Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-06-19
Crow, Stephen R. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Bicycling
C482S052000, C482S070000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248046
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to exercise methods and apparatus and more particularly, to exercise equipment which facilitates exercise through a curved path of motion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate a variety of exercise motions. For example, treadmills allow a person to walk or run in place; stepper machines allow a person to climb in place; bicycle machines allow a person to pedal in place; and other machines allow a person to skate and/or stride in place. Yet another type of exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate relatively more complicated exercise motions and/or to better simulate real life activity. Such equipment typically converts a relatively simple motion, such as circular, into a relatively more complex motion, such as elliptical.
One shortcoming of these prior art elliptical motion exercise machines is that a direct relationship exists between the length of foot travel and the height of foot travel. Unfortunately, this fixed aspect ratio is contrary to real life activity and prohibits realistic adjustments to the stride length. In particular, a person should not be required to lift his legs higher and higher to take strides which are longer and longer. Therefore, a need exist for an improved elliptical motion exercise machine which facilitates adjustments to stride length without imposing an unnatural aspect ratio between stride length and stride height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be seen to provide a novel linkage assembly and corresponding exercise apparatus suitable for linking circular motion to relatively more complex, generally elliptical motion. Left and right cranks are mounted on a frame and rotatable about a common crank axis. Left and right rocker links are mounted on the frame and rotatable about a common rocker axis. Both left and right foot supporting linkages and left and right drawbar linkages are movably interconnected between respective cranks and respective rocker links. The drawbar linkages constrain the foot supporting linkages to move through generally elliptical paths of motion in response to rotation of the cranks, and the length of the elliptical paths may be adjusted without significantly changing the height of the elliptical paths.
In another respect, the present invention may be seen to provide a novel linkage assembly and corresponding exercise apparatus suitable for linking reciprocal motion to relatively more complex, generally elliptical motion. For example, left and right handles may be rotatably connected to the frame and linked to respective rocker links. As the foot supporting members move through their generally elliptical paths, the handles pivot back and forth relative to the frame.
In yet another respect, the present invention may be seen to provide a novel linkage assembly and corresponding exercise apparatus suitable for adjusting the angle of the generally elliptical paths of motion relative to a floor surface on which the apparatus rests. For example, the rocker links and/or the frame may be selectively locked in any of a plurality of positions relative to an underlying base and/or the floor surface, respectively. Many of the advantages of the present invention may become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.
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Maresh Joseph D.
Stearns Kenneth W.
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