Upper body exercise and flywheel enhanced dual deck treadmills

• US 8,734,299 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• 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:
  US13/438,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20120190509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 482 51- 54, 482 57- 65
• 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 supporting a first moving surface, the first treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure;

a second treadle assembly supporting a second moving surface, the second treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure; and

an upper body exercise assembly operably associated with the exercise device, the upper body exercise assembly including a first handle structure pivotally connected to the first treadle assembly and a second handle structure pivotally connected to the second treadle assembly, wherein the first and second handle structures each comprise;

a rigid handlebar pivotally connected to the frame structure; and

a linkage pivotally connected to the rigid handlebar at one end of the linkage and to the respective treadle assembly at an opposite end of the linkage, the linkage including multiple rigid links.

2. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the multiple rigid links of the linkage comprise:

a first link connected to the respective treadle assembly; and

a second link pivotally connected to the first link.

3. The exercise device of claim 2 wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the respective treadle assembly.

13. The exercise device of claim 2 wherein the multiple rigid links of the linkage further comprise a third link pivotally connected to the second link.

14. The exercise device of claim 13 wherein the third link is pivotally connected to the respective rigid handlebar.

15. The exercise device of claim 13 wherein the second link is pivotally connected to the frame structure.

4. An exercise device comprising:

a frame structure;

a first treadle assembly supporting a first moving surface, the first treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure;

a second treadle assembly supporting a second moving surface, the second treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure; and

an upper body exercise assembly operably associated with the exercise device, the upper body exercise assembly having a first handle assembly with a first end coupled to the first treadle assembly and a second handle assembly with a first end coupled to the second treadle assembly, the first handle assembly including a first rigid handlebar and the second handle assembly including a second rigid handlebar;

wherein the first end of the first handle assembly is pivotally coupled to the first treadle assembly by a first linkage and the first end of the second handle assembly is pivotally coupled to the second treadle assembly by a second linkage;

wherein the first and second linkages each include multiple rigid links; and

wherein the multiple rigid links of the first and second linkages each comprise;

a first link connected to the respective treadle assembly;

a second link pivotally connected to the first link; and

a third link pivotally connected to the second link and to one of the first and second rigid handlebars.

5. The exercise device of claim 4 wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the respective treadle assembly.

6. The exercise device of claim 4 wherein the second link is pivotally connected to the frame structure between the pivotal connections of the second link to the first and third links.

7. The exercise device of claim 4 wherein the first and second rigid handlebars are pivotally connected to the frame structure.

8. An exercise device comprising:

a frame structure;

a first treadle assembly supporting a first moving surface, the first treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure;

a second treadle assembly supporting a second moving surface, the second treadle assembly pivotally coupled with the frame structure; and

an upper body exercise assembly operably associated with the exercise device, the upper body exercise assembly comprising;

a first rigid handlebar pivotally coupled to the first treadle assembly by a first linkage; and

a second rigid handlebar pivotally coupled to the second treadle assembly by a second linkage;

wherein the first and second linkages each include multiple rigid links; and

wherein the multiple rigid links of the first and second linkages each comprise;

a first link attached to the respective treadle assembly;

a second link pivotally attached to the first link; and

a third link attached to the respective rigid handlebar and pivotally attached to the second link.

9. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the first link is pivotally attached to the respective treadle assembly.

10. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the third link is pivotally attached to the respective rigid handlebar.

11. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the second link is pivotally attached to the frame structure between the pivotal attachments of the second link to the first and third links.

12. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the first and second rigid handlebars are pivotally attached to the frame structure.