Patents Examined by Steve R. Crow
  • Patent number: 7708668
    Abstract: A stationary exercise device with flexible support elements may include a frame with a base portion. A crank system with crank arms is coupled to and supported by the frame. Right and left pivotal linkage assemblies may each have an arcuate motion member and a foot support member. The arcuate motion member may be coupled to the frame. The foot support member may be coupled to the arcuate motion member. The arcuate motion member may be oriented in a generally vertical position and the foot support member may be oriented a generally horizontal position. Flexible element coupling systems couple the right and left foot support members to the crank system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Robert E. Rodgers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7704192
    Abstract: An exercise device is provided including a foot link having a rearward end and a forward end. An adjustable stride mechanism is provided. The adjustable stride mechanism includes a primary gear and a secondary gear. The primary gear is sized larger relative to the secondary gear. A primary crank connects the primary gear and the secondary gear. A timing belt connects the primary gear to the secondary gear. The primary crank and the timing belt enable the secondary gear to rotate around the primary gear. A secondary crank is pivotally attached to the secondary gear and to a foot link. The secondary crank creates an ellipse-shaped path for the foot link as the secondary gear rotates around the primary gear. Thus, the foot link motion combines an at least a dual ellipse motion. An automatic adjusting mechanism can be provided to adjust the adjustable stride mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: David E. Dyer, Franklin C. Marti, Jonathan M. Stewart, Gregory B. May, David L. Albert
  • Patent number: 7704191
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exercise device that generally includes two treadles pivotally connected with a frame so that the treadles may pivot up and down about an axis. Each treadle includes a tread belt that provides a moving surface like a treadmill. Each tread belt is supported by a front roller and a rear roller, which is common to both treadles. The treadles are interconnected to provide an alternating upward and downward movement relative to each other. Opposing end portions of the rear roller are rotatably supported at the rear end of the frame. Outer sides of rear end portions of the treadles are rotatably supported by the outer end portions of the rear roller, and inner sides of rear end portions of the treadles are coupled with the frame through an inner support structure that defines a virtual pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Nautilus, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Smith, Richard W. Trevino, Douglas A. Crawford
  • Patent number: 7699760
    Abstract: To reposition parts of the body, pool therapy fixtures are used in a pool to develop neuromuscular recognition of the normal human musculoskeletal, respiratory and neurological patterns with feed forward activation. Individual muscles are isolated using the buoyancy of the pool, and in some cases applying streams of water within the pool against specific muscles. Selected forces may be applied using water jets in multiple directions in a programmed sequence with at least one pool therapy fixture to provide neuromuscular training.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Ronald J. Hruska, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7695407
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus having a body including a top surface configured for being stood on by a user, a bottom surface configured for partially resting on a ground surface, a pair of oppositely located side surfaces, a front portion curving in a direction away from the ground, and a back portion oppositely located from the front portion and curving in a direction away from the ground, wherein the bottom surface is configured for enabling rotational and lateral movement of the apparatus relative to the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Inventors: Elwood Bernard Miller, Randy Putland
  • Patent number: 7695409
    Abstract: An independent and foldable running exercise installation that includes: a platform that includes a chassis and, incorporated into the latter, a running track and its tensioning and driving means fixed to the front of the platform, two lateral uprights the top ends of which support a handlebar that includes two lateral branches connected by a linking part, and the ends of which act as handles. Each lateral upright is formed of a front arm and a rear arm which are in parallel and articulated by their lower ends on the side of the platform, on two pivoting axes, and by their top ends to the lateral branches on two pivoting axes. Since the first axis is higher than the second, the four axes forming a deformable parallelogram between a position of use in which the handgrips are more or less horizontal and the lateral uprights are more or less vertical, and a storage position in which the linking part is placed flat on the top of the platform and the lateral uprights on the sides of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Decathlon
    Inventors: Christophe Helie, Serge Ekeloo, Grégoire Nys, Nicolas Allion, Christophe Marcy
  • Patent number: 7691035
    Abstract: An elliptical exercise machine includes a frame pivotally attached to a base, a pivotal coupling device pivotally coupling the base and the frame together, a retractable device having an outer tube pivotally coupled to the base, and an inner shaft slidably engaged in the outer tube and pivotally coupled to the pivotal coupling device for allowing the inner shaft to be moved into the outer tube or to be moved out of the outer tube when the frame is pivoted to the base, and a latching device for latching the inner shaft to the outer tube at any selected position and for allowing the elliptical exercise machine to be easily adjusted to different moving strokes and to be easily operated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Inventors: Ming Nan Chen, Hsuan Fu Huang
  • Patent number: 7691034
    Abstract: An elliptical exercise device includes a frame having a first pivot axis and a longitudinal axis, at least one foot link and at least one swing arm. The foot link is coupled to the frame and is constrained to move in an orbital path approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis. The swing arm is also coupled to the frame and has a reciprocating movement whereby a natural “stride” movement of the arm of a user is replicated. The swing arm operates independently from the foot link. The natural “stride” movement of the arm of the user grasping the arm link follows a generally concave motion relative to the ground. The length of the movement of the arm of the user is defined by the user. A different resistive load can be applied on the arm apparatus than on the foot links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory B. May, James S. Birrell, Peter J. Arnold, Thomas H. Moran, Phillip S. Lamb
  • Patent number: 7682290
    Abstract: A stationary exercise device with adjustable members for varying the stride path and the exercise intensity of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Johnson Health Tech.
    Inventors: Hung-Mao Liao, Shu-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 7682292
    Abstract: A flywheel-type variable resistance generating device for an exercising apparatus includes two actuating arms disposed outboard of a flywheel, a pulling cord having two anchoring ends coupled with a tightening-force adjusting member and a lever, and two pull-activating members connected to the pulling cord so as to move the actuating arms. The actuating arms are movable among a starting position where they are disengaged from the flywheel, an adjusted position where they are partially engaged with the flywheel, and a braking position where they are fully engaged with the flywheel. When the lever is operated to move one anchoring end with a braking force, the other anchoring end of the pulling cord is pulled back to its initial locus to move the actuating arms to the starting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Giant Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Hai Lo
  • Patent number: 7670266
    Abstract: An elliptical machine has a frame and an operating linkage between the frame and foot supports. Each side of the operating linkage comprises five links that are connected with five pin joints. A foot support is connected to each side of the operating linkage with each of the five pin joints being positioned forward of the foot support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Unisen, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Torres Cornejo, Mark William Chiles, James Dey, Felipe J. Marin, Kevin Patrick Corbalis
  • Patent number: 7670268
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a frame configured to rest on a floor surface; left and right cranks rotatably mounted on the frame; left and right drive links having forward ends rotatably coupled to respective cranks, and rearward ends constrained to move in reciprocal fashion relative to the frame; left and right rocker links rotatably mounted on the frame at a common pivot axis; left and right drawbar links rotatably interconnected between respective rocker links and respective drive links; and left and right foot links having forward ends rotatably coupled to respective rocker links, and rearward, foot supporting ends constrained to move in reciprocal fashion relative to respective drawbar links or respective drive links. The resulting linkage assemblies constrain the foot supporting ends to move through elliptical paths, and the paths may be altered by adjusting various components of the linkage assemblies relative to one another and/or the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Stearns, Joseph D. Maresh
  • Patent number: 7670267
    Abstract: A pace-adjusting mechanism of an elliptical cross trainer having an electric adjusting motor installed at the bottom of a flywheel transmission unit for driving a telescopic tube in displacement. Meanwhile, a w-shaped driven connecting rod and two L-shaped connecting elements are employed to adjust the vertical position of two treadle planks, thereby achieving different exercise paces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Inventor: Leao Wang
  • Patent number: 7666128
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a portable apparatus for training a user in in increasing levels of skill, control and maneuverability of a board for a board sport. The portable apparatus comprises a foot placement mat and a support unit. The foot placement mat comprises multiple placement zones for indicating a first location for positioning a support unit and second locations for placing the user's feet. The support unit comprises laterally opposite support members and hand placement platforms. Each of the laterally opposite support members comprises an elongated section and a lower protruding section. The hand placement platforms are detachably attached to the elongated section or the lower protruding section of the laterally opposite support members for enabling placement of the user's hands in an elevated position or a lower position respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Inventors: James Humphrey Hubbard, Darci Ruth Raphael
  • Patent number: 7666122
    Abstract: An elliptical exercise machine features a pair of translating members to which a pair of foot members is axially secured. The foot members each pivots with respect to the associated translating member. The generated motion allows a user to lock a knee before beginning downward movement and allows a user to bend the same knee before beginning forward movement such that the motion is more natural for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Unisen, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Chiles, Felipe J. Marin, James Dey, Victor Torres Cornejo, Kevin Patrick Corbalis
  • Patent number: 7662069
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus has a linkage assembly which links rotation of a crank to generally elliptical movement of a force receiving member. The linkage assembly includes a flexible drawbar interconnected between the crank and frame of the exercise apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Inventors: Joseph D. Maresh, Kenneth W. Stearns
  • Patent number: 7654936
    Abstract: A stationary exercise device having variable footpaths is disclosed. The exercise device includes a frame, a pair of supporting members that have a first end to rotate about an axis and a second end to move along a reciprocating path, a pair of pedals joined to the supporting members, and a guider assembly for adjusting an incline angle of the reciprocating path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Johnson Health Tech.
    Inventors: Hung-Mao Liao, Bill W. Baier, Mark J. Kannel, Donald E. Stiemke, Darian P. Johnston, J. Addison Pettis
  • Patent number: 7651446
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a core exercise apparatus that combines lower arm movements with knee movements to exercise the core muscles of an operator in a cyclic manner. More particularly, the present invention is associated with an exercise apparatus having a separately supported knee platform for a portion of an operator coordinated with the motion of a lower arm platform. Further, the knees of the operator follow an elliptical curve path in concert with the up and down movements of the lower arm platform to drive a flywheel for cardio core exercise of the abdominal, lower and upper back muscles. The obliques may also be exercised by a reposition of the lower legs on the knee platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Inventor: Paul William Eschenbach
  • Patent number: 7651445
    Abstract: An elliptical trainer has a base, a flywheel, two four-bar linkages and two handles. The base has a bottom frame and a support mounted on the bottom frame. The four-bar linkages are mounted pivotally on the support and each four-bar linkage has a front link, a rear link, an upper coupler and a lower link. The handle assemblies are mounted pivotally on the support and pivotally connected respectively to the four-bar linkages. Because the four-bar linkages and the handle assemblies are structured compact and simple, fabrication, carrying and maintenance of the elliptical trainer are convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Inventor: I-Huang Chen
  • Patent number: 7648445
    Abstract: An elliptical exercise apparatus includes a body having a base frame and two supporting frames uprighted at two opposite sides of the base frame; a pair of lead swing arms each having an upper end pivotally coupled with the corresponding supporting frame wherein a sliding treadle assembly having a lower end provided with a treadle portion is axially slidably attached to the lead swing arm; a pair of subsidiary swing arms each having one end pivotally coupled with the base frame wherein a subsidiary sliding sleeve pivotally coupled with the sliding treadle assembly via a pivot is axially slidably attached to the subsidiary swing arm; and a rotational shaft transversely and pivotally coupled with the base frame, wherein at each of two ends of the rotational shaft, a vertical rotational link has one end coupled with the rotational shaft and an opposite end pivotally coupled with the sliding sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Cycling & Health Tech Industry R & D Center
    Inventors: Chun-Ho Chen, Chia-Hsiun Chuang