BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an upper and rear perspective view of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 3 is an upper and rear perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 5 is a rear plan view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 7 is a side plan view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the stepping exerciser;
FIG. 9 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser; and
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Patent Application
20080026916
