U.S. patent application number 11/039234 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for foot exercise device having tiltable platform.
Invention is credited to Kwan Chang Pu.
Application Number | 20060240955 11/039234 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37187668 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060240955 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pu; Kwan Chang |
October 26, 2006 |
Foot exercise device having tiltable platform
Abstract
A foot exercise device includes a base having a front handle, a
frame attached to a rear portion of the base and having an upper
channel two or more lower cavities communicating with the upper
channel. A platform includes a number of projections for massaging
feet of users, and includes a front portion pivotally coupled to
the base, and includes a rear portion having one or more pegs
slidable along the upper channel of the frame, and selectively
engageable in either of the lower cavities of the frame. The
platform is adjustable relative to the base to different
inclination when the peg of the platform is adjustably engaged in
either of the lower cavities of the frame.
Inventors: |
Pu; Kwan Chang; (Changhua
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET
THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
37187668 |
Appl. No.: |
11/039234 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/79 ;
482/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2210/50 20130101;
A61H 2203/0406 20130101; A61H 1/0266 20130101; A61H 2205/10
20130101; A63B 2023/006 20130101; A63B 2208/0204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/079 ;
482/080 |
International
Class: |
A63B 23/08 20060101
A63B023/08; A63B 23/10 20060101 A63B023/10 |
Claims
1. A foot exercise device comprising: a base including a front
portion for supporting a handle thereon, and including a rear
portion, a frame attached to said rear portion of said base, and
including an upper channel formed therein, and including a first
lower cavity and at least one second lower cavity formed therein,
and communicating with said upper channel thereof, and a platform
including a plurality of projections extended upwardly therefrom,
for engaging with and for massaging feet of users, and including a
front portion pivotally coupled to said base, and including a rear
portion having at least one peg extended therefrom, and slidable
along said upper channel of said frame, and selectively engageable
in either of said first and said at least one second lower cavities
of said frame, said platform being adjustable relative to said base
to different inclination when said at least one peg of said
platform is adjustably engaged in either of said first and said at
least one second lower cavities of said frame.
2. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base includes a casing disposed on said front portion thereof, and
having a space formed therein and defined between two flaps, each
of said flaps includes a slot formed therein, a tube includes a
lower portion engageable into said space of said casing, and
includes a groove formed in said lower portion thereof, and aligned
with said slots of said flaps of said casing, for receiving a
fastener which is capable of securing said tube to said casing.
3. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
casing includes a screw hole formed therein and communicating with
said space thereof, and a fastener threaded with said screw hole of
said casing and engageable with said tube, to solidly secure said
tube to said casing.
4. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base includes a rear portion having a bar extended upwardly
therefrom, for supporting a user thereon.
5. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base includes a beam laterally disposed therein, and includes a
plate supported on said beam, to support said casing thereon.
6. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1 further
comprising at least one link pivotally coupled between said front
portion of said platform and said base, to pivotally support said
platform on said base.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a foot exercise device, and
more particularly to a foot exercise device having a bottom
platform for supporting feet of users and tiltable or adjustable to
different inclinations.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical foot exercise devices comprise a platform having a
number of projections provided thereon, for massaging the feet of
the users. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,382 to Worthington
discloses one of the typical foot exercise devices comprising a
platform that may be vibrated by vibrator coil and armature, for
vibrating and massaging the feet of the users. However, the
platform may not be adjusted relative to a supporting base to
different inclinations.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,888 to Stroop discloses an exercise and
vibration machine including a series of parallel rollers rotatably
attached in a frame, and each of the rollers includes
longitudinally extending ridges separated by longitudinal grooves.
However, the frame also may not be adjusted relative to a
supporting ground to different inclinations.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,521 to Yang discloses a foot sole
massager also including a number of parallel massaging rods
rotatably supported in a machine base that is stationary supported
on ground with four stands, and vibratable by motor and eccentric
wheel. However, similarly, the machine base also may not be
adjusted relative to the stands and the supporting ground to
different inclinations.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,331 to Chang discloses a massage device
having a motor for vibrating and reciprocating a massage pad which
includes a number of protrusions extended therefrom for massaging
the feet of the users. However, similarly, the massage pad also may
not be adjusted relative to the supporting ground or to the base to
different inclinations.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,150 to Lee discloses a foot massaging
exercising apparatus comprising a pair of upright rocker bars, a
pair of foot pedals mounted on bearing frames and capable of free
swinging movement, and two massaging boards inclined forwardly and
rearwardly respectively, and disposed below the foot pedals, and
each having a number of massaging bosses extended therefrom, for
projecting through holes of the foot pedals. The foot pedals may be
rotated or swung relative to the supporting base, but may not be
adjusted and retained at different inclinations relative to the
supporting ground or to the base.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,690 to Chen discloses a typical massage
device for feet, and comprising a rotary member rotatably supported
on a base, and selectively lockable to the base, and having a
number of massage projections extended therefrom for massaging the
feet of the users. However, similarly, the rotary member also may
not be adjusted relative to the supporting ground or to the base to
different inclinations.
[0010] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional foot exercise
devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a foot exercise device including a bottom platform for supporting
feet of users and tiltable or adjustable to different inclinations
relative to a supporting base.
[0012] The other objective of the present invention is to provide a
foot exercise device including a structure foldable to a compact
folding structure for storing and carrying purposes.
[0013] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a foot exercise device comprising a base including a front
portion for supporting a handle thereon, and including a rear
portion, a frame attached to the rear portion of the base, and
including an upper channel formed therein, and including a first
lower cavity and at least one second lower cavity formed therein,
and communicating with the upper channel thereof, and a platform
including a plurality of projections extended upwardly therefrom,
for engaging with and for massaging feet of users, and including a
front portion pivotally coupled to the base, and including a rear
portion having at least one peg extended therefrom, and slidable
along the upper channel of the frame, and selectively engageable in
either of the first and the second lower cavities of the frame. The
platform is adjustable relative to the base to different
inclination when the peg of the platform is adjustably engaged in
either of the first and the second lower cavities of the frame.
[0014] The base includes a casing disposed on the front portion
thereof, and having a space formed therein and defined between two
flaps, each of the flaps includes a slot formed therein, a tube
includes a lower portion engageable into the space of the casing,
and includes a groove formed in the lower portion thereof, and
aligned with the slots of the flaps of the casing, for receiving a
fastener which is capable of securing the tube to the casing.
[0015] The casing includes a screw hole formed therein and
communicating with the space thereof, and a fastener threaded with
the screw hole of the casing and engageable with the tube, to
solidly secure the tube to the casing. The base includes a rear
portion having a bar extended upwardly therefrom, for supporting a
user thereon.
[0016] The base includes a beam laterally disposed therein, and
includes a plate supported on the beam, to support the casing
thereon. One or more links may further be provided and pivotally
coupled between the platform and the base, to pivotally support the
platform on the base.
[0017] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a foot exercise device in
accordance with the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the foot exercise device
FIG. 3 is a side view of the foot exercise device FIG. 4 is a
partial cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines
5-5 of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the
operation of the foot exercise device;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating
the operation of the foot exercise device; and
[0023] FIGS. 8, 9 are side schematic views similar to FIGS. 3 and
6, illustrating the folding operation of the foot exercise
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a
foot exercise device in accordance with the present invention
comprises a base 10 including a casing 11 provided or disposed in a
front portion 12 thereof, and having a space 13 formed therein and
defined between two flaps 14. Each of the flaps 14 includes a slot
15 formed therein. The casing 11 further includes a screw hole 16
formed therein and communicating with the space 13 thereof, for
receiving or threading with a fastener 17.
[0025] The base 10 further includes a rear portion 18 having a bar
19 projected or extended upwardly therefrom, for supporting a user
thereon (FIG. 7), and for massaging the feet of the user. It is
preferable that the base 10 includes a beam 20 laterally disposed
in a middle portion 21 thereof, and includes a plate 22 disposed or
supported on the front portion 12 of the base 10 and the beam 20,
for supporting the casing 11 thereon, and includes one or more,
such as two brackets 23 disposed thereon, or on the beam 20.
[0026] The base 10 further includes one or more, such as two frames
25 attached or secured to the rear portion 18 thereof, and opposite
to each other, and facing toward each other, and each of the frames
25 includes a channel 26 formed in an upper portion thereof, and
two or more cavities 27, 28, 29 formed in a lower portion thereof,
and communicating with the channel 26 thereof. It is preferable
that the cavities 27, 28, 29 of the frames 25 are aligned with each
other and facing toward each other.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a tube 30 includes a lower
portion 31 engageable into the space 13 of the casing 11, and
includes a groove 32 formed in the lower portion 31 thereof, and
aligned with the slots 15 of the flaps 14 of the casing 11, for
receiving a fastener 33, such as a quick release fastener 33, which
may be used to secure the tube 30 to the casing 11. The fastener 17
may further be threaded relative to the casing 11 and engaged with
the tube 30, to further solidly secure the tube 30 to the casing
11. The tube 30 includes a bore 34 formed therein, and includes an
upper portion 35 for attaching a post 36 thereto which may be used
to attach and to support a handle 37 thereon.
[0028] The post 36 and thus the handle 37 may be slid and adjusted
up and down relative to the tube 30 to different heights or
extensions, and may be adjustably secured to the tube 30 with a
quick release connector 38, as shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 7, and 9. As
shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the fastener 33 is unlocked, the tube
30 may be pulled upwardly relative to the casing 11, and may be
rotated or folded relative to the casing 11 to a compact folding
structure when the lower portion 31 of the tube 30 is moved or
disengaged from the casing 11.
[0029] The foot exercise device further includes a platform 40
having one or more, such as two brackets 41 extended therefrom,
such as extended from the middle or front portion 42 thereof, and
pivotally coupled to the brackets 23 or the middle portion 21 of
the base 10 with one or more links 43. The platform 40 includes a
rear portion 44 having one or more, such as two pegs 45 extended
therefrom or secured thereto, and slidable along the channels 26 of
the frames 25, and selectively engageable in either of the cavities
27, 28, 29 of the frames 25 (FIGS. 3, 6).
[0030] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the pegs 45 of the
platform 40 are engaged in the rearmost cavities 27 of the frames
25, the platform 40 may be adjusted and supported on the base 10
with a decreased inclination. On the contrary, when the pegs 45 of
the platform 40 are engaged in the forward or frontmost cavities 29
of the frames 25, the platform 40 may be adjusted and supported on
the base 10 with an increased inclination, such that the platform
40 may be adjusted relative to the base 10 to different
inclinations.
[0031] The platform 40 preferably includes a number of projections
46 extended upwardly therefrom, for engaging with and for massaging
the feet of the users. When the platform 40 is adjusted relative to
the base 10 to different inclinations, the users may have to bent
their feet upwardly or downwardly according to the inclinations of
the platform 40 relative to the base 10, and may thus stretch and
exercise their gastrochemius, Achilles tendon, ankle, or other
portions.
[0032] In addition, the users may also directly stand on the
upwardly extended or projected bar 19, to further exercise their
tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges, or the like.
[0033] Accordingly, the foot exercise device in accordance with the
present invention includes a bottom platform for supporting feet of
users and tiltable or adjustable to different inclinations relative
to a supporting base, and includes a structure foldable to a
compact folding structure for storing and carrying purposes.
[0034] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *