Abstract:
An exercise apparatus includes left and right foot links having first end portions rotatably connected to respective cranks, intermediate portions constrained to move in reciprocating fashion, and opposite, second end portions configured to support a person&#39;s feet. The resulting assembly links rotation of the cranks to movement of the foot supports through generally elliptical paths. Outboard handlebars are connected to the intermediate portions of the foot links to facilitate coordinate arm exercise without interfering with the leg exercise motion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to exercise methods and apparatus and more particularly, to exercise equipment that facilitates combined upper body and lower body exercise, including elliptical foot motion. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate a variety of exercise motions. For example, treadmills allow a person to walk or run in place; stepper machines allow a person to climb in place; bicycle machines allow a person to pedal in place; and other machines allow a person to skate and/or stride in place. Yet another type of exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate relatively more complicated exercise motions and/or to better simulate real life activity. Such equipment typically uses some sort of linkage assembly to convert a relatively simple motion, such as circular, into a relatively more complex motion, such as elliptical. Exercise equipment has also been designed to facilitate full body exercise. For example, reciprocating cables or pivoting arm poles have been used on many of the foregoing types of exercise equipment to facilitate contemporaneous upper body and lower body exercise. Despite many such advances in the art, room for improvement remains, particularly with regard to coordinated arm movement on elliptical striding machines. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention may be seen to provide a novel linkage assembly and corresponding exercise apparatus suitable for linking circular motion to relatively more complex, generally elliptical leg motion and contemporaneous arm exercise motion. On a preferred embodiment, for example, left and right foot links have first end portions rotatably connected to respective cranks, intermediate portions constrained to move in reciprocating fashion, and opposite, second end portions configured to move a person&#39;s feet through generally elliptical paths. Outboard handlebars are connected to the intermediate portions of the foot links in a manner that facilitates coordinate arm exercise motion without interfering with the leg exercise motion. Additional features of the present invention may become more apparent from the more detailed description set forth below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       With reference to the Figures of the Drawing, wherein like numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views, 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exercise apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear end view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another exercise apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear end view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An exercise apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention is designated as  100  in  FIGS. 1–4 . The apparatus  100  generally includes a frame  110  and a linkage assembly movably mounted on the frame  110 . Generally speaking, the linkage assembly moves relative to the frame  110  in a manner that links rotation of right and left cranks  120  and  122  to generally elliptical motion of right and left foot links  130 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the frame  110  may be described in terms of a base  111 , a forward stanchion  112 , and an intermediate stanchion  114 . The base  111  may be described as two generally U-shaped members rigidly interconnected in series, and designed to rest on a horizontal floor surface. The apparatus  100  is generally symmetrical about a vertical plane extending lengthwise through the base  111  (perpendicular to the middle portions of the U-shaped members), the only exceptions being components associated with an optional resistance assembly, and the relative orientation of certain parts of the linkage assembly on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry. On the embodiment  100 , the “right-hand” components are one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase relative to the “left-hand” components. However, like reference numerals are used to designate common “right-hand” and “left-hand” parts on the apparatus  100 , and when reference is made to one or more such parts on only one side of the apparatus, it is to be understood that corresponding part (s) are disposed on the opposite side of the apparatus  100 . 
     The forward stanchion  112  extends upward from a forward end of the base  111 . Right crank arm  120  and left crank wheel  122  are rigidly interconnected to one another, and rotatably mounted to the forward stanchion  112  by means known in the art, and thereby define a common crank axis. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a flywheel  128  is rotatably mounted on the frame  110  proximate the forward stanchion  112  for rotation about a discrete flywheel axis. The left crank wheel  122  is connected to the flywheel  128  by means known in the art to provide a “stepped up” flywheel arrangement. In particular, a belt  124  is formed into a closed loop about the left crank wheel  122  and a relative smaller diameter pulley  126  that is secured to the same shaft as the flywheel  128 . As a result of this arrangement, the members  122  and  128  rotate together, but the latter rotates significantly faster than the former. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that other known types of inertia altering mechanisms may be added to or substituted for the stepped up flywheel arrangement. For example, a drag strap or eddy current brake assembly may be provided to selectively impede rotation of the flywheel  128 . Moreover, the apparatus  100  could be built so that friction forces acting on the joints provide sufficient resistance to exercise movement. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that a housing or shroud may be disposed over the stepped-up crank and flywheel assembly. 
     Rigid right and left foot links  130  are movably interconnected between the frame  110  and respective cranks  120  and  122 . In particular, a first end or distal portion of each foot link  130  is rotatably connected to a respective crank  120  or  122 . Also, an intermediate portion of each foot link  130  is rotatably connected to a lower portion of a respective rocker link  140 . An upper portion of each rocker link  140  is pivotally connected to a respective side of the intermediate stanchion  114 , via a separate shaft but nonetheless defining a common pivot axis X (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The rocker links  140  are mounted on respective sides of the frame  110  in a manner that defines a gap therebetween. The gap is bounded by planes L and R, which extend perpendicular to the axis X (and are also shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
     A second end or distal portion of each foot link  130  may be described as a foot platform  133  that is sized and configured to support a person&#39;s foot. Each foot platform  133  is constrained (by the other links in the linkage assembly) to move through a respective elliptical path of motion. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the foot platforms  133  travel through paths disposed between the planes L and R, and the gap between the rocker links  140  accommodates the knees of a person standing on the foot supports  133 . 
     Right and left hand grips  144  are preferably mounted on respective, upper distal ends of the rocker links  140 . The hand grips  144  are sized and configured for grasping by a person standing on the foot platforms  133 , and they facilitate arcuate arm exercise motion that is linked to elliptical movement of the foot platforms  133 . In other words, movement of the foot platforms  133  is linked to rotation of the crank members  120  and  122 , and to reciprocal movement of the rocker links  140 . Among other things, the links  130  and  140  may be described as linking means, movably interconnected between the frame  110  and the crank members  120  and  122 , for linking rotation of the crank members  120  and  122  to elliptical movement of the foot supports  133 , and/or for linking rotation of the crank members  120  and  122  to reciprocal movement of the hand grips  144 . 
     Another exercise apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention is designated as  200  in  FIGS. 5–8 . The apparatus  200  generally includes a frame  210  and a linkage assembly movably mounted on the frame  210 . Generally speaking, the linkage assembly moves relative to the frame  210  in a manner that links rotation of right and left cranks  220  and  222  to generally elliptical motion of right and left foot links  230 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the frame  210  includes a base  211  configured to rest on a horizontal floor surface, a forward stanchion  212  that extends upward from a forward end of the base  211 , and an intermediate stanchion  214  that extends upward from an intermediate portion of the base  211 . The apparatus  200  is generally symmetrical about a vertical plane extending lengthwise through the base  211  (intersecting the forward stanchion  212 ), the only exceptions being components associated with an optional resistance assembly, and the relative orientation of certain parts of the linkage assembly on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry. On the embodiment  200 , the “right-hand” components are one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase relative to the “left-hand” components. However, like reference numerals are used to designate common “right-hand” and “left-hand” parts on the apparatus  200 , and when reference is made to one or more such parts on only one side of the apparatus, it is to be understood that corresponding part(s) are disposed on the opposite side of the apparatus  200 . 
     Right crank arm  220  and left crank wheel  222  are rigidly interconnected to one another, and rotatably mounted to the forward stanchion  212  by means known in the art, and thereby define a common crank axis. As shown in  FIG. 8 , a flywheel  228  is rotatably mounted on the frame  210  proximate the forward stanchion  212  for rotation about a discrete flywheel axis. The left crank wheel  222  is connected to the flywheel  228  by means known in the art to provide a “stepped up” flywheel arrangement. In particular, a belt  224  is formed into a closed loop about the left crank wheel  222  and a relative smaller diameter pulley  226  that is secured to the same shaft as the flywheel  228 . As a result of this arrangement, the members  222  and  228  rotate together, but the latter rotates significantly faster than the former. 
     Rigid right and left foot links  230  are movably interconnected between the frame  210  and respective cranks  220  and  222 . In particular, a first end or distal portion of each foot link  230  is rotatably connected to a respective crank  220  or  222 . Also, a respective roller  235  is rotatably mounted on an intermediate portion of each foot link  230 , and supported from below by a guide or track  250  that is mounted on the frame  210 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , an adjustable length member  255  is movably interconnected between the base  210  and the guide  250  to selectively adjust the orientation of the guide  250  relative to the base  210 . 
     A second end or distal portion of each foot link  230  may be described as a foot platform  233  that is sized and configured to support a person&#39;s foot. Each foot platform  233  is constrained (by the other links in the linkage assembly) to move through a respective elliptical path of motion. 
     Right and left links  240  are rotatably connected to respective foot links  230  in a manner that axial aligns with respective rollers  235 . The links  240  are connected in telescoping fashion to respective lower portions of rocker links  242 . An upper portion of each rocker link  240  is pivotally connected to a respective side of the intermediate stanchion  214 , via a separate shaft but nonetheless defining a common pivot axis Y (shown in  FIG. 7 ). The rocker links  242  are mounted on respective sides of the frame  210  in a manner that defines a gap therebetween. The gap is bounded by planes L 2  and R 2 , which extend perpendicular to the axis Y (and are also shown in  FIG. 7 ). The foot platforms  233  travel through paths disposed between the planes L 2  and R 2 , and the gap between the rocker links  242  accommodates the knees of a person standing on the foot supports  233 . An optional feature of the embodiment  200  is that the path traveled by the foot supporting members  233  may be adjusted by changing the length of the adjustable length member  255 . 
     Right and left hand grips  244  are preferably mounted on respective, upper distal ends of the rocker links  242 . The hand grips  244  are sized and configured for grasping by a person standing on the foot platforms  233 , and they facilitate arcuate arm exercise motion that is linked to elliptical movement of the foot platforms  233 . In other words, movement of the foot platforms  233  is linked to rotation of the crank members  220  and  222 , and to reciprocal movement of the rocker links  240 . Among other things, the links  230  and  250  may be described as linking means for linking rotation of the crank members  220  and  222  to elliptical movement of the foot supports  233 , and/or together with the links  240  and  242  as linking means for linking rotation of the crank members  220  and  222  to reciprocal movement of the hand grips  244 . 
     The foregoing disclosure and accompanying drawings are likely to enable persons skilled in the art to recognize additional embodiments, modifications, and/or features which nonetheless fall within the scope of the present invention. Recognizing that only some of the possible modifications and variations have been disclosed in detail, the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the extent of the claims which follow.