Free Pace Elliptical Pedal Mechanism for Variable Stride Length
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise equipment, such as varying stride elliptical cross trainers, face difficulties in providing easy startup and maintaining elliptical curve paths for varying stride lengths, particularly for short, medium, and long stride lengths, while ensuring low joint impact and efficient full-body exercise.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features separately supported pedals that simulate walking and jogging with arm exercise, where the stride length is determined by the operator's handle movement, with a default mode for easy starting, and incorporates a mechanism with crank arms, support links, rollers, and a control system to adjust load resistance and incline, ensuring pedals follow elliptical curves throughout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If pedals follow arcuate curves for short stride lengths, then stride length is reduced, but startup becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus dynamically adjusts the pedal curve shape based on the selected stride length mode. The pedal mechanism transitions from fixed arcuate curves to variable elliptical curves that adapt to different stride lengths, allowing short strides to maintain easy startup while achieving the desired compact motion path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameters of the pedal trajectory by adjusting the elliptical curve dimensions based on selected stride length. This allows the pedal path to transform from standard elliptical to variable elliptical configurations, maintaining ease of startup across different stride lengths by optimizing the curve parameters for each mode.
2Length of moving object
If pedals follow banana-shaped closed loop curves for long stride lengths, then stride length is increased, but the curve deviates from ideal elliptical path
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus dynamically maintains proper elliptical curve geometry across different stride length modes. The pedal mechanism adjusts its motion parameters to ensure that even at long stride lengths, the pedal follows a true elliptical path rather than deviating into banana-shaped curves, preserving the ideal geometric trajectory for all stride configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If varying stride lengths are implemented, then exercise versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus uses a single unified pedal mechanism that serves multiple functions across different stride length modes. The same crank arm and support link configuration produces proper elliptical curves for short, medium, and long strides without requiring separate mechanisms for each stride length, achieving versatility through a universal design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic adjustment of the pedal mechanism's geometric parameters through a unified control system. A single mechanism with adjustable elements (such as variable eccentricity cranks or adjustable link configurations) enables the system to adapt to different stride lengths while maintaining mechanical simplicity, avoiding the need for multiple separate mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a standup exercise apparatus that simulates walking and jogging with arm exercise. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise machine having separately supported pedals for the feet and arm exercise coordinated with the motion of the feet where the pedal stride length is determined by the movements of an operator. Crank arms are positioned on the framework forward the operator at a height comparable to the pedals. Easy starting occurs in the default mode.