Exercise device
AssigneeNordicTrack, Inc.
InventorsJames R. Bostic, Alan E. Doop, Michael E. Heutmaker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a device that facilitates contemporaneous exercise of the upper and lower body. The exercise device includes a treadmill rotatably mounted relative to a frame and a pair of arm poles pivotally mounted relative to the frame. Resistance to operation of the treadmill is provided by a flywheel that rotates subject to frictional resistance provided by a drag strap in contact with the flywheel. A shaft cooperates with the flywheel to maintain tension in the drag strap, and the tension may be adjusted by rotating the shaft about its longitudinal axis. Resistance to operation of the arm poles is provided by friction pads disposed between the arm poles and structure associated with the frame.
Claims26
An exercise resistance device, comprising:
- a flywheel;
- a drag strap disposed about a portion of a cylindrical contact surface on said flywheel;
- a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
- a first radially displaced member on said shaft, wherein said first radially displaced member is operatively connected to said drag strap at a radial distance from said shaft, and movement of said first radially displaced member relative to said flywheel alters tension in said drag strap;
- a second radially displaced member on said shaft;
- an adjusting means operatively connected to said second radially displaced member at a radial distance from said shaft, for adjusting tension in said drag strap, wherein operation of said adjusting means causes movement of said first radially displaced member relative to said flywheel.
An exercise apparatus, comprising:
- a frame having a right side and a left side and a frame width defined therebetween;
- a tread having a right side and a left side and a tread width defined therebetween, wherein said tread is rotatably mounted relative to said frame;
- a flywheel rotatably mounted relative to said frame and operatively connected to said tread, wherein rotation of said tread causes rotation of said flywheel;
- a drag strap disposed about a portion of a cylindrical contact surface on said flywheel;
- a shaft extending from within said frame width to beyond said tread width;
- a first radially displaced member connected to said shaft beyond said frame width and connected at a radial distance from said shaft to said drag strap, wherein orbital movement of said first radially displaced member alters tension in said drag strap;
- and
- a second radially displaced member connected to said shaft within said frame width and connected at a radial distance from said shaft to an actuator that causes orbital movement of said second radially displaced member, which in turn, causes orbital movement of said first radially displaced member.
An exercise apparatus, comprising:
- a frame having a right side and a left side and a frame width defined therebetween;
- a tread formed into a continuous loop and rotatably mounted relative to said frame inside said frame width;
- a flywheel rotatably mounted relative to said frame outside said frame width, wherein said flywheel is operatively connected to said tread so that rotation of said tread causes rotation of said flywheel;
- a drag strap formed into a continuous belt and disposed about a portion of a cylindrical contact surface on said flywheel;
- a shaft having a longitudinal axis and extending along said longitudinal axis from inside said frame width to outside said frame width and into engagement with said continuous belt, wherein said shaft and said flywheel cooperate to maintain tension in said continuous belt;
- and
- an actuator mounted relative to said frame and operatively connected to said shaft, wherein operation of said actuator causes said shaft to move relative to said flywheel and thereby alters tension in said continuous belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.