Elliptical Exercise Device with Adjustable Incline for Spinal Muscle Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elliptical exercise devices fail to comprehensively train shoulder, pelvic girdle, and trunk muscles, as well as the vertebral spine, due to limited motion patterns and lack of adjustable incline, resulting in incomplete muscle engagement and insufficient load on spinal muscles.
Innovation Solution
An elliptical exercise device with independently configured arm and leg load units allowing for simultaneous elliptical motions of hands and feet, adjustable inclination of the body, and customizable kinematic parameters to engage upper and lower limbs, including the vertebral spine, through elliptical motions that simulate natural running and stretching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing elliptical exercise devices use a leg load unit with reciprocating arm load unit, then knee joints are exposed to less load and leg muscles are worked out, but complete rotation and flexion/extension of the vertebral spine are not achieved and shoulder girdle muscles are not adequately trained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the leg load unit and arm load unit into an integrated system where both units perform simultaneous elliptical motions. The arm load unit is merged with the leg load unit through a common frame and synchronized motion mechanism, allowing coordinated movement of hands and feet along elliptical trajectories. This merging enables comprehensive engagement of shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle, and trunk muscles while maintaining reduced knee joint load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces adjustable inclination mechanisms that allow the user's body to be inclined from vertical to various angles relative to the ground. This dynamic adjustment capability transforms the static exercise position into a variable one, enabling different muscle groups to be targeted by changing the incline angle. The elliptical motion paths are also dynamically configured to provide complete rotation and flexion/extension of the vertebral spine.
2Device complexity
If existing devices provide only slight flexion and extension of the thoracic segment, then device complexity is reduced, but comprehensive simulation of different motion patterns is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the exercise device into distinct functional segments: the leg load unit with foot pedals, the arm load unit with hand pedals, and the inclination adjustment mechanism. Each segment can be independently configured to perform specific elliptical motions. The arm load unit is segmented into left and right sides that can move independently along their respective elliptical paths, allowing for varied motion patterns and comprehensive spinal rotation.
3Manufacturing precision
If existing devices have fixed vertical body position, then manufacturing precision is improved, but regulated stretching load on shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle and trunk muscles cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an inclination adjustment mechanism that allows the user's body to be tilted from vertical to various angles. This dynamic feature is integrated into the device frame through adjustable support structures and positioning mechanisms. The elliptical motion paths of both the arm and leg load units are coordinated to maintain proper biomechanical alignment regardless of the incline angle, ensuring manufacturing precision is preserved while enabling regulated stretching loads on various muscle groups.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing devices use circular trajectory like bicycle, then ease of manufacture is improved, but comprehensive workout of all body segments including vertebral spine is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs elliptical trajectories for both the arm load unit and leg load unit, replacing the simple circular motion of traditional exercise bicycles. The elliptical paths are achieved through curved guide rails and articulated linkages that are relatively simple in design. This curvature modification allows the hands and feet to trace elliptical orbits, enabling comprehensive engagement of shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle, and trunk muscles while maintaining ease of manufacture through straightforward mechanical implementations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to the field of sports and medicine, specifically to training devices, more particularly to an elliptical exercise device suitable for simultaneous training of shoulder and pelvic girdle muscles in a human. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an exercise device for training trunk muscles, the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle in a human and, at the same time, to enable simulation of various motion patterns by activating different groups of muscles, joints, the locomotor system in a human in general and especially muscles which hold the vertebral spine. It is further desirable to enable optional correction of their load during the process of coordination of motor activity (locomotion) of the human body through simultaneous elliptical motions of hands and feet, which, in addition to the load on the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle muscles, simultaneously provide preferably stretching load on muscle groups which hold the vertebral spine.