Climber appliance

Abstract

An exercise apparatus to simulate climbing is described that includes such features as arm handles that move in synchronism with the motion of foot pedals to provide a total body workout; side handrails; a mounting step; linear foot movement at a simulated climbing angle; a three point support structure using a vertical support column; pedal track covers; a mechanism to provide constant resistance to pedal motion; and pedal impact absorption.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right perspective side view of a climber mechanism illustrating a first embodiment of certain aspects of a climber mechanism;

FIGS. 2A and 2B provide a right side view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 with pedals, a handrail and arm handles in a first and in a second position respectively;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective side view of a portion of the belt and pulley arrangement of the mechanism of FIG. 2B; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic and block diagram of a control system for the mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 5 is a right perspective side view illustrating certain aspects of a second embodiment of a climber mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a right perspective side view of a portion of the climber mechanism of FIG. 5 illustrating certain aspects of the handle bar arrangement and support frame;

FIG. 7 is a sectioned right perspective side view of a portion of the climber mechanism of FIG. 5 illustrating certain aspects of the track and pedal assemblies;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the pedal assembly of FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a right sectioned view of the climber of FIG. 5 illustrating a load and pedal connection assembly that can be used with the climber of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectioned perspective view of the load and pedal connection assembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectioned bottom perspective view taken along lines 11-11 of FIG. 10 illustrating a portion of the pedal connection assembly and a pedal impact absorption arrangement;

FIG. 12 A and FIG. 12B provide enlarged side perspective views of the pedal connection assembly of FIG. 11 in a first and in a second position respectively;

FIG. 13 is a sectioned enlarged top perspective view of a pedal link to rocker connection assembly that can be used with the climber of FIG. 5.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface;a first substantially linear track secured to said frame;a second substantially linear track secured to said frame in parallel with said first track wherein said first and second tracks are secured to said frame at an incline from said horizontal surface;a first and a second foot pedal assembly, each including a foot pedal, wherein said foot pedal assemblies are engaged with said first and second tracks respectively for movement along said tracks such that said foot pedals move substantially linearly along and in parallel with said tracks; anda load mechanism, operatively connected to said first pedal assembly and said second pedal assembly, including a transmission operatively connected with said first and second foot pedal assemblies and a resistance device operatively connected to said transmission effective to provide a constant resistance to the downward movement of said first and second pedals independent of the speed of said pedal assemblies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a connection mechanism connects said first pedal assembly to said second pedal assembly and to said transmission.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said connection mechanism includes a first flexible member attached to said first and said second pedal assemblies and to said transmission.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said transmission includes a first and a second oneway clutch each rotatably secured to said frame and engaged with said first flexible member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first connection mechanism includes an idler pulley secured for rotation on said frame and said first flexible member is engaged with said idler pulley intermediate its engagement with said first oneway clutch and said second oneway clutch.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said connection mechanism includes a second flexible member connecting said first pedal assembly to said second pedal assembly with said second flexible member engaged with said frame effective to cause said first pedal assembly to move downwardly along said first track when said second pedal assembly is moved upwardly along said second track.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said second flexible member is engaged with an idler pulley secured for rotation on said frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including a control mechanism operatively connected to said resistance device effective to vary said resistance to the downward movement of said first and second pedals in order to maintain a constant speed of said movement of said pedals.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said resistance device is an alternator and said control mechanism provides a load signal to said alternator effective to vary the output of said alternator to maintain a constant pedal speed.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said incline is approximately 30 degrees.

11. An exercise apparatus comprising: a frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface;a first track secured to said frame and a second track secured to said frame in parallel with said first track wherein said first and second tracks are secured to said frame at an incline from said horizontal surface;a pair of pedal assemblies each one including a pedal mechanism having a foot pedal wherein each pedal mechanism is engaged with one of said tracks such that said foot pedals can move upwardly and downwardly along said tracks; andwherein said frame includes a lower frame member disposed to the horizontal surface at the rearward portion of the apparatus and a set of first resilient members interposed between each of said first and second pedal assemblies and said lower frame member effective to absorb at least a portion of the impact of said pedal assemblies as they reach the downward end of said tracks.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said first resilient members is secured to said lower frame member.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said first resilient members is secured to one of said pedal assemblies.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 additionally including a second set of resilient members wherein each of said second resilient members is secured to said lower frame member and aligned with a corresponding one of said first resilient members so as to contribute to said absorption of impact.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first resilient members have an elliptical configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first and said second resilient members have an elliptical configuration.

17. An exercise apparatus comprising: a frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface including a forward support structure at the forward end of the apparatus and a rear support structure adapted to support the rear of the apparatus on said horizontal surface;a pair of pedal assemblies each one including a pedal wherein said pedal assemblies are operatively associated with said frame such that said pedals can reciprocate in at least a partially vertical motion; anda step member disposed to said rear support structure configured to provide a user step from the horizontal surface to said pedals.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said rear support includes a horizontal support member.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 additionally including at least one side handrail secured between said forward support structure and said rear support structure effective to provide support for a user standing on said pedals.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said rear support includes a horizontal support member and one end of said side handrail is secured to said horizontal support member.