Video interactive ski exerciser

• US 5,277,678 A
• Filed: 07/28/1992
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitness Master Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fitness Master Incorporated
• Inventors: Theisen, Paul M., Friedebach, Adolf H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/920,773
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/52, 482/53, 482/6-8, 482/70, 482/900, 482/901, 482/902, 434/253
• US Class Current: 482/70
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0012 the exercises for arms and legs being functionally independent
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03575 Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/182 for cross-country-skiing A63B23/0417, A63B69/0022 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 Employing specific graphic or video display

Abstract

An improved cross-country skiing simulating exercise machine for providing interactive aerobic conditioning has a base frame, a pair of foot skates movably mounted on the frame, and a pair of arm poles attached to the frame. The frame has two elongate parallel rails, suitably made of extruded aluminum, each having sidewalls with an elongate groove therein with recesses within the grooves thereby forming sidewall tracks. The skates are securely and movably mounted on the rails and have an inclined top surface sloping downwardly in a forwardly direction and a toe kick at their forward end. The arm poles are at the sides of the front end of the frame, and an electronic sensing, control and display assembly is mounted on the frame between the arm poles. An interactive video skate resistance mechanism for automatically adjusting the difficulty of moving the skates is provided.

Claims

1. An exercise machine for providing various degrees of exercise for a user of the machine, said machine including means for processing information from a source external relative to the machine and user and means for varying the degree of exercise the user receives, said means for varying the degree of exercise operably coupled to said means for processing information, whereby the degree of exercise is automatically adjusted in response to said information, said means for processing information comprising a sensor means for sensing said information and a processor means for converting said information into electric current, said means for varying the degree of exercise comprising an electrically powered friction brake assembly including a plate member, a brake member, a friction disk, an electrical motor operable in response to said electrical current, a cam operably connected to said motor, and a cam follower adjacent said cam and between said cam and brake member, said cam follower acting on said brake member to increase the friction between said friction disk and said plate member.

2. An exercise machine, comprising:

a frame assembly having two elongate parallel rails each having sidewalls with an elongate groove with an elongate recess therein forming sidewalk tracks;

a pair of arm pole mechanisms;

a pair of foot skates with attached rollers, said rollers movably received in the sidewall tracks, said foot skates being connected by at least one cable received and guided by a plurality of pulleys attached to the frame assembly;

interactive means for receiving an external input signal and processing said signal into an electrical current; and

a skate friction brake assembly for receiving said cable and varying the difficulty of moving the skates including a plate member fixedly mounted on said machine, a brake member, a friction disk, an electrical motor operable in response to said electrical current, a cam operably connected to said motor, and a cam follower adjacent said cam and between said cam and brake member, said cam follower acting on said brake member to increase the friction between said friction disk and said plate member.

3. An interactive exercise machine for providing aerobic conditioning exercise for a user, said machine having a frame assembly, a pair of foot skates movably mounted on the frame assembly, a pair of arm pole mechanisms attached to the frame assembly and including selectively variable resistance means for adjusting the difficulty of moving the arm pole mechanisms, skate resistance means for varying the resistance of the skates to movement and interactive means for sensing external information and for processing said information into electrical signals, said skate resistance means acting in response to said electrical signals to vary the resistance of said skates to movement, being connected by a connecting member and said skate resistance means comprising a brake assembly mounted on a rigid member and including a pulley means for receiving said connecting member and an adjacent friction disk, an electrical motor operable in response to said electrical signals, a cam operably connected to said motor, a cam follower adjacent said cam and between said cam and said pulley, said cam follower acting on said brake assembly to change the friction between said friction disk and said rigid member.

4. The exercise machine of claim 3, wherein said resistance means includes feedback means for sensing the position of said cam and sending a signal back to said processing means.