Exercise methods and apparatus with elliptical foot motion

• US 6,949,054 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph D. Maresh, Kenneth W. Stearns
• Original Assignee: Joseph D. Maresh, Kenneth W. Stearns
• Inventors: Maresh, Joseph D., Stearns, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US10/876,243
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 482 51- 53, 482/57, 482/70, 482 79- 80
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/067 with crank and handles being on opposite sides of the exercising apparatus with respect to the frontal body-plane of the user, e.g. the crank is behind and handles are in front of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/001 by simultaneously exercising arms and legs, e.g. diagonally in anti-phase A63B22/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0015 with an adjustable movement path of the support elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement

Abstract

An exercise device has left and right foot supports that are supported on respective pairs of pivoting rails that are constrained to remain parallel to one another. Left and right cranks move the rails relative to a frame, and move the foot supports along the rails in a manner that defines adjacent paths of generally elliptical foot motion, while maintaining the foot supports in a fixed orientation relative to the frame.

Claims

1. An exercise device, comprising:

a frame configured to rest on a floor surface;

first and second left rails pivotally mounted on the frame;

a left floating link pivotally interconnected between the left rails to define a left four bar linkage that maintains the left floating link in a fixed orientation relative to the frame;

a left foot support movably mounted on the left rails for movement along the left rails without changing orientation relative to the frame;

first and second right rails pivotally mounted on the frame;

a right floating link pivotally interconnected between the right rails to define a right four bar linkage that maintains the right floating link in a fixed orientation relative to the frame;

a right foot support movably mounted on the right rails for movement along the right rails without changing orientation relative to the frame;

a left crank and a right crank, wherein each said crank is rotatably mounted on the frame;

left and right first moving means interconnected between a respective said crank and a portion of a respective said four bar linkage that moves relative to the frame, for moving respective said rails relative to the frame; and

left and right second moving means interconnected between a respective said crank and a respective said foot support, for moving said foot support relative to respective said rails.

2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein each said first moving means includes at least one rigid link pivotally interconnected between a respective said crank and a respective said portion.

3. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein each said second moving means includes at least one rigid link pivotally interconnected between a respective said crank and a respective said foot support.