Exercise apparatus and method for simulating hill climbing

• US 5,403,252 A
• Filed: 11/03/1992
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Life Fitness (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Golen, Emil S., Thum, David J., Quast, Robert E., Hood, Robert L., Leon, Tomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US07/971,422
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/3-9, 482/51-54, 482/57-62, 482/111-113, 482/900-903, 128/25 R, 128/25 B, 73/379.01, 73/379.06, 73/379.07, 364/413.04, 364/550, 340/762, 340/765, 340/782, 340/784
• US Class Current: 482/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/221 Ergometry, e.g. by using bicycle type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• 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 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 Employing specific graphic or video display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/903 Utilizing electromagnetic force resistance

Abstract

A climbing exercise apparatus is provided having a frame on which two pedals are pivotally mounted to provide a user with a vertically reciprocating exercise movement, and a control panel for user input and output. A dynamic break, alternator or the like applies a variable level of resistance (via a suitable transmission) against the user'"'"'s movement. The resistance varies over time in accordance with a control signal generated by a computer. The value of the control signal is independent of the rate at which the user steps. A display successively displays images of hills. Each hill is associated with one of the series of values, and that value is graphically represented as part of or in visual association with the hill image.

Claims

1. A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising

a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing;

resistance means for applying a variable level of resistance in opposition to said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of resistance representing to at least a portion of hill;

load control means for generating said load control signal to apply said resistance independently of the rate of said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value; and

display means for displaying an image representing said resistance of said at least a portion of a hill.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display means additionally displaying said predetermined difficulty value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control means includes program means for changing said first difficulty value displayed on said display means to a subsequent difficulty value and for changing said load control signal constant value to a subsequent constant value corresponding to said subsequent difficulty value.

4. A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising a frame;

a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to said frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing;

selection means for generating a plurality of values;

display means comprising primary display means for successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing at least a portion of a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values;

resistance means connected by a transmission to said first and second pedal means for applying a variable level of load resistance in opposition to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of load resistance; and

control means for generating said load control signal to apply said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement and directly as a function of said graphically values, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said load resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values independently of the user'"'"'s rate of vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values in accordance with a predetermined routine.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values randomly.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said display means further comprising secondary display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images arranged in a selected order, each of said selected order of said images representing a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated value.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising data entry means for enabling the user to enter data that includes the user'"'"'s weight, wherein said control means applies said load resistance as a function of the user'"'"'s weight.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means varies said load resistance as a function of the square of the user'"'"'s weight.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data further includes a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels, wherein said function is:

##EQU2## where weight is the user'"'"'s weight in pounds, level is the user-entered number corresponding to an effort level, and hill is the value graphically represented by display means and K₁ through K₈ are constants.

12. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said resistance means is an alternator having a control field and a shaft that is coupled to said transmission;

wherein said load control signal is a square wave signal having a duty cycle that is varied as a function of the value graphically represented by said primary display means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising data entry means for enabling said user to enter data that includes the user'"'"'s weight;

and wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of the user'"'"'s weight as well as said graphically represented value.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of the square of the user'"'"'s weight.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said data further includes a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels;

wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of said number as well as said user'"'"'s weight and said graphically represented value.

16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said primary display means graphically represents each of said values as a vertical column, the height of which is proportional to said represented value.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising an indicia visually accessible to the user which associates said represented value with said height of said vertical column.

18. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said display means additionally including display means for displaying an image representing said load resistance.

19. A method for use in a climbing exercise apparatus having first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion for simulating hill climbing, and means for applying a variable level of resistance to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of values from within a predetermined range of values;

successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values;

applying a level of load resistance in opposition to the user'"'"'s vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion that is proportional to said graphically represented value; and

generating said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion and directly as a function of said graphically represented values, wherein said load resistance is effective to maintain at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of selecting a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels;

and generating said load resistance as a function of the square of the user'"'"'s weight and said graphically represented value.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying a plurality of images arranged in a selected order, each of said images representing at least a portion of a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated value.