Athletic apparatus with non-linear sliding track

• US 8,033,961 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sports Art Industrial Co., Ltd. (Sports Art)
• Original Assignee: Sports Art Industrial Co., Ltd. (Sports Art)
• Inventors: Kuo, Hai Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow; Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/798,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 482 51- 53, 482/57, 482/62, 482/70, 482 79- 80
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0028 the movement path being non-parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane, e.g. support elements moving at an angle to the body-symmetrical-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/206 on a curved path
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/005 using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• 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 22/205 in a substantially vertical plane, e.g. for exercising against gravity exercising for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a user's body weight A63B21/068; with adjustable inclination A63B22/0023
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet

Abstract

An athletic apparatus includes two rotary wheels installed on a frame, a pair of tracks disposed on the frame and tilted relative to the frame, a pair of pedal mechanisms slidably attached to the tracks and each having a pedal, a pair of rocker arm mechanisms having upper ends attached to the axle rod and lower ends coupled to the pedal mechanisms, a pulley attached to the frame and a steel rope engaged with the pulley and coupled to the pedal mechanisms, two linking belts coupling the lower ends of the rocker arms to an elastic belt which is engaged with the rotary wheels, a belt wheel and two gear wheels installed on a shaft rod of the frame, and the tracks are curved and tilted or inclined relative to the frame.

Claims

1. An athletic apparatus comprising:

a frame including an axle rod,

two rotary wheels rotatably installed on said frame,

a pair of tracks disposed on said frame and tilted relative to said frame for a predetermined angle, and each track including a curved and non-linear structure,

a pair of pedal mechanisms slidably attached to said tracks and movable along said tracks respectively, and each including a pedal for supporting a user'"'"'s feet,

a pair of rocker arm mechanisms each including a rocker arm having an upper end pivotally attached to said axle rod of said frame and having a lower end pivotally coupled to said pedal mechanisms respectively,

a first transmitting mechanism including a pulley attached to said frame and located below upper ends of said tracks, and a steel rope engaged with said pulley and having two ends coupled to said pedal mechanisms respectively for pivotally coupling said pedal mechanisms together and for guiding said pedal mechanisms to move up and down along said tracks respectively,

a second transmitting mechanism including two linking belts each having a first end coupled to said lower ends of said rocker arms respectively and each having a second end coupled to an elastic belt, and the elastic belt being engaged with said rotary wheels of said frame for allowing said lower ends of said rocker arms to be coupled together with said linking belts and said elastic belt,

a shaft rod installed on said frame,

a belt wheel installed on said shaft rod,

two gear wheels installed on said shaft rod with unidirectional bearings and engaged with said linking belts respectively.

2. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a base having a front bottom rod and a rear bottom rod and a middle bottom rod, a standing rod extended upwardly from said base, a control panel disposed on top of said standing rod, said axle rod is attached to said standing rod, a pair of handles attached to said axle rod and said middle bottom rod, and said rear bottom rod includes two installation portions.

3. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said frame includes an inclined supporting rod, and said upper ends of said tracks are fixed to said inclined supporting rod, and said tracks include lower ends fixed to said installation portions of said frame for supporting said tracks at a tilted angle relative to said frame.

4. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said rocker arms are each pivotally coupled to a linking rod with a universal connector, and said linking rods are pivotally coupled to said pedal mechanisms with universal connectors respectively.

5. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pedal mechanisms each include a pedal base slidably attached on the tracks and movable along the tracks respectively, and each include a supporter for attaching said pedal on the pedal base.

6. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a damping mechanism including a load wheel rotatably installed on said frame and coupled to said belt wheel with a transmitting belt for coupling said load wheel to said belt wheel and for allowing said load wheel to be rotated relative to said frame by said belt wheel and said shaft rod and for providing a resistive force to said rocker arms, and an electro-magnetic brake installed on said frame and located near said load wheel for braking said load wheel.

7. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tracks each include a pair of curved pipes which are parallel to each other.

8. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a center line formed between said tracks, and said tracks each include an arc length having a curvature center and a radius respectively, and said radii and said arc lengths of said tracks are equal to each other, and said upper ends of said tracks are located close to each other, and said tracks include lower ends located away from each other.

9. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pedals are tilted relative to said pedal bases for a tilted angle.