Athletic apparatus with non-parallel linear sliding track

An athletic apparatus with non-parallel linear sliding tracks includes a frame, a pair of non-parallel linear tracks installed to the frame, a pair of pedal mechanisms slidably installed to the tracks and a pair of rocker arm mechanisms. Each rocker arm mechanism pivoted to a shaft rod of the frame is linked to the pedal mechanism through at least one linking rod and further connected to a damping mechanism which provides a resistance to the rocker arm mechanism. Each pedal mechanism is linked to a steel rope of a linking mechanism so that the pair of the pedal mechanisms can move back and forth against each other alternately along the non-parallel linear tracks. A handle is arranged on a top of each rocker arm mechanism, a user can exercise by holding the handles and treading on the pedal mechanism.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to athletic apparatus, and particular to an athletic apparatus with a non-parallel linear sliding track and provides complicated exercise for user's hands and feet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A plenty of athletic apparatuss are developed for the purposes of body fitness or rehabilitation. Athletic apparatuss such as a stair climber can provide an exercise for a user's feet by treading up and down on pedals only. Athletic apparatuss such as an elliptical trainer can provide an exercise for both hands and feet. Pedals of the elliptical trainer fixed to a linking rod can not be moved alone. Although the stair climber and the elliptical trainer are well developed and improved, the exercise style of the stair climber is still an upwards and downwards exercise and the style of the elliptical trainer is still an elliptical movement and the pedals still can not be slid on the supporting linking rod.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a non-parallel linear track which means an athletic apparatus with non-parallel linear sliding tracks. The athletic apparatus provides exercise for a user's hands and feet, especially a non-parallel linear slide of good athletic effect for the user's feet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS. 1,2,3, and8, an athletic apparatus1according to the present invention is illustrated. The athletic apparatus1includes a frame10, a pair of separated tracks3and4, a pair of pedal mechanisms, a pair of separated rocker arm mechanisms, two transmitting mechanisms, and a damping mechanism.

The frame10has a base18which includes a front bottom rod11and a rear bottom rod13separated from each other. The front bottom rod11is formed as a standing rod12, a control panel121is installed to a top of the standing rod12. The users can operate the athletic apparatus1through the control panel121. An axle rod14is formed near an upper end of the standing rod12, handles15for holding by the users are formed respectively between two ends of the axle rod14and a middle bottom rod19of the base18. Installation portions131and132are formed separately to the rear bottom rod13.

The tracks3and4of the same structure are arranged to a left and right side of the athletic apparatus1respectively. Bottom ends of track3and4are fixed to the installation portions131and132respectively, while upper ends of the tracks3and4are fixed to an inclined supporting rod16of the frame10so that the left and right tracks are at an predetermined angle to the ground. A main characteristic of the tracks is that the tracks are made of non-parallel linear arrangement. The distances of the two tracks3,4become smaller and smaller from the lower ends thereof to the upper ends thereof. The design of the tracks will have the users experienced the most natural exercise for feet, it is also an ergonomic design capable of protecting user's heels from being hurt.

The left and right pedal mechanisms of the same structure have pedal bases5and6, supporters51and61linked to the pedal bases5and6, and pedals52and62for treading by the users respectively. The pedal bases5and6are slidably installed to the inclined tracks3and4respectively and capable of being slid up and down along the tracks.

The left and right rocker arm mechanisms of the same structure have rocker arms7and8respectively. Upper ends71and81of the rocker arms7and8respectively are pivoted to the axle rod14, and handles70and80are arranged to the rocker arms7and8respectively for holding by the users. Lower ends72and82of the rocker arms7and8are pivoted to linking rods73and83through universal connectors74and84(which are capable of rotating in Y and Z axes) respectively. Another ends of the linking rods73and83are also pivoted to the pedal bases5and6through universal connectors75and85. Therefore, the left and right rocker arm mechanisms and the left and right pedal mechanisms can be moved identically.

A first transmitting mechanism is rotatably installed to the inclined supporting rod16near to a pulley91below the upper ends of the tracks3and4and a steel rope92wound the pulley91. Two ends of the steel rope92are connected to the left and right pedal bases5and6respectively so that the pedal bases5and6can be slid back and forth, up and down against each other alternately.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, a second transmitting mechanism is illustrated. The second transmitting mechanism has two timing belts21,22and an elastic belt23linking the two timing belts21,22. Outer ends of the timing belts21,22are connected to the lower ends72,82of the rocker arms7and8respectively so that the left and right rocker arm mechanisms can be swung back and forth alternately with an axle center of the axle rod14. A shaft rod24is installed to the frame10. A belt wheel25is installed to a middle position of the shaft rod24, and two gear wheels26,27are installed to two ends of the shaft rod24. The gear wheels26,27have single direction bearing. The timing belts21,22clench the teeth of the gear wheels26and27respectively. Two wheels28,29are pivoted to two ends of the front bottom rod11. The elastic belt23linking the timing belts21,22also winds the wheels28and29. By the second transmitting mechanism, the left and right rocker arms7and8can be moved back and forth against each other alternately.

The damping mechanism includes a load wheel101and an electro-magnetic brake102. By the link of a transmitting belt103, the load wheel101is linked to the belt wheel25. When the handles70and80are swung back and forth alternately, the damping mechanism can provide a resistance. The resistance can be pre-selected on the control panel121.

With reference toFIGS. 4 to 6, the main characteristic of the left and right tracks3and4is made of at least one non-parallel linear track. The tracks3and4of the embodiment of the present invention are non-parallel linear tracks; which are made of two parallel linear pipes31,32and41,42and combined by linking bodies33,43respectively. The upper ends of the linear pipes are all fixed to a common linking unit161which is fixed to an upper end of the inclined supporting rod16. The linking bodies33and43and the lower ends of the tracks are fixed to the installation portions131and132so that the tracks are installed to the frame10at an angle A to the ground as shown inFIG. 6.

Referring toFIG. 7, a center line17illustrated between the oppositely installed tracks3and4indicates a longitudinal direction of the base18of the present invention. The tracks3,4are non-parallel. After the tracks3,4are installed to be between the rear bottom rod13and the center line17, they are downwards and expanded in the distances therebetween. Namely, the upper ends30,40of the tracks3,4, respectively are near the center line17and the lower end39,49thereof are far away from the center line17so that the opening between the lower ends of the tracks3,4are faced outwards and has an angle B with the center line17.

When operating the athletic apparatus1according to the present invention, a user (not illustrated) stands on the pedals52and62with both feet respectively and holds the handles70and80with both hands respectively. While the user overcomes the resistance of the load wheel101, the rocker arm mechanisms are pulled back and forth and the pedals mechanisms are moved back and forth, up and down against each other alternately in the same time.

The athletic apparatus1according to the present invention can provide a composite body exercise for hands and feet of the users. Also, by the design of the non-parallel linear tracks3and4, the pedals bases5and6will be moved along the non-parallel linear tracks to present non-parallel linear track in the movement so that feet of the user can exercise smoothly by moving outwards and downwards together and moving forth and upwards together.

The pedals52and62are parallel to the ground on the non-parallel tracks3and4at a static status. For the balance of the users operating the athletic apparatus1, as shown inFIG. 5, the pedals52and62can retain in a horizontal state so that the upwards and downwards movement along the track are smooth and safe.

The athletic apparatus1according to the present invention has a simple structure and provides a physical training on muscles of user's arms and feet. Especially to the design of the tracks3and4, the users can exercise inwards and outwards with a non-parallel linear track. Moreover, the rocker arm mechanisms can drive the load wheel101through the belt wheel25by the link of two timing belts on the same axis to the belt wheel25. On the other hand, the rocker arm mechanisms can drive the corresponding pedal mechanisms on the left and right tracks3,4synchronously by the link of linking rods73and83so that the athletic apparatus1can archive an anticipated purpose and effect.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10, it is illustrated that the first transmitting mechanism is rotatably installed to the tracks3,4and are positioned to the pulleys93,94of the tracks3,4, respectively (as shown inFIG. 10). The lower ends of the tracks3,4are rotatably installed to the installation portions131,132. The tracks3,4are swingable along the axles133,134of the installation portions131,132, respectively. The upper ends of the tracks3,4are retained by a screwing unit20which is installed to the frame10. The tracks3,4are supported and positioned by the screwing unit20so as to form with an incline angle A with the ground. The screwing unit20has an outer tube201retained to the frame10, an inner tube202telescopically moved in the outer tube201and a motor203for driving the inner tube202. A top end of the inner tube202serves to pivotally support a connecting unit161which serve to position the upper ends of the tracks3,4. When the inner tube202moves out of the outer tube201with a predetermined amount, a moving tracks3,4will rotate along the axles133,134, respectively so that the user can adjust a proper inclined angle A.

The structure of the present invention is novel and inventive to the prior art structure. The non-parallel linear tracks are different from the prior art linear and parallel tracks so as to increase the effect in exercise. Thus, the present invention is better than the prior art structure.