Patent Abstract:
A fitness equipment includes a first bar, a pedal unit, two swing arms, a driving unit and a vertical damping unit. The first bar includes a frame carrying two rotating shafts. The pedal unit includes two sleeves respectively sleeved onto the rotating shafts. The two swing arms are respectively connected to the sleeves and two pedal levers respectively pivotally connected to the swing arms. The driving unit includes two detent wheels respectively affixed to the rotating shafts and two flexible detent members respectively connected between the detent wheels and the pedal levers. The vertical damping unit is drivable by the driving unit to impart the pedal levers with a damping in response to the vertical vector. Subject to mating between the rotating shafts and the sleeves, the present invention simplifies the composition of the fitness equipment and significantly reduces its cost.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to sports equipment, and more particularly to a fitness equipment with simple structure, easy installation and low manufacturing cost. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional fitness equipment (US 2013/0053218) is known comprising a frame, a pedal unit, a driving unit and a vertical damping unit. The frame comprises a bottom frame member, an upright column affixed to the bottom frame member, a supporting rack connected to the upright column and the bottom frame member, and an axle connected between the upright column and the supporting rack. The pedal unit comprises a pair of linking members respectively rotatably sleeved onto two opposite ends of the axle, a pair of sleeves respectively sleeved onto the linking members, a pair of swing arms respectively connected to the sleeves, and a pair of pedal levers respectively pivotally connected to the swing arms. The driving unit comprises a pair of detent ropes respectively coupled between the linking members and the pedal levers and slidably inserted through the supporting rack. The damping unit is mounted at the frame, and drivable by the driving unit to impart a damping to the pedal levers. 
         [0005]    This design of fitness equipment allows the user to exercise via fitness stepping actions. However, in this prior art design, the axle is fixed and immovable, the linking members of the pedal unit are respectively rotatably mounted on the two opposite ends of the axle and the sleeves are respectively sleeved onto the linking members. Thus, the conventional fitness equipment has many component parts which require a complicated installation procedure, and also has a high manufacturing cost. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a fitness equipment, which has the characteristics of simple structure, ease of installation and low manufacturing cost. 
         [0007]    To achieve this and other objects of the invention, a fitness equipment comprises a frame, a pedal unit, a driving unit, and a vertical damping unit. The frame comprises a bottom frame member, an upright column affixed to the bottom frame member, a supporting rack connected to the upright column and the bottom frame member, and a pair of rotating shafts rotatably mounted between the upright column and the supporting rack. The pedal unit comprises a pair of sleeves respectively rotatably sleeved onto the rotating shafts, a pair of swing arms respectively connected to the sleeves, a pair of pedal levers respectively pivotally connected to the swing arms, and a pair of pedals respectively mounted at the pedal levers. Each pedal lever comprises a front end portion pivotally connected to one respective swing arm, and an opposing rear end portion movable up and down relative to one respective swing arm. The driving unit comprises a pair of detent wheels respectively fixedly connected to the rotating shafts, and a pair of flexible members respectively connected between the detent wheels and the pedal levers and adapted for mechanically resisting the rotation of the rotating shafts. The vertical damping unit is mounted at the frame near the upright column, and drivable by the driving unit to provide a damping to each pedal lever in response to the vertical vector. 
         [0008]    The present invention has the following effects: by means of rotatably mounting the rotating shafts between the upright column and the supporting rack and rotatably mounting the sleeves on the respective rotating shafts, the detent wheels can mechanically resist the rotation of the rotating shafts when driven by the flexible detent members, thus achieving generation of the expected damping. Further, the mating arrangement of the component parts simplifies the structure of the fitness equipment and significantly reduces its manufacturing cost. 
         [0009]    Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fitness equipment in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic exploded view of a part of the fitness equipment in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the fitness equipment in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line V-V of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    It should be noted that the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, but instead are drawn to provide a better understanding of the components thereof, and are not intended to be limiting in scope, but rather to provide exemplary illustrations. It should further be noted that the figures illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and the components thereof, and in no way limits the structures, configurations and components thereof according to the present disclosure. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a fitness equipment in accordance with the present invention is shown. As illustrated, the fitness equipment comprises a frame  10 , a pedal unit  20 , a driving unit  30 , a vertical damping unit  40 , a linking-up unit  50 , and a horizontal damping unit  60 . 
         [0017]    Referring also to  FIG. 5 , the frame  10  comprises a bottom frame member  11 , an upright column  12  fixedly mounted at the bottom frame member  11 , a supporting rack  13  connected to the upright column  12  and the bottom frame member  11 , a pair of rotating shafts  14  rotatably disposed on a top end of the upright column  12  and the supporting rack  13 , a plurality of axle bearings  15  sleeved onto the rotating shafts  14 , and two axle housings  16  respectively affixed to the top end of the upright column  12  and the supporting rack  13 . The upright column  12  has a pair of guide wheels  121  mounted at a middle part thereof. The supporting rack  13  comprises a U-shaped, tubular top frame tube  131 , and a pair of pulleys  132  respectively pivotally mounted at two distal ends of the top frame tube  131 . The top frame tube  131  has two openings  133  located in a top side thereof. The two axle housings  16  are respectively affixed to the top frame tube  131  of the supporting rack  13  adjacent to the openings  133 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  and  FIG. 5  again, the pedal unit  20  comprises a pair of sleeves  21  respectively sleeved onto the rotating shafts  14  and rotatable relative to the respective rotating shafts  14 , a pair of swing arms  22  respectively connected to the sleeves  21 , a pair of pedal levers  23  respectively pivotally connected to the swing arms  22 , and a pair of pedals  24  respectively mounted at the pedal levers  23 . Each sleeve  21  comprises a linking-up rod  211  extending radially therefrom and an upwardly extended grip  212 . Each pedal lever  23  has a front end portion  231  pivotally connected to a bottom end of the associating swing arm  22 , and an opposing rear end portion  232  upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the associating swing arm  22 . The pedals  24  are respectively mounted at the rear end portions  232  of the respective pedal levers  23 . 
         [0019]    The driving unit  30  comprises a pair of detent wheels  31  respectively affixed to the rotating shafts  14  and respectively partially inserted in the openings  133 , a pair of flexible detent members  32  connected between the detent wheels  31  and the pedal levers  23 , a pair of driven wheels  33  respectively affixed to the rotating shafts  13 , and a pair of flexible linking members  34  respectively connected between the driven wheels  33  and the frame  10 . The detent wheels  31  are adapted to mechanically resist the rotation of the rotating shafts  14 . Each flexible detent member  32  comprises a detent end  321  affixed to and wound round the outer perimeter of the associating detent wheel  31 , a connection end  322  connected to the rear end portion  232  of one associating pedal lever  23 , and a middle body portion  323  connected between the detent end  321  and the connection end  322  and is inserted through the U-shaped, tubular top frame bar  131  of the supporting rack  13  and extended over the associating pulley  132 . The driven wheels  33  are respectively rotatable by the respective rotating shafts  14 . Each flexible linking member  34  has a driven end  341  affixed to and wound round the outer perimeter of one associating driven wheel  33 , and a positioning end  342  connected to the bottom frame member  11 . Further, the flexible linking members  34  are respectively extended over the respective guide wheels  121 . 
         [0020]    The vertical damping unit  40  is mounted in the frame  10  near the upright column  12  and drivable by the driving unit  30  to impart a damping to the pedal levers  23  in response to the vertical vector Y. The vertical damping unit  40  comprises a brake wheel  41  mounted at the upright column  12  of the frame  10 , a driving wheel  42  mounted at the bottom frame member  11  at one side relative to the brake wheel  41 , a transmission member  43  connected between the brake wheel  41  and the driving wheel  42 , a crankshaft  44  fixedly connected to the driving wheel  42 , and a pair of guide wheels  45  respectively pivotally mounted at two opposite ends of the crankshaft  44  in an eccentric manner relative to the driving wheel  42 . The flexible linking members  34  are respectively extended over the guide wheels  45  for mechanically resisting the rotation of the guide wheels  45 , driving the driving wheel  42  to rotate and causing the brake wheel  41  to produce a damping in response to the vertical vector Y. 
         [0021]    Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the linking-up unit  50  comprises a rocker arm  51  turnable back and forth relative to the upright column  12 , a pair of drag members  52  respectively affixed to two opposite ends of the rocker arm  51 , and a pair of linkages  53  respectively pivotally connected between the two opposite ends of the rocker arm  51  and the linking-up rods  211  of the sleeves  21 . 
         [0022]    Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the horizontal damping unit  60  comprises a damping wheel  61  pivotally mounted at the upright column  12  of the frame  10 , and a transmission member  62  coupled between the damping wheel  61  and the drag members  52 . The damping wheel  61  comprises a gear  611 . In this embodiment, the transmission member  62  is a single-sided toothed bar meshed with the gear  611  and the drag members  52 . Using the sleeves  21  to drive the rocker arm  51  to oscillate and to simultaneously move the drag members  52  back and forth via the linking-up unit  50  can cause the transmission member  62  to rotate the damping wheel  61 , imparting a damping to the pedal unit  20  in response to the horizontal vector X. 
         [0023]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , when the operator steps on the pedals  24  of the fitness equipment and alternately gives pressure to the two pedals  24  and the respective pedal levers  23  through two legs, the swing arms  22  and the horizontal damping unit  60  are not movable. At this time, the rear end portions  232  of the pedals  23  are respectively forced to drag the respective flexible detent members  32 . Subject to the effect that the detent ends  321  of the flexible detent members  32  are affixed to and wound around the outer perimeter of the respective detent wheels  31 , and the effect that the detent wheels  31  are respectively affixed to the rotating shafts  14 , the flexible detent members  32  mechanically resist the rotation of the rotating shafts  14  relative to the frame  10 . Further, when the rotating shafts  14  are driven to rotate, they can drive the respective driven wheels  33  to rotate. Subject to the effect that the driven ends  341  of the flexible linking members  34  are respectively affixed to and wound around the outer perimeter of the respective driven wheels  33 , the flexible detent members  32  mechanically resist the movement of the flexible linking members  34 , and the flexible linking members  34  mechanically resist the rotation of the guide wheels  45  and drive the driving wheels  42  to rotate. This causes the brake wheel  45  to generate a damping in response to the vertical vector Y, and thus the operator can train the muscles of the legs. 
         [0024]    When the operator steps on the pedals  24  and alternately gives a forward pressure to the pedals  24 , in addition to the generation of the aforesaid damping in response to the vertical vector Y, the front end portions  231  of the pedal levers  23  drive the bottom ends of the respective swing arms  22 . Accordingly, the swing arms  22  alternately move the respective sleeves  21  back and forth relative to the respective rotating shafts  14  and the frame  10 . At the same time, the linking-up rods  211  of the respective sleeves  21  drive the respective linking-up rods  53  of the linking-up unit  50  to oscillate the rocker arm  51  relative to the upright column  12 , causing the rocker arm  51  to move the drag members  52  back and forth. Thus, the transmission member  62  can be driven to rotate the damping wheel  61  in generating a damping in response to the horizontal vector X, and the operator can therefore train the muscles of the legs. 
         [0025]    Thus, the operator can operate the fitness equipment under different operating modes to generate: (1) damping in response to the horizontal vector X, (2) damping in response to the vertical vector Y, and (3) the combination of damping in response to the horizontal vector X and damping in response to the vertical vector Y. The present invention allows the operator to select different operating modes to meet different requirements, such as: the operating mode of forward-backward sliding, the operating mode of stepping up and down, and the operating mode of forward-backward and up-down elliptical trajectory. 
         [0026]    In conclusion, the present invention has the rotating shafts  14  rotatably mounted between the upright column  12  and the supporting rack  13 , and the sleeves  21  of the pedal unit  20  respectively and rotatably sleeved onto the rotating shafts  14 . This arrangement provides for simplifying the linking structure between the pedal unit  20  and the driving unit  30 , facilitating the installation process and reducing the number of component parts and the cost of equipment. 
         [0027]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0