Patent Application
20050245361
1. Fields of the Invention
The invention relates to an oval-tracked exercise apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus in which both handles is synchronically movable with respective planks for simulating a climbing action and an oval exercise track. Moreover, a simulation of a movement on uphill, downhill and flat surfaces can be achieved as well. Furthermore, a reduction of the distance between both planks is attainable.
2. Description of the Related Art
People work for what they need. Meanwhile, they realize how important their health is. Therefore, they do exercise for keeping their bodies in good condition. The simplest way to exercise is the use of the exercise apparatuses. Among the exercise apparatuses, the oval-tracked exercise apparatus can best simulate the actual walking exercise. U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,898 (“Rehabilitation & Exercise Apparatus”) teaches that a motor imparts motion to two treadle bars through a belt-driven toothed plate such that the treadle bars move in an offset position. However, it lacks means for keeping the body in balance. Therefore, the operator easily falls from the exercise apparatus due to the instability of his center of gravity.
Another prior art—U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,343 (“Stationary Exercise Device”)—teaches that two rocker arms are pivotably connected to the base. The bottom of each rocker arm and the front end of the treadle bars are joined to each other in a movable state. The other end of the treadle bars is attached to the side of the flywheel. Both of the treadles are alternatingly treaded to simulate the movement of hands and feet in an oval track. Meanwhile, both rocker arms move in alternating way to aid the operator in keeping their bodies in balance.
Since the hands of the operators are synchronically movable with the rocker arms to perform the arched, reciprocating motion, this doesn't correspond to the actual coordinating movement of hands and feet during walking session. Due to the non-ergonomic design, the muscle function could be deteriorated, thereby causing the abnormality of the balance sense.
It is a primary object of the invention is to provide an oval-tracked exercise apparatus in which both handles is synchronically movable with respective planks for simulating a climbing action and an oval exercise track.
Another object of the invention is to provide an oval-tracked exercise apparatus that allows a simulation of a movement on uphill, downhill and flat surfaces
A further object of the invention is to provide an oval-tracked exercise apparatus that ensures a reduction of the distance between both planks.
The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings of which:
Referring to
A treadle 15 is fixed on each of the planks 11. Besides, the plank 11 includes a driving end 16 formed opposite to the connecting member 14. The driving ends 16 of both planks 11 are located on opposing sides of a phantom diameter of a resisting rotating mechanism 40. While an operator treads with his feet on both planks 11 in an alternating up-and-down motion, the resisting rotating mechanism 40 will be driven in rotation. Meanwhile, the connecting members 14 of both planks impart motion to the coupled arms 23 that then drives the swing rods 24 to move in an alternating succession. Accordingly, the mechanical system 20 is brought into a synchronic alternating swing motion within an area enclosed by a radius of the length of the pivoting rods 22 around a center of the traverse support 13. Thus, the operator can hold both handles 25 on the top of the swing rods 24 to simulate climbing action. Since the treadles 15 on the planks 11 restricted by the resisting rotating mechanism 40 moves in an oval track, the exercise apparatus is called “oval-tracked exercise apparatus”.
The exercise apparatus includes a hinge joint of the traverse support 13 of the main frame 10 with the mechanical system 20 and a hinge joint of the planks 11 with the resisting rotating mechanism 40. As the connecting arms 12 between the traverse support 13 and the main frame 10 are rigidly affixed, the exercise apparatus is therefore named a stationary type exercise apparatus. The exercise apparatus shown in
Therefore, the advantages of the aforementioned stationary type exercise apparatus can be concluded as follows:
Another oval-tracked exercise apparatus, as shown in
The embodiment shown in
The movable feature of the traverse support 13 is created by a push rod 32 with one of its ends pivotally connected to the traverse support 13 and with its opposing end connected to a motor 33, thereby forming an adjusting assembly 30 for adjusting the height of the traverse support 13.
Meanwhile, the invention has the same components that are correspondingly disposed at opposing sides. In order to facilitate the illustration of the mechanical relationship among the mechanical system, the planks 11, and the resisting rotating mechanism 40 and to prevent unnecessary confusion, they are shown and described with only one side thereof.
First of all, the driving end 16 of the plank 11, as shown in
When the driving end 16 of the plank 11 is brought by the treading force of the operator or by an electric motor to a bottom end of the resisting rotating mechanism 40 shown in
As shown in
In addition to achieving the effects of the stationary type exercise apparatus, the adjustable type exercise apparatus can employ the motor 33 of the adjusting assembly 30 to extend or retract the push rod 32 for changing the movement position of the treadle 15.
When the push rod 32 is extended by the motor 33, the traverse support 13 is upwardly moved counterclockwise under restriction of the connecting arm 12. Meanwhile, the plank 11 can be raised since the auxiliary rod 21 is coupled with the connecting member 14 on the plank 11. When the push rod 32 is retracted by the motor 33, the traverse support 13 is downwardly moved clockwise. Accordingly, the connecting member 14 on the plank 11 is lowered. In this way, movement on a uphill, a downhill, or a flat surface can be simulated.
As shown in
Based upon the above-mentioned structure, both planks 11 are spaced apart by the length of the central part 45 so that it's not necessary for the operator to extend his feet as widely as the shoulder. Accordingly, the walking position can be considerably improved.
In order to make the use of the crank 41 more stable, the base 42, as shown in
Furthermore, a flywheel, a belt wheel or a resisting apparatus can be fitted to both sides of the base 42, as shown in
Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
