Athletic apparatus with non-linear sliding track

Abstract

An athletic apparatus with non-linear sliding tracks includes a frame, a pair of tracks installed to the frame, a pair of pedal mechanisms slidably installed to the tracks and a pair of rocker arm mechanisms. Each track is formed by at least one curved pipe. Each rocker arm mechanism pivoted to a shaft rod of the frame is linked to the pedal mechanism through at least one linking rod and further connected to a damping mechanism which provides a resistance to the rocker arm mechanism. Each pedal mechanism is linked to a steel rope of a linking mechanism so that the pair of the pedal mechanisms can move back and forth against each other alternately along the curved tracks. A handle is arranged on a top of each rocker arm mechanism, a user can exercise by holding the handles and treading on the pedal mechanism.

1 . An athletic apparatus comprising:
 a frame ( 10 ) placed on a level ground;   a pair of left and right tracks ( 3 ;  4 ) having the same structure and fixed to the frame ( 10 ) at a predetermined angle to the ground; the tracks ( 3 ,  4 ) being formed curved but not straight;   a pair of left and right pedal mechanisms having the same structure and including pedals ( 52 ;  62 ) for being treaded by a user's feet and being installed to the left and right tracks ( 3 ;  4 ) respectively; each pedal mechanisms further being moved up and down along the curved tracks ( 3 ,  4 );   a pair of left and right rocker arm mechanisms having the same structure and being movably installed to the frame ( 10 ) and the left and right pedal mechanisms so as to be moved with respect to the pedal mechanisms;   a first transmitting mechanism installed to an inclined supporting rod ( 16 ) of said frame ( 10 ), and connecting to said left and right pedal bases ( 5 ,  6 ) for sliding back and forth, up and down along said left and right tracks ( 3 ;  4 );   wherein by the curved tracks ( 3 ,  4 ), the users experience the most natural feet exercise and an ergonomic design capable of protecting user's heels from being hurt is provided; and   wherein the pedal bases ( 5 ) and ( 6 ) are moved along the curved tracks ( 3 ;  4 ) so that the feet of the user can exercise smoothly by moving outwards and downwards together and moving forth and upwards together.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame has a base ( 18 ) which includes a front bottom rod ( 11 ) and a rear bottom rod ( 13 ) separated from each other; a standing rod ( 12 ) is extended upwards from the front bottom rod ( 11 ), a control panel ( 121 ) is installed to a top of the standing rod ( 12 ); the users can operate the athletic apparatus through the control panel; an axle rod ( 14 ) is approximately vertical to an upper end of the standing rod ( 12 ), each of two handles ( 15 ) holdable by the user's hands is formed between a respective one of two ends of the axle rod ( 14 ) and a respective one of two ends of a middle bottom rod of the base; and two installation portions ( 131 ,  132 ) are formed at two distal ends of the rear bottom rod, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the left and right rocker arm mechanisms have rocker arms ( 7 ,  8 ) with upper ends thereof pivoted to the axle rod ( 14 ), and handles ( 15 ) arranged to the rocker arms respectively for being held by the user; lower ends of the rocker arms are pivoted to linking rods through universal connectors respectively; another ends of the linking rods are pivoted to the left and right pedal mechanisms through universal connectors. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the left and right pedal mechanisms have pedal bases ( 5 ,  6 ), supporters ( 51 ,  61 ) installed on the pedal bases ( 5 ,  6 ), and pedals ( 52 ,  62 ) for being treaded by the user's feet respectively; the pedal bases are slidably installed to the curved tracks respectively and capable of being slid up and down along the tracks. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein bottom ends of the tracks ( 5 ,  6 ) are fixed to the installation portions ( 131 ,  132 ) of the rear bottom rods respectively, while upper ends of the tracks ( 5 ,  6 ) are fixed to an inclined supporting rod ( 16 ) of the frame ( 10 ) so that the left and right tracks are at an predetermined angle to the ground. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first transmitting mechanism is rotatably installed to the inclined supporting rod ( 16 ) near to a pulley ( 91 ) below the upper ends of the tracks ( 5 ,  6 ); and a steel rope ( 92 ) winds around the pulley ( 91 ); two ends of the steel rope ( 92 ) are connected to the left and right pedals ( 5 ,  6 ) respectively so that the pedals are swingable. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a second transmitting mechanism has two timing belts ( 21 ,  22 ) and an elastic belt ( 23 ) linking the two timing belts ( 21 ,  22 ); outer ends of the timing belts are connected to the lower ends of the rocker arms ( 7 ,  8 ) respectively so that the left and right rocker arm mechanisms is swingable with an axle center of the axle rod ( 14 ); a shaft rod ( 24 ) is installed to the frame; a belt wheel is installed to a middle position of the shaft rod, and two gear wheels are installed to two ends of the shaft rod; the gear wheels have an unidirectional bearing; the timing belts clench the teeth of the gear wheels respectively; two wheels are pivoted to two ends of the front bottom rod, and the elastic belt linking the timing belts winds the wheels; by the linking of the second transmitting mechanism, the left and right rocker arm mechanisms is movable against each other alternately. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a damping mechanism is installed to the frame; the damping mechanism includes a load wheel and an electro-magnetic brake; by the link of a transmitting belt, the load wheel is linked to the belt wheel. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the left and right tracks is made by combining two curved pipes of the same radian. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a center line of a longitudinal direction of the base is defined as a center line; and the left and right tracks are oppositely installed beside the center line; a first track, that is the left track, is an arc of a length L 1  with a virtual radius r 1  and a center of circuit O 1 ; a second track, that is the right track, is an arc of a length L 2  with on a virtual radius r 2  and a center of circuit O 2 ; the radii and lengths of the arcs of the two tracks are equal; the two curved tracks installed between the rear bottom rod and the inclined supporting rod are gradually away from each other from the upper ends to the lower ends thereof; that is, the upper ends of the tracks are near to the center line and the lower ends of the tracks are away from the center line so that the concaves of arcs of the tracks face outwards respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The athletic apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at a static status, the pedals on the tracks are parallel to the ground; the pedals are capable of tilting towards one another with a predetermined angle so that the upward and downward movements of the pedals along the arcs are smooth and safe.