Elliptical trainer

Abstract

An elliptical trainer includes a frame, a linkage unit, a pedal unit and a horizontal damping unit. The frame includes a base bracket, a column and a guiding member. The linkage unit includes a pair of handles axially disposed on and reciprocately movable relative to the column. The pedal unit includes a pair of pedal levers respectively pivotally mounted to the handles. And the horizontal damping unit includes a pair of belts each having a driven end directly connected to one respective handle or pedal lever and a damping force-generating portion located at an opposite end thereof remote from the driven end. By driving the handles or the pedal levers, the damping force-generating portions provide the handles with a damping in horizontal vector and a potential energy for driving the handles to restore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elliptical trainer, comprising:
 a frame comprising a base bracket, a column fixedly mounted at said base bracket, and guiding means connected to said base bracket and spaced from said column at a distance;   a linkage unit comprising a pair of handles respectively axially coupled to said column and reciprocately movable relative to said column, each handle comprising a pivot connecting portion located at one end thereof and pivotally connected to said column and a swinging portion located at an opposite end thereof;   a pedal unit comprising a pair of pedal levers respectively pivotally connected to said handles, each pedal lever comprising a front end portion pivotally connected to the swinging portion of the corresponding handle and an opposing rear end portion slidable relative to said guiding means; and   a horizontal damping unit comprising a pair of elongated strip members, each elongated strip member comprising a driven end located at one end thereof and directly connected to one of said handles and said pedal levers and an opposing damping force-generating portion located at an opposite end thereof and adapted for providing the corresponding handle with a damping in a horizontal vector and rendering a potential energy for driving the associating driven end to restore.   
     
     
         2 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a vertical damping unit mounted at said base bracket of said frame and adapted for providing the rear end portions of said pedal levers of said pedal unit with a damping in a vertical vector. 
     
     
         3 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said vertical damping unit comprises a brake wheel mounted at said base bracket, a pair of driving wheels axially pivotally mounted at said base bracket at one lateral side relative to said brake wheel, a transmission member connected between said brake wheel and one said driving wheel, and a crankshaft eccentrically coupled between said driving wheels; said guiding means comprises two axle bearings respectively mounted at two opposite ends of said crankshaft to support said rear end portions of said pedal levers; said brake wheel is adapted for providing the rear end portions of said pedal lever with a damping in said vertical vector. 
     
     
         4 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected between the associating said belt and said frame. 
     
     
         5 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in claim as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected between the associating said belt and said frame. 
     
     
         6 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in claim as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected between the associating said belt and said frame. 
     
     
         7 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said damping generators of said horizontal damping unit are selected from the group of tension springs, elastic strips and hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         8 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said horizontal damping unit further comprises a pair of damping wheels respectively pivotally mounted at said frame to support the respective said belts of said elongated strip members. 
     
     
         9 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in claim as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the belt of each said elongated strip member comprises a connection end opposite to the associating said driven end; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected the connection end of the associating said belt. 
     
     
         10 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in claim as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the belt of each said elongated strip member comprises a connection end opposite to the associating said driven end; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected the connection end of the associating said belt. 
     
     
         11 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in claim as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each said elongated strip member of said horizontal damping unit further comprises a belt connected between one respective said handle and one respective said pedal lever; the driven end of each said elongated strip member is located at one end of the associating said belt; the belt of each said elongated strip member comprises a connection end opposite to the associating said driven end; the damping force-generating portion of each said elongated strip member is connected the connection end of the associating said belt. 
     
     
         12 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said frame further comprises an upright slider guide; said damping force-generating portions of said horizontal damping unit are counterweights linearly movable along said slider guide. 
     
     
         13 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal damping unit further comprises a plurality of guide rollers pivotally mounted at said base bracket of said frame, said pedal levers and said crankshaft; said elongated strip members are tension springs wound around said guide rollers. 
     
     
         14 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said horizontal damping unit further comprises a plurality of guide rollers pivotally mounted at said base bracket of said frame, said pedal levers and said crankshaft; said elongated strip members are tension springs wound around said guide rollers. 
     
     
         15 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said horizontal damping unit further comprises a plurality of guide rollers pivotally mounted at said base bracket of said frame, said pedal levers and said crankshaft; said elongated strip members are tension springs wound around said guide rollers. 
     
     
         16 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a grip unit and a linking-up unit, said grip unit comprising a pair of grips respectively connected to respective top ends of said handles, said linking-up unit comprising a pivot bar swingeable relative to said column and two links respectively pivotally coupled between two opposite ends of said pivot bar and said handles.