EXERCISING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE STRIDE LENGTH AND HEIGHT
An exercising machine includes a base frame, a rotary member, left and right rocker link units, left and right foot pedals, left and right cross links, and left and right coupling units. The rotary member is mounted rotatably on the base frame. Each of the left and right rocker link units is coupled pivotably to the base frame. The left and right foot pedals are coupled pivotably and respectively to the left and right rocker link units. Each of the left and right cross links has a length that is adjustable, is coupled pivotably to the rotary member, and is coupled pivotably to a respective one of the left and right rocker link units.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an exercising machine, more particularly to an elliptical exercising machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
The aforementioned conventional exercising machine is disadvantageous in that since the left and right rocker links 131 are disposed between the left and right frame members 111 of the base frame 11, the conventional exercising machine is inevitably large and bulky. Moreover, the conventional exercising machine permits the user (not shown) to perform only one type of a striding movement. That is, the stride length and height of the conventional exercising machine are fixed. As such, the user may get bored of the conventional exercising machine very quickly. Further, each of the left and right rocker links 131 wobbles when the user gets on and off of the left and right foot pedals 132. This poses safety risks in that the user may be lose his or her balance and fall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an exercising machine that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the present invention, an exercising machine comprises a base frame, a resistance-imparting rotary member, left and right rocker link units, left and right foot pedals, left and right cross links, and left and right coupling units. The resistance-imparting rotary member is mounted rotatably on the base frame. Each of the left and right rocker link units is coupled pivotably to the base frame and has a plurality of engaging segments disposed along the length thereof. Each of the left and right foot pedals is coupled pivotably to a respective one of the left and right rocker link units. Each of the left and right cross links is coupled pivotably to the rotary member. Each of the left and right coupling units couples pivotably a respective one of the left and right cross links to a selected one of the engaging segments of the respective one of the left and right rocker link units. The length of each of the left and right cross links is adjustable.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring to
The exercising machine, such as an elliptical exercising machine, permits adjustment of stride height and length thereof, in a manner that will be described hereinafter.
The base frame 20 includes front and rear frame members 211, 212, each of which is disposed on a flat surface (not shown), and an intermediate frame member 213 that interconnects the front and rear frame members 211, 212 and that is disposed between the left and right rocker link units 50. In this embodiment, the intermediate frame member 213 has a front segment 2131 that extends upwardly and inclinedly from the front frame member 211, and a rear segment 2132 that extends upwardly and inclinedly from the rear frame member 212 and that is connected to the front segment 2131 thereof.
The rotary member 22 is mounted rotatably on the front segment 2131 of the intermediate frame member 213 of the base frame 20, has left and right sides 221, and is operable so as to impart a resistance. Since the construction of the rotary member 22 is known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description of the same will be dispensed with herein for the sake of brevity.
The left and right rocker link units 50 constitute a four-bar linkage. In particular, with further reference to
Since the construction of the right rocker link unit 50 is similar to that of the left rocker link unit 50, a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
The exercising machine further includes left and right handle units 80, each of which is coupled to the upper end 521 of the rear rocker link 52 of a respective one of the left and right rocker link units 50 so as to be co-rotatable therewith. In particular, as best shown in
In this embodiment, the handle 82 of the left handle unit 80 is pivotable relative to the handle holder 81 between first and second angular positions. As illustrated in
It is noted that, in this embodiment, the first and second through-holes 8111, 8121, 8112 in each of the left and right walls 811, 821 of the handle holder 81 are displaced by an angle of twenty-five degrees with respect to the pivot joint 84.
Since the construction of the right handle unit 80 is similar to that of the left handle unit 80, a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
Each of the left and right foot pedals 30, as best shown in
Each of the left and right cross links 40 has a length that is adjustable and is coupled pivotably to a respective one of the left and right sides 221 of the rotary member 22. Since the left and right cross links 40 are identical in structure, only the left cross link 40 will be described herein.
With further reference to
The exercising machine further includes left and right securing members 60, each of which is operable so as to secure the engaging end portion 421 of the rear cross link member 42 of the respective one of the left and right cross links 40 to the engaging end portion 411 of the front cross link member 41 of the respective one of the left and right cross links 40. In particular, as best shown in
Since the construction of the right securing member 60 is similar to that of the left securing member 60, a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
It is noted that, as best shown in
Each of the left and right coupling units 70 couples pivotably the respective one of the left and right cross links 40 to a selected one of the engaging segments of the rear rocker link 52 of the respective one of the left and right rocker link units 50. In particular, as best shown in
Since the construction of the right coupling unit 70 is similar to that of the left coupling unit 70, a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
From the above description, referring to
In addition, referring back to
It is noted herein that the exercising machine of this invention is configured such that, when in operation, each of the left and right cross links 40 always forms an angle, relative to the flat surface, that is greater than zero degree. As such, dead center positions of the rotary member 22 are bypassed, thereby ensuring smooth operation of the exercising machine of this invention.
It is further noted herein that when the exercising machine of this invention is adjusted to the minimum stride height, the handle 82 of each of the left and right handle units 80 may be adjusted to the first angular position. On the other hand, when the exercising machine of this invention is adjusted to the maximum stride height, the handle 82 of each of the left and right handle units 80 may be adjusted to the second angular position.
From the above description, since the intermediate frame member 213 of the base frame 20 is disposed between the left and right rocker link units 50, the physical size of the exercising machine of this invention is considerably reduced. Moreover, since the left and right rocker link units 50 is coupled to the rotary member 22, the left and right rocker link units 50 is prevented from wobbling when the user gets on or off of the left and right foot pedals 30. Further, the stride height and length of the exercising of this invention is adjustable, thereby permitting the user to perform various striding movements.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. An exercising machine, comprising:
- a base frame;
- a resistance-imparting rotary member mounted rotatably on said base frame;
- left and right rocker link units, each of which is coupled pivotably to said base frame and each of which has a plurality of engaging segments disposed along the length thereof;
- left and right foot pedals, each of which is coupled pivotably to a respective one of said left and right rocker link units;
- left and right cross links, each of which is coupled pivotably to said rotary member; and
- left and right coupling units, each of which couples pivotably a respective one of said left and right cross links to a selected one of said engaging segments of the respective one of said left and right rocker link units;
- wherein the length of each of said left and right cross links is adjustable.
2. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said left and right cross links includes a front cross link member, and a rear cross link member that is coupled telescopically to said front cross link member.
3. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said front cross link member of each of said left and right cross link has a plurality of engaging segments that are disposed along the length thereof, the exercising machine further comprising left and right securing members, each of which is operable so as to secure said rear cross link member of the respective one of said left and right cross links to a selected one of said engaging segments of said front cross link member of the respective one of said left and right cross links.
4. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said engaging segments of said front cross link member of each of said left and right cross links is formed with an engaging hole, each of said left and right securing members including a screw that extends through the rear cross link member of the respective one of said left and right cross links and that engages threadedly said engaging hole in the selected one of said engaging segments of said front cross link member of the respective one of said left and right cross links.
5. The exercising machined as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said left and right coupling units includes
- a pivoting member,
- a pivot joint that interconnects the respective one of said left and right cross links and said pivoting member,
- a pair of arms that extend from said pivoting member and that clamp the selected one of said engaging segments of the respective one of said left and right rocker link units, and
- a fastening member that is operable so as to fasten releasably said arms to the selected one of said engaging segments of the respective one of said left and right rocker link units.
6. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base frame includes front and rear frame members, and an intermediate frame member that interconnects said front and rear frame members, and that is disposed between said left and right rocker link units, each of said left and right rocker link units being coupled pivotably to said intermediate frame member of said base frame.
7. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising left and right handle units, each of which is coupled to the respective one of said left and right rocker link units so as to be co-rotatable therewith, each of said left and right handle units including
- a handle holder that extends from the respective one of said left and right rocker link units,
- a handle that is coupled pivotably to said handle holder, said handle being pivotable relative to said handle holder to a selected one of angular positions, and
- a retaining member that is operable so as to retain the handle to the selected one of the angular positions.
8. The exercising machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base frame is adapted to be disposed on a flat surface, each of said left and right cross links forming an angle relative to the flat surface that is greater than zero.
Type: Application
Filed: May 1, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 6, 2008
Inventor: Sunny Lee (Nan-Tou Hsien)
Application Number: 11/743,047