Elliptical trainer

Abstract

An elliptical trainer includes a frame, a linkage unit, a pedal unit and a horizontal damping unit. The frame includes a base bracket, a column and a guiding member. The linkage unit includes a pair of handles axially disposed on and reciprocately movable relative to the column. The pedal unit includes a pair of pedal levers respectively pivotally mounted to the handles. And the horizontal damping unit includes a pair of belts each having a driven end directly connected to one respective handle or pedal lever and a damping force-generating portion located at an opposite end thereof remote from the driven end. By driving the handles or the pedal levers, the damping force-generating portions provide the handles with a damping in horizontal vector and a potential energy for driving the handles to restore.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to sports equipment technology and more particularly, to an elliptical trainer.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,787 discloses an elliptical trainer, entitled “Exercise Machine,” which comprises a frame, a pair of handles axially disposed on a column at the frame, a pair of pedals respectively pivotally mounted at respective bottom ends of the handles, and a damping unit mounted at a rear side of the frame. The damping unit comprises a flywheel pivotally mounted at the frame, a crankshaft disposed in a coaxial manner relative to the flywheel, a pair of guide members supported on the two opposite ends of the crankshaft and respectively fixedly connected to respective rear bottom sides of the pedals, a friction wheel axially disposed on one lateral side of the flywheel, and a transmission belt mounted between the flywheel and the friction wheel. By means of step...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The invention achieves the effects that: by directly connecting the driven ends of the elongated strip members of the horizontal damping units to the handles or the pedal levers and using the damping force-generating portions to provide the handles with a damping in a horizontal vector and to impart a potential energy for driving the driven ends to restore, the invention can produce the expected damping effect and effectively reduce the generation of fines and dust particles. Further, the invention provides different operation modes for producing different damping, and thus, the operator can select different operation modes according to different requirements.

Problems solved by technology

Although the aforesaid prior art elliptical trainer can produce the desired bodybuilding effect, due to the damping unit producing a damping in the horizontal vector by means of surface friction between the guide members and the opposite ends of the crankshaft, a large amount of fines and dust particles can be produced during operation.

Further, fines and dust particles can be adhered between the guide members and the two opposite ends of the crankshaft, leading to unsmooth operation.

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