U.S. patent application number 11/494007 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-31 for stepping exerciser.
Invention is credited to Jin Chen Chuang, Lung Fei Chuang.
Application Number | 20080026916 11/494007 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38987037 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080026916 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chuang; Jin Chen ; et
al. |
January 31, 2008 |
Stepping exerciser
Abstract
A stepping exerciser includes a base having an inclined pivot
axle perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to the
base, a pivotal supporting device attached to the inclined pivot
axle of the base and movable in a plane parallel to the inclined
plane, and two foot pedals pivotally attached to the pivotal
supporting device and arranged to allow the foot pedals to be
stepped downwardly by a user, and the foot pedals may be moved
downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when the foot
pedals are stepped by the user to simulate ladder climbing
exercises. An arm is pivotally attached to the inclined pivot axle
of the base for pivotally supporting the foot pedals.
Inventors: |
Chuang; Jin Chen; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) ; Chuang; Lung Fei; (Taichung Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET, THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
38987037 |
Appl. No.: |
11/494007 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2022/0071 20130101;
A63B 22/0064 20130101; A63B 22/0066 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/53 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/04 20060101
A63B022/04 |
Claims
1. A stepping exerciser comprising: a base including an inclined
pivot axle extended rearwardly and upwardly therefrom and
perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to said base,
a pivotal supporting device attached to said inclined pivot axle of
said base and movable in a plane parallel to said inclined plane,
and two foot pedals pivotally attached to said pivotal supporting
device and arranged to allow said foot pedals to be stepped
downwardly by a user, and said foot pedals being movable downwardly
and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when said foot pedals are
stepped by the user to simulate ladder climbing exercises.
2. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a middle portion
pivotally attached to said inclined pivot axle of said base and
having two end portions pivotally coupled to said foot pedals
respectively.
3. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said foot
pedals each pivotally attach to said end portions of said arm with
a pivot shaft, and each includes two bars of different lengths
extended therefrom and pivotally attached to said pivot shafts
respectively for horizontally supporting said foot pedals which are
parallel to said base.
4. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
pivotal supporting device includes two links pivotally coupled
between said foot pedals and said base for forming a
parallelogrammic structure and for stably supporting said foot
pedals to said arm.
5. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising
a resistive device disposed between said foot pedals and said base,
to provide a resistive force against said foot pedals.
6. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising
a resistive device disposed between said pivotal supporting device
and said base, to provide a resistive force against said foot
pedals.
7. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a middle portion
pivotally attached to said inclined pivot axle of said base, and
said resistive device is coupled to said arm.
8. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
pivotal supporting device includes a fastening plate attached to
said base and engaged with said arm and said resistive device to
stably retain said arm and said resistive device to said base.
9. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes a post extended upwardly and forwardly therefrom along
said inclined plane, said pivot axle is extended upwardly and
rearwardly from said post.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a stepping exerciser, and
more particularly to a stepping exerciser including inclined pivot
axles to tiltedly support foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals
to be moved upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder
climbing exercises.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical stepping exercisers comprise a pair of foot pedals
to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by users, in order to
train the lower muscle groups of the users. Normally, the front
portions of the foot pedals are rotatably or pivotally attached to
a straight and lateral axle, for allowing the foot pedals to be
moved upwardly and downwardly.
[0005] In most of the typical stepping exercisers, such as U.S.
Pat. No. 6,315,697 to Chen, a pair of foot pedals are also
disclosed and are also arranged to be stepped downwardly and
alternatively by users. However, in the typical stepping
exercisers, the foot pedals may only be moved downwardly and
upwardly relative to the supporting base but may not be moved
forwardly and rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that
the typical stepping exercisers may not be operated to simulate the
true ladder climbing exercises.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,899 to Liang discloses another typical
stepping exerciser comprising a pair of foot pedals each pivotally
or rotatably attached to a U-shaped seat with pair of rocking arms,
and arranged to be stepped downwardly and laterally by users.
However, similarly, in these typical stepping exercisers, the foot
pedals may only be moved downwardly and laterally or sidewise
relative to the supporting base but may not be moved forwardly and
rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that the typical
stepping exercisers also may not be operated to simulate the true
ladder climbing exercises.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,033 to Palmer discloses a further
typical stepping exerciser comprising a pair of foot pedals
pivotally or rotatably attached to a pair of inclined pivot axles,
and arranged to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by users.
However, similarly, in these typical stepping exercisers, the foot
pedals also may only be moved downwardly and laterally or sidewise
relative to the supporting base but may not be moved forwardly and
rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that the typical
stepping exercisers also may not be operated to simulate the true
ladder climbing exercises.
[0008] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional stepping
exercisers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a stepping exerciser including an inclined pivot axle to tiltedly
support foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals to be moved
upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder climbing
exercises.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a stepping exerciser comprising a base including an
inclined pivot axle extended rearwardly and upwardly therefrom and
perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to the base, a
pivotal supporting device attached to the inclined pivot axle of
the base and movable in a plane parallel to the inclined plane, and
two foot pedals pivotally attached to the pivotal supporting device
and arranged to allow the foot pedals to be stepped downwardly by a
user, and the foot pedals are movable downwardly and rearwardly and
upwardly and forwardly when the foot pedals are stepped by the user
to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.
[0011] The pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a
middle portion pivotally attached to the inclined pivot axle of the
base and having two end portions pivotally coupled to the foot
pedals respectively.
[0012] The foot pedals each pivotally attach to the end portions of
the arm with a pivot shaft, and each includes two bars of different
lengths extended therefrom and pivotally attached to the pivot
shafts respectively for horizontally supporting the foot pedals
which are parallel to the base and thus for stably supporting the
users on the foot pedals.
[0013] The pivotal supporting device includes two links pivotally
coupled between the foot pedals and the base for forming a
parallelogrammic structure and for stably supporting the foot
pedals to the arm.
[0014] A resistive device may further be provided and disposed
between the foot pedals or the pivotal supporting device and the
base, to provide a resistive force against the foot pedals. The
resistive device may be coupled to the arm.
[0015] The pivotal supporting device includes a fastening plate
attached to the base and engaged with the arm and the resistive
device to stably retain or position the arm and the resistive
device to the base.
[0016] The base includes a post extended upwardly and forwardly
therefrom along the inclined plane, the pivot axle is extended
upwardly and rearwardly from the post.
[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 a partial exploded view of a stepping exerciser in
accordance with the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is an upper and rear perspective view of the stepping
exerciser;
[0020] FIG. 3 is an upper and rear perspective view similar to FIG.
2, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the stepping exerciser;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a rear plan view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating
the operation of the stepping exerciser;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the stepping exerciser;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a side plan view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating
the operation of the stepping exerciser;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the stepping exerciser;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating
the operation of the stepping exerciser; and
[0027] FIG. 10 is an upper and rear perspective view similar to
FIG. 2, illustrating the other arrangement or application of the
stepping exerciser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-2, a
stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention
comprises a base 10 including a support or post 11 extended
upwardly and forwardly therefrom along an inclined surface or plane
8 (FIG. 6) which is inclined relative to the base 10 for supporting
such as a counter or control device (not shown) thereon, and
including a pivot axle 12 extended outwardly and upwardly and
rearwardly from the post 11 or directly extended outwardly and
upwardly and rearwardly from the base 10 and preferably
perpendicular to the inclined plane 8, and including one or more,
such as three pins 13, 14 (FIG. 1) extended from the post 11 or the
base 10 and also perpendicular to the inclined plane 8 and parallel
to the pivot axle 12.
[0029] A pivotal supporting means or device 2 includes a rocker arm
20, such as a V-shaped arm 20 having a middle portion or a middle
hub member 21 for rotatably or pivotally attaching or securing to
the inclined pivot axle 12 of the base 10 and arranged to allow the
arm 20 of the pivotal supporting device 2 to be rotated or pivoted
relative to the inclined pivot axle 12 of the base 10 in a plane
parallel to the inclined plane 8 (FIGS. 4-9), and includes two foot
pedals 22 each rotatably or pivotally attached or secured to the
end portion 23 of the arm 20 with a pivot shaft 24 respectively,
and arranged to allow the foot pedals 22 to be stepped downwardly
and alternatively by the users, and to allow the foot pedals 22 to
be moved downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when
the foot pedals 22 are stepped downwardly and alternatively by the
users.
[0030] The foot pedals 22 will thus be moved in a plane parallel to
the inclined plane 8 (FIGS. 6-7) together with the arm 20 of the
pivotal supporting device 2. Since the arm 20 and the inclined
plane 8 are inclined relative to the base 10, the foot pedals 22
are required to have two bars 25, 26 of different lengths extended
therefrom and pivotally attached or secured to the end portions 23
of the pivot shafts 24 respectively for allowing the foot pedals 22
to be supported horizontally or parallel to the supporting ground
or the base 10, best shown in FIGS. 6-7, to suitably support the
users on the foot pedals 22, and also for allowing the foot pedals
22 to be moved downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly
to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises, best shown in FIGS.
4-9.
[0031] For safety purposes, one or more, such as two links 27 are
pivotally coupled between the foot pedals 22 and the post 11 or the
base 10, or pivotally coupled to the longer bars 26 of the foot
pedals 22 with pivot pins 28 and/or pivotally coupled to the pin 14
of the post 11 of the base 10 for forming a substantially
parallelogrammic structure (FIGS. 8, 9) and for stably supporting
or attaching or coupling the foot pedals 22 to the arm 20. It is to
be noted that the links 27 are optionally provided for safely and
stably supporting or attaching or coupling the foot pedals 22 to
the arm 20 and may be selectively removed.
[0032] A resistive device 30 includes one or more, such as two
hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 31, spring members, resilient
belts, or other resistive mechanisms 31 disposed or coupled between
the foot pedals 22 and the base 10, or between the arm 20 and the
base 10, and pivotally coupled to the pins 13 of the post 11 of the
base 10 for providing a resistive force against the arm 20 and the
foot pedals 22, and thus for providing the resistive force against
the stepping operations of the users. The resistive device 30 may
include various kinds of adjustable structures (not shown) for
adjusting the resistive forces of the resistive device 30, in order
to fit various operators or users. A fastening plate 33 may be
attached or secured to the pins 13 and the pivot axle 12 of the
base 10 and attached or engaged with the middle portion or hub
member 21 of the arm 20 and the ends of the resistive mechanisms 31
in order to stably or solidly couple or retain or position the arm
20 and the resistive mechanisms 31 to the base 10.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 10, it is preferable that a column 80 may
be optionally or selectively attached to the base 10 for supporting
a meter or control panel or device 88 thereon and for supporting
one or more handles 89 thereon for supporting the upper portions of
the users when the users newly operate the stepping exerciser or
when the users are new comers or beginners. However, the column 80
and the meters or control panels or devices 88 and the handles 89
are not related to the present invention and will not be described
in further details.
[0034] Accordingly, the stepping exerciser in accordance with the
present invention includes an inclined pivot axle to tiltedly or
inclinedly support the foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals to
be moved upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder
climbing exercises.
[0035] 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.
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