Abstract:
Portable machine for doing stair climbing exercises which has a base movable between horizontal and upright positions, a wheel mounted on the base for rolling engagement with the floor when the base is in the upright position, a first step movable between an operative position beside the base and a storage position within the base, a second step surmounted on the base, and a post pivotally attached to the base for movement between a supporting position generally perpendicular to the base and a handle position generally parallel to the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   This invention pertains generally to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to a portable machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises. 
   2. Related Art 
   In recent years, stepping machines have been a popular way of exercising the lower body or legs and, at the same time, getting a cardiovascular workout. A number of different types of such machines have been provided, including relatively large upright machines having pedals mounted on arms connected to hydraulic cylinders or other resistance elements, with handrails to the sides and in front of the exerciser. In addition to being bulky and difficult to move about, such machines are complex and expensive. 
   Another type of stepper machine heretofore provided has a pair of pedal arms mounted on a base or frame which rests on the floor. Examples of such machines are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,232,420 and 5,230,674, the latter of which also folds up and serves as a baggage carrier. Such machines are more compact than the upright machines, but they are difficult to use since there are no handrails or other means to stabilize a person exercising on them. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,277,675 and 6,132,338 disclose resilient exercise boards which can be used for doing stepping exercises and a variety of other aerobic exercises. Those boards are light in weight, relatively inexpensive, and readily carried about. Other examples of portable step exercisers are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,176,596 and 5,697,870. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is in general an object of the invention to provide a new and improved machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character which is highly portable and overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of stepping machines heretofore provided. 
   These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the invention by providing a portable machine for doing stair climbing exercises which has a base movable between horizontal and upright positions, a wheel mounted on the base for rolling engagement with the floor when the base is in the upright position, a first step movable between an operative position beside the base and a storage position within the base, a second step surmounted on the base, and a post pivotally attached to the base for movement between a supporting position generally perpendicular to the base and a handle position generally parallel to the base. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of one embodiment of a portable machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded isometric view of one of the steps in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a person exercising on the machine. 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the machine in its folded state for movement and storage. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of another embodiment of a portable machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of another embodiment of a portable machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of one of the steps in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded isometric view of one of the steps in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the machine has a generally rectangular base  11  which is adapted to rest on the floor or other horizontal supporting surface in a generally horizontal position. The base has top and bottom panels  12 ,  13  and side panels  14 ,  14 , a front opening  16 , and a rear panel  17 . 
   An upper step  19  is surmounted on the base. This step consists of a platform  21  and a plurality of springs  23  between the platform and the base. In this particular embodiment, the springs are C-shaped leaf springs having lower legs  23   a  attached to the top panel of the base by U-bolts  24 , upper legs  23   b  attached to the under side of the platform by U-bolts (not shown), and outwardly curved portions or bights  23   c  between the legs. The springs are fabricated of a resilient material such as spring steel or carbon fiber. In the embodiment illustrated, the springs extend along the front and rear edges of the platform, but they can just as well extend along the side edges, and one or more additional springs can be utilized between them, if desired. 
   A lower step  28  is positioned in front of the base and adapted to be slid into the base through the opening  17  and secured there for movement and storage of the machine. This step also has a platform  29  with a plurality of springs  31  beneath it. Springs  31  are similar to springs  23 , and their upper legs  31   b  are attached to the under side of platform  29  by U-bolts  32 . Mounting feet  33  are attached to the lower legs  31   a  of springs  31  by U-bolts  34 , with skid resistant pads  36  on the under sides of the feet. 
   The two platforms are similar in construction, and each has a substantially rigid, yet flexible, substrate  37 , a resilient pad  38  above the substrate, and a peripheral rim or frame  39 . 
   A pair of wheels are  41  mounted on the front side of base  11  for use in moving the machine about. The wheels are rotatably mounted in forks  42  which extend in a forward direction from the base for engagement with the floor when the rear portion of the base is raised. 
   A pair of uprights or posts  43  are disposed on opposite sides of the base for use as supports for a person exercising on the steps and as handles by a person moving the machine about on its wheels. The posts are pivotally attached to the base by axles or pins  44  which are received in openings  46  in side panels  14 , with thumbscrews  47  selectively engagable with nuts  48 ,  49  in the side panels for holding the posts in the supportive and handle positions. In the supportive position, the posts are generally perpendicular to the base, and in the handle position, they are generally parallel to it. 
   The posts are axially extensible with telescoping sections  43   a ,  43   b  with thumbscrews  51  engagable with aligned openings  52  in the two sections for holding them in a desired position. Hand grips  53  extend rearwardly at an angle on the order of  135  degrees from the upper ends of the posts. 
   Operation and use of the machine is as follows. Base  11  is placed in a horizontal position on the floor or other supporting surface with lower step  28  in front of it and posts  43  extending vertically. The length of the posts is adjusted so that a person exercising on the machine can grasp hand grips  53  for stability and support. 
   To move the machine about, the lower step is slid into the base and secured, and the posts are retracted and moved to the handle position, i.e. generally parallel to the base, as shown in  FIG. 5 . A person can then lift the base to an upright or inclined position, using the posts as handles to pivot the base onto the wheels, then roll the machine about, using the posts as a handle to guide it. 
   The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6  is generally similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , and like reference numerals designate corresponding elements in the two embodiments. In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , however, the platforms which form the steps are supported by resilient legs instead of springs. Upper step  19  is thus mounted on base  11  by legs  54  near the corners of the platform. Each of the legs has a block of resilient material  56  such as ethyl vinyl acetate or polyurethane which is received in vertically aligned pockets  57 ,  58  on the upper side of the base and the lower side of the platform. 
   Step  28  likewise has legs  59  near its corners of its platform. Those legs have blocks of resilient material  61  which rest upon the floor and are received in pockets formed by flanges  62  on the lower side of the platform. The blocks of resilient material for both steps are affixed in the pockets by an adhesive. 
   Operation and use of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  is similar to that of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
   The embodiment of  FIG. 7  is similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , with the addition of leaf springs  64  which supplement the resilient legs  59  in supporting the step platforms. Each of the springs has two arched leaves  66 ,  67  which are disposed back-to-back, with the arches facing away from each other, and connected together at their ends. The leaves can be fabricated of any suitable material such as spring steel or fiberglass, and in the embodiment shown, they extend along the front and rear edges of the platforms. 
   The upper leaves  66  of the springs for upper step  19  are attached to the lower side of platform  21  by U-bolts  68 , and lower leaves  67  are similarly attached to the top panel  12  of base  11  by U-bolts (not shown) so that the springs provide additional resiliency and resistance to downward movement of the step. 
   In lower step  28 , the arched leaf springs are positioned between the underside of platform  29  and the upper sides of mounting feet  71  which extend along the front and rear edges of the step beneath resilient legs  59 . Mounting feet  71  are similar to the mounting feet  33  in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , and have skid resistant pads  72  on their under sides. The upper leaves  66  of springs  64  are attached to the under side of platform  29  by U-bolts  73 , and the lower leaves  67  attached to the upper sides of mounting feet  71  by U-bolts  74 . 
   Operation and use of the embodiment of  FIG. 7  is similar to that of the other embodiments, with arched leaf springs  64  supplementing resilient legs  59  to provide additional resiliency and resistance to downward movement of the steps. 
   The invention has a number of important features and advantages. It provides a highly portable step exerciser with two resilient steps which can be set up quickly and easily and then folded up and rolled about when not in use. 
   It is apparent from the foregoing that a new and improved machine for doing stepping or stair climbing exercises has been provided. While only certain presently preferred embodiments have been described, as will be apparent to those familiar with the art, certain changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.