Elliptical trainer with resilient unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339288-A1
Application number	US-201615156535-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An elliptical trainer with a resilient unit includes a frame, an exercising unit axially disposed on the frame, a pedal unit pivotally mounted to the exercising unit, a damper for providing a damping resistance to the pedal unit, a guide unit for supporting the pedal unit and guiding the pedal unit to slide thereon, and a pair of resilient units respectively disposed in proximity to the pivoted junctions between the exercising unit and the pedal unit for enabling a pair of rear end portions of the pedal unit to be constantly kept far from a pair of pivot-connection portions of the exercising unit so that an inertial-elastic force is produced during operation of the elliptical trainer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An elliptical exercise machine, comprising:
a frame comprising a base; an exercising unit comprising a pair of arm members respectively pivotally connected to said frame and alternatively turnable back and forth, each said arm member comprising a pivot-connection portion located at one end thereof and pivotally connected to said frame; a pedal unit comprising a pair of pedal shafts respectively pivotally connected to said arm members, each said pedal shaft comprising a rear end portion located at a rear end thereof; a damper adapted for imparting a damping resistance to said pedal shafts; a guide unit adapted for supporting said pedal shafts and guiding said pedal shafts to slide; and a pair of resilient units respectively disposed in proximity to the pivoted junctions between said arm members and said pedal shafts and adapted for constantly keeping said rear end portions of said pedal shafts far from the respective said pivot-connection portions of said arm members.

2 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said frame further comprises a support fixedly mounted to said base; said pivot-connection portions of said arm members of said exercising unit are respectively pivotally connected to said support of said frame; each said arm member further comprises a swinging portion located at an opposite end thereof remote from said pivot-connection portion; each said pedal shaft of said pedal unit further comprises a front end portion located at an opposing front end thereof remote from said rear end portion and pivotally connected to said swinging portion of the respective said arm member; said damper comprises a rotatable wheel, said rotatable wheel comprising an axle pivotally connected to said frame; said guide unit comprises a pair of rockers turnable relative to said frame, and a pair of connection rods respectively pivotally coupled between said rockers and said rotatable wheel of said damper for driving said rotatable wheel to rotate, each said rocker comprising a pivoting portion pivotally connected to frame, a sliding guide portion located at one side of said pivoting portion for supporting one respective said pedal shaft and guiding the respective said pedal shaft to slide, and an interlocking portion located at an opposite side of said pivoting portion and pivotally connected to one respective said connection rod; said resilient units are respectively disposed in proximity to the pivoted junctions between said swinging portions of said arm members and said front end portions of said pedal shafts.

3 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each said resilient unit comprises a first link pivotally connected to one respective said arm member between said swinging portion and said pivot-connection portion of the respective said arm member, a second link pivotally connected between one respective said pedal shaft of said pedal unit and said first link and a resilient member, each said resilient member comprising a first pivoting portion pivotally connected to said swinging portion of one respective arm member or said front end portion of one respective pedal shaft and a second pivoting portion pivotally connected to said pivoted point between said first link and second link of one respective resilient unit, said resilient members providing a resilient force for enabling said rear end portions of said pedal shafts of said pedal unit to be constantly kept far away from said pivot-connection portions of the respective said arm members of said exercising unit.

4 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each said resilient unit comprises a link pivotally connected to one respective said arm member between said swinging portion and said pivot-connection portion of the respective said arm member, a roller pivotally connected to said link and slidably supported on one respective said pedal shaft and a resilient member, each said resilient member comprising a first pivoting portion pivotally and selectively connected to said swinging portion of one respective said arm member or said front end portion of one respective said pedal shaft, and a second pivoting portion pivotally connected to said link adjacent to said roller, said resilient members providing a resilient force for enabling said rear end portions of said pedal shafts of said pedal unit to be constantly kept far away from said pivot-connection portions of the respective said arm members of said exercising unit.

5 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each said resilient unit comprises a link pivotally connected to one respective said pedal shaft between said front end portion and said rear end portion of the respective said pedal shaft, a roller pivotally connected to said link and slidably supported on one respective said arm member and a resilient member, each said resilient member comprising a first pivoting portion pivotally and selectively connected to said swinging portion of one respective said arm member or said front end portion of one respective said pedal shaft and a second pivoting portion pivotally connected to said link adjacent to said roller, said resilient members providing a resilient force for enabling said rear end portions of said pedal shafts of said pedal unit to be constantly kept far away from said pivot-connection portions of the respective said arm members of said exercising unit.

6 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each said arm member of said exercising unit further comprises an inner wall facing toward said rear end portion of one respective said pedal shaft of said pedal unit, and an outer wall opposite to said inner wall; each said resilient unit comprises a resilient member connected between one respective said arm member and one respective said pedal shaft, said resilient member comprising a first positioning portion connected to said outer wall of one respective said arm member of said exercising unit and a second positioning portion connected to one respective said pedal shaft; said resilient members of said two resilient units providing a resilient force for enabling said rear end portions of said pedal shafts of said pedal unit to be constantly kept far away from said pivot-connection portions of the respective said arm members of said exercising unit.

7 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each said pedal shaft of said pedal unit further comprises an extension portion extended from said front end portion opposite to said rear end portion, a top wall extended from said rear end portion to said extension portion and facing upwards, and an opposing bottom wall opposite to said top wall and facing downwards; said second positioning portion of each said resilient member is disposed in proximity to one of said top wall and said bottom wall of one respective said pedal shaft.

8 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a handlebar unit and a constraint unit, said handlebar unit comprising a pair of grips respectively connected to respective top sides of said arm members, said constraint unit comprising a pivot shaft axially mounted on said frame, a pair of upper cranks respectively and fixedly connected to two opposite ends of said pivot shaft in reversed directions and a pair of linkage rods respectively pivotally coupled between said upper cranks and said grips.

9 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said resilient members of said resilient units are selected from the group of spring members, elastic cords and pneumatic cylinders.

10 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in clai

Assignees

• Rexon Ind Corp Ltd

Inventors

• Li Wen Tu

Classifications

• A63B21/04

  attached to static foundation {, e.g. a user} · CPC title

• A63B21/02 Primary

  using resilient force-resisters · CPC title

• A63B22/04

  with movable {multiple} steps {, i.e. more than one step per limb, e.g. steps mounted on endless loops, endless ladders (steppers with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0048)} · CPC title

• A63B21/022

  with springs acting at different parts of the stroke · CPC title

• A63B2071/009

  Protective housings covering the working parts of the apparatus · CPC title