U.S. patent application number 14/583713 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-02 for buffering unit for stepper exerciser.
The applicant listed for this patent is CHIU-HSIANG LO. Invention is credited to CHIU-HSIANG LO.
Application Number | 20160151662 14/583713 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53937335 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160151662 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LO; CHIU-HSIANG |
June 2, 2016 |
BUFFERING UNIT FOR STEPPER EXERCISER
Abstract
A stepper exerciser includes a base to which two pedal supports
are respectively and pivotably connected, and a buffering unit is
connected between the two pedal supports and the base. The
buggering unit includes two elongate resilient boards which support
the two pedal supports so that when the two pedal supports are
alternatively pivoted downward, the two resilient boards are
deformed alternatively and store energy which bounce the pedal
supports upward when the two pedal supports are alternatively
released.
Inventors: |
LO; CHIU-HSIANG; (Taichung,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LO; CHIU-HSIANG |
Taichung |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
53937335 |
Appl. No.: |
14/583713 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2022/0038 20130101;
A63B 21/026 20130101; A63B 22/0056 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/04 20060101
A63B022/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 27, 2014 |
TW |
103221055 |
Claims
1. A stepper exerciser comprising: a base; two pedal supports
respectively and pivotably connected to the base, and a buffering
unit having two elongate resilient boards which support the two
pedal supports, when the two pedal supports are alternatively
pivoted downward, the two flexible boards are deformed
alternatively, when the two pedal supports are alternatively
released, the two resilient boards bounce alternatively to pivot
the two pedal supports upward.
2. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the
two resilient boards has a first end and a second end, the first
end of each of the two resilient boards is connected to the base,
the second end of each of the two resilient boards supports at an
underside of the pedal support corresponding thereto.
3. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the
two resilient boards has a first end and a second end, the two
respective first ends of the two resilient boards are supported by
the base, the two respective second ends of the two resilient
boards are respectively supported at the underside of the two pedal
supports.
4. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two
respective first ends of the two resilient boards are connected to
a mount which is fixed to the base.
5. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein the two
respective first ends of the two resilient boards are merged
together to form a V-shaped portion and connected to the mount, the
two respective second ends of the two resilient boards extend
upward.
6. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein a rounded
angle is defined at the V-shaped portion and between the two first
ends of the two resilient boards.
7. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein a neck
extends from the mount and is connected to the V-shaped
portion,
8. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein a thickness
of the neck is 0.85 to 1.18 times of a thickness of each of the two
resilient boards.
9. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two
resilient boards are located symmetrically to the base, the two
pedal supports are located symmetrically to the base.
10. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two
resilient boards both are elongate and resilient boards.
11. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two
resilient boards both are made by metal.
12. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of
the two pedal supports has a contact member located at the
underside thereof, the contact members each have a ridge which
contacts a top of the resilient board corresponding thereto.
13. The stepper exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of
the contact members is a roller and the ridge protrudes from a
periphery of the roller, the rollers are respectively connected to
the underside of the two pedal supports.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Fields of the invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a stepper exerciser, and
more particularly, to a buffering unit for supporting two pedals of
the stepper exerciser.
[0003] 2. Descriptions of Related Art
[0004] The conventional stepper exercisers usually include a base
with two pedals which are cooperated with a buffering unit such
that the user alternatively pivots the two pedals up and down to
get exercising features. The buttering unit can be a hydraulic unit
or a pneumatic unit, generally, a cylinder is used to each of the
two pedals. When pivoting either pedal, the hydraulic liquid is
forced to flow to another space and generates resistance. When the
pedal is released, the hydraulic liquid flows back to the main
space to allow the pedal to be pivoted upward. Similarly, if the
buffering unit uses a pneumatic cylinder, when the pedal is pivoted
downward, the air is compressed to generate resistance, and when
the pedal is released, the pedal is pivoted upward by the force
from the expanded air. Besides, an adjustable damping device may be
used to be cooperated with the hydraulic unit or a pneumatic unit,
however, the adjustable damping device is complicated and
expensive. In addition, the conventional stepper exerciser is bulky
and heavy.
[0005] The present invention intends to provide a buffering unit
for a stepper exerciser which eliminates the shortcomings mentioned
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to a stepper exerciser and
comprises a base to which two pedal supports are respectively and
pivotably connected, and a buffering unit is connected between the
two pedal supports and the base. The buggering unit includes two
elongate resilient boards which support the two pedal supports so
that when the two pedal supports are alternatively pivoted
downward, the two resilient boards are deformed alternatively and
store energy which bounce the pedal supports upward when the two
pedal supports are alternatively released.
[0007] Preferably, each of the two resilient boards has a first end
and a second end. The first end of each of the two resilient boards
is connected to a mount which is fixed to the base. The second end
of each of the two resilient boards supports at the underside of
the pedal support corresponding thereto.
[0008] Preferably, the two respective first ends of the two
resilient boards are merged together to form a V-shaped portion and
connected to the mount. The two respective second ends of the two
resilient boards extend upward.
[0009] Preferably, a neck extends from the mount and is connected
to the V-shaped portion,
[0010] Preferably, each of the two pedal supports has a contact
member located at the underside thereof. The contact members each
have a ridge which contacts the top of the resilient board
corresponding thereto.
[0011] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a
stepper exerciser with simplified structure and comprises a
buffering unit to allow the two pedal supports to be alternatively
pivoted.
[0012] The present invention will become more obvious from the
following description when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration
only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the stepper exerciser of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the stepper exerciser
of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an end view to show the stepper exerciser of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an end view to show the stepper exerciser of the
present invention, wherein one of the pedal supports is pivoted
downward, and
[0017] FIG. 5 is an end view to show the stepper exerciser of the
present invention, wherein the other one of the pedal supports is
pivoted downward.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the stepper exerciser of the
present invention comprises a base 10, two pedal supports 20 and a
buffering unit 30. The base 10 includes two transverse bars 11, 12,
and a longitudinal bar 13 is connected between the two transverse
bars 11, 12. A post 14 extends from the transverse bar 11, and two
rods 15 extend from two opposite direction of the post 14. The two
pedal supports 20 are respectively and pivotably connected to the
two rods 15, and each pedal support 20 has a pedal 21 connected to
the top thereof.
[0019] The buffering unit 30 includes two elongate resilient boards
31 and a mount 32, wherein the mount 32 has a recess 320 with which
the longitudinal bar 13 is engaged, the mount 32 is fixed to the
longitudinal bar 13 by extending bolts 35 through the mount 32 and
connected to the longitudinal bar 13. Each of the two resilient
boards 31 has a first end 311 and a second end 310 which is a free
end. A neck 34 extends from the mount 32. The two respective first
ends 311 of the two resilient boards 31 are merged together to form
a V-shaped portion and the V-shaped portion is connected to the
neck 34 extending from the mount 32. The two respective second ends
310 of the two resilient boards 31 extend upward in a curved form
or a straight form. The two respective second ends 310 of the two
resilient boards 31 are respectively supported at the middle
portion of the underside of the two pedal supports 20. A rounded
angle 33 is defined at the V-shaped portion and between the two
first ends 311 of the two resilient boards 31.
[0020] The two resilient boards 31 are located symmetrically to the
base 10, and the two pedal supports 20 are located symmetrically to
the base 10. The resilient boards 31 both are elongate and
resilient boards which are made by metal.
[0021] The neck 34 is connected to the two respective first ends
311 of the two resilient boards 31, and the neck 34 swings relative
to the mount 32. As shown in FIG. 3, the thickness T1 of the neck
34 is 0.85 to 1.18 times of the thickness T2 of each of the two
resilient boards 31.
[0022] When in use, the user steps down the two pedals 21
alternatively, the two pedals 21 are respectively pivoted downward
and bent the two resilient boards 31 respectively. When one pedal
21 is pivoted downward, the other pedal 21 bounces upward. In
detail, when the left pedal 21 is pivoted downward, the resilient
board 31 supports the left pedal 21 is deformed and stores energy
which is released when the left pedal 21 is released so that the
left pedal 21 bounces upward. The right pedal 21 acts the similar
way as the left pedal 21. The left and right pedals 21 will be up
and down alternatively. Because the neck 34 is connected to the two
respective first ends 311 of the two resilient boards 31, so that
the neck 34 swings left and right relative to the mount 32. By this
way, the two pedals 21 are smoothly moved alternatively.
[0023] In one embodiment, each of the two pedal supports 20 has a
contact member 22 located at the underside thereof, wherein the
contact members 22 each are a roller 23. A ridge 24 protrudes from
the periphery of the roller 23. The rollers 23 are respectively
connected to the underside of the two pedal supports 20. The ridge
24 of each of the two rollers 23 contacts the top of the resilient
board 31 corresponding thereto, so that the friction between the
roller 23 and the resilient board 31 is reduced, and the relative
movement between the resilient board 31 and the pedal support 20 is
smooth.
[0024] The two first ends 311 of the resilient boards 31 are
connected to the neck 34, and the neck 34 extends from the mount 32
which is fixed to the base 10, so that when either of the two
resilient boards 31 is deformed, the other resilient board 31 will
be affect to allow the stepping action of the user to be smooth and
natural.
[0025] The stepper exerciser of the present invention has a
simplified structure, and the cooperation between the resilient
boards 31 of the buffering unit 30 and the pedal supports 20 works
smoothly. The shortcomings of the conventional stepper exercisers
are improved.
[0026] While we have shown and described the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those
skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *