Abstract:
A total-body exerciser comprises: an upper-body exercising unit; a buttocks exercising unit; and an ankle exercising unit. The upper-body exercising unit comprises: an upper-body support for supporting the upper body; an upper-body supporting guide rail formed on the bottom surface of the upper-body support and enabling the upper-body support to move horizontally; and a rotating bracket mounted on a lower surface of the upper-body supporting guide rail so as to enable the upper-body support to rotate about a base frame contacting the ground. The buttocks exercising unit comprises: a buttocks support for supporting the buttocks; and a buttocks-supporting height-adjusting cylinder connected to a lower portion of the buttocks support, and capable of adjusting the height of the buttocks support. The ankle exercising unit comprises: an ankle support for supporting an ankle; an ankle-supporting guide rail formed on a bottom surface of the ankle support and enabling horizontal movement of the ankle support; and a rotating bracket mounted on a lower surface of the ankle-support guide rail to enable the ankle support to rotate about a base frame contacting the ground.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a total-body exerciser, and more particularly, to a total-body exerciser capable of rotating and vertically moving each part of the body in order to strengthen the waist, the back, the abdomen, and the knee joints. 
         [0002]    In general, with advancement of the modern society, people have high exposure to modern diseases due to lack of exercise or excessive consumption of foods. 
         [0003]    Particularly, due to a strained posture, overwork or aging, the human body is exposed to degenerative lumbar disk diseases occurring in the waist, the back, the abdomen, or the knees, scoliosis that the spine is curved, fascial pains in the hip joint and waist parts, degeneration in growth due to stress, oversized stomach, and others. Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, people do exercises for a long time, and have help from various exercisers or from professional trainers. 
         [0004]    According to such a trend, lots of exercisers for strengthening each part of the body or strengthening the whole body have been released and developed. 
         [0005]    For instance, exercisers of various kinds, such as cervical spinal exercisers, abdominal exercisers, electronic leg joint exercisers, lower body exercisers, aerobic exercisers, spine correction exercisers, boxing game exercisers, pelvic muscle exercisers, body type exercisers for the whole body, back acupressure exercisers, grasping power exercisers, shoulder twisting exercisers, multi-purpose exercisers, total-body exercisers, and others, have been used and developed. 
         [0006]    In spite of the great deal of exercisers, it is clear that more convenient, effective and efficient exercisers would be continuously developed and used. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a total-body exerciser capable of making the human body&#39;s waist, abdomen and knee joints flexible and strengthening muscular strength. 
         [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a total-body exerciser capable of strengthening muscular strength, removing abdominal fat, strengthening flexibility and functions of internal organs, and enhancing mental relaxation effect so as to solve the problems of degenerative lumbar disk diseases of the middle-aged and the old-aged, scoliosis due to bad life habits, fascial pains in the hip joint and waist parts, and degeneration in growth due to stress of adolescent generation. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a total-body exerciser which allows a user to do exercise of the whole body using a head support, an upper body and shoulders support, a middle butt and waist support, a knee support and an ankle support in a state where the user lays down on the exerciser comfortably according to movements of the exerciser. 
         [0010]    To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a total-body exerciser including: an upper body exercising part including an upper body support for supporting a user&#39;s upper body, upper body support guide rails formed below the upper body support for allowing a horizontal movement of the upper body support, and a rotational bracket mounted on the bottom face of the upper body support guide rails such that the upper body support is capable of rotating on a base frame abutting on the ground; a hip exercising part including a hip support for supporting the user&#39;s hips, and a hip support height-adjustable cylinder connected below the hip support for adjusting height of the hip support; and an ankle exercising part including an ankle support for supporting the user&#39;s ankles, ankle support guide rails formed below the ankle support for allowing a horizontal movement of the ankle support, and a rotational bracket mounted on the bottom face of the ankle support guide rails such that ankle support is capable of rotating on the base frame abutting on the ground. 
         [0011]    Here, the hip exercising part includes: a reciprocating rotation crank rod connected with the lower end of the hip support height-adjustable cylinder for rotating the hip support; a cam whose one end is connected with the reciprocating rotation crank rod by the medium of a link fixing shaft and the other end is connected with a power transferring main shaft; and the link fixing shaft whose center is connected with a power source by a power transmission unit and both sides are connected with the cam. 
         [0012]    Moreover, the upper body exercising part is in interlock with the hip exercising part and is connected with the hip exercising part by a reciprocating connection link shaft so as to be moved at vertical angles. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, the total-body exerciser further includes a knee exercising part including a knee support for supporting the knees, and a knee support height-adjustable cylinder connected below the knee support for adjusting height of the knee support. 
         [0014]    Additionally, the hip exercising part includes: a reciprocating rotation crank rod connected with the lower end of the hip support height-adjustable cylinder such that the hip support carries out a circular orbit movement; and a cam whose one end is connected with the reciprocating rotation crank rod by the medium of a link fixing shaft and the other end is connected with a power transferring main shaft. 
         [0015]    In addition, the knee exercising part includes: a lower body reciprocating link rod connected with the lower end of the knee support height-adjustable cylinder for rotating the knee support; and a lower body rotating cam whose one end is connected with the lower body reciprocating link rod by the medium of the link fixing shaft and the other end is connected with the cam by the medium of a cam fixing and supporting plate. 
         [0016]    Moreover, the ankle exercising part is in interlock with the knee exercising part and is connected with the lower body reciprocating link rod by a reciprocating conveyance connection shaft such that the ankle exercising part is moved at vertical angles. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, the upper body exercising part is in interlock with the hip exercising part and is connected with the hip exercising part by a reciprocating connection link shaft such that the upper body exercising part is moved at vertical angles. 
         [0018]    According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the total-body exerciser can provide flexibility to the human body&#39;s waist and abdomen and strengthen muscular strength of the waist and abdomen, help to treat degenerative lumbar disc diseases of the middle-aged and the old-aged and knee diseases and hip joint diseases due to lack of exercises, and help to treat spinal diseases such as scoliosis that the spine is curved due to bad life habits, fascial pains in the hip joint and waist parts, and degeneration in growth due to stress of adolescent generation, degenerative arthritis of the old-aged, and pains on strained spine or knee joints. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a total-body exerciser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the total-body exerciser. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a left side view of the total-body exerciser. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along the line of A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line of B-B of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a view for explaining an operation of the total-body exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Referring to the attached drawings, the structure, operation and effects of a total-body exerciser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a total-body exerciser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a plan view of the total-body exerciser,  FIG. 3  is a left side view of the total-body exerciser,  FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along the line of A-A of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line of B-B of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 6  is a view for explaining an operation of the total-body exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0027]    As shown in the drawings, the total-body exerciser  100  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an upper body exercising part  110 , a hip exercising part  120 , a knee exercising part  130 , and an ankle exercising part  140 . 
         [0028]    Here, even though the knee exercising part  130  is selectively added or omitted, there is no difficulty in realizing the present invention, but, hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the exerciser including the knee exercising part  130  will be described. 
         [0029]    The upper body exercising part  110  is a part where a user&#39;s head and shoulders directly touch, and carries out a tilting motion to be tilted vertically and a horizontal motion to be horizontally moved in back and forth directions by guide rails. 
         [0030]    The hip exercising part  120  is a part on which the user&#39;s hips are located, and supports the user&#39;s waist together with the upper body exercising part  110 . The hip exercising part  120  is adjustable in its height by a cylinder and carries out a rotational motion and a rectilinear motion by a rotor and a cam structure. 
         [0031]    The knee exercising part  130  is a part on which the user&#39;s knees are located, and is adjustable in its height by a cylinder and carries out a rotational motion and a rectilinear motion by a cam structure. 
         [0032]    The ankle exercising part  140  is a part on which the user&#39;s ankle parts are put, and like the upper body exercising part  110 , carries out a tilting motion to be tilted vertically and a horizontal motion to be horizontally moved in back and forth directions by guide rails. 
         [0033]    The upper body exercising part  110 , the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130  and the ankle exercising part  140  may be separately operated or may be operated in interlock with one another. Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiment of the total-body exerciser including the upper body exercising part  110 , the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130  and the ankle exercising part  140  which are operated in interlock with one another will be described. 
         [0034]    The upper body exercising part  110  includes an upper body support  21 , a roller fixing plate  20 , an upper body support guide rails  18 , conveyance guide rollers  19 , a rotational table  17 , and a rotational bracket  16 . 
         [0035]    The upper body support  21  is a part on which the user&#39;s head and shoulders are put, and a pillow  22  may be formed on the head part. The roller fixing plate  20  is formed below the upper body support  21 , the upper body support guide rails  18  are formed at both sides of the roller fixing plate  20 , and the conveyance guide rollers  19  are rotatably put on the upper body guide rails  18  and are fixed to the roller fixing plate  20 . 
         [0036]    The rotational table  17  is located below the roller fixing plate  20  and the upper body support guide rails  18 , and the rotational bracket  16  is rotatably connected between the rotational table  17  and an upper base frame  14 . 
         [0037]    The upper body support  21  freely carries out a back and forth horizontal motion by the upper body support guide rails and the conveyance guide rollers  19 , and can carry out a tilting motion because tilting laterally by the rotational bracket  16  according to the center of gravity. 
         [0038]    Moreover, the upper body support  21  is connected with the lower end portion of the hip support  12  of the hip exercising part  120  by a reciprocating connection link shaft  23 , such that the upper body exercising part  21  moves in interlock with the operation of the hip exercising part  120 . 
         [0039]    The hip exercising part  120  includes the hip support  12 , hip support height-adjustable cylinder  11 , a reciprocating rotation crank rod  10 , a cam  8 , a link fixing shaft  9 , and a power transferring main shaft  7 . 
         [0040]    The hip support  12  is a part on which the user&#39;s hips are put, and is adjustable in its height by the hip support height-adjustable cylinder  11  connected below the hip support  12 . A main body frame  1  is formed under the hip support  12 , and an auxiliary die mat  13  is formed on the upper surface of the main body frame  1 . 
         [0041]    The reciprocating rotation crank rod  10  horizontally put at both sides of the lowermost end of the hip support height-adjustable cylinder  11 , and is connected with one end of the cam  8  by the medium of the link fixing shaft  9 . The other end of the cam  8  is connected with the power transferring main shaft  7 . 
         [0042]    The power transferring main shaft  7  is connected with a motor and reducer  4 , which is a power transmission medium, by the medium of a power transmission unit  6  including a belt, gears and a chain so as to receive a driving force. The motor and reducer  4  is fixed by a motor and reducer fixing bracket  4 . 
         [0043]    The hip exercising part  120  having the above structure carries out a straight reciprocating motion while rotating a circular orbit by the reciprocating rotation crank rod  10  and the cam  8 . 
         [0044]    The knee exercising part  130  includes a knee support  35 , a knee support height-adjustable cylinder  34 , a lower body reciprocating link rod  24 , and a lower body rotating cam  25 . 
         [0045]    The knee support  35  is a part on which the lower part of the knee is located, and is adjustable in its height by the knee support height-adjustable cylinder  34 . 
         [0046]    The lower body rotating cam  25  is horizontally connected to both sides of the lower end of the knee support height-adjustable cylinder  34  and is connected at a right angle to the lower body reciprocating link rod  24 . The lower body rotating cam  25  is operably connected with the cam  8  through the link fixing shaft  9  by the medium of a cam fixing and supporting plate  2 . 
         [0047]    According to the above-mentioned structure, the knee exercising part  130  carries out the straight reciprocating motion while rotating the circular orbit by the reciprocating link rod  24 , the lower body rotating cam  25 , the link fixing shaft  9  and the cam  8 , and such a straight reciprocating motion is carried out in interlock with the hip exercising part  120 . 
         [0048]    The ankle exercising part  140  includes an ankle support  33 , a rotational bracket  32 , a slide/rotary shaft fixing plate  30 , conveying rollers  31 , and ankle support guide rails  29 . 
         [0049]    The ankle support  33  is a part on which the ankle parts of the legs are put, and the rotational bracket  32  is rotatable freely and is connected between the ankle support  33  and the sliding/rotary shaft fixing plate  30 . The ankle support guide rails  29  are formed below the rotational bracket  32 , and the conveying rollers  31  are mounted inside the ankle support guide rails  29  in such a way as to be moved horizontally. 
         [0050]    Furthermore, a reciprocating conveyance connection shaft  28  is connected between the lower end of the ankle exercising part  140  and the lower body reciprocating link rod  24  of the knee exercising part  130  by the medium of an auxiliary link  27 . 
         [0051]    The reciprocating conveyance connection shaft  28  makes the knee exercising part  140  interlock with the knee exercising part  130 , such that the ankle exercising part  140  is also interlocked with the hip exercising part  120 . 
         [0052]    Based on the hip exercising part  120 , the upper body exercising part  110  is interlocked at the left side and the knee exercising part  130  and the ankle exercising part  140  are interlocked at the right side, such that the total-body exerciser can exercise the user&#39;s whole body through the overall interlock motion. 
         [0053]      FIG. 6  is a view for explaining an operation of the total-body exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0054]    In  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the structure and the connection relationship of the total-body exerciser  100  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention are described. Based on the above, referring to  FIG. 6 , the operation of the total-body exerciser  100  will be described according to position changes by steps of the upper body exercising part  110 , the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130 , and the ankle exercising part  140  with the circular orbit of the hip exercising part  120  as the center. 
         [0055]    In  FIG. 6 , in the state where the user lies on, in four directions from a circular movement orbit P of the hip exercising part  120 , positions of the upper body exercising part  110 , the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130  and the ankle exercising part  140  by steps will be described. 
         [0056]    First, the case that the center of the hip exercising part  120  is located at the position STEP-1 with the circular movement orbit P as the center will be described. 
         [0057]    When the center of the hip exercising part  120  is located at the position STEP-1, the positions of the upper body exercising part  110 , the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130  and the ankle exercising part  140  are set as shown in the drawing, such that the user can lie down on the exerciser comfortably according to the user&#39;s body structure. 
         [0058]    When the exerciser is changed from the position STEP-1 to the position STEP-2, the hip exercising part  120  moves from the left to the right while lowering to the lowermost height, and the upper body exercising part  11  moves as long as the same distance along the upper body support guide rails  18  by the reciprocating connection link shaft  23  in interlock with the lateral movement of the hip exercising part  120 , such that the center of gravity is moved to the left and the upper body support  21  is tilted to the right. 
         [0059]    Likewise, on the contrary to the hip exercising part  120 , the knee exercising part  130  moves to the uppermost side in interlock with the hip exercising part  120 , such that the user&#39;s knees are bent at an angle of nearly 90 degrees. 
         [0060]    The ankle exercising part  140  is interlocked with the knee exercising part  130  by the reciprocating conveyance connection shaft  28  and moves from the right to the left by the ankle support guide rails  29 , such that the center of gravity is tilted to the left and the ankle support  33  is tilted to the left. 
         [0061]    When the hip exercising part  120  is changed to the position STEP-3, the hip exercising part  120  moves more from the left to the right, and hence, the upper body exercising part  110  is also moved horizontally in interlock with the hip exercising part  120  and the left side of the upper body exercising part  110  is at a slight tilt. Moreover, the knee exercising part  130  is moved to the maximum height, such that the knee parts are bent more than those in the position STEP-2 and the ankle support  33  is also tilted to the left. 
         [0062]    Continuously, when the hip exercising part  120  is located at the uppermost point, namely, when the hip exercising part  120  is located at the position STEP-4, the upper body exercising part  110  is tilted to the left at the utmost, and on the contrary, the ankle exercising part  140  is tilted to the right at the utmost, and the knee exercising part  130  supports the knees at the medium height between the hip exercising part  120  and the ankle exercising part  140 . 
         [0063]    Now, the user&#39;s states in the positions STEP-1 to STEP-4 will be described. In STEP-1, the user lies down on the exerciser comfortably, and in STEP-2, the user&#39;s head faces upward, the hip part is located at the lowermost point, and the knee parts are bent at nearly 90 degrees. In STEP-3, the user&#39;s head and hips are put in a straight line, the knee parts are located at the maximum height, and the feet parts support the maximum height of the knees. In STEP-4, the user&#39;s head and feet lower but the hip parts are raised to the maximum height. 
         [0064]    As described above, while the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be made therein without changing the essential characteristics and technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, it would be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are all exemplified and are not limitative, that the technical and protective scope of the present invention shall be defined by the technical idea as defined by the following claims, and that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the claims.