Elliptical step exercise apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An exercise apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to a central portion of said pedal lever;
a reciprocating guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide said first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle; and
an attachment assembly including a first link having a first end pivotally attached to the end of said crank and a second end attached to a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a non-circular, horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively connected to said first link effective to lengthen said first link thereby being effective to lengthen the horizontal portion of said elliptical path.
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Abstract
In an exercise apparatus having a frame that is adapted for placement on the floor, a pivot axle supported by the frame, a pair of pedal levers, pedals secured to the pedal levers, arm handles connected for motion with the pedal levers and which can utilize a variety of pedal actuation assemblies for generating elliptical motion of the pedal, the stride length portion of the elliptical motion can be increased automatically as a function of exercise parameters such as speed. In addition, the arm handles can be disconnected manually or automatically from the pedal levers.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to a central portion of said pedal lever;
a reciprocating guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide said first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle; and
an attachment assembly including a first link having a first end pivotally attached to the end of said crank and a second end attached to a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a non-circular, horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively connected to said first link effective to lengthen said first link thereby being effective to lengthen the horizontal portion of said elliptical path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to said pedal lever;
a guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide a first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle;
an attachment assembly operatively connected to said crank and a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a control system;
a speed sensor operatively connected to said control system for sensing the speed of movement of said pedal; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively associated with said attachment assembly and operatively connected to said control system effective to lengthen the horizontal portion of said elliptical path as a function of pedal speed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to said pedal lever;
a guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide a first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle;
an attachment assembly operatively connected to said crank and a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a control system;
a user input and display system, operatively connected to said control system, including a plurality of input keys to permit a user to input information into said control system and at least one display for displaying exercise data;
a resistive force generator operatively connected to said crank and said control system for generating a resistive force to the movement of said pedal;
a speed sensor operatively connected to said control system for sensing the speed of movement of said pedal; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively associated with said attachment assembly and operatively connected to said control system effective to change the horizontal portion of said elliptical path as a function of a selected portion of said information including a desired pedal speed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to said pedal lever;
a guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide a first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle;
an attachment assembly operatively connected to said crank and a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a control system;
a user input and display system, operatively connected to said control system, including a plurality of input keys to permit a user to input information into said control system and at least one display for displaying exercise data;
a resistive force generator operatively connected to said crank and said control system for generating a resistive force to the movement of said pedal;
a speed sensor operatively connected to said control system for sensing the speed of movement of said pedal; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively associated with said attachment assembly and operatively connected to said control system effective to change the horizontal portion of said elliptical path as a function of a selected portion of said information wherein said selected portion of said information is a direction of user stepping motion on said pedal and wherein said horizontal portion of said elliptical path is reduced when said direction is in a backward direction.
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17. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a pedal lever;
a pedal, having a toe portion and a heel portion, secured to said pedal lever;
a guide mechanism coupled to a first portion of said pedal lever effective to guide a first portion of said pedal lever in a generally horizontal reciprocating motion;
a pivot axle supported by said frame;
a crank rotationally connected to said pivot axle;
an attachment assembly operatively connected to said crank and a second portion of said pedal lever wherein said attachment assembly is effective to move said second portion of said pedal lever in a horizontal and vertical path as said crank rotates about said pivot axle resulting in said pedal moving in a generally elliptical path; and
a control system;
a user input and display system, operatively connected to said control system, including a plurality of input keys to permit a user to input information into said control system and at least one display for displaying exercise data;
a resistive force generator operatively connected to said crank and said control system for generating a resistive force to the movement of said pedal;
a speed sensor operatively connected to said control system for sensing the speed of movement of said pedal; and
a stride adjustment mechanism operatively associated with said attachment assembly and operatively connected to said control system effective to change the horizontal portion of said elliptical path as a function of an apparatus operating parameter selected from one of the following;
said pedal speed and the direction of user stepping motion on said pedal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification