Patent Publication Number: US-2020289876-A1

Title: Climbing machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to climbing machines and more particularly to a climbing machine including a transmitting device having an axle oriented in a direction perpendicular to a virtual plane defined by rails so that purposes including saving space and reducing the manufacturing cost of belt are obtained. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional climbing machine is shown in  FIG. 11  and comprises a base and frame assembly  40 , two handlebars extending upward, rearward from the base and frame assembly  40 , two sets of two inclined parallel rails  41  in which each rail  41  has one end secured to a joining portion of the handlebar and the base and frame assembly  40  and the other end rested on the ground, two pedals  42  slidably mounted on the rails  41  respectively, two guide wheels  43  mounted forwardly of the rails  41 , a magnetic resistance controlling device  44  for adding difficulty to motion mounted between the base and frame assembly  40  and the rails  41  and including an axle  441  having a rotational direction the same as a moving direction of the rails  41 , a roller  442  rotatably mounted on the axle  441 , and a conductive disc  443  secured to the roller  442 , and two belts  45  each extending from the guide wheel  43  to clockwise (or counterclockwise) wind around the roller  442 . And in turn, the conductive disc  443  co-rotates with the roller  442 . 
     However, in case the belts  45  are broken, it is very difficult of installing same since the belts  45  are wound around the roller  442 . Further, the belts  45  are liable to breakage if the diameter of the roller  442  is relatively small. Furthermore, damping force increases as the diameter of the roller  442  increases. And in turn, the weight or the diameter of the conductive disc  443  increases. Thus, the magnetic resistance controlling device  44  is required to occupy a larger space. Disadvantageously, the manufacturing cost of the climbing machine may increase greatly and the climbing machine may take up a lot of space. 
     Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems of the conventional art by providing a climbing machine having novel and nonobvious characteristics. 
     To achieve above and other objects of the invention, the invention provides a climbing machine comprising a base and frame assembly; two sets of two inclined parallel rails disposed on the base and frame assembly; two pedals slidably disposed on the sets of the rails respectively; a transmitting device including an axle disposed under front portions of the sets of the rails and oriented in a direction perpendicular to a virtual plane defined by the sets of the rails, a first sprocket disposed around the axle, a second sprocket disposed adjacent to a center of a bottom of a rear end of the base and frame assembly, and a disc shaped damping member with the first sprocket mounted in its center; and a belt meshing with the first and second sprockets, the belt being parallel to the sets of the rails; wherein the pedals are secured to the belt and disposed at two sides of the first and second sprockets respectively so as to enable an optimum movement of both the pedals. 
     The invention has the following advantages and benefits in comparison with the conventional art: 
     The axle is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a virtual plane defined by the sets of the rails. The damping member is parallel to a moving direction of the sets of the rails. The base and frame assembly occupies a minimum space. 
     The locations of the pedals enable a maximum, optimum movement thereof. 
     In case the belt is broken, it is easy to replace with a new one by simply putting the new belt on the first and second sprockets in one operation rather than multiple times. 
     The belt has an improved flexibility so that the corresponding first and second sprockets may have a smaller diameter with a maximum damping effect being brought about. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a climbing machine according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the climbing machine; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  showing one pedal being detached from the climbing machine; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the climbing machine; 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the area in a circle of  FIG. 4  showing the join of the belt and a pressing plate; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the join of the belt and the pressing plate; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the transmitting device; 
         FIG. 9  is a longitudinal sectional view of the transmitting device; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation showing an individual using the climbing machine for exercise; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a conventional climbing machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 10 , a climbing machine in accordance with the invention is shown. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  specifically, the climbing machine comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A base and frame assembly  10  is supported on the ground. Two handlebars  101  extend upward, rearward from the base and frame assembly  10  so that an individual may hold the handlebars  101  to keep body balance in exercise. Two sets of two inclined parallel rails  12  are provided in which each rail  12  has one end secured to a joining portion of the handlebar  101  and the base and frame assembly  10  and the other end rested on the ground. Two pedals  1401  and  1402  are slidably mounted on the sets of the rails  12  respectively. A limit member  141  is provided at a lower end of each rail  12 . The limit members  141  are used to limit downward movements of the pedals  1401  and  1402  so as to prevent the pedals  1401  and  1402  from contacting bottom ends of the rails  12  in addition to buffering purpose. 
     The base and frame assembly  10  includes a transverse bar  102  under the joining portion of the handlebar  101  and the base and frame assembly  10  for increasing the structural strength of the base and frame assembly  10  so that the climbing machine may be used in a more stable way with greatly decreased vibration. 
     A transmitting device  20  for adding difficulty to motion includes an axle  22  mounted under front portions of the rails  12  and disposed in a direction perpendicular to a virtual plane defined by the rails  12 , a first sprocket  271  mounted around the axle  22 , a second sprocket  272  mounted adjacent to a center of a bottom of a rear end of an inclined portion of the base and frame assembly  10 , a disc shaped damping member  26  with the first sprocket  271  mounted in its center so that the damping member  26  may co-rotate with the first sprocket  271 , and a belt  28  having an indented inner surface meshing with the first sprocket  271  and the second sprocket  272 , the belt  28  being parallel to the rails  12 . The pedals  1401  and  1402  are secured to the belt  28  and disposed at two sides of the first sprocket  271  and the second sprocket  272  respectively. Upward or downward movement of both the first sprocket  271  and the second sprocket  272  rotates the belt  28 . The location of the belt  28  between the pedals  1401  and  1402  enables a maximum, optimum movement of both the pedals  1401  and  1402 . The rotational movement of the belt  28  rotates the transmitting device  20 . And in turn, an individual using the climbing machine may, for example, raise one foot away from one pedal  1401  when the other pedal  1402  moves downward by force exerted by the other foot and vice versa. As an end, an exercise similar to mountain climbing is taken. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 7  specifically, in response to the downward movement of one pedal  1401 , the other pedal  1402  moves upward due to the rotational movement of the belt  28 . For optimizing the join of the belt  28  and the pedals  1401  and  1402 , a pressing plate  29  is provided on an inner surface of the belt  28  and away from the pedals  1401  and  1402 . A threaded fastener  281  is driven through the pressing plate  29 , the belt  28  and one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  for fastening them together. This is because the belt  28  is resilient in nature. The fastening together of the belt  28  and one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  by the threaded fastener  281  may be not reliable, secure. Thus, the pressing plate  29  is provided to have its indented surface meshing with and urging against the belt  28 . As a result, the threaded fastener  281  driven through the pressing plate  29 , the belt  28  and one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  is capable of fastening them together. Alternatively, the pressing plate  29  can be omitted if the belt  28  is made of a material having sufficient traction. 
     It is noted that the pressing plate  29  has one surface facing the belt  28  being indented, both the first sprocket  271  and the second sprocket  272  are toothed wheels, and the belt  28  has an indented surface facing the pressing plate  29 . The pressing plate  29 , the first sprocket  271 , the second sprocket  272  and the belt  28  are joined by meshing. As a result, the belt  28  and the transmitting device  20  are more stable in operation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 5 to 7  specifically, the pedals  1401  and  1402  have a flat top disposed horizontally. Each of the pedals  1401  and  1402  includes two inclined sides  1403 , each side  1403  having two rollers  1404  at upper and lower ends respectively, the rollers  1404  being rotatably disposed in the rail  12 . The threaded fastener  281  is driven through the pressing plate  29 , the belt  28  and the inclined side  1403  of one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  for fastening them together. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the transmitting device  20  further comprises two bearings  24  disposed in the first sprocket  271 , and a spacer  25  between the bearings  24 . The axle  22  is through one bearing  24 , the spacer  25 , the other bearing  24  and a central hole of the first sprocket  271 . The bearings  24  are fastened in the first sprocket  271 . The spacer  25  is disposed between the bearings  24  for separation purpose. The bearings  24  are disposed on the axle  22 . The first sprocket  271  is secured to a center of the damping member  26 . The provision of the bearings  24  can reduce friction between the first sprocket  271  and the axle  22 . As a result, the useful life of the first sprocket  271  is prolonged. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIGS. 1 to 4  specifically, a rotational direction of the bearings  24  is that of the belt  28 . The transmitting device  20  rotates in response to the rotation of the belt  28 . When using the climbing machine, the pedals  1401  and  1402  move downward due to the weight of the individual. The individual may lift one of the feet and press one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  using other foot. As a result, one of the pedals  1401  and  1402  moves downward. When the individual uses the climbing machine to take an exercise similar to climbing a mountain, one foot presses one pedal  1401  to lower same. And in turn, the belt  28  rotates to move the other pedal  1402  upward. Further, the other foot presses the other pedal  1402  to lower same. And in turn, one pedal  1401  at lower ends of the rails  12  moves upward due to the rotation of the belt  28 . By repeating above steps, an exercise similar to mountain climbing is taken. The transmitting device  20  can increase resistance to the motion, thereby increasing benefits of the exercise. Further, the increased resistance can decrease a moving speed of each of the pedals  1401  and  1402  so that the pedals  1401  and  140  can be smoothly disposed at any position. Moreover, the individual may not hold the handlebars  101  and does not worry about unstable center of gravity in exercise. In addition, both height of step and moving speed of each of the pedals  1401  and  1402  can changed based on a stepping point on the pedal and an adjustment of the resistance. It is envisaged by the invention that the climbing machine is appropriate to people of different ages and patients having injured knees. While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.