Patent Application
20100062906
The present invention generally relates to exercise equipment and more specifically to exercise equipment that supports the user and enables simultaneous upper and lower body exercise and may further include an abdominal exercise.
Exercise has become an important part of our modern society. The need to exercise is an inherent compliment to our high tech and likely sedentary lifestyle. To fill that need, fitness equipment is desired to be both functional and versatile. A piece of equipment that can perform more than one function has advantages in both space savings as well as lower cost of ownership relative to two individual single function machines.
For many individuals walking may be one of the most beneficial basic activities. There are limitations though for some people. The impact of joint loading may be extreme for some, especially those recovering from an injury or those in a very de-conditioned state. Space to walk may be a consideration for walking inside whereas weather conditions and personal safety may be considerations for walking outdoors. Strengthening the abdominal muscles is desirable in terms of posture, lower back health and general appearance. Cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, may be desirable to do in combination with abdominal exercises to reduce body fat, increase strength and overall fitness.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is a need for a physical training device that enables a simulated walking gait while the user is supported and therefore the joints are unloaded. The device may include the ability for the range of motion to be user defined so as to automatically adjust to different body sizes and joint flexibility ranges. In addition, the device may include the ability to perform a trunk flexion exercise. The present invention fulfills this need and others.
The present invention provides a frame with a pair of arm links pivotally coupled to the frame about a first axis. A pair of legs is pivotally coupled to the frame about a second axis, the first axis non-collinear with the second axis. A first countermovement mechanism is pivotally coupled to the frame about a third axis and adapted to provide a user defined range of motion of a first arm link of the pair of arm links that is substantially opposite in direction to a first leg link of the pair of leg links. Also included may be an independent second countermovement mechanism which may be pivotally coupled to the frame about the third axis and adapted to provide a user defined range of motion of a second arm link of the pair of arm links that is substantially opposite in direction to a second leg link of the pair of leg links. The pair of arms may move in the same direction to perform an abdominal exercise or in opposing directions to perform a simulated walking gait exercise.
In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, there may be included a bias member, such as a spring, elastic cord or pneumatic cylinder or spring, with a first end coupled to the frame and a second end coupled to the an arm link. The bias member may be movable relative to the arm link by providing a slide block that is movably mounted to the arm link. The slide block may also include an indexing pin adapted to secure the slide block in a determined position on the arm link.
A seat may also be included that is supported by the frame and includes a substantially flat back portion contiguous to a substantially flat lower portion. The orientation of the back portion to the lower portion may be approximately 111 degrees. The seat may be comprised of a seat frame including a base section and a removable section that is releasably secured to the base section adjacent to a seat cross brace. As was further determined by the applicant, a ratio of approximately 4/3 may be used as the ratio of movement of the leg link relative to the arm link.
An exemplary method for exercise is also disclosed including providing the elements of the device as previously noted. The method of exercise may include the steps of positioning a user on the seat, moving the arms and legs of the user in an opposing manner so as to simulate a walking gate and moving the arms of the user in the same direction and the legs of the user in the same direction so as to perform an abdominal exercise. The method may also include the steps of providing a bias member coupled to the frame and a slide block received by the arm link, positioning the slide block on the arm link relative to the first axis and securing the slide block to the arm link.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages can be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments and drawings, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:
With reference to the illustrative drawings, and particularly to
A first arm link 26 is shown in an elevated position and a second arm link 28 is in a lowered position. The arm links 26 and 28 are pivotally coupled to the frame 14 at the arm axis 30 providing an angular displacement between the first arm link 26 and second arm link 28 as designated by the arm angle beta (β). The first arm link 26 and the second arm link 28 may share the same arm axis 30, but in this embodiment they are able to move independently from one another. As such, the arm angle β is user defined and maybe changed continuously. The upper arm arrow 32 and lower arm arrow 34 illustrate a movement of the first arm link 26. The second arm link 28 may follow this same displacement capacity, though independent from the first arm link 26.
Similar to the first arm link 26, there is shown a first leg link 36 and a second leg link 38, which may be pivotally coupled to the frame 14 at the leg pivot 40. The angular displacement between the legs inks 36 and 38 is designated by the leg angle alpha (α). As with the arm links 26 and 28, the positions leg links 36 and 38 are user defined and the first leg link 36 may be independent from the second leg link 38. As such, the leg angle α may vary. The upper leg arrow 42 and the lower leg arrow 44 illustrate a movement pattern capability of the first leg link 36. A similar movement may be available for the second leg link 38 though not designated by arrows.
The first arm link 26 and the first leg link 36 may be coupled by a first countermovement mechanism 46. The first countermovement mechanism 46 is coupled to the frame at the countermovement axis 48. The mechanical connection to the first arm link 26 may be by an upper push bar 50. This may be pivotally connected on both ends of the upper push bar 50 to an arm ear 52 on the first arm link 26 and an upper ear 54 on the first countermovement mechanism 46. In a similar manner, the first leg link 36 may be connected to the first countermovement mechanism 46 by a lower push bar 56 with one end coupled to a leg ear 58 that may be mounted to the first leg link 36. A second end of the lower push bar 56 may be coupled to a lower ear 60 of the first countermovement mechanism 46. In this manner generally downward movement of the first arm link 26 provides a generally upward movement of the first leg link 38, thus linking the first arm link 26 to the first leg link 36 to provide substantially opposing motion.
This movement is further illustrated by the upper arrow 62 to show the general displacement of the upper push bar 50 as it would cycle back and forth with the general movement up and down of the first arm link 26. In this embodiment the first arm link 26 and the first countermovement mechanism 46 are pivotally mounted to the frame 14. As such, the cyclic movement of the upper push bar 50 may oscillate in a curvilinear path, and not truly linear as the upper arrow 62 suggests. This is though the general path of the upper push bar 50 and any variations from a linear displacement is understood to be a function of the geometry. A lower arrow 64 also illustrates a general movement of the lower push bar 56 as the combination of the first arm link 26 and first leg link 36 are moved in the aforementioned manner.
The second arm link 28 may be coupled to the second leg link 38 by way of a second countermovement mechanism 66. The set of the first arm link 26 and the first leg link 36 may move independently from the set of the second arm link 28 and the second leg link 38. Therefore if a user actuated the first arm link 26 and first leg link 36 with their left arm and leg respectively and their right arm and leg actuated the second arm link 28 and second leg link 38 respectively, the user could move both arms down toward the lower body at the same time as both legs then moved up toward the upper body of the user. This would simulate an abdominal crunch exercise as the upper body and lower body moved together in a trunk flexion movement. Also the user may move one arm up as the other arm moves down. The countermovement mechanism 46 and 66 may cause the leg links 36 and 38 and therefore the right and left legs of the user to follow in a movement that is substantially opposite to their respective arm motion thus simulating a walking gait movement.
The relationship of the displacement of the arm links 26 and 28 relative to the leg links 36 and 38 may be varied by the length and positions of the upper ear 48 and lower ear 60 of the countermovement mechanisms 46 and 66 as well as the arm ear 52 and the leg ear 58. The ratio of displacement of the leg links 36 and 38 as designated in this embodiment by the angle α versus the arm links 26 and 28 as designated by the angle β may be expressed as the ratio of α/β. This ratio may vary but in one embodiment that ratio may be approximately 4/3.
With reference to
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The advantage to the bias system is a user's legs are a substantial portion of a user's total body weight. Pushing the arm links 26 and 28 down drives the respective leg links 36 and 38 up, pulling the center of gravity of the mass of the legs up, thereby doing work. The muscular effort to accomplish this includes actuation of the hip flexor muscles to directly lift the legs or the arm, shoulder and back muscles to push the arm links 26 and 28 down or some combination of both actions. For a de-conditioned population the fatigue of these muscle groups may become apparent early in an exercise session. It has been recommended that a cardio vascular benefit from training may be achieved with periodic exercise bouts of at least twenty minutes in duration. If the user's muscles fatigue early in the exercise session, they may not make it to the twenty minute interval. The bias member 80 acts as an energy storage to reduce muscle fatigue for an un-trained population. This is accomplished when an arm link 26 or 28 is elevated, the respective leg link 36 or 38 falls, taking the weight of the user's leg with it. This process stretches the bias member, storing elastic energy in it, to be released when the respective arm link 26 or 28 is moved back down, thereby pulling the respective leg link 36 or 38 back up. By adjusting the distance of the bias member 80 away from the arm axis 30 (
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In
This assembly also allows displacement of the knob 130 away from the inside block 108 to further compress the compression spring 122, thus biasing the receiver tip 118 toward the inside block 108. The outside block 110 with the engagement pin 116, compression spring 122, sleeve 126 and knob 130 may be assembled and positioned on the long portion 104 of either arm link 26 and 28 with the receiver tip 118 received by one of the holes 102. The inside block 108 may then be received onto the long portion 104 and engaged with the outside block 110 by sliding the inside block 108 toward the outside block 110 with the lip 114 received by the groove 112. When the inside block 108 is aligned with the outside block 110 a screw 134 may be inserted through the inside block hole 136 and the outside block hole 138 and secured with a nut 140 to secure the assembly together on the long portion 104 of the arm link 26 and 28.
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The foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for purposes of illustration, and it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown. The embodiments may provide different capabilities and benefits, depending on the configuration used to implement key features of the invention.
