A hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base and two pedal assemblies settled abreast on the base. Each of the pedal assemblies includes a pedal, a vertical movement module, an expanding movement module, and a recovery module. The pedal is settled on the vertical movement module while the expanding movement module is settled on the base so that the two pedals can depart from or come close to each other with respect to a level position. The vertical movement module is connected to the expanding movement module so that the two pedals can vertically move in a direction non-perpendicular to the ground. The recovery module is connected to the vertical movement module and the base and provides an external force for returning the vertical movement module and the expanding movement module to initial positions thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to stepper exercise apparatuses, and more particularly, to a stepper exercise apparatus providing a variety of exercise modes. The disclosed exercise apparatus has pedals guiding a primary backward and downward sliding track and an expanding track is additionally integrated into the primary sliding track. The variety of exercise modes of the stepper includes a simultaneous stepping mode, an alternate stepping mode, an undulate stepping mode, and a floating stepping mode.

2. Description of Related Art

When a user uses a conventional stepper exercise apparatus, he/she may primarily tread down a pedal assembly of the stepper exercise apparatus using his/her feet to prompt a right pedal and a left pedal of a pedal assembly to move vertically so that he/she can carry out leg movement resembling mark time in order to exercise his/her muscle groups that would be used during daily walking and stair climbing.

One notable problem of such conventional stepper exercise apparatus is the inflexible track of leg exercise it provides. Some additional exercise modes, such as simultaneous stepping and alternate stepping, or auxiliary function, such as guiding waist twisting may be available by properly modifying the mechanism of the conventional apparatus. However, the primary exercise track is still limited as the vertical movement with respect to the ground. Therefore, the muscle groups that get exercised are only those used during vertical stepping movement and, obviously, exercise for hip abductions is neglected in the conventional stepper exercise apparatus.

Some development has therefore been done to address the foregoing neglect. For example, a Taiwan Patent Application, appointed with Publication Number 577336, ameliorates the conventional vertical exercise movement into a non-vertical and expanding exercise movement. Thereby, in addition to the muscle groups that would be used during daily walking, the hip-abductions can also get exercised. However, in view of the mechanical design, as the said prior-art requires numerous components and complex structure, the fabrication and maintenance thereof are accordingly inconvenient. Besides, it bears a higher risk of inadequate transmission.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under these circumstances in view. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus that integrates an expanding exercise track into a traditional vertical exercise track of a stepper exercise apparatus so that in addition to the muscle groups that would be used during daily walking, the hip-abductions can also get proper exercise.

To achieve these and other objectives of the present invention, the hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base and two unconnected pedal assemblies settled abreast on the base. Each said pedal assembly includes a pedal, a vertical movement module, an expanding movement module and a recovery module. The expanding movement module is settled on the base and can swing outward horizontally. The vertical movement module is connected to the expanding movement module and can move slantwise and downward toward the rear of the base from an initial altitude. The pedal is connected to the vertical movement module. The recovery module is connected to the vertical movement module and the base for providing an external force in order to return the vertical movement module to the initial altitude thereof and to return the expanding movement module to an initial position thereof.

The present invention discloses a stepper exercise apparatus providing a variety of exercise modes. The disclosed exercise apparatus leads a primary exercise track of backward and downward sliding. The variety of exercise modes of the stepper includes a simultaneous stepping mode, an alternate stepping mode, an undulate stepping mode, and a floating stepping mode. Besides, the stepper exercise apparatus integrates an expanding exercise track into the primary exercise track so that the exercise track of the pedals can horizontally expand outward with enlarged swing amplitude.

The foregoing undulate stepping mode and floating stepping mode are distinguished from each other by the swing amplitude of the vertical movement thereof. The undulate stepping presents swing amplitude of the vertical movement larger than that of the floating stepping. Thus, a user performing the floating stepping exercise shows a body heave less significantly than that of the undulate stepping, and such exercise gives a bystander an image as if the user is floating.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 3, the disclosed hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base10and two unconnected pedal assemblies11settled abreast on the base10.

Each said pedal assembly11includes a pedal20, a vertical movement module30, an expanding movement module40and a recovery module50. The expanding movement module40is settled on the base10and can swing horizontally over the base10for a predetermined angle. The vertical movement module30is connected to the expanding movement module40. The pedal20is connected to the vertical movement module30. The recovery module50is connected to the vertical movement module30and the base10for providing an external force in order to return the vertical movement module30to an initial altitude thereof and to return the expanding movement module40to an initial position thereof.

When a user exerts a downward treading force to the pedal20, the vertical movement module30guides the pedal20along a primary exercise track to slide downward and backward. Meanwhile, the expanding movement module40is driven by the vertical movement module30and leads the vertical movement module30and the pedal20to move along an expanding exercise track integrated into the primary exercise track. When the treading force from the user is inferior to the external recovering force from the recovery module50, the vertical movement module30and the expanding movement module40can be driven to return to the initial altitude and position thereof as described above by the recovery module50.

It is to be noted that the two pedal assemblies11are settled on the base10in a mutually independent manner so as to move independently of each other. Thereby, the disclosed stepper is capable of providing other stepping modes in addition to a normal reciprocal stepping mode. For example, a user may control both pedals20to move downward and upward abreast, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, in the condition that the user's body is given proper support. In that case, when the user treads down the pedals20with a heavy force and a gentle speed, the vertical movement module30leads the pedals20to conduct a full amplitude swing in the downward and upward directions. Consequently, the user's body shows significant heave and such stepping exercise is defined as the undulate stepping mode. InFIG. 9, the swing amplitude is depicted by the bidirectional arrows. On the contrary, when the user treads down the pedals20with a weak force and a sharp speed, the pedals20conduct a partial amplitude swing in the downward and upward directions. Consequently, the user's body shows slight heave and such stepping exercise is defined as the floating stepping mode. InFIG. 10, the swing amplitude is depicted by the bidirectional arrows. It is obvious that the swing amplitude inFIG. 9is more significant than that inFIG. 10.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is provided to explain the aforementioned main components of the present invention.

As shown inFIGS. 1 through 6, the expanding movement module40comprises a swing seat41and a swing rod42. Both the swing seat41and the swing rod42have one end thereof rotatably connected to the base10. Particularly, it can be seen inFIG. 6that the swing seat41has the end connected to the base10through a pivot411so that the swing seat41can swing on the pivot411. The swing rod42is formed in an L-shape and has its middle portion connected to the base10through a pivot421so that the swing rod42can swing on the pivot421.

Briefly, the vertical movement module30can be embodied with a linkage system. There may be numerous methods for materializing the vertical movement module30, and one of them is illustrated by the drawings. The exemplificative vertical movement module30comprises a guide rod31, two pushrods32and a linear orientation rod33. The pedal20is settled on the guide rod31. The two pushrods32are movably connected to the guide rod31and the swing seat41. The linear orientation rod33has one end thereof fixedly connected to the swing seat41and a sliding component34is slidably settled thereon. A sliding rod35is movably connected with the pushrods32and the sliding component34. The sliding component34is further connected to a swing end of the swing rod42via the pivot36. The recovery module50is an elastic component51with one end thereof fixed to the base10and the opposite end fixed to the end of the guide rod31. Thereby, when the user treads down the pedal20, the guide rod31generates a downward force to act on the pushrods32. Then the pushrods32swing downward and the sliding component34is pulled by the sliding rod35to slide along the linear orientation rod33toward the rear of the base10. As a result, the pedal20is led to slide downward and backward along the primary exercise track to draw and extend the elastic component51. Meanwhile, the sliding component34drives the swing rod42to swing away from the axis of the base10so that the vertical movement module30and the swing seat42both swing outward and therefore the expanding exercise track is integrated into the primary exercise track of the pedal20. When the treading force from the user is inferior to the resilience of the elastic component51, the elastic component51resiles and pulls the guide rod31so that the vertical movement module30and the swing seat42move reversely to bring the pedal20to return the initial thereof.

In the present embodiment, since the pedal20is connected to the guide rod31by means of a shaft21, the pedal20is rotatable over the guide rod31. The shaft21and the pushrods32are connected through a linear rod22and universal joints23are implemented at the junctions. Thereby, the pedal20can be turned horizontally outward for a predetermined angle while it moves along the primary exercise track.

As inFIGS. 1 and 6, the disclosed hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus further comprises a damping device60. The damping device60comprises a damping wheel61rotatbly settled on the base10through an axle67, a damper62for providing a rotational resistance to the damping wheel61, and a controller63fixedly settled on the top of a central stem12and electrically connected with the damper62for controlling the rotational resistance. Each end of the axle67of the damping wheel61is connected to one end of a crank65by means of a one-way bush64while the opposite end of the crank65is connected to the swing rod42by means of a link66. The one-way bush64contributes to a specific relation between the crank65and the axle67of the damping wheel61as below. When the crank65swings toward the rear of the base10, it drives the axle67and the damping wheel61to rotate. When the crank65swings back toward the front of the base10, it runs idly. Hence, when the pedal20, the vertical movement module30and the expanding movement module40cooperatively implement the primary exercise track and the expanding exercise track, the crank65is pulled to swing toward the rear of the base10and in turn drives the axle67and the damping wheel61to rotate so that a resistance to motion can be generated in company with the operation of the primary exercise track and the expanding exercise track. On the contrary, when the recovery module50brings the pedal20, the vertical movement module30and the expanding movement module40to return, the crank65is pulled to swing toward the front of the base10. At this time, the idle running between the crank65and the axle67ensures the said return free from resistance.

Referring toFIG. 1again, a handrail13may be provided on the central stem12of the disclosed stepper exercise apparatus for giving support to the user during his taking exercise.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims. The main idea of the present invention is to provide a stepper exercise apparatus that provides the integrated expanding exercise track. While the two unconnected pedal assemblies are described above as preferred embodiment for realizing the expanding exercise track, a conventional associated pedal assembly may be also implemented in the present invention.