MOBILE ELLIPTICALLY DRIVEN DEVICE |
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申请号 | EP06785998.3 | 申请日 | 2006-06-30 | 公开(公告)号 | EP1904188B1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2013-03-06 |
申请人 | HPN Holdings, Inc.; | 发明人 | Kraus, David W.; | ||||
摘要 | |||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present invention provides a mobile platform driven by elliptical foot action and, in a preferred embodiment, reciprocal arm motion. The present invention is typically referred to herein as an "elliptical traveller," although it may be used for exercise, training, transportation, leisure, or any combination of the foregoing. Bicycles provide an excellent means for transportation, leisure, and lower-body and cardiovascular exercise. However, bicycles do not provide appreciable upper-body exercise and the constant pressure against the seat and handlebars has been shown to result in pudendal and ulnar nerve neuropathy, respectively. Also, some persons may be unable or unwilling to ride a two-wheeled bicycle because it is inherently unstable. Running likewise provides excellent cardiovascular benefits and lower-body exercise. However, many runners are plagued by injures from the impact and stresses of running, and some people are completely unable to run because of weight or other reasons. Cross-country skiing provides excellent exercise for both the upper and lower bodies, without the impact of running, but only a relatively small portion of the population can participate in this sport, and their participation is limited to the winter months. Stationary trainers that utilize elliptical foot action with reciprocal hand action, closely emulating the body while ambulating, have become popular in recent years in health clubs. These devices offer weight-bearing exercise, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, with minimal joint stress since repeated impact with the surface is eliminated as the feet never leave the footbed. This smooth full body motion reduces the risk of injury from overuse of any one muscle group and improves fat mobilization, calorie burning and cardiovascular endurance at a reduced perceived rate of exertion, thus increasing the benefits of each session. However, such trainers are stationary and provide no means for transportation or outdoor leisure. A mobile device is needed that provides an excellent means for exercise, preferably of both the upper and lower body, providing the user a weight-bearing exercise without impact, which may be used for transportation or leisure by a wide segment of the population and which has an improved steering mechanism. The present invention satisfies these needs by providing a stable, mobile device which utilizes ambulatory motion of the user's body for propulsion and which is easy to use by persons with a wide variety of physical abilities. According to the present invention there is provided a mobile device comprising:
characterised in that the joint between the transverse frame member and the longitudinal frame member permits partial axial rotation of the longitudinal frame member, and in that there is further provided a camber mechanism coupled to each of the said front wheels and affixed to the longitudinal frame member, the said camber mechanism being adapted to translate the arcuate movement from the partial rotation of the said longitudinal frame member into wheel camber, thereby causing said device to turn. These and other features, aspects, structures, advantages, and functions are shown or inherent in, and will become better understood with regard to, the following description and accompanied drawings where:
As shown in The frame 20 comprises a longitudinal, substantially horizontal frame member 25, a transverse, substantially horizontal frame member 30, and an upright frame member 35. The transverse frame member 30 is joined to the front end of longitudinal frame member 25. These components are joined together in such a way as to allow the longitudinal frame member 25 to rotate axially a fixed amount within transverse frame member 30 to effect wheel camber for steering, as hereinafter described. The upright frame member 35 is mounted to the longitudinal frame member 25 such that it extends in a substantially upright manner from the longitudinal frame member 25. The upright frame member 35 is shown mounted in The longitudinal frame member may include a rear fork 27, in which the rear wheel 50 is mounted. Alternatively, the rear of longitudinal frame member 25 may comprise a single arm to which the rear wheel 50 is mounted. This single arm may be offset axially from the primary portion of the longitudinal frame member to allow the rear wheel to be centered under the rider (which is not necessary because this embodiment is self-standing, independent of whether the radial plane of the rear wheel is coplanar with the longitudinal axis of frame member 25). The front wheels are mounted on either end of the transverse frame member 30 via appropriate rotary couplings known in the art. Along either side of longitudinal frame member 25 is a striding member 80. The rear or drive ends of the striding members are rotationally coupled in any conventional manner to a drive assembly 100 of the rear wheel (described in detail below), such as by one of a pair of opposing cranks 70. Each striding member may include a footbed 84 to provide a stable platform for the rider's feet. The front or pivot end of each striding member is pivotally connected to the bottom end of one of a pair of reciprocating arm members 90, each of which extends upwards generally along side the upright frame member 35 and terminates in a grip end 92. The upright frame member includes a crossbar 37, which includes a rotational coupling 38 on either end. Each arm member 90 is fixed to one of the rotational couplings 38. When the rider applies force to the striding members to put them in motion, the rear end of each striding member 80, rotationally attached to crank 70, follows a circular path concentric with the rear wheel 50, while the front end of striding member 80 (defined by pivot joint 82) reciprocates in a substantially horizontal arcuate path. This action results in the footbed 84 tracing an elliptical path, and, more particularly, an asymmetrical ellipse with the arc of the front of the ellipse being smaller than that of the back (i.e., egg-shaped). The lower end of each arm member 90, attached to pivot joint 82, moves in conjunction therewith, while the grip end 92 also reciprocates through an arcuate path. Thus as may be seen from As noted, each arm member 90 terminates at its upper end in a grip end 92. The upper ends of arm members 90 may be adjustable in length to alter the length of travel of the grip ends 92. Each grip end 92 includes a brake lever 94. One brake lever 94 operates the front brakes 42 via a cable routed between the brake lever and front brakes. The other brake lever 94 operates the rear brake 52, as shown in Two embodiments of steering mechanisms for the elliptical traveller 10 are described below. An embodiment of elliptical traveller 10 could include a camber steering mechanism individually, or both steering mechanisms could be incorporated in an elliptical traveller 10, as desired or required by the application. The particular embodiments of steering mechanisms described below are in all respects exemplary, and any other suitable mechanism known in the art to steer a pair of transversely opposed wheels also could be used. The first steering mechanism turns the wheels left or right, as one does when steering a car. As shown in A second mechanism for steering is shown in One embodiment of the drive assembly 100 is shown in One of the pair of opposing cranks 70 is attached to either end of the axle 110 via any conventional mechanical attachment means. (Note that one or both of the attachment means between the crank 70 and the axle 110 could be releasable, such that with the attachment released one crank 70 could be rotated into alignment with the other crank 70 to allow the traveller 10 to be folded into the smallest possible size when the upright frame member 35 is collapsed, as described above.) The axle 110 extends through the rear end of each arm of the fork 27, through the axis of the hub body 105, and through the sun gear arm 122 described below. Free rotation of the crank within the fork 27, hub body 105, and sun gear arm 122 is permitted by fork bearings 112, hub bearings 114, and sun gear arm bearings (not shown). The internal gear system 120 is located inside the hub body 105. Note that the internal gear system 120 shown in As the rider applies force to the striding members 80 and arm members 90, thereby rotating the cranks 70 and axle 110, rotary motion is imparted to the hub body 105 via internal gear system 120. The ratio between the rotation of the axle and rotation of the rear wheel can be altered by altering the gear ratio between the planetary and sun gears, as is known in the art. Internal gear system 120 is shown as a single-gear system for simplicity. Those skilled in the art will recognize that multiple gear ratios can be achieved by providing additional planetary gear combinations that may be switched in and out between the sun gear 121 and the ring gear 125 on the inside surface of hub body 105. Such gearing systems, called compound planetary gear systems, typically utilize the variable tension of a cable in combination with a spring to switch the active gear. For this reason, as shown in A device that does not utilize reciprocal arm motion to propel the elliptical traveller is shown in The striding members 80 are pivotally to the lower end of a pair of supports 190, the upper ends of which are fixed to rotational couplings 38 at either end of crossbar 37. The striding members 80 (and the footbeds 84) therefore follow the essentially same path in this embodiment as described above. A handlebar 193 is connected to crossbar 37 by a stem 192. The handlebar 193 is fitted with brake levers 194 and shift lever 196, which operate in a manner similar to that described above. Further, either of the steering mechanisms described herein may be utilized with this embodiment. With respect to the wheel turning mechanism, force is translated by any conventional means to the turning mechanism by the turning of the handlebar. The height of stem 192 may be made adjustable to suit the needs of the rider, and the shape of the handlebar 193 is exemplary. Any shape of handlebar could be utilized as desired by a particular rider. |