US5403252A — Exercise apparatus and method for simulating hill…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 139 words

A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing; resistance means for applying a variable level of resistance in opposition to said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of resistance representing to at least a portion of hill; load control means for generating said load control signal to apply said resistance independently of the rate of said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value; and display means for displaying an image representing said resistance of said at least a portion of a hill.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 139 words

A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing; resistance means for applying a variable level of resistance in opposition to said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of resistance representing to at least a portion of hill; load control means for generating said load control signal to apply said resistance independently of the rate of said reciprocating climbing exercise movement, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value; and display means for displaying an image representing said resistance of said at least a portion of a hill.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display means additionally displaying said predetermined difficulty value.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control means includes program means for changing said first difficulty value displayed on said display means to a subsequent difficulty value and for changing said load control signal constant value to a subsequent constant value corresponding to said subsequent difficulty value.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 190 words

A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising a frame; a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to said frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing; selection means for generating a plurality of values; display means comprising primary display means for successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing at least a portion of a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values; resistance means connected by a transmission to said first and second pedal means for applying a variable level of load resistance in opposition to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of load resistance; and control means for generating said load control signal to apply said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement and directly as a function of said graphically values, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said load resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 190 words

A climbing exercise apparatus, comprising a frame; a first and second pedal means pivotally secured to said frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement for simulating hill climbing; selection means for generating a plurality of values; display means comprising primary display means for successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing at least a portion of a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values; resistance means connected by a transmission to said first and second pedal means for applying a variable level of load resistance in opposition to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement, said resistance means being selectively adjustable in response to a load control signal for varying the level of load resistance; and control means for generating said load control signal to apply said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement and directly as a function of said graphically values, wherein said load control signal is effective to maintain said load resistance at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values independently of the user's rate of vertically reciprocating climbing exercise movement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values in accordance with a predetermined routine.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said selection means generates said values randomly.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said display means further comprising secondary display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images arranged in a selected order, each of said selected order of said images representing a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated value.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising data entry means for enabling the user to enter data that includes the user's weight, wherein said control means applies said load resistance as a function of the user's weight.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means varies said load resistance as a function of the square of the user's weight.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data further includes a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels, wherein said function is: ##EQU2## where weight is the user's weight in pounds, level is the user-entered number corresponding to an effort level, and hill is the value graphically represented by display means and K 1 through K 8 are constants.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said resistance means is an alternator having a control field and a shaft that is coupled to said transmission; wherein said load control signal is a square wave signal having a duty cycle that is varied as a function of the value graphically represented by said primary display means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising data entry means for enabling said user to enter data that includes the user's weight; and wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of the user's weight as well as said graphically represented value.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of the square of the user's weight.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said data further includes a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels; wherein said duty cycle is varied as a function of said number as well as said user's weight and said graphically represented value.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said primary display means graphically represents each of said values as a vertical column, the height of which is proportional to said represented value.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising an indicia visually accessible to the user which associates said represented value with said height of said vertical column.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said display means additionally including display means for displaying an image representing said load resistance.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 166 words

A method for use in a climbing exercise apparatus having first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion for simulating hill climbing, and means for applying a variable level of resistance to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion, comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of values from within a predetermined range of values; successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values; applying a level of load resistance in opposition to the user's vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion that is proportional to said graphically represented value; and generating said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion and directly as a function of said graphically represented values, wherein said load resistance is effective to maintain at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 166 words

A method for use in a climbing exercise apparatus having first and second pedal means pivotally secured to a frame and adapted for providing a user with a vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion for simulating hill climbing, and means for applying a variable level of resistance to said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion, comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of values from within a predetermined range of values; successively displaying a plurality of images, each of said images representing a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated values; applying a level of load resistance in opposition to the user's vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion that is proportional to said graphically represented value; and generating said load resistance independently of said vertically reciprocating climbing exercise motion and directly as a function of said graphically represented values, wherein said load resistance is effective to maintain at a constant value for a predetermined difficulty value.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of selecting a number corresponding to one of a predetermined range of effort levels; and generating said load resistance as a function of the square of the user's weight and said graphically represented value.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying a plurality of images arranged in a selected order, each of said images representing at least a portion of a hill that is associated with one of said plurality of values, and each of said images graphically representing said associated value.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-04-03	1998-10-03	1999-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-04-03	2002-10-03	2003-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-04-03	2006-10-03	2007-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Exercise apparatus and method for simulating hill climbing

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