Elliptical trainer

Abstract

An elliptical trainer includes a base frame, a swing unit axially mounted at the base frame, a pedal unit axially mounted at the swing unit, a damping unit for providing a damping resistance to the swing unit, a guiding unit and an elastic device unit. The guiding unit includes a pair of cranks respectively connected to the damping unit and a pair of guide brackets respectively pivotally connected to the cranks. Each guide bracket includes a guide wheel slidably coupled to the base frame and a bearing member for supporting one respective stepping bar. The elastic potential energy of the elastic device set constantly keeps the rear end portions of the stepping bars in proximity to the base frame and the stepping bars in abutment against the bearing members. The matching arrangement of the guiding unit and the base frame achieves high operating smoothness and supporting stability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elliptical trainer, comprising:
 a base frame comprising a base and an upright support unit fixedly mounted at said base, said base comprising a pair of guide members extending along a horizontal axis;   a swing unit comprising a pair of swing arms pivotally connected to said upright support unit and swingeable back and forth relative to said upright support unit, each said swing arm comprising a tubular pivot connection portion pivotally connected to said upright support unit 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 and a rear end portion opposite to said front end portion, each said front portion pivotally connected to one of said corresponding swinging portion;   a damping unit adapted for providing swing damping to said stepping bars, said damping unit comprising a rotating wheel, said rotating wheel comprising a pivot shaft axially mounted at said base frame;   a guiding unit comprising a pair of cranks respectively connected to two opposite ends of said pivot shaft and disposed at two opposite lateral sides relative to said rotating wheel and a pair of guide brackets respectively pivotally connected to said cranks, each said guide bracket comprising a guide wheel slidably coupled to one respective said guide member of said base frame and a bearing member axially disposed between one respective said guide wheel and one respective said crank for supporting one respective said stepping bar, said bearing members being respectively disposed between the said front end portions and said rear end portions of the respective said stepping bars; and   an elastic device unit comprising a pair of elastic members respectively connected between said base frame and said stepping bars for providing an elastic potential energy to constantly keep said rear end portions of the respective said stepping bars in proximity to said base frame and also to constantly keep the respective said stepping bars in abutment against the respective said bearing members.   
     
     
         2 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said base of said base frame comprises a front side, a rear side opposite to said front side; said upright support unit is located at the said front side of said base frame; said elastic members are elastic ropes, each said elastic rope having one end thereof terminating in a fixed end portion that is connected to a front side of said base frame and an opposite end thereof terminating in a pull detent end portion that is connected to the said rear end portion of one respective said stepping bar. 
     
     
         3 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said guide bracket of said guiding unit comprises a curved guide rod; said guide wheel of each said guide bracket is axially mounted at a distal end of the associated said curved guide rod; said bearing members of said guide brackets are rollers respectively and axially mounted on the respective said curved guide rods at an inner side relative to the respective said guide wheels. 
     
     
         4 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said guide members of said base frame are elongated rods; said guide wheels of said guiding unit are mounted on and movable along the respective said guide members. 
     
     
         5 . The elliptical trainer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the upright support unit comprises an upright front post, an upright rear post with a first substantially horizontality portion attached to a second downwardly sloping portion attached to the upright front post.