Reciprocating Linkage Exercise Machine with One-Directional Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise machines that concurrently engage upper and lower body muscle groups often require users to follow a fixed, circular range of motion, leading to inadequate sustained effort and limited ability to perform high-force, short-burst exercises, and are costly due to adjustable components needed for various user sizes and capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A machine with adjustable angle and length of pushing and pulling arms and legs, using a one-directional resistance mechanism that allows users to control the range of motion, enabling concurrent upper and lower body exercises mimicking activities like climbing, hiking, and running, while optimizing biomechanical effectiveness and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed circular range of motion is used in exercise machines, then the machine structure is simplified, but the user cannot perform high-force short-burst exercises and must follow a predetermined motion path that does not allow adequate sustained effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the range of motion adjustable rather than fixed. The user can dynamically control the extent of motion through the reciprocating linkage mechanism, allowing the exercise equipment to adapt to different user needs and exercise intensities. This resolves the contradiction by enabling user control without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms for each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the circular motion into a reciprocating linear motion through the linkage mechanism. By breaking down the continuous circular path into controlled linear segments, the user can exert force in one direction while the mechanism handles the return motion, enabling high-force exercises without requiring the user to control the entire circular path.
2Force
If rotational reciprocating crank components are used to define range of motion, then the machine creates momentum during operation, but this reduces the force required by the user and prevents high-force short-burst exercises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the momentum-generating rotational crank component from the system and replaces it with a reciprocating linkage mechanism. This removal eliminates the harmful momentum effect while retaining the essential function of defining range of motion. The user now directly controls the reciprocating motion without the machine's rotational components creating momentum that would reduce required user force.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a rotational crank that generates momentum, the patent inverts the approach by using a reciprocating linkage where the user's linear force application directly drives the motion. The mechanism is designed so that user force is applied during the power stroke while the return stroke is handled by the linkage's mechanical advantage, rather than relying on rotational momentum to carry the motion through.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable components are added to accommodate various user sizes and capabilities, then the machine becomes more versatile, but the cost and complexity of the machine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality through the reciprocating linkage mechanism that can accommodate various user sizes and capabilities without requiring multiple adjustable components. The linkage's geometric design inherently adapts to different user dimensions, and the user-controlled range of motion allows the same machine structure to serve multiple user types and exercise intensities, eliminating the need for expensive adjustable mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for concurrently performing opposing pushing and pulling motions with the legs and arms at various angles to simulate multiple exercises including climbing, running and crawling motions, wherein the machine is adjustable in angle. The individual lower body user supports move in a back and forth pattern on rails and include foot platforms and shin support pads for support a user's lower body and pivoting upper body user support hand grips wherein the left upper body user support and left lower body user support move in opposite directions and the right upper body user support and right lower body user support move in opposite directions and all four user supports move in unison.