Elliptical Trainer Travel Path Constraining Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elliptical trainers face stability issues due to high stress on rockers and limited damping resistance, affecting structural integrity and exercise effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An exercise apparatus with a travel path constraining unit, comprising a base frame, swing unit, pedal unit, and damping units, which includes a pivot axle, upper crank arms, links, and a second damping unit with a friction device to constrain the travel path and provide damping resistance, ensuring stability and enhanced exercise effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rockers are mounted at the rear side of the base frame to constrain travel path, then the elliptical trainer achieves expected exercise purpose, but the rockers bear high stress affecting structural stability and lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the travel path constraint function from the rockers and transfers it to a dedicated guide rail system. The guide rails are mounted on the base frame to constrain the travel path of the swinging rods, while the rockers are repositioned to the front side to share load with the guide rails, thereby reducing stress concentration on any single component and improving overall structural reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces guide rails as an intermediary component between the base frame and the swinging rods. These guide rails serve as mediators that constrain the travel path of the swinging rods without requiring the rockers to bear the full constraint load, thereby distributing stress more evenly across the structure and enhancing reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If damping resistance is provided only through crank sets and flywheel, then the structure is simple, but the exercise effect is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the damping function into multiple independent damping units distributed at different locations in the system. Each damping unit provides localized damping resistance to specific moving components (swinging rods, rockers, pedal assemblies), allowing for enhanced exercise effects through multi-point damping while maintaining modular simplicity in each individual unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping units are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as exercise resistance mechanisms and as stabilizing elements that control the motion of various components. The same damping units provide both the exercise effect users experience and the structural stability needed for reliable operation, eliminating the need for separate stabilization systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution constrains the swinging range of the exercise apparatus, preventing component damage and providing improved stability and exercise effectiveness through controlled damping resistance, allowing for various operating modes.
Implementation Method 1
a second damping unit mounted at said upright support and adapted for providing a damping resistance to said swing arms
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise apparatus includes a base frame, a swing unit including a pair of swing arms pivotally mounted at the base frame, a pedal unit pivotally mounted at the swing unit, a travel path constraining unit including a pivot axle pivotally connected to the base frame, a pair of upper crank arms respectively affixed to two opposite ends of the pivot axle in reverse directions and a pair of links respectively pivotally connected between the upper crank arms and the swing arms for limiting the swinging range of the swing unit, a first damping unit for providing a damping resistance to the pedal unit, and a second damping unit for providing a damping resistance to the swing arms.