Patent Application
20140243158
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of exercise equipment and in particular, to different types of exercise equipment such as elliptical trainers, recumbent bicycles, standard bicycles, horse riding simulating physical fitness devices and devices to simulate skating.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present inventor is a major innovator in the present field of invention. The present inventor has the following patents for which improvement in the crank handle would be very beneficial:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,414 issued to Bob Hsiung on Mar. 4, 2008 for “APPARATUS TO ENABLE A USER TO SIMULATE SKATING”;
2. U.S. Pat. No. 7,473,210 issued to Bob Hsiung on Jun. 6, 2009 for “APPARATUS TO ENABLE A USER TO SIMULATE SKATING”.
3. U.S. Pat. No. 7,951,048 issued to Bob Hsiung on May 31, 2001 for “ABDOMINAL SWIVELING EXERCISE MACHINE COMBINED WITH AN ELLIPTICAL. TRAINER EXERCISE MACHINE OR SKATE SIMULATION TRAINER OR EXERCISE BICYCLE OR RECUMBENT BICYCLE”.
4. U.S. Pat. No. 7,867,146 issued to Ge et al. on Jun. 11, 2011 for “HORSE-RIDING SIMULATING PHYSICAL DEVICE” which has been assigned Bob Hsiung.
There is a significant need for an improvement in the crank mechanism of these devices to help improve the exercise when the machine is used as an exercise bicycle, recumbent bicycle and elliptical trainer.
The present invention relates to an improved crank for exercise equipment. The purpose of the new design for the crank is to avoid a lesser speed upon pedaling so that the energy required for biking is minimized since no energy is wasted. More importantly, the present invention crank helps prevent injuries on the ankle during an unexpected drop in speed and to avoid stress on the knees during exercising.
The angle that the crank makes has to be between zero and 90 degrees. Every force can be broken into its horizontal and vertical components. In the horizontal force, the vertical component equals 0. Similarly, a vertical force has a zero horizontal component.
The equation is
H=F cos β and V=F sin β
In trigonometry, cos 90°, cos 270°, sin 0° and sin 180° equal 0, thus creating a force component of 0. That is the rationale on which the present invention design is based. When one of the forces equals 0 at the following angles, 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, the total force becomes less. That is the reason when during full force pedaling, people experience a drop in velocity, and that can be easily felt as a light jerk. The higher the original speed, the higher the drop will be due to sensational contrast. Sometimes, that causes the peddler's foot to come off the footrest, and that can be damaging to the user's ankles and knees.
The present invention crank is slightly angled to prevent the peddler getting into one of the four 0 components mentioned above. As a result, the peddling will be a much smoother experience.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create an improved crank to be used for exercise equipment such as regular bicycling, recumbent bicycling, elliptical trainers, machines to simulate skating etc. where the angles which result in a zero horizontal or vertical force are eliminated due to the angle of the crank and therefore, to eliminate a zero speed drop which could result in injury to the user's ankles or knees.
Defined in detail, one variation of the present invention is an apparatus to simulate skating having at least a rear transverse frame and a front transverse frame which are interconnected by a longitudinal frame, a first pedal assembly having a first longitudinal pedal bar to which a first foot pedal is connected, the first longitudinal pedal bar is rotatably connected to the front transverse frame by a first rod, a second pedal assembly having a second longitudinal pedal bar to which a second foot pedal is connected, the second longitudinal pedal bar is rotatably connected to the front transverse frame by a second rod, the first and second foot pedal assemblies are spaced apart and side by side to each other and located along opposite sides of the longitudinal frame, a flywheel assembly which facilitates a sliding back and forth motion of the foot pedals to simulate skating, an improve pedal connector bar assembly comprising: (a) a crank is connected at its first end to a crank axle and connected at its second end to a connecting rod connected to the flywheel assembly so that the crank rotates as the skate foot pedals of the skating machine move to simulate skating; (b) a right pedal connector bar which connects the crank to a rear of the first longitudinal pedal bar, the right pedal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the crank axle and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the first longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the bent section so that right pedal connector bar is bent at an angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid a dead angle with a zero force; (c) a left pedal connector bar which connects the crank to a rear of the second longitudinal pedal bar, the left pedal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the crank axle and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the second longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the bent section, so that the left pedal connector bar is bent at an angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid a dead angle with a zero force.
Defined more broadly, the first variation of the present invention is an apparatus to simulate skating having at least a first pedal assembly having a first longitudinal pedal bar to which a first foot pedal is connected, the first longitudinal pedal bar is rotatably connected to a front transverse frame, a second pedal assembly having a second longitudinal pedal bar to which a second foot pedal is connected, the second longitudinal pedal bar is rotatably connected to the front transverse frame, the first and second foot pedal assemblies are spaced apart and side by side to each other and located along opposite sides of a longitudinal frame, a mechanism which facilitates a sliding back and forth motion of the foot pedals to simulate skating, an improve pedal connector bar assembly comprising: (a) a crank which is connected at its first end to a crank axle and connected at its second end to the mechanism which facilitates the sliding back and forth motion of the foot pedals of the skating machine to simulate skating; and (b) a bent right pedal connector bar which connects the crank to a rear of the first longitudinal pedal bar and a bent left pedal connector bar which connects the crank to a rear of the second longitudinal pedal bar, the bent right pedal bar bent at an angle greater than zero and less than ninety degrees and the bent left pedal connector bar bent at an angle greater than zero and less than ninety degrees.
Defined alternatively, the present invention is an exercise equipment having at least a right longitudinal pedal bar to which a right foot plate is attached, a left longitudinal pedal bar to which a left foot plate is attached, a body having at least a base where power is generated from a resistance wheel which is rotatably connected a connecting rod, the improved connecting bar comprising: (a) the right longitudinal pedal bar connected to a right bent longitudinal pedal connector bar and a left longitudinal pedal bar connected to a left bent longitudinal pedal connector bar; (b) the right bent longitudinal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the connecting rod connected to the resistance wheel and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the right longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the middle bent section, the right pedal connector bar is bent in the middle section at any angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid a dead angle with a zero force; and (c) the left bent pedal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the connecting rod connected to the resistance wheel and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the middle bent section, the left pedal connector bar is bent in the middle section at any angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid the dead angle with a zero force.
Defined alternatively more broadly, the present invention is an exercise equipment having at least a first longitudinal pedal bar to which a first foot receiving member is attached, a second longitudinal pedal bar to which a second foot receiving member is attached, a body where power is generated from a resistance wheel which is rotatably connected a connecting rod, the improved connecting bar comprising: (a) the first longitudinal pedal bar connected to a first bent longitudinal pedal connector bar and a second longitudinal pedal bar connected to a second bent longitudinal pedal connector bar, the first and second bent longitudinal connector bars each having a bent angle greater than zero and less than ninety degrees to thereby prevent an occurrence of a dead angle.
Further defined more broadly, the present invention comprises the right bent longitudinal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the connecting rod connected to the resistance wheel and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the middle bent section, the right pedal connector bar is bent in the middle section at any angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid the dead angle with a zero force; and (b) the left bent pedal connector bar having a first section which is connected at its interior to the connecting rod connected to the resistance wheel and a second interior end connected to a middle bent section at a first end and a second section with an exterior end rotatably connected to a rear of the longitudinal pedal bar and an interior end connected to a second end of the middle bent section, the left pedal connector bar is bent in the middle section at any angle above zero and less than 90 degrees to avoid the dead angle with a zero force.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.
Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:
Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.
There is illustrated the fundamental structure of an apparatus to simulate skating which is described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,414 (“'414 patent”). Referring to FIG. 1 of the '414 patent, a portion of which is illustrated in
First and second foot pedal assemblies 30 and 40 are spaced apart and side by side to each other and located along opposite sides of the longitudinal frame 24. Rods 36 and 46 (as shown in FIG. 1 of the '414 patent) are also connected to an upper transverse beam 50 which supports an upper transverse frame. This is the portion from the '414 patent that is illustrated in
The upper transverse frame supports a flywheel assembly which facilitates a sliding back and forth motion of the foot pedals 34 and 44 to simulate skating. The skating simulation operation is described in the '414 patent. A crank 92 is connected at its first end 94 to the crank axle 90 and connected at its second end 96 to a connecting rod or pulley axle so that the crank 92 rotates as the skate foot pedals of the skating machine move to simulate skating. The crank axle 90 is rotatably connected to a right pedal connector bar 82R which connects the crank 92 to a rear of the longitudinal pedal bar 32 and is also connected to the left pedal connector bar 82L which connects the crank 92 to a rear of the longitudinal pedal bar 42. If the pedal connector bars 82R and 82L are straight, at a point in the motion of the foot pedal assemblies, the pedal connector bars 82R and 82L reach a “dead” or “0” angle as illustrated in
The angle that the crank 92 makes has to be between greater than zero and less than 90 degrees. Every force can be broken into its horizontal and vertical components. In the horizontal force, the vertical component equals zero (0). Similarly, a vertical force has a zero horizontal component.
The equation is
H=F cos β and V=F sin β
In trigonometry, cos 90°, cos 270°, sin 0° and sin 180° equal s zero (0), thus creating a force component of zero (0). That is the rationale on which the present invention design is based. When one of the forces equals zero (0) at the following angles, 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, the total force becomes less. That is what is illustrated in
The present invention right pedal connector bar and left pedal connector bar are slightly angled to prevent the peddler getting into one of the four zero (0) components mentioned above. As a result, the peddling will be a much smoother experience.
Referring to
While each bent pedal connector bar 182L and 182R is illustrated in three sections, a first section, a middle bent section and a second section, it will be appreciated that each bent pedal connector bar 182L and 182R can be formed in one piece with the bent angle as illustrated. It is also possible for each bent pedal connector bar to be formed of two pieces with the bent angle as illustrated.
Therefore, an object of the present invention to create an improved pedal bar connector to be used for exercise equipment such as regular bicycling, recumbent bicycling, elliptical trainers, machines to simulate skating etc. where the angles which result in a zero horizontal or vertical force are eliminated due to the angle of the pedal bar connectors to eliminate a zero speed drop has been achieved.
The above concept can also be applied to an elliptical trainer or any sit down vertical bicycle or recumbent bicycle where the power is generated by a force against a resistance rotating wheel attached to the foot plate pedal bar by a pedal bar connector. Referring to
The improvement comprises having bent longitudinal connector bar members.
Referring to
Further referring to
While each bent pedal connector bar 782L and 782R is illustrated in three sections, a first section, a middle bent section and a second section, it will be appreciated that each bent pedal connector bar section 782L and 782R can be formed in one piece with the bent angle as illustrated. It is also possible for each bent pedal connector bar to be formed of two pieces with the bent angle as illustrated.
Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.
