U.S. patent application number 11/372621 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for balance assembly of an exercise auxiliary system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Justwise Group Ltd. Invention is credited to Howard Morgan.
Application Number | 20070213187 11/372621 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38479661 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070213187 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morgan; Howard |
September 13, 2007 |
Balance assembly of an exercise auxiliary system
Abstract
A balance assembly adapted for an exercise auxiliary system
includes a base, a supporting seat pivotally engaged with the base,
multiple springs sandwiched between the supporting seat and the
base to support the base and a fixed seat slidably connected to the
supporting seat via wheels mounted on opposite sides of the
supporting seat. The base has two phases, a pre-movement phase and
an in-movement phase. In the pre-movement phase, the base is still
resulted from supporting force from the springs and in the
in-movement phase, the base rocks.
Inventors: |
Morgan; Howard; (Saffron
Walden, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KAMRATH & ASSOCIATES P.A.
4825 OLSON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY
SUITE 245
GOLDEN VALLEY
MN
55422
US
|
Assignee: |
Justwise Group Ltd
Saffron Walden
GB
|
Family ID: |
38479661 |
Appl. No.: |
11/372621 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/146 ;
482/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/16 20130101;
A63B 2208/0242 20130101; A63B 2208/0214 20130101; A63B 2208/0233
20130101; A63B 26/003 20130101; A63B 21/05 20130101; A63B 22/0087
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/146 ;
482/051 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/00 20060101
A63B022/00; A63B 22/16 20060101 A63B022/16; A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00 |
Claims
1. A balance assembly adapted for an exercise auxiliary system, the
balance assembly comprising: a base; a supporting seat pivotally
engaged with the base; multiple springs sandwiched between the
supporting seat and the base to support the base such that the base
has two phases, a pre-movement phase and an in-movement phase,
wherein in the pre-movement phase, the base is still resulted from
supporting force from the springs, in the in-movement phase, the
base rocks; and a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting
seat via wheels mounted on opposite sides of the supporting
seat.
2. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the
springs has a pad formed on an end thereof so that the springs are
connected to a bottom face of the base via the pads.
3. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base has
an extension formed on the bottom face of the base and the
supporting seat has a connecting block formed on a top face of the
supporting seat to correspond to the extension of the base so that
a pin is able to extend through the extension and the connecting
block to complete the pivotal engagement between the base and the
supporting seat.
4. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising
multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of a top
face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base
relative to the supporting seat.
5. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 2 further comprising
multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of a top
face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base
relative to the supporting seat.
6. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 3 further comprising
multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of the top
face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base
relative to the supporting seat.
7. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each
securing device includes a threaded rod securely mounted on a top
face of the supporting seat and a sleeve movably connected to the
threaded rod and having a path to threadingly receive therein the
threaded rod such that the sleeve is able to be threadingly
extended relative to the threaded rod to abut the bottom face of
the base so as to immobilize the base.
8. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each
securing device includes a threaded rod securely mounted on a top
face of the supporting seat and a sleeve movably connected to the
threaded rod and having a path to threadingly receive therein the
threaded rod such that the sleeve is able to be threadingly
extended relative to the threaded rod to abut the bottom face of
the base so as to immobilize the base.
9. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fixed
seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to
rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.
10. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fixed
seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to
rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.
11. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fixed
seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to
rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a balance assembly, and
more particularly to a balance assembly adapted to be attached to
an exercise auxiliary system so that the operator of the exercise
auxiliary system is able to simultaneously work on the muscles and
improve his/her balance ability.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] An exercise system normally is aimed to work on the user's
muscles of different parts so that the user is able to have better
shape and enhanced endurance to load added to the user. A different
exercise is Yoga or Pilate, which exercises not only the user's
body extension (stretching) capability, but also the user's
concentration in the spiritual level.
[0005] However, no matter what the currently available exercise
systems or the auxiliary exercise systems are aimed for, they are
all provided to work on the body muscles, endurance or stretching
capabilities. Therefore, after a period of time repeatedly using
the same exercise utility, the user's body shape may deform in that
only a portion of the body muscle is worked on, which increases the
muscle endurance and strength in that particular portion. Other
body muscles lacking exercise will become weaker and weaker. As a
result, the user has to constantly change his/her exercise machines
to accomplish the purpose of maintaining great body shape.
Nevertheless, no exercise system is able to simultaneously work on
the body and practice the user's balance. Because balancing is
crucial in all kinds of exercises and it requires full body
coordination, it is necessary to practice balancing technique in
all opportunities available.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide an improved balance assembly to mitigate the aforementioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an improved balance assembly to work on the user's balancing
technique as well as the full body coordination.
[0008] In order to accomplish the aforementioned objective, the
balance assembly of the present invention includes an elongated
base, a supporting seat underneath and pivotally connected to the
base and a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting seat.
Multiple springs are provided between the base and the supporting
seat. The supporting seat has multiple wheels respectively and
rotatably received in tracks formed in the fixed seat such that
when the supporting seat as well as the elongated seat is slidable
relative to the fixed seat via the relationship between the wheels
and the tracks, the springs provide a supporting force to the
user's body weight.
[0009] Another objective of the present invention is that multiple
threaded rods are securely mounted on the supporting seat and each
threaded rod has a sleeve threadingly connected to the threaded rod
such that threadingly extending the sleeves allows the sleeves to
support the elongated base thus movement of the elongated base
resulted from the springs is stopped.
[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side plan view showing the structural
relationship of parts of the balance assembly of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an operational side plan view showing that the
threaded rods are threadingly extended to abut a bottom face of the
elongated base so as to support the elongated base;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic side plan view showing that the
balance assembly of the present invention is adapted to an exercise
auxiliary system; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is an operational view showing the movement of the
balance assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] With reference to FIG. 1, it is noted that the balance
assembly in accordance with the present invention includes an
elongated base (10), a supporting seat (20) and a fixed seat
(30).
[0016] The elongated base (10) is provided for a purpose on which
the user is able to kneel down, sit on or lie down for operation of
whatever the balance assembly is attached to. Detailed description
of the attachment of the balance assembly to an exercise auxiliary
system will be described later. The elongated base (10) has an
extension (11) formed on a bottom face of the elongated base
(10).
[0017] The supporting seat (20) has a triangular connecting block
(21) formed on a top face of the supporting seat (20) to correspond
to the extension (11) of the elongated seat (10). A securing
element, such as a pin (A), is able to extend through the extension
(11) and the connecting block (21) to pivotally engage the
supporting seat to the elongated seat (10).
[0018] Multiple securing devices (40) are formed on opposite sides
of the top face of the supporting seat (20) and each securing
device includes a sleeve (41) movably mounted on the top face of
the supporting seat (20), a path (410) defined through both ends of
the sleeve (41) and a threaded rod (411) having a proximal end
securely affixed onto the top face of the supporting seat (20) and
a distal end to threadingly extend into the path (410) of the
sleeve (41). In addition, multiple springs (42) are also provided
at the opposite sides on the top face of the supporting seat (20)
and each spring (42) is provided with a pad (43) on a free end of
the spring (42) to abut a bottom face of the elongated base (10).
The supporting seat (20) has a substantially U-shaped cross section
so that multiple wheels (44) are rotatably mounted on two opposite
sides of the supporting seat (20).
[0019] The fixed seat (30) is aimed at standing on a surface, i.e.
ground surface, such that there are multiple legs (31) extending
from a bottom face of the fixed seat (30) and each legs (31) has a
lug (32) extending outward therefrom so that when the fixed seat
(30) is situated on a soft surface, the lugs (32) are able to
penetrate the soft surface to firmly stand the entire fixed seat
(30). Furthermore, a track (33) formed by stamping is formed on
opposite sides of the fixed seat (30) so as to rotatably receive
therein the wheels (44) of the securing devices (40).
[0020] As depicted by FIG. 1, it is noted that normally the
elongated base (10) is supported by the springs (42) via the pads
(43). However, if the user decides not to use the springs (42) as a
supporting means, the user may threadingly extend the sleeves (41)
to use distal ends of each of the sleeves (41) to abut the bottom
face of the elongated base (10) and the elongated seat (10) is
rigid and immovable, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is noted that when the
balance assembly is adapted to an exercise auxiliary system, such
as a Pilates auxiliary system, and the elongated base (10) is
supported by the springs (42), a user lying (with his face down or
up), kneeling down or sitting on the elongated seat (10) with his
feet rested on the feet rest (not numbered) is able to use the
wheels (44) to move on the fixed seat (30). While the user is
moving on the fixed seat (30), due to the supporting force from the
springs (42), the elongated seat (10) rocks. In order to
continuously work or practice the auxiliary system, the user has to
maintain his balance on top of the elongated seat (10), which
requires full body strength to maintain steady on the elongated
seat (10). Thus, simultaneously, the user is able to work on his
muscles of a particular body part and his balance skills.
[0022] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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