Gymnastic machine

Abstract

Gymnastic machine having a frame (10) and an exercise station (20) provided with at least one footrest (30) movable with respect to the frame (10) along a first open trajectory (P1); each footrest (30) being supported rotatably by a first rocker arm (42) in turn supported by a second rocker arm (44) coupled rotatably to the frame (10); a device (50) to control rotation of the first rocker arm (42) being carried on the second rocker arm (44) to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses in the exercise station (20) and around each footrest (30).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a machine effectively usable for performing physical exercises. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine having at least one pair of footrests for the repeated performance of alternating movements along an open trajectory. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a pair of footrests for repeatedly performing alternating movements along an open trajectory for training with prolonged cyclical exertions of the lower limbs.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the field of gymnastic machines there are well-known skating simulators for training of the lower limbs particularly suitable for cardiovascular training sessions.

Some machines of this type are produced in implementation of patents whose teachings have already been described and discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/908,316 filed on May 6, 2005 which is incorporated herein for reference thereto. Furthermore, the teachings that can be drawn from this patent application have enabled the construction of a machine called “Cardio Wave”, in which a pair of footrests, each of which supported by an arm is hinged to a frame and is movable along an open trajectory according to a composite movement when each arm is moved outward. This composite movement is governed for each arm by an articulated mechanism, which connects the frame to the respective footrest. The arms of the two footrests are positioned crossing over each other and therefore have a considerable extension but, to avoid coming into reciprocal contact or, even worse, knocking against each other during movement, they are shaped asymmetrically. Therefore, both the arms and the relative articulated mechanisms are constructed in a different manner. This peculiarity makes the bill of materials of the gymnastic machine constructed according to the dictates of application Ser. No. 10/908,316 particularly intricate and complex, and consequently the machine can only be produced with high production investments, due to the large amount of equipment required by the considerable number of pieces of different shapes and dimensions, even if for identical functions. To limit these problems, the applicant has varied the machine concept to make it symmetrical and has described it in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/494,994 filed on Jul. 28, 2006. In this case, the machine is symmetrical and each footrest is supported by the connecting rod of an articulated quadrilateral, and is movable with respect to this connecting rod according to the aforesaid composite movement through a lever carried by the connecting rod.

It must be observed that in the case of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/494,994 the pivot axis of the footrest is not positioned on the centre line of the connecting rod eyes. Therefore, the pivot axes of the connecting rod and of the footrest on the connecting rod are arranged in a triangle, and the connecting rod, triangular in shape, should be produced as a box-shaped body in order to present the necessary rigidity and a reasonable weight. Therefore, each footrest must have a corresponding support with a considerable cost and a particularly compact mechanism in which the respective components frequently overlap one another.

With regard to the description above, both in the case of inventive concept pursuant to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/908,316 and in the case of the inventive concept pursuant to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/494,994 the construction of a protective casing for the mechanisms/articulated quadrilaterals supporting the footrests is undoubtedly necessary to avoid serious injuries in the event of the user losing his/her balance and placing a foot or limb in general in the space swept by the footrests and/or by the quadrilateral components. Furthermore, the design and production of this casing will be particularly complex, and will involve a considerable commitment in relation to the cost for the respective design, production, assembly and maintenance operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a machine effectively usable for performing training exercises. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine having at least one pair of footrests for the repeated performance of alternating movements along an open trajectory. Therefore, this invention can be effectively applied both to gymnastic machines aimed principally at muscular development and to machines suitable for the training with prolonged cyclical exertions of the lower limbs.

The object of the present invention is to construct a gymnastic machine that allows the disadvantages described above to be solved, and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and therefore, suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest and capable of modifying the current market of skating simulators.

According to the present invention, a gymnastic machine is constructed, whose main characteristics are described in at least one of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the machine according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the machine itself are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view of FIG. 1, with parts removed for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view in an enlarged scale of a portion of FIG. 1, with parts removed for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a view in an enlarged scale of FIG. 3, with parts removed for clarity; and

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates some geometrical details of FIG. 1 in two different operating positions, with parts removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, no. 1 indicates a gymnastic machine effectively usable for performing skating training exercises. This machine 1 comprises a frame 10 and an exercise station 20 provided with at least one footrest 30 movable with respect to the frame 10 along an open trajectory P1. Each footrest 30 is supported rotatably by an articulated mechanism 40, which comprises a first rocker arm 42 and a second rocker arm coupled to each other. The first rocker arm 42 presents a free end 48 supporting a respective footrest 30 and is supported, at the opposite side from the free end 48 thereof, by a second rocker arm 44, which is rotatably coupled to the frame 10 by a respective support 12, substantially cylindrical and provided with a turning pair 14. The machine 1 also comprises a device 50 to control relative rotation of the two rocker arms 42 and 44 which is associated with the second rocker arm 44. The decision to install this control device 50 on the rocker arm 44 has the purpose of minimising the size of the volumes engaged by the moving masses of the station 20, and consequently the two rocker arms 42 and 44 and the footrest 30 for each mechanism 40.

In particular, the control device 50 comprises a transmission 52 with parallel axes which, in use, following a rotation imposed on the first rocker arm 42 caused by outward actuation of the respective footrest 30, is suitable to produce a relative counter-rotation of the first and second rocker arms 42 and 44 with respect to each other according to a determined transmission ratio τ which, owing to the particular construction, conditions operation of the articulated mechanism 40. This transmission 52 can be mechanical or of any other type. In any case, for simplicity, it could be constructed as illustrated in FIG. 3 and therefore comprises a first wheel 54 associated with the second rocker arm 44 and carried fixed by the frame 10 at the level of the pivot axis of said second rocker arm 44; a second wheel 56 carried by the second rocker arm 44 in a freely rotatable manner and angularly rotatable jointly with the first rocker arm 42; and a belt 58 which is wound in a ring on the periphery of the wheels 54 and 56 to mechanically couple the wheels 54 and 56 themselves, and consequently the rocker arms 42 and 44, to control the rotations thereof in a reciprocally opposite direction. As is known, the transmission ratio τ can be calculated as the ratio between the diameters of the wheels 56 and 54 in the case of a belt 58 suitable to act by friction, or as the ratio between the teeth of the wheel of lesser diameter and the teeth of the wheel of greater diameter known and not illustrated, or between the teeth of two toothed wheels coupled directly to each other or coupled remotely through a toothed belt. In the case of a generic belt 58, in order to make the mechanical coupling between the wheels 54 and 56 rigid, a tensioning pulley 59 has been provided, which presents an axis parallel to the axis of the wheels 54 and 56 and is carried idle by the second rocker arm 44. In the case of users with a considerable mass, the wheels 54 and 56, the pulley 59 and the belt 58 could be toothed, in order to entirely eliminate the risk of friction and loss of phase between the two rocker arms 42 and 44.

With regard to the above description, when in use an outward thrust is exerted on each footrest 30, and therefore indirectly on the first rocker arm 42, the presence of the transmission 52 imposes a counter-rotation on the first rocker arm 42 with respect to the second rocker arm 44, with the result that the first rocker arm 42 tends to rotate less than the second rocker arm 44 with respect to a rigid body motion of the first rocker arm 42 with respect to the second rocker arm 44. To better clarify the above description, reference is made to FIG. 5, which shows the second rocker arm 44 and the first rocker arm 42 of the articulated mechanism 40 in two positions P, idle, and a generic position P′, unequivocally determined by the determined position taken by the second rocker arm 44, by the value of the transmission ratio τ between the wheels 56 and 54 and by the initial value of the angle α between the first and the second rocker arm 42 and 44 in the idle position P. In the same FIG. 5, the first rocker arm 42 has also been illustrated by a dashed line, to represent the position in which said first rocker arm 42 would be located if it were rigidly connected to the second rocker arm 44. This situation is without doubt undesirable, as the user could not perform training correctly. It is clear that the value of the angle α between the first and the second rocker arm 42 and 44, together with the value of τ condition the position of the end 48 of the first rocker arm 42 supporting the footrest 30 with respect to the circumference that said free end 48 would trace if the first and the second rocker arm 42 and 44 were rigidly connected to each other.

Naturally, the machine 1 comprises a load device 60 suitable to dissipate power to allow a user to perform a training exercise, as well as a correct skating movement. For simplicity, a torsion spring 62 coaxial with the turning pair 14 has been positioned between the rocker arm 44 and a respective cylindrical support to confer resistance to the movement of the assembly comprising the two rocker arms 42 and 44 and of the footrest 30, and therefore promote the muscular development of a user during training.

Naturally, this spring 62 exerts a force that tends to oppose relative rotation of the two rocker arms 42 and 44 triggered by actuation of the relative footrest, and therefore this spring 62 can also be interpreted as a return component, suitable to maintain and re-position said second rocker arm in a determined starting position when no load is acting on the respective footrest 30 and therefore on the spring 62 intended as belonging to the load device 60. Naturally, it is advantageous to number the spring considered as belonging to the device 60 and the spring intended as return component in the same way, with the same number 62.

Furthermore, it should be specified that this machine 1 can be produced according to a constructional method having the step to associate the device 50 to control rotation of the first rocker arm 42 with the respective second rocker arm 44 to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses, and consequently by said rocker arms 42 and 44 in the station 20 and around each relative footrest 30.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to the machine 1 described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

It must nonetheless be noted that the machine 1 described above is particularly interesting from the user safety point of view. In fact, each rocker arm 42 and 44 is supported in a cantilevered fashion, and therefore it is very simple to provide a casing that encloses the underlying space to minimise the risk of an user suffering a trauma to a limb caused by lateral striking, and being knocked down by one of the two rocker arms 42 and 44, or by a moving footrest 30.

Claims

1. A gymnastic machine having a frame (10) and an exercise station (20) provided with at least one footrest (30) movable with respect to said frame (10) along a first open trajectory (P1); each said footrest (30) being supported by an articulated mechanism (40) having a first rocker arm (42) and a second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to each other, and with said second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to said frame (10); characterized by comprising means (50) to control rotation of said first rocker arm (42) suitable to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses in said exercise station (20) and around each said footrest (30).

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said control means (50) comprise a transmission (52) with parallel axes provided with a first wheel (54) associated with said second rocker arm (44) and a second wheel (56) associated with said first rocker arm (42); said first and second wheels (54, 56) being mechanically coupled to each other to cause, in use, counter-rotation of said first and second rocker arm (42, 44) with respect to each other following actuation of the corresponding said footrest (30) from a respective idle position (P), and consequently rotation of one of two said first and second rocker arms (42, 44) with respect to said frame (10).

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said first and second wheels (54, 56) are shaped to define a determined transmission ratio τ of said articulated mechanism (40), to make, in use, instant by instant, each position of said first rocker arm (42), and of said footrest (30), conditional to a position taken by said second rocker arm (44).

4. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said first and second wheels (54, 56) are shaped to define a determined transmission ratio τ of said articulated mechanism (40), to univocally associate, in use, instant by instant, each position of said first rocker arm (42) and of said footrest (30) with a determined position of said second rocker arm (44), also as a function of an angle (α ) between said first and second rocker arms (42, 44).

5. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said transmission (52) with parallel axes extends parallel to said second rocker arm (44).

6. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said transmission (52) comprises a belt (58) suitable to mechanically couple to each other said first and second wheels (54, 56) and said first and second rocker arms (42, 44).

7. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said first wheel (54) is fixed with respect to said frame (10).

8. A machine according to claim 7, characterised by comprising means (60) to dissipate power suitable to cause resistance to the movement of each said footrest (30) for the purpose of promoting the muscular development of a user during training.

9. A machine according to claim 8, characterised in that said dissipating means (60) comprise a first elastic component (62) that connects said first rocker arm (44) and said frame (10) to each other.

10. A machine according to claim 8, characterised by comprising return means (62) suitable to position said second rocker arm (44) in a determined starting position if there is no load acting on said corresponding footrest (30).

11. A machine according to claim 10, characterised in that said return means (62) comprise a second elastic component (62) that connects said second rocker arm (44) and said frame (10) to each other.

12. A machine according to claim 11, characterised in that said first elastic component (62) comprises said second elastic component (62).

13. A method for constructing a gymnastic machine having a frame (10) and an exercise station (20) provided with at least one footrest (30) movable with respect to said frame (10) along a first open trajectory (P1); each said footrest (30) being supported by an articulated mechanism (40) having a first rocker arm (42) and a second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to each other, and with said second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to said frame (10); and means (50) to control rotation of said first rocker arm (42) suitable to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses in said exercise station (20) and around each said footrest (30), characterised in that it comprises the step to associate means (50) to control rotation of said first rocker arm (42) with each said second rocker arm (44) to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses (42, 44) around each relative footrest (30).

14. A training method on a gymnastic machine having a frame (10) and an exercise station (20) provided with at least one footrest (30) movable with respect to said frame (10) along a first open trajectory (P1); each said footrest (30) being supported by an articulated mechanism (40) having a first rocker arm (42) and a second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to each other, and with said second rocker arm (44) coupled in a rotatable manner to said frame (10); and means (50) to control rotation of said first rocker arm (42) suitable to minimise the size of the volumes engaged by movable masses in said exercise station (20) and around each said footrest (30), characterized in that a step to exert an outward thrust on each said footrest (30) is associated with a step to impose on said first rocker arm (42) a counter-rotation with respect to said second rocker arm (44) to condition, in use, instant by instant, each position of said first rocker arm (42) and of said footrest (30) with respect to a position of said second rocker arm (44) with respect to said frame (10), also as a function of an angle (α) between said first and second rocker arms (42)(44) corresponding to an idle position of said first and second rocker arms (42)(44).

15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that said first and second rocker arms (42)(44) are constrained to each other to rotate with respect to each other by an angle determined according to a transmission ratio (τ) to condition, in use, instant by instant, each position of said first rocker arm (42) and of said footrest (30) with respect to a determined position of said second rocker arm (44) with respect to said frame (10).