Foot-pedal type body exerciser

Abstract
A foot-pedal type body exerciser includes a base frame: a resistance device provided on the base frame; two first movement members with one end pivotally provided on the base frame and capable of reciprocating movement along a predetermined track, each of the first movement members being provided with a guiding portion; two second movement members pivotally provided on the two first movement members, the guiding portion on each of the first and movement members corresponding to each other such that each of the second movement members are capable of limited reciprocating movement relative to each of the first movement members; and two linkage members having one end pivotally provided on the base frame, the other end thereof being pivotally provided on the two second movement members such that when each of the first movement members displaces. each of the linkage members can bring the two second movement members to displace to thereby increase the range of movement of the body exerciser.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




(a) Field of the Invention




The invention relates generally to a foot-pedal type body exerciser, more particularly to a foot-pedal type body exercise that can exercise relatively more parts of the body.




(b) Description of the Prior Art




A conventional foot-pedal type body exerciser can allow the user to exercise only some parts of the body. For instance, an exercise hiker provides merely a linear up and down track of movement to allow the user to exercise mainly the calf muscles. As for exercising bikes, they provide merely a circular track of movement to permit the user to exercise the calf muscles and parts of the thigh muscles. But as a matter of fact, the lower trunk of the bode includes the hip muscles. There is available a kind of elliptical apparatus adapted for exercising hip muscles. However. it is complicated in construction and costly, and is therefore not popular.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary object of the invention is to provide a foot-pedal type body exerciser that can enable the user to exercise more parts of his body.




In order to achieve the object, the body exercise of this invention includes a base frame; at least one first movement member. one end of which is pivotally provided on the base frame such that it can move reciprocating along a predetermined track, each of the first movement members being provided with at least one guiding portion; at least one resistance device provided on the base frame to provide a resistance to each of the first movement members; at least one second movement member provided on each of the first movement member and adapted to be stepped on by the user's feet so as to bring each of the first movement members to displace along the predetermined track; each of the second movement members having a guiding portion corresponding to the guiding portion of each of the first movement members such that each of the second movement members is capable of limited reciprocating displacement relative to each of the first movement members; and at least one linkage member having one end provided on each of the second movement members, the other end thereof being provided at a predetermined position on the body exerciser such that when the user steps on each of the second movement members, each of the linkage members can bring each of the second movement members to displace relative to each of the first movement members.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which,





FIG. 1

is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the invention,





FIG. 2

is a sectional view of the invention taken along line


2





2


of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a schematic view illustrating operation of the invention: and





FIG. 4

is another schematic view illustrating operation of the invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the preferred embodiment of a foot-pedal type body exerciser of the invention is embodied in an exercise hiker


100


. The exercise hiker


100


includes a base frame


10


. a resistance device


20


, two first movement members


30


, two second movement members


40


and two linkage members


50


.




The base frame


10


is the main body of the exercise hiker


100


so that it can be placed on any planar surface. The resistance device


20


is disposed to provide the exercise hiker


100


with a resistance which the user has to overcome using his muscle force so as to achieve an exercising effect. The resistance device


20


includes a damping belt pulley unit


21


and a belt


22


. The two ends of the belt


22


are respectively connected to the two first movement members


30


such that each of the first movement members


30


can move up and down relatively under the state of being subjected to resistance. The resistance device


20


may be a hydraulic damping structure. As the aforesaid is known in the art and is not a feature of the invention, a detailed description thereof is dispensed with herein.




Each of the first movement members


30


is substantially an elongate plate member having a top plate


301


and two side plates


302


extending downwardly from two sides of the top plate


301


. The side plates


301


on the inner side of each of the first movement members


30


are respectively provided w with a first guiding portion


31


and a second guiding portion


32


. These guiding portions


31


,


32


are elongate guide grooves. One end of each of the first movement members


30


is pivotally provided at a predetermined position on the base frame


10


, and is connected to the resistance device


20


such that each of the first movement members


30


can move up and down with the pivotal connection as axis.




The top end of each of the second movement members


40


has a generally rectangular pedal


401


for stepping by the user. The lower side of the pedal


401


has two substantially parallel connecting plates


402


extending therefrom. The one at the left side is higher than the one at the right. The two connecting plates


402


respectively correspond to the outer sides of the two side plates of the respective first movement member


30


such that the pedals


401


of the second movement members


40


form a predetermined angle with the top plates


301


of the first movement members


30


. The inner sides of the connecting plates


402


are each provided with first and second guiding portions


41


,


42


. These guiding portions


41


,


42


are pulleys pivotally provided on the connecting plates


402


, and are respectively received in the first and second guide grooves


31


,


32


of the respective first movement member


30


such that the each of the second movement members


40


can be pivotally provided on the respective first movement member


30


and such that each of the second movement members


40


can reciprocating displace within the guiding portions


31


,


32


of the two first movement members


30


relative to the two first movement members


30


.




The two linkage members


50


are substantially elongate rigid rod members, one end of which is pivotally provided on the base frame


10


, with the other end pivotally disposed on the outer side of the connecting plate


402


on the inner side of the respective second movement member


40


such that the first movement members


30


, the second movement members


40


, the linkage members


50


and the base frame


10


can form a four-linkage mechanism.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, when the user uses both feet to work the pedals


40


l of the second movement members


40


, the first movement members


30


will move up and down. When one to the first movement members


30


is pressed downwardly. referring to

FIG. 3.

, due to the action of the aforesaid four-linkage mechanism, the second movement members


40


will displace to the right relative to said first movement member


30


, that is. the two guiding portions (pulleys)


41


of the second movement member


40


reach the right end of the guiding portions (guide grooves)


31


of said first movement member


40


. And after said first movement member


30


moves upwardly, referring to

FIG. 4

, the second movement member


40


will move to the left relative to said first movement member


40


. Therefore, the range of movement of the hiker


100


includes the up and down movement of the two first movement members


30


plus the sidewise displacement of the two second movement members


40


relative to the two first movement members


40


. Hence, when the user utilizes the hiker


100


of the invention to exercise. he can exercise more parts of his body to thereby achieve a better exercising effect.




It is noted herein that:




1. The guiding portions on the first and second movement members are respectively guide grooves and pulleys disposed therein. In practice, the function of these guiding portions is to guide the two second movement members to perform reciprocating linear movement relative to the first movement members within a certain limit. Therefore, equivalent structures, such as guide grooves and slide blocks, are within the scope of the invention.




2. The linkage members are rigid rod members. In practice, the linkage members may be flexible belts or equivalents. The connecting points of the linkage members may vary depending on needs. In other words, the main function of the linkage members is that, when the first movement members displace, the second movement members are brought to displace relative to the first movement members. Any equivalent structure which is capable of achieving this function is within the scope of this invention.




3. Furthermore, the second movement members in the preferred embodiment have slanting pedals. In practice, the slanting angle of the foot pedals may be varied according to design choice so as to provide different tracks of movement.




4. Although the preferred embodiment of a foot-pedal type body exerciser of this invention is embodied in an exercise hiker, it can be applied to an exercising apparatus having pedals, such as a space Walker or elliptical apparatus, which should be deemed to fall within the scope of this invention.




In sum, the advantages of this invention reside in: The construction of the invention is simple, and the invention can allow the user to exercise more parts of his body so as to achieve a better exercising effect.



Claims
  • 1. A foot-pedal type body exerciser, comprising:a base frame; at least one first movement member, one end of which is rotatably engaged on said base frame, each of said first movement members being provided with at least one guiding portion; at least one resistance device provided on said base frame to provide a resistance to each of said first movement members; at least one second movement member provided on each of said first movement members and adapted to be stepped on by a user so as to displace each of said first movement members; each of said second movement members having a guiding portion corresponding to said guiding portion of each of said first movement members such that each of said second movement members is capable of limited reciprocating displacement relative to each of said first movement members; and at least one linkage member having a first end provided on each of said second movement members, a second end thereof being provided at a predetermined position on said body exerciser such that when the user steps on each of said second movement members, each of said linkage members can bring each of said second movement members to displace relative to each of said first movement members.
  • 2. The foot-pedal type body exerciser of claim 1, wherein said guiding portions of said first and second movement members are respectively elongate guide grooves and pulleys insertably disposed therein.
  • 3. The foot-pedal type body exerciser of claim 1, wherein said second movement member has a top side having a pedal for stepping by the user, said pedal having a pedal face forming a predetermined angle with said first movement element.
  • 4. The foot-pedal type body exerciser of claim 1, wherein said linkage member is a generally elongate rod member having the first end pivotally disposed on said second movement member, the second end thereof being pivotally disposed at a predetermined position on said base frame.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
4563001 Terauds Jan 1986 A
5676623 Yu Oct 1997 A
5746681 Bull May 1998 A
5865712 Chang Feb 1999 A