Patent Publication Number: US-2006009331-A1

Title: Hand driving cycle exerciser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a cycle exerciser, and more particularly to a hand driving cycle exerciser to be driven by hands of users.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Various kinds of typical cycle exercisers have been developed, and comprise a pair of arm cranks to assist in the propulsion of the exerciser by utilizing power of the arms of the users.  
      For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,742 to Intengan discloses one of the typical cycle exercisers comprising a pair of arm cranks coupled to a pawl mechanism, in order to drive a rear wheel via a flexible shaft, in order to assist in the propulsion of the exerciser by utilizing power of the arms of the users. However, when rotating the arm cranks, the cycle exerciser may be unstable and the front portion of the cycle exerciser may swing or vibrate sidewise.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,400 to Date discloses another typical cycle exerciser comprising a treadle-shaft crank coupled to a short crank and a long crank, and a handle coupled to the long crank, in order to form a see saw exercise vehicle, and to allow the exercise vehicle to be driven by hands of users.  
      However, when the handle should be forced forwardly and rearwardly by the two hands of the users simultaneously, such that the center of gravity of the users may be moved forwardly and rearwardly, and such that some of the moving force of the cycle exerciser may be overcome by the forward and rearward movement of the users.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,692 to Fullilove et al. discloses a further typical riding cycle exerciser driven over terrain by foot pedals operating on a sprocket shaft, and comprising hand cranks which operate through a flexible drive on foot operated sprocket shaft. However, similarly, when rotating the hand cranks, the cycle exerciser may be unstable and the front portion of the cycle exerciser may swing or vibrate sidewise.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hand driving cycle exercisers.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hand driving cycle exerciser for being stably driven by hands of users.  
      The other objective of the present invention is to provide a hand driving cycle exerciser including a steering mechanism operatable by twisting or turning or rotating operation of users.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hand driving cycle exerciser comprising a base including a front portion having a front wheel device attached thereto, and including a rear fork attached thereto, a rear wheel rotatably attached to the fork of the base with an axle, to allow the rear wheel to be rotated relative to the fork of the base, two rotary members rotatably attached onto the rear wheel with unidirectional bearings, to allow the rotary members to be rotated relative to the rear wheel unidirectionally, two followers rotatably engaged onto the axle, and coupled to the rotary members, for unidirectionally rotating the rear wheel via the rotary members and the unidirectional bearings, two handles rotatably attached to the base, and a connecting device for connecting the handles to the followers respectively, to unidirectionally rotate the rear wheel via the followers and the rotary members and the unidirectional bearings with the handles.  
      The base includes a pair of posts extended therefrom and each having a pin laterally extended therefrom to rotatably attach the handles to the base. Each of the handles includes a sleeve provided thereon and rotatably engaged onto the pins of the posts of the base respectively, to allow the handles to be rotated relative to the base in reciprocating action. Each of the handles includes an extension adjustably secured thereon, and having a hand grip provided on top thereof, for being grasped by users.  
      Each of the followers includes a pole extended therefrom, and the connecting device includes two cranks secured to the poles and rotated in concert with the poles respectively, and a pair of levers coupled between the handles and the cranks, to allow the handles to drive the followers and the poles relative to the axle by the levers and the cranks.  
      Each of the rotary members includes a plurality of notches formed therein, and each of the followers includes a plurality of teeth extended therefrom and engaged into the notches of the rotary members, to unidirectionally rotate the rear wheel via the rotary members and the unidirectional bearings.  
      The base includes a front tube secured to the front portion thereof and extended vertically, a shaft rotatably secured in the front tube of the base to attach the front wheel device thereto, and a rotating device for rotating the shaft relative to the front tube of the base.  
      The front wheel device includes at least one front wheel rotatably attached to the front portion of the base with a pivot rod, and coupled to the shaft with a link. The shaft includes a bar secured thereto and extended forwardly from the shaft, for coupling to the link.  
      The rotating device includes a platform rotatably attached to the base, and device for coupling the platform to the shaft. The coupling device includes a connector coupled between the platform to the shaft.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a hand driving cycle exerciser in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is another exploded view of the hand driving cycle exerciser, illustrating the other embodiment of a wheel driving mechanism for the hand driving cycle exerciser;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hand driving cycle exerciser;  
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the hand driving cycle exerciser;  
       FIG. 7  is a side view similar to  FIG. 6 , illustrating the operation of the hand driving cycle exerciser; and  
       FIGS. 8, 9  are top plan views of the hand driving cycle exerciser as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-6 , a hand driving cycle exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a base  10  including a front tube  11  secured to the front portion thereof and extended vertically, and including a fork  12  secured to the rear portion thereof, and including a hole  13  formed in the middle portion thereof.  
      A shaft  14  is rotatably secured in the front tube  11  of the base  10 . The front tube  11  includes two arms  15  laterally and/or forwardly extended therefrom, and each having a barrel  16  secured thereto and extended vertically. A bar  17  is secured to the bottom of the shaft  14  and extended forwardly from or beyond the shaft  14 . The base  10  further includes a pair of posts  18  extended upwardly therefrom, and each having a pin  19  laterally extended therefrom.  
      A front wheel device  2  includes one or more, such as two front wheels  20  rotatably attached to the barrels  16  of the front tube  11  with pivot rods  21  respectively, and pivotally coupled to the shaft  14  with links  22  and/or the bar of the shaft  14 , for allowing the front wheels  20  to be rotated relative to the barrels  16  by a rotation of the shaft  14  relative to the front tube  11 . Relatively, the front wheels  20  may be rotated relative to the barrels  16  when the shaft  14  is rotated relative to the front tube  11 .  
      A table or a platform  23  includes a spindle  24  rotatably engaged through the hole  13  of the base  10 , and rotatably secured or attached to the base  10  with a bearing  25 , for allowing the platform  23  to be smoothly rotated relative to the base  10 . A connector  26  has one end secured or attached to the platform  23 , and a coupler  27  attached to the other end thereof for engaging onto the shaft  14 , and for securing to the shaft  14  with such as fasteners  28 .  
      In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when the platform  23  is rotated relative to the base  10  by such as twisting or turning or rotating operation of users, the shaft  14  may also be caused to be rotated relative to the front tube  11  by the connector  26 , such that the front wheels  20  may be rotated relative to the front tube  11  with the pivot rods  21  respectively, for steering or maneuvering the cycle exerciser.  
      A rear wheel  30  is rotatably attached to the fork  12  of the base  10  with an axle  31 . Two rotary members  32  are rotatably secured or attached onto a hub  34  of the rear wheel  30  with unidirectional bearings  33 , to allow the rotary members  32  to be rotated relative to the hub  34  of the rear wheel  30  unidirectionally. Each of the rotary members  32  includes a number of notches  35  ( FIG. 1 ) or orifices  36  ( FIG. 2 ) formed therein.  
      Two followers  37  are rotatably engaged onto the axle  31 , and each includes a number of projections or teeth  38  extended therefrom and engaged into the notches  35  ( FIG. 1 ) or the orifices  36  ( FIG. 2 ) of the rotary members  32 , for unidirectionally rotating or driving the rear wheel  30  via the rotary members  32  and the unidirectional bearings  33 , and each includes a pole  39  extended therefrom and engaged or extended outwardly through the fork  12  of the base  10 .  
      A pair of cranks  40  are secured to the poles  39  and rotated in concert with the poles  39  respectively. A pair of handles  41  each includes a sleeve  42  provided thereon and rotatably engaged or attached to the laterally extended pins  19  of the posts  18  of the base  10 , to allow the handles  41  to be rotated or swung relative to the base  10  in reciprocating action. Each of the handles  41  may include an extension  43  adjustably secured thereon, and having a hand grip  44  provided on top thereof, for being grasped or held by the users.  
      A pair of levers  45  are coupled between the handles  41  and the cranks  40 , to allow the handles  41  to rotate or to drive the followers  37  and the poles  39  relative to the axle  31  by the levers  45  and the cranks  40 , and then to unidirectionally rotate or drive the rear wheel  30  via the rotary members  32  and the unidirectional bearings  33 , such that the cycle exerciser may be driven forwardly by rotating or swinging the handles  41  relative to the base  10  in reciprocating action.  
      It is to be noted that the handles  41  may be easily rotated or swung relative to the base  10  in reciprocating action by the hands of the users without changing the center of gravity of the users, such that the hand driving cycle exerciser may be smoothly and stably moved or driven forwardly by the hand operated handles  41 .  
      In addition, the users may twist or rotate or turn their bodies, in order to rotate the platform  23 , and then to rotate the front wheels  20  relative to the front tube  11  with the pivot rods  21  respectively, to allow the users to exercise their bodies in order to steer or to maneuver the cycle exerciser.  
      Accordingly, the hand driving cycle exerciser in accordance with the present invention may be used for being stably driven by hands of users, and may include a steering mechanism operatable by twisting or turning or rotating operation of users.  
      Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.