A foldable exerciser includes an operating member connected pivotally to atop end portion of a rear support member, a driving unit provided with two pedals and mounted on a front support member connected pivotally to the rear support member, a saddle-supporting member connected pivotally to the rear support member and disposed under and movable on a saddle-mounting member mounted with a saddle and connected pivotally to the rear support member, a coupling member interconnecting removably and disposed between the operating member and the saddle-supporting member, and a foldable positioning unit interconnecting the front and rear support members. When the coupling member is removed from the saddle-supporting member, the saddle-mounting member and the saddle-supporting member can be folded on the rear support member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an exerciser, more particularly to a foldable exerciser.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional stationary exercise bicycles and horse-riding exercisers are generally designed to have a non-retractable structure with a relatively large size. It is desirable to design a foldable exerciser with a combined function of the conventional stationary exercise bicycle and horse-riding exerciser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable exerciser that can function as a stationary exercise bicycle and a horse-riding exerciser and that has a minimized size when in a fully folded state.

According to the present invention, a foldable exerciser comprises:

an elongate front support member having a bottom end portion, a top end portion opposite to the bottom end portion, and an intermediate portion interconnecting fixedly the top and bottom end portions of the front support member;

an elongate rear support member having a bottom end portion, a top end portion opposite to the bottom end portion, and an intermediate portion interconnecting fixedly the top and bottom end portions of the rear support member and connected pivotally to the top end portion of the front support member, the rear support member being pivotable relative to the front support member about a first axis;

a driving unit mounted on the intermediate portion of the front support member and including parallel first and second rotating shafts journalled on the intermediate portion of the front support member and parallel to the first axis, a resistance wheel mounted fixedly on the first rotating shaft, a driving wheel mounted fixedly on the second rotating shaft, a V-belt trained on the resistance wheel and the driving wheel, and two pedal members connected respectively and fixedly to opposite ends of the second rotating shaft;

an operating member including an upper handle section, a lower coupling section opposite to the upper handle section, and an interconnecting section connected pivotally to the top end portion of the rear support member and interconnecting fixedly the upper handle section and the lower coupling section, the operating member being pivotable relative to the top end portion of the rear support member about a second axis parallel to the first axis;

a saddle-mounting member having a front end portion connected pivotally to the intermediate portion of the rear support member, and a bottom surface, the saddle-mounting member being pivotable relative to the second intermediate portion of the rear support member about a third axis parallel to the first axis;

a saddle mounted on the saddle-mounting member;

a saddle-supporting member disposed under the saddle mounting-member and having a lower end portion connected pivotally to the intermediate portion of the rear support member, and an upper end portion movable on the bottom surface of the saddle-mounting member, the saddle-supporting member being pivotable relative to the intermediate portion of the rear support member about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis; and

a coupling member connected to and disposed between the lower coupling section of the operating member and the saddle-supporting member such that rearward pivoting movement of the operating member about the second axis results in upward pivoting movement of the saddle about the third axis so as to simulate a horse-riding action, the coupling member being removable from the saddle-supporting member so as to allow the saddle-mounting member, the saddle and the saddle-supporting member to be all folded on the rear support member; and

a positioning unit interconnecting the front and rear support members so as to prevent relative rotation between the front and rear support members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1,2and3, the preferred embodiment of a foldable exerciser according to the present invention is shown to include an elongate front support member10, an elongate rear support member20, a driving unit30, an operating member40, a saddle-mounting member50, a saddle60, a saddle-supporting member70, a coupling member80, and a positioning unit90.

The front support member10has a bottom end portion11, a top end portion12opposite to the bottom end portion11, and an intermediate portion13interconnecting fixedly the top and bottom end portions12,11of the front support member10. In this embodiment, the bottom end portion11is provided with an elongate rod14that extends along a direction (X).

The rear support member20has a bottom end portion21provided with an elongate rod24that extends along the direction (X), a top end portion22opposite to the bottom end portion21, and an intermediate portion23interconnecting fixedly the top and bottom end portions22,21of the rear support member20and connected pivotally to the top end portion12of the front support member10. The rear support member20is pivotable relative to the front support member10about a first axis (a1) parallel to the direction (X).

The driving unit30is mounted on the intermediate portion13of the front support member10, and includes parallel first and second rotating shafts35,36, a resistance wheel31, a driving wheel32, a V-belt33, and two pedal members34, as shown inFIG. 1. The first and second rotating shafts35,36are journalled on the intermediate portion13of the front member10, and extend along the direction (X). The resistance wheel31is mounted fixedly on the first rotating shaft35. The driving wheel32is mounted fixedly on the second rotating shaft36. The V-belt33is trained on the resistance wheel31and the driving wheel32. The pedal members34are connected respectively and fixedly to opposite ends of the second rotating shaft36.

The operating member40includes an upper handle section41, a lower coupling section42opposite to the upper handle section41, and an interconnecting section43connected pivotally to the top end portion22of the rear support member20and interconnecting fixedly the upper handle section41and the lower coupling section42. The operating member40is pivotable relative to the top end portion22of the rear support member20about a second axis (a2) parallel to the first axis (a1). In this embodiment, the upper handle section41has a free end411provided with two handle rods44that extend away from each other along the direction (X), and a coupling end412opposite to the free end411and formed with a through hole4121(seeFIG. 2). The interconnecting section43is formed with a pair of parallel vertical coupling plates431that are interconnected fixedly. Each of the coupling plates431is formed with a through hole4311(seeFIG. 2). The coupling end412of the handle section41is coupled pivotally between the coupling plates431of the interconnecting section43. The operating member40further includes a positioning pin401extending through the through holes4311in the coupling plates431of the interconnecting section43and the through hole4121in the coupling end412of the upper handle section41so as to prevent rotation of the upper handle section41relative to the interconnecting section43. On the other hand, the positioning pin401is connected removably to the coupling plates431of the interconnecting section43and the coupling end412of the upper handle section41, and is removable therefrom so as to allow the upper handle section41to be folded on the lower coupling section42. It is noted that each of the coupling plates431of the interconnecting section43is pressed to form a projection43on an inner surface thereof such that the upper handle section41contacts frictionally the projections432when the upper handle section41is in a folded state, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6.

The saddle-mounting member50has a front end portion52connected pivotally to the intermediate portion23of the rear support member20, and a bottom surface53. The saddle-mounting member50is pivotable relative to the second intermediate portion23of the rear support member20about a third axis (a3) parallel to the first axis (a1). In this embodiment, the saddle-mounting member50is formed with a plurality of positioning holes51, as best shown inFIG. 2.

The saddle60is mounted on the saddle-mounting member50. In this embodiment, the saddle60has a bottom surface602that is formed two parallel vertical mounting plates61, each of which is formed with a through hole62. The saddle-mounting member50extends between the mounting plates61. The saddle60further has a positioning pin601that extends through the holes62in the mounting plates61of the saddle60and a selected one of the positioning holes51in the saddle-mounting member50.

The saddle-supporting member70is disposed under the saddle-mounting member50, and has a lower end portion73connected pivotally to the intermediate portion23of the rear support member20, and an upper end portion71movable on the bottom surface53of the saddle-mounting member50. The saddle-supporting member70is pivotable relative to the intermediate portion23of the rear support member20about a fourth axis (a4) parallel to the first axis (a1). In this embodiment, the upper end portion71is provided with a rotatable pulley711movable on the bottom surface53of the saddle-mounting member50. The saddle-supporting member70is formed with two positioning holes72. The lower end portion73is formed with a through hole731. The saddle-supporting member70further has a stop pin701that extends through the through hole731in the lower end portion73so as to prevent rearward pivoting movement of the saddle-supporting member about the fourth axis (a4).

The coupling member80is connected to and is disposed between the lower coupling section42of the operating member40and the saddle-supporting member70such that rearward pivoting movement of the operating member40about the second axis (a2) results in upward pivoting movement of the saddle-mounting member50about the third axis (a3) due to forward pivoting movement of the saddle-supporting member70about the fourth axis (a4) so as to simulate a horse-riding action, as shown inFIG. 4. The coupling member80is removable from the saddle-supporting member70so as to allow the saddle-mounting member50, the saddle60and the saddle-supporting member70to be all folded on the rear support member20, as shown inFIG. 5.

In this embodiment, the coupling member80includes a U-shaped plate81, a pulley82, and a rope83. The U-shaped plate81has two side plate portions812flanking the saddle-supporting member70. The pulley82is mounted on and is disposed in front of the U-shaped plate81. The rope83extends around the pulley82, and has two ends fastened to a lower end421of the lower coupling section42of the operating member40. The coupling member80further includes a pivot pin801extending through and connected removably to the side plate portions812of the U-shaped plate81and the saddle-supporting member70. The pivot pin801also extends through a selected one of the positioning holes72in the saddle-supporting member70.

The positioning unit90interconnects the front and rear support members10,20so as to prevent relative rotation between the front and rear support members10,20. In this embodiment, the positioning unit90includes two horizontal links91connected respectively to the front and rear support members10,20and disposed below the first axis (a1). Each of the links91has an inner end911and an outer end912. The inner ends911are interconnected pivotally. The outer ends912are connected respectively and pivotally to the front10and rear support members10,20.

In use, the foldable exerciser of the present invention can be operated as a stationary exercise bicycle, as shown inFIG. 3, or a horse-riding exerciser, as shown inFIG. 4. On the other hand, when the positioning pin401, the stop pin701and the pivot pin801are removed, the foldable exerciser can be changed to a partly folded state shown inFIG. 5. In the partly folded state, the upper handle section41is folded on the lower coupling section42, and the saddle-mounting member50and the saddle-supporting member70are folded on the rear support member20. Subsequently, the positioning unit90is folded so as to enable the front and rear support members10,20to move toward each other. As a result, the foldable exerciser is in a fully folded state, as shown in FIG.6. It is noted that, due to the presence of the pulley711, the foldable exerciser of this invention can be easily moved on the ground when in the fully folded state.