Elliptical exercise machine with a treading depth adjustment mechanism

Abstract

An elliptical exercise machine with a treading depth adjustment mechanism includes a frame, a swing unit, a pedal unit, a damping unit, a guiding unit and an adjusting unit. The swing unit includes a pair of swing arms swingable relative to the frame. The pedal unit includes a pair of stepping bars respectively pivotally connected to the swing arms. The damping unit is adapted for providing swing damping to the stepping bars and includes a rotating wheel mounted at the frame and a resistant member for providing a damping resistance to the rotating wheel. The guiding unit includes a pair of rocking rods swingable relative to the frame and adapted for supporting sliding movement of the stepping bars and a pair of connection rods for driving the rotating wheel to rotate. The adjusting unit is adapted for adjusting the treading depth of the rear end portions of the stepping bars.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elliptical exercise machine, comprising:
 a frame comprising a base, and an upright support fixedly mounted at said base;   a swing unit comprising a pair of swing arms pivotally connected to said upright support and swingable back and forth relative to said upright support, each said swing arm comprising a tubular pivot connection portion pivotally connected to said upright support and a swinging portion opposite to said tubular pivot connection portion;   a pedal unit comprising a pair of stepping bars respectively pivotally connected to said swing arms, each said stepping bar comprising a front end portion pivotally connected to one respective said swinging portion and a rear end portion opposite to said front end portion;   a damping unit adapted for providing swing damping to said stepping bar, said damping unit comprising a rotating wheel mounted at said frame by a pivot shaft;   a guiding unit comprising a pair or rocking rods swingable relative to said frame and a pair of connection rods respectively pivotally connected between said rocking rods and said rotating wheel of said damping unit and adapted for driving said rotating wheel to rotate, each said rocking rod comprising a pivot portion, a sliding guide portion disposed at one lateral side relative to said pivot portion and adapted for supporting sliding movement of one respective said stepping bar and a linking portion disposed at an opposite lateral side relative to said pivot portion for the connection of one respective said connection rod; and   an adjusting unit mounted at said frame and adapted for moving said pivot portions of said guiding unit relative to said pivot shaft of said damping unit to adjust the treading depth of said rear end portions of said stepping bars.   
     
     
         2 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said adjusting unit comprises at least one actuation member pivotally connected to said frame and at least one driving device adapted for driving said at least one actuation member, each said actuation member comprising a pivot connection portion pivotally connected to said frame, a detent portion disposed at one lateral side relative to said pivot connection portion for the connection of the pivot portion of one respective said rocking rod and a constraint portion disposed at an opposite lateral side relative to said pivot connection portion, each said driving device being adapted for stopping said constraint portion of at least one said actuation member from displacement relative said frame and driving said detent portion of at least one said actuation member to move the pivot portion of at least one said rocking rod relative to said pivot shaft of said damping unit. 
     
     
         3 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each said driving device of said adjusting unit comprises a motor mounted at said frame, and a screw rod rotatable by said motor and screwed up with the constraint portion of one said actuation member. 
     
     
         4 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said connection rod of said guiding unit comprises a first rod member fixedly connected to said pivot shaft of said damping unit, and a second rod member pivotally connected between said first rod member and said linking portion of one respective said rocking rod. 
     
     
         5 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each said connection rod of said guiding unit comprises a first rod member fixedly connected to said pivot shaft of said damping unit, and a second rod member pivotally connected between said first rod member and said linking portion of one respective said rocking rod. 
     
     
         6 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claims 3 , wherein each said connection rod of said guiding unit comprises a first rod member fixedly connected to said pivot shaft of said damping unit, and a second rod member pivotally connected between said first rod member and said linking portion of one respective said rocking rod. 
     
     
         7 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a handlebar unit and a linking-up unit, said handlebar unit comprising a pair of handlebars respectively connected to said tubular pivot connection portions of said swing arms, said linking-up unit comprising a pivot rod swingable relative to said upright support and a pair of coupling rods respectively pivotally connected between two opposite ends of said pivot rod and the tubular pivot connection portions of said swing arms. 
     
     
         8 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said resistant member is a flywheel rotatably mounted at a top side of said upright support; said damping unit further comprises a belt coupled between said rotating wheel and said flywheel. 
     
     
         9 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said pivot portion of said guiding unit defines with the center of said pivot shaft of said damping unit a first distance; said sliding guide portions of said rocking rods are alternatively movable between a low position and a high position, and, when said sliding guide portions of said rocking rods are being alternatively moved between said low position and said high position, a relatively smaller treading depth is created between the sliding guide portion of one said rocking rod in said low position and the sliding guide portion of the other said rocking rod in said high position. 
     
     
         10 . The elliptical exercise machine as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said pivot portion of said guiding unit defines with the center of said pivot shaft of said damping unit a second distance shorter than said first distance, and, when said sliding guide portions of said rocking rods are being alternatively moved between said low position and said high position, a relatively greater treading depth is created between the sliding guide portion of one said rocking rod in said low position and the sliding guide portion of the other said rocking rod in said high position.