Exercise device with parallelogram structure having movable longitudinal bars

The present invention concerns a sports or exercise device comprising a mounting frame and a parallelogram having left and right longitudinal bars and upper and lower cross bars, wherein the longitudinal bars are movable vertically and parallelly to one another against at least one resistance element or weight. A left hand grip and a left treading surface are assigned to the left longitudinal bar, and a right hand grip and a right treading surface are assigned to the right longitudinal bar, such that the movement of the parallelogram results in a forward movement of the left hand grip and left treading surface, or a backward motion of the right hand grip and the right treading surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Sports and fitness devices, such as they are used, for example, as home
 equipment or in fitness studios, are generally designed in such a way that
 specific muscle groups are stressed in a targeted manner. For training at
 home or in the fitness studio, a large number of special apparatus is
 necessary, if one wishes to work the entire body uniformly. This is
 particularly a disadvantage if one would like to train at home because
 purchasing various training devices often is limited by the high price of
 such equipment and lack of space.
 The object of the present invention is to present a sports device, with
 which several different muscle groups can be stressed or worked
 simultaneously.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The invention comprises a sports or exercise device with a mounting frame
 and a parallelogram structure with left and right longitudinal bars and
 upper and lower crossbars, whereby the longitudinal bars can be moved
 vertically and parallely relative to one another against at least one
 resistance and/or at least one weight. A left hand grip and a left
 treading surface are assigned to the left longitudinal bar and a right
 hand grip and a right treading surface are assigned to the right
 longitudinal bar, in such a way that the movement of the parallelogram
 structure results in a forward motion of the left hand grip and the left
 treading surface and a reverse motion of the right hand grip and the right
 treading surface, and vice versa.
 The construction of the device according to the invention thus leads to a
 course of movement in which simultaneously the left leg and the left arm
 are moved upward and the right leg and the right arm are moved downward,
 and in fact, against a weight. Either only the arms or only the legs, or
 both the arms and legs can be simultaneously worked against the weight.
 The course of movement is comparable with climbing stairs or mountain
 climbing. Thus, the musculature of the arms, the legs, the back, the chest
 and the shoulder girdle as well as the buttocks region can be worked
 simultaneously.
 The sports device according to the invention can be produced in different
 sizes and constructed such that it can be easily disassembled and
 reassembled. The present device is particularly suitable for home use.
 However, it may also be used in a larger setting, e.g., as a professional
 training device, for example, in fitness studios. The present device also
 may be used for medical purposes, such as for checking fitness or EKG
 measurement. According to the invention, almost all important muscle
 groups are stressed simultaneously, thus more precise results can be
 obtained with such measurements than with previously used home trainers
 such as stationary bicycle devices or stair climbing devices.
 The arrangement of the hand grips and treading surfaces can be made in
 different ways. For example, the hand grips and treading surfaces may be
 attached directly to the parallelogram structure, for example to the
 longitudinal bars or to the cross bars. They also may be joined indirectly
 to the parallelogram by attaching them to one or more mounting elements,
 which in turn are attached to or joined with the parallelogram. In a
 currently preferred embodiment, these mounting elements, for aesthetic
 reasons, are shaped as equilateral triangles. However, any shape may be
 used, including, without limitation, squares, rectangles, circles or other
 triangular shapes.
 The weight is preferably in the form of one or more pneumatic or hydraulic
 cylinders, whereby one of the ends of each cylinder is attached to the
 mounting frame and the other end of each cylinder is attached to the
 parallelogram or to one or more mounting elements. In this way, the
 parallelogram can be moved against the restoring force exerted by the
 cylinders.
 Examples of embodiments of the present invention are explained in more
 detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
 The construction of a first embodiment of the sports device according to
 the invention can be seen from a synopsis of FIGS. 1 to 4. This embodiment
 preferably is approximately 1.9 meters high, but can be designed
 appropriately smaller or larger.
 FIG. 1 shows schematically the total device, but without treading surfaces
 and hand grips. The sports device 1 according to the invention has a
 mounting frame in the form of a support frame 2, which bears the other
 components (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the support frame 2 comprises
 a vertical mounting rod 3 and a pedestal 6. Pedestal 6 has two beams 7, 8,
 which are joined together by rungs 9, 10. The vertical mounting rod 3 and
 a front support 11 are inserted into one another and fixed. A back support
 12 preferably is attached from behind at the vertical mounting rod 3
 and/or at the front support 11. The vertical mounting rod 3, however, may
 open up also into a front support 11 and a back support 12. The free ends
 13, 14 of front support 11 and back support 12 are joined rigidly with
 rungs 9, 10 of pedestal 6.
 As shown in FIG. 1, the core piece of the sports device 1 is a
 parallelogram structure 20 having a left longitudinal bar 21, a right
 longitudinal bar 22, an upper cross bar 23, i.e., turned toward mounting
 rod 3, and a lower cross bar 24, i.e., turned toward supports 11, 12. The
 longitudinal bars 21, 22 and cross bars 23, 24 are joined together in a
 moveable manner at their ends by means of bearings 25a-25d.
 Two hydraulic cylinders 26, 27 (FIG. 1) are provided as resistance or
 weight. The free ends 28', 29' of each cylinder housing 28, 29 are joined
 in a rotatable manner, each time by means of bearings 30a, 30b, with the
 lower cross bar 24 of parallelogram 20. The free ends 31', 32' of each
 cylinder piston 31, 32 are joined each time by means of bearings 33a, 33b
 with a carrier plate 24, which in turn is attached to the front support 11
 of mounting frame 2. The restoring force exerted by cylinders 26, 27 can
 be manually controlled, if desired.
 The lower cross bar 24 of parallelogram 20 is simultaneously part of an
 equilateral triangle 40 with a base 41 and two legs 42, 43 (see FIG. 3a).
 Base 41 of triangle 40 simultaneously forms the lower cross bar 24 of
 parallelogram 20 (see FIG. 1).
 As shown in FIG. 3a, footrests 44, 45 are attached in a rotatable manner to
 bearings 46a, 46b to base 41. Footrests 44, 45 are provided with through
 boreholes 47, in which bearings 46a, 46b are inserted and fixed. A
 treading surface 48, 49 preferably is attached in a removable manner to
 each footrest 44, 45. The position of treading surfaces 48, 49 on
 footrests 44, 45, can be axially adjusted, therefore adjusted in width.
 The footrests also may be attached to legs 41, 42 of triangle 40 or
 directly to the longitudinal or cross bars of parallelogram 20.
 As shown in FIG. 3a, in a preferred embodiment, the lower triangle 40 has a
 cross carrying beam 50, which in turn is supported by two longitudinal
 carrying beams 51, 52 running parallel to legs 42, 43. A bearing socket
 53, which defines a rotational axis D1 for triangle 40 lies substantially
 centrally on cross-carrying beam 50. The rotation of triangle 40 around
 axis of rotation D1 in the direction of arrow A results from the movement
 of the lower cross bar 24 of parallelogram 20. Bearing socket 53 is
 attached to the front support 11 of mounting frame 2 (see FIG. 4).
 Further, a buttress 54 at the back side of lower triangle 40 preferably is
 provided (see FIG. 3b). Buttress 54 has two rollers 55, 56, which are
 attached to the back side of base 41 of lower triangle 40, which is turned
 toward the front support 11 of mounting frame 2, as well as a rolling
 surface in the form of a plate 57, which is attached to front support 11.
 During the rotational movement of triangle 40 around its axis of rotation
 D1, rollers 55, 56 move over plate 57.
 Another equilateral triangle 60 with a base 61 and two legs 62, 63 is
 provided on the upper cross bar 23 of parallelogram 20 (see FIGS. 1 and
 2a). Triangle 60 is attached by legs 62, 63 by means of bearings 64a, 64b
 in a rotatable manner to upper cross bar 23.
 As shown in FIG. 2a, hand grips 65, 66 are attached in a rotatable manner
 to bearings 67a, 67b on legs 62, 63. Legs 62, 63 are provided with through
 boreholes 68, in which bearings 67a, 67b are inserted and fixed. Several
 through boreholes 68 are provided, so that hand grips 65, 66 can be
 adjusted in height and can be adapted to the weight of the person who uses
 sports device 1.
 Hand grips 65, 66, of course, could also be attached to base 61 of triangle
 60 or directly to the longitudinal or cross bars of parallelogram 20.
 FIG. 2b shows a hand grip 65 in detail. It is attached rigidly to bearing
 67a. Bearing 67a in turn has a threaded rod 69 or a shaft with a thread.
 Threaded rod 69 is introduced into through borehole 68 in leg 62 of
 triangle 60 and is screwed with a lock nut 70 at its free end 69' and
 fixed in this way.
 Upper triangle 60 preferably has a cross-carrying beam 71, which in turn is
 supported by two longitudinal carrying beams 72, 73 running parallel to
 legs 62, 63. A bearing socket 74, which defines an axis of rotation D2 for
 triangle 60, lies centrally on cross carrying beam 71. The rotation of
 triangle 60 around axis of rotation D2 in the direction of arrow B results
 from the movement of upper cross bar 23 of parallelogram 20. Bearing
 socket 74 is attached to vertical mounting rod 3 of mounting frame 2.
 The sports device according to the invention can be completely taken apart
 and put together again, and thus can easily be transported.
 The course of movement with the use of the sports device 1 according to the
 invention can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6. In the resting position, the
 sports device 1 assumes the position shown in FIG. 1, brought about by the
 restoring force of cylinders 26, 27. As shown in FIG. 5, vertical mounting
 rod 3 coincides with longitudinal axis L of parallelogram 20 and triangles
 40, 60. The user of sports device 1 climbs up treading surfaces 48, 49 and
 holds onto hand grips 65, 66. A backward motion of right longitudinal bar
 22 of parallelogram 20 is forced by exertion of the right arm and the
 right leg against the restoring force exerted by cylinders 26, 27 (see
 FIG. 5). This leads to a corresponding forward motion of left longitudinal
 bar 21 and to the corresponding inclination of cross bars 23, 24. In this
 way, triangles 40, 60 are rotated in the clockwise direction around their
 axes of rotation D1, D2. This leads to a backward movement U of the right
 hand grip 66 and the right footrest 45 or treading surface 49 and leads to
 a forward motion 0 of the left hand grip 65 and the left footrest 44 or
 treading surface 48. The movement also runs the opposite way, if the left
 arm and the left leg are exerted (see FIG. 6). Then a forward movement of
 the right longitudinal bar 22 of parallelogram 20 is forced against the
 restoring force exercised by cylinders 26, 27. This leads to a
 corresponding backward movement of left longitudinal bar 21 and to the
 corresponding inclination of cross bars 23, 24. In this way, triangles 40,
 60 are rotated in the counterclockwise direction around their axes of
 rotation D1, D2. This leads to a forward movement O of the right hand grip
 66 and the right footrest 45 or treading surface 49 and to a backward
 movement U of left hand grip 65 and left foot rest 44 or treading surface
 48.
 By alternate pressure exerted by the left leg or arm and of the right leg
 or arm, a smooth movement thus arises, which is comparable to the course
 of movement in climbing stairs or climbing mountains, and both the arm and
 leg musculature as well as the back, chest and shoulder musculature are
 stressed. Treading surfaces (48, 49) always remain horizontal, so that
 there is no danger that a foot could twist. The sports device according to
 the invention can be equipped with a step counter, in order to determine
 the number of forward and reverse motions that have been completed.
 This course of motion also occurs if treading surfaces 48, 49 and hand
 grips 65, 66 are attached directly to the longitudinal or cross bars of
 parallelogram 20.
 FIGS. 7 and 8 show schematically another embodiment 80 of the sports device
 according to the invention. Features, which are identical with those of
 the first form of embodiment, are provided with the same reference
 numbers.
 Sports device 80 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 also has a mounting frame in the
 form of a support frame 2, which bears the other components. Support frame
 2 is also comprised here essentially of a vertical holding rod 3' and a
 pedestal 6'. Pedestal 6' has two foot parts 81, 82, which bear rubber
 coatings 83 resistant to sliding at their ends. The vertical holding rod
 3' is made up in one piece. A back support 12 is attached from behind to
 the vertical mounting rod 3. Vertical mounting rod 3' and back support 12
 converge in one piece into pedestal 6'.
 Sports device 80 also has a parallelogram 20' with a left longitudinal bar
 21', a right longitudinal bar 22', an upper cross bar 23' and a lower
 cross bar 24'. In this way, cross bars 23', 24' are configured in the form
 of the base edge of trapezoidal components 84, 85 each time. Longitudinal
 bars 21', 22' and cross bars 23', 24' are joined with one another at their
 ends in a moveable manner via bearings 25a-25d. The course of movement is
 the same as described for the first embodiment.
 The resistance or the weight, against which parallelogram 20' is moved, as
 described above for the first embodiment, is integrated into the vertical
 mounting rod. The transfer of force is produced by means of bearings 86,
 87 each time. Bearings 86, 87 join the upper narrow edges 84', 85' of each
 trapezoidal component 84, 85 with the vertical mounting rod. They
 correspond to bearings 30a, 30b and 33a, 33b in the first example of
 embodiment, which join the cylinders 26, 27 serving there as the
 resistance with the vertical mounting rod 3 or the lower cross bar 24 of
 parallelogram 20. Bearing 86 simultaneously defines the axis of rotation
 D1, while bearing 87 defines the axis of rotation D2 (see FIGS. 2a, 3a).
 The restoring force exercised by the hydraulic resistance also integrated
 into the vertical mounting rod 3' is manually controllable by a control
 mechanism (not shown).
 The lower cross bar 24' of parallelogram 20' is, as already mentioned,
 simultaneously a part of a trapezoidal component 85. The wide lower edge
 85" of the trapezoid forms the lower cross bar 24' of parallelogram 20'.
 Two footrests 44, 45 are attached in a rotatable manner at bearings 46a,
 46b on edge 85". A treading surface 48, 49 is attached to each footrest
 44, 45.
 The upper cross bar 23' of parallelogram 20' is simultaneously part of
 another trapezoidal component 84. The wide lower edge 84" of the trapezoid
 forms the upper cross bar 23' of parallelogram 20'.
 Lateral edges 90, 91 of the upper trapezoidal component are elongated
 outwardly in a V shape at their upper end approximately at the level of
 the narrow upper edge 84' of the trapezoid. Two hand grips 65, 66 are
 attached in a rotatable manner, as already described, by means of bearings
 67a, 67b, on the resulting mounting rods 92, 93. Mounting rods 92, 93 are
 provided with through boreholes 68, into which bearings 67a, 67b are
 inserted and fixed. Several through boreholes 68 are provided, so that
 hand grips 65, 66 are adjustable in height and can be adapted to the size
 of the person who uses the sports device 80.
 Sports device 80 can be utilized in the same way as sports device 1, i.e.,
 by loading the right arm and the right leg against the restoring force
 exercised by the resistance integrated into vertical mounting rod 3', a
 backward motion of the right longitudinal bar 22' of parallelogram 20' is
 forced, which leads to a corresponding forward motion of the left
 longitudinal bar 21' and to the corresponding inclination of cross bars
 23', 24'. In this way, the trapezoidal components 84, 85 are rotated in
 the clockwise direction around their axes of rotation D1, D2. This leads
 to a backward movement of the right hand grip 66 and the right footrest 45
 or treading surface 49 and to a forward movement of left hand grip 65 and
 left footrest 44 or treading surface 48. The motion runs the reverse way,
 if the left arm and the left leg are loaded. Then a forward motion of the
 right longitudinal bar 22' of parallelogram 20' is forced against the
 restoring force exercised by the resistance integrated in the vertical
 mounting rod 3'. This leads to a corresponding backward motion of the left
 longitudinal bar 21' and to the corresponding inclination of cross bars
 23', 24'. In this way, the trapezoidal components 84, 85 are rotated in
 the counterclockwise direction around their axes of rotation D1, D2. This
 leads to a forward movement of the right hand grip 66 and the right
 footrest 45 or treading surface 49 and to a backward movement of the left
 hand grip 65 and the left footrest 44 or treading surface 48. By alternate
 loading of the left leg or arm and of the right leg or arm, there is a
 smooth movement, which is comparable to the course of movement for
 climbing stairs or climbing mountains, and both the arm and leg
 musculature as well as the back, chest and shoulder musculature can be
 worked.
 Equivalents
 Those skilled in the art will be able to ascertain many equivalents to the
 specific embodiments described herein. Such embodiments are intended to be
 encompassed by the following claims.