Upper body exercise and flywheel enhanced dual deck treadmills

• US 8,147,385 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BowFlex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nautilus, Inc.
• Inventors: Crawford, Douglas A., Piaget, Gary D., Warner, Patrick A., Christopher, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): CROW, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US12/902,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 482 51- 54, 482/57, 482/148
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0041 one hand moving independently from the other hand, i.e. there is no link between the movements of the hands
• 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 21/026 Bars; Tubes; Leaf springs A63B21/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/045 having torsion or bending or flexion element
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0005 with particular movement of the arms provided by handles moving otherwise than pivoting about a horizontal axis parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane
• 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 22/0012 the exercises for arms and legs being functionally independent
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0048 with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0076 takes precedence
• 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 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/025 electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0285 Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0292 separate for each leg, e.g. dual deck
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03533 With separate means driven by each limb, i.e. performing different movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03583 Upper and lower limbs acting simultaneously on the same operating rigid member
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03591 : Upper and lower limb moving in phase, i.e. right foot moving in the same direction as the right hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 : for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously

Abstract

An exercise device includes a first treadle assembly supporting a first moving surface and a second treadle assembly supporting a second moving surface. The exercise device further includes an upper body exercise assembly operably associated with the exercise device. The first treadle assembly is pivotally coupled with the frame structure, and the second treadle assembly is pivotally coupled with the frame structure. In another form, an exercise device includes a frame structure, a first treadle assembly having a first endless belt in rotatable engagement with a first roller, a second treadle assembly having a second endless belt in rotatable engagement with a second roller, and a flywheel operably coupled with the first endless belt and the second endless belt.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising:

a frame structure;

a first treadle assembly including a first endless belt in rotatable engagement with a first roller;

a second treadle assembly including a second endless belt in rotatable engagement with a second roller;

a flywheel operably coupled with the first endless belt and the second endless belt;

a third roller rotatably supported by the frame structure;

the third roller in rotatable engagement with at least one of the first endless belt or the second endless belt;

a first axle coupled with the frame structure, the first axle rotatably supporting the flywheel;

a first pulley coupled with a second axle;

a second pulley coupled with the second axle;

a belt coupling the first pulley and the second pulley with the flywheel; and

the flywheel coupled with the frame in a generally horizontal plane;

whereby a user can tread upon said endless belts.

2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the flywheel is operably coupled with the third roller.

3. The exercise device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth roller in rotatable engagement with at least one of the first endless belt or the second endless belt; and

the third and fourth rollers are rotatably supported by the second axle.

4. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the flywheel is operably connected with the second axle.

5. An exercise device comprising:

a frame structure;

a first treadle assembly including a first endless belt in rotatable engagement with a first roller;

a second treadle assembly including a second endless belt in rotatable engagement with a second roller; and

a flywheel operably coupled with the first endless belt and the second endless belt and rotatably supported in a generally horizontal plane;

whereby a user can tread upon said endless belts.

6. The exercise device of claim 5, further comprising a third roller in rotatable engagement with at least one of the first or the second endless belt.

7. The exercise device of claim 6, further comprising the third roller rotatably supported by an axle.

8. The exercise device of claim 7, further comprising a first pulley operably coupled to the axle.

9. The exercise device of claim 8, further comprising a flexible member operably coupled to the first pulley and to the flywheel.

10. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the flexible member comprises at least one of a cable or a belt.

11. The exercise device of claim 9, further comprising a second pulley operably coupled to the axle and to the flexible member.

12. The exercise device of claim 11, further comprising a third pulley operably coupled to the flexible member.

13. The exercise device of claim 12, further comprising a second axle operably coupled to the third pulley and rotatably supporting the flywheel.

14. The exercise device of claim 12, further comprising a fourth pulley operably coupled to the flexible member, and a fifth pulley operably coupled to the flexible member.

15. The exercise device of claim 14, further comprising a second axle coupled to the fourth pulley and to the fifth pulley.

16. The exercise device of claim 15, further comprising a third axle coupled to a sixth pulley and to a seventh pulley, and the flexible member operably coupled to the sixth pulley and to the seventh pulley.

17. The exercise device of claim 5, further comprising a first pulley operably coupled to the at least one of the first endless belt or the second endless belt, and a flexible member operably coupled to the first pulley and to the flywheel.

18. The exercise device of claim 17, wherein the flexible member comprises at least one of a cable or a belt.

19. The exercise device of claim 17, further comprising a second pulley operably coupled to the flexible member and at least one of the first endless belt and the second endless belt.

20. The exercise device of claim 19, further comprising a third pulley operably coupled to the flexible member.

21. The exercise device of claim 20, further comprising an axle operably coupled to the third pulley and rotatably supporting the flywheel.

22. The exercise device of claim 20, further comprising a fourth pulley operably coupled to the flexible member, and a fifth pulley operably coupled to the flexible member.

23. The exercise device of claim 22, further comprising an axle coupled to the fourth pulley and to the fifth pulley.

24. The exercise device of claim 23, further comprising a second axle coupled to a sixth pulley and to a seventh pulley, and the flexible member operably coupled to the sixth pulley and to the seventh pulley.