Physical exercise apparatus and footrest platform for use with the apparatus
A physical exercise apparatus equipped with upwardly and downwardly movable bars on which footrest platforms are mounted, and having grip poles that are fixed or movable as part of an exercise, wherein the platforms are tiltable to both sides transverse to an axis that extends along the length of the bars. The platforms each have a tilting mechanism that is steplessly or stepwise adjustable from a locked position to a tilting function state, and the platforms have a means for engagement with a guide track and/or articulated arms that are fastened to the fitness apparatus frame, whereby the platform is cause to be slidably guidable along the bars, and that the movement is a function of the vertical movement of the bars.
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The present invention relates to a device for strengthening and rehabilitating a person's muscles and is especially based on embodiments related to the principle of controlled exercise by having to balance/control instability during physical exertion. More precisely, the invention relates to a device as disclosed in the preamble of the attached independent claims.
PCT Application Publ. No. WO00/68067 describes a pedal device for physical exercise, for example, a bicycle or exercise apparatus, wherein the device comprises a first pedal that is rotatably attached to a pedal shaft which at the free end thereof can be rigidly mounted to the crank arm, and wherein the first pedal has a pedal engagement face for use in the performance of conventional exercise, and wherein the device is made having a second pedal tiltably attached to the first pedal about an axis that extends transversely through a longitudinal axis of the pedal shaft.
From what is previously known, exercise under controlled instability will have a positive health effect on a person's muscles, tendons and balance, both in the case of strength training and during rehabilitation after injury. It is important that the degree of movement of the devices which provide instability in an exercise apparatus can easily be adjusted and that this adjustment is stepless from a lockable position. This will spare a first-time user from experiencing a movement of the exercise apparatus for which he was unprepared.
The earlier solutions for instability in exercise and sports equipment have limited areas of application. The pedals described earlier will typically be suitable for bicycles and stationary exercise bicycles, and are not suitable for use in fitness apparatus such as step machines and different exercise apparatus for combined leg and arm exercises. The object of the present invention is to solve the problem of how instability can be implemented in other exercise apparatus and exercise methods than those previously known. The characteristic features of the invention are set forth in the attached independent claims. Additional embodiments of the device are set forth in the associated dependent claims. Thus, the invention comprises solutions in connection with footrests that have a tilting function and adjustment thereof, and where the footrests can be adapted to suit different exercise apparatus. There will also be described apparatus equipped with footrests which in addition to a tilting function also have a sliding function, and that the exercise apparatus have different solutions for arm movements which include the use of poles and handles. The invention also comprises a number of solutions for manual and automatic adjustment of the tilting function of footrests and the length of the sliding function thereof.
The application will describe the invention split into three main groups:
-
- footrests with a tilting function and adjustment of the degree of tilt and locking mechanisms therefor, and how these are adapted to and work in conjunction with different exercise apparatus;
- exercise apparatus which provide stride and step exercises with footrests that have both a sliding movement and a tilting movement; and
- exercise apparatus which provide a simulated walking and running motion with footrests that have both a sliding movement and a tilting movement.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings:
As mentioned in connection with
Another mechanical solution is to replace, or connect the rotating wheel to a wire and pulley solution which will actuate the spring tightener. The other end of the wire can thus be arranged on the exercise apparatus handles 23, 23′ (
Modern and advanced exercise apparatus will have a panel with a display for various items of information about the apparatus and the performance of the exercise. This may be information about time, resistance, performance, pulse, stamina, apparatus settings, memory of earlier achievements and so on. The exercise apparatus may also contain technology for processing data and exchanging the data with various exercise programs and competitors who use similar exercise apparatus and systems.
The exercise apparatus as shown in connection with
In connection with
As mentioned in connection with
Movement of footrests as shown in, inter alia,
In substitution for blocks of a rigid substance, air-filed chambers 96, 96′ could be arranged between the tilting platform and frame as shown in
The reference numerals 92, 95 indicate wheels fastened to the frame which render the footrests slidable and adjustable to the fitness apparatus on which they are to be used.
The following will describe an exercise apparatus that uses the footrests and solutions for instability as described above.
The exercise apparatus described here in connection with
The handles can be used for exercise either when the person is standing on the footrests of the apparatus or when the person is standing on the floor. Here, spring poles 136, 137 are shown which consist of an elastically yielding material such as metal used in torsion bars, or an assembly of parts, e.g., such as a spring bank. The handles as shown here can be set in steps 138 and locked by a spring pin 139. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the actual technical solution can be achieved in a number of ways, and the solution shown here should not be understood as being limiting for the invention. The elastically yielding part of the pole may be the lowermost part of the pole 140 or higher up as indicated by 140′. The design is such that the spring pole 136, 137 cannot be stretched towards the person exercising, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus, but will follow the primary function of the apparatus as described earlier.
This exercise apparatus will give a longer step length than is possible with the exercise apparatus shown in connection with
An exercise apparatus that gives an elliptical movement of the legs of the person exercising has been described above, see
In connection with exercise apparatus that give a circular movement of the feet and legs of a user, referred to as “elliptical” in this application, the rotating wheel or crank to which bars for the footrests are attached will determine the length and height of the elliptical movement the user endeavours to achieve during exercise. The “elliptical” exercise apparatus on the market today are dependent on the size of the rotating wheel and crank with the result that these exercise apparatus are often very large. However, the height displacement of the foot platforms does not seem to be the main reason for the size of the rotating wheel, but rather its horizontal movement. The rotating wheel of the elliptical exercise apparatus on the market today is often 50 cm in diameter in order to give a movement of the bars which in turn gives step lengths from 40-50 cm. The present invention seeks to obtain an elliptical exercise apparatus that can be more compact than today's solutions, but still give at least as good an exercise experience and effect.
The exercise apparatus shown in
The figures do not show how resistance in movement of the exercise apparatus components is solved. However, this is known from elliptical exercise apparatus on the market today. Here, various forms of brake technology of the flywheel are used such as slip belts, indicated by 256, or brake pads or a magnetic brake device 257.
The slide path in which the footrests run on the exercise apparatus shown in
It should be stressed that exercise apparatus as shown in connection with
In connection with exercise apparatus which have footrests with a sliding function as shown, inter alia, in connection with
As mentioned above, this exercise apparatus has a stepless adjustment of the step length. Moving the points of suspension at 318, 319 as indicated by arrow 320 will affect the degree of movement of the bars and the footrests connected thereto. This can be done by the user manually, for example, using a push/screw device, or by using a servo/motor or a hydraulic system. In connection with
The system described in connection with
The following is an example of how this may work. It is assumed that the wheel/crank has a diameter of about 300 mm, displacement of the carriage along the threaded rod is about 165 mm and the step length is variable between about 300 mm and 500 mm as limited by the length of the bars. The pitch of the threaded rod is equal to 1.5 mm per revolution of the wheel/crank which gives one pulse per 0.75 mm, as the threaded rod 324 has the throughgoing steel pin 321 which the proximity counter 328 measures. It is assumed that there is a desire that a speed of the wheel/crank of 60 rpm should give a step length of 400 mm. This means that the carriage will have to be about 100 mm from the switch 326. This is achieved in that the motor 325 is activated and operates the wheel/crank until about 130 pulses have been measured by the counter 328. The ratio of step length to speed is regulated through a proportional integral derivative (PD) controller 330.
As outlined in
As mentioned, the technology for setting the step length can be provided in many ways. For example, a sliding potentiometer could be used to measure the position of the carriage. Optics can be used for measuring positions and rotation together with speed calculation. Electromagnetic devices may also be used for measuring speed of the flywheel or the crank. For movement of bars for adjusting step length, an alternative solution may be to use hydraulics instead of electronic motor technology.
The handles or poles that are described and attached to the apparatus in question are of more or less prior art. They have a tilting movement about a shaft where the handles describe a concave curve that runs to and from the person using the exercise apparatus. See, for example,
A natural arm movement for a person running or cross-country skiing describes something close to a curve as indicated by the arrow 351 in
In connection with an exercise apparatus as shown in
An exercise apparatus as shown in connection with
Claims
1. A footrest platform device for use in apparatus for physical exercise, preventive exercise and rehabilitation, characterised in
- that the platform is limitedly tiltable to both sides transverse to the longitudinal axis of the platform, and that the platform's degree of tiltability is stepwise or steplessly adjustable through the use of an, optionally lockable, adjusting mechanism. (FIGS. 1-6 and FIGS. 27, 28)
2. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that the adjusting mechanism consists of a spring bit surrounded by a spring tightener device movable along the bit, and that the spring tightener is in movable engagement with a threaded rod which at one end thereof is fastened to a means for causing a rotational movement of the threaded rod.
3. A device as disclosed in claim 2, characterised in
- that said means is an electrically controllable motor.
4. A platform device as disclosed in claim 3, characterised in
- that the platform is set in a fixed, neutral position when the apparatus is not in use.
5. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that the platform has a fastening device that is movable and lockable in different positions along the length of an upwardly and downwardly movable bar on the apparatus.
6. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that the platform is tiltably supported on a platform frame or a pair of platform carriages.
7. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that each platform is mountable on an upwardly and downwardly movable bar on the apparatus, said bar being designed to be tiltable to both sides transverse to an axis that extends along the longitudinal axis of the bar.
8. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that the adjusting mechanism consists of a wheel having an elliptical or progressive circumference, where the outer circumference of the wheel exerts pressure on a cylinder that moves a spring towards a movable part having at the opposite end a V-shaped piece that enters a V-shape in another part that is fastened to the underside of the platform. (FIG. 7)
9. A device as disclosed in claim 8, characterised in
- that the wheel is level with the axis of rotation of the platform and between the underside of the tiltable platform and the platform frame on which the platform is tiltably supported.
10. A device as disclosed in claim 1, characterised in
- that between the platform and the frame there are arranged replaceable or adjustable, preferably elastically yielding, elements that determine the degree of movement of the platform. (FIG. 8)
11. A device as disclosed in claim 5, characterised in
- that said movement is dependent upon the vertical movement of the bar.
12. A physical exercise apparatus equipped with upwardly and downwardly movable bars on which are mounted footrest platforms and having grip poles and grip handles that are fixed or movable as part of an exercise, characterised in
- that the platforms are tiltable to both sides transverse to an axis that extends along the length of the bar. (FIGS. 9-12)
13. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the platforms each have a tilting mechanism that is steplessly or stepwise adjustable from a locked position to a tilting function state.
14. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the platforms have a means for engagement with a guide track and/or articulated arms that are fastened to the frame of the fitness apparatus, whereby the platform is caused to be slidably guidable along the bars, and that the movement is a function of the vertical movement of the bars.
15. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 14, characterised in
- that said poles or handles are movably fastened to the fitness apparatus frame and are articulatedly connected to the bars of the apparatus so that the movement of the poles or handles at least partly follows the movement of the bars.
16. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 14, characterised in
- that the poles or handles are in addition limitedly movable transverse to their primary movement.
17. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the upward and downward movement of the bars has adjustable resistance to movement.
18. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that guide tracks are secured to an upright frame part between the platforms, and that the tracks have a curved shape which causes the sliding movement of the platforms along said bars on vertical force actuation of said platforms and bars. (FIG. 11)
19. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the bars are connected to a tilting device that controls the mutually opposite vertical direction of travel of the bars. (FIG. 12)
20. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 19, characterised in
- in that the tilting device is mounted in the frame between the bars and has length-adjustable articulated arms connected to the bars.
21. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 20, characterised in
- that the tilting device has a means for adjustable tilt resistance.
22. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the bars are connected to motion dampers.
23. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that each bar is of a spring material and consists of a forward and a rear part which respectively are connected to a forward and a rear part of the platform. (FIG. 13)
24. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 23, characterised in
- that the said forward and rear parts are each constructed telescopically, and that the telescopic extent of each part is adjustable for regulating its elasticity.
25. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that the rear end of the bars is connected to a crank and a rotating wheel, that the platforms run on tracks in the bars, and that articulated arms are connected to the fitness apparatus frame and bars, said articulated arms being designed to pull and push the platforms along the bars when the crank and rotating wheel are set in motion. (FIG. 14)
26. A physical exercise apparatus as disclosed in claim 13, characterised in
- that the articulated arms that are connected to the platforms are length-adjustable for adjusting the platforms' extent of movement along the bars.
27. A physical exercise apparatus equipped with upwardly and downwardly movable bars, and having footrest platforms mounted thereon, and with grip poles or grip handles that are fixed or movable as part of an exercise, characterised in
- that each bar at its rear end is pivotally connected to a rotating wheel or crank, that at the other end the bars are connected to articulated arms that cause a see-saw movement of the bars, and that the platforms are tiltable to both sides transverse to an axis that extends along the longitudinal axis of the bars. (FIGS. 15-18)
28. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that the platforms are slidable along the length of the bars, that vertical forces which are applied to the bars cause the platforms to describe a circular movement path relative to the apparatus frame, and that articulated arms connected to the frame and the platforms move the platforms in a sliding movement along the bars.
29. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 28, characterised in
- that the platforms are slidably movable along the bars in tracks, and that the tracks have one or a combination of at least two of the following shapes: linear path curved path path with several curves convex path concave path convex and concave path.
30. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 29, characterised in
- that the apparatus poles have their tilt axis adjustably arranged on the apparatus frame for adjustability of the extent of tilt of the poles or handles.
31. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that the step length of the platform is by means of an adjusting device adjustable as a function of the rotational speed of the rotating wheel. (FIGS. 19-20)
32. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that the nominal step length of the platform is adjustable by an apparatus user, and that the adjustment of the step length takes place automatically with the aid of an adjusting mechanism connected to articulated arms for control of the sliding function of the platform.
33. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 32, characterised in
- that the adjusting mechanism consists of a carriage to which articulated arms are fastened, that the carriage is movable along a track upon rotation of a connected threaded rod, and that the rotation of the threaded rod is operated by a motor, the position of the carriage along the track determining the step length of the platforms.
34. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 32, characterised in
- that the adjusting device consists of a carriage to which articulated arms are fastened, that the carriage is movable along a track, and that the positioning of the carriage along the track is adjustable by means of a hydraulically controllable device.
35. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that said poles or handles have at least one portion thereof running in curved tracks for giving, when the fitness apparatus is in use, said poles or handles a curved movement towards and away from the apparatus user, and that the movement of said poles or handles is a function of the sliding movement of the platforms. (FIGS. 21, 22)
36. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 35, characterised in
- that the sliding movement of the platforms is transmitted via two sets of articulated arms which at their respective ends run in tracks on the frame to wire guides that are connected to further articulated arms which at an end thereof run in tracks, and where these articulated arms are connected to said poles or handles. (FIG. 21)
37. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that each of the poles or handles consists of two telescopically cooperating parts, and that the length of the pole or handle is designed to vary as a result of the sliding movement of the platform along the bars. (FIG. 22)
38. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 37, characterised in
- that an upper part of the two telescopic parts in sliding engagement with a track that is fixed to the frame, that the movement of the apparatus bars upwards and downwards is designed to transmit movement to the poles or the handles, a grip piece on said upper part being designed to slide in said track, whereby the pole or the handle is given varying length as a result of its movement in the track.
39. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 12, characterised in
- that on the underside between each bar and frame there is mounted a cylinder damper that acts against the downward vertical movement of the bars, that the movement of the bars is controlled by a rod mounted on the apparatus frame transverse to the longitudinal direction of the bars at a point in association with the tilt point of the bars, that when the rod at a first end position thereof and about a pivot point thereon is pushed in one direction by a first link on one of the bars, the rod will turn so that the other bar moves in the opposite direction of the first bar, a link on the second bar being in engagement with a second end of the rod. (FIGS. 23, 24)
40. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 39, characterised in
- that the link on the bar is articulatedly connected to a lower portion of the associated pole or handle, so that downward movement of a bar with attached platform causes forward movement of the associated pole or handle, and so that upward movement of a bar with attached platform causes backward movement of the associated pole or handle.
41. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that the driving wheel in cooperation with a flywheel that can be equipped with a motion braking device. (FIGS. 25a, 27a)
42. An apparatus as disclosed in claim 27, characterised in
- that each of said poles or handles is pivotally supported on an upright portion of the apparatus frame and at a lower portion pivotally supported on a forward portion of the respective bars; and
- that the platform movable along the bar is connected to a pair of articulated arms, wherein a first of the articulated arms between its ends it pivotally supported at said forward portion of the bar, at an upper end is designed to run in a guide in said upright portion and at its lower end is articulatedly connected to a first end of the second articulated arm, a second end of the second articulated arm being articulatedly connected to said platform. (FIG. 25a and FIG. 26).
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 4, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 3, 2006
Applicant: Flexiped AS (Oslo)
Inventors: Ziad Badarneh (Oslo), Benedict Hansen (Oslo), Torbjorn Mollatt (Oppegard)
Application Number: 10/559,648
International Classification: A63B 22/04 (20060101); A63B 22/06 (20060101); A63B 69/16 (20060101);