Abstract:
An electromechanical device for simulation of physical exercise with legs and arms includes two pedals mounted on two contiguous pantographs, with parallel supporting arms that are positioned in a predominantly vertical sense, with an orthogonal junction and parallel arms which are articulated, in a predominantly horizontal sense, onto the frame of the device and which always move in opposing directions left and right, through traverses which are articulated on vertical and horizontal axles, respectively, connected to vertical and horizontal parallel bars by means of risers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
     The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in Brazilian Patent Application PI-1102892-0, filed on Jun. 14, 2011. The Brazilian Patent Application, whose subject matter is incorporated by reference herein, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present description relates to an electromechanical device for simulation of physical exercise with legs and arms, which allows for independent control of horizontal and vertical movements, as well as a combination of such movements. 
     Gym equipment for cardiovascular exercises in fitness studios seeks to simulate walking, running, climbing and arm movements, the majority of which typically include treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical machines and stair machines. With the exception of treadmills, all the other aforementioned devices have braking systems that require users to exert effort. 
     Normally, the course or trajectory of the pedals and handlebars are fixed, and the range of motion is also fixed. Regulation of physical load is restricted to the braking system, with intensity controlled by use of a panel. 
     At the current time, the trend in physical fitness training demands changes in the trajectory of strides made by the user, in response to which more sophisticated machines are being built, so as to allow for changes in the range of motion and the incline of the course, as it relates to the horizontal plane. 
     Machines of the latest design have come to rely on independent horizontal displacement, without mechanism restrictions, so that the user can change the range of his or her muscular motion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an electromechanical device for simulation of physical exercises with legs and arms that overcome shortcomings of the known arts. 
     The electromechanical device simulates physical exercise with legs and arms in a way that provides independent control of horizontal and vertical movements, and a combination of both, with the added feature of controlled loads in both directions and their combinations and monitoring of ranges of motion in order to provide information to a control panel where the parameters of exercise are shown on a screen, so that the power and exertional load are displayed and saved in memory. 
     The inventive electromechanical device provides the user with a choice of exercise by merely programming the energy output, thereby facilitating use of the device by athletes as well as the elderly and individuals undergoing rehabilitation. 
     In an embodiment, the invention provides an electromechanical device that simulates physical exercise with the legs and arms, of the type that contains a suspension for pedals, consisting of two pedals mounted on two contiguous pantographs, with parallel supporting arms positioned in a predominantly vertical direction, an orthogonal junction and parallel arms in a predominantly horizontal direction and articulated on a frame of the device, and always operating in opposition directions, moving to the left and the right through articulated traverses on axles, positioned vertically and horizontally, respectively, and connected to parallel horizontal and vertical bars by risers, such that angular movement of the traverses are transmitted to the electromagnetic brakes using a system of belts, pulleys and ratchets which transform the alternating angular motion into a rotating movement of the flywheels moving in a single direction and equipped with electromagnetic brakes and a control panel governing the braking system and the interpretation of sensors of the angular motion made by the traverses in order to transmit information to the user and to feed a display showing the recent course of movement of the pedals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments that follows, with reference to the attached figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  presents a side elevation view of the device for simulating physical exercise; 
         FIG. 2  presents a plan view of the device from above; 
         FIG. 3  presents a front view of the device; 
         FIG. 4  presents a plan flat view of the braking system included in the device; 
         FIG. 5  presents an elevational view of the braking system illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  presents a schematic plan view of the transmission of the braking system illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  presents a detailed cross-section view taken according to the “A-A” line in  FIG. 4 , illustrating an area around the magnetic brake; 
         FIG. 8  presents a detailed cross-section view taken according to the “B-B” line in  FIG. 4 , and illustrating an area around a driver pulley; 
         FIG. 9  presents a cross-section detail, taken according to the “C-C” line in  FIG. 4  and illustrating the area around the axle with three pulleys; 
         FIG. 10  presents a frontal view of the control and monitoring panel of the device; and 
         FIG. 11  presents a side elevation view of the device covered by the exterior casing and with a user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following is a detailed description of example embodiments of the invention depicted in the accompanying drawings. The example embodiments are presented in such detail as to clearly communicate the invention and are designed to make such embodiments obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. 
     According to  FIGS. 1-11 , the inventive electromechanical device for simulating physical exercise, the subject of the present invention, consists of two sets of parallel pantographs, each one comprised of one pedal  1  at the end of one horizontal bar  2 , which is equipped, at opposite ends, with articulations  3  and  4 , which are suspended on the lower ends of parallel connecting rods  5  and  6 , on whose upper ends are attached articulations  7  and  8  with one junction  9 , which has a vertical extension  10  provided with two articulations  11  and  12 , one above the other. Mounted on these articulations are the ends of two parallel arms  13  and  14 , which extend around to the back of the device, where columns on a frame  15  are found, the back ends of arms  13  and  14  being mounted on articulations  16  and  17 . 
       FIG. 1  shows the pantographic set described above, as well as a parallel pantographic set, where the letter “A” is added to the numbers assigned to the various parts, in order to make it easier to understand the device. 
     Also for the purpose of simplifying the diagram, control and monitoring panel  18  shows just the symbols for mechanisms of attachment to the frame of the machine, as well as bearing  19  of moveable arms  20  and  20 A. 
     Connecting rods  5  and  5 A have extensions  21  and  21 A above the upper articulations  7  and  7 A, where articulations  22  and  22 A are located, with risers  23  and  23 A on the respective ends of which are found articulations  24  and  24 A with moveable arms  20  and  20 A, on the upper part of which are located handlebars  25  and  25 A, so that the user can hold onto them with his or her hands. 
     Both pantographs move in opposing directions, both in a vertical and a horizontal sense. 
     In order to move horizontally, the frame  15  of the device receives a bearing  26  of vertical axle  27 , with a traverse  28  joined onto it in the center and with spherical articulations  29  and  29 A, which serve as bearings for both risers  30  and  30 A, which are mounted on opposite ends of two articulations  31  and  31 A, located on connecting rods  6  and  6 A above articulations  4  and  4 A. 
     In order to move vertically, the lower part of frame  15  has a bearing  32  on horizontal axle  33 , which rotates a traverse  34  in the center, on whose ends are located two articulations  35  and  35 A of two risers  36  and  36 A, which face upwards, mounted on articulations  37  and  37 A of arms  14  and  14 A. 
     The movements of traverses  28  and  34  will be angular and limited, and can be stopped, to require the user to exert energy by means of two electromagnetic braking systems  38  and  39 , which are conducted through axles  27  and  33  of the traverses. 
       FIG. 2  shows a simplified view of the device from above, in order to better understand the pantographs, by removing moveable arms  20  and its respective attachments and also by removing panel  18  and part of frame  15 . In this way, traverses  28  and  34  and their risers  30  and  36 , which are responsible for allowing the pantographs to move in opposite directions, can be seen more clearly. 
       FIG. 3  is also simplified, by eliminating certain components, such as the panel, moveable arms  20 , bearing  26 , traverse  28  and its respective attachments, so as to make it easier to see the inversion mechanism by which the vertical movements are made. 
     Each braking system  38  and  39  can produce resistance against the angular movement created by the horizontal and vertical displacement of pedals  1  and  1 A. The movements are angular and alternating and can be converted into a single-directional rotating motion, so that the magnetic brakes can be activated in a regular pattern of rotation, thus creating effective resistance. 
     The electromagnetic braking system is illustrated schematically in this way, as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 . This electromagnetic braking system  39  comprises a structure in the form of a box with  5  parallel axles, of which the first axle  40  consists of a flywheel axle  41  of the conventional magnetic brake type, with an internal electrical conductor track across from a row of permanent magnets of alternating polarity and with a driver pulley controlled on panel  18 . This flywheel has a small pulley  42 . The mounting assembly of this part is shown in detail in  FIG. 7 . 
     The second axle  43  is a continuation of axle  27  or  33  of traverse  28  or  34 , this component, in addition, being equipped with a double pulley  44  inside the structure of the electromagnetic braking system  39  and possessing two tracks  45  and  46  for use with belts, whether smooth or grooved. The assembly of this part is shown in detail in  FIG. 8 . 
     The third axle  47  has three pulleys,  48 ,  49 , and  50 . Pulleys  48  and  49  are identical and are mounted on axle  47  by means of inverted ratchets  50  and  51 . This assembly is illustrated more clearly in  FIG. 9 . 
     The fourth and fifth axles  52  and  53  are located on the sides of axle  47  and are equipped with independent pulleys  54  and  55  in order to displace the belt, as seen in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 6  show the position of axles  52  and  53  in relation to the other components. 
     In order to enable the pulleys to move, use is made of three belts that are mounted. This assembly can be seen in  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 . Belt  56  of the brake passes through pulley  42  and extends until pulley  61 . Belt  57  passes through track  46  of pulley  44  until reaching pulley  49  of axle  47 . Belt  58  passes through track  45  of pulley  44 , extends around pulleys  54  and  55 , with a 180° inversion, and returns back to run through pulley  48  of axle  47 . 
     All axles  42 ,  43 ,  47 ,  52  and  53  are mounted on bearings in the structure of the electromagnetic braking system  39 . 
     Axle  43  only allows for angular movements, transmitted through traverses  28  and  34  and their axles  27  and  33 . 
     Using belts  57  and  58 , these movements make pulleys  48  and  49  spin in opposite directions. These pulleys transmit movement through axle  47 , always in the same direction of rotation, through inverted ratchets  50  and  51 , as seen in  FIG. 9 . Thus, pulley  61  only turns in the same direction and increases its angular speed, transmitted by belt  56  to small pulley  42  of the electromagnetic brake. 
     The gym device is equipped with two brake sets, in order to allow for vertical and horizontal movements or a combination of such movements. 
     Angular movement sensors may be placed on the electromagnetic brakes, on axles  43  or on pulleys  44  in order to detect maximum extent of movement. 
     Information about the level of resistance and of the range of motion is sent to control and monitoring panel  18 . This panel integrates these data with [the variable of] time and can therefore inform the user about cadence, power, calories expended and can track the ongoing progress of a pedal on display  50 . The control panel is equipped with keys  60  to increase or decrease levels of resistance. The control panel is also equipped with inputs for electronic devices which are configured to accept past recorded data as well as pre-stored settings that have been preset for the user from a memory device 
     The user may also exercise his arms through forced movements driven by handlebars  25  and  25 A on moveable arms  20  and  20 A. 
     Without activating the brakes, the movement of pedals  1  is absolutely free, both forwards and backwards, including all possible combinations of such movements. 
     In terms of output of energy, the brakes can be selectively activated on control panel  18 . 
     Any user, in whatever arrangement, whether young or old, healthy or undergoing physical rehabilitation, may be able to use this device, since the movements are free and braking is load-dependent, but it is also dependent on cadence. 
     As will be evident to persons skilled in the art, the foregoing detailed description and figures are presented as examples of the invention, and that variations are contemplated that do not depart from the fair scope of the teachings and descriptions set forth in this disclosure. The foregoing is not intended to limit what has been invented, except to the extent that the following claims so limit that.