Exercise apparatus with a variable stride system

Citations

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Claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A stationary exercise apparatus comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a crank system coupled to the frame at a location closer to the first end of theframe than the second end of the frame; a left movable member pivotally coupled to the crank system; a right movable member pivotally coupled to the crank system; a left foot member operatively associated with a left foot pad; a right foot memberoperatively associated with a right foot pad; a left cam system having a left cam surface and a left cam follower contacting the left cam surface, the left cam system operatively associated with the left movable member and the left foot member, saidleft cam system located closer to the first end of the frame than the second end of the frame; and a right cam system having a right cam surface and a right cam follower contacting the right cam surface, the right cam system operatively associated withthe right movable member and the right foot member, said right cam system located closer to the first end of the frame than the second end of the frame, wherein the feet of the user imparting forces on the left and right foot members in cooperation withthe left cam system and the right cam system vary the stride substantially instantaneously, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the feet of the user may travel in a substantially closed path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feet of the user may travel in a substantially closed elliptical path.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the left foot member and the right foot member are cross-coupled.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a brake/inertia device coupled to the crank system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the brake/inertia device is coupled to a portion of the frame in front of the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the brake/inertia device is coupled to a portion of the frame behind the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a housing, wherein the housing encloses at least a portion of the brake/inertia device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the left and right cam surfaces are nonsymmetrical.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the left and right cam surfaces are symmetrical.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus has a maximum stride length that is at least about 40% of the overall length of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the crank system comprises a pulley.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the crank system comprises a left crank and a right crank coupled to the pulley.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the length of each left and right cam surface is at least two times the length of either left or right crank.

14. A stationary exercise apparatus comprising: a frame having a first and a second end; a crank system coupled to the frame at a location closer to the first end of the frame than the second end of the frame; a left arm link coupled to theframe; a right arm link coupled to the frame; a left movable member coupled to the crank system; a right movable member coupled to the crank system; a left foot member operatively associated with a left foot pad; a right foot member operativelyassociated with a right foot pad; a left cam system having a left cam surface and a left cam follower contacting the left cam surface wherein the left foot member is coupled to the left movable member through the left cam system and the left cam systemis located closer to the first end of the frame than the second end of the frame; and a right cam system having a right cam surface and a right cam follower contacting the right cam surface wherein the right foot member is coupled to the right movablemember through the right cam system and the right cam system is located closer to the first end of the frame than the second end of the frame, wherein the feet of the user imparting forces on the left and right foot members in cooperation with the leftcam system and the right cam system may vary the stride substantially instantaneously, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the feet of the user may travel in a substantially closed path.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the crank system comprises a pulley.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the crank system comprises a left crank and a right crank coupled to the pulley.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the feet of the user may travel in a substantially closed elliptical path.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the feet of the user may travel in a closed orbital path.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a brake/inertia device coupled to the crank system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a housing, wherein the housing encloses at least a portion of the brake/inertia device.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the left and right cam surfaces are nonsymmetrical.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the left and right cam surfaces are symmetrical.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the left movable member and the right movable member distal each such end coupled to the crank system moves in a substantially closed path.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the left and right foot members and the left and right cam systems are configured to provide a force that restores the users feet to a substantially neutral position during use of the apparatus.

Patent number:
7201705
View patent at USPTO

Filing date:
November 26, 2003

Issue date:
April 10, 2007

Inventor:
Robert E. Rodgers, Jr. (Canyon Lake, TX)

Primary Examiner:
Stephen R. Crow

Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP

Current U.S. Classification: 482/52 482/57