U.S. patent application number 13/415314 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-12 for pedal exerciser.
The applicant listed for this patent is Max TSAI. Invention is credited to Max TSAI.
Application Number | 20130237386 13/415314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49114621 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130237386 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TSAI; Max |
September 12, 2013 |
PEDAL EXERCISER
Abstract
A pedal exerciser includes a support frame operable between an
expanded state and a folded state, a pedal unit, and two
positioning units. The support frame includes a main rod with an
arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting two pivot end
portions, and two stands connected pivotally and respectively to
the pivot end portions of the main rod such that each stand is
rotatable relative to the main rod between a supporting position
and a retracted position. Each positioning unit is disposed in the
support frame for positioning a corresponding stand in the
supporting position.
Inventors: |
TSAI; Max; (Miao Li County,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TSAI; Max |
Miao Li County |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
49114621 |
Appl. No.: |
13/415314 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/60 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0605 20130101;
A63B 22/0694 20130101; A63B 2210/50 20130101; A63B 21/015
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/60 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/06 20060101
A63B022/06 |
Claims
1. A pedal exerciser comprising: a support frame operable between
an expanded state and a folded state, and including a main rod
having two pivot end portions opposite to each other in a first
direction, and an arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting
said pivot end portions, and two stands connected pivotally and
respectively to said pivot end portions of said main rod such that
said stands are rotatable relative to said main rod, wherein, when
said support frame is in the expanded state, each of said stands is
moved away from the other one of said stands to a supporting
position, and when said support frame is in the folded state, each
of said stands is moved toward the other one of said stands to a
retracted position such that said stands are placed under said
arc-shaped intermediate portion of said main rod and between said
pivot end portions of said main rod, and overlap each other; an
axial tube mounted on said arc-shaped intermediate portion of said
main rod of said support frame and extending in an axial direction
transverse to the first direction; a pedal unit including a crank
member disposed pivotally in said axial tube and having opposite
ends extending outward of said axial tube, and two pedals connected
respectively to said ends of said crank member; and two positioning
units each disposed in said support frame for positioning a
corresponding one of said stands in the supporting position.
2. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said
stands includes: a first support rod extending in the axial
direction, and a second support rod transverse to said first
support rod and having a first end connected to said first support
rod, and a second end opposite to said first end and connected
pivotally to a corresponding one of said pivot end portions of said
main rod such that said second support rod is rotatable about a
pivot axis parallel to the axial direction relative to said main
rod.
3. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said
pivot end portions of said main rod is tubular to permit insertion
of said second end of said second support rod of a corresponding
one of said stands thereinto, and is formed with a notch extending
toward said intermediate portion of said main rod to permit outward
extension of said second end of said second support rod of the
corresponding one of said stands therethrough when the
corresponding one of said stands moves from the supporting position
to the retracted position.
4. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said second
support rod of each of said stands of said support frame is
tubular; and each of said positioning units includes a first
positioning hole formed in a corresponding one of said pivot end
portions of said main rod, a second positioning hole formed in said
second end of said second support rod of the corresponding one said
stands, and a spring-loaded positioning knob mounted in said second
end of said second support rod of the corresponding one of said
stands, extending through said second positioning hole, and
engaging releasably said first positioning hole when the
corresponding one of said stands is in the supporting position.
5. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said
stands of said support frame further includes two anti-slip blocks
connected respectively to opposite ends of said first support rod
of a corresponding one of said stands.
6. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
resistance adjusting member mounted on and extending into said
axial tube and operable to adjust rotation resistance on said crank
member of said pedal unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a sport exerciser, and more
particularly to a pedal exerciser.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional pedal exerciser allowing
a user to pedal with the user's legs for exercise is shown to
include a support frame 1, a pedal unit 2, and a resistance
adjusting member 3.
[0005] The support frame 1 includes an inverted V-shaped support
rod 101, an axial tube 102 mounted on the support rod 101, and two
foot rods 103 connected respectively to opposite ends of the
support rod 101. The pedal unit 2 includes a crank member 201
disposed in the axial tube 102, and two pedals 202 connected
respectively to opposite ends of the crank member 201. The
resistance adjusting member 3 is mounted on the axial tube 102, and
is operable to adjust rotation resistance on the crank member 201
of the pedal unit 2.
[0006] In such a configuration, the conventional pedal exerciser
has a relatively large size, thereby resulting in higher packaging
costs, and inconvenience during transport or storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a pedal exerciser that has a foldable support frame, and that can
overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
[0008] According to the present invention, a pedal exerciser
comprises a support frame, an axial tube, a pedal unit, and two
positioning units.
[0009] The support frame is operable between an expanded state and
a folded state, and includes a main rod and two stands. The main
rod has two pivot end portions opposite to each other in a first
direction, and an arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting
the pivot end portions. The two stands are connected pivotally and
respectively to the pivot end portions of the main rod such that
the stands are rotatable relative to the main rod. When the support
frame is in the expanded state, each of the stands is moved away
from the other one of the stands to a supporting position. When the
support frame is in the folded state, each of the stands is moved
toward the other one of the stands to a retracted position such
that the stands are placed under the arc-shaped intermediate
portion of the main rod and between the pivot end portions of the
main rod, and overlap each other. The axial tube is mounted on the
arc-shaped intermediate portion of the main rod of the support
frame and extends in an axial direction transverse to the first
direction.
[0010] The pedal unit includes a crank member and two pedals. The
crank member is disposed pivotally in the axial tube and has
opposite ends extending outward of the axial tube. The two pedals
are connected respectively to the ends of the crank member.
[0011] Each of the positioning units is disposed in said support
frame for positioning a corresponding one of the stands in the
supporting position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a conventional pedal
exerciser;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred
embodiment of a pedal exerciser according to the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the
preferred embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the preferred
embodiment when a support frame is in an expanded state; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the preferred
embodiment when the support frame is in a folded state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a
pedal exerciser of the present invention is shown to include a
support frame 10, an axial tube 40, a pedal unit 20, two
positioning units, and a resistance adjusting member 30.
[0019] The support frame 10 is operable between an expanded state
and a folded state, and includes a main rod 11 and two stands
12.
[0020] The main rod 11 has two pivot end portions 111 opposite to
each other in a first direction (Y), and an arc-shaped intermediate
portion 112 interconnecting the pivot end portions 111. In this
embodiment, each of the pivot end portions 111 is tubular and is
formed with a notch 113 extending toward the intermediate portion
112 of the main rod 11.
[0021] The stands 12 are connected pivotally and respectively to
the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11 such that the stands
12 are rotatable relative to the main rod 11. When the support
frame 10 is in the expanded state, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each
stand 12 is moved away from the other stand 12 to a supporting
position. When the support frame 10 is in the folded state, as
shown in FIG. 5, each stand 12 is moved toward the other stand 12
to a retracted position such that the stands 12 are placed under
the arc-shaped intermediate portion 112 of the main rod 11 and
between the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11, and overlap
each other.
[0022] In this embodiment, each stand 12 includes a first support
rod 122 extending in an axial direction (X) transverse to the first
direction (Y), a tubular second support rod 121 transverse to the
first support rod 122, and two anti-slip blocks 123 connected
rotatably and respectively to opposite ends of the first support
rod 122. For each stand 2, the second support rod 121 has a first
end 1211 connected to the first support rod 122, and a second end
1212 opposite to the first end 1211 and inserted into and connected
pivotally to a corresponding pivot end portion 111 of the main rod
11 by a pivot pin 114 that extends through two through holes 115
(only one shown in FIG. 3) in the corresponding pivot end portion
111 of the main rod 11, and two through holes 1213 in the second
end 1212 of the second support rod 121. As a result, the second
support rod 121 of each stand 12 is rotatable about a pivot axis
(a) (see FIG. 2) parallel to the axial direction (X) relative to
the main rod 11. It is noted that the notch 113 in each pivot end
portion 111 of the main rod 11 permits outward extension of the
second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 therethrough when the
corresponding stand 12 moves from the supporting position to the
retracted position, as shown in FIG. 5.
[0023] The axial tube 40 is mounted on the arc-shaped intermediate
portion 112 of the main rod 11 of the support frame 10, and extends
in the axial direction (X).
[0024] The pedal unit 20 includes a crank member 21 disposed
pivotally in the axial tube 40 and having opposite ends 211
extending outward of the axial tube 40, and two pedals 22 connected
respectively to the ends 211 of the crank member 21.
[0025] The resistance adjusting member 30 is mounted on and extends
into the axial tube 40. The resistance adjusting member 30 is
operable to adjust rotation resistance on the crank member 21 of
the pedal unit 20 in a known manner.
[0026] Each positioning unit is disposed in the support frame 10
for positioning a corresponding stand 12 in the supporting
position. In this embodiment, each positioning unit includes a
first positioning hole 1113, a second positioning hole 1215, and a
spring-loaded positioning knob 51. For each positioning unit, the
first positioning hole 1113 is formed in a corresponding pivot end
portion 111 of the main rod 11, the second positioning hole 1215 is
formed in the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 of the
corresponding stand 12, and the spring-loaded positioning knob 51
is mounted in the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 of
the corresponding stand 12, extends through the second positioning
hole 1215, and engages releasably the first positioning hole 1113
when the corresponding one of the stands 12 is in the supporting
position.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, when the support frame 10 is in the
expanded state, each stand 12 is moved away from the other one of
the stands 12 to a supporting position. Because each of the pivot
end portions 111 of the main rod 11 is tubular to permit insertion
of the second end 1212 of a corresponding one of the second support
rods 121 of the stands 12 thereinto, the spring-loaded positioning
knob 51 of the corresponding one of the positioning units extends
outwardly from the corresponding first positioning hole 1113 such
that the positioning unit positions a corresponding one of the
stands 12 in the supporting position and such that the two
corresponding anti-slip blocks 143 are rotatably and respectively
connected to opposite ends of the first support rod 122 of a
corresponding one of the stands 12. As in FIG. 5, when the support
frame 1 is in the folded state, each of the stands 12 is moved
toward the other one of the stands 12 to a retracted position.
Because each of the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11 is
formed with a notch 113 extending toward the intermediate portion
112 of the main rod 11 to permit outward extension of the second
end 1212 of the corresponding one of the second support rods 121 of
the stands 12 therethrough, the spring-loaded positioning knob 51
of the corresponding one of the positioning units is released from
the corresponding first positioning hole 1113 and extends outwardly
from the corresponding second positioning hole 1215 such that the
positioning unit positions the corresponding one of the stands 12
in the retracted position and such that the two corresponding
anti-slip blocks 143 are rotatably and respectively connected to
opposite ends of the first support rod 121 of the corresponding one
of the stands 12.
[0028] To sum up, when the support frame 10 is in the expanded
state, a user can pedal the pedal exerciser of the present
invention for exercise, as shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand,
since the main rod 11 has the arc-shaped intermediate portion 112
and since the support frame 10 can be operated in the folded state,
the pedal exerciser of the present invention can be folded to have
a smaller size to thus facilitate storage and transport. In
addition, packaging costs of the same can be reduced. Moreover,
each positioning unit can be easily operated by pressing the
positioning knob 51 with one hand or foot to disengage the first
positioning hole 1113 in the corresponding pivot end portion 111 of
the main rod 11, thereby facilitating retraction of the stands
12.
[0029] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *