Multi-function exercise apparatus

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a multi-function exercise device, and more particularly to an exercise device wherein the exerciser may perform a variety of different leg exercise motions.

[0003] Over the years, a variety of exercise devices have been produced to facilitate lower body exercise. These exercise devices are configured to allow an exerciser to perform repetitively a limited and invariable exercise motion. For example, treadmills enable a person to run or walk; stair-climbers enable a person to simulate climbing; skiing machines enable a person to stride in place; elliptical trainers enable a person to walk or run through an elliptical path.

[0004] Unfortunately, these exercise devices have certain drawbacks. First, by limiting a user to a specific exercise, these exercise devices develop only a specific muscle group. This may result in an unbalanced workout for the user. Second, repetitive motion may cause premature muscle fatigue for the targeted muscle group, resulting in a shorter period of exercise, or injuries such as stress fractures, tendon and ligament damage, muscle pulls, etc. Third, these exercise devices limit the user to repeating only a certain exercise motion and over time may become boring and unchallenging to the user.

[0005] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus that enables a user to perform lower body exercise with a variety of exercise motions, thereby increasing the effectiveness and challenge of the exercise apparatus.

[0006] An exercise apparatus is provided. Typically the exercise apparatus includes a frame, left and right pedal guides which are pivotally mounted to the frame, and left and right foot pedals which are configured to slide in a radial direction along the pedal guides. The apparatus may further include a radial motion translation linkage configured to link the foot pedals reciprocally in the radial direction along the length of each pedal guide, and a pivot translation linkage configured to link the pivot motion of the pedal guides reciprocally. Additionally, the apparatus may include a pivot resistance subsystem configured to selectively apply a resistance force against the pivotal motion of the pedal guides, and a radial resistance subsystem configured to selectively apply a resistance force against the radial motion of the foot pedals. The apparatus may also include left and right handles which are selectively coupled to left and right pedal guides, respectively, to provide upper body exercise.

[0007] The pivot resistance subsystem may selectively lock the pedal guides from pivoting back and forth, thereby constraining the foot pedals to move up and down in a stair-stepping mode. The radial resistance subsystem may selectively lock the foot pedals from sliding along the pedal guides, thereby constraining the foot pedals from movement in a radial direction along the guides and enabling the foot pedals to pivot back and forth in a striding mode. The resistance subsystems may apply a selective resistance force against the foot pedal movement and allow the user to move her feet through a variety of paths at the discretion of the user.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a side view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the internal motion translation mechanism.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a partial cut-away perspective view of components of the motion translation mechanism of FIG. 3 housed in a left housing.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a partial cut-away perspective view of components of the motion translation mechanism of FIG. 3 housed in a right housing.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a cut-away top view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1.

[0014] An exercise apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, and generally indicated at 10. Exercise apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 that supports left housing 14aand right housing 14bin a stable fashion on an underlying floor surface. Housings 14aand 14bare connected together by a hollow shaft housing 16. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a left pedal guide 20aand a right pedal guide 20bon which pedals 45aand 45bare mounted via respective roller assemblies 49 and pedal support assemblies 47. Each pedal guide is pivotally mounted at an upper end to the housing 14aand 14b, and is supported by bearings 22, which attach to the respective housing. The user may drive the pedals in any one of the following ways:

[0015] (1) along an accurate path as the pedal guide pivots;

[0016] (2) in a radial direction along the length of each pedal guide; and

[0017] (3) simultaneously pivotally and radially.

[0018] The left and right pedal guides and their corresponding roller assemblies are reciprocally linked by a motion translation mechanism 11. The motion translation mechanism includes a pivot translation linkage 13 configured to link the pivot motion of the left and right pedal guides reciprocally. Motion translation mechanism 11 further includes a radial motion translation linkage 15 configured to link the motion of the left and right pedals reciprocally in the radial direction along the length of each pedal guide.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, pivot motion translation linkage 13 typically includes, on the left side of the apparatus, sprockets 24, 38, and 28alinked by a chain 26a, which work in tandem to rotate shaft 30 as the pedal guide 20ais pivoted forward or backward. Sprockets 24 are typically referred to as pivot sprockets, sprockets 38 may be referred to as handle sprockets, and sprockets 28aand 28bmay be referred to as pivot translation sprockets. Chains 26a, 26bare also referred to as pivot chains.

[0020] On the right side of the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 5, pivot motion translation linkage 13 further includes sprockets 28b, 24, and 38, as well as idler sprockets 40, all linked by a chain 26b. The idler sprockets 40 serve to reverse the direction of the rotation of sprocket 28b. As pedal guide 20ais pivoted forward, for example, the pivoting motion is translated through the chain 26a, pivot translation shaft 30, and chain 26b, which causes pedal guide 20bto rotate in the opposite direction. The chains 26aand 26btypically remains taut, so that no backlash or slack occurs and motion is smoothly translated between the pedals. Chains 26aand 26bmay also be referred to as flexible tension members. While chains and sprockets are typically used, it will be appreciated that belts/cables and pulleys, cams, four bar linkages, or other suitable components may alternatively be used. As used herein the term “sprocket” should be understood to include both toothed sprockets and sprockets without teeth, more commonly referred to as pulleys.

[0021] The radial motion translation linkage typically includes, on the left side of the apparatus, a left pedal linkage having a chain 51 and an idler sprocket 53. The chain 51 is attached at a lower end to a roller assembly 49, which in turn is linked to a pedal support assembly 47 and pedal 45a. The radial motion translation linkage further includes a left-side radial motion translation sprocket 55a, which chain 51 engages. An end 51′ of the chain 51 is fixedly inset into radial motion translation sprocket 55a. On the right side of the apparatus, like the left side, the radial motion translation linkage typically includes a right pedal linkage having a chain 51 and an idler sprocket 53. The radial motion translation linkage further includes a right-side radial motion translation sprocket 55b.

[0022] The motion of sprockets 55aand 55bis linked by a radial motion translation shaft 57. Typically pivot shaft 30 is positioned within radial motion translation shaft 57, although other configurations are possible. An end 51′ of right-side chain 51 is fixedly inset into sprocket 55b, and the other end is attached to the roller assembly 49 coupled to pedal 45b. In operation, as pedal 45ais raised or lowered radially along pedal guide 20a, the radial motion of the pedal 45ais translated through left-side chain 51, idler sprockets 53 and sprocket 55a, through shaft 57, and again through sprockets 55band right-side chain 51 and idler sprocket 53, such that pedal 45bmoves radially along pedal guide 20b, in the opposite direction (i.e. reciprocally) to pedal 45a.

[0023] Thus, it will be appreciated that sprockets 24 are rigidly attached to pedal guides 20aand 20b. As shown in more detail in FIGS. 4, 5, to couple the pivot motion of pedal guide 20aand 20b, sprocket 28ain left housing 14aand sprocket 28bin right housing 14bare connected together by an inner shaft 30 that runs concentrically inside hollow shaft housing 16. The shaft 30 is supported at two ends by bearings 32, which are also attached to the respective housing.

[0024] To provide upper body exercise, handles 34a, 34bare provided. The handles 34a, 34bare generally sized for the grip of a user and are pivotally mounted at a lower end to the housing 14aand 14bby bearings 36. Sprockets 38 are also rigidly mounted to the handles on the lower horizontal portion of each handle. In the left housing 14a, chain 26aloops around and tensionally encompasses sprocket 24, sprocket 28aand sprocket 38 such that when left pedal guide 20apivots, it will also turn left handle 34aand shaft 30. In the right housing 14b, chain 26bwraps around idler sprockets 40, which are attached to the housing 14bby mounting bolts 42. The path of chain 26bcauses sprocket 28bto rotate in the reverse direction of sprockets 24 and 38. To achieve the reciprocal pivotal motion of pedal guide 20aand 20b, chain 26bloops around pedal guide sprocket 24, handle sprocket 38, idler sprockets 40 and to the inner side of sprocket 28b. When right pedal guide 20bpivots, it also turns right handle 34band reversibly rotates shaft 30 such that left pedal guide 20aand left handle 30awill pivot in the opposite direction.

[0025] As described briefly above, exercise apparatus 10 also includes left foot pedal 45aand right foot pedal 45b. Each foot pedal is connected to the respective pedal guide by pedal support assembly 47. Pedal support assembly 47 typically includes a roller assembly 49 configured to support and allow the foot pedal to slide radially along the length of the pedal guide. Chain 51 connects at one end to the roller assembly 49, and extends generally upward along the inside of the pedal guide, and wraps around idlers 53 which are mounted to the upper end of the pedal guide 20aand 20b. To couple the radial motion of pedal 45aand 45b, sprocket 55ain left housing 14aand sprocket 55bin right housing 14bare connected together by a hollow shaft 57. Hollow shaft 57 is supported at two ends by bearings 59 and runs preferably but not necessarily concentrically inside shaft housing 16. Hollow shaft 57 is also configured such that it allows the smaller pivot motion connecting shaft 30 to run concentrically inside of it. To achieve the reciprocal radial motion of the left pedal 45aand right pedal 45b, chain 51 wraps around sprocket 55ain a clockwise direction and wraps around sprocket 55bin a counter-clockwise direction. When one foot pedal is pushed down, the other one will be pulled up along the pedal guide.

[0026] Radial resistance subsystem 70 typically includes caliper disc brake 75, as shown in FIG. 6. Caliper disc brake 75 is mounted to the housing 14band selectively applies friction force to sprocket 55b. Pivotal resistance subsystem 80 typically includes caliper disc brake 85. Caliper disc brake 85 is attached to housing 14band selectively applies friction to sprocket 28b. Control console 90 typically includes readouts, keypad and controllers to control radial resistance subsystem 70 and pivotal resistance subsystem 80.

[0027] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the interconnecting chain, sprocket and shaft assemblies could be replaced by cable, pulley, belt, cam, gear, four bar linkage etc. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be limited only to the extent of the claims as follow.