1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exerciser, more particularly to an exerciser which provides combined cycling and stepping exercise functions and which is capable of being converted to operate in one of cycling and stepping exercise modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art exerciser shown in
The same inventor of the '829 patent was granted a related U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,473, issued May 21, 1996, which uses the same language to describe the elliptical movement of the foot links or pedal members of the disclosed elliptical exerciser which has a different mounting arrangement for the second end of the foot links or pedal members. In the '473 patent exerciser, the connection of the second end of each foot link or pedal member directs it along a closed curved path rather than a reciprocating path. It is to be appreciated that the term “cycling” as used herein refers to an “elliptical cycling” or “elliptical” mode of operation as identified in the '829 and '473 patents noted above.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a combined cycling and stepping exerciser which provides combined cycling and stepping exercise functions and which is capable of being converted to operate in one of cycling and stepping exercise modes.
Accordingly, the exerciser of the present invention includes a base frame, a drive wheel, a pair of elongated lever arms, a pair of slide seats, a pair of pedal arms and fasteners. The base frame has a front end portion with an upright post, and a rear end portion opposite to the front end portion in a longitudinal direction. The upright post is formed with a pair of horizontal pivot shafts that project in opposite lateral directions transverse to the longitudinal direction. The drive wheel is mounted rotatably on the rear end portion of the base frame. The drive wheel has a horizontal wheel axle transverse to the longitudinal direction, and a pair of crank arms coupled to the wheel axle and disposed on opposite lateral sides of the drive wheel. The elongated lever arms are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the base frame. Each of the lever arms has a front end portion pivoted to a respective one of the pivot shafts on the upright post, a rear end portion, and a longitudinally extending slide groove extending between the front and rear end portions. Each of the slide seats is coupled to a respective one of the crank arms, and engages slidably the slide groove in a respective one of the lever arms so as to be slidable along the slide groove when the drive wheel rotates. The pedal members are disposed respectively on the lever arms. Each of the pedal members has a front end engaging slidably the slide groove in the respective one of the lever arms, and a rear end. The fasteners are operable for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members selectively and respectively to the slide seats and to the rear end portions of the lever arms.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring to
The base frame 20 has a front end portion formed with an upright front post 21, and a rear end portion opposite to the front end portion in a longitudinal direction and formed with an upright rear post 23. A pair of handle members 22 are secured to an upper end portion of the front post 21. A pair of horizontal pivot shafts 23 (see
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Each of the fasteners 42 includes an operating knob 426 disposed over the mounting plate 423 of a respective one of the pedal members 40, and a threaded shank 427 extending through the mounting hole 425 in the mounting plate 423. In one exercise mode, the threaded shanks 427 of the fasteners 42 are fastened to the first fastener holes 35 for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members 40 to the lever arms 30. In another exercise mode, the threaded shanks 427 engage the second fastener holes 413 for fastening the rear ends of the pedal members 40 to the slide seats 41.
Referring to
As is evident from the drawings, opposite ends of the foot links or pedal members 40 move along closed curved and arcuate paths respectively, and the elliptical movement of the foot links or pedal members 40 in use is the same as described above in the '829 and '473 prior art patents. The closed curved path is one in which the rearward movement of one end portion of each pedal member 40 is along one curved path sector and the forward movement is along a different curved path sector. The arcuate path is one which can be more accurately described as a circular orbital path.
Referring to
As is evident from the drawings, the pedal members 40 move in arcuate paths between uppermost and lowermost arcuate positions. The arcuate paths are equidistant from the fixed pivotal axis provided on the frame 20 by way of the pivot shafts 23, so that when the exerciser is in use in the stepping exercise mode, one foot of the user will move upwardly between the arcuate positions while the other foot moves downwardly between the arcuate positions.
It has thus been shown that the exerciser of the present invention incorporates two different exercise functions in a single apparatus. Conversion from one exercise mode to another can be easily accomplished by operating the fasteners 42 for fastening the pedal members 40 selectively to the lever arms 30 and to the slide seats 41, as desired.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
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Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 09836734 | Apr 2001 | US |
Child | 10957519 | US |