Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Stair climbing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-25
2001-02-06
Crow, Stephen R. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Stair climbing
C482S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183397
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to exercise methods and apparatus and more particularly, to exercise equipment which facilitates various leg exercise motions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate a variety of lower body 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; other machines allow a person to skate and/or stride in place; and still other machines guide a person's feet through elliptical paths of travel. Yet another exercise apparatus, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,211 to Stearns, is designed to facilitate several different leg exercise motions, including free form paths of foot movement and controlled paths of foot movement comparable to walking, running, stepping, cycling, striding, skiing, and/or elliptical motion.
Exercise equipment has also been designed to facilitate upper body exercise together with lower body exercise. For example, many of the foregoing types of exercise equipment have been provided with reciprocating cables or pivoting arm poles to facilitate contemporaneous upper body and lower body exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an exercise apparatus having foot supports which are selectively movable through various paths at the discretion of the user. Each foot support is rigidly secured to a lower rocker link, which in turn, is pivotally connected to an upper rocker link. The upper rocker links are pivotally connected to a frame at respective pivot points disposed on opposite sides of a person's hips. The upper rocker links are constrained to pivot back and forth in reciprocal fashion relative to one another, and the lower rocker links are constrained to pivot up and down in reciprocal fashion relative to one another.
On the preferred embodiment, the upper rocker links may be selectively locked relative to the frame, thereby constraining the foot supports to pivot up and down in a stair-stepping mode. In the alternative, the lower rocker links may be selectively locked relative to respective upper rocker links, thereby constraining the foot supports to pivot back and forth in a gliding mode. In yet another mode of operation, the foot supports may be keyed to tracks provided in side panels disposed on opposite sides of the frame, thereby constraining the foot supports to move through a prescribed path. In addition to providing tracks for the foot supports, the side panels provide lateral support for the foot supports, thereby enhancing the structural integrity of the apparatus.
The preferred embodiment also provides handles which may be selectively used in different modes of operation. For example, in a first mode of operation, the handles and the foot supports are independently movable relative to the frame. In a second mode of operation, the handles and the upper rocker links are constrained to move together relative to the frame. In a third mode of operation, the handles are locked to the frame to provide a rigid support during movement of the foot supports. In a fourth mode of operation, the upper rocker links are locked to the frame together with the handles, thereby placing the apparatus in the stair climbing mode described in the preceding paragraph. Many advantages and improvements of the present invention may become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5242341 (1993-09-01), Yeh
patent: 5857940 (1999-01-01), Husted
patent: 6063008 (2000-05-01), Mcbride et al.
Krull Mark A.
Maresh Joseph D.
Stearns Kenneth W.
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