Lateral elliptical exercise apparatus

[0001] 1. Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a standup exercise apparatus that simulates lateral climbing with arm exercise. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise machine having separately supported pedals for the feet and arm exercise coordinated with the sideways motion of the feet.

[0003] 2. State of the Art

[0004] The benefits of regular exercise to improve overall health, appearance and longevity are well documented in the literature. For exercise enthusiasts the search continues for safe apparatus that provides full body exercise for maximum benefit in minimum time.

[0005] Recently, a new category of exercise equipment has appeared on the commercial market called elliptical cross trainers. These cross trainers guide the feet along a generally elliptical shaped curve moving forward and rearward of an operator to simulate the motions of jogging and slight climbing. There is a need for an elliptical exercise machine capable of lateral or sideways climbing foot movements.

[0006] Recently, the art has seen some elliptical motions with front to rear climbing movements such as Chu in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,806, Goh in U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,218 and Stewart et al. in U.S. Pat. Application No. 2006/0281604. Other climbing apparatus having front to rear foot motions appear in Anderson et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,052,439 and 7,153,238 and Kuo in U.S. Pat. Application No. 2006/0264301. The teeter-totter category addresses side to side lateral foot movements in Piaget et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,470 and 5,575,739, Yu in U.S. Pat. Application No. 2005/0209058, Yang in U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,506 and Gray in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,813. Some sideways foot movement is added to the elliptical apparatus shown by Chang in U.S. Pat. Application No. 2006/0046902.

[0007] There is a need for a pedal operated exercise machine that can be safely operated in the standup position whereby the arms and legs can be exercised with the feet moving through a generally lateral elliptical movement. There is also a need to adjust the orientation of the lateral elliptical pedal curve to exercise the leg muscles differently during lateral climbing.

[0008] It is one objective of this invention to provide lateral elliptical pedal movement with a path generating linkage coordinated with arm exercise. Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable pedal motion.

[0009] The present invention relates to the kinematic motion control of pedals which simulate lateral climbing during several modes of operation. More particularly, apparatus is provided that offers variable intensity exercise through a leg operated cyclic motion in which the pedal supporting each foot is guided through successive sideways positions during the motion cycle while a load resistance acts upon the mechanism.

[0010] The pedals are guided through a vertically elongated curve motion while the sideways pedal angles vary during the pedal cycle to add some ankle exercise. Arm exercise is by arm levers coordinated with the mechanism guiding the foot pedals.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a separate pedal for each foot, each pedal being supported by a foot support which is pivotally connected to a crank and a guide. The cranks are connected by a coupling device such as a gear pair which rotate in opposite directions with the cranks. The guides are rocker links pivotally connected to the foot supports and the framework using rocker link brackets. The rocker link brackets can be relocated manually or by actuator to change the pedal motion.

[0012] Arm exercise is provided with handles pivotally connected to the framework and coordinated with the foot supports. When the foot is up, the handle corresponding to that foot is generally up.

[0013] Load resistance is imposed upon the crank arms through pulleys and belts from a flywheel and frictional resistance. A control system regulates the load on the flywheel to vary the resistance to exercise. The resistance can be varied during operation through a control system within easy reach of the operator. Other forms of load resistance such as an alternator, magnetic, air, fluid, etc. may also be used.

[0014] Movement of the pedals cause the pedals to follow a vertically elongated path similar to an ellipse where the longer major axis of the ellipse is generally inclined to provide the lateral climbing motion. The shorter minor axis of the ellipse provides the sideways foot motion.

[0015] An alternate embodiment is shown using adjustable tracks as guides for the foot support. An actuator and control system adjusts the incline of the tracks to exercise leg muscles differently.

[0016] In summary, this invention provides the operator with stable foot pedal support having motions that simulate lateral climbing with very low joint impact and upper body exercise. The pedal motion exhibits vertically oriented elliptical lateral foot motion.

[0022] Referring to the drawings in detail, pedals 50 and 52 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the lowermost and uppermost positions of the first embodiment. Pedals 50 and 52 are supported by foot supports 24 and 26 and traverse vertically elongated closed loop paths 3 and 5. Cranks 20,22 rotate about pivot axis 21,23 and are pivotally connected to foot supports 24,26 at pivots 25,27. Meshed gears 16 and 18 rotate about pivot axis 21,23 and with cranks 20,22 causing them to rotate in opposite directions.

[0023] Rocker links 28,30 are connected to foot supports 24,26 at pivots 29,31 and to adjustment brackets 62,64 at pivots 33,35. Body weight causes pedal 52 to lower on the inside portion of vertically elongated curve 5 while pedal 50 rises on the outer portion of vertically elongated curve 3 with lateral motion. When pedal 50 begins the downward descent along the inner portion of curve 3, pedal 52 rises along the outer portion of curve 5 with lateral elliptical foot motion.

[0024] Pulley 17 rotates with crank 22 about pivot axis 23. Belt 19 is engaged with pulley 17 and drives flywheel 49 about pivot axis 51. Friction belt 53 wraps flywheel 49 to provide load resistance which is adjustable using knob 55 and lever 57. As an alternate, an actuator 91 as shown in FIG. 3 can regulate the load resistance as part of control system 60 through wires 7.

[0025] Arm exercise is provided along side the operator by handles 36,38 which rotate about pivots 47,45. Connecting links 32,34 are pivotally connected to handles 36,38 at pivots 41,43 and to foot supports 24,26 at pivots 37,39. Foot support extension 54 locates connecting link 32 at the rear of the exercise apparatus.

[0026] Framework 70 supports pivot axis 21,23, handle pivots 45,47, flywheel pivot 51 and adjustment lever 57. Framework 70 connects to horizontal frame members 72,74 which are configured to rest on a horizontal surface. Frame member 76 connects frame members 72 and 74 and supports rocker pivot adjustment brackets 62,64. By relocating rocker link adjustment brackets 62,64 to alternate positions 61 or 63, the orientation of pedal curves 3,5 can be changed for different exercise. The relocation of brackets 62,64 can be manual or by actuator 91 as shown in FIG. 3 with control system 60.

[0027] An alternate embodiment is shown in FIGS. 3,4 and 5 where the rocker link guides 28,30 have been replaced with guide tracks 80,82. Rollers 13,15 rotate about pivots 29,31 and are in rollable contact with guide tracks 80,82. Guide tracks 80,82 are connected to frame member 76 at pivots 81,83. Actuator 91 is supported by bracket 77 which connects to frame member 76. Adjustment links 84,86 are connected to guide tracks 80,82 at pivots 85,87 and to actuator screw nut 93 at pivots 89. Actuator screw nut 93 can move along actuator screw 95 as directed by control system 60 through wires 7,9 by conventional means. The rest of the alternate embodiment is the same as the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the arm exercise handles 36,38 and flywheel 49 not shown for clarity.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the upper portion of guide tracks 80,82 close together causing pedals 50,52 to follow inclined pedal curves 6,8. FIG. 4 shows guide tracks 80,82 adjusted further apart such that pedals 50,52 follow pedal curves 10,12. FIG. 5 shows guide tracks 80,82 adjusted to be vertical resulting in pedals 50,52 following the vertical elliptical pedal curves 2 and 4 with lateral movement.

[0029] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the claims, rather than by foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.