EXERCISE MACHINE FOR A USER IN THE ERECT POSITION

Abstract: An exercice machine (1) comprises a pair of plane kinematic mechanisms (3), parallel, which respectively include foot rests (2); first cranks (4) able to rotate around a fixed horizontal gudgeon (5); sliding means (6, 7; 100, 101) and first connecting rods (8) articulated on one side to the first cranks (4) and connected on the other side to the sliding means (6, 7; 100, 101). The first connecting rods (8) support the foot rests (2) in proximity with the sliding means (6, 7; 100, 101) and are connected with said foot rest (2) in such a way that in correspondence with the cyclical and alternating oscillation of the first connecting rods (8) in the vertical plane, the foot rests (2) move swinging along closed annular trajactories (9). Orienting means (10, 12; 13) orient the foot rests (2) setting them to sustain the user in the erect position providing him/her with adequate support during the running and/or walking actions. The orienting means (10, 12; 13) are designed to orient the foot rests (2) along the related trajectory (9) parallel to the sole of the user's foot, constantly to provide a support distributed over the entire sole of the foot.

Description: Description Exercise machine for a user in the erect position Technical Field The present invention relates to exercise machines and equipment and it comprises in particular an exercise machine that allows to simulate, while stationary in place, movements corresponding to the movements effected by the user when walking and running. The beneficial effects of regular exercise to maintain the body in a good state of health and general well being are known and well documented in the literature. Therefore, numerous machines and items of equipment have been devised to exercise specifically some systems of the body, or parts thereof, such as the user's muscular system or cardiovascular system. In regard to the cardiovascular system in particular, it is demonstrated that the latter can be advantageously exercised by means of actions that allow to simulate the movements of the body that are performed while walking and running. For this purpose some kinds of machines have been devised which allow the user to pedal in place whilst maintaining an erect position. Background Art A known solution, deriving from this kind of constructive approach, is described in the document US 5.352.169. This document describes an apparatus comprising two elongated pedals, whereon the user places his/her feet while remaining in the erect position. The pedals are integrated in a single body with corresponding connecting rods of two mechanisms which are articulated respectively to a crank, able to rotate around a fixed gudgeon of the structure of the machine, and a sliding block, fitted with rollers, able to translate on a guide. By virtue of the kinematic structure of the mechanisms, the user's feet are moved in such a way as to describe alternatively to each other, and cyclically, annular trajectories that more closely approximate a circular or an elliptical path depending on whether the user's feet are positioned on the connecting rod in a position closer to or farther away from the articulation with the rotating crank or, vice versa, the articulation with the translatable sliding block. The fundamental drawback of the aforesaid solution is represented by the fact that in some positions of the trajectory described by the foot rests, the user's foot bears down on the foot rest on a rather small surface of the foot, since the user is forced cyclically to lift the heel, or vice versa the tip of the foot, depending on the movement under execution. To such conditions of exercise corresponds a stress to the muscle and articulation system which, in some particular situations, for instance traumatic or pathological ones, is wholly undesired and dangerous. Moreover, in this same document it is taught that the condition of minimal stress to the user's muscle system is reached in correspondence with a particular disposition of the user on the connecting rod which is a univocal function of a specific set of parameters, among which are some anthropometric parameters of the user and some geometric parameters of the machine. A subsequent document (US 5.423.729) teaches a crank mechanism to move the foot rests, of the type indicated in the previous document, which is however integrated with a second crank mechanism which allows the user to articulate his/her arms in a manner co-ordinated with the movements of the feet. Since the crank mechanism employed for the motion of the feet is identical to the one described in the document US 5.423.729, the previously mentioned drawbacks are confirmed in this case as well. Another document (WO 96/22814) teaches a solution that provides for a structure of the machine that includes foot rests constructed in a separate body from the connecting rods of the crank mechanisms. The foot rests are articulated to the connecting rods and are integrated in a single body with some rods of a second mechanisms, which in turn are actuated, through a lever system, by the user's arms. This solution, although it does allow a more natural knee and ankle motion, reducing stresses, is not wholly free from the aforementioned drawbacks, since in correspondence with the execution of a step forward, the foot of the leg which remains to the rear with respect to the support foot tends to become detached from the foot rests in correspondence with the heel; this takes place in particular when the foot rest travels through the extreme sections of its trajectory, in correspondence with which the direction of its motion is inverted. Disclosure of the Invention The object of the present invention therefore is to eliminate the mentioned drawbacks by means of an exercise machine wherein the foot rests are articulated on the connecting rods in such a way as to participate in their characteristic motion and to orient themselves, in any point of their trajectory, correspondingly with the orientation assumed by the sole of the foot, i.e. assuming a condition able to provide total support to the sole of the foot. In accordance with the invention, such an aim is reached by an exercise machine comprising a pair of foot rests, a pair of plane kinematic mechanisms, parallel, which respectively include first cranks able to rotate around a fixed horizontal gudgeon; sliding means and first connecting rods articulated on one side with the first cranks and connected with the sliding means on the other side; said first connecting rods being connected to the foot rests in such a way as to allow the cyclical and alternative motion of the foot rests along closed annular trajectories; said machine comprising means for orienting the foot rests which are provided to orient the foot rests with respect to the first connecting rods, setting them in such a way as to provide the user, who is in the erect position, adequate support corresponding with the position of the feet during the walking and/or running actions performed in place; machine characterised in that it comprises foot rest supports which are provided with at least two gudgeons, a first gudgeon rotatably connecting each support to the respective first connecting rod, the second gudgeon being instead provided to connect the support to the means for orienting the foot rests, and in that the orienting means are designed to impart to the supports rotations around the first gudgeon which are co-ordinated in phase and amplitude with the instantaneous position of the foot rests along the respective trajectories, in such a way as to orient the foot rests in each point of their trajectory parallel to the position assumed by the sole of the user's foot in the course of the walking or ranning action, said orientation providing the user with a support that is constantly distributed over the entire sole of the foot. The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforesaid aims, can be clearly seen from the content of the claims reported below and its advantages shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment provided purely by way of non limiting example. - Figure 1 shows the machine according to the invention in its perspective overall view and in a schematic manner with particular attention to the elements realising the actuating kinematic mechanisms; - Figure la shows an overall perspective view of the machine, also limited to the fundamental kinematic elements; - Figure lb shows a detail as per Figure 1; - Figure 2 shows a kinematic diagram of an exercise machine according to the invention represented schematically in a sequence of some characteristic configurations; - Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a side view and a plan top view of the machine according to the invention; - Figures 5 and 6 are respectively views that show a detail of the machine depicted in its entirety in perspective and section view; - Figure 7 is a view of a detail of the invention shown in an alternative embodiment; - Figure 8 is a schematic side view of the machine shown with parts removed and realised according to an embodiment alternative to the one as per the previous figures. With reference to Figure 1, the number 1 indicates in its entirety an exercise machine provided to allow a user to simulate, whilst stationary in place, some characteristic movements executed by the body during the walking and running actions. The machine 1 essentially comprises a pair of foot rests 2 (see Figure la) integrated in a single body in related supports 15, foot rests which are supported by a pair of plane parallel kinematic mechanisms 3 (i.e. extending on a plane parallel to the plane in Figure 3), vertically sustained by a load bearing structure 50 of the machine 1 (see Figure 4). The kinematic mechanisms 3 respectively include first cranks 4 and first connecting rods 8 mutually interconnected and articulated around an axis 1 1 , as well as sliding blocks 6, translatable along horizontal guides 7 of the machine 1 ; in a first embodiment the sliding means with which each kinematic mechanism is provided are obtained by means of roller elements 6a. The first cranks 4 are rotatably mounted, at the other end, on a gudgeon 5 with horizontal axis borne fixedly by the structure 50 of the machine 1. The first connecting rods 8 are interposed and rotatably connected with the first cranks 4, on one side, and with the sliding blocks 6 on the other, moreover they support the foot rests 2 in an intermediate position at their ends, but more in proximity to the sliding blocks 6. The first connecting rods 8 are so structured as to include two sections 8a, 8b mutually angled and concurrent in a common vertex 8c. The first section 8a, of greater length is connected to the first crank 4, the second section 8b, which is integral, by means of welding, to the first section 8a, instead supports the sliding block 6 bearing on the guide 7; the vertex 8c is located below the sliding plane of the sliding block 6 indicated with the number 17 in Figure 3. The supports 15 of the foot rests 2 are provided with two gudgeons 16a, 16b with parallel axes (see Figure 3 in particular), which are mutually distinct and separate. A first gudgeon 16a, the lower one, rotatably connects the support 15 to the respective first connecting rod 8; the second gudgeon 16b is instead provided to connect to the support 15 orienting means able to cause each support 15 conveniently to rotate with respect to its first connecting rod 8 that sustains it. The orienting means are designed, according to a first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3, in such a way as to comprise a second crank 10 and a second connecting rod 12 mutually interconnected and articulated. The second crank 10 is also keyed onto a gudgeon 11 positioned to connect, as stated above, the first crank 4 with the first connecting rod 8 and it is fastened to the first connecting rod 8 to form a certain angle α with respect thereto. The second connecting rod 12 has ends 12a, 12b respectively connected to the second crank 10 and to the second gudgeon 16b of the support 15 of the foot rests 2 (see Figure 3). In Figure 1 such means are shown partially for the sake of simplicity. The orienting means described above allow the foot rests to move along annular trajectories 9 swinging from one orientation to the other, as shown in the diagram in Figure 2. In an embodiment variation, alternative to the one described above, the second crank 10 is articulated on the gudgeon 1 1 in such a way as to enable to vary the angle α in the course of the motion of the machine 1. In this case, observing Figure 3 one understands that the second crank 10, the second connecting rod 12, and the support 15, arranged in succession and mutually articulated in pairs form in combination a kinematic chain having ends articulated to the first connecting rod 8. In this case the kinematic chain and the first connecting rod 8 between them form an articulated quadrilateral wherein the first connecting rod 8 serves as fixed member for the remaining three sides of the quadrilateral. Returning to the embodiment in Figure 3, since the connecting rod 8 delimits the vertical plane, whereon the articulated quadrilateral of Figure 1 moves, into two vertical half-planes svl and sv2 distinct and separate from the connecting rod 8 and since the quadrilateral is so configured as to place the articulations 10k and 16b, which connect the second connecting rod 12 respectively with the first crank 10 and with the support 15, each on a different half-plane svl, sv2, the shape of said articulated quadrilateral can be more properly defined as an articulated anti- parallelogram. A third embodiment variation of the orienting means is shown in Figure 7. Herein, in particular, one observes that said orienting means comprise a cam 13 defined by an annular race 13a, not necessarily circular, obtained in the first section 8a of the first connecting rod 8. A sliding pin 95, engaged in the race 13a, connects the second connecting rod 12 fastening it to the first connecting rod 8. By suitably designing the desmodromic cam 13 described above, it is possible to act on the second gudgeon 16b of the support 15 in such a way as to cause rotations of the foot rests 2 variable in amplitude and phase according to wholly general laws. This allows the obvious advantage of enabling to specialise the machine 1 in a fairly simple and economical manner also to meet particular rehabilitation or fitness needs of certain special categories of users. The machine 1 further comprises (see Figures 2 and 3) at least a flywheel 22 regulating the motion of the kinematic mechanisms 3, which is keyed onto an axis 22a of rotation distinct from the axis of rotation 4a of the first cranks 4. The flywheel 22 is kinematically coupled with the first cranks 4 by means of a mechanical friction transmission, preferably constituted by a smooth belt 23, which encompasses in a loop and is tightened around two pulleys 24a, 24b respectively connected to the flywheel 22 and to the gudgeon 5 around which rotates the crank 4 (see detail in Figure lb). A motor 30, connected by means of a chain drive 60, allows to cause the rotation of the flywheel 22 which then transmits, through the mechanical friction transmission, the motion to the first cranks 4 which allow to actuate the kinematic mechanisms 3. The mechanical friction transmission further comprises adjustment means which include a tightening roller 25, which acts on the belt 23 and is contrasted by a pressure spring 26. Screw fastening means 27 are further provided to vary the elastic reaction of the spring 26 to increase or decrease the value of the maximum tangential load that the transmission is able to transmit between flywheel 22 and kinematic mechanisms 3, without any slippage of the belt 23 on the pulleys 24a and 24b. It is important to note that the constructive approach that comprises first light cranks 4 connected to a flywheel 22 of large mass, by means of an intermediate mechanical friction transmission, allows to avoid injuries in the case wherein the user should accidentally interfere, with his/her limbs, with the kinematic mechanisms 3 of the machine 1. In the operation of the machine 1, when the first cranks 4 are made to rotate, in appropriate mutual angular phase and around their own gudgeons 5 connecting to the structure 50, the first connecting rods 8 cause, with their oscillation in the vertical plane, a cyclical motion that leads the foot rests 2 to move alternatively to each other along closed annular trajectories 9, substantially elliptical. Whilst the foot rests 2 are positioned, at each instant, in the various points of the respective trajectories 9, the orienting means impart to the supports 15 rotations around the first gudgeon 16a which are co-ordinated in phase and amplitude with the instantaneous position of the foot rests 2 along the trajectories 9. The rotations are such as to orient the foot rests 2 parallel to the instantaneous position assumed by the sole of the user's foot in the course of the walking or running action. Such an orientation thus allows the user to have advantageously available a support constantly distributed over the entire sole of the foot, for the entire duration of the exercise, and for any position assumed by the foot rest along the trajectory 9. Such a condition entails a lesser stress to joints and muscles for the ankles and for the knees both in the course of the walking action, and, all the more so, in the course of the actions which are characteristics of running. In order to allow to personalise the machine 1 to the training needs of each user, or to his/her anthropometric characteristics, the machine 1 further comprises means for progressive adjustments which shall be described hereafter with reference to the adjustment of the length of the first cranks 4, but which in principle can also be applied to the second cranks 10 and, or also, to the first and to the second connecting rods 8, 12. More specifically, said means for progressive adjustments comprise (see Figures 5 and 6) toothed rods 18, integral with (and defining) the first cranks 4, prismatic guides 19 for said rods 18 and a shaft 20 driven by a related motor 51. The guides 19 are rotatably mounted on the rotation gudgeon 5 of the first crank 4 of each kinematic mechanism with an angular phase displacement of 180° one from the other. They further support the respective toothed rods 18 in sliding coupling and projecting from the guides 19. The motor-driven shaft 20 is provided with two toothed pins 21 obtained in correspondence with its own opposite ends meshed with the rods 18, which are in turn arranged with respect to the shaft 20 in opposite positions with respect to its axis 20a of rotation (see Figure 6). By means of a mechanical gear wheel transmission 52, 53 the shaft 20, actuated by one of the two wheels 53, is made to rotate around its own axis 20a, so that according to a first direction of rotation, the rods 18 are made progressively to slide out of the respective guides 19, with the consequent increase in the radius of the crank 4; whilst in the direction of rotation opposite to the previous one, the rods 18 are made to slide back into the guides 19 and the radius of rotation of the crank 4 is made correspondingly to diminish. The machine 1 is further provided with command and control means, generically indicated with a block 70, which allow to adjust the configuration and operative speed of the machine 1 setting it in particular for the simulation of movements of the supports 15 suited, depending on the case, to the gait length and to the speed corresponding with the walking or running action. With regard in particular to the speed control aspect, an electronic board 35 which operatively connects the command and control means 70 with the motor 30 allows to command the speed of rotation of the motor 30 so as correspondingly to match the speed of the kinematic mechanisms 3 to the type of exercise selected by the user. The invention thus conceived may be subject to numerous modifications and variations, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all components may be replaced with technically equivalent elements. With reference to the latter aspect, from Figure 8 one can note in particular, schematically and purely by way of example, that the kinematic mechanisms 3 of the machine can include sliding means constructed differently from those described above and comprising in particular a fixed roller 100 whereon the section 101 of the first connecting rod 8, opposite to the end articulated with the first crank 4, bears. The first connecting rod 8 is in this case provided with a length suited to allow its oscillation according to its own characteristic motion whilst permanently maintaining its support on the roller 100. This solution represents a particular simple and economical embodiment of some features which in any case fall within the scope of the inventive concept of the machine according to the invention.

Claims: Claims 1. Exercise machine comprising a pair of plane kinematic mechanisms (3), parallel, which respectively include a foot rest (2); first cranks (4) able to rotate around a fixed horizontal gudgeon (5); sliding means (6, 7; 100) and first connecting rods (8) articulated on one side to the first cranks (4) and connected on the other to the sliding means (6, 7; 100), said first connecting rods (8) supporting the foot rests (2) and being movable cyclically and alternatively to each other in such a way as to move the foot rests (2) along closed annular trajectories (9); said machine ( 1 ) further comprising means (10, 12; 13) for orienting the foot rests (2) which are provided to orient the foot rests (2) setting them so they provide the user, who is in the erect position, adequate support corresponding to the position of the feet during the walking and/or running actions performed in place, characterised in that it comprises supports (15) of the foot rests (2), said supports (15) being provided with at least two gudgeons (16a, 16b), a first gudgeon (16a) whereof rotatably connects each support (15) to the respective first connecting rod (8), the second of said two gudgeons being instead provided to connect the support (15) to the orientation means (10, 12; 13) of the foot rests (2), and in that the orientation means (10, 12; 13) are designed to impart rotations to the supports (15) around the first gudgeon, said rotations being co-ordinated in phase and in amplitude with the instantaneous position of the foot rests (2) along the respective trajectories (9), thereby orienting said foot rests (2) in each point of their trajectory (9) parallel to the position assumed by the sole of the user's foot in the course of the action of walking or running allowing the user always to have available a support substantially distributed over the entire sole of the foot. 2. Machine according to claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises at least two pairs of said kinematic mechanisms (3). 3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the orientation means comprise a second crank (10) which is keyed onto a gudgeon (11) connecting the first crank (4) with the first connecting rod (8); and a second connecting rod (12) having ends (12a, 12b) respectively connected to the second crank (10) and to the second gudgeon (16b) of the support (15) of the foot rests (2). 4. Machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the second crank (10) is fastened to the first connecting rod (8). 5. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the orientation means comprise a second crank (10), a second connecting rod (12) and a support (15) arranged in succession and articulated in pairs thereby forming in mutual combination a kinematic chain having ends articulated to the first connecting rod (8), said kinematic chain and said first connecting rod (8) identifying in mutual combination an articulated quadrilateral for the actuation of said support (15). 6. Machine according to claim 5, characterised in that said articulated quadrilateral is an articulated anti -parallelogram. 7. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the means for orienting the foot rests (2) comprise at least one cam (13) wherein is engaged a pin (95) for articulating the second connecting rod ( 12), the design of the cam (13) being predetermined in such a way as to allow said second connecting rod (12) to impart to the support (15) rotation amplitudes varying in amplitude and phase in relation with the instantaneous position of said support (15) along its trajectory (9). 8. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said sliding means (6, 7; 100) comprise a sliding block (6) and a guide (7) mutually translatable, characterised in that the first connecting rod (8) includes two sections (8a, 8b) mutually angled and concurrent in a common vertex (8c), a first section (8a) being connected to the first crank (4) a second section (8b) being connected to said sliding block (6). 9. Machine according to claim 8, characterised in that said vertex (8c) is located below the sliding plane (17) of the sliding block (6). 10. Machine according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises means (18, 19, 20, 21 ) for the progressive adjustment of the length of the cranks (4; 10) able to allow the adaptation of the machine (1 ) to the anthropometric characteristics of the user. 11. Machine according to claim 10, characterised in that said progressive adjustment means comprise a toothed rod ( 18) integral to the respective crank (4, 10); a guide (19) which is rotatably mounted on the gudgeon (5; 11) of rotation of the crank (4; 10) and supports the toothed rod in sliding coupling, and projecting from the guide (19); a motor-driven shaft (20) having at least one toothed pin (21 ) meshed with the toothed rod (19), the rotation of the shaft (20) causing, according to a first direction of rotation, the rod (18) progressively to slide out from the guide (19) with the consequent increase in the radius of the crank (4; 10) and according to the direction of rotation contrary to the previous one a corresponding decrease in the radius of the crank (4; 10). 12. Machine according to claim 11 , characterised in that said motor-driven shaft (20) is single and it is provided with two toothed pins (21) obtained at the opposite ends, the rods (18) of two opposite cranks (4; 10) meshing with said shaft (20) in opposite positions with respect to the related axis (20a) of rotation in such a way as to allow the rods (18) to slide out of the guides (19), or back into the guides (19), in correspondence with the rotation of the shaft (20) according to one of the two directions of rotation. 13. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a flywheel (22) to regulate the motion of the kinematic mechanisms (3), characterised in that the flywheel (22) is keyed onto an axis (22a) of rotation distinct from the axis of rotation (4a) of the first cranks (4), said flywheel (22) being kinematically coupled with the first cranks (4) by means of a mechanical friction transmission (23, 24a, 24b). 14. Machine according to claim 13, characterised in that it comprises adjustment means (25, 26; 35) provided to vary the maximum power transmissible by said mechanical friction transmission (23, 24a, 24b). 15. Machine according to claim 13, characterised in that the mechanical friction transmission comprises a smooth belt (23), which encompasses in a loop and is tightened around two pulleys (24a, 24b) respectively connected to the flywheel (22) and to the gudgeon (5) of rotation of the first crank (4) in such a way as to slip whenever a predetermined maximum admissible tangential load is exceeded. 16. Machine according to claim 15, characterised in that the adjustment means comprise a tightening roller (25) associated to the belt (23) and contrasted by a spring (26), screw fastening means (27) being provided to vary the elastic reaction of the spring (26). 17. Machine according to claim 13, comprising a motor (30) for the actuation of the kinematic mechanisms (3), characterised in that the adjustment means comprise rotation limiting means (35) provided to limit the velocity of rotation of the actuating motor (30). 18. Machine according to claim 1 , characterised in that said sliding means include a fixed roller (100) whereon a section (101) of the first connecting rod (8), opposite to the end articulated with the first crank (4), is placed permanently to bear.

Inventors: ALESSANDRI NERIO, CAMELLI MARCO, ALESSANDRI, NERIO, CAMELLI, MARCO
Applicants: ALESSANDRI NERIO, CAMELLI MARCO, TECHNOGYM SRL, ALESSANDRI, NERIO, CAMELLI, MARCO, TECHNOGYM S.R.L.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A63B23
IPC codes: A63B21, A63B23