Operation interface for exercise apparatus
This invention discloses an operation interface configured to couple to an exercise apparatus for controlling workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising a central processing unit and an exercise unit, the central processing unit receiving a controlling signal from the operation interface for controlling the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the operation interface comprising: a plurality of grouped selection keys coupled to the central processing unit, each of the grouped selection keys respectively associated with a predetermined workout parameter; and a confirmation key outputting the controlling signal to the central processing unit upon being pressed; wherein the confirmation key is surrounded by the grouped selection keys, the exercise apparatus being adjusted to correspond to the predetermined workout parameter via the controlling signal while one of the grouped selection keys and the confirmation key are both pressed by a user.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an operation interface, and more particularly to an operation interface configured in an exercise apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
With growth industry, people always invest too much time in their works so as to reduce the exercise time, but a regular exercise schedule is very helpful for health. Therefore, the exercise apparatus with small occupied space has been popular for everyone such as the treadmill, the exercise bike, the elliptical machine, the stepper etc. Each exercise apparatus has different exercise functions, and each exercise apparatus comprises an operation interface for adjust the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, therefore the layout of the operation interface is an important issue.
The traditional exercise apparatus is not easy to adjust the workout parameter of the exercise apparatus or operates other related functions during operation period because the user can not know which button or key can adjust the workout parameter of the exercise apparatus. Furthermore, the user still has no idea to press which key or button to confirm the adjustment of the workout parameter.
In addition, referring to
By using the aforementioned arrangement of the selection keys and the confirmation key, user can not instinctively understand which key is the confirmation key after pressing one of the selection keys, which is very inconvenient for the user during operation period of the exercise apparatus.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved operation interface for exercise apparatus to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to an operation interface configured to couple to an exercise apparatus for controlling workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising a central processing unit and an exercise unit, the central processing unit receiving a controlling signal from the operation interface for controlling the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the operation interface comprising: a plurality of grouped selection keys coupled to the central processing unit, each of the grouped selection keys respectively associated with a predetermined workout parameter; and a confirmation key outputting the controlling signal to the central processing unit upon being pressed; wherein the confirmation key is surrounded by the grouped selection keys, the exercise apparatus being adjusted to correspond to the predetermined workout parameter via the controlling signal while one of the grouped selection keys and the confirmation key are both pressed by a user. Furthermore, the grouped selection keys form an internal geometry area, and the confirmation key locates at the internal geometry area. Due to the arrangement of the plurality of grouped selection keys and the confirmation key, the user will press the confirmation key directly and instinctively after pressing one of the grouped selection keys capable of saving time for searching the confirmation key so as to operate the exercise apparatus more convenience.
Furthermore, the internal geometry area is preferably a circle, and the confirmation key locates at the center of the circle. Therefore, linear distances between the confirmation key and each of the grouped selection keys are substantially equal. Accordingly, the user only should move his/her arm for a short distance for pressing the confirmation key for adjusting the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus without changing any exercising pose. In addition, this present invention not only can increase the comfort of operation, but also prevent the sport injury.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Please refer to
Referring to
The grouped selection keys 110˜119 can form an internal geometry area, preferably, but not limited to areas such as circle, elliptical, triangle, or rectangle. In addition, the quantity of the selection keys is preferably over and above three because three or more points can form an internal geometry area 120. In this embodiment, the internal geometry area 120 formed by the grouped selection keys 110˜119 preferably is a circle, and the confirmation key 21 correspondingly locates at the center of the circle. For instance, the operation interface 11 comprises ten selection keys 110˜119 respectively corresponding to ten different speed parameters such as 1 to 10 (mile/hr) for the user to adjust the operation speed of the movable member 102.
In the embodiment showed in
In addition, after pressing one of the grouped selection keys 110˜119 of desired change, and then the user should press the confirmation key 21 for outputting a controlling signal to the central processing unit 101. Upon the confirmation key 21 being pressed by the user, the current workout parameter changes immediately (Step S03). In this embodiment, because the confirmation key 21 locates within the internal geometry area 120 formed by the grouped selection keys 110˜119, the user will press the confirmation key 21 directly and instinctively for adjusting the operation speed of the movable member 102 after pressing one of the grouped selection keys 110˜119. Due to the arrangement of the grouped selection keys 110˜119 and the confirmation key 21, the user will feel more convenient and comfortable during operation period of the treadmill 100.
Furthermore, the location of the confirmation key 21 is not limited to locate within the internal geometry area 120 formed by the grouped selection keys 110˜119. Referring to
Furthermore, the adjusting of workout parameter may be highly frequent because different workout phases (ex: warm up, exercising, and cooling down) need different operation speed values of the movable member 102 to match the user demand in different workout phases. Therefore, when the user press one of the grouped selection keys 110˜119 and the confirmation key 21 to adjust operation speed of the movable member 102, the user will determine whether the current operation speed of the movable member 102 is suitable for the user or not (Step S04). If the new operation speed of the movable member 102 is not suitable for the user, the user continues to select a new operation speed value (Step S02) until the operation speed of the movable member 102 becomes suitable for the user.
During exercising period, the user usually changes the operation speed of movable member 102 for achieving the user demand in different workout phases. If the linear distances between the confirmation key 21 and the grouped selection keys 110˜119 are too long, the user should move his/her arm for a long distance to adjust the workout parameter. This may be capable of occurring sports injury. Therefore, the grouped selection keys of this present invention can resolve the aforementioned problems, and one operation interface corresponds to a single workout parameter for user capable of preventing misunderstanding about operation method of the operation interface.
In addition, the treadmill 100 still has two operation interfaces 12,13. Due to the operation method similar to the operation interface 11, description of interfaces 12,13 thereinafter only describes the function of the two operation interfaces. In the embodiment showed in
For exercise apparatus, two workout parameters, speed and incline, are frequently changed by the user during operation period. Therefore, the speed parameter and the incline parameter respectively corresponds to a operation interface for user to adjust the workout parameter more easily, and the other preset programs such as personal operation module, environment simulating, or other related programs would integrate to an operation interface for user to control other programs such as the operation interface 13 of this present invention.
Further, the operation interface of this present invention respectively corresponds to different workout parameters, and the grouped selection keys group around the operation interface for user to distinctly select a workout parameter of desired change during operation period capable of saving time for recognizing how many functions on a selection key.
From abovementioned, the user can press the confirmation key located at the center of the circle directly and instinctively after pressing one of the grouped selection keys capable of saving time for searching the confirmation key so as to operate the exercise apparatus more convenient. Furthermore, a plurality of the grouped selection keys forms an internal geometry area, and the confirmation key locates at the internal geometry area. Therefore, linear distances between the confirmation key and each of the grouped selection keys are substantially equal. Accordingly, the user only should move his/her arm for a short distance for pressing the confirmation key to adjust the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus without changing any exercising pose. In addition, this present invention not only can increase the comfort of operation, but also can prevent the sport injury.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
1. An operation interface configured to couple to an exercise apparatus for controlling workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising a central processing unit and an exercise unit, the central processing unit receiving a controlling signal from the operation interface for controlling the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the operation interface comprising:
- a plurality of grouped selection keys coupled to the central processing unit, each of the grouped selection keys respectively associated with a predetermined workout parameter; and
- a confirmation key outputting the controlling signal to the central processing unit upon being pressed;
- wherein the confirmation key is surrounded by the grouped selection keys, the exercise apparatus being adjusted to correspond to the predetermined workout parameter via the controlling signal while one of the grouped selection keys and the confirmation key are both pressed by a user.
2. The operation interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation interface corresponds to a single workout parameter.
3. The operation interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workout parameter is a speed parameter.
4. The operation interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workout parameter is an incline parameter.
5. The operation interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein linear distances between the confirmation key and each of the grouped selection keys are substantially equal.
6. The operation interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grouped selection keys forms an internal geometry area, and the confirmation key locates within the geometry area.
7. The operation interface as claimed in claim 6, wherein the internal geometry area is a circle, and the confirmation key locates at the center of the circle.
8. An operation interface configured to couple to an exercise apparatus for controlling workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising a central processing unit and an exercise unit, the central processing unit receiving a controlling signal from the operation interface for controlling the workout parameters of the exercise apparatus, the operation interface comprising:
- a plurality of grouped selection keys coupled to the central processing unit, each of the grouped selection keys respectively associated with a predetermined workout parameter; and
- a confirmation key outputting the controlling signal to the central processing unit upon being pressed;
- wherein the grouped selection keys forms an internal geometry area, and the location of the confirmation key overlaps the internal geometry area, the exercise apparatus being adjusted to correspond to the predetermined workout parameter via the controlling signal while one of the grouped selection keys and the confirmation key are both pressed by a user.
9. The operation interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the operation interface corresponds to a single workout parameter.
10. The operation interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the workout parameter is a speed parameter.
11. The operation interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the workout parameter is an incline parameter.
12. The operation interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein linear distances between the confirmation key and each of the grouped selection keys are substantially equal.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 16, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 17, 2008
Applicant:
Inventor: Mark Van Handel (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 11/653,143