US20070225130A1

US20070225130A1 - Gymnastic machine

Info

Publication number: US20070225130A1
Application number: US11/717,246
Authority: US
Inventors: Roberto Maffei; Francesco DELLA VITTORIA; Roberto Gorza
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Technogym SpA
Priority date: 2006-03-13
Filing date: 2007-03-12
Publication date: 2007-09-27
Also published as: ITRA20060017A1

Abstract

Gymnastic machine (1) is provided with a frame (10) and a pair of footrests (20), each of which is movable on a shaped element (30) designed in a given fashion along an arched trajectory (P), with each footrest (20) being connected to the frame (10) in open chain by means of at least one arm (40) rotating about a first substantially vertical axis (42), with each arm (40) being provided, at the respective footrest (20), with a rotatable member (22) suitable to roll on the shaped element (30), and a controlling device (50) is associated with each footrest (20) for varying, in use, the orientation of the footrest (20) so as to make this footrest (20) able to rotate in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on the corresponding arm (40).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine for performing skating training exercises. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine comprising a pair of footrests for simulating the skating movement wherein each footrest is constrained to an arm rotatably supported by a frame with respect to two axes substantially orthogonal to each other.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of gymnastic machines there are well-known skating simulators for training of the lower limbs particularly suitable for cardiovascular training sessions. Some machines of this type are produced in implementation of patents whose teachings have already been described and discussed in the text attached to the Italian invention patent application no. RA2004A000044 filed on 16 Sep. 2004, which corresponds to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/908,316 filed May 6, 2005 by the applicant herein, and which should be referred to for brevity. Furthermore, the teachings that can be drawn from this patent application have enabled the construction of a machine called “Cardio Wave”, in which a pair of footrests, each of which supported by a single arm hinged to the frame, is movable along an open trajectory according to a composite movement when each arm is moved outward. This composite movement is governed for each arm by an articulated mechanism, which connects the frame to the respective footrest. The arms of the two footrests are positioned crossing over each other and therefore have a considerable extension and, to avoid coming into reciprocal contact or, even worse, knocking against each other during movement, they are shaped asymmetrically. Therefore, both the arms and the relative articulated mechanisms are constructed in a different manner, making the bill of materials of the gymnastic machine particularly intricate and complex. This peculiarity greatly increases the number of pieces of different shapes and dimensions, even if for identical functions, and thus also the amount of equipment required to produce the machine, with a negative impact on production costs.
To limit these problems, the applicant has varied the machine concept to make it symmetrical and has described it in a further Italian invention patent application, assigned the number RA2005A000029, and filed on 29 Jul. 2005 which corresponds to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/494,994 filed Jul. 28, 2006. In this case, the machine is symmetrical and each footrest is supported by the connecting rod of an articulated quadrilateral, and is movable with respect to this connecting rod according to the aforesaid composite movement through a lever carried by the connecting rod. It must be observed that in this case the pivot axis of the footrest is not positioned on the centre line of the connecting rod eyes. Therefore, the pivot axes of the connecting rod and the axis of the footrest on the connecting rod are arranged in a triangle on a triangular-shaped connecting rod. This connecting rod must be produced as a box-shaped body so that it has the necessary rigidity and a reasonable weight. Therefore, each footrest must have a corresponding support with a considerable cost in order to have a particularly compact mechanism in which the respective components frequently overlap one another.
In view of the above description, both in the case of the application RA2004A000044 and in the case of the application RA2004A000029, the complexity of the mechanisms corresponding to the footrests makes the corresponding machines intrinsically rather unsafe due to the overlaps that occur in the plane between the levers supporting the footrests. The intrinsic lack of safety could cause serious injuries in the event of the user losing his/her balance and placing a foot or limb in general in the space swept by the footrests and/or by the quadrilateral components.
The U.S. published patent application US 2005/0014613 provides teachings to considerably simplify the control mechanism of the movement of the footrests and to make it much safer in a skating simulator. According to these teachings, a machine is constructed, wherein each footrest has two degrees of freedom of rotation in the space about axes of rotation orthogonal to each other, one of which is limited unilaterally by a rigid shaped element that reproduces a plane inclined with respect to a longitudinal median plane of the machine. In particular, each footrest is rigidly connected to a first lever carried movable in a rotating manner by a vertical upright by means of the interposition of a second lever, which is articulated with respect to the first lever about a horizontal axis; finally, each footrest is supported by a rigid shaped element, delimited at the top by an inclined plane by means of the interposition of a wheel.
According to a variant of the machine described above, the supporting action of the shaped element on each footrest is obtained by means of a tie rod connecting the first lever and supported, for this purpose, in a spherically articulated manner by a fixed turret. In view of the above description, each tie rod allows lowering of the footrest from a raised idle position in which the footrest is positioned close to the longitudinal median plane of the machine corresponding to movement of the footrest towards the outside. Furthermore, simplification of the mechanism that constrains each footrest does not allow the footrests to be moved so that they follow a correct movement of the articulation of each foot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to construct a gymnastic machine that allows the disadvantages described above to be solved, and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and therefore, suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest, capable of modifying the current market of skating simulators.
According to the present invention, there is provided a gymnastic machine a frame and a pair of footrests, each of which is movable on a shaped element designed in a given fashion along an arched trajectory (P). Each footrest is connected to the frame in open chain by means of at least an arm rotating with respect to a first axis. Each arm is provided, at a respective footrest, with a rotatable member suitable to roll on the shaped element. The gymnastic machine includes controlling means associated with each footrest for varying, in use, the orientation of the footrest so as to make the footrest capable to rotate with respect to a respective arm in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on the arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the gymnastic machine according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate at least a non-limiting example of embodiment. The drawings show:
FIG. 1 is a schematic rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a gymnastic machine according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of FIG. 1 taken from a different angle;
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of FIG. 1 with parts removed for clarity wherein some structural components are illustrated in a plurality of operating positions; and;
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective top view of FIG. 1, with parts removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a gymnastic machine for performing skating training exercises. The machine 1 comprises a frame 10 and a pair of footrests 20, each of which is connected to the frame 10 according to an open chain kinematic model by means of at least an arm 40, to which it is connected in an end position. Each arm 40 is carried by the frame 10 in a rotatable manner with respect to a first substantially vertical pivot axis 42 and is articulated on the side of the first axis 42 about a second pivot axis 44 substantially transverse to the first axis 42, and thus horizontal. In particular, each arm 40 comprises a first lever 46 hinged to the frame 10 at the first axis 42 and a second lever 48 hinged to the first lever 46 at the second axis 44, which carries a respective footrest 20 in an end position. The open kinematic chain corresponding to each footrest 20 and comprising the respective articulated arm 40 is closed by a shaped element 30 to give stability and unequivocal movement to the footrest 20 along an arched trajectory P (partially shown only in FIG. 3) by means of a respective arched race 32. Each shaped element 30 is rigidly connected to the frame 10, and each footrest 20 is associated with a wheel 22 rigidly connected to the arm 40 at the respective second lever 48 in such position as to be suitable to support the footrest 20 on the race 32 along a trajectory geometrically similar to the trajectory P.
Again with reference to FIG. 1, each footrest 20 is associated with a controlling device 50 suitable to vary, in use, the orientation of said footrest 20 with respect to the corresponding second lever 48 during a rotation of the arm 40 about the axis 42, so as to combine an inclined movement towards the inside of said footrest 20 with a rotation thereof in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on the arm 40 in question. In view of the above description, the controlling device 50 comprises a turning pair 52 connecting the respective footrest 20 to the second lever 48 and a tappet device 54 coupled to the shaped element 30. In particular, the turning pair 52 is such as to make said footrest 20 freely rotatable about the second lever 48 at a pivot axis 24, which is inclined with respect to the corresponding arm 40 in a given fashion. The tappet device 54 is coupled to the shaped element 30 at a respective groove 34 arched like the respective race 32, and consequently like the trajectory P, and comprises a pin 56 coupled to the respective footrest 20 to control the angular position/rotation thereof about the axis 24 and the inclination with respect to the corresponding second lever 48 of the arm 40 thereof and, naturally, to the shaped element 30. It must be noted that the axis 24 is inclined with respect to the second lever 48 of the arm 40 in such a way that, in use, the pin 56 determines, together with rotation of the footrest 20 with respect to the second lever 48 thereof, the lowering of the front portion 26 of said footrest 20 simultaneously to raising of a respective rear portion 28 of said footrest 20 while the footrest 20 is moved outwards and consequently along the trajectory P in which the height of the footrest drops/is lowered globally on the shaped element 30 with respect to an initial position in which the distance of said footrest 20 from a longitudinal median plane M (a trace of which is visible only in FIG. 3) of the machine 1 is minimum. Therefore, each shaped element 30 presents a height that drops in relation to the increase of an angle of inclination of the respective arm 40 with respect to a longitudinal median plane.
Again with particular reference to FIG. 1, each tappet device 54 is designed to couple to the shaped element 30 bilaterally, so as to maintain the corresponding footrest 20 steadily guided on the trajectory P. In this regard, the tappet device 54 comprises a carriage 57 provided with at least a roller 58 housed inside the groove 34. In particular, each carriage 57 comprises two rollers 58 with axes parallel to each other and coupled transverse to the groove 34.
With reference to FIG. 4, the machine 1 comprises a load device 70 comprising a resisting component 72 for each arm 40 suitable to exert thereon a constraining action with respect to an idle position close to the plane M. In particular, each component 72 is of a flexible type and elastically connects a second lever 48 to the frame 10 by means of a substantially rigid corresponding cable 74 connected in series to a torsion spring 76. The object of the device 70 is to absorb power in the outward movement of each arm and increase, in use, the resisting force acting on each arm 40 so as to determine a return force that increases as the angle of rotation of said arm 40 increases. Therefore, it can be said that the object of the device 70 is to improve the stability of a user training on the footrests 20. FIG. 4 shows an idler component 78, typically a pulley carried by the frame 10, suitable to allow the component 72 to be positioned straddling the shaped element 30.
In view of the above description, it should be specified that each pin 56 is coupled at the bottom in a freely rotatable manner to the corresponding footrest 20 in a neighborhood of the respective axis 24.
Operation of the machine 1 is easily understood from the description above and requires no further explanations. Furthermore, it may be worthwhile to specify that each machine 1 allows each foot of a user to be guided along an arched trajectory P faithfully reproducing the movement of the foot of a skater.
Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to the machine 1 described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the present invention.
Based on the above description, it is easy to understand that the teachings provided above with reference to the gymnastic machine 1 allow the construction of gymnastic machines for training users to perform the skating movement wherein each footrest is supported by a mechanism which, although being particularly simple, is such as to ensure correct movement of the articulation of the foot supported by said footrest.
Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or details thereof, and the present invention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gymnastic machine (1) provided with a frame (10) and a pair of footrests (20), each of which is movable on a shaped element (30) designed in a given fashion along an arched trajectory (P); each said footrest (20) being connected to said frame (10) in open chain by means of at least an arm (40) rotating with respect to a first axis (42); each said arm (40) being provided, at said respective footrest (20), with a rotatable member (22) suitable to roll on said shaped element (30); characterized by comprising controlling means (50) associated with each said footrest (20) for varying, in use, the orientation of said footrest (20) so as to make said footrest (20) able to rotate with respect to said respective arm (40) in the opposite direction to a rotation imposed on said arm (40).

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said controlling means (50) comprise a turning pair (52) for rotatable connection of each said footrest (20) about a second pivot axis (24) with respect to the corresponding said arm (40) and a tappet device (54) coupled to said shaped element (30).

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each said turning pair (52) supports said respective footrest (20) with said corresponding second axis (24) inclined with respect to said arm (40) in a given fashion.

4. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each said tappet device (54) is coupled to said shaped element (30) at a respective groove (34) arched like said trajectory (P) and comprises a pin (56) coupled to said respective footrest (20) to control rotation thereof about said second axis (24).

5. A machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said second axis (24) is inclined with respect to said arm (40) in such a way that said pin (56) determines a rotation of said respective footrest (20) which corresponds to a lowering of the front portion (26) of said footrest (20) simultaneously to a raising of a respective rear portion (28) in a lowering movement of said corresponding footrest (20) on said shaped element (30).

6. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said tappet device (54) is designed to couple to said shaped element (30) bilaterally, so as to maintain said corresponding footrest (20) steadily on said trajectory (P).

7. A machine according to claim 6, characterized in that said tappet device (54) comprises a carriage (57) provided with at least a roller (58) housed inside said groove (34).

8. A machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said carriage (57) comprises two rollers (58) with axes parallel and coupled transverse to said groove (34).

9. A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that each said arm (40) is articulated on the side of said respective first vertical axis (42) about a third pivot axis (44) substantially transverse to said first axis(42).

10. A machine according to claim 9, characterized in that each said arm (40) comprises a first lever (46) rotatable with respect to said first axis (42) and a second lever (48) carried by said first lever (46) about said third axis (44) and supporting one of said footrests (20).

11. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first axis (42) is substantially vertical.

12. A machine according to claim 1, characterized by comprising load means (70) suitable to exert on each said arm (40) a return action increasing in degree as the angle of rotation of each said arm (40) increases to absorb power in the outward movement of each arm (40) and improve the stability of a user on said footrests (20).

13. A machine according to claim 12, characterized in that said load means (70) comprise a resisting component (72) for each said arm (40) positioned between said respective second lever (48) and said frame (10); each said resisting component (72) comprising a substantially rigid cable (74) connected in series to a torsion spring (76).

14. A machine according to claim 13, characterized in that said load means (70) comprise an idler component (78) suitable to maintain the resisting component (72) straddling the shaped element 30.

15. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said pin (56) is coupled to said footrest (20) in a neighborhood of said second axis (24).

16. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the race (32) and said groove (34) of said shaped element (30) present a height that decreases as the angle of inclination of said arm (40) increases with respect to a longitudinal median plane (M).