U.S. patent application number 10/463425 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for multi-angle achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer.
Invention is credited to Liang, Yung-Jen.
Application Number | 20040259704 10/463425 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33517101 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040259704 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liang, Yung-Jen |
December 23, 2004 |
Multi-angle achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer
Abstract
The invention provides a multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching
pedaled trainer, including two arc-shaped rockers with one on the
left and the other on the right. Besides, two pedals that can be
stepped on by a user are provided on top of each rocker, with one
on the front and the other on the rear. Also, an axle pole is
provided between the two rockers for connection, allowing the two
feet on the pedals to make forward and backward swaying motions in
order to twist waist and hips, strengthen leg muscles and develop
body balance.
Inventors: |
Liang, Yung-Jen; (Chang Hua
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
33517101 |
Appl. No.: |
10/463425 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/146 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/085 20130101;
A63B 2023/006 20130101; A63B 22/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/146 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer,
including: two rockers, with one on the left and the other on the
right; two pedals on top of each rocker, with one on the front and
the other on the rear; and an axle pole, placed between the two
rockers for connection, allowing the rockers to be stepped on with
two-direction exercises so as to strengthen leg muscles, develop
sense of balance, and twist waist and hips.
2. The multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer as
claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of holes are provided along
the rear bottom of each rocker, and an angle-limiting element can
be inserted into each hole; also, a ball-shaped angle-limiting head
is provided at the outer end of the angle-limiting element.
3. The multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer as
claimed in claim 1, wherein an anti-sliding sheet made of rubber is
attached to the bottom of each rocker.
4. The multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer as
claimed in claim 1, wherein a flexible sleeve is sleeved onto the
middle portion of the axle pole that connects the two rockers.
5. The multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer as
claimed in claim 1, wherein a bearing is used to connect one end of
the axle pole and one of the two rockers.
6. The multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled trainer as
claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle-limiting element can be a
square-shaped pole, a plurality of holes of the rocker can be
square-shaped holes, and the angle-limiting head at the outer end
of the angle-limiting element can be a circular pole.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a multi-angle Achilles tendon
stretching pedaled trainer and, more particularly, to a trainer
that can be stepped on and rocked to and fro in order to train calf
muscle, stretch Achilles tendon, develop sense of balance, and
twist waist and hips.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] FIG. 1 is a conventional leg muscle trainer. Referring to
FIG. 1, two arc-shaped rocking bodies 1 are provided with one on
the left and the other on the right. Besides, on top of each
rocking body 1, two pedals 2 with different slopes are provided
with one on the front and the other on the rear. Also, two through
holes 3 are laterally provided on each rocking body 1 with one the
front and the other on the rear, and two cross bars 4 are also
provided to connect between two rocking bodies 1. In addition, two
ends of each cross bar 4 are inserted into their corresponding
through holes 3. Then, a screw bolt 5 is inserted into the screw
hole (not shown) from the end of cross bar 4 of the rocking bodies
1 for fastening so that the two rocking bodies 1 can be screwed
onto the two crossing bars. Moreover, referring to FIG. 2, to use
the leg muscle trainer, a user's two feet must step onto the pedals
2 on top of the two rocking bodies 1 simultaneously. Then, the
center of gravity of the user's body has to be slanted forwards for
a certain angle and then moved back to the heels. By doing so, the
arc-shaped bottoms of the two rocking bodies 1 can touch the ground
with different tangents. Besides, owing to the different tangents,
the user has to seek his/her body balance in order not to fall from
the leg muscle trainer. Therefore, when the user's center of
gravity is moving forwards, the leg muscle has to be tightened so
that the feet can hold onto the pedals firmly. After that, the
body's counterbalance can be found in an opposite direction, and
thus the body's center of gravity can be changed through different
forces pressed on the foot pedals. Therefore, by repeating the
motions of changing body's center of gravity, the calf muscle can
be stretched and loosened to keep body's balance. Hence, the leg
muscle trainer can achieve the purpose of strengthening calf
muscles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The object of the invention is to improve the single
function of a conventional leg muscle trainer that can only train
leg muscles. The invention provides a multi-angle Achilles tendon
stretching pedaled trainer, allowing a user to step on for multiple
training exercises, including to-and-fro stepping motions, waist
and hips twisting motions, and feet swaying motions, so as to
stretch and loosen Achilles tendon and therefore strengthen leg
muscles as well as keep body balance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembly of a
conventional leg muscle trainer.
[0005] FIG. 2 is schematic diagram showing the motion made by a
conventional leg muscle trainer.
[0006] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective diagram of one embodiment
of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a top view of one embodiment of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the motion made by one
embodiment of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another motion made by
one embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective diagram showing another
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 3 & 4, the multi-angle Achilles
tendon stretching pedaled trainer of the invention includes two
rockers 10 with one on the left and the other on the right, wherein
the rockers 10 have a shape of arc and can be placed on the ground
and swayed to and fro along the arc. Besides, two pedals 11A &
11B with different slopes are provided by being screwed on top of
each rocker, with one on the front and the other on the rear ready
to be stepped on, and a heel shield 11B is provided upwardly at the
rear edge of the rear pedal 11B surrounding the user's heel. In
addition, an axle hole 12 is laterally provided in the middle of
each rocker 10, and an anti-sliding sheet 13 made of rubber is
attached to the bottom of each rocker 10. Also, three holes 14 are
provided at the rear bottom of each rocker 10, wherein each hole 14
is inserted in by an angle-limiting element 15, and a ball-shaped
angle-limiting head 151 is provided at one end of the
angle-limiting element 15.
[0012] Moreover, an axle pole 20 is to be inserted into the axle
hole 10, and a thread portion 21 is provided at each of the two
ends of the axle pole 20, wherein the thread portion 21 is to be
screwed by a screw nut 22. Also, a flexible sleeve 23 will be
sleeved onto the middle portion of the axle pole 20, and each of
the two bearings 24 will be sleeved onto each of the two ends of
the axle pole 20. When assembling, each of the two ends of the axle
pole 20 will first be inserted into the axle hole 20 of the rocker
10 and then go through the bearing 24. Next, the screw nut 22 will
be screwed onto the axle pole 20 at the thread portion 21 to finish
the assembly.
[0013] To do exercise on the multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching
pedaled trainer, referring to FIG. 5, a user can step onto the
pedals 11A & 11B on each of the two rockers 10 with two feet
mounting on the four pedals simultaneously. Then, the user's two
feet will step down forwardly (or backwardly) so that the center of
gravity of the user's body can be moving forwards (or backwards) as
well as the two rockers 10 can be leaning forwards (or backwards)
at the same time. After that, the rockers 10 will be stepped down
in reverse direction, and the user's lower leg must be tightened to
hold onto the pedals so that a counterbalance can be found for
keeping the user's balance. Thus, the calf muscle can be
strengthened as well as the Achilles tendon can be stretched.
[0014] Also, in order to limit the swaying-back angle of the
rockers 10, an angle-limiting element 15 can be inserted into any
of the three holes 14 alternately to prevent the swaying-back angle
from being too large. Through the angle-limiting head 151 of the
angle-limiting element 15, the swaying angle limitation can be
provided when each rocker 10 is touching against the ground. In
turn, through such angle limitation, the angle of a user's center
of gravity can also be controlled accordingly.
[0015] In addition, the reason to provide different selections of
swaying angle for a user is that some users may not suitable for
large-angle swaying because their body strengths are not allowed to
do so. Therefore, if a user is suitable for a smaller angle, the
angle-limiting element 15 should be inserted into the hole 14
located close to the central bottom of the rocker 10. Conversely,
if a user prefers a larger angle, the angle-limiting element 15
should be inserted into the hole 14 located close to the rear
bottom of the rocker 10. Since the rockers 10 can touch the ground
with different angles according to different locations of
angle-limiting heads 151, the user's center of gravity can be kept
in a certain angle without shifting.
[0016] Moreover, referring to FIG. 5, when a user's two feet are
stepping onto the pedals of the rockers 10, his/her body will move
along with the forward and backward motions of his/her feet.
Therefore, in order to gain coordination between the upper body and
the lower body, not only must the legs make efforts, but the waist
also has to twist in accordance with the legs. Therefore, an effect
of twisting the waist and hips can be obtained. Besides that, owing
to the effect, the multi-angle Achilles tendon stretching pedaled
trainer of the invention can be proved to have fewer components but
more functions than a conventional trainer has.
[0017] Furthermore, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective diagram
showing another embodiment of the invention. Alternatively,
different from the foregoing embodiment that contains a
round-shaped angle-limiting element 15 with a ball-shaped
angle-limiting head 151, the angle-limiting element 15A of this
second embodiment has a square-shaped body, and the angle-limiting
head 151A of the angle-limiting element 15A is a circular pole.
Through the contact made between the bottom of the circular
angle-limiting head 151A and the ground, a good stability can be
achieved. Moreover, each square-shaped angle-limiting element 15A,
which corresponds to a square-shaped hole 14A, is provided to limit
the swaying angle of the rocker 10.
* * * * *