U.S. patent application number 10/670851 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-31 for balanced type stepper.
Invention is credited to Yu, Hsu Hsiu.
Application Number | 20050070403 10/670851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34376014 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050070403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yu, Hsu Hsiu |
March 31, 2005 |
Balanced type stepper
Abstract
The present invention discloses a balanced type stepper
comprising a H-shape base, a V-shape support stand being pivotally
coupled to the H-shape base by adjustable left and right link bars
with a fixing board, a side link bar and a lower link bar
respectively disposed at the left and right ends of each link bar
to constitute a mechanical structure having interconnected link
bars with the fixing board, a pedal being installed at the top end
of the side link bar, and a bolt disposed at the bottom of the
outer end of the support stand, and a buffer oil-pressure cylinder
not parallel with the support stand being pivotal coupled between
the bolt and the fixing board, such that when users step on the
pedals, and exert force alternately on the left and right pedals to
drive the side link bar to produce the inclination to the left and
right sides and the vertical and horizontal displacements of the
pedal by the V-shape support stand coupled with the adjustable link
bars, and thus pulling the link rod of the buffer oil-pressure
cylinder to produce the expansion and contraction and producing
different resistance to provide the sideway swing and vertical and
horizontal movements of the stepping, and also being capable of
changing the length of the adjustable link rod as well as the
height and position of the pedal in order to change the swinging
amplitude to provide changes to the stepping distance and fit
different users and the use of long hour training.
Inventors: |
Yu, Hsu Hsiu; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hsu Hsiu Yu
P.O. Box 24-108
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
34376014 |
Appl. No.: |
10/670851 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0015 20130101;
A63B 22/0056 20130101; A63B 2022/003 20130101; A63B 21/0083
20130101; A63B 2023/0447 20130101; A63B 21/00072 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/053 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A balanced stepper, comprising: a base, a support stand, a fixed
board, a buffer oil-pressure cylinder, an adjustable link bar, a
side link bar, a lower link bar, and a pedal; characterized in that
said base being a H-shape frame member set on a floor, and having a
fixed board at its middle position, said fixed board being
pivotally coupled to a V-shape support stand with the adjustable
link bars, and the left and right ends of each support stand
respectively coupled with said side link bar, lower link bar and
fixed board to constitute a linking mechanical structure with four
link bars, and a pedal being disposed at the top end of said side
link bar, and a bolt member being disposed on the outer end of each
of the left and right support stands, and said buffer oil-pressure
cylinder not parallel to said support stand being disposed and
pivotally coupled between said bolt and fixed board.
2. The balanced stepper of claim 1, wherein said adjustable link
bar coupled to said left and right support stands comprises a
pulling structure capable of adjusting the length of the adjusting
link bar.
3. The balanced stepper of claim 1, wherein said adjustable link
bar coupled to said left and right support stands comprises a
handle for carrying the stepper.
4. The balanced stepper of claim 1, further comprising a rubber pad
disposed between said base and lower link bar.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a balanced type stepper,
more particularly pertains to an improved stepper focusing on
overcoming the shortcomings of the large size of the conventional
stepper and the tendency of the pedal being inclined forward. The
stepper in accordance with this invention comprises a H-shape base,
a V-shape support stand being pivotally coupled to the H-shape base
by adjustable left and right link bars with a fixing board, a side
link bar and a lower link bar respectively disposed at the left and
right ends of each link bar to constitute a mechanical structure
having interconnected link bars with the fixing board, a pedal
being installed at the top end of the side link bar, and a bolt
disposed at the bottom of the outer end of the support stand, and a
buffer oil-pressure cylinder not parallel with the support stand
being pivotal coupled between the bolt and the fixing board, such
that when users step on the pedals, and exert force alternately on
the left and right pedals to drive the side link bar to produce the
inclination to the left and right sides and the vertical and
horizontal displacements of the pedal by the V-shape support stand
coupled with the adjustable link bars, and thus pulling the link
rod of the buffer oil-pressure cylinder to produce the expansion
and contraction and producing different resistance to provide the
sideway swing and vertical and horizontal movements of the
stepping, and also being capable of changing the length of the
adjustable link rod as well as the height and position of the pedal
in order to change the swinging amplitude to provide changes to the
stepping distance and fit different users and the use of long hour
training.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Since people are paying more attention to health day after
day and the living standard is constantly improved, in addition to
the unbalanced diet, the use of sports equipments become more
extensive. The stepper used for sports and fitness is basically
divided into two types, one being the lever and buffer type
structure and the other being the crank and link rod type
structure. However, both types of these steppers have the
shortcomings of large volume and complicated structure.
Furthermore, when the pedal is moved during the exercise, the pedal
tends to incline forward, and thus easily causing unbalance and
being insecure. Therefore, it requires further studies, designs,
and improvements.
[0005] In view of the description above, the inventor of this
invention based on years of experience on engaging in the design
and manufacture of sports and fitness equipment and focused on the
foregoing shortcomings to conduct extensive studies and experiments
and finally invented the balanced type stepper in accordance with
this invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a balanced type stepper, comprising a H-shape base, a V-shape
support stand being pivotally coupled to the H-shape base by
adjustable left and right link bars with a fixing board, a side
link bar and a lower link bar respectively disposed at the left and
right ends of each link bar to constitute a mechanical structure
having interconnected link bars with the fixing board, a pedal
being installed at the top end of the side link bar, and a bolt
disposed at the bottom of the outer end of the support stand, and a
buffer oil-pressure cylinder not parallel with the support stand
being pivotal coupled between the bolt and the fixing board, such
that when users step on the pedals, and exert force alternately on
the left and right pedals to drive the side link bar to produce the
inclination to the left and right sides and the vertical and
horizontal displacements of the pedal by the V-shape support stand
coupled with the adjustable link bars, and thus pulling the link
rod of the buffer oil-pressure cylinder to produce the expansion
and contraction and producing different pressure resistance to
provide the sideway swings and vertical and horizontal movements of
the stepping, which can eliminate the unbalance and the feeling of
insecurity.
[0007] The secondary objective of this invention is to provide a
balanced stepper, of which the adjustable link rod connected to the
support stand with the left and right link bard is designed in the
shape of a handle for carrying and moving the stepper. Further, the
adjustable link bar can be rotated to adjust the length, and also
change the included angle between the left and right link bars of
the support stand in order to adjust the height and position of the
pedal, the vertical swinging of the pedal, and the stepping
distance to fit different users and the use of long-hour
practice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side-view diagram of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an illustrative diagram of the application of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram of the handle and the
upper link rod adjusting structure of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] To make it easier for our examiner to understand the
objective of the invention, its structure, innovative features, and
performance, we use a preferred embodiment together with the
attached drawings for the detailed description of the
invention.
[0014] Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 3 for the present invention,
comprising a base 1, a support stand 2, a fixed board 11, a buffer
oil-pressure cylinder 5, an adjustable link bar 6, a side link bar
22, a lower link bar 23, and a pedal 4; wherein the base 1 is a
H-shape frame set on the floor, and a fixed board 11 is disposed in
the middle, left and right V-shape support stands 2 are pivotally
coupled to an adjustable link rod 6 transversally to the fixed
board 11, and the left and right ends of the each support stand 2
respectively use the side link bar 22, the lower ling bar 23, and
the fixed board 11 to constitute a linking mechanical structure
with four link bars interconnected pivotally. A pedal 4 is disposed
on the top end of the side link bar 22, a bolt member 51 is
disposed at the bottom of the outer end of the left and right
support stands 2, and a buffer oil-pressure cylinder 5 not parallel
to the support stand being disposed between the bolt member 51 and
the fixed board 11. A rubber pad 12 may be installed at an
appropriate position between the base 1 and the lower link bar 23,
if needed, to avoid collisions between the bolt 51 and the fixed
board 11. Furthermore, the adjustable link bar 6 coupled to the
left and right link bars of the support stand 2 can be designed in
the shape of a handle 3 for carrying and moving the stepper. By
designing the handle 3 as a contractible and expansible structure
(as shown in FIG. 4), it can adjust the length by rotating the
adjustable link bar 6, and also can drive and change the included
angle between the left and right link bars of the V-shape support
stand 2 to adjust the height and position of the pedal 4 as well as
the swing amplitude of the pedal 4 to provide adjustments to the
stepping distance.
[0015] In the actual operation during its use, the stepper in
accordance with this invention is set on the ground first, and then
users can rotate the handle to drive the adjustable link bar to
contract or expand into the desired stepping distance, and change
the included angle of the left and right link bars of the support
stand 2 and the height and position of the pedal 4. The user steps
both feet individually on the pedal 4 and exerts force alternately
by the left and right legs to move the level of the exerted pedals
downward, and the side link bar 22 fixed on the pedal will be
driven to incline the adjustable link bar 6 connected to the
V-shape support stand 2 to the left and right side. The aslant
support stand 2 will also drive the side link bar 22 and the pedal
4 on that end to move upward to produce the opposite vertical and
horizontal movements. At that time, the side link bar 22 will also
drive the support stand 2 such that the bottom of the bolt member
51 will pull the buffer oil-pressure cylinder 5 not parallel to the
support stand 2 and produce the contraction and expansion for the
link bar 50 and produce different resistances, and thus
accomplishing the movements by sideway swings and vertical and
horizontal stepping. When the base 1 and the lower link bar 23 are
about to collide, the rubber pad 12 installed between them will
provide the buffer and blocking action to prevent any collision,
vibration, or noise which may bring uncomfortable and inconvenient
results. If it is necessary to carry or move the stepper, the
handle 3 installed on the V-shape support stand 2 provide a simple,
convenient, and quick operation.
[0016] Since the structure and device of the present invention have
never been disclosed in the market or publication, the present
invention capable of accomplishing the exercise by horizontal
sideway stepping as well as having the features of fitting
different use and long-hour training definitely improves the
performance of traditional steppers, and fully complies with the
requirements for the patent application.
[0017] While the present invention has been described by the most
practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this
invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is
intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent
arrangements.
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