U.S. patent number RE39,904 [Application Number 10/957,519] was granted by the patent office on 2007-10-30 for combined elliptical cycling and stepping exerciser.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stamina Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Sunny Lee.
United States Patent |
RE39,904 |
Lee |
October 30, 2007 |
Combined elliptical cycling and stepping exerciser
Abstract
A combined cycling and stepping exerciser includes a base frame
with an upright post, a drive wheel mounted on the base frame, a
pair of elongated lever arms with front end portions pivoted to the
upright post, a pair of slide seats, and pair of pedal arms
disposed on the lever arms. Each of the lever arms has a
longitudinal slide groove. Each of the slide seats is coupled to a
respective crank arm of the drive wheel, and engages slidably the
slide groove in a respective lever arm so as to be slidable along
the slide groove. Each of the pedal members has a front end
engaging slidably the slide groove in a respective lever arm. A
pair of fasteners are operable for fastening rear ends of the pedal
members selectively and respectively to the slide seats and to rear
end portions of the lever arms.
Inventors: |
Lee; Sunny (Nan-Tou Hsien,
TW) |
Assignee: |
Stamina Products, Inc.
(Springfield, MO)
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Family
ID: |
25272608 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/957,519 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
09836734 |
Apr 17, 2001 |
06468184 |
Oct 22, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/52; 482/51;
482/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
22/0056 (20130101); A63B 22/0664 (20130101); A63B
22/0015 (20130101); A63B 22/0046 (20130101); A63B
2022/067 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
22/00 (20060101); A63B 22/12 (20060101); A63B
23/04 (20060101); A63B 69/16 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;482/51-54,57,70,79-80 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Crow; Stephen R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman,
LLP
Claims
I claim:
1. A combined cycling and stepping exerciser comprising: a base
frame having a front end portion with an upright post, and a rear
end portion opposite to said front end portion in a longitudinal
direction, said upright post being formed with a pair of horizontal
pivot shafts that project in opposite lateral direction transverse
to the longitudinal direction; a drive wheel mounted rotatably on
said rear end portion of said base frame, said drive wheel having a
horizontal wheel axle transverse to said longitudinal direction,
and a pair of crank arms coupled to said wheel axle and disposed on
opposite lateral sides of said drive wheel; a pair of elongated
lever arms disposed on opposite lateral sides of said base frame,
each of said lever arms having a front end portion pivoted to a
respective one of said pivot shafts on said upright post, a rear
end portion, and a longitudinally extending slide groove extending
between said front and rear end portions; a pair of slide seats,
each of which is coupled to a respective one of said crank arms and
engages slidably said slide groove in a respective one of said
lever arms so as to be slidable along said slide groove when said
drive wheel rotates; a pair of pedal members disposed respectively
on said lever arms, each of said pedal members having a front end
engaging slidably said slide groove in the respective one of said
lever arms, and a rear end; and fasteners which are operable for
fastening said rear ends of said pedal members selectively and
respectively to said slide seats and to said rear end portions of
said lever arms.
2. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
1, further comprising a resistance wheel mounted rotatably on said
base frame and coupled to said drive wheel for providing resistance
to rotation of said drive wheel.
3. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
1, wherein each of said lever arms is formed with two of said slide
grooves in opposite lateral sides thereof.
4. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
3, wherein said front end of each of said pedal members has a pair
of mounting lobes which extend downwardly to said lateral sides of
the respective one of said lever arms, each of said mounting lobes
being provided with a roller which extends into a respective one of
said slide grooves in the respective one of said lever arms.
5. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
3, wherein each of said slide seats is sleeved on the respective
one of said lever arms and has a pair of side walls disposed
respectively on the opposite lateral sides of the respective one of
said lever arms, said side walls having confronting inner side
surfaces, each of which is provided with at least one roller that
extends into a respective one of said slide grooves in the
respective one of said lever arms.
6. The combining cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
5, wherein said rear end of each of said pedal members has a
horizontal mounting plate which is formed with a mounting hole for
mounting a respective one of said fasteners therein, each of said
fasteners having an operating knob disposed over said mounting
plate of a respective one of said pedal members, and a threaded
shank extending through said mounting hole in said mounting plate,
each of said slide seats further having a top wall interconnecting
said side walls and disposed over the respective one of said lever
arms, said top wall being formed with an internally threaded
fastener hole for engaging threadedly said threaded shank of a
respective one of said fasteners when said rear ends of said pedal
members are fastened to said slide seat, said rear end portion of
each of said lever arms being formed with an internally threaded
fastener hole on a top side of said lever arm for engaging
threadedly said threaded shank of a respective one of said
fasteners when said rear ends of said pedal members are fastened to
said rear end portions of said lever arms.
7. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
6, wherein said top wall of each of said slide seats has a rear
edge, said rear end portion of each of said lever arms having a
rear edge, said mounting plate of each of said pedal members being
formed with a downward flange for engaging said rear edge of said
top wall of the respective one of said slide seats when said
mounting plate is fastened to the respective one of said slide
seats, and for engaging said rear edge of said rear end portion of
the respective one of said lever arms when said mounting plate is
fastened to said rear end portion of the respective one of said
lever arms.
8. The combined cycling and stepping exerciser as claimed in claim
6, wherein each of said slide seats further has a bottom wall
disposed below the respective one of said lever arms and
interconnecting said side walls, said bottom wall having a bottom
side provided with a coupling sleeve that extends in a horizontal
direction transverse to said longitudinal direction and that is
coupled to a distal end of a respective one of said crank arms.
.Iadd.9. A combined elliptical cycling and stepping exerciser,
comprising: a frame configured to be supported on a horizontal
surface; and a dual crank arm mechanism including left and right
pedal members, each of said left and right pedal members having a
foot engaging portion configured to support a foot of a user and
opposite end portions, said dual crank arm mechanism being
constructed and arranged with respect to the pedal members so that
the pedal members can be selectively moved in either an elliptical
cycling mode or a stepping mode, each of said pedal members, when
in the elliptical cycling mode, being operatively associated with
said dual crank arm mechanism so that one end portion thereof moves
along a preselected path while the opposite end portion thereof
moves in a circular orbital path about a fixed transverse
rotational axis provided on said frame, so that when the exerciser
is in use in said elliptical cycling mode, and when a foot of the
user which is disposed upon the foot engaging portion thereof
travels forwardly from a rearwardmost position, the heel portion of
the user's foot associated therewith initially rises at a faster
rate than the toe portion, and when the foot travels rearwardly
from a forwardmost position, the heel portion of the user's foot
initially lowers at a faster rate than the toe portion, each of
said pedal members, when in the stepping mode, being operatively
associated with said dual crank arm mechanism so that the foot
engaging portions thereof move in arcuate paths between uppermost
and lowermost arcuate positions, which arcuate paths are
equidistant from a fixed pivotal axis provided on said frame, so
that when the exerciser is in use in said stepping mode, one foot
of the user will move upwardly between said arcuate positions while
the other foot moves downwardly between said arcuate
positions..Iaddend.
.Iadd.10. The exerciser of claim 9, wherein said dual crank arm
mechanism includes a horizontal axle rotatably mounted on the frame
for rotation about the rotational axis provided thereon, and left
and right crank arms fixed on opposite lateral sides of said
horizontal axle..Iaddend.
.Iadd.11. The exerciser of claim 10, wherein a drive wheel is fixed
with respect to said horizontal axle between said left and right
crank arms and a resistance wheel is mounted rotatably on a second
rotational axis parallel to said first mentioned rotational axis
provided on said frame, said resistance wheel being coupled to said
drive wheel for providing resistance to the rotation of said drive
wheel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.12. The exerciser of claim 10, wherein said dual crank arm
mechanism includes left and right motion transmitting members
rotationally connected to free ends of the left and right crank
arms respectively, said left and right motion transmitting members
being selectively connected with respect to said left and right
pedal members respectively so that in the elliptical mode thereof,
the left and right motion transmitting members move with the left
and right pedal members respectively, and in the stepping mode
thereof, the left and right motion transmitting members slide with
respect to the left and right pedal members
respectively..Iaddend.
.Iadd.13. The exerciser of claim 12, wherein said dual crank arm
mechanism includes left and right horizontally extending pivot
members on said frame that provide the pivotal axis for the
movement of said left and right pedal members when said pedal
members are in said stepping mode..Iaddend.
.Iadd.14. The exerciser of claim 13, wherein said pivot members
constitute pivot shafts fixed to and extending from a vertically
extending post of said frame..Iaddend.
.Iadd.15. The exerciser of claim 13, wherein said dual crank arm
mechanism includes left and right elongated lever arms each having
a front end portion pivoted to said left and right pivot members
respectively, a rear end portion, and a longitudinally extending
slide groove extending between said front and rear end portions,
said left and right pedal members being disposed on said left and
right lever arms respectively, each of said pedal members having a
front end portion engaging slidably said slide groove in the
respective one of said lever arms, and a rear end, said dual crank
arm mechanism further including left and right fasteners which are
operable for fastening said rear ends of said left and right pedal
members selectively to said left and right motion transmitting
members respectively when said left and right pedal members are in
said elliptical cycling mode or selectively to said rear end
portions of said left and right lever arms when said left and right
pedal members are in said stepping mode..Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. The exerciser of claim 15, wherein each said front end
portion of each of said pedal members engages slidably said slide
groove by rolling on a surface defining the groove..Iaddend.
.Iadd.17. The exerciser of claim 13, wherein said pre-selected path
comprises a closed curved shaped path so that the rearward movement
of the one end portion of each pedal member is along one curved
path sector and the forward movement is along a different curved
path sector..Iaddend.
.Iadd.18. The exerciser of claim 9, wherein said pre-selected path
comprises a closed curved shaped path so that the rearward movement
of the one end portion of each pedal member is along one curved
path sector and the forward movement is along a different curved
path sector..Iaddend.
.Iadd.19. A dual mode exerciser, comprising: a frame configured to
be supported on a horizontal surface; and a dual crank arm
mechanism including left and right pedal members, each of said left
and right pedal members having a foot engaging portion configured
to support a foot of a user, said dual crank arm mechanism being
selectively operable in a first mode or a second mode, wherein when
said dual crank arm mechanism is operating in said first mode, the
foot engaging portion of each of said pedal members moves in a
generally elliptical closed loop path, and when said dual crank arm
mechanism is operating in said second mode, the foot engaging
portion of each of said pedal members moves in a generally
up-and-down reciprocal arcuate path..Iaddend.
.Iadd.20. The exerciser of claim 19, wherein when said dual crank
arm mechanism is operating in said first mode, one end portion of
each pedal member moves along a preselected path while the opposite
end portion thereof moves in a circular orbital path about a fixed
transverse rotational axis provided on said frame..Iaddend.
.Iadd.21. The exerciser of claim 19, wherein when said dual crank
arm mechanism is operating in said second mode, the foot engaging
portions of each of said pedal members move in arcuate paths
between uppermost and lowermost arcuate positions, which arcuate
paths are equidistant from a fixed pivotal axis provided on said
frame..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exerciser, more particularly to
an exerciser which provides combined cycling and stepping exercise
functions and which is capable of being converted to operate in one
of cycling and stepping exercise modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional cycling exerciser 10 which mainly
includes a base frame 11 mounted with a resistance wheel 12 that is
coupled to a drive wheel 13 for providing resistance to rotation of
the drive wheel 13. The drive wheel 13 has a pair of crank arms 14
on opposite lateral sides thereof. The base frame 11 has an upright
post 15 at a front end thereof. A pair of horizontal pivot shafts
16 project laterally from the upright post 15, and are connected
pivotally to a pair of upright linking rods 17 which have lower
ends connected pivotally to front ends of a pair of pedals 18 that
are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the base frame 11. The
pedals 18 are coupled to the crank arms 14, respectively, for
propelling rotation of the drive wheel 13. However, the exerciser
10 can only perform a regular cycling exercise mode, and only
exercises the knees and the ankles of the user.
.Iadd.The prior art exerciser shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed in the
FIG. 4 embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,829, issued Jan. 24, 1995
(see also Reexamination Certificate issued Mar. 5, 2002). The '829
patent as reexamined describes the dual crank arm mechanism for
mounting of the foot links or pedal members (pedals 18 of FIG. 1
herein) which achieves the elliptical movement that is such as "to
direct a second end of each foot link along a preselected,
reciprocating path of travel as the first end of said foot link
travels along said arcuate path; so that when said exercise device
is in use, and when the second end of one of said foot links
travels from a point at a rearward end of said reciprocating path,
forward along said path, the heel portion of a user's foot
associated therewith initially rises at a faster rate than the toe
portion, and when the second end of said foot link travels rearward
along said reciprocating path of travel from a forward end thereof,
the heel portion of the user's foot initially lowers at a faster
rate than the toe portion."
The same inventor of the '829 patent was granted a related U.S.
Pat. No. 5,518,473, issued May 21, 1996, which uses the same
language to describe the elliptical movement of the foot links or
pedal members of the disclosed elliptical exerciser which has a
different mounting arrangement for the second end of the foot links
or pedal members. In the '473 patent exerciser, the connection of
the second end of each foot link or pedal member directs it along a
closed curved path rather than a reciprocating path. It is to be
appreciated that the term "cycling" as used herein refers to an
"elliptical cycling" or "elliptical" mode of operation as
identified in the '829 and '473 patents noted above..Iaddend.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide a combined
cycling and stepping exerciser which provides combined cycling and
stepping exercise functions and which is capable of being converted
to operate in one of cycling and stepping exercise modes.
Accordingly, the exerciser of the present invention includes a base
frame, a drive wheel, a pair of elongated lever arms, a pair of
slide seats, a pair of pedal arms and fasteners. The base frame has
a front end portion with an upright post, and a rear end portion
opposite to the front end portion in a longitudinal direction. The
upright post is formed with a pair of horizontal pivot shafts that
project in opposite lateral directions transverse to the
longitudinal direction. The drive wheel is mounted rotatably on the
rear end portion of the base frame. The drive wheel has a
horizontal wheel axle transverse to the longitudinal direction, and
a pair of crank arms coupled to the wheel axle and disposed on
opposite lateral sides of the drive wheel. The elongated lever arms
are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the base frame. Each of
the lever arms has a front end portion pivoted to a respective one
of the pivot shafts on the upright post, a rear end portion, and a
longitudinally extending slide groove extending between the front
and rear end portions. Each of the slide seats is coupled to a
respective one of the crank arms, and engages slidably the slide
groove in a respective one of the lever arms so as to be slidable
along the slide groove when the drive wheel rotates. The pedal
members are disposed respectively on the lever arms. Each of the
pedal members has a front end engaging slidably the slide groove in
the respective one of the lever arms, and a rear end. The fasteners
are operable for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members
selectively and respectively to the slide seats and to the rear end
portions of the lever arms.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of
which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional cycling
exerciser;
FIG. 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the combined
cycling and stepping exerciser of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred
embodiment, where a pedal member is shown to be fastened to a slide
seat;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the present
invention;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how a front post is connected to a lever arm;
FIG. 6 is another fragmentary sectional view of the preferred
embodiment, illustrating how a slide seat is mounted on a lever
arm;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view, illustrating the preferred
embodiment when the pedal members are fastened to the slide
seats;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side view, illustrating the preferred
embodiment when the pedal members are fastened to the lever
arms;
FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the preferred embodiment when
operated to perform a cycling exercise mode; and
FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating the preferred embodiment when
operated to perform a stepping exercise mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the combined
cycling and stepping exerciser of the present invention is shown to
include a base frame 20, a drive wheel 25, a resistance wheel 24, a
pair of lever arms 30, a pair of slide seats 41 .Iadd.or motion
transmitting members.Iaddend., a pair of pedal members 40
.Iadd.with respective foot engaging portions and opposite
ends.Iaddend., and a pair of operable fasteners 42.
The base frame 20 has a front end portion formed with an upright
front post 21, and a rear end portion opposite to the front end
portion in a longitudinal direction and formed with an upright rear
post 23. A pair of handle members 22 are secured to an upper end
portion of the front post 21. A pair of horizontal pivot shafts 23
(see FIG. 5) .Iadd.or pivot members .Iaddend.project from a lower
end portion of the front post 21 in opposite lateral directions.
The drive wheel 25 is mounted rotatably on the rear post 23, and is
coupled to the resistance wheel 24, which is mounted on the base
frame 20. The resistance wheel 24 provides resistance to rotation
of the drive wheel 25 in a known manner. The drive wheel 25 has a
horizontal wheel axle 252 which extends in a direction transverse
to the longitudinal direction and which has a pair of crank arms
251 disposed on opposite lateral sides of the drive wheel 25.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the lever arms 30 are disposed on
opposite lateral sides of the base frame 20. Each of the lever arms
30 has a front end portion formed with a coupling sleeve 33 on its
bottom side for coupling rotatably with a respective one of the
pivot shafts 23 on the front post 21. The respective one of the
pivot shafts 23 is retained in the coupling sleeve 33 by means of
an end plate 34 and a screw 341 that fastens the end plate 34 to a
nut 231 buried securely in one end of the pivot shaft 23. For the
sake of reduction in weight, each of the lever arms 30 is formed as
an elongated hollow body with a pair of longitudinally extending
slide grooves 31 formed in two opposite lateral sides thereof, and
an intermediate cavity 32 disposed between the slide grooves 31.
Each of the lever arms 30 further has a rear end portion formed
with an internally threaded first fastener hole 35 (see FIG.
4).
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, each of the slide seats 41 includes a
casing which is disposed around a respective one of the lever arms
30 and which has left and right side walls 410 disposed on opposite
lateral sides of the respective one of the lever arms 30, a top
wall 412 interconnecting the side walls 410 and disposed over the
respective one of the lever arms 30, and a bottom wall 415
interconnecting the side walls 410 and disposed below the
respective one of the lever arms 30. The side walls 410 have
confronting inner side surfaces, each of which is provided with two
rollers 411 which extend into a respective one of the slide grooves
31 in the respective one of the lever arms 30 such that the slide
seat 41 is slidable on the respective one of the lever arms 30
along the slide grooves 31. The top wall 412 is formed with an
internally threaded second fastener hole 413. The bottom wall 415
has a bottom side provided with a coupling sleeve 43 which extends
in a horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal direction
and which is sleeved on a transverse coupling shaft 253 at a distal
end of a respective one of the crank arms 251.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the pedal members 40 is
disposed over a respective one of the lever arms 30, and has a
front end formed with a pair of mounting lobes 421 which extend
downwardly to the lateral sides of the respective one of the lever
arms 30 and which are provided with rollers 422 that extend
respectively into the slide grooves 31 in the respective one of the
lever arms 30. Each of the pedal members 40 further has a rear end
formed with a horizontal mounting plate 423 which has a mounting
hole 425 formed therethrough and a downward flange 424 formed at a
rear edge thereof.
Each of the fasteners 42 includes an operating knob 426 disposed
over the mounting plate 423 of a respective one of the pedal
members 40, and a threaded shank 427 extending through the mounting
hole 425 in the mounting plate 423. In one exercise mode, the
threaded shanks 427 of the fasteners 42 are fastened to the first
fastener holes 35 for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members
40 to the lever arms 30. In another exercise mode, the threaded
shanks 427 engage the second fastener holes 413 for fastening the
rear ends of the pedal members 40 to the slide seats 41.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 9, when it is desired to perform the
cycling exercise mode with the use of the exerciser of the present
embodiment, the downward flanges 424 on the mounting plates 423 are
hooked to rear edges of the top walls 412 of the slide seats 41,
and the threaded shanks 427 of the fasteners 42 are threaded into
the second fastener holes 413 in the top walls 412 of the slide
seats 41 for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members 40 to the
slide seats 41. Since the slide seats 41 engage slidably the slide
grooves 31 in the lever arms 30 and are coupled to the crank arms
251 of the drive wheel 25, and since the front ends of the pedal
members 40 engage slidably the lever arms 30 by virfue of the
rollers 422, the pedal members 40 are slidable on the lever arms 30
along circulating routes of the crank arms 251 when the user steps
on the pedal member 40 to cause upward and downward pivoting
movements of the lever arms 30.
.Iadd.As is evident from the drawings, opposite ends of the foot
links or pedal members 40 move along closed curved and arcuate
paths respectively, and the elliptical movement of the foot links
or pedal members 40 in use is the same as described above in the
'829 and '473 prior art patents. The closed curved path is one in
which the rearward movement of one end portion of each pedal member
40 is along one curved path sector and the forward movement is
along a different curved path sector. The arcuate path is one which
can be more accurately described as a circular orbital
path..Iaddend.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, when it is desired to perform a
stepping exercise mode, the downward flanges 424 on the mounting
plates 423 are hooked to rear edges of the rear end portions of the
lever arms 30, and the threaded shanks 427 of the fasteners 42 are
threaded into the first fastener holes 35 in the rear end portions
of the lever arms 30 for fastening the pedal members 40 to the
lever arms 30. The slide seats 41 are sleeved slidably on the lever
arms 30, and are disposed between the front and rear ends of the
pedal members 40. Since the slide seats 41 are coupled to the crank
arms 251 and engage slidably the lever arms 30, when the user steps
on the pedal members 40, the lever arms 30 pivot upwardly and
downwardly together with the pedal members 40 to cause the slide
seats 41 to slide along the lever arms 30, thereby driving movement
of the crank arms 251 and thereby propelling rotation of the drive
wheel 25.
.Iadd.As is evident from the drawings, the pedal members 40 move in
arcuate paths between uppermost and lowermost arcuate positions.
The arcuate paths are equidistant from the fixed pivotal axis
provided on the frame 20 by way of the pivot shafts 23, so that
when the exerciser is in use in the stepping exercise mode, one
foot of the user will move upwardly between the arcuate positions
while the other foot moves downwardly between the arcuate
positions..Iaddend.
It has thus been shown that the exerciser of the present invention
incorporates two different exercise functions in a single
apparatus. Conversion from one exercise mode to another can be
easily accomplished by operating the fasteners 42 for fastening the
pedal members 40 selectively to the lever arms 30 and to the slide
seats 41, as desired.
While the present invention has been described in connection with
what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it
is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed
embodiment 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.
* * * * *