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Folding elliptical exercise machine

Folding elliptical exercise machine description/claims

This is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/801,228 that was filed May 9, 2007, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein.

1. Technical Field

This invention generally relates to exercise equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to elliptical machines. Specifically, the invention relates to an elliptical machine that is foldable for storage and includes a two-part hinged outer shell that resembles a coffee table when in a storage position, hinged handlebars that are movable between a storage and operational position, and a latching assembly for preventing rotation of the flywheel and correctly positioning the swing arms on the machine when folded for storage in the outer shell.

2. Background Information

There is a growing trend in the fitness industry for equipment that is suitable for use in the home, especially pieces of equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines. Elliptical machines are a popular choice as home exercise equipment as they give both the upper body and lower body an effective, low impact workout.

One of the key issues that people face when elliptical machines and similar pieces of equipment are brought into their homes is that of space. A good quality elliptical machine will be around 80 inches in length, have a width of between 32 and 36 inches, a height of around 63 inches and weigh anywhere from 190 lbs upwards. Obviously, there also needs for clearance space surrounding the actual machine so that a person may get safely on to and off from the machine. Basements tend to be one of the more typical places in the home to place exercise equipment because of the space constraints. However, exercising alone in a basement away from the center of activity in the home tends to be tedious. Additionally, because the elliptical machine is out of sight, it is easy for one to forget to exercise on a regular basis.

Bringing this type of space-utilizing device into a living room or family room causes two problems. Firstly, these pieces of equipment are not aesthetically pleasing and would be considered to be an eyesore in such a communal type of room. Secondly, the quantity of space in the room that is occupied by such devices is unacceptable.

Many manufacturers have attempted to address these issues by providing home-use elliptical machines that are foldable so that they will take up less space. One such home-use version of a foldable elliptical machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,149,551 and 6,190,289, both issued to Pyles et al. Pyles et al teaches that an elliptical machine may be reduced in dimensions by pivoting the pedal arms and/or the rails on which the arms ride upwardly toward a vertically extending mast. The device is therefore moved from an operational position into a vertically folded position. This mechanism for folding the elliptical machine does reduce the amount of floor space that the machine will occupy when not in use, but considering that the height of a mast for an elliptical machine is typically around five to six feet high, the folded machine would remain an eyesore in any room. Pyles et al discloses that the machine may also be provided with a plurality of wheels that will enable the homeowner to wheel the vertically folded device across a surface and into a suitable storage location, such as a closet.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,917 issued to Chen discloses an elliptical device in which the mast or handle comprises an upper and a lower portion that are pivotally connected together. The machine includes a pin mechanism that, when released, allows the upper portion of the handle to be folded downwardly over the swing arms. This folding mechanism somewhat addresses the mast height issue, but does not reduce the amount of floor space that the machine occupies. Even when the machine has been moved into a folded position the swing arms project beyond the length of the supporting base and are hazardous to people walking past the machine. Once again, the machine is provided with wheels to allow it to be moved into a storage area because keeping the device in a high traffic area would be unacceptable from both an aesthetic and space point of view.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,554 issued to Eschenbach discloses a collapsible exercise device in which the handle is pivoted downwardly to abut the pedal arms. When this occurs, the frame is actually elongated to ensure that the folded device has the lowest possible height so that it may be stored under a bed, for example. Consequently, the device occupies even more floor space when it is folded than when it is operational.

Furthermore, elliptical machines sold under the trademark PRO FORM SPACE SAVER®, a registered trademark of Icon Health & Fitness of West Logan, Utah, have a base frame that comprises two pivotally connected sections. The mast extends upwardly from the first section and a flywheel is mounted on the second section. When the device is to be folded for storage purposes, the pivot arms are detached from the flywheel and the second section of the base is pivoted over the first section of the base toward the mast. This reduces the length of the base, but does not address the height issue of the mast.

Similarly, elliptical machines sold by Sharper Image Corporation of San Francisco, Calif., also include a pivoting base section that is folded upwardly onto the mast of the device. The device is therefore of a low profile, but of an elongated length and cannot be simply left in the middle of a room.

Though some of the elliptical machines disclosed in the prior art may be folded up, they are still aesthetically displeasing and do not enhance the appearance of a room, such as a living room or family room, that is frequently used. While yet other machines may be folded up and wheeled away for storage purposes, it is problematic for the home exerciser to have to move the machine back and forth between the storage location and the use location. Additionally, it is also more likely that if a person has wheeled their elliptical machine into some sort of storage location, they will be less inclined to retrieve the elliptical machine in order to exercise because of the effort involved in setting the elliptical machine back in an appropriate location.

There is therefore a need in the art for an elliptical machine that is substantial and sturdy in construction that is foldable to reduce the amount of space it occupies when not in use, but which does not need to be placed in a remote storage location in order to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the room.

The device of the present invention comprises an elliptical exercise machine having a frame adjustable between an operational position and a folded position. A removable outer shell is hingedly connected to a base upon which the elliptical machine stands and preferably is secured thereto. The outer shell is configured to resemble two halves of a coffee table that are pivoted to either cover or expose the folded machine. Each handlebar on the elliptical machine includes a hinged section that is movable between a folded and an operational position. The hinged section is latched in place when in the operational position. The elliptical machine is further provided with a latching assembly to lock the flywheel against rotation and to correctly position the same so that the outer shell can be placed over the folded machine for storage.

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