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Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical pathRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Involving User Translation Or Physical Simulation Thereof, Stair ClimbingElliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060166791, Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] This invention relates to an exercise machine, more particularly to an elliptical exercise machine which permits the user to exercise by moving his/her feet along an elliptical path. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a typical elliptical exercise machine includes a frame 11 which carries a pair of swinging arms 16, a pair of foot members 14 connected to a rotating mechanism 12 through cranks 13, and a pair of reciprocating members 17 each of which is connected to one of the swinging arms 16. The foot members 14 are provided respectively with foot platforms 15. The bottom ends of the foot members 14 are slidable along rails provided on the frame 11. When the user stands on the foot platforms 15 and exercises by moving the foot platforms 15 with his feet, the foot members 14 move forward and rearward, and the cranks 13 rotate about the axis of the rotating mechanism 12 so that each foot platform 15 ascends and descends along an elliptical path. [0005] In such an exercise machine, the length of the elliptical path along a front-to-rear direction or the stroke of the foot platforms 15 is limited by the length of the cranks 13 and thus is not changeable or adjustable. Thus, the length of the stroke may be insufficient for a user who is tall and requires a longer stroke, and may be unduly long for a user who is short and needs a smaller stroke to avoid overstressing his feet. If the length of the stroke is to be increased, the length of the cranks 13 must be increased to enlarge the circular path along which the cranks move, thereby increasing the volume of the exercise machine. In addition, the lengthening of the cranks 13 increases not only the length of the elliptical path along the front-to-rear direction but also the height of the elliptical path along a top-to-bottom direction. The increase in height of the elliptical path can result in overstressing of the knees of the user as the user must lift his knees too much when making an ascending movement. [0006] Furthermore, since the foot platforms 15 are mounted fixedly on the respective foot members 14, they are not changeable in angular position relative to the foot members 14. As the user's feet will incline upward and downward alternately during their ascend and descend movements, the foot platforms 15 which are fixed to the foot members 14 are ergonomically unfavorable to the user's feet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an elliptical exercise machine which permits foot plates to move along an elliptical path having a prolonged length along a front-to-rear direction without increasing the height of the elliptical path along a top-to-bottom direction. [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide an elliptical exercise machine with foot plates which are movable on respective reciprocating slide members so that the length of an elliptical path along which the foot plates move is adjustable. [0009] Accordingly, the present invention provides an exercise machine which comprises: a support extending in a front-to-rear direction and having a rotating mechanism mounted thereon; a pair of slide members mounted on the support for reciprocating movement and each having a pivotal end connected to the rotating mechanism and a sliding end slidable on the support; a foot plate mounted movably on one of the slide members; a linkage unit connecting the foot plate to the rotating mechanism for reciprocating the foot plate on the one of the slide members; and a control mechanism associated with the linkage unit for actuating the foot plate to move forward when the one of the slide members moves forward and to move rearward when the one of the slide members moves rearward. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional elliptical exercise machine; [0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first preferred embodiment; [0014] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the first preferred embodiment; [0015] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment; [0016] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the first preferred embodiment; [0017] FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 6 but with a second arm connected to one of retaining holes farther from a first end of a first arm; [0018] FIG. 8 is the same view as FIG. 6 but with a pivotal end of one of slide members moving to a different position; [0019] FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 8 but with a second arm connected to one of retaining holes farther from a first end of a first arm; [0020] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view showing an alternative control mechanism of the first preferred embodiment; [0021] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view showing another alternative control mechanism of the first preferred embodiment; Continue reading about Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path... Full patent description for Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Electronic console with a system for indicating the motion power Next Patent Application: Elevational adjusting device of exercise bicycle Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Elliptical exercise machine with adjustable elliptical path patent info. 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