U.S. patent application number 11/717246 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-27 for gymnastic machine.
Invention is credited to Francesco Della Vittoria, Roberto Gorza, Roberto Maffei.
Application Number | 20070225130 11/717246 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38534208 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070225130 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maffei; Roberto ; et
al. |
September 27, 2007 |
Gymnastic machine
Abstract
Gymnastic machine (1) is provided with a frame (10) and a pair
of footrests (20), each of which is movable on a shaped element
(30) designed in a given fashion along an arched trajectory (P),
with each footrest (20) being connected to the frame (10) in open
chain by means of at least one arm (40) rotating about a first
substantially vertical axis (42), with each arm (40) being
provided, at the respective footrest (20), with a rotatable member
(22) suitable to roll on the shaped element (30), and a controlling
device (50) is associated with each footrest (20) for varying, in
use, the orientation of the footrest (20) so as to make this
footrest (20) able to rotate in the opposite direction to a
rotation imposed on the corresponding arm (40).
Inventors: |
Maffei; Roberto; (Gambettola
(FC), IT) ; Della Vittoria; Francesco; (Cesena (FC),
IT) ; Gorza; Roberto; (Feltre (BL), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ABELMAN, FRAYNE & SCHWAB
666 THIRD AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10017
US
|
Family ID: |
38534208 |
Appl. No.: |
11/717246 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/71 ;
482/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/0482 20130101;
A63B 21/154 20130101; A63B 69/0022 20130101; A63B 2208/0204
20130101; A63B 2022/206 20130101; A63B 22/203 20130101; A63B
22/0064 20130101; A63B 2022/0071 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/071 ;
482/051 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/00 20060101
A63B022/00; A63B 69/18 20060101 A63B069/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 13, 2006 |
IT |
RA2006A000017 |
Claims
1. A gymnastic machine (1) provided with a frame (10) and a pair of
footrests (20), each of which is movable on a shaped element (30)
designed in a given fashion along an arched trajectory (P); each
said footrest (20) being connected to said frame (10) in open chain
by means of at least an arm (40) rotating with respect to a first
axis (42); each said arm (40) being provided, at said respective
footrest (20), with a rotatable member (22) suitable to roll on
said shaped element (30); characterized by comprising controlling
means (50) associated with each said footrest (20) for varying, in
use, the orientation of said footrest (20) so as to make said
footrest (20) able to rotate with respect to said respective arm
(40) in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on said arm
(40).
2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said
controlling means (50) comprise a turning pair (52) for rotatable
connection of each said footrest (20) about a second pivot axis
(24) with respect to the corresponding said arm (40) and a tappet
device (54) coupled to said shaped element (30).
3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each said
turning pair (52) supports said respective footrest (20) with said
corresponding second axis (24) inclined with respect to said arm
(40) in a given fashion.
4. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each said
tappet device (54) is coupled to said shaped element (30) at a
respective groove (34) arched like said trajectory (P) and
comprises a pin (56) coupled to said respective footrest (20) to
control rotation thereof about said second axis (24).
5. A machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said
second axis (24) is inclined with respect to said arm (40) in such
a way that said pin (56) determines a rotation of said respective
footrest (20) which corresponds to a lowering of the front portion
(26) of said footrest (20) simultaneously to a raising of a
respective rear portion (28) in a lowering movement of said
corresponding footrest (20) on said shaped element (30).
6. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said
tappet device (54) is designed to couple to said shaped element
(30) bilaterally, so as to maintain said corresponding footrest
(20) steadily on said trajectory (P).
7. A machine according to claim 6, characterized in that said
tappet device (54) comprises a carriage (57) provided with at least
a roller (58) housed inside said groove (34).
8. A machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said
carriage (57) comprises two rollers (58) with axes parallel and
coupled transverse to said groove (34).
9. A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that each said
arm (40) is articulated on the side of said respective first
vertical axis (42) about a third pivot axis (44) substantially
transverse to said first axis(42).
10. A machine according to claim 9, characterized in that each said
arm (40) comprises a first lever (46) rotatable with respect to
said first axis (42) and a second lever (48) carried by said first
lever (46) about said third axis (44) and supporting one of said
footrests (20).
11. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said
first axis (42) is substantially vertical.
12. A machine according to claim 1, characterized by comprising
load means (70) suitable to exert on each said arm (40) a return
action increasing in degree as the angle of rotation of each said
arm (40) increases to absorb power in the outward movement of each
arm (40) and improve the stability of a user on said footrests
(20).
13. A machine according to claim 12, characterized in that said
load means (70) comprise a resisting component (72) for each said
arm (40) positioned between said respective second lever (48) and
said frame (10); each said resisting component (72) comprising a
substantially rigid cable (74) connected in series to a torsion
spring (76).
14. A machine according to claim 13, characterized in that said
load means (70) comprise an idler component (78) suitable to
maintain the resisting component (72) straddling the shaped element
30.
15. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said pin
(56) is coupled to said footrest (20) in a neighborhood of said
second axis (24).
16. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the race
(32) and said groove (34) of said shaped element (30) present a
height that decreases as the angle of inclination of said arm (40)
increases with respect to a longitudinal median plane (M).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine. In
particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine
for performing skating training exercises. In more detail, the
present invention relates to a gymnastic machine comprising a pair
of footrests for simulating the skating movement wherein each
footrest is constrained to an arm rotatably supported by a frame
with respect to two axes substantially orthogonal to each
other.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the field of gymnastic machines there are well-known
skating simulators for training of the lower limbs particularly
suitable for cardiovascular training sessions. Some machines of
this type are produced in implementation of patents whose teachings
have already been described and discussed in the text attached to
the Italian invention patent application no. RA2004A000044 filed on
16 Sep. 2004, which corresponds to U.S. application Ser. No.
10/908,316 filed May 6, 2005 by the applicant herein, and which
should be referred to for brevity. Furthermore, the teachings that
can be drawn from this patent application have enabled the
construction of a machine called "Cardio Wave", in which a pair of
footrests, each of which supported by a single arm hinged to the
frame, is movable along an open trajectory according to a composite
movement when each arm is moved outward. This composite movement is
governed for each arm by an articulated mechanism, which connects
the frame to the respective footrest. The arms of the two footrests
are positioned crossing over each other and therefore have a
considerable extension and, to avoid coming into reciprocal contact
or, even worse, knocking against each other during movement, they
are shaped asymmetrically. Therefore, both the arms and the
relative articulated mechanisms are constructed in a different
manner, making the bill of materials of the gymnastic machine
particularly intricate and complex. This peculiarity greatly
increases the number of pieces of different shapes and dimensions,
even if for identical functions, and thus also the amount of
equipment required to produce the machine, with a negative impact
on production costs.
[0005] To limit these problems, the applicant has varied the
machine concept to make it symmetrical and has described it in a
further Italian invention patent application, assigned the number
RA2005A000029, and filed on 29 Jul. 2005 which corresponds to U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/494,994 filed Jul. 28, 2006. In this
case, the machine is symmetrical and each footrest is supported by
the connecting rod of an articulated quadrilateral, and is movable
with respect to this connecting rod according to the aforesaid
composite movement through a lever carried by the connecting rod.
It must be observed that in this case the pivot axis of the
footrest is not positioned on the centre line of the connecting rod
eyes. Therefore, the pivot axes of the connecting rod and the axis
of the footrest on the connecting rod are arranged in a triangle on
a triangular-shaped connecting rod. This connecting rod must be
produced as a box-shaped body so that it has the necessary rigidity
and a reasonable weight. Therefore, each footrest must have a
corresponding support with a considerable cost in order to have a
particularly compact mechanism in which the respective components
frequently overlap one another.
[0006] In view of the above description, both in the case of the
application RA2004A000044 and in the case of the application
RA2004A000029, the complexity of the mechanisms corresponding to
the footrests makes the corresponding machines intrinsically rather
unsafe due to the overlaps that occur in the plane between the
levers supporting the footrests. The intrinsic lack of safety could
cause serious injuries in the event of the user losing his/her
balance and placing a foot or limb in general in the space swept by
the footrests and/or by the quadrilateral components.
[0007] The U.S. published patent application US 2005/0014613
provides teachings to considerably simplify the control mechanism
of the movement of the footrests and to make it much safer in a
skating simulator. According to these teachings, a machine is
constructed, wherein each footrest has two degrees of freedom of
rotation in the space about axes of rotation orthogonal to each
other, one of which is limited unilaterally by a rigid shaped
element that reproduces a plane inclined with respect to a
longitudinal median plane of the machine. In particular, each
footrest is rigidly connected to a first lever carried movable in a
rotating manner by a vertical upright by means of the interposition
of a second lever, which is articulated with respect to the first
lever about a horizontal axis; finally, each footrest is supported
by a rigid shaped element, delimited at the top by an inclined
plane by means of the interposition of a wheel.
[0008] According to a variant of the machine described above, the
supporting action of the shaped element on each footrest is
obtained by means of a tie rod connecting the first lever and
supported, for this purpose, in a spherically articulated manner by
a fixed turret. In view of the above description, each tie rod
allows lowering of the footrest from a raised idle position in
which the footrest is positioned close to the longitudinal median
plane of the machine corresponding to movement of the footrest
towards the outside. Furthermore, simplification of the mechanism
that constrains each footrest does not allow the footrests to be
moved so that they follow a correct movement of the articulation of
each foot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The object of the present invention is to construct a
gymnastic machine that allows the disadvantages described above to
be solved, and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of
requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and
therefore, suitable to represent a new and original source of
economic interest, capable of modifying the current market of
skating simulators.
[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a
gymnastic machine a frame and a pair of footrests, each of which is
movable on a shaped element designed in a given fashion along an
arched trajectory (P). Each footrest is connected to the frame in
open chain by means of at least an arm rotating with respect to a
first axis. Each arm is provided, at a respective footrest, with a
rotatable member suitable to roll on the shaped element. The
gymnastic machine includes controlling means associated with each
footrest for varying, in use, the orientation of the footrest so as
to make the footrest capable to rotate with respect to a respective
arm in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on the arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the gymnastic
machine according to the present invention will be more apparent
from the description below, set forth with reference to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate at least a non-limiting
example of embodiment. The drawings show:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic rear perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of a gymnastic machine according to the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of FIG. 1 taken from a
different angle;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of FIG. 1 with parts removed
for clarity wherein some structural components are illustrated in a
plurality of operating positions; and;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective top view of FIG. 1, with
parts removed for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a gymnastic
machine for performing skating training exercises. The machine 1
comprises a frame 10 and a pair of footrests 20, each of which is
connected to the frame 10 according to an open chain kinematic
model by means of at least an arm 40, to which it is connected in
an end position. Each arm 40 is carried by the frame 10 in a
rotatable manner with respect to a first substantially vertical
pivot axis 42 and is articulated on the side of the first axis 42
about a second pivot axis 44 substantially transverse to the first
axis 42, and thus horizontal. In particular, each arm 40 comprises
a first lever 46 hinged to the frame 10 at the first axis 42 and a
second lever 48 hinged to the first lever 46 at the second axis 44,
which carries a respective footrest 20 in an end position. The open
kinematic chain corresponding to each footrest 20 and comprising
the respective articulated arm 40 is closed by a shaped element 30
to give stability and unequivocal movement to the footrest 20 along
an arched trajectory P (partially shown only in FIG. 3) by means of
a respective arched race 32. Each shaped element 30 is rigidly
connected to the frame 10, and each footrest 20 is associated with
a wheel 22 rigidly connected to the arm 40 at the respective second
lever 48 in such position as to be suitable to support the footrest
20 on the race 32 along a trajectory geometrically similar to the
trajectory P.
[0017] Again with reference to FIG. 1, each footrest 20 is
associated with a controlling device 50 suitable to vary, in use,
the orientation of said footrest 20 with respect to the
corresponding second lever 48 during a rotation of the arm 40 about
the axis 42, so as to combine an inclined movement towards the
inside of said footrest 20 with a rotation thereof in the opposite
direction to a rotation imposed on the arm 40 in question. In view
of the above description, the controlling device 50 comprises a
turning pair 52 connecting the respective footrest 20 to the second
lever 48 and a tappet device 54 coupled to the shaped element 30.
In particular, the turning pair 52 is such as to make said footrest
20 freely rotatable about the second lever 48 at a pivot axis 24,
which is inclined with respect to the corresponding arm 40 in a
given fashion. The tappet device 54 is coupled to the shaped
element 30 at a respective groove 34 arched like the respective
race 32, and consequently like the trajectory P, and comprises a
pin 56 coupled to the respective footrest 20 to control the angular
position/rotation thereof about the axis 24 and the inclination
with respect to the corresponding second lever 48 of the arm 40
thereof and, naturally, to the shaped element 30. It must be noted
that the axis 24 is inclined with respect to the second lever 48 of
the arm 40 in such a way that, in use, the pin 56 determines,
together with rotation of the footrest 20 with respect to the
second lever 48 thereof, the lowering of the front portion 26 of
said footrest 20 simultaneously to raising of a respective rear
portion 28 of said footrest 20 while the footrest 20 is moved
outwards and consequently along the trajectory P in which the
height of the footrest drops/is lowered globally on the shaped
element 30 with respect to an initial position in which the
distance of said footrest 20 from a longitudinal median plane M (a
trace of which is visible only in FIG. 3) of the machine 1 is
minimum. Therefore, each shaped element 30 presents a height that
drops in relation to the increase of an angle of inclination of the
respective arm 40 with respect to a longitudinal median plane.
[0018] Again with particular reference to FIG. 1, each tappet
device 54 is designed to couple to the shaped element 30
bilaterally, so as to maintain the corresponding footrest 20
steadily guided on the trajectory P. In this regard, the tappet
device 54 comprises a carriage 57 provided with at least a roller
58 housed inside the groove 34. In particular, each carriage 57
comprises two rollers 58 with axes parallel to each other and
coupled transverse to the groove 34.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 4, the machine 1 comprises a load
device 70 comprising a resisting component 72 for each arm 40
suitable to exert thereon a constraining action with respect to an
idle position close to the plane M. In particular, each component
72 is of a flexible type and elastically connects a second lever 48
to the frame 10 by means of a substantially rigid corresponding
cable 74 connected in series to a torsion spring 76. The object of
the device 70 is to absorb power in the outward movement of each
arm and increase, in use, the resisting force acting on each arm 40
so as to determine a return force that increases as the angle of
rotation of said arm 40 increases. Therefore, it can be said that
the object of the device 70 is to improve the stability of a user
training on the footrests 20. FIG. 4 shows an idler component 78,
typically a pulley carried by the frame 10, suitable to allow the
component 72 to be positioned straddling the shaped element 30.
[0020] In view of the above description, it should be specified
that each pin 56 is coupled at the bottom in a freely rotatable
manner to the corresponding footrest 20 in a neighborhood of the
respective axis 24.
[0021] Operation of the machine 1 is easily understood from the
description above and requires no further explanations.
Furthermore, it may be worthwhile to specify that each machine 1
allows each foot of a user to be guided along an arched trajectory
P faithfully reproducing the movement of the foot of a skater.
[0022] Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be
made to the machine 1 described and illustrated herein without
however departing from the protective scope of the present
invention.
[0023] Based on the above description, it is easy to understand
that the teachings provided above with reference to the gymnastic
machine 1 allow the construction of gymnastic machines for training
users to perform the skating movement wherein each footrest is
supported by a mechanism which, although being particularly simple,
is such as to ensure correct movement of the articulation of the
foot supported by said footrest.
[0024] Though the present invention was shown and described with
references to the preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative
of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation
thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended
that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment
or details thereof, and the present invention includes all
variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and
scope of the present invention as defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *