Skipping ropes with features intended to enhance the entertainment and enjoyment value for the user are well known. For instance, there are in existence illuminated skipping ropes which are so constructed to create light effects in use. US Patents Nos.

5842766 and 5087034 disclose illuminated skipping ropes including a power supply, light source and light transmission means.

It is well known to use a one dimensional array of lights to create two dimensional images: By moving the one dimensional array relatively quickly and by altering the pattern of lights illuminated as the array is moved, the result is to generate what to the human eye appears to be a two-dimensional image. US Patent No 4470044 discloses a visual image apparatus utilising such an effect. Similarly, US Patent 5406300 discloses a swing type aerial baton display system, and displays for time keeping devices are also known.

The invention provides a skipping rope comprising a skipping element, at least one one-dimensional display means attached to the skipping element, power supply means for the display means and control means for controlling the operation of the display means thereby to generate a two dimensional image when the rope is in use.

The display means may comprise a plurality of lights in a one-dimensional array.

Each light could be any colour and the array may comprise a variety of different coloured lights. Each light could be of various different intensities. Preferably the

display means comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Thus, the control means may control the operation of the display means in such a way as to produce different patterns of illuminated lights at each of a succession of positions in the rotation of the display means with the skipping element, which collectively will be seen by the user as a two-dimensional image. The invention may comprise a plurality of one-dimensional display means, co-ordinated so as to together generate an image.

The control means may comprise a microcontroller, microprocessor or semiconductor gate array similar device or apparatus. The control means may comprise a clock circuit for determining the timing of the operation of the display means and/or its refresh rate. The control means may further comprise synchronisation means for co-ordinating the operation of the display means with the rotation and/or position of the skipping element. The synchronisation means may comprise an angular position, collision or vibration sensor, such as an accelerometer switch.

The skipping element is preferably an electrical cable or at least has electrical conducting capability thereby enabling it to transmit power from another location to the display means. Alternatively preferably, the skipping element may comprise some form of light conducting or optical fibre means capable of routing the necessary display output to the display means.

The skipping element may have a handle attached at either end, in which case the power supply means and/or at least part of the control means may be incorporated in at least one of the handles. The synchronisation means may be incorporated in one of the handles and may use the rotation of the skipping element as the manner of initiating a synchronisation signal. The power supply means and/or at least part of the control means may be incorporated in the skipping element. The synchronisation means may be incorporated in the skipping element and may use its impact with the ground as the manner of initiating a synchronisation signal. The skipping element

may be fixed at at least one end to a mounting, fastened to a wall, post etc., which may incorporate drive means for rotating the skipping element, to provide automated and/or hands-free operation.

The invention may further comprise sensors or interfaces to measurement or data provision devices, for example, for measuring bio-feedback parameters, such as, for instance, the pulse rate of the user, which may be generated as the image. The invention may also incorporate timing devices and counters to provide additional information or display graphics to entertain and amuse. Furthermore the skipping element may be synchronised or the angular velocity measured in order to optimise the display means information for the user.

The skipping rope according to the invention could be used merely as a display rope, that is, as a means of generating an image to display information, without simultaneously being used for skipping. Thus, any reference throughout this specification to a"skipping rope"should be understood to be equally applicable to a "display rope"having the same components as and operated in the manner of a skipping rope, for display purposes only, but without a skipping user actually present.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a skipping rope according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the handle means of the skipping rope shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the display means of the skipping rope shown in figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of the skipping rope shown in figure 1 in use by a user; Figure 5 is a stroboscopic-type front view of the skipping rope shown in figure 1 in use; Figure 6 is an illustration of examples of characters and figures that may be generated as images by the display means of the skipping rope as shown in figure 1 when in use; Figure 7 is a side view of a skipping rope as shown in figure 1 in use by two users, rotated by two operators; Figure 8 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a skipping rope according to the invention; Figure 9 is a side view of a further alternative embodiment of a skipping rope according to the invention; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the circuit interconnections of the components of a skipping rope according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a skipping rope according to the invention has a skipping element 1 with display means 3 attached at its centre. A handle 2 is attached at each end of the skipping element 1. The skipping element 1 consists of a multi-core electrical cable providing electrical connections between control and power supply means (not shown) and the display means 3.

Referring also to Figure 2, each handle 2 has a clamp (not shown) for attaching one end of the skipping element 1 thereto. One of the handles 2 contains the battery (not shown), which serves as the power supply for the display means 3, and some of the

components which constitute the control means (not shown) for controlling the operation of the display means 3 (described in more detail hereinafter).

With reference to figure 3, the display means 3 comprises a plurality of light sources 31 in a one-dimensional array. Each light source 31 is a red, wide-angle light emitting diode (LED) that is operated under the control of the control means. Co- located with the display means 3 is the synchronisation means (not shown), which is part of the control means, comprising a piezoelectric accelerometer or other collision type sensor. This detects when the skipping element 1 and/or display means 3 impacts with the ground. The impact initiates a synchronisation signal which the accelerometer provides for the operation of the display means 3, in addition to providing timing and counting information on the user. The accelerometer can also be used to determine the angular velocity of the skipping element 1 for the operation of the display means in a manner which achieves optimal image display.

Figure 4 illustrates the skipping rope according to the invention in use in either the forward or reverse direction 42. The display means 3 generates a two dimensional image in the forward field of view 43 of the user 41. Using the timing signal from the accelerometer, the control means is able to determine when the display means 3 is in the user's field of view 43. The filed of view can be considered to be made up of a sequence of display means positions. At each of those positions, the controller operates the LEDs 31 to illuminate in a particular pattern. The combination of each of those LED patterns at each of the successive positions collectively generates a two dimensional image. At least, that is how the user 41 sees it because his or her eyes will not react quickly enough to see each pattern separately. The image generated by the display means 3 for the operator 41 could also be synchronised with the skipping element hitting the ground at 46. Additionally, the image may be generated at a different position 44 for spectators 45 and the image may be rotated and changed accordingly to suit their visual perspective.

Figure 5 shows the front view in stroboscopic fashion of the skipping rope according to the invention in use, with a sequence of successive positions of the skipping element 1 and display means 3 each identified, as the skipping element 1 is rotated.

The user is not shown. At each successive position the LEDs 31 are controlled o illuminate in a particular pattern as described above.

Figure 6 shows some examples of alphanumeric and graphical images that can be generated by the display means used in the skipping rope according to the invention rotating in either the forward or reverse direction 61. The sequence of switching the plurality of LEDs 31 on and off is controlled by the control means such that when viewed in motion the LEDs 31 generate an image of the complete alphanumeric or other shape.

Figure 7 shows a plurality of operators 71 rotating a skipping rope of the construction as shown in figure 1 for two users 72. Individual or a plurality of images could be generated by the display means 3 (not shown) for each user 72.

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a skipping rope according to the invention using a vertically mounted handle unit 81 fixed to a wall at a suitable height above ground for a user. The vertically mounted unit 81 may be used to contain the power supply means and control means including synchronisation means (not shown) for the display means 3 (not shown) to directly connect and/or plug into, thus providing the user with easy replacement of skipping element 1. Alternatively, the display means 3 may also be on a vertically mounted unit 81. The connection of the skipping element 1 to vertically mounted unit 81 may also incorporate a swivel type joint to prevent twisting and ease the rotational movement. The vertically mounted unit 81 may also be used as a convenient storage means for the skipping element 1.

Figure 9 shows a further alternative embodiment of a skipping rope according to the invention utilising a similar vertically mounted unit 81 as described in figure 8. This

alternative embodiment of the invention includes mechanical power means 91 within a vertically mounted unit 81 at one end of the skipping element 1 to rotate the skipping element and provide hands free operation for the user 93. The other end of the skipping element 1 is fixed at 92 at a similar height to the mechanical power means 91 to a vertical mounting such as a wall. Alternatively, the non-powered or free end of the rope means may be attached using a suitable swivel joint device to prevent tangling and twisting. The embodiment of the invention shown in figure 9 could equally well be used as a display rope, that is driven by the mechanical power means 91 in the manner of a skipping rope for the purpose only of displaying an image and not for a user to skip.

In an alternative embodiment of a skipping rope according to the invention, the user has the facility to pre-program an exercise or workout fitness sequence in the control means. In yet another alternative embodiment, using electronic circuitry and/or interface means, user bio-medical, performance, machine and user status or similar data may be relayed through the control means to be generated as an image.

Figure 10 is a schematic layout of the electrical interconnection of the display means, control means, power supply and other components of the skipping rope according to the invention. One component of the control means is the PIC 16C56 microcontroller 104 from Microchip Technology. This is used along with a set of open collector buffer (TTL 7406) high power driver circuits 102A to drive the eight LEDs 31 A-H making up the display means 3. Driver signals to each of the driver circuits 102A-H come from each of the associated output ports 107A-H of the microcontroller 104. Power is supplied by a battery 106. The microcontroller 104 contains both random (RAM) and read only memory (ROM) for both device program sequence and display means image data. The display means image data from the ROM or RAM is presented to the output ports 107A-H in a timed sequence thereby to generate an image with the display means 3 as described with reference to figures 4,5 and 6. The display means 3 timing and refresh rate is determined using a clock circuit 105 providing clock pulses to the microcontroller 104. In an alternative

embodiment of the invention, the number of light sources can be greatly increased by using a multiplicity of shift registers to drive the light sources.

The synchronisation component of the control means is a shock/linear accelerometer switch 103 from ASSEMtech Europe (Part No. ASLS5.0). This is co-located with the display means 3 and provides the synchronisation signals for the microcontroller 104.

The accelerometer switch 103 generates a short electrical pulse to an input port 109 of the microcontroller 104 on impact of the skipping element 1 with the ground. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the synchronisation means can be derived from the rotation position of the skipping element on the handle 2 directly.

The synchronisation input signal can be used to initiate and/or synchronise the display means timing and also count the frequency of rotation of the skipping element.

The microcontroller 104 is also provided with a digital serial RS232 interface link 108 to a personal computer. The interface 108 has a plurality of functions including up-dating the information for the display means 3, changing the program sequence or changing characters and images to be displayed by the control means. In another embodiment of the invention, the interface 108 can be used to link into another device or equipment to display the operators heart rate or other similar bio-feedback.