Elliptical exercise device and methods of use
First Claim
1. An exercise device, comprising:
- a pair of pedal members, each of which is rotatably connected on one end to a pair of gears and connected on the other end to a pivot mechanism,the pair of gears comprising a sun gear on each side of the device, an axle rotatably disposed through the sun gears, and a planet gear rigidly connected near each end of the axle for rotating about one of the sun gears,each of the pedal members rotatably connected to at least one of the planet gears,the pedal members and the planet gears rotatable to provide an elliptical exercise motion; and
a mechanism adapted to simultaneous rotate each of the sun gears together to change the orientation of the elliptical exercise motion relative to a user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exercise device can include a pair of pedal members, each of which can be rotatably connected on at least one end to a planet gear that is rotatable about a sun gear on each side of the device. The pedal members and the planet gears can be rotated to provide an elliptical exercise motion. The device can include a mechanism for simultaneously rotating each of the sun gears together to change the orientation of the elliptical exercise motion relative to a user. The orientation of an elliptical exercise motion can be changed dynamically from one orientation to another, for example, from horizontal to uphill or downhill, during a particular workout period. The exercise device can change the orientation of an elliptical exercise motion while maintaining a user'"'"'s ankles at a substantially constant angle during the exercise cycle.
68 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An exercise device, comprising:
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a pair of pedal members, each of which is rotatably connected on one end to a pair of gears and connected on the other end to a pivot mechanism, the pair of gears comprising a sun gear on each side of the device, an axle rotatably disposed through the sun gears, and a planet gear rigidly connected near each end of the axle for rotating about one of the sun gears, each of the pedal members rotatably connected to at least one of the planet gears, the pedal members and the planet gears rotatable to provide an elliptical exercise motion; and a mechanism adapted to simultaneous rotate each of the sun gears together to change the orientation of the elliptical exercise motion relative to a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A exercise device, comprising:
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a pair of pedal members, each of which is rotatably connected on a forward end of the pedal members to a first pair of gears and on a rearward end of the pedal members to a second pair of gears, each of the pairs of gears comprising a sun gear on each side of the device, an axle rotatably disposed through the sun gears in each pair of gears, and a planet gear rigidly connected near each end of each axle for rotating about one of the sun gears, each of the pedal members rotatably connected to at least one of the planet gears in each pair of gears, the pedal members and the planet gears rotatable to provide an elliptical exercise motion; and a mechanism adapted to simultaneous rotate each of the sun gears together to change the orientation of the elliptical exercise motion relative to a user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of exercising, comprising:
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accessing an exercise device comprising a pair of pedal members, at least one end of each of which is rotatably connected to a planet gear on each side of the device, each planet gear rigidly connected near each end of an axle, the axle rotatably disposed through a sun gear on each side of the device, each the planet gear rotatable about one of the sun gears, and the pedal members and the planet gears rotatable to provide an elliptical exercise motion; and simultaneously rotating each of the sun gears together to change the orientation of the elliptical exercise motion relative to a user. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification