Method and accessories to enhance riding experience on vehicles with human propulsion

Abstract

A set of accessory devices and a method that improves riding experience indoors and outdoors on devices using human propulsion and reciprocating motion. A mechanical accessory device that adds the stepping and reciprocating motion to a pedaling system, like those used on bicycles, tricycles, boats, individual power generators used indoors and outdoors with various positions, and movement range adjustments. A set of electronic accessories added gradually, that measures, records, transmits, processes and shares a large range of the parameters, generically called “riding experience” force and displacements, giving effort and work, GPS, accelerations, movie, etc. giving the path and rider vital and functional parameters, giving medical and exploratory results. A system that uses a code to process these information and transmits on the Internet, used on their indoors devices to reproduce the experience in their terms, transforming their devices in simulators, enabled to remotely control outdoors devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to enhance the rider experience comprising the following steps:
 a)—mount on the riding device a version of the stepping/pedaling accessory device;   b)—mount on the riding device the electronics accessory devices that will allow tracing and recording a riding experience;   c)—record a riding experience and download into a specialized server;   d)—use a specialized code to convert into a unitary application ready to be shared;   e)—post the application online for selling/distributing;   f)—equip the indoor riding device with our stepping pedaling accessory device;   g)—equip the indoor device with the sensors and actuators to monitor and reproduce a riding experience;   h)—download the application inside indoors riding device's computer;   i)—run the application on indoor device;   j)—equip a riding device with remote controlled actuators for riding;   k)—equip the indoor device with remote control system compatible with the outdoor device;   l)—run the application having an indoor controlled outdoors riding experience;   m)—download a competition application and register to participate on real time or independently;   n)—Organize outdoor competitions controlled from indoor riding devices;   
     
     
         2 . An accessory device for enhancing the riding experience comprising:
 a) at least one outdoor riding device equipped with:   a.—a pedal crank adaptor that allows stepping and pedaling;   b.—a mechanical adaptor adjusting the stepping range magnitude;   c.—a switching system from pedaling to stepping;   d.—a reciprocating mechanism that correlates the pedals action;   e.—an electronic system measuring the parameters on the action at pedal level;   f.—an electronic system measuring the riding devices parameters;   g.—an electronic system that measures the rider's parameters;   h.—a video stereoscopic system that records the path;   b) a remote placed computer system connected via Ethernet that:   a.—a dedicated code that transforms all the recording files into an application;   b.—a Internet computer system that shares the ride-application with other users;   c) an indoor exercise riding device that:   a.—similar outdoor adaptor accessories installed on indoor riding device;   b.—an accessory device that makes the computer compatible with the ride-application;   c.—an adaptor device and code that makes the indoor riding device compatible with the racing/competition mode;   d.—a RC transmission device from the indoor riding device to a near-by remote controlled riding device;   d)—an outdoor riding device that:   a. has an RC adaptor;   b. is equipped as riding device from the point a);   c. has actuators added for steering, pedaling, parking, braking, and prevent or recover from falling.   
     
     
         3 . A pedal's crank adapter accessory that converts a regular riding device with pedal circular propulsion (bicycle, tricycle, boat, etc.), to reciprocating motion propulsion like stepping or arm pushing made of:
   1 . —a pedal's crank adaptor;     2 . —a pedal adaptor for stepping;     3 . —a transmission system with range multiplier stages;     4 . —a range limiting and reciprocating motion correlation device;     5 . —electronic system to measure record effort parameters;     6 . —electronic actuators to automatically change the transmission stages;     7 . —a device able to switch during running from stepping to pedaling and back;     8 . —a system measuring the force in the chain and augmenting it.   
     
     
         4 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the crank adaptor goes over the crank and has only the pedals removed and transferred to the stepper. 
     
     
         5 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the crank adaptor uses ratchet mechanism to provide the reciprocating movement. 
     
     
         6 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where a uni-direction friction-lock device is used for the reciprocating movement. 
     
     
         7 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the pedal is measuring the force using a set of second degree levers hinged together and the pedal angle relative to crank-arm, and transmits for processing. 
     
     
         8 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms have to be locked in the crank arm to switch to pedaling. 
     
     
         9 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where a set of levers are connecting the stepping arms correlating the reciprocating movement—making the movements complementary. 
     
     
         10 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms contain an unidirectional ratchet mechanism and have to be reversed together with the reciprocating correlating mechanism in order to switch the stepping position from front to back and reverse. 
     
     
         11 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms contain a bi-directional ratchet mechanism and switching the stepping position is made by changing the pedals and reciprocating mechanism position. 
     
     
         12 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms contain a bi-directional ratchet mechanism and the reciprocating mechanism has a disc and arms that may connect or not to the disc switching the stepping position, and from stepping to pedaling and back is made while riding by changing the pedals and reciprocating mechanism position of the control buttons. 
     
     
         13 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms contain a friction/sense activated disc-grip mechanism replacing the ratchet mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping arms ratchet mechanism transmit the movement to a stepping range adjusting device and from there to the bike's pedal chain-wheels set. 
     
     
         15 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping range adjusting device uses clutches to switch the multiplication ratio. 
     
     
         16 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping range adjusting device uses conical continuous variable transmission ratio to modify the multiplication ratio. 
     
     
         17 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the stepping pedals pairs are connected via a pantograph mechanism that keeps them parallel during the movement, with stepping direction adjusting capabilities. 
     
     
         18 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the pedal has the capability to measure force and its relative position to the arm. 
     
     
         19 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the pedal's arm relative position to the bike is measured and transmitted to an electronic system. 
     
     
         20 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the electronic system calculates the biker's effort on each leg as a function of time, records and displays it for further use. 
     
     
         21 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the bike has an electronic measurement system that records all the kinematics parameters and various adjustments stages, measure the bike's GPS position and the accelerations on bike, calculating the road drag force, as a function of time and records riding experience. 
     
     
         22 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the bike records the path as a stereoscopic movie. 
     
     
         23 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the force in the chain may be augmented based on an electronic command. 
     
     
         24 . An accessory device according to  claim 2  where the rider's personal body functions and parameters measuring device is connected at the bike's computer and recorded with the riding experience data. 
     
     
         25 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  which may be attached to an indoors device. 
     
     
         26 . An accessory device according to  claim 3  where the reciprocating/stepping mechanism may be used for other vehicle propulsion by hands or legs as wheelchairs, boats, trikes, other human propulsion (four-wheel or more) vehicles. 
     
     
         27 . An method according to  claim 1  where the riding experience recorded outdoors is used indoors on a similar device. 
     
     
         28 . A method according  claim 1  where the data are processed as function of path line and time-line, to be compatible with any accomplishment rate at the “riding experience” end user. 
     
     
         29 . A method according  claim 1  where the initial experience is transformed in a unitary experience independent of the vehicle and parameters of the “experience” creator and is customized on the parameters of the experience end user.