Total body exercise methods and apparatus

• US 8,574,130 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph D. Maresh, Kenneth W. Stearns
• Original Assignee: Joseph D. Maresh, Kenneth W. Stearns
• Inventors: Stearns, Kenneth W, Maresh, Joseph D
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US13/623,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482 51- 78, 482900-902, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/8
• 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 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0051 using eddy currents induced in moved elements, e.g. by permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0007 by alternatively exercising arms or legs, e.g. with a single set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limbs
• 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 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 having computer circuitry

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a frame, a footpad for supporting a user'"'"'s foot, and a sensor that generates a force indicating signal indicative of a force applied to the footpad in a horizontal direction by the user'"'"'s foot. A mechanism couples the footpad to the frame and guides the footpad in a closed path having at least first and second mutually perpendicular dimensions in response to forces applied to the footpad by the user'"'"'s foot, the first dimension being parallel to said horizontal direction. The mechanism resists movement of the footpad in the horizontal direction in response to an electrical control signal supplied as input to the mechanism. A control system receives the force indicating signal and generates the control signal such that the mechanism resists movement depending on the force indicated by the force indicating signal.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a footpad for supporting a user'"'"'s foot, the apparatus including a sensor that generates a force indicating signal indicative of a force applied to the footpad in a horizontal direction by the user'"'"'s foot;

a mechanism that couples the footpad to the frame and guides the footpad in a closed path having at least first and second mutually perpendicular dimensions in response to forces applied to the footpad by the user'"'"'s foot, wherein said first dimension is parallel to said horizontal direction and the mechanism resists movement in said horizontal direction in response to an electrical control signal supplied as input to the mechanism; and

a control system that receives the force indicating signal and generates the control signal such that the mechanism resists movement depending on the force indicated by the force indicating signal.

2. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first dimension is aligned with a longitudinal dimension of the frame.

3. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the frame.

4. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes a forward stanchion, the footpad is connected to the forward stanchion by a forward link, a resilient member is interposed between the forward link and a supporting member, and the force indicating signal generated by the sensor is indicative of relative movement of the forward link and the supporting member.

5. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame having a longitudinal dimension;

a left footpad for supporting a user'"'"'s left foot, the apparatus including a left sensor that generates a force indicating signal indicative of a force applied to the left footpad in a horizontal direction by the user'"'"'s left foot;

a right footpad for supporting a user'"'"'s right foot, the apparatus including a right sensor that generates a force indicating signal indicative of a force applied to the right footpad in a horizontal direction by the user'"'"'s right foot;

a mechanism that couples the footpads to the frame and guides the footpads to move each in a closed path having at least first and second mutually perpendicular dimensions in response to forces applied to the footpads by the user'"'"'s feet, wherein said first dimension is parallel to said horizontal direction, the second dimension is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the frame, and the mechanism resists movement in said horizontal direction in response to an electrical control signal supplied as input to the mechanism; and

a control system that receives the force indicating signal and generates the control signal such that the mechanism resists movement depending on the force indicated by the force indicating signal.