteristics of the hydraulic supply of the opening (19) of the housing (16), in particular the flow rate and the pressure.

6. - System according to claim 5, characterized in that the modulation of the characteristics of the hydraulic supply is obtained by acting on a valve or a tap.

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the friction member (17) is slidably mounted loosely relative to the housing (16).

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that hydraulic supply means of the chamber (22) of the housing (16) comprises a pump.

9. System according to claims 6 and 8, characterized in that the valve, or the valve, is disposed on a pipe connecting the pump to the opening (19) of the housing (16).