U.S. patent application number 11/979006 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-30 for elliptical exercise machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sports Art Industrial Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hai-Pin Kuo.
Application Number | 20090111663 11/979006 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40583604 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090111663 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuo; Hai-Pin |
April 30, 2009 |
Elliptical exercise machine
Abstract
An elliptical exercise machine in which a raise angle of an
elliptical path can be adjusted consists of a foot base, a pair of
arms, a pair of foot pedaling members, and a raise angle member.
When handle parts are held by hands, an opposite exercise can be
taken by a left and right grip pole, as the arms are coupled to
pedal rods, and a roller slides on a link rod. When both feet step
on pedals, the pedal rods will slide on the link rods which drive a
pulley to operate, by a function of the foot pedaling members, to
achieve a purpose of workout. Furthermore, by using the raise angle
member, the pedal rods and the link rods will have a change of
raise angle, and the raise angle of the elliptical path is
adjusted.
Inventors: |
Kuo; Hai-Pin; (Tainan,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Assignee: |
Sports Art Industrial Co.,
Ltd.
Tainan
TW
|
Family ID: |
40583604 |
Appl. No.: |
11/979006 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/53 ;
482/62 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0664 20130101;
A63B 22/0023 20130101; A63B 22/203 20130101; A63B 2022/0676
20130101; A63B 22/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/53 ;
482/62 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/12 20060101
A63B022/12 |
Claims
1. An elliptical exercise machine comprising: a foot base, which is
put up on a floor, and is provided with a front underframe and a
rear underframe, with the front underframe being extended with an
upright post, a pulley being disposed on the aforementioned post,
and left and right sides of the pulley being provided respectively
with a crank; a pair of left and right arms, which is disposed at
two sides of the aforementioned post, with an upper end of each of
the left and right arms being a handle part to be held by a user; a
pair of left and right foot pedaling members, each including a link
rod, a pedal rod, and an adjustment rod, with an end of the
aforementioned link rod being pivoted on the aforementioned crank,
a rear end being provided with a frame seat on which is disposed
with a movable roller, an end of the adjustment rod being pivoted
on the aforementioned arm, the other end being pivoted on the link
rod, an end of the pedal rod being pivoted on the aforementioned
arm at a location close to a bottom end, a tail end being crossed
over on the aforementioned link rod with a roller, and a top
surface at a tail end of the aforementioned pedal rod being
disposed with a foot pedal to be stepped on by the user, and; a
raise angle member including a shaft seat and a drive seat, with
the drive seat being provided with a motor, and a stretcher, left
and right sides of the aforementioned shaft seat each being fixed
on the aforementioned rear underframe with a bracket, the shaft
seat being extended with a plurality of slide rods allowing the
roller at the tail end of the aforementioned link rod to cross over
thereon, a bottom end of each slide rod being fixed with a fixing
rod, the drive seat being disposed on the aforementioned rear
underframe, the drive seat being provided with the stretcher, and
one end of the stretcher being pivoted on the aforementioned fixing
rod; with this kind of structure, when the motor operates to result
in a change of stroke of elongation or shortening for an inner
screw of the aforementioned stretcher, the shaft seat rotating
about a pivot, which allows a free end of the fixing rod, also a
free end of the slide rod, to have a change of angle of raise-up or
drop-down, thereby forming an elliptical path of a different raise
angle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an elliptical exercise
machine, and more particularly to an elliptical exercise machine in
which a raise angle of an elliptical path can be adjusted. The
elliptical exercise machine includes a foot base, grip poles, foot
pedaling members, and a raise angle member. When a user holds
handle parts, he or she can carry out an opposite exercise by a
left and right grip pole, with one grip pole being pulled toward
the user, and the other grip pole being pushed away from the user,
as arms are coupled to pedal rods, and a roller is sliding on a
link rod. Accordingly, by pulling toward or pushing away from the
user with the handle parts, the user can exercise his or her hands,
whereas both feet can step on foot pedals with one foot up and the
other foot down, such that when a left foot exerts force to step on
a left pedal, by a function of the foot pedaling member, a pedal
rod can slide on a link rod which drives a pulley to operate,
thereby achieving a purpose of workout. On the other hand, by using
the raise angle member, the pedal rods and the link rods of the
exercise machine can have a change of raise angle, such that the
raise angle of the elliptical path can be adjusted.
[0003] b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Although an indoor exercise apparatus is used in a different
way than an outdoor exercise, all kinds of existing indoor exercise
apparatus of various fields can be used for training muscles in all
parts of a human body, allowing a consumer to perform a physical
training at home or in a room, to achieve a purpose of workout or
rehabilitation. Therefore, the indoor exercise apparatus has been
widely appreciated by general consumers. For example, a jogging
machine, a stair-stepping machine, a rowing machine, or a
stationary bicycle, is the indoor exercise apparatus that is
commonly selected and used by the consumers. On the other hand,
under continuous new development of the indoor exercise apparatus
in recent years, an elliptical exercise machine, which forms an
elliptic path, is even widely appreciated by the general consumers.
However, in spite that the existing exercise machine is still
provided with the effect of physical training, the path formed when
the conventional elliptical exercise machine is operating is only a
single mode, and an angle of that path cannot be adjusted; in other
words, a resistance setting of an exerciser cannot be changed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary object of the present invention is to provide an
elliptical exercise machine that a raise angle of path can be
adjusted. The elliptical exercise machine includes a foot base, a
pair of grip poles, a pair of foot pedaling members, and a raise
angle member, wherein the foot pedaling members and the grip poles
can be coupled together to form an elliptic path upon usage, and
variation of different angles can be formed to the foot pedaling
members by the raise angle member, such that the elliptical paths
at different raise angles can be achieved.
[0006] To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and
the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief
description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed
description of the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present
invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of structures at a left side
of the present invention.
[0009] FIGS. 3 to 6 show plan views of operations of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an operation of a raise
angle member of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a bracket for installing a
roller in the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an elliptical exercise
machine of the present invention includes a foot base 1, a pair of
left and right arms 2, a pair of left and right foot pedaling
members 3, and a raise angle member 4.
[0013] The foot base 1 is composed of a front underframe 11 and a
rear underframe 12, the front underframe 11 is located at a front
end of the foot base 1, and is disposed with an upright post 10. A
pulley 5 is installed at the aforementioned post 10, and a left and
right side of the pulley 5 is provided respectively with a crank
32. The rear underframe 12 is located at a tail end of the foot
base 1, and is pivoted with the raise angle member 4.
[0014] The left and right arms 2 are disposed at two sides of the
aforementioned post 10, and upper ends of the left and right arms 2
are handle parts 21 to be held by a user.
[0015] Each of the left and right foot pedaling members 3 includes
a link rod 31, a pedal rod 34, and an adjustment rod 8. An end of
the aforementioned link rod 31 is pivoted on the aforementioned
crank 32, and a rear end is disposed with a frame seat 30 on which
is provided with a movable roller 33. An end of the adjustment rod
8 is pivoted on the aforementioned arm 2, and the other end is
pivoted on the link rod 31. An end of the pedal rod 34 is pivoted
on the aforementioned arm 2, at a location close to a bottom end,
and a tail end of the pedal rod 34 is coupled to the aforementioned
link rod 31 by crossing over the link rod 31 with a roller 36 (as
shown in FIG. 2). A top surface close to a tail end of the
aforementioned pedal rod 34 is disposed with a foot pedal 35 to be
stepped on by the user.
[0016] The raise angle member 4 includes a shaft seat 40 and a
drive seat 44. The drive seat 44 is provided with a motor 41, and a
stretcher 43. A left and right side of the aforementioned shaft
seat 40 is fixed respectively on the aforementioned rear underframe
12 with a bracket 401, and the shaft seat 40 is extended with a
plurality of slide rods 13. The slide rod 13 allows the roller 33
at the tail end of the aforementioned link rod 31 to cross over on
it, and a bottom end of the slide rod 13 is fixed with a fixing rod
46. The drive seat 44 is disposed on the aforementioned rear
underframe 12, and is provided with the stretcher 43. An end of the
stretcher 43 is pivoted on the aforementioned fixing rod 46. When
the motor 41 operates to result in a change of stroke of elongation
or shortening for an inner screw 42 of the aforementioned stretcher
43, the shaft seat 40 can rotate about a pivot 47, allowing a free
end of the fixing rod 46, which is also a free end of the slide rod
13, to have a change of angle of raise-up or drop-down.
[0017] A support seat 6 is located on the aforementioned post 10,
and an axis of a gravity wheel 7 is pivoted at the support seat 6.
The gravity wheel 7 provides certain resistance force, and is
coupled with the pulley 5 with a belt 71. When the user operates
the exercise machine, force exerted to hands and feet can be
increased to content against the resistance, enabling the user to
have another option of taking a more demanding exercise.
[0018] When the elliptical exercise machine of the present
invention operates, two feet of the user will step on the foot
pedals 35, and two hands will hold the handle parts 21 of the left
and right arms 2. At a same time when the user is taking the hand
and foot exercises, the pedal rod 34 will manifest an exercise
state as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, so as to form a foot path like an
elliptical path P in FIG. 3. To change an angle of the elliptical
path, the inner screw 42 of the stretcher 43 will be extended
outward by the motor 41, enabling an angle formed between a tail
end of the slide rod 13 and a horizontal plane to be changed, so as
to increase a raise angle, as in FIG. 7 which shows an exercise
state when the raise angle is changed, wherein an upward elliptical
path Q is formed. This elliptical path Q is different from the
elliptical path P in FIG. 3, in the angle with respect to the
horizontal plane. In other words, the raise angle of the elliptical
path Q is larger than that of the elliptical path P. This exercise
state is like running up a slope that the resistance to exercise
can be increased. This kind of design facilitates the user to
adjust magnitude of the resistance to exercise which is formed by a
variation of angle of the raise angle member, according to his or
her physical condition, thereby being provided with flexibility and
practicability.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 8, a bottom end of the frame seat 30 at
the tail end of the link rod 31 can be provided with semi-circular
notches 301 rather than an original straight plane. This kind of
design allows the roller 33 to smoothly move on the slide rod 13,
and prevents a bottom of the frame seat 30 from being abutted with
the slide rod 13.
[0020] Accordingly, an elliptical path of an elliptical exercise
machine of the present invention is changed by a raise angle
member. As this kind of structure has not been disclosed in
publications nor publicly used in a market, it is provided with
novelty. On the other hand, by adjusting a stretcher, the
elliptical path can be changed, so as to achieve another way for
changing resistance to exercise, thereby being provided with a
value of practical utility.
[0021] It is of course to be understood that the embodiments
described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the
invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be
effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following
claims.
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