US 8,025,611 B2 · Adjustable stride length exercise method and apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a frame for residing on a horizontal surface, a pair of arm-supporting members for supporting the user's arms and a pair of leg-supporting members for supporting the user's legs. A linkage assembly couples the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members to the frame and moves the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members in closed paths relative to the frame in response to user forces applied to the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members. The linkage assembly includes actuators for adjusting dimensions of the closed paths in response to control signal inputs. Sensors mounted on the linkage assembly generate force-indicating signals representing one or more of the user force. A user interface receives and processes the force-indicating signals and supplies the control signal inputs to the actuators, wherein a dimension of at least one of the closed paths is a function of at least one of the forces applied to the leg and arm-supporting members.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An exercise apparatus for exercising a user's arms and legs comprising:

a frame for residing on a horizontal surface;
a pair of arm-supporting members for supporting the user's arms;
a pair of leg-supporting members for supporting the user's legs;
a linkage assembly for coupling the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members to the frame and for moving the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members in closed paths relative to the frame in response to forces the user applies to the arm-supporting members and leg-supporting members, wherein the linkage assembly comprises at least one actuator, each actuator for adjusting a dimension of at least one of the closed paths in response to a control signal;
a sensor coupled to the linkage assembly for generating a force-indicating signal representing a user force applied to at least one of the arm-supporting and leg-supporting members;
and
a user interface for receiving the force-indicating signal, generating the control signal from the force-indicating signal, and supplying the control signal to each actuator.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/846,685Filed 29 Jul 2010 · continuation

Priority

23 Apr 1998

Published

US 2010/0298096 A125 Nov 2010

Granted

27 Sep 2011

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification29 codes

A63B 24/0087
Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training…
A63B 21/0051
Using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters: using eddy currents induced in moved elements, e.g. by permanent magnets
A63B 22/0012
By simultaneously exercising arms and legs, e.g. diagonally in anti-phase: the exercises for arms and legs being functionally independent
A63B 22/0017
With an adjustable movement path of the support elements: the adjustment being controlled by movement of the user

Family

Application09/065,308Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Apr 1998

Application09/684,667Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Oct 2000

Application10/712,784Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Nov 2003

US 6,672,994 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jan 2004

Application11/482,232Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Jun 2006

US 7,086,993 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Aug 2008

Application12/397,942Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Mar 2009

US 7,556,589 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jul 2009

US 7,604,574 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Oct 2009

US 2010/0298096 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Nov 2010

US 7,824,314 B2Parent of this continuation

Application12/397,942Parent of this continuation-in-part

Application11/482,232Parent of this continuation

US 2007/0225129 A1Published application

US 2009/0209395 A1Published application

US 8,025,611 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Adjustable stride length exercise method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Adjustable stride length exercise method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20