Patent Publication Number: US-7223209-B2

Title: Elliptical exercise apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to exercise equipment, more particularly to an elliptical exercise apparatus. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
     FIGS. 1 to 3  illustrate a conventional elliptical exercise apparatus  1  which was disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Publication No. 414094 and which was invented by the applicant in February, 2000. The elliptical exercise apparatus  1  comprises a main frame  11 , two swing units  113 , a wheel assembly  12 , two tubular sleeves  13 , two slide rods  14 , two link rods  15 , and two pedal members  151 . The main frame  11  includes an upstanding support  111 , and a base support  112  connected to the upstanding support  111 . The base support  112  has a rear end provided with two parallel guide rails  114 . 
   The swing units  113  are connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the upstanding support  111 . 
   The wheel assembly  12  is disposed on a front side of the main frame  11 , and includes a resistance wheel  121 , a crank wheel  122 , and two crank members  123  connected respectively to two opposite ends of a crankshaft of the crank wheel  122 . The resistance wheel  121  is connected to the crank wheel  122  through a belt or a magnetic mechanism so as to provide resistance to rotation of the crank wheel  122 . 
   The tubular sleeves  13  are sleeved slidably and respectively on bottom portions of the swing units  113 . Each tubular sleeve  13  includes spaced-apart universal upper and lower connectors  131 ,  132  connected to a rear side of the corresponding tubular sleeve  13 . The upper connector  131  is connected pivotally to a corresponding one of the crank members  123 . 
   Each slide rod  14  includes a front section  144  having a front end connected pivotally to the corresponding crank member  123 , an intermediate section extending rearwardly from a rear end of the front section  144  and secured with a pedal seat  141 , and a rear section  142  extending rearwardly, curvedly, and downwardly from a rear end of the intermediate section and having a rear end provided with a roller  143  that is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the corresponding guide rail  114 . 
   Each link rod  15  has a front end connected pivotally to the lower connector  132 , and a rear end connected pivotally to the pedal seat  141 . 
   The pedal members  151  are mounted slidably and respectively on the pedal seats  141  of the slide rods  14 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the user steps on the pedal members  151  and starts exercising by exerting a force on the pedal members  151  in an alternating manner, the front end of the front section  144  of each slide rod  14  moves along with the corresponding crank member  123  in a circular motion, and the rear end of the rear section  142  of each slide rod  14  moves forward and rearward along the respective guide rail  114  through the slidable engagement of the roller  143  with the respective guide rail  114 . As a consequence, the user&#39;s feet travel in a generally elliptical track shown in  FIG. 3 . Simultaneously, each tubular sleeve  13  moves with the corresponding crank member  123  so as to cause the bottom portion of each swing unit  113  to swing reciprocally, thereby effecting exercise of the user&#39;s upper body when the user&#39;s hands grasp upper portions of the swing units  113 . 
   Although the conventional elliptical exercise apparatus  1  can achieve its intended purpose, it produces an elliptical track that is long in a front-to-rear direction and narrow in a top-to-bottom direction. Hence, there are sharp turns at front and rear ends of the track such that the elliptical motion of the user&#39;s feet is not smooth. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an elliptical exercise apparatus that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawback of the prior art. 
   According to this invention, an elliptical exercise apparatus comprises a main frame, a wheel assembly, a swing rod, a slide rod, a pedal seat, a pedal member, a first link rod, and a second link rod. The main frame includes a base support adapted to be supported on a supporting surface and having front and rear ends, an upstanding support connected to the front end of the base support, and a rail assembly provided on the rear end of the base support. The wheel assembly is mounted on the front end of the base support, and includes a crank member. The swing rod is connected pivotally to the upstanding support, and has a bottom section. The slide rod has a rear end slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the rail assembly, and a front end connected pivotally to the crank member. The pedal seat is connected pivotally to the slide rod. The pedal member is mounted slidably on the pedal seat. The first link rod has a front end connected pivotally to the bottom section of the swing rod, and a rear end connected pivotally to the pedal seat. The second link rod has a front end connected pivotally to the bottom section of the swing rod below the front end of the first link rod, and a rear end fixed to the pedal member. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional elliptical exercise apparatus disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Publication No. 414094; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the elliptical exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but illustrating an elliptical track produced by the elliptical exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an elliptical exercise apparatus according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of the elliptical exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view, showing one swing rod, one pedal seat, one pedal member, one first link rod, and one second link rod; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the components shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the elliptical exercise apparatus of the present invention in a state of use. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the preferred embodiment of an elliptical exercise apparatus  2  according to the present invention is shown to comprise a main frame  3 , a wheel assembly  4 , two swing rods  5 , two slide rods  6 , two pedal seats  71 , two pedal members  72 , two first link rods  81 , and two second link rods  82 . 
   The main frame  3  includes a base support  31  adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface  9  (see  FIG. 5 ), an upstanding support  32  connected to a front end of the base support  31 , and a rail assembly  33  connected to a rear end of the base support  31 . Since the rail assembly  33  is known in the art, a detailed description of the same is dispensed herein for the sake of brevity. 
   The wheel assembly  4  is mounted on the front end of the base support  31  rearwardly of the upstanding support  32 , and includes a resistance wheel  41 , a crank wheel  42 , and two crank members  43  connected respectively to two opposite ends of a crankshaft of the crank wheel  42 . The resistance wheel  41  is connected to the crank wheel  42  in a conventional manner so as to provide resistance to rotation of the crank wheel  42 . 
   The swing rods  5  are connected pivotally and respectively to left and right sides of the upstanding support  32 . Each swing rod  5  includes a grip section  51 , a bottom section  52  extending downwardly from the grip section  51 , and a pivot section  53  between the grip section  51  and the bottom section  52  and connected pivotally to a corresponding left or right side of the upstanding support  32 . 
   Each slide rod  6  has a front end connected pivotally to the corresponding crank member  43 , and a rear end provided with a roller unit  61  that is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the rail assembly  33 . 
   Each pedal seat  71 , as best shown in  FIG. 7 , includes a pedal support  710  connected pivotally to a fulcrum  60  of the corresponding slide rod  6 , and a pedal rail  711  fixed to the pedal support  710  and having two opposite lateral sides formed respectively with slide grooves  712 . 
   Each pedal member  72 , as best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , is mounted slidably on the respective pedal seat  71 , and includes an inverted U-shaped slide plate  721  having two opposite side plates  7211 , a pedal plate  722  fixed on top of the slide plate  721 , and a plurality of rollers  723  (only one is visible in  FIG. 7 ) mounted respectively on inner faces of the side plates  7211  and received slidably and correspondingly in the slide grooves  712  in the pedal rail  711  so that the pedal member  72  can slide forwardly, rearwardly, and smoothly along the pedal seat  71 . 
   Each first link rod  81  has a front end  811  connected pivotally to the bottom section  52  of the corresponding swing rod  5 , and a rear end  812  connected pivotally to a lateral side of the pedal support  710  of the corresponding pedal seat  71 . The second link rod  82  has a front end  821  connected pivotally to a bottom end of the bottom section  52  of the corresponding swing rod  5 , and a rear end  822  fixed to one of the side plates  721  of the corresponding pedal member  72 . The front end  811  of the first link rod  81  is located above the front end  821  of the second link rod  82 , and is spaced apart from the same at a distance (D), as indicated in FIG.  6 . 
   The elliptical exercise apparatus  2  of the present invention further comprises a console panel  100  mounted on a top end of the upstanding support  32 , and a handle unit  110  fixed to a top portion of the upstanding support  32  below the console panel  100 . The console panel  100  is a computerized device for controlling the operating parameters of the exercise apparatus  2 , including the amount of resistance provided by the resistance wheel  41  to the rotation of the crank wheel  42 . The handle unit  110  may be grasped by the user if it is desired to exercise only the lower body, and may include sensors (not shown) to detect the pulse rate of the user. Since the console panel  100  and the handle unit  110  are known in the art, a detailed description of the same is dispensed herein for the sake of brevity. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate continuous stepping actions of the user during exercise. When the user stands on the pedal members  72  with her hands grasping the grip sections  51  of the swing rods  5 , and exerts a force on the pedal members  72  in an alternating manner, the slide rods  6 , the link rods  81 ,  82 , and the wheel assembly  4  move by virtue of the interconnections described above. Continuous movement of these components results in the user&#39;s feet traveling along an elliptical track. The elliptical track produced by the elliptical exercise apparatus  2  of the present invention has front and rear ends that are rounded, as best shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , so that the elliptical motion of the user&#39;s feet is smooth. 
   Further, because the pedal members  72  can pivot downward or upward in an inclined manner during the forward and rearward movement of the pedal members  72  so as to simulate a striding movement, strain on the user&#39;s knees can be reduced. For this reason and that of the user&#39;s feet traveling along a large elliptical track, the elliptical exercise apparatus  2  of the present invention is ergonomically advantageous to the user. 
   During manufacture, the distance (D) between the front ends  811 ,  821  of the first and second link rods  81 ,  82 , as well as the length of the pedal seats  71  may be increased so that a larger elliptical track can be obtained during exercise. 
   While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.