U.S. patent application number 10/603117 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-27 for dual-function treading exerciser.
Invention is credited to Lo, Kun-Chuan, Nelson, Derek, Pyles, Nathan, Wang, Chih-Jen.
Application Number | 20040102292 10/603117 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32328474 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040102292 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pyles, Nathan ; et
al. |
May 27, 2004 |
Dual-function treading exerciser
Abstract
A dual-function treading exerciser includes a treading platform,
an upright frame, and a movable handle assembly. The frame includes
an upright frame body and two fixed handles connected fixedly to an
upper portion of the frame body. The movable handle assembly
includes two pulling devices and a rotary shaft journalled on the
frame. Each pulling device includes a housing with a receiving
chamber, a pulley disposed rotatably in the chamber, a pull cord
wound on the pulley, a handgrip fastened to an end of the cord and
movable rearwardly to unwind the cord from the pulley, and a
biasing unit for biasing the cord to wind around the pulley when
the cord is pulled rearwardly and is subsequently released.
Inventors: |
Pyles, Nathan; (Lake Mills,
WI) ; Nelson, Derek; (Lake Mills, WI) ; Lo,
Kun-Chuan; (Taichung City, TW) ; Wang, Chih-Jen;
(Taichung City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATRICIA SMITH KING
SUITE 22
222 NORTH MIDVALE BOULEVARD
MADISON
WI
537055072
|
Family ID: |
32328474 |
Appl. No.: |
10/603117 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10603117 |
Jun 24, 2003 |
|
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10303724 |
Nov 26, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 ; 482/115;
482/116 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/153 20130101;
A63B 21/025 20130101; A63B 22/02 20130101; A63B 23/047 20130101;
A63B 2022/0041 20130101; A63B 22/0012 20130101; A63B 22/0664
20130101; A63B 2022/0676 20130101; A63B 21/0051 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 ;
482/115; 482/116 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/02; A63B
021/015 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 29, 2002 |
TW |
091207866 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A dual-function treading exerciser comprising: a treading
platform having a front end and provided with a continuous tread
extending around said platform; an upright frame including an
upright frame body connected fixedly to said front end of said
platform, and a pair of fixed handles connected fixedly to an upper
portion of said frame body; and a movable handle assembly including
a pair of pulling devices mounted on said frame, and a rotary shaft
journalled on said frame, each of said pulling devices including a
housing with a receiving chamber, a pulley disposed rotatably in
said chamber, a pull cord wound on said pulley, a handgrip fastened
to an end of said pull cord and movable rearwardly to unwind said
pull cord from said pulley, and a biasing unit for biasing said
pull cord to wind around said pulley when said cord is pulled
rearwardly and is subsequently released.
2. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 1, wherein said
movable handle assembly is disposed substantially higher than said
fixed handles.
3. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 1, wherein said
biasing unit of each of said pulling devices includes a spring
member connected between a respective one of said housings and a
respective one of said pulleys for biasing the respective one of
said pulleys to rotate in said chamber in the respective one of
said housings in a predetermined direction.
4. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 3, wherein said
spring member is a spiral spring that is fastened to the respective
one of said housings at one end and to the respective one of said
pulleys at the other end.
5. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 1, wherein said
movable handle assembly further includes: a flywheel assembly
mounted fixedly on said rotary shaft; a unidirectional bearing
disposed between said rotary shaft and each of said pulleys so as
to rotate said rotary shaft synchronously with said pulleys only
when said pulleys rotate in a direction, in which said pull cords
are unwound from said pulleys; and an adjustable magnetic
resistance device disposed adjacent to said flywheel assembly so as
to provide resistance to rotation of said flywheel assembly.
6. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 5, wherein said
flywheel assembly includes a flywheel, and a pair of magnetically
conductive rings disposed respectively and fixedly on opposite
sides of said flywheel, said adjustable magnetic resistance device
including; a positioning seat fixed on said frame and having two
spaced-apart parallel sliding rails; a threaded shaft journalled on
said positioning seat and having an externally threaded portion,
and a magnet seat including a U-shaped body and two spaced-apart
parallel sliding plates that are connected fixedly to said U-shaped
body and that are disposed respectively and slidably along said
sliding rails, said body having two opposite side walls which are
provided respectively with two aligned magnet units, between which
said flywheel assembly is disposed, and a connecting wall which
interconnects said side walls fixedly and which is formed with a
threaded hole that engages said threaded shaft so as to move said
U-shaped body toward and away from said flywheel when said threaded
shaft is rotated relative to said positioning seat, thereby
adjusting magnitude of the resistance.
7. The dual-function treading exerciser of claim 6, wherein said
magnetic resistance device further includes: a motor disposed on
said frame and provided with a motor shaft; and a gear sleeved
fixedly on said motor shaft and engaging said externally threaded
portion of said threaded shaft so as to transfer rotation of said
motor shaft to said threaded shaft.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a treading exerciser, more
particularly to a dual-function treading exerciser.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional treading exerciser includes a treading
platform, a continuous tread that extends around the platform, an
upright frame that extends upwardly from a front end of the
platform, a control panel mounted on a top portion of the upright
frame, and a pair of fixed handles disposed on opposite sides of
the control panel.
[0005] It is noted that the conventional treading exerciser only
provides exercise function for the lower half portion of the user's
body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to
provide a dual-function treading exerciser that can provide
exercise function for the whole body of the user, that can train
the user's forearm, stomach, and leg muscles, and that can improve
functioning of the user's lungs.
[0007] According to the present invention, a dual-function treading
exerciser comprises a treading platform, an upright frame, and a
movable handle assembly. The treading platform has a front end, and
is provided with a continuous tread extending around the platform.
The upright frame includes an upright frame body connected fixedly
to the front end of the platform, and a pair of fixed handles
connected fixedly to an upper portion of the frame body. The
movable handle assembly includes a pair of pulling devices mounted
on the frame, and a rotary shaft journalled on the frame. Each of
the pulling devices includes a housing with a receiving chamber, a
pulley disposed rotatably in the chamber, a pull cord wound on the
pulley, a handgrip fastened to an end of the pull cord and movable
rearwardly to unwind the pull cord from the pulley, and a biasing
unit for biasing the pull cord to wind around the pulley when the
cord is pulled rearwardly and is subsequently released.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred
embodiment of a dual-function treading exerciser according to the
present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a movable handle assembly of
the first preferred embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a partly exploded perspective view of the movable
handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the movable handle
assembly of the first preferred embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 4,
illustrating how an adjustable magnetic resistance device of the
movable handle assembly can be adjusted so as to move toward a
flywheel assembly, and how the flywheel assembly and pulleys of the
pulling devices of the movable handle assembly rotate when the pull
cords of the pulling devices are pulled outwardly;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic view of a lower pulling
device of the movable handle assembly of the first preferred
embodiment, illustrating a pull cord, a biasing unit, and a
handgrip of the pulling device in a normal state;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 6,
illustrating the lower pulling device of the movable handle
assembly of the first preferred embodiment in a state of use;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment
in a state of use; and
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a movable handle assembly of
the second preferred embodiment of a dual-function treading
exerciser according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Before the present invention is described in greater detail,
it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, the first preferred embodiment of a
dual-function reading exerciser according to the present invention
is shown to comprise a treading platform 1, an upright frame 2, and
a movable handle assembly 4.
[0020] The treading platform 1 includes a base 101, a continuous
tread 102 exposed from a top portion of the base 101 and disposed
to extend around the platform 1, a foot member 103 disposed on a
bottom portion of the base 101 for supporting the platform 1, and a
front end 104.
[0021] The upright frame 2 includes an upright frame body 10
connected fixedly to the front end 104 of the platform 1, a control
panel 20 mounted on the upright frame body 10 in a known manner,
and a pair of fixed handles 30 connected fixedly to an upper
portion of the frame body 10.
[0022] The movable handle assembly 4 is mounted on the control
panel 20 of the frame 2 (see FIG. 1), and is disposed substantially
higher than the fixed handles 30 (see FIG. 1) in this embodiment.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 8, the movable handle assembly 4 is
shown to include a support plate 40, a pair of superimposed upper
and lower pulling devices 50, 50' mounted on a rear side surface of
the plate 40, a flywheel assembly 70 mounted on a front side of the
plate 40, a rotary shaft 60 journalled on the plate 40, and an
adjustable magnetic resistance device 80 mounted on the plate 40
and disposed adjacent to the flywheel assembly 70.
[0023] Each of the upper and lower pulling devices 50, 50' includes
a housing 51 with a receiving chamber 511, a pulley 52 disposed
rotatably in the chamber 511, a unidirectional bearing 53, a pull
cord 55 wound on the pulley 52, a handgrip 54, and a biasing unit.
Since the pulling devices 50 are generally similar to each other in
construction, only one of the pulling devices 50 will be described
in the succeeding paragraph.
[0024] The housing 51 includes a bottom wall 511', an outer
surrounding wall 513 that extends frontwardly from an outer
periphery of the bottom wall 511', a central hole 510 for extension
of the rotary shaft 60 therethrough, and an inner surrounding wall
515 that is disposed between the central hole 510 and the outer
surrounding wall 513. A pulley-receiving chamber 512 is defined
among the bottom wall 511', the outer surrounding wall 513, and the
inner surrounding wall 515. A receiving space 514 is defined among
the bottom wall 511', the inner surrounding wall 513, and the
unidirectional bearing 53. The pulley-receiving chamber 512 and the
receiving space 514 constitute the receiving chamber 511. The outer
surrounding wall 513 is formed with a notch 517, and has a
positioning piece 518 that is inserted removably into the notch 517
and that has a cord hole 519. The inner surrounding wall 515 is
formed with a retaining groove 516. The pulley 52 is disposed in
the pulley-receiving chamber 512 in the housing 51, is formed with
a reeling portion 522, an axial hole 521 defined by an annular
inner wall 520 for receiving the unidirectional bearing 53 therein,
and a receiving space 524 that is defined cooperatively by a bottom
wall 523 and an annular outer wall 525 of the pulley 52 and that
cooperates with the receiving space 514 in the housing 51 to
confine the biasing unit between the housing 51 and the pulley 52.
The pull cord 55 is wound on the pulley 52, and has a front end
portion 551 fastened to the reeling portion 522 of the pulley 52,
and a rear end portion 552 that extends out of the housing 51 and
that is fastened to the handgrip 54. The unidirectional bearing 53
is disposed between the rotary shaft 60 and the pulley 52 so as to
rotate the rotary shaft 60 synchronously with the pulley 52 only
when the pulley 52 rotates in a direction, in which the pull cord
55 is unwound from the pulley 52. The handgrip 54 is movable
rearwardly to unwind the pull cord 55 from the pulley 52. The
handgrip 54 is disposed outside the housing 51, is formed with a
through hole 541 for extension of the rear end portion 552 of the
pull cord 55 therethrough, and is retained on the pull cord 55 by
tying the rear end portion 552 of the pull cord 55 into a knot, as
shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The biasing unit is used for biasing the
pull cord 55 to wind around the pulley 52 when the pull cord 55 is
pulled rearwardly and is subsequently released, and includes a
spring member 526 connected between the housing 51 and the pulley
52 for biasing the pulley 52 to rotate in the chamber 512 in a
predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the spring member 526
is a spiral spring that has one end 5262 inserted into the
retaining groove 516 in the inner surrounding wall 515 of the
housing 51, and the other end 5261 fastened to a post 527 on the
bottom wall 523 of the pulley 52.
[0025] The only difference between the upper and lower pulling
devices 50, 50' resides in that the housing 51 of the upper pulling
device 50 is formed with three upper lugs 509 fixed to the support
plate 40 by means of three bolts (B1) (only one is shown in FIG. 3)
that extend through the upper lugs 509 and the plate 40 to engage
three nuts (N1), and three lower lugs 509'; while the housing 51 of
the lower pulling device 50' is formed with three lugs 509" fixed
threadedly to the lower lugs 509' by means of three bolts (B2).
[0026] The flywheel assembly 70 is mounted fixedly on the rotary
shaft 60, and includes a flywheel 75 having a central hole 74, a
pair of magnetically conductive brass rings 73 disposed
respectively and fixedly on opposite sides of the flywheel 75, and
a protective member 76 that is mounted fixedly on the support plate
40 by means of three screws (B3) that extend through the protective
member 76 and the plate 40 to engage three nuts (N2) (only one is
shown in FIG. 3). The rotary shaft 60 extends through the central
hole 74 in the flywheel 75 in such a manner that the flywheel 75 is
sleeved fixedly on the rotary shaft 60. The protective member 76
has a central hole 761 with a bearing 762 inserted therein. The
rotary shaft 60 is journalled on the support plate 40 by means of a
thrust bearing 77 and the bearing 762 so as to permit smooth
rotation of the flywheel 75 relative to the plate 40.
[0027] The adjustable magnetic resistance device 80 is disposed
adjacent to the flywheel assembly 70 so as to provide resistance to
rotation of the flywheel assembly 70, and includes a positioning
seat 81, a threaded shaft 83, and a magnet seat 82. The positioning
seat 81 is fixed on the support plate 40, and has two spaced-apart
parallel sliding rails 811. The threaded shaft 83 is journalled on
the positioning seat 81, and has one end provided with a hand knob
831 to facilitate manual adjustment of the threaded shaft 83, and
the other end formed with an externally threaded portion 832. The
magnet seat 82 includes a U-shaped body 821 and two spaced-apart
parallel sliding plates 822 that are connected fixedly to the
U-shaped body 821 and that are disposed respectively and slidably
along the sliding rails 811. The body 821 has two opposite side
walls 823, 824 which are provided respectively with two aligned
magnet units 825, between which the flywheel assembly 70 is
disposed, and a connecting wall 826 which interconnects the side
walls 823, 824 fixedly and which is formed with a threaded hole
8261 that engages the externally threaded portion 832 of the
threaded shaft 83 so as to move the U-shaped body 821 toward and
away from the flywheel 75 when the threaded shaft 83 is rotated
relative to the positioning seat 81, thereby adjusting magnitude of
the resistance.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 8, when performing a running exercise, the
user's hands can grip the fixed handles 30 so as to obtain suitable
body support, thereby preventing accidents due to imbalance. When
the user performs a treading exercise or jogging, the user's hands
can pull the handgrips 54 and move the foot and body portions
accordingly. Due to the resistance provided by the spring members
526 (see FIG. 5) of the biasing units when the handgrips 54 are
pulled from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in
FIG. 7, training of the user's forearms, stomach and leg muscles
can be achieved, and functioning of the user's lungs can be
improved, thereby effecting whole body exercise. Thus, the
dual-function treading exerciser of the present invention does not
only function as an ordinary treading exerciser, but also can
provide training of the user's hand portion, stomach portion and
leg portion and improve functioning of the lungs while permitting
movement of the user's body in a comfortable and natural
manner.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, with regard to the operation of
the biasing units, because each of the upper and lower pulling
devices 50, 50' is journalled to the rotary shaft 60 by means of
the unidirectional bearing 53, when either of the handgrips 54 is
pulled rearwardly, the corresponding pull cord 55 is unwound from
the corresponding pulley 52 such that the corresponding pulley 52
rotates in a direction (A) (see FIG. 7) so as to rotate the rotary
shaft 60 and the flywheel 75 synchronously with the corresponding
pulley 52. Subsequently, upon release of the handgrip 54, the
corresponding spring member 526 biases the corresponding pull cord
55 to wind around the corresponding pulley 52. At this time, the
corresponding pulley 52 rotates in a direction that is opposite to
the direction (A) (see FIG. 7) so that rotation of the
corresponding pulley 52 cannot be transferred to the rotary shaft
60 and the flywheel 75.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, when the handgrips 54 are
pulled, due to the magnetic force applied on the flywheel 75 by the
magnet units 825, the spring members 526 and the magnetic
resistance device 80 provide cooperatively a relatively great
resistance to rearward movement of the handgrips 54 during
exercise. Referring once again to FIG. 8, because the movable
handle assembly 4 is disposed substantially higher than the fixed
handles 30, when the user uses the pulling devices 50, 50', the
handgrips 54 are pulled rearwardly and downwardly such that
movement of the handgrips 54 can train not only the forearm
muscles, but also the stomach muscles.
[0031] Referring back to FIG. 5, when an increased load of exercise
is desired, the hand knob 83l is rotated so as to move the magnet
seat 82 toward the flywheel 75 in a direction (B) in order to
obtain a greater magnetic force. When the magnet seat 82 is moved
away from the flywheel 75, as shown in FIG. 4, the magnetic
resistance is reduced.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 9, the adjustable magnetic resistance
device 90 of the second preferred embodiment of the dual-function
treading exerciser according to the present invention is shown to
be substantially similar to the adjustable magnetic resistance
device 80 (see FIG. 3) of the first preferred embodiment. However,
in this embodiment, the magnetic resistance device 90 further
includes a motor 91 and a gear 93. The motor is disposed on the
support plate 40, and is provided with a motor shaft 92. The gear
93 is sleeved fixedly on the motor shaft 92, and engages the
externally threaded portion of the threaded shaft 83 so as to
transfer rotation of the motor shaft 92 to the threaded shaft
83.
[0033] The advantages of the dual-function treading exerciser of
the present invention can be summarized as follows:
[0034] 1. The dual-function treading exerciser of the present
invention does not only have fixed handles 30 to support the user
during a running exercise, but also has a movable handle assembly 4
that can effectively train forearm, stomach, and leg muscles of the
user and that can improve functioning of the user's lungs, thereby
effecting exercise of the user's whole body.
[0035] 2. The design of the movable handle assembly 4, which
includes the flywheel assembly 70 and the adjustable magnetic
resistance device 80, enables the user to obtain a greater exercise
effect. Furthermore, the presence of the upper and lower pulling
devices 50,50' in the movable handle assembly 4 enables the user's
hands to follow the body movement in a comfortable and natural
manner.
[0036] 3. The movable handle assembly 4 is disposed higher than the
fixed handles 30 so as to train not only the forearm muscles, but
the stomach muscles as well.
[0037] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *