Patent Publication Number: US-6905442-B1

Title: Elliptical exercising apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an exercising apparatus, more particularly to an elliptical exercising apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional elliptical exercising apparatus is shown to comprise a main frame  1 , a crank assembly  2 , two handle assemblies  3 , and two pedal assemblies  4 . The main frame  1  includes a base support  101  disposed on the ground, and an upstanding support  102  mounted on a front end portion of the base support  101 . The crank assembly  2  includes a crank wheel  201  connected pivotally to a rear end portion of the base support  101 , and two crank members  202  connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the crank wheel  201 . The handle assemblies  3  are connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the upstanding support  102 . Each of the pedal assemblies  4  includes a pedal axle  401  and a pedal member  402 . The pedal axle  401  has a front end connected pivotally to a bottom end of a corresponding handle assembly  3 , and a rear end connected pivotally to a corresponding crank member  202 . The pedal member  402  is mounted fixedly on the respective pedal axle  401 . 
     In use, the user steps on the pedal members  402  with two hands grasping respectively the top ends of the handle assemblies  3 . Then, through coordination of the swinging movement of the handle and pedal assemblies  3 ,  4 , an exercise simulating a striding movement is effected. 
     However, since the pedal members  402  are fixed respectively on the pedal axles  401 , the pedal members  402  can only move along with the pedal axles  401 . The pedal axles  401  are, in turn, connected pivotally and respectively to the handle assemblies  3  and the crank members  202 , so that movement of the pedal members  402  are limited by the crank members  202  and so that the largest front-to-rear distance that can be traveled by the pedal members  402  is roughly equal to the sum of the lengths of the two crank members  202 . As such, the stepping distance between the user&#39;s feet is limited such that the user&#39;s leg muscles cannot be stretched fully. Furthermore, if the length of each crank member  202  is increased so as to obtain a larger stepping distance, the body structure of the conventional elliptical exercising apparatus is also increased, thereby making assembly, storage, and use of the apparatus inconvenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an elliptical exercising apparatus that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. 
     According to this invention, an elliptical exercising apparatus comprises a main frame, a crank assembly, two handles, two rocker arms, two pedal axles, two pedal members, and two connecting arms. The main frame has a base support adapted to be disposed on the ground, and an upstanding support extending upright from a front end portion of the base support. The crank assembly includes a crank wheel connected rotatably to a rear end portion of the base support, and two crank members connected respectively to two opposite sides of the crank wheel. The handles are connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the upstanding support. The rocker arms are connected respectively to the handles. Each of the rocker arms has upper and lower connection parts. Each of the pedal axles has a front end connected pivotally to the upper connection part of a corresponding one of the rocker arms, and a rear end connected to a corresponding one of the crank members. Each of the pedal members is mounted slidably on a corresponding one of the pedal axles. Each of the connecting arms has a front end connected to the lower connection part of a corresponding one of the rocker arms, and a rear end connected to a corresponding one of the pedal members. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a conventional elliptical exercising apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment of an elliptical exercising apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the elliptical exercising apparatus of the present invention in a state of use; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates how a pedal member slides toward a front section of a pedal axle when a handle is pulled rearwardly; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates how the pedal member slides toward a rear section of the pedal axle when the handle is pushed frontwardly; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates distance relations between the pedal axles and the pedal members. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the preferred embodiment of an elliptical exercising apparatus according to the present invention is shown to comprise a main frame  10 , a crank assembly  20 , two handles  32 , two rocker arms  30 , two pedal axles  40 , two pedal members  50 , and two connecting arms  60 . 
     The main frame  10  has a base support  11  adapted to be disposed on the ground, and an upstanding support  12  extending upright from a front end portion of the base support  11 . The main frame  10  is substantially similar to the main frame  1  of the aforementioned conventional elliptical exercising apparatus so that a detailed description of the same will be dispensed herewith for the sake of brevity. 
     The crank assembly  20  includes a crank wheel  21  connected rotatably to a rear end portion of the base support  11 , and two crank members  22  connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the crank wheel  21 . The crank assembly  20  is substantially similar to the aforementioned crank assembly  2  of the conventional elliptical exercising apparatus so that a detailed description of the same will be dispensed herewith for the sake of brevity. 
     The handles  32  are connected pivotally and respectively to two opposite sides of the upstanding support  12  via a pivot member  31 . 
     The rocker arms  30  are connected respectively to the handles  32 . Each of the rocker arms  30  has an upper connection part  34 , and a lower connection part  35  opposite to the upper connection part  34 . The upper connection part  34  has a fixed connection plate  341  with a pivot member  342 . The lower connection part  35  has a pivot member  351 . Each of the rocker arms  30  is telescopic, and has are tractable and extensible section  33  extending from the upper connection part  34  to the lower connection part  35 . 
     The pedal axles  40  are disposed respectively on two opposite sides of the base support  11 . Each of the pedal axles  40  has a front end  43  connected pivotally to the connection plate  341  on the upper connection part  34  of a corresponding one of the rocker arms  30 , and a rear end  44  connected to a corresponding one of the crank members  22 . Each pedal axle  40  has a front section  41  and a rear section  42  connected to and forming an angle with the front section  41 . 
     Each of the pedal members  50  is mounted slidably on the rear section  42  of a corresponding one of the pedal axles  40 . 
     The connecting arms  60  are disposed respectively on the two opposite sides of the base support  11 . Each of the connecting arms  60  has a front end  61  connected pivotally to the pivot member  351  on the lower connection part  35  of a corresponding one of the rocker arms  30 , and a rear end  62  connected pivotally to a corresponding one of the pedal members  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , when the present invention is in use, the feet  71  of the user  70  step respectively on the pedal members  50 , and the hands  72  of the user  70  grasp respectively the handles  32 . Through coordination of the swinging movement of the handles  32 , the annular movement of the crank members  22 , and frontward and rearward sliding movement of the pedal members  50  brought along by movement of the connecting arms  60 , an exercise simulating a striding movement is effected. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the user  70  (see  FIG. 3 ) pulls one of the handles  32  toward his body, the telescopic section  33  of the rocker arm  30  will move away from the user&#39;s body, bringing along the connecting arm  60 , which in turn pulls the pedal member  50  to slide along the rear section  42  of the pedal axle  40  toward a location proximate to the front section  41 . At the same time, the upper connection part  34  of the rocker arm  30  moves frontwardly bringing along the pedal axle  40  and the crank member  22 . 
     When the user  70  pushes one of the handles  32  away from his body, the telescopic section  33  of the rocker arm  30  will move toward the user&#39;s body and pushes the connecting arm  60 , which in turn pushes the pedal member  50  to slide toward the rear end  44  of the pedal axle  40 . Simultaneously, the upper connection part  34  of the rocker arm  30  pushes the pedal axle  40  and the crank member  22  to move rearwardly, as shown in  FIG. 5 . As such, through alternate push-pull action on the handles  30  by the hands  72  of the user  70 , the crank members  22  produce a continuous rotation so that the pedal members  50  move alternately in elliptical motions following a pointed-front and rounded-rear outline. Thus, the feet  71  of the user  70  will naturally stretch frontward and rearward, effecting a striding exercise. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , since the pedal members  50  slide along the respective pedal axles  40  and are moved by the connecting arms  60 , the pedal members  50  will not be limited by the crank members  22 , but will move along with the connecting arms  60 . The front-to-rear distance that can be traveled by the pedal members  50  is determined by the distance between the lower connection parts  35  of the rocker arms  30 , and not by the lengths of the crank members  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the connecting point of the rocker arms  30  and the upstanding support  12  is defined as point A, the pivot connecting points of the upper connection parts  34  and the front end  43  of the pedal axles  40  are respectively defined as points B 1  and B 2 , and the pivot connecting points of the lower connection parts  35  of the rocker arms  30  and the connecting arms  60  are respectively defined as points C 1  and C 2 . A triangle is defined by line AC 1 , line C 1 C 2 , and line AC 2 . Particularly, the ratio of the length of the rocker arm  30  (i.e., the length from point A to point C 1 ) to the length measured from the pivot member  31  to the upper connection part  34  (i.e., the length from point A to point B 1 ) is proportionately equal to the ratio of the distance between the lower connection parts  35  (i.e., the distance from point C 1  to point C 2 ) to the distance between the upper connection parts  34  (i.e., the distance from point B 1  to point B 2 ). Since the pedal axle  40  is connected pivotally and respectively to the upper connection part  34  and an end of the crank member  22 , the distance between the ends (P, Q) of the two crank members  22  is substantially equal to the distance between point B 1  to point B 2  of the upper connection parts  34 . The distance from point B 1  to point B 2  will thus be limited by the crank members  22  so that the largest distance from point B 1  to point B 2  will be equal to the total length of the two crank members  22 . At this time, if the length from point A to point C 1  is equal to twice the length from point A to point B 1 , then, the largest distance between point C 1  to point C 2  will be equal to twice the largest distance between point B 1  to point B 2  (i.e., equal to the length of four crank members  22 ), so that the largest front-to-rear distance that can be traveled by the pedal members  50 , i.e., the striding distance of the user  70 , is four times the length of each crank member  22 . Furthermore, since each rocker arm  30  has a retractable and extensible section  33 , its length can be adjusted. Through the presence of the retractable and extensible section  33 , the ratio of the length of the rocker arm  30  to the length measured from the pivot member  31  to the upper connection part  34  can be altered, which in turn can control the swinging amplitude of the connecting arms  60 , thereby achieving adjustment of the striding distance of the user  70 . 
     It should be noted that even if the length of each rocker arm  30  is kept unchanged, the striding distance of the user  70  can be adjusted by changing locations of the pivot connecting points of the rocker arms  30  with the corresponding pedal axles  40 . 
     Therefore, the elliptical exercising apparatus of the present invention does not require changing of the lengths of the crank members  22  to cope with the desired striding distance of the user  70 . Through cooperation of the rocker arms  30 , the pedal axles  40 , the pedal members  50 , and the connecting arms  60 , the striding distance between the feet  71  of the user  70  can be enlarged, thereby effectively stretching the leg muscles. 
     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.