Stair exerciser apparatus

A stair exerciser apparatus, comprising:

• a frame having a pair of inclined supports slanted downward from a front end to a rear end of the frame, the pair of inclined supports having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• a drive mechanism having an upper shaft rotatably mounted to the frame proximate to the upper portion of the pair of inclined supports, a lower shaft rotatably mounted to the frame proximate to the lower portion of the pair of inclined supports, and at least one drive chain mounted around the upper shaft and the lower shaft for revolving in a closed-loop path around the pair of inclined supports;
• a plurality of stairs coupled to the at least one drive chain, the plurality of stairs synchronously revolving around the pair of inclined supports;
• a clutch mechanism coupled to upper shaft or the lower shaft of the drive mechanism;
• and
• a flywheel operationally coupled to the clutch mechanism, where the clutch mechanism couples motion of the stairs to rotation of the flywheel when the stairs are driven in a downward direction, and where the clutch mechanism decouples motion of the stairs from rotation of the flywheel when the stairs cease to be driven in the downward direction.

A stair exerciser apparatus, comprising:

• a frame having a pair of inclined supports slanted downward from a front end to a rear end of the frame, the pair of inclined supports having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• a drive mechanism having an upper shaft rotatably mounted to the frame proximate to the upper portion of the pair of inclined supports, a lower shaft rotatably mounted to the frame proximate to the lower portion of the pair of inclined supports, and at least one drive chain mounted around the upper shaft and the lower shaft for revolving in a closed-loop path around the pair of inclined supports;
• a plurality of stairs coupled to the drive chain, the plurality of stairs synchronously revolving around the pair of inclined supports;
• a clutch mechanism coupled to upper shaft or the lower shaft of the drive mechanism;
• a flywheel operationally coupled to the clutch mechanism such that downward motion of the stairs engages the clutch mechanism to drive rotation of the flywheel, and stopping the stairs or upward motion of the stairs disengages the clutch mechanism to decouple motion of the staircase from rotation of the flywheel.