Exerciser for stepping and swinging exercises

An exerciser includes a handle and a support rotatably secured to a base, two foot pedals are rotatably secured to the support with spindles for allowing the users' feet to be rotated relative to the support and for preventing the users from being hurt or twisted while rotating relative to said base with the support. The support includes two blocks pivotally secured between two pivotal and parallel beams for supporting the foot pedals. A device may couple the the handle to the support for allowing the handle to be rotatably coupled to the support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly to an exerciser for selectively conducting stepping and swinging operations or exercises.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical exercisers have been developed for conducting various operations or exercises. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,528 to Natterer discloses an exerciser for conducting swinging or skiing operations. The users' feet may not be rotated relative to the support thereof. In addition, the exerciser may not be used for conducting the stepping operations.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,448 to Wang may be used for conducting stepping operations only. In addition, the foot pedals may not be rotated relative to the support thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,180 to Simjian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,408 to Wilkinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,690 to Gilman disclose three other exercisers which may be used for conducting rotating or swinging operations only. In addition, a single circular plate is provided for supporting the feet of the users, and includes a tiny space or area such that the feet of the users may not be suitably separated or opened from each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,389 to Chen discloses another exerciser which may be used for conducting rotating and swinging and stepping operations. However, similarly, a single tiny circular plate is provided for supporting the feet of the users, such that the feet of the users may not be suitably separated or opened from each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,176 to Kuo, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,961 to Kuo et al. disclose two further typical exercisers which may be used for conducting stepping operation, and which includes a rotatable handle for allowing the users to twist their upper portions. However, the feet of the users may not be rotated or twisted relative to the handle, such that the rotational movement of the users is limited.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,065 to Lien et al. discloses a still further typical exerciser including a stepper mechanism rotatably supported on a support frame, a base body rotatably attached to the support frame, and having a pair of spaced pedal arms that have one end rotatably secured to an upright front portion, such that the exerciser includes a complicated configuration and a great cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciser may be provided for selectively conducting stepping and swinging operations or exercises.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciser including a pair of foot pedals rotatably and separately supported on a support for separately supporting the feet of the users, and for preventing the users from being hurt or twisted while conducting the swinging operations or exercises.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exerciser comprising a base including a shaft provided thereon, a handle device secured to the base, for supporting upper portion of users, a support rotatably secured to the base with the shaft, two spindles rotatably attached to the support and separated from each other, and two foot pedals secured to the spindles and rotatably secured to the support with the spindles, for supporting users' feet. The foot pedals are rotatable relative to the support when the support is rotated relative to the base, for allowing the users' feet to be rotated relative to the support and for preventing the users from being hurt or twisted while rotating relative to said base with the support.

The support includes a seat rotatably secured to the base with the shaft, and a first beam having a middle portion rotatably secured to the seat and having two end portions for supporting the foot pedals respectively.

The support includes two blocks pivotally secured to the end portions of the first beam for supporting the foot pedals. The blocks each includes an orifice formed therein for rotatably receiving the spindles respectively.

The support further includes a second beam having a middle portion rotatably secured to the seat and having two end portions pivotally secured to the blocks respectively, the first beam and the second beam are parallel to each other to form a parallelogram together with the blocks. The support may include a spring biasing device for biasing the first arm relative to the seat.

The handle device includes a lower segment rotatably secured to the base with a pin, a shank rotatably secured to the lower segment with a pivot rod, and means for selectively securing the shank to the lower segment of the handle device.

A device may further be provided for coupling the the handle device to the support, and includes a first rotary member attached to the support, and a second rotary member attached to the handle device and coupled to the first rotary member.

The coupling means further includes a coupling member engaged over the first and the second rotary members for rotatably coupling the first and the second rotary members together.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially toFIGS. 1-4, an exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a base10including a shaft11and a pin12provided thereon, such as upwardly extended therefrom, two rotary members13,14rotatably secured on the shaft11and the pin12respectively and coupled together with a coupling member16, such as a belt or a cable16or the like.

For example, the rotary members13,14may be the disks or the pulleys13,14and rotatably coupled together with a belt, a cable16or the like, for allowing the pulleys13,14to be rotatably coupled together with the cable16. Alternatively, the rotary members13,14may be the gears as shown in FIG.9and directly engaged with each other.

A handle device20is provided for supporting the upper portion of the users, and includes a lower segment21rotatably or pivotally engaged onto the pin12, and preferably secured to the rotary member14, for allowing the handle device20to be rotated in concert with the rotary member14, and includes a shank22having a hand grip25adjustably provided on top thereof.

For example, the shank22of the handle device20includes a lower portion rotatably secured to the lower segment21with a pivot rod23, and releasably secured to the lower segment21with a fastener24, which may secure the shank22at an upright or working position relative to the lower segment21as shown in FIG.1.

A stepping device30includes a support33having a seat31rotatably or pivotally engaged onto the shaft11, and preferably secured to the rotary member13, for allowing the stepping device30to be rotated in concert with the rotary member13, and for allowing the stepping device30to be rotatably coupled to the handle device20with the rotary members13,14and the cable16.

The support33of the stepping device30includes one or more, such as two beams34,35parallel to each other and each having a middle portion rotatably or pivotally secured to the seat31with a pivot axle36respectively, and two blocks37secured to the ends of the beams34,35.

In operation, as shown inFIGS. 4-6, when the beams34,35are rotated relative to the seat31about the pivot axles36respectively, the beams34,35may be formed or maintained in a parallelogram structure, such that the blocks37may be maintained in the horizontal position relative to the base10, and will not be tilted or inclined relative to the base10when the blocks37move up and down relative to the base20.

The blocks37each includes an orifice38formed therein (FIG.3), or the support33includes two orifices38separately formed therein, for rotatably receiving a spindle40therein that may be attached to a foot pedal41or the like. The foot pedals41may thus be rotatably secured on the beams34,35or on the support33with the respective spindles40, and are separated from each other, for separately supporting the feet of the users.

One or more spring biasing members70,71, such as the springs70, or the resilient belts71, or the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders (not shown) may further be provided and coupled between the seat31and the beams34,35or the support33, for biasing or recovering the support33, or for biasing the beams34,35back to the rest position that parallel to the base10, as shown inFIG. 4, or for providing the resistive force against the foot pedals41.

In operation, one of the blocks37and the corresponding foot pedals41may be moved or stepped downward toward the base10by the users, and the other block37and foot pedal41will thus be moved upwardly or away from the base10due to the pivotal coupling of the beams34,35to the seat31, such that the users may conduct stepping operations or exercises with the foot pedals41of the stepping device30.

The spring biasing members70,71may bias or recover the support33or the beams34,35back to the rest position that parallel to the base10, as shown inFIG. 4, after the foot pedals41are released. Relatively, the users may have to spend energy to overcome the spring biasing force of the spring biasing members70,71.

In addition, the users may also rotate the stepping device30in order to rotate the handle device20and to swing or twist the users' waist portion. Relatively, the users may also rotate the handle device20relative to the base10, in order to rotate the stepping device30.

It is to be noted that the foot pedals41are rotatably secured or supported on the blocks37or separately supported on the ends of the beams34,35or the support33, for separately supporting the feet of the users, and for allowing the feet of the users to be comfortably supported on the foot pedals41.

Particularly, when the blocks37and/or the beams34,35of the support33are rotated relative to the base10, the foot pedals41may also be rotated relative to the the blocks37and/or the beams34,35of the support33, and thus will not be twisted or hurt during the swinging or rotating operations.

When the users would like to conduct the stepping operation only, a longer fastener24may be engaged through the handle device20and the base10, in order to secure the handle device20to the base10, and for allowing the foot pedals41to be moved or stepped downwardly toward the base10.

Alternatively, when no stepping exercises are to be operated, as shown in dotted lines inFIG. 4, one or more fasteners or latches77may further be provided to secure the beams34,35to the seat31, or to the blocks37, for preventing the beams34,35from being moved or stepped or rotated relative to the seat31, and for allowing the users to rotate or swing or twist with the stepping device30and the handle20.

Further alternatively, as shown inFIG. 10, the rotary members13,14and the coupling member16may be removed from the base10, and the stepping device30and the handle device20may be freely and rotatably secured onto the base10with the shaft11and the pin12respectively, for allowing the stepping device30and the handle device20to be randomly rotated relative to the base10with the shaft11and the pin12respectively.

The fastener24may also be used to selectively secure the handle device20to the base10. The fasteners or latches77(FIG. 4) may also be selectively used to lock the stepping device30, for preventing the stepping device30from being operated with the stepping operations. Another fastener (not shown) may further be provided for selectively securing such as the seat31of the stepping device30to the base10, and for preventing the stepping device30from rotating relative to the base10.

Accordingly, the exerciser in accordance with the present invention may be provided for selectively conducting stepping and swinging operations or exercises.