Elliptical step distance measurement

• US 7,435,202 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Fitness LLC
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Daly, Juliette C., Rogus, John M., Hsing, John J., Joseph, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow; Steve R
• Application Number:
  US10/787,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/52, 482/54, 482/57, 482/70, 482 79- 80
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/002 electronically, e.g. by using a program
• 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 22/0017 the adjustment being controlled by movement of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• 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

Abstract

In an elliptical step exercise apparatus distance traveled can be approximated by determining the portion of the ellipse traversed by a foot pedal where the user applies force to the pedal. This portion can be considered equivalent to the amount of foot travel on a treadmill and modified as a function of speed to simulate the gait of a user at various speeds so as to provide an approximation of the distance traveled by a user as if he were running on a treadmill. This process can be further modified for use with an elliptical exercise apparatus where the stride length can be changed such that the simulated distance will be increased with increased stride length.

Claims

1. A method of computing distance traveled by a user for a predetermined time on an elliptical step exercise apparatus having pedals that travel in a generally elliptical path, a speed sensor for measuring the pedal speed in revolutions per minute, a control system and a display comprising the steps of:

determining the length of the elliptical path;

utilizing the control system to multiply said path length by a constant having a value in the range of about 60% to 80% to obtain a modified path length;

utilizing the control system to multiply said modified path length by the speed of rotation of the pedals obtained from the speed sensor and the predetermined time to obtain the distance traveled and

utilizing the control system to display said distance traveled on the display.

2. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of utilizing the control system to multiply the distance traveled by a multiplier of the speed of rotation of the pedals to obtain a modified distance traveled that serves to compensate for simulated increasing user stride length with increasing pedal speed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said multiplier is substantially linear.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said multiplier is nonlinear and decreases with increasing pedal speed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said multiplier is substantially linear for lower pedal speeds and said nonlinear decrease occurs at higher pedal speeds.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said multiplier takes the form of:

M=(a×

RPM)×

(−

b×

RPM²)+c

where M is said multiplier, RPM is the pedal speed measured in revolutions per minute, and a, b and c are coefficients.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said constant corresponds to the approximate portion of the elliptical path upon which a significant contact force is applied by the user to the foot pedals.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said constant is approximately 75% of said length of the elliptical path.