Exercising

Abstract

Among other things, a rowing exercise method includes enabling a combination of a force applied to a movable handle and a force applied to a movable foot rest to work against a resistance device and to permit relative motion of the footrest and the resistance device.

Description

BACKGROUND

Exercising is frequently done on an exercise machine in which motion of the exerciser's arms or legs is resisted by a resistance device such as a rotating fan. In some rowing machines, for example, as a user simulates a rowing cycle, a seat holding the user glides back and forth along the frame in response to the user applying force to a handle and a foot rest. In some rowing machines, the resistance device moves back and forth on the frame in response to the forces.

SUMMARY

In general, in an aspect, a rowing exercise machine includes a frame, a foot support on the frame, a seat on the frame, a resistance device on the frame, a handle, a force transmitting element connecting the handle to the foot support, and a transfer mechanism connecting the force transmitting element to the resistance device, the foot support being movable relative to the resistance device.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The force transmitting element includes a flexible line. The flexible line includes at least one of a cable, a chain, or a rope. The force transmitting element is non-resilient. The seat is mounted to move along the frame. The resistance device is fixed on the frame. The foot support is mounted to move along the frame. The transfer mechanism includes a flexible line. The flexible line includes one end that is fixed and one free end. The free end is connected to a slack take-up mechanism. The resistance device includes a one-way clutching mechanism coupled to the transfer mechanism. The force transmitting element includes a force transmitting line and the transfer mechanism includes a first slidable coupling for the force transmitting line. The first slidable coupling includes a first pulley. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer line and the transfer mechanism includes a second slidable coupling for the transfer line. The transfer mechanism includes a pulley in which the force transmitting element rides.

In general, in an aspect, a rowing exercise machine includes a handle connected by a cable to a footrest that is movable along a frame of the machine; a second cable couples a pulley, in which the first cable rides, to a rotational resistance device that is fixed on the frame.

In general, in an aspect, in a rowing exercise method, a force applied to a movable handle and a force applied to a movable foot rest combine to work against a resistance device and to permit relative motion of the footrest and the resistance device.

These and other aspects and features, and combinations of them may also be expressed in other ways, for example, as methods, systems, apparatus, means for performing functions or steps, business methods, components, and in other ways.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine, partially exploded.

FIG. 2 is a side view (partially broken away) and FIG. 4 a schematic side view of exercise machines.

FIGS. 3A-3D are illustrations of phases of a rowing cycle.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in some implementations, a rowing exercise machine 100 can be arranged to simulate for a user the rowing of a shell (or other rowing platform) through water (in a river, for example), while achieving other advantages, including reducing the effort required by the user to overcome inertia of his body during different stages of a rowing cycle, and offering the possibility of achieving compact size and weight and economical cost of the machine. These and other benefits can be achieved, for example, by connecting a non-resilient flexible cable 104 (for example, one that has a tensile strength to resist stretching when pulling forces are applied to its ends) through pulleys between an exercise handle 102 and a movable foot rest 112. Then the combined force 121 corresponding to a force 117 applied to the handle and a force 119 applied to the foot rest at various times during a rowing cycle can be coupled through a pulley assembly 115 and a chain 116 to work against and drive a fan or other resistance device 132 (which in the example shown is fixed to the frame). In the example, the force at the resistance device will be half of the combined force 121 because of the configuration of the pulleys.

As a result, as the user sitting on a movable seat 118 works through a rowing cycle—during parts of which he or she pulls on and lets up on the handle and pushes or pulls or lets up on the foot rest—the handle, the foot rest, and the seat can move back and forth 140, 152, 153 along a rail 126 that is part of a frame 129 of the machine, to provide a more realistic rowing experience, among other benefits.

The rowing machine 100 simulates, for example, the effect that motion of a shell underneath a rower—as the shell glides through the water—has on the motion of the rower's feet relative to his torso, among other things. Among other things, because the foot rest 112 can move along the main rail 126 as the user applies force to the foot rest and the handle, the exercise machine 100 simulates the inertia, resistance, and motion experienced by a rower when he rows a shell on water.

In some implementations, the resistance device 132 is attached in a fixed position along the length of the main rail 126 of the exercise machine, which allows the frame to be shorter, lighter weight, and less expensive to make, than if the resistance device were arranged to move along the rail. In some implementations, some motion of the resistance device relative to the frame could be permitted.

In some examples, the resistance device 132 includes an air resistance fan, for example, of the kind shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,955, incorporated here by reference. In some implementations, the resistance device can be an electrical device or a friction device, for example.

In some implementations that use an air resistance fan, the fan rotates on a central spindle 139. In some examples, a driving sprocket wheel 134 is attached by a one-way clutch (not shown) to the spindle. The one-way clutch enables the sprocket wheel to rotate the fan when the sprocket wheel is driven in one rotational direction 135 and allows the sprocket wheel to rotate freely relative to the fan when the sprocket wheel is driven in the opposite rotational direction 136. A wide variety of other drive arrangements could be used for the fan.

In some cases, the cable 104 extends from the handle through free-wheeling pulleys 106, 110, and 114 (which is part of the pulley assembly 115) and is attached at its other end to a location 601 on a bracket 602 that is part of a foot rest assembly 603.

In some examples, a chain 116 drives the sprocket wheel as the chain moves. One end of the chain can be attached at a fixed point 137. The part of the chain between the fixed attachment point 137 and the sprocket wheel passes through a free running pulley 120 that is part of the pulley assembly 115. The other end of the chain is connected by a coupling 206 to a resilient cord 202 the other end of which is attached to a second fixed point 141.

When the pulley assembly 115 is pulled to the right in response to the combined force 121, the pulley 120 pulls on the cable 116 causing the cable to drive the sprocket wheel in the direction 135. The coupling 206 moves to the left, and the cord 202, which passes through a free wheeling pulley 204, stretches. The force needed to extend the cord is relatively small compared to the force needed to drive the fan. When the combined force 121 on the pulley assembly falls below the restoring force exerted by the stretched cord, the stretched cord 202 contracts, pulling in the slack of the chain.

During a rowing cycle, the user applies various forces to the handle, the foot rest, and the seat, and the fan resists the combined forces applied to the handle and the foot rest. At times during the cycle, the user applies essentially no force on the handle, and allows the cable 104 to be taken up by a force on the foot rest or the restoring force of the cord, or both. At times during the cycle, the user applies essentially no force 119 on the foot rest and allows the foot rest to move to the left on FIG. 2, or may pull the foot rest back using a foot strap (not shown). Various combinations of such forces and motion may also occur. The machine is arranged so that the forces applied and the motions of the handle, foot rest, and seat will simulate rowing a shell through water.

In general, the combine forces on the handle and the foot rest are applied to perform work against the resistance device. Essentially there is no net force acting on the user to move the seat either to the left or to the right. As a result, there need not be any motion of the seat 118 in either direction 153 during a rowing cycle. Although motion of the seat is not necessary, a small movement of the seat 153 may occur as the user shifts his upper body mass from one portion of the rowing cycle to another portion. Typically, the small motion of the seat will be in the direction opposite to the motion of the user's torso. For example, as the user pushes hard on the foot rest and pulls hard on the handle, he will also tend to shift his body mass away from the foot rest, causing the seat to move slightly towards the footrest.

As shown in FIG. 3A, when a user is about to begin a stroke portion of a rowing cycle, the rower 101 may be crouched, with a location 217 on the foot rest 112 at a position P1 (along the length of the exercise machine) and a center location 219 of the seat 118 at a position P2 so that the distance between P2 and P1 is 221.

As the user starts the rowing stroke, the user pulls back 117 on the handle 102 towards the user's torso, and at the same time may push 119 on the foot rest. The resulting combined force 121 (e.g., the sum of the forces applied on the footrest and on the handle) performs work through the chain 116 and the sprocket wheel 134 to drive the resistance device. The resistance device resists the force, and the work performed by the user exercises the user's muscles. In the example of FIG. 2, the force on the resistance device is half the combined force 121, due to the arrangement of the pulley 114. Other arrangements of pulleys can provide other multiplications or divisions of force and distance traversed with respect to the work performed by the user.

As shown in FIG. 3B, during the stroke, the user pushes hard on the foot rest and pulls hard on the handle, which causes the handle to move toward his torso and the foot rest to move away from his torso. The combined forces on the handle and the foot rest drive the fan. Although not required, the user's torso and the seat also may move a small distance toward (or, depending on the way the user chooses to shift his torso, away from) the handle and foot rest as the user shifts his body mass.

As shown in FIG. 3C, at the end of the stroke portion of the rowing cycle, the user has fully extended his legs and fully extended the handle. The location 217 on the footrest is then at position P3, which is a distance 229 from P1 that is substantially larger than distance 221, yet the seat had moved very little if at all.

After reaching the end of the stroke, the user goes through a recovery portion of the rowing cycle, illustrated in FIG. 3D, to return to the original position shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3D, during recovery, the user stops pulling on the handle, allowing it to withdraw to the right, may pull on the foot rest against a typical foot strap, not shown, and retracts his legs. He may shift his torso (and therefore the seat) a small distance, typically to the left. These actions cause the combined force 121 to drop below the small restoring force asserted by the stretched cord. So the cable 104 relaxes, allowing the pulley assembly 115 to move to the right and the slack in the chain to be taken up by the contracting cord.

Therefore, in the examples being discussed, during the stroke and recovery there is relatively large motion back and forth of the handle and the foot rest, with work being done against fan during the stroke. There can be some motion of the seat back and forth, but the motion is relatively small. Rowing on water is effectively simulated and, because the resistance device need not move back and forth also, the machine can be compact.

In some implementations, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail has a generally u-shaped cross-section 491 for strength and accessibility. The u is open at the bottom and the bottom edges of the sides 493, 495 of the u are connected to short extensions 497, 499 that project perpendicularly into and partially obstruct the opening of the u at the bottom of the u-shaped cross-section. The front end of the rail 126 is attached between a pair of vertical posts 108. The pulley 106 is also supported between the two posts 108. The pulley 204 is mounted within the u-shaped cross-section near the front of the rail 126. A monitor 199 with controls is accessible to the user at one end of an arm 193. The other end of the arm can pivot on one end of a main arm 192, the other end of which is attached to the posts 108. The bottoms of the posts 108 are attached to a foot 131.

At its other end, the rail 126 is supported on an assembly 189. The assembly 189 includes a foot 133, a leg 235, and two supports 237 that bear a pair of parallel cylindrical rails 1199, 1196 along which the seat can ride on four wheels 127 (not all shown). Brackets 239 prevent the seat from being removed from the assembly 189. The assembly also includes two structural pieces 241, 243.

In some implementations, the mounting of the seat can include a restraining or centering mechanism that urges the seat toward a central “home” location along its supporting rails. The mechanism could be an elastic centering device that connects the seat to the supporting assembly. In some examples, the rails can have a slightly curved contour with a low point at the center of travel.

The foot rest includes two plates 112 for the user's two feet, each mounted on a vertical bracket 312. Each vertical bracket bears a pair of upper wheels 113 that ride along the top of the rail 126 and a bottom wheel 111 that rides along the bottom of the rail 126. The wheels also keep the foot rest in place and prevent it from being removed from the rail. The bracket 602 is mounted between the two brackets 312. A hook 195 is mounted to project from the foot rest assembly to receive the handle when not in use. A wide variety of structures and components and their interaction can be used to achieve the benefits described. These include a wide variety of devices, including cables, chains, cords, straps, and other schemes to transmit forces between the handle and the foot rest. In some cases, there may be some resilience in the force transmitting device to provide selected dynamic characteristics.

A wide variety of transfer mechanisms can be used to transfer the combined force on the cable to drive the resistance device. Other pulley arrangements are possible, and the transfer mechanism need not include pulleys. In some implementations in which the element that transmits force between the handle and the footrest is a line, like a cable or cord, for example, the force transmitting mechanism needs to permit the line to slide back and forth freely as forces change, while still transmitting the combined force to the resistance device.

In some examples of an exercise machine 500, as shown in FIG. 4, a pulley assembly includes a single pulley 402. A cable 504 is connected at one end to foot rest 112, passes through the single pulley, and is connected at the other end to the handle 102. The spindle of the pulley 402 is connected to the resistance device by a chain 406. The other end of the chain is attached through a coupling 414 to a resilient cord 412, the other end of which is attached at a fixed location 407. In these examples, the combined force is not halved by the pulley assembly and equals the force applied to the resistance device.

Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A rowing exercise machine comprising

a frame,

a foot support on the frame,

a seat mounted to move along the frame,

a resistance device fixed on the frame,

a handle,

a force transmitting element connecting the handle to the foot support, and

a transfer mechanism connecting the force transmitting element to the resistance device,

the foot support being movable along the frame relative to the resistance device and relative to the handle.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which the force transmitting element comprises a flexible line.

3. The machine of claim 2 in which the flexible line comprises one of a cable, a chain, or a rope.

4. The machine of claim 1 in which the force transmitting element is non-resilient.

5. The machine of claim 1 also comprising a restraining or centering mechanism that urges the seat toward a central location.

6. (canceled)

7. The machine of claim 1 in which the foot support is mounted to move along the frame.

8. The machine of claim 1 in which the transfer mechanism comprises a flexible line.

9. The machine of claim 8 in which the flexible line include one fixed end and one free end.

10. The machine of claim 9 in which the free end is connected to a slack take-up mechanism.

11. The machine of claim 1 in which the resistance device includes a one-way clutching mechanism coupled to the transfer mechanism.

12. The machine of claim 1 in which the force transmitting element comprises a force transmitting line and the transfer mechanism comprises a first slidable coupling for the force transmitting line.

13. The machine of claim 12 in which the first slidable coupling comprises a first pulley.

14. The machine of claim 13 in which the transfer mechanism comprises a transfer line and the transfer mechanism includes a second slidable coupling for the transfer line.

15. The machine of claim 13 in which the transfer mechanism includes a pulley in which the force transmitting element rides.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)