Patent ID: 6949053

Claim:
A method of generating elliptical exercise motion, comprising the steps of: providing a frame configured to rest upon a floor surface; pivotally mounting a first left link and a first right link on a first end of the frame at a first common pivot axis; pivotally mounting a second left link and a second right link on the first end of the frame at a second common pivot axis; pivotally interconnecting a third left link between the first left link and the second left link; pivotally interconnecting a third right link between the first right link and the second right link; rotatably mounting a left crank and a right crank on an opposite, second end of the frame at a common crank axis; interconnecting a left rail between the left crank and one said left link; interconnecting a right rail between the right crank and one said right link; movably mounting a left foot support on the left rail; movably mounting a right foot support on the right rail; linking the left foot support to another said left link in a manner that constrains the left foot supports to move through a generally elliptical path having a generally vertical minor axis determined by vertical displacement of the left crank, and a generally horizontal major axis determined by amplified horizontal displacement of the another said left link; and linking the right foot support to another said right link in a manner that constrains the right foot support to move through a generally elliptical path having a generally vertical minor axis determined by vertical displacement of the right crank, and generally horizontal major axis determined by amplified displacement of the another said right link.