Recumbent exercise machines and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802076-B2
Application number	US-201314086880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to recumbent exercise machines and associated systems and methods. In one embodiment, for example, a recumbent exercise apparatus can include a seat, two linear guide tracks forward of the seat, and two pedal assemblies movably coupled to corresponding linear guide tracks positioned forward of the seat. The pedal assemblies can be configured to move back and forth along the linear guide tracks. The recumbent exercise apparatus can further include linear actuators operably coupled to each of the linear guide tracks and configured to move the linear guide tracks up and down in a vertical direction. The pedal assemblies can be configured to move in elliptical patterns when the pedal assemblies move back and forth along the linear guide tracks and the linear actuators move the linear guide tracks up and down.

First claim

We claim:

1. A recumbent exercise apparatus, comprising:
a seat;
a guide track forward of the seat;
a foot pedal assembly movably coupled to the guide track and is completely forward of the seat, wherein the pedal assembly is configured to move along a first predetermined length of the guide track; and
an actuator operably coupled to the guide track and configured to move the guide track in a vertical direction, wherein the pedal assembly is configured to move in a first elliptical pattern when the pedal assembly moves back and forth along the guide track and the actuator moves the guide track in a vertical direction.

2. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the guide track is a first guide track, the pedal assembly is a first pedal assembly, and the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the recumbent exercise apparatus further comprises:
a second guide track forward of the seat;
a second pedal assembly movably coupled to the second guide track, wherein the second pedal assembly is configured to move along a second predetermined length of the second guide track; and
a second actuator operably coupled to the second guide track and configured to move the second guide track in a vertical direction.

3. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second pedal assemblies are configured to move independently of each other along the corresponding first and second guide tracks.

4. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising means for returning the first and second pedal assemblies to a predetermined base position positions.

5. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second pedal assemblies, wherein the controller is configured to apply different resistance levels to the first and second pedal assemblies.

6. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second pedal assemblies, wherein the controller is configured to set a first start position and a first stop position on the first guide track for the first pedal assembly, and a second start position and a second stop position on the second guide track for the second pedal assembly, wherein the first start position and the first stop position defines the first predetermined length, and the second start position and the second stop position defines the second predetermined length.

7. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first start position and the second start position are set at different positions on, respectively, the first guide track and the second guide track.

8. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to set the first start position and the first stop position by causing the first pedal assembly to provide a high level of resistance at the first start position and at the first stop position than when the first pedal assembly is at a position between the first start position and the first stop position.

9. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first motor operably coupled to the first pedal assembly; and
a second motor operably coupled to the second pedal assembly,
wherein the first and second motors are configured to provide resistance to the first and second pedal assemblies independently of each other.

10. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a motor operably coupled to the first and second pedal assemblies, wherein the motor is configured to resist movement of the first and second pedal assemblies as the first and second pedal assemblies move along the corresponding first and second guide tracks.

11. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second pedal assemblies are operably coupled to each other, and wherein movement of the first pedal assembly along the first guide track is dependent upon movement of the second pedal assembly along the second guide track.

12. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to cause the first guide track and the second guide track to perform different vertical movements.

13. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the different vertical movements are performed by the first guide track and the second guide track at the same time.

14. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first actuator is configured to cause the first guide track to move at a first direction, and the second actuator is configured to keep the second guide track at a predetermined position.

15. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first actuator is configured to cause the first guide track to move along a first predetermined vertical distance, and the second actuator is configured to cause the second guide track to move along a second predetermined vertical distance.

16. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first predetermined vertical distance is configured to cause the first pedal assembly to move in the first elliptical pattern, and the second predetermined vertical distance is configured to cause the second pedal assembly to move in a linear-step motion.

17. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first predetermined vertical distance is configured to cause the first pedal assembly to move in the first elliptical pattern, and the second predetermined vertical distance is configured to cause the second pedal assembly to move in a second elliptical pattern different from the first elliptical pattern.

18. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first predetermined length is configured to cause the first pedal assembly to move in the first elliptical pattern, and the second predetermined length is configured to cause the second pedal assembly to move in a linear motion.

19. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first predetermined length is configured to cause the first pedal assembly to move in the first elliptical pattern, and the second predetermined length is configured to cause the second pedal assembly to move in a second elliptical pattern.

20. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first pedal assembly is configured to move at a first speed, and the second pedal assembly is configured to move at a second speed.

21. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first pedal assembly is configured to provide a first resistance level based on the first speed, and the second pedal assembly is configured to provide a second resistance level based on the second speed.

22. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first resistance level sets a first range of movement of the first pedal assembly by a user operating the recumbent exercise apparatus, wherein the second resistance level sets a second range of movement of the second pedal assembly by the user.

23. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first pedal assembly is configured to move at a first direction when the second pedal assembly moves at a second direction.

24. The recumbent exercise apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the first pedal assembly is configured to provide a first resistance level based on the first direction, and the second pedal assembly is configured to provide a second resistance level based on

Assignees

• Dyaco Int Inc

Inventors

• Murray Brian
• Chen Yuhsiang
• Kao Kuang-Shiung

Classifications

• A63B2220/30

  Speed · CPC title

• A63B2220/54

  Torque · CPC title

• A63B22/0087

  with a seat or torso support moving during the exercise, e.g. reformers (A63B22/0076 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2022/0038

  One foot moving independently from the other, i.e. there is no link between the movements of the feet · CPC title

• A63B2208/0233

  in 90/90 position, like on a chair · CPC title