U.S. patent application number 11/736596 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for miniaturized track exercising device.
Invention is credited to Chin-Ta Lin.
Application Number | 20080058168 11/736596 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39152492 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080058168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; Chin-Ta |
March 6, 2008 |
Miniaturized track exercising device
Abstract
A miniaturized track exercising device includes a chassis on
which a counterweight wheel set is provided. The counterweight
wheel set is provided with a resistance adjusting unit. Two crank
arms extend in opposite directions and are arranged on opposite
sides of the counterweight wheel set. Each crank arm is pivotally
connected to a pedal in an offset manner. The pedals are provided
with a guide rail unit that is opposite to the crank arms with
respect to the pedals and that provides a pivot joint and a
fulcrum. Thus, when the pedals are being treaded, with the
counterweight wheel set inducing a sufficient resistance that is
adjusted with the resistance adjusting unit and the guide rail unit
providing support against gravitational force acting on the pedals
while the pedals undergo track motion, the pedals are constrained
by the guide rail unit to generate an elliptical track motion.
Inventors: |
Lin; Chin-Ta; (Taiping City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008, 1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
39152492 |
Appl. No.: |
11/736596 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/52 ;
482/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2022/0676 20130101;
A63B 22/208 20130101; A63B 21/0051 20130101; A63B 22/0664 20130101;
A63B 22/203 20130101; A63B 22/205 20130101; A63B 2022/067 20130101;
A63B 21/225 20130101; A63B 2210/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/52 ;
482/57 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/04 20060101
A63B022/04; A63B 22/06 20060101 A63B022/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2006 |
TW |
095113870 |
Claims
1. A miniaturized track exercising device comprising a chassis on
which a counterweight wheel set is provided, the counterweight
wheel set being provided with a resistance adjusting unit, two
crank arms extending in opposite directions and arranged on
opposite sides of the counterweight wheel set, each crank arm being
pivotally connected to a pedal in an offset manner, the pedals
being provided with a guide rail unit that is opposite to the crank
arms with respect to the pedals and that provides a pivot joint and
a fulcrum, whereby when the pedals are being treaded, with the
counterweight wheel set inducing a sufficient resistance that is
adjusted with the resistance adjusting unit and the guide rail unit
providing support against gravitational force acting on the pedals
while the pedals undergo track motion, the pedals are constrained
by the guide rail unit to generate an elliptical track motion.
2. The miniaturized track exercising device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the guide rail unit comprises a rail bar having a
semi-circular cross-section and extending in a frontward direction
from an underside of each pedal, two fulcrum rollers being
rotatably mounted to a front portion of the chassis and
respectively engaging in a rolling manner with and supporting the
respective rail bar.
3. The miniaturized track exercising device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the guide rail unit comprises a rail bar extending in a
frontward direction from an underside of each pedal and having a
front end to which a fulcrum roller is rotatably mounted for and
adapted to roll on a fixture surface, whereby being supported on
the ground and with the fulcrums as pivot joints, the pedals are
constrained by the crank arms and the rail bars to undergo
elliptical motion.
4. The miniaturized truck exercising device as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the guide rail unit comprises channels having upward facing
openings and arranged at a front end and opposite sides of the
chassis to movably receive the fulcrum rollers therein respectively
for making rolling of the fulcrum rollers smooth, the channels
being foldable inward to reduce space occupied thereby.
5. The miniaturized track exercising device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the guide rail unit comprises a guide collar mounted to an
underside of each pedal and a rail bar slidably extending in a
frontward direction through the collar, a front end of the rail bar
being pivoted to a front end of the chassis whereby the pedals are
constrained by the crank arms and are movable along the guide rail
unit to thereby induce an elliptic motion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of physical
exercising or fitness equipment, and in particular to an elliptical
track exercising device having a reduced volume and effectively
increasing exercising amount.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] To cope with the substantial reduction of exercising sites
and time that am available for modern people, a variety of
exercising device or fitness equipment is available in the market
for carrying out different types of physical trainings. Among the
exercising devices available in the market, a track exercising
device is operated by having the feet treading and skidding back
and fro to effect training of strength of legs. The track
exercising device has been developed from the early vane-type
stationary bicycle to the recent elliptic track exercising device.
FIG. 1 of the attached drawings shows a conventional vane-type
stationary bicycle, which comprises a home or chassis 10 that
stands on the ground. A vane assembly 11 for inducing a wind
resistance is mounted on the frame 10. The vane assembly 11 is
driven by a crank assembly 12 that is arranged in the rear portion.
The crank 12 are provided at opposite sides thereof two pedals 13
that are provided with linking bars 14. Handgrips 15, which can
rock back and fro, are provided at opposite sides of a front end of
the frame 10. Lower ends of the handgrips 15 are respectively
pivoted to the linking bars 14 of the pedals 13 to form driving
coupling therebetween. A central portion of the frame 10 is raised
upward and is provided with a seat assembly 16, whereby a user may
sit on the seat assembly 16 and treads the pedals 13 with hands
holding and rocking the handgrips 15 back and fro. Since the pedals
13 are directly coupled to the center of the crank assembly 12,
they just undergo rotation along circular tracks. This means the
amount of exercise is less. In addition, the seat assembly 16 and
the handgrips 15 are must for the known device and this means it is
in general not possible to significantly reduce the overall volume
of the device, which leads to troubles in storage and
transportation.
[0005] To improve the drawback of being of less amount, of exercise
for the conventional vane type stationary bicycle, other types of
exercising devices have been developed and an example, given in
FIG. 2, is a magnetism-controlled track exercising device,
comprising an I-shaped base 20 having a front end on which a
suspension frame 21 is provided. A magnetism control wheel set 22
and a crank set 23 are respectively arranged at front and rear
sides of the suspension frame 21. Pedals 24 are respectively
located on opposite sides and rear ends of the pedals 24 are
rotatably connected to the crank set 23 so as to induce motion
along an elliptic track, which helps increasing the amount of
exercising. Further, handgrips 25 are located on opposite sides of
and are pivotally coupled to the front end of the suspension frame
21. Lower ends of the handgrips 25 are pivoted to links 26 that are
connected to the front ends of the pedals 24 so that the user may
stand on the pedals 24 for doing exercise and keeping balance by
holding the handgrips 25. However, once again, the overall volume
of the known device cannot be significantly reduced, and this
causes problems in installation, use, and storage of the
device.
[0006] Further referring to FIG. 3, which illustrates a dual-crank
type track exercising device, comprising a chassis 30 having a
front section on which a suspension frame 31 is arranged. A
flywheel set 32 is arranged in the suspension frame 31 and has
crank arms 33 on opposite sides thereof. The chassis 30 is provided
at a rear section thereof with a crank set 34 that drives the
flywheel set 32. Pedals 35 are arranged on opposite sides of the
crank set 34. A link 36 is connected to a front end of each pedal
35 and is also connected to the respective crank arm 33, so that
the pedals 35 can reciprocate back and fro between the crank arms
33 of the flywheel set 32 and the crank set 34. To keep safety and
balance of a rider, handgrips 37 are provided at front end of both
the suspension frame 31 and the chassis 30 to be held by the rider.
When the crank arms 33 and the crank set 34 are rotated to the
topmost positions, the pedals 35 have the gravity centers thereof
located at very high position whereby without holding the handgrips
37, the rider may be subject to high potential of risk. In this
respect, the handgrips 37 are a must for the known device.
[0007] FIG. 4 of the attached drawings illustrates a slide type
track exercising device, comprising a chassis 40 and a vertical
post 41 is arranged at a rear end of the chassis 40. A crank set 42
is rotatably mounted to a top end of the post 41. A guide tube 44,
which carries a pedal 43, is provided at each side of the crank set
42. The guide tube 44 contains therein a compression spring is in
telescopic connection with a slide bar 45 that is pivoted to the
chassis 40. Thus, when the pedals 43 are stepped to depress the
guide tubes 44 downward, the compression springs provide the slide
bars 45 with the effect simulating damping motion. This simplifies
the structure, but lacks of the rotational inertia effected by the
vane or flywheel, so that the operation is not smooth, and the
result of exercising is poor. Further since the operation is not
smooth and the resistance of damping is not adjustable, handgrips
46 are still needed for the user to maintain balance. As a result,
it cannot reduce the space occupied.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates a further conventional slide type track
exercising device, which comprises a chassis 50 having a rear end
to which a crank set 51 is mounted and a flywheel set 52 is
arranged in front of and in driving coupling with the crank set 51.
The flywheel 52 provides resistance to effect exercising. A
handgrip post 53 is erected at a front end of the chassis 50. A
guide bar 54 is provided at and pivoted to opposite sides of a
lower section of the handgrip post 53 and a slidable pedal 55 is
slidably mounted on each guide bar 54. The slidable pedal 55 is
pivoted at a rear end thereof to the crank set 51 so that when the
crank set 51 is rotated, the slidable pedals 55 slide along the
guide bars to effect the greatest extent of track exercising.
However, the pedals 55 are not fixed with respect to the guide bars
54 and thus the handgrip post 53 is a must for the user to keep
balance. Thus, the overall volume cannot be reduced, leading to the
same problems of storage, use, and transportation.
[0009] The known pedaling type track exercising devices provides
the users with exercising by pedaling action. Since in all the
known devices, the support point or fulcrum and the pivot point are
"floating" rather than stationary, when the device is operated to
take track motion, the gravity center of the pedals are located in
front of the user so that the user cannot control the balance
thereof and thus handgrips located in front of the chassis are
required to support the user. On the other hand, the known sliding
type uses the slidable pedals sliding along the guide bars to
realize exercising. Again, since the pedals are "floating" and are
not properly supported, when the device is operated to take track
motion, the user is not able to control balance so that again,
handgrips are needed in the front of the chassis for supporting the
user.
[0010] In other words, the conventional pedaling type track,
exercising devices realize exercising by pedaling action. To
increase the resistance thereof, a large size vane is needed. Also,
crank set and chain are used to drive the vane. All these
complicate the construction and enlarge the overall volume. In
addition, the gravity center is put at a high altitude, causing
negative effect on the operation safety. The handgrips that allow
the user to keep balance also increase the overall volume of the
track exercising device, causing problems in flexibility of space
use and inconvenience of use, installation, storage, and
transportation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a
miniaturized track exercising device, which has reduced overall
volume and has enhanced operation safety.
[0012] The above objective is realized with the following technical
solution. A miniaturized track exercising device comprises a
chassis on which a counterweight wheel set is provided. The
counterweight wheel set is provided with a resistance adjusting
unit for adjusting the resistance induced by the counterweight
wheel set. Two crank arms extend in opposite directions and are
arranged on opposite sides of the counterweight wheel set. Each
crank arm is pivotally connected to a pedal in an offset manner.
The pedals are provided with a guide rail unit that is opposite to
the crank arms with respect to the pedals and that provides a pivot
joint and a fulcrum. As such, with the above described means, the
present invention may adjust the resistance against the rotation of
the counterweight wheel set by means of the resistance adjusting
unit and the guide rail unit, provides support against
gravitational force acting on the pedals while the pedals undergo
track motion, so that the user may stably stand on the pedal to
take the track motion without the handgrips to maintain balance.
Thus, reduction of overall volume and putting the gravity center at
a lower altitude are realized. And, exercising result can also be
enhanced with safety.
[0013] The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0014] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vane type conventional
stationary bicycle;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional
magnetism-controlled track exercising device;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional dual-crank
type track exercising device;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional slide type
track exercising device;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another conventional slide
type track exercising device;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a miniaturized
track exercising device constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the miniaturized track
exercising device of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view illustrating the operation
of the miniaturized track exercising device of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a miniaturized
track exercising device in accordance with another embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a miniaturized
track exercising device in accordance with a further embodiment of
the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the miniaturized hack
exercising device shown in FIG. 10; and
[0026] FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a miniaturized
track exercising device in accordance with yet a further embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments
only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0028] With reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS.
6-8, which show a miniaturized track exercising device in
accordance with the present invention the track exercising device
comprises a chassis 60 having a front portion and a rear portion. A
counterweight wheel set 61 is mounted on the rear portion and a
resistance adjusting unit 62 is provided at a front portion of the
counterweight wheel set 61 to allow adjustment of the resistance
that is provided by the counterweight wheel set 61 by a user in
accordance with the physical condition and the extent of training
to be taken by user. Crank arms 63, which extend in opposite
directions, are provided on opposite sides of the counterweight
wheel set 61, and each crank arm 63 pivotally carries a pedal 64 in
an eccentric manner. The pedals 64 are provided at front ends
thereof with a guide rail unit 65, which serves as pivot point and
fulcrum. The guide rail unit 65 comprises a rail bar 66 that has a
semi-circular cross-section and extends in a frontward from an
underside of each pedal 64. The guide rail unit 65 also comprises
two fulcrum rollers 67 rotatably mounted to the front portion of
the chassis 60 at locations corresponding to the two rail bars 66
to support the rail bars 66 thereon in a rolling manner.
[0029] With such an arrangement, by setting and adjusting the
resistance induced by the counterweight wheel set 61 with the
resistance adjusting unit 62 and by supporting the gravity of the
load on the pedals 64 with the guide rail unit 65, when a user
treads the pedals 64, the pedals 64 are subject to constraints by
the crank arms 63 to move with the rail bars 66 sliding with
respect to the fulcrum rollers 67 thereby generating an elliptic
track motion. As such, a compact and safe miniaturized track
exercising device is realized.
[0030] To practically operate the miniaturized track exercising
device in accordance with the present invention, referring to FIGS.
6-8 again, the user steps on the pedals 64. Due to the fact that
the counterweight wheel set 61 is provided with an adjustable
resistance adjusting unit 62, the pedals 64 on which the user
stands are not allowed to rotate arbitrarily so that the user may
stably stand thereon. Since the guide rail unit 65, which serves as
a pivot point and a fulcrum, is located in front of the pedals 64,
the range of movement of the guide rail unit 65 is less than what
located at the rear portion. And since the guide rail unit 65 is
supported by the fulcrum rollers 67 and is guided in a friction
manner with the rail bars 66, the user may effectively control the
balance thereof. Therefore, the device of the present invention
needs no handgrip. This helps reducing the overall length of the
chassis 60, making the construction simplified and the overall
volume reduced, and eventually facilitating exploitation of the
space required for use, installation, storage and transportation.
In addition, the device of the present invention has a gravity
center set at a lower location, which makes the operation and use
of the device safer.
[0031] In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the track exercise device
comprises a chassis 70 having a tear portion in which a
counterweight wheel set 71 is mounted. A resistance adjusting unit
72 is provided at a front portion of the counterweight wheel set
71. Two crank arms 73, which extend in opposite directions, are
arranged on opposite sides of the counterweight wheel set 71. Each
crank arm 73 is arranged at the rear side of and pivoted to a pedal
74 in an onset manner. The pedals 74 are provided at front sides
thereof a guide rail unit 75 serving as a pivot point and fulcrum.
The guide rail unit 75 comprises a rail bar 76 extending in the
frontward direction from an underside of each pedal 74. A fulcrum
roller 77 is provided at a hunt end of each rail bar 76 for rolling
on the ground. Thus being supported by the ground and pivoting
about the fulcrum roller 77, the pedals 74 are constrained by the
crank arms 73 and the rail bars 76 to take an elliptical motion,
featuring the same effectiveness and advantages as the previous
embodiment.
[0032] In a further embodiment of the present invention, as
illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, to enhance the smooth movement of
the fulcrum rollers 77 of the rail bars 76, channels 78 having an
upward facing opening are provided at locations in front of and on
opposite sides of the chassis 70 for receiving and guiding the
rollers 77 so that the fulcrum rollers 77 may roil in a more
controlled and smooth manner. In addition, the channels 78 can be
made selectively foldable inward to reduce the space required for
storage and transportation.
[0033] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 12, a further embodiment of
the miniaturized track exercising device in accordance with the
present invention comprises a chassis 80, which has a rear portion
in which a counterweight wheel set 81 is mounted. A resistance
adjusting unit 82 is provided at a front portion of the
counterweight wheel set 81. Two crank arms 83, which extend in
opposite directions, are arranged on opposite sides of the
counterweight wheel set 81. Each crank arm 73 is arranged at the
rear side of and pivoted to a pedal 84 in an offset manner. The
pedals 84 are provided at front sides thereof a guide rail unit 85
serving as a pivot point and fulcrum. The guide rail unit 75
comprises a guide collar 86 mounted to an underside of each pedal
84 and a rail bar 87 slidably extending through the guide collar 86
in the frontward direction. A front end of each rail bar 87 is
pivoted to the front end of the chassis 80 so that the pedals 84
are driven by the crank arms 83 and are constrained by the guide
rail unit 85 to effect an elliptic track motion, and once again,
featuring reduced volume and enhanced safety.
[0034] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
[0035] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a useful application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0036] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *