Multiple-person elliptical trainer

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a multiple-person elliptical trainer for improving cardiovascular fitness. In one embodiment of the present invention, the multiple-person elliptical trainer includes two training stations mounted to a support frame. Each training station includes a pair of roughly parallel tracks, each track pivotally attached to a swing arm at a front end and a crank arm at a rear end. The crank arms, in turn, are interconnected via a rotatable axle attached to the support frame. Each track further includes a foot pedal and each swing arm includes a swing-arm handle. In one embodiment of the present invention, a user can place a foot on each of the foot pedals, grasp the swing-arm handles, and rotate the crank arms by rhythmically pushing and pulling the swing-arm handles while using the foot pedals to simulate a walking or running gait.

1 . A multiple-person elliptical trainer for physical exercise, the multiple-person elliptical trainer including:
 a support frame; and   a plurality of training stations mounted to the support frame, each training station including
 a first track with a front end and a rear end, 
 a second track with a front end and a rear end, 
 a first crank arm pivotally attached to the rear end of the first track, 
 a second crank arm pivotally attached to the rear end of the second track, 
 a rotatable axle interconnected to the support frame and interconnecting the first crank arm to the second crank arm, 
 a first foot pedal mounted to the first track, and 
 a second foot pedal mounted to the second track. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 1  wherein the support frame includes
 a front base bar,   a rear base bar approximately parallel to the front base bar, and   a plurality of approximately-parallel side base bars approximately orthogonal to the front base bar and the rear base bar.   
     
     
         3 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 2  wherein each side base bar includes
 a relatively flat inner portion,   an upwardly-bending rear portion, and   an elongated, upwardly-bending front portion.   
     
     
         4 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 3  wherein the upwardly-bending rear portion of each side base bar contains a rear terminus. 
     
     
         5 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 3  wherein the elongated, upwardly-bending front portion of each side base bar contains a front terminus. 
     
     
         6 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 3  further including a first swing arm with a proximal end pivotally attached to the front end of the first track. 
     
     
         7 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 6  wherein the first swing arm includes a first swing-arm handle at a distal end. 
     
     
         8 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 7  wherein the first swing-arm handle further includes a first swing-arm grip at a distal end. 
     
     
         9 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 6  wherein the first swing arm is pivotally attached to the support frame at the front terminus of one of the side base bars. 
     
     
         10 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 3  further including a second swing arm with a proximal end pivotally attached to the front end of the second track. 
     
     
         11 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 10  wherein the second swing arm includes a second swing-arm handle at a distal end. 
     
     
         12 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 11  wherein the second swing-arm handle further includes a second swing-arm grip at a distal end. 
     
     
         13 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 10  wherein the second swing arms is pivotally attached to the support frame at the front terminus of one of the side base bars. 
     
     
         14 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 1  further including a number of flat bars for anchoring the multiple-person elliptical trainer to the ground, each flat bar having a number of mounting apertures. 
     
     
         15 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 14  wherein the multiple-person elliptical trainer can be anchored to a cement footing by partially sinking a bolt into the cement footing and passing the exposed portion of the bolt through the mounting aperture of one of the flat bars and tightening a locking nut onto the bolt. 
     
     
         16 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 1  wherein the first foot pedal and the second foot pedal each include a toe plate. 
     
     
         17 . The multiple-person elliptical trainer of  claim 1  interconnected to a walking simulator. 
     
     
         18 . A method for improving cardiovascular fitness, the method comprising:
 providing a multiple-person elliptical trainer, the multiple-person elliptical trainer including a support frame and a plurality of training stations mounted to the support frame, each training station including a first track with a front end and a rear end, a second track with a front end and a rear end, a first crank arm pivotally attached to the rear end of the first track, a second crank arm pivotally attached to the rear end of the second track, a rotatable axle interconnected to the support frame and interconnecting the first crank arm to the second crank arm, a first foot pedal mounted to the first track, and a second foot pedal mounted to the second track;   placing a left foot on the first foot pedal and a right foot on the second foot pedal; and   rotating the crank arms by alternately pressing down on the first foot pedal and the second foot pedal   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further including a first swing arm pivotally attached to the front end of the first track and a second swing arm pivotally attached to the front end of the second track. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the first swing arm and the second swing arm are each pivotally attached to the support frame. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  further including a number of flat bars for anchoring the multiple-person elliptical trainer to the ground, each flat bar having a number of mounting apertures. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the multiple-person elliptical trainer can be anchored to a cement footing by partially sinking a bolt into the cement footing and passing the exposed portion of the bolt through the mounting aperture of one of the flat bars and tightening a locking nut onto the bolt.