Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improved rowing exercise device includes one base, two rowing widgets, one driving widget, one footrest widget, one hoisting widget and one cushion. Making use of the driving widget to drive rowing widget, footrest widget and hoisting widget synchronously, operator, who sits on the cushion and stays on the hoisting widget, will be able to operate rowing handle to practice rowing action with hands and his feet will co-operate with the action of sway-forward and sway-backward of the footrest widget to practice stretching-and-bending exerting action at the same time; moreover, hoisting widget can load the operator&#39;s body up and down synchronously. By means of harmony-operation, not only the purpose of stretching and exercise hands, feet belly and thorax can be reached, but also improves the effect of reality and fun of rowing sport.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1) Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an improved rowing exercise device, especially with advantages as conciseness, easy operation, convenience and sense of reality and delight for practicing said rowing exercise device. Furthermore, expected goals and effects of exercising and body-building can be unrolled, and said rowing exercise device is unprecedented and has the features of practicability, perfection and advancement. 
         [0003]    2) Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are many kinds of well-known rowing exercise device, and, among which, the most familiar one, as shown in  FIG. 1 , has a cushion  2  on its collateral two slide-tracks  1 , a revolving tube  3  located on outside of each slide-track  1 , an oil-pressure cylinder  4  and a cross joint  5  located on each of revolving tube  3 , rowing handle  6  set on the cross joint  5 , and two footrests  7  set at the position between the front-end of said two slide-tracks  1 . When operating said device, operator sits on cushion  2 ; lay his feet on footrests  7 , and his hands practice rowing action with rowing handles  6 . When rowing handles  6  are pulling backward, piston  41  of oil-pressure cylinder  4  will be pulled outward to create damping effect, and his two foot-soles will stretch straight gradually with footrests  7  as force fulcrums. This will make cushion  2  moves backward along slide-tracks  1 . When rowing handles  6  are pushing forward to make piston  41  of oil-pressure cylinder  4  draw backward, operator&#39;s feet will be bending gradually and his bottom will push cushion  2  to move forward for preparing next cycle of backward-pulling action for rowing handles  6 . Making use of damping effect of oil-pressure cylinder  4 , operator can enjoy the effects of exercising hands, feet and belly and the result of stretching body. 
         [0005]    The foregoing rowing exercise device may procure the purpose and effect of indoor exercise, but some defects will be happened as follows:
       1. The action of exercising hands and feet is making use of damping effect of oil-pressure cylinder, but oil-pressure cylinder is expensive and will be easy to leak oil after long-term operation.   2. Since cushion bear operator&#39;s body weight to move forward and backward on slide-tracks continuously, the sliding components will be worn out and will not move smoothly after log-term operation. This will affect the smoothness of the operation of rowing exercise device and limit exercise effect.   3. Since cushion and operator&#39;s body need to move forward and backward on practicing rowing action, this is contrary to real rowing action and lack of sense of reality and fun.       
 
       From aforesaid descriptions, we know the structure and operation of the well-known rowing exercise device have defects and can be improved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The first objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved rowing exercise device; wherein, the footrests can move forward and backward; hoisting widget hold cushion, and driving widget can drive rowing widget, footrests and hoisting widget synchronously. Hence, operator&#39;s feet can automatically exercise bend-and-stretch action via the swaying movement of footrests, when his hands are practicing rowing action. At the same time, said hoisting widget can carry operator&#39;s body to move up and down. Operator can exercise his feet, hands, belly and thorax to reach the purpose and effect of stretching and building body via the action of his own body weight. 
         [0010]    The second objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved rowing exercise device; wherein, the drag force needed for reaching the effect of stretching and building body is created by operator&#39;s own body weight but not well-known oil-pressure cylinder. Therefore, manufacture cost and maintenance requirement will be diminished a lot. 
         [0011]    The third objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved rowing exercise device; wherein, when practicing rowing action, said cushion moves upward and downward at its original position but not well-known forward and backward movement. Said up-and-down movement will exclude the well-known defects of sliding un-smoothly and unreality of rowing action, and make the rowing exercise have more fun and reality. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0012]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a 3-D view of the well-known rowing device for building body. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a 3-D schematic view of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the partial structure of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a façade schematic view of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the pulling-rowing-handle-backward situation of the rowing widget of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the pushing-rowing-handle-frontward situation of the rowing widget of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side schematic view of the situation for pushing the invention&#39;s rowing handle frontward to make resistance auxiliary widget to create less friction. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7-1  is an enlarged schematic view of the partial structure of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a façade schematic view of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a side schematic view of the situation for pushing the invention&#39;s rowing handle backward to make resistance auxiliary widget to create more friction. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9-1  is an enlarged schematic view of the partial structure of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a façade schematic view of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a motion figure embodiment (1) for operating the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a motion figure embodiment (2) for operating the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that like elements are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure. 
         [0028]    Please refer to detail description of  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6  in advance; they clearly show an improved rowing exercise device of the present invention includes: 
         [0029]    one base  10  accommodates the following widgets; 
         [0030]    two rowing widgets  20  are respectively set on the right-hand side and left-hand side of said base  10  with respective positioning shaft  201  for fixing itself on base  10 ; one sleeve  202  cases positioning shaft  201  with one sway plate  2021  on one end and ear-like piece  2022  on the other end; one rowing handle  203  is fixed on ear-like piece  2022  of sleeve  202  by positioning bolt  2031  for revolving rightward and leftward and equipped with grasping-handle  2032  on the other end; when operating rowing handle  203 , not only can sway left and right with positioning bolt  2031  as a hub, but also push frontward or pull backward; in addition, sleeve  202  can revolve freely with position shaft  201  as a hub (detail shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ); 
         [0031]    one footrest widget  30  has a sway stick  301  whose one end is set on the front end of base  10  by positioning bolt  3011  which acts as a motion hub to make said sway stick to be able to sway forward and backward, and pedal  302  is set on the other end for bearing operator&#39;s stepping; 
         [0032]    one hoisting widget  40  has two parallel holding sticks  40  whose one end is set on base  10  by positioning bolt  4011  and the other end connects a linkage rod  402 ; a driving rod  4012  is set on one of the holding sticks  401 ; a guiding track  403  is set on the upper end of the linkage rod  402 ; upon pulling the driving rod  4012 , linkage rod  402  set on the other end of said two holding sticks  401  and guiding track  403  will move up and down vertically; 
         [0033]    one cushion  50  is set on the guiding track  403  of said hoisting widget  40  and will be able to move up and down vertically complying with said hoisting widget  40 ; 
         [0034]    one driving widget  60  has the first linkage rod  601  which is set as motion hub at the position between sway plate  2021  of rowing widget and sway stick  301  of footrest  30  for linking the actions of rowing widget  20  and footrest  30 ; in addition, when pulling rowing handle  203  backward to make sway plate  2021  of sleeve  202  sway forward, sway stick  301  of footrest  30  will be pushed to sway forward; on the contrary, when pushing rowing handle  203  forward, sway stick will sway backward; the second linkage rod  602  is set as motion hub at the position between sway stick  301  of footrest  30  and driving rod  4012  of hoisting widget  40  for linking the actions of hoisting widget  40 , footrest  30  and rowing widget  20 ; in addition, when pulling rowing handle  203  backward to make sway stick  301  of footrest  30  sway forward, driving rod  401  of hoisting widget  40  will be driven to move forward and downward, and linkage rod  402  on the other end of said two holding sticks  40  will be driven to move upward vertically; on the contrary, when pushing rowing handle  203  forward to make sway stick  301  of footrest  30  sway backward, linkage rod  402  of hoisting widget  40  will be driven to move downward; in a word, by driving of the first linkage rod  601  and the second linkage rod  602 , when pulling rowing handle  203  backward, sway stick  301  of footrest  30  will be linked to sway forward, and the coupling end of the linkage rod  402  of the hoisting widget  40  will be linked to move upward to lift cushion  50  set on it to move upward; on the contrary, when pushing rowing handle  203  forward, sway stick  301  of footrest  30  will be linked to sway backward, and the coupling end of the linkage rod  402  of the hoisting widget  40  will be linked to move downward to drive cushion  50  set on it to move downward; 
         [0035]    one resistance auxiliary widget  70 , referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  10 , has a resistance plate  701  set on one holding stick  401  of the hoisting widget  40 , and a positioning plate  702 , on which set a frictional plate  7021  for corresponding resistance plate  701 ,is fixed on base  10  and at one side of the resistance plate  701 ; a mobile plate  703  is fixed as motion hub on positioning plate  702  by positioning bolt  7031 ; in addition, mobile plate  703  is located on the other side of resistance plate  701  and can proceed displacement adjustment for the support of the shield of the adjusting bolt  704  and; a frictional plate  7032  is set on mobile plate  703  for corresponding to resistance plate  701 ; an upside-thin-and-downside-thick inclined-plane  7033  is set on the foregoing mobile plate  703  for supporting shield  7041  of the adjusting bolt  704 , and a long hole  7034  is set on the foregoing mobile plate  703  for accommodating the penetration of adjusting bolt  704 . By these components and as shown on  FIGS. 7 ,  7 - 1 , and  8 , when push rowing handle  203  forward and resistance plate  701  of resistance auxiliary widget  70  and holding stick  401  of hoisting widget  40  sway downward one by one, the aforesaid mobile plate  703  inclined to resistance plate  701  via frictional plate  7032  will follow resistance plate  701  to sway downward by means of positioning bolt  7031  as a turning point. Moreover, since the inclined-plane  7033  for supporting shield  7041  of the adjusting bolt  704  is upside-thin-and-downside-thick-shaped, the supporting force will be decreasing when sway downward one by one, and the friction exerted to resistance plate  701  by frictional plate  7032  will be decreasing as well. On the contrary, as shown on  FIGS. 9 ,  9 - 1 , and  10 , when pull rowing handle  203  backward and resistance plate  701  of resistance auxiliary widget  70  and holding stick  401  of hoisting widget  40  sway upward one by one, the aforesaid mobile plate  703  will follow to sway upward one by one, and make its inclined plane  7033  come closer and closer to shield of adjusting bolt  704  via downside thicker part, and frictional plate  7032  will exert stronger friction on resistance plate  701 ; 
         [0036]    one supporting widget  80 , which is set on base  10  and at the front side of hoisting widget  40 , has a shield  801  and an adjusting bolt  802  to barricade the sway-forward angle of driving rod  4012  of the hoisting widget  40 . 
         [0037]    The present invention is constructed as paragraphs mentioned above, and please refer to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 . When operator practices the present invention, firstly, he will sit on cushion  50  and lay his feet on pedal  302  of footrest  30 . When operator&#39;s hands pull rowing handles  203  of rowing widget  20  backward, by means of coupling with driving widget  60 , the sway stick  301  of the footrest widget  30  will be linked to sway forward to make his feet stretch forward for exerting action. Meanwhile, said hoisting widget  40  will be linked to sway upward to make cushion  50  and operator&#39;s body go upward vertically. Since operator&#39;s body weight is directly loaded at cushion  50  and hoisting widget  40 , hands and feet driving rowing widget  20  and footrest widget  30  can directly reach the effect of exerting, exercise and body-stretching. Moreover, when operator&#39;s hands push rowing handles  203  of rowing widget  20  forward, by means of coupling with driving widget  60 , the sway stick  301  of the footrest widget  30  will be linked to sway backward to make his feet bend backward for preparing next stretch-forward action. Meanwhile, make use of operator&#39;s body weight to press said cushion  50  and hoisting widget  40  will be driven by driving widget  60 ; cushion  50  and hoisting widget  40  will go downward one by one and operator&#39;s body will go downward vertically but not move forward and backward to co-operate with rowing widget  20  and footrest widget  30  for next exerting action. By repeating these steps, via practicing the present invention, operator can reach the effect and purpose of exercise and body-stretching on feet, hands, belly and whole body. Since said cushion  50  moves up and down but not forward and backward, the present invention will be much closer to real rowing sport. When practicing the present invention, operator will enjoy more reality and fun, and the expected purpose and effect of exercising and exercise will be promoted. 
         [0038]    Since the resistance created by operator&#39;s practicing rowing action is mainly from the operator&#39;s body weight exerting on cushion  50  and hoisting widget  40 , but not from the damping effect of oil-pressure cylinder, the present invention reduces costs of manufacture and maintenance a lot. 
         [0039]    Furthermore, the present invention uses operator&#39;s body weight to be the load of rowing sport to reach the expected purpose of exercising and exercise; in addition, making use of said resistance, resistance auxiliary widget  70  can apply extra frictional resistance on holding stick  401  of hoisting widget  40 . Therefore, operator can reach the effect of timely adding the load to match the load requirement on rowing sport by adjusting resistance auxiliary widget  70 , when it is needed. 
         [0040]    Moreover, since supporting widget  80  set on base  10  can simultaneously control the angle of sway-forward of driving rod  4012  of hoisting widget  40  when adjusting the high and low of adjusting bolt  802 , operator can control the angle of rowing handle  203  of rowing widget  20 , the angle of sway-forward of the sway stick of the footrest  30  and the rising height of said cushion  50  of the hoisting widget  40  by adjusting supporting widget  80 . 
         [0041]    While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.