Mechanism of a stepping device

• US 5,336,143 A
• Filed: 09/13/1993
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong-Chi Wu
• Original Assignee: Hong-Chi Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Hong-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/119,542
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 482/52, 482/53, 482/110, 482/903
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0038 One foot moving independently from the other, i.e. there is no link between the movements of the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0053 each support element being cantilevered by a parallelogram system
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/0441 cantilevered about two horizontal axes, e.g. parallelogram systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/157 Ratchet-wheel links; Overrunning clutches; One-way clutches
• 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 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/903 Utilizing electromagnetic force resistance

Abstract

A improved mechanism of a stepping device includes a pedal mechanism constructed by a parallelogram which facilitates the pedal remains at a horizontal position at all levels. A trasnaxle is rotated as the pedal is stepped down and a gear and an actuating gear are used to connect a load adjusting device. Then a predetermined load can be applied to the pedal as it moves down. A one-way bearing is disposed inside the bushing of the transaxle, hence the pulley disposed thereof can rotate bi-directionally. A pulling rope and a spring are used to pull up the pedal which moves to a lower dead point. While the inertia of the gear and actuating wheel will make it moves continuously. By this arrangement, a smooth and continuous stepping device is provided.

Claims

1. An exercise stepping device comprising:

(a) a frame including a vertically extending support bar member, a handrail, and a control panel mounted on said support bar member;

(b) a bottom truss being H-shaped in contour defining a pair of longitudinally displaced and transversely directed truss leg members and a longitudinally directed central truss leg member, said central truss leg member having a pair of support beam members secured thereto on opposing transverse sides thereof and extending in a substantially vertical direction, said support beam having a triangularly contoured plate member secured thereto;

(c) load adjustment means for selectively providing a predetermined resistance force, said load adjustment means being rotatably mounted between said support beam members to a rear one of said longitudinally displaced truss leg members by at least one supporting plate member, said load adjustment means having a rotating wheel member;

(d) a pair of auxiliary plate members rotatably mounted to respective support beam members which extend adjacent said bottom truss, each of said auxiliary plate members having a positioning lever member extending in a transverse direction;

(e) pedal means for being reciprocally displaced, said pedal means including a pair of pedal upper plate members and pair of pedal lower plate members, each of said pedal upper and lower plate members being displaced parallel each to the other, each of said pedal upper plate members being rotatably mounted to a respective support beam at a lower end thereof, each of said pedal lower plate members being rotatably mounted to respective opposing sides of said longitudinally central truss leg members at a lower end thereof, said pedal upper plate members and said pedal lower plate members having respective upper ends thereof rotatably mounted to respective pedal leg base members having respective spring members extending from a lower surface of said pedal by base members, each of said pedal upper and lower plate members in coupled relation to a respective support beam and pedal leg base member forming a parallelogram linkage;

(f) a transversely directed axle rotatably mounted to said triangular plate member, said transversely directed axle having a central axis gear mounted thereon, and a pair of axle pulley members mounted to said transversely directed axle on opposing transverse ends, each of said axle pulley members being coupled to said axle by a one-way rotational bearing, each of said axle pulley members having an inner and an outer slot, a pair of first actuating ropes respectively wound on a respective pulley inner slot on one end and secured to a respective pedal upper plate member at an opposing end, a pair of second actuating ropes respectively wound on a respective pulley outer slot on one end thereof and secured to a support beam spring on a second opposing end thereof; and

,

(f) an actuating wheel rotatively coupled to said load adjustment means and said central axis gear.

2. The exercise stepping device as recited in claim 1 where at least one of said transversely directed truss leg members includes a pair of plastic pocket cover members mounted on opposing transverse ends thereof and having respective casters extending therefrom.