US20070281836A1

US20070281836A1 - Apparatus for Exercising Upper and Lower Body Portions of a User

Info

Publication number: US20070281836A1
Application number: US11/568,792
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Gearon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-11
Filing date: 2005-05-11
Publication date: 2007-12-06
Also published as: WO2005107882A1; EP1755747A1

Abstract

An exercise apparatus (1) for selectively exercising an upper or lower body portion. The apparatus includes a crank assembly (3) operatively connected to a resistance device (5) via a transmission means (7). The crank assembly is rotatable about a first axis and the resistance device provides a resistance force opposing the rotational movement of the crank assembly. The crank assembly includes actuating means for enabling the user to impart the rotational movement against the resistance force. The position of the first axis is moveable between at least a first position which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's feet in order to provide lower body exercise and a second position which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's hands in order to provide upper body exercise.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for exercising the upper and lower body portions of a user. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise apparatus that provides a simulated cycling exercise for the legs and a cycling exercise for the arms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Equipment for exercising lower body portions, such as the legs, typically include a pair of rotating crank arms having a pedal attached at the free end of each crank. The user engages their feet with the pedals and rotates the cranks, against a force opposing rotational movement of the cranks, to thereby exercise the user's legs.
A problem with this type of exercise equipment is that it is only suitable for exercising the user's legs. Accordingly, if for example, the user desires to exercise their arms by a similar rotating action additional exercising equipment specifically designed for arm cycling exercises is needed.
Attempts have been made to alleviate this problem by providing equipment with an additional set of cranks suitably positioned to enable the user to perform arm cycling exercises in addition to leg cycling exercises. However, providing two separate sets of cranks for arms and legs does increase the cost and complexity of the equipment.
Attempts have also been made to address the problem by the user simply operating the pedals with their hands instead of their feet in order to effect arm cycling exercises. However, a problem with this approach is that the pedals in most instances have had placed thereon the soles of the user's shoes. Accordingly, the pedals usually become contaminated with dirt and debris from the user's shoes rendering them unpleasant for grasping by the hands of a user, or a different user in the case of a public gymnasium. In addition, pedals are shaped for engagement with feet and are therefore not suitably shaped to enable the user to comfortably and securely grasp the pedals by hand. Further, grasping the pedals by hand may require the user to position themselves awkwardly and in most instances the user will need to bend forwardly and downwardly in order to reach the pedals from a seated position on the equipment.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an exercise apparatus which overcomes or ameliorates at least one of the problems of the prior art.
Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in the specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art on or before the priority dates of the claims herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus for selectively exercising an upper or lower body portion of a user. The apparatus includes a crank assembly operatively connected to a resistance device via a transmission means. The crank assembly is rotatable about a first axis and the resistance device provides a resistance force opposing the rotational movement of the crank assembly. The crank assembly includes first and second crank arms, each crank arm including at a free end thereof an actuating means for enabling the user to impart the rotational movement against the resistance force. Each actuating means including a hand engaging portion and a separate foot engaging portion. The position of the first axis is moveable between at least a first position which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's feet in order to provide lower body exercise and a second position which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's hands in order to provide upper body exercise.
Preferably, the transmission means is mounted on a support base and includes a crank support arm pivotally mounted with respect to the support base about a second axis. The crank support arm may be pivotal about the second axis between a first position which corresponds with the first position of the first axis and a second position which corresponds with the second position of the first axis.
Each hand engaging portion and a separate foot engaging portion is preferably rotatable with respect to each respective crank arm about an axis parallel to the first axis. The hand engaging portion may include a substantially elongate hand grip which may have a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first axis. In addition, the foot engaging portion may include a foot pedal having a longitudinal axis parallel to the first axis.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hand grip is mounted at a free end of the foot pedal and the positioning of the hand grip is adjustable to thereby adjust the spacing between the hand grip and the corresponding crank arm.
In an alternative embodiment, the foot pedal may include a first side engageable with the user's foot and a second side having mounted at a mid-point thereon the hand grip.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an actuating means as described above for an exercise apparatus.
Further benefits and advantages of an exercise apparatus according to the present invention will become apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described which should not be considered as limiting any of the statements in the previous section. The preferred embodiment will be described with reference to the following figures in which:
FIG. 1 is side view of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention showing the crank support arm in the second position with the hand grips orientated towards the user's seat.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention showing the crank support arm in the first position with the foot pedal orientated towards the user's seat.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention detailing the crank arms and various components of the transmission means.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the combined foot pedal and hand grip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the accompanying drawings there is shown an exercise apparatus 1 for selectively exercising an upper or lower body portion of a user. The exercise apparatus 1 includes a crank assembly 3 operatively connected to a resistance device 5 via a transmission means 7 which is mounted on a support base 11. The crank assembly 3 is rotatable about a first axis 9 and the resistance device 5 provides a resistance force opposing rotational movement of the crank assembly 3 about the first axis 9.
The transmission means 7 includes a crank support arm 13 which is pivotally mounted with respect to the support base 11 about a second axis 15. The crank support arm 13 has mounted thereon the crank assembly 3. In this regard, the crank assembly 3 includes first and second crank arms 17 which each include at a free end thereof an actuating means. The actuating means enables the user to impart rotational movement to the crank assembly 3 against the resistance force provided by the resistance device 5.
The position of the first axis 9 is movable between at least a first position (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's feet in order to provide lower body exercise, and a second position (as illustrated in FIG. 1) which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's hands in order to provide upper body exercise. In order to enable the first axis 9 to move between the first and second position the crank support arm 13 is pivoted about the second axis 15. In this respect the crank arm 13 is pivotal between a first position (as illustrated in FIG. 2) which corresponds with the first position of the first axis 9 and a second position (as illustrated in FIG. 1) which corresponds with the second position of the first axis 9.
Each actuating means preferably includes a hand engaging portion which is preferably in the form of an elongate hand grip 19 and a foot engaging portion which is preferably in the form of a foot pedal 21. The hand grip 19 and foot pedal 21 of each actuating means are rotatable with respect to each respective crank arm 17 about an axis parallel to the first axis 9. Further, each elongate hand grip 19 is orientated with respect to the first axis 9 such that a longitudinal axis of each hand grip 19 is substantially perpendicular to the first axis 9. This orientation of the hand grips 19 with respect to the first axis 9 enables the user to grasp the hand grips 19 in a comfortable upright orientation which is advantageous for performing arm cycling exercises.
In contrast, each foot pedal 21 is orientated with respect to the first axis 9 such that a longitudinal axis of each foot pedal 21 is substantially parallel to the first axis 19. This orientation of the foot pedals 21 with respect to the first axis 9 enables the user to place their feet on the foot pedals 21 in an orientation which is suitable for leg cycling exercises.
In accordance with one embodiment, the hand grips 19 are mounted at a free end of the foot pedals 21 such that both sides of the foot pedal 21 remain engageable with the user's foot. In an alternative embodiment, the hand grips 19 are mounted at a mid point of one side of the foot pedal 21. In this respect the hand grip 19 is attached to the foot pedal 21 by two plate-like members 33 which extend from opposing edge portions of the foot pedal 21 (as illustrated in FIG. 4). With this arrangement only one side of each foot pedal 21 is engageable with the user's feet as the other side has the hand grip 19 mounted thereon.
With reference to FIG. 5 there is shown a further embodiment of the actuating means. In this embodiment, the foot pedal 21 of each actuating means includes a toe clip 23 into which the user may insert their foot. In addition, the positioning of the hand grip 19 is adjustable with respect to the toe clip 23 such that the spacing of each hand grip 19 with respect to a corresponding crank arm 17 is also therefore adjustable. In this respect, adjustment means in the form of a fastener engaging in a series of holes is provided between the hand grip 19 and corresponding foot pedal. This advantageously enables the user to select a spacing between the hand grips 19 such that arm cycling exercises can be performed comfortably. In this regard, it is generally considered that a greater spacing between the hand grips 19 is required for comfortably performing arm cycling exercises in comparison to the spacing required between the foot engaging portions to comfortably perform leg cycling exercises.
With reference to FIG. 4, there is shown various components of the transmission means 7 and the attached crank assembly 3. The transmission means 7 includes a drive transfer located within a cavity of the crank support arm 13 which enables rotational force imparted by the user to the crank arms 17 to be transferred to the drive shaft 25 of the transmission means 7. The drive shaft 25 has a pulley 35 mounted at one end which is inturn operatively connected to the resistance device 5. The drive transfer is preferably a drive belt or gear arrangement, however any other suitable means could be utilised.
A counter weight 27 is attached to a free end 29 of the crank support arm 13 to assist in enabling the user to manually pivot the crank support arm 13 between the first and second position. The counter weight 27 maintains a neutral balance of the crank support arm 13 during pivotal movement to the first or second position or any position therebetween. When the crank support arm 13 is in the first position the user is able to position themselves on a seat 31 of the exercise apparatus 1 and engage their feet with the foot engaging portions and perform leg cycling exercises. Similarly, when the crank support arm 13 is in the second position the user is able to position themselves on the seat 31, grasp the hand grips 19 and perform arm cycling exercises.
Whilst it is envisaged that the crank support arm 13 will be positioned in either the first or second position during exercise, the crank support arm 13 is able to be securely positioned at any position therebetween to enable the user to select a suitable position for the desired exercise. In this regard, an adjustment handle 37 is provided which utilises a cam clamping action to fix the crank support arm 13 at a suitable position. The adjustment handle 37 is pivotally mounted in a bore 39 which extends through the counter weight 27.
The exercise apparatus of the present invention advantageously enables both leg cycling exercises and arm cycling exercises to be selectively performed. In addition, the present invention provides actuating means which are suitably shaped to enable the user to grasp them comfortably and securely with their hands when exercising their upper body and comfortably place their feet on when exercising their lower body. Further, by providing an actuating means which combines both a hand grip and a foot engaging portion, the user avoids having to grasp a portion of the actuating means upon which the soles of the user's shoes or bare feet may have been placed. In addition, the present invention enables the user to position their hands at a comfortable separation distance when performing arm cycling exercises due to the adjustable positioning of each hand grip with respect to the foot engaging portion.
It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus for selectively exercising an upper or lower body portion of a user, the apparatus including a crank assembly operatively connected to a resistance device via a transmission means, the crank assembly being rotatable about a first axis and the resistance device providing a resistance force opposing the rotational movement of the crank assembly, the crank assembly including first and second crank arms, each crank arm including at a free end thereof an actuating means for enabling the user to impart the rotational movement against the resistance force, each actuating means including a hand engaging portion and a separate foot engaging portion, wherein the position of the first axis is moveable between at least a first position which facilitates actuation of the actuating means by the user's feet in order to provide lower exercise and a second position which facilitates actuating means by the user's hands in order to provide upper body exercise.

2. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hand and foot engaging portions of each actuating means are rotatable with respect to each respective crank arm about an axis parallel to the first axis.

3. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the hand engaging portion includes a substantially elongated hand grip having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first axis.

4. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the foot engaging portion includes a foot pedal having a longitudinal axis parallel to the first axis.

5. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hand grip is mounted at a free end of the foot pedal.

6. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the position of the hand grip on the free end of the foot pedal is adjustable to thereby adjust the spacing between the hand grip and the corresponding crank arm.

7. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein foot pedal includes a first side engageable with the user's foot and a second side having mounted at a mid-point thereon the hand grip.

8. An exercise apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the transmission means includes a crank support arm pivotally mounted about a second axis, the crank support arm having mounted thereon the crank assembly.

9. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the crank support arm is pivotal about the second axis between a first position which corresponds with the first position of the axis and a second position which corresponds with the second position of the first axis.

10. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the foot engaging portion includes a foot pedal having a longitudinal axis parallel to the first axis.

11. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hand grip is mounted at a free end of the foot pedal.