Abstract:
An adjustable scissors-action exerciser includes two motion arms pivotable relatively to each other and adjustably set in one of multiple operation angles. When the operation angle between the two motion arms grows beyond a predetermined angle, a locking mechanism is unlocked to allow the user to adjust the operation angle of the scissors-action exerciser. When the operation angle between the two motion arms is reduced within a predetermined angle, the locking mechanism is locked.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to exercising apparatuses and more particularly, to an adjustable scissors-action exerciser.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A conventional scissors-action exerciser is known comprised of two pivoted motion arms and a damper (normally a spring) connected between the two motion arms. When pressing the motion arms toward each other, the damper imparts a damping resistance to the motion arms, and therefore the muscle of the user&#39;s arms, hands, or legs are exercised. However, the scissors-action exerciser is structurally not adjustable, i.e. the user cannot adjust the operation angle of the motion arms. Because the operation angle of the motion arms is fixed, it does not fit different users. If the operation angle of this design of the scissors-action exerciser is too large for one user, the user will not conveniently apply force to the motion arms, such that the inaccurate operation posture may be caused to further incur harm to the muscle. If the operation angle of this design of the scissors-action exerciser is too small for the user, the user will fail to achieve the desired exercising effect.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide an adjustable scissors-action exerciser, which allows the user to adjust its operation angle subject to individual operation requirement. It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable scissors-action exerciser, which is structurally simple and easy for operation.  
         [0006]     To achieve the foregoing objects of the present invention, the adjustable scissors-action exerciser includes a first motion arm having a coupling end, a coupling block pivotally coupled to the coupling end and having a protruding rod, a damper provided between the first motion arm and the coupling block for generating damping resistance upon rotation of the coupling block in one direction relatively to the first motion arm, a second motion arm having a coupling end pivotally coupled to the coupling block, a plurality of chisel grooves formed in the coupling end and smoothly curvely arranged in parallel, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion, the chisel grooves each having a sloping face and a stop face asymmetric to the stop face, the sloping faces of the chisel grooves sloping in counterclockwise direction, a locking member having a middle part pivoted to the coupling block, an engagement portion at an end thereof, and a stop portion at an opposite end thereof, a first spring member connected between the locking member and the coupling block and adapted to reverse the locking member after the locking member being pressed, a limiter having a middle part pivoted to the coupling block, a first end, and a second end, and a second spring member connected between the limiter and the coupling block for reversing the limiter after the limiter is pressed.  
         [0007]     When the first motion arm and the second motion arm are put together, the engagement portion of the locking member is engaged into one of the chisel grooves of the second motion arm, the stop portion of the locking member is stopped at the protruding rod of the coupling block, and the first end of the limiter is stopped at an outside of the stop portion.  
         [0008]     When turning the second motion arm in counterclockwise direction relatively to the coupling block to expand the contained angle between the first motion arm and the second motion arm, the engagement portion of the locking member is moved over the sloping face of the respective chisel groove and then forced by the first spring member into engagement with a next chisel groove.  
         [0009]     When turning the second motion arm in clockwise direction relatively to the coupling block to reduce the contained angle between the first motion arm and the second motion arm, the engagement portion of the locking member is stopped against the stop face of the respective chisel groove, thereby causing the second motion arm to move the coupling block relatively to the first motion arm.  
         [0010]     When the contained angle between the first motion arm and the second motion arm surpassed a predetermined angle, the engagement portion is forced by the first protrusion to reverse the locking member, thereby causing the stop portion of the locking member to move over the first end of the limiter and then to press on the first end of the limiter against the projecting rod, and the second end of the limiter is disposed in a position touchable by the second protrusion and the engagement portion of the locking member is kept away from the chisel grooves, at this time the second motion arm can be turned clockwise relatively to the first motion arm till that the second end of the limiter is stopped at the second protrusion to force the first end of the limiter to move over the stop portion of the locking member and then to press on the stop portion of the locking member against the protruding rod, causing the locking member to engage the engagement portion into the chisel grooves. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an adjustable scissors-action exerciser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the adjustable scissors-action exerciser according the preferred embodiment of to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged top view of a damper of the adjustable scissors-action exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged bottom view of a coupling block of the adjustable scissors-action exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the adjustable scissors-action exerciser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the relationship between a locking member and chisel grooves when two motion arms are in a collapsed position.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  similar to  FIG. 5 , showing the relationship between the locking member and a limiter when a second motion arm is turned outwards relatively to a first motion arm.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6 , showing that the locking member is engaged into one of the chisel grooves.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , showing that the relationship between the locking member and the limiter when the locking member is stopped at a first protrusion.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8 , showing that a stop portion of the locking member is forced by a first spring member to press a first end of the limiter.  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9 , showing that the second motion arm is turned counterclockwise relatively to the first motion arm.  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 10 , showing the relationship between the locking member and the limiter when a second end of the limiter is stopped at a second protrusion.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , an adjustable scissors-action exerciser is shown comprised of a first motion arm  10 , a coupling block  20 , a damper  30 , a locking member  40 , a first spring member  50 , a limiter  60 , a second spring member  70 , a second motion arm  80 , and two baffles  90 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first motion arm  10  includes a main shaft  11  and an extension shaft  12 . The main shaft  11  includes a recessed circular open chamber  111  formed at an end thereof defining a coupling end  13 , a pivot  112  extended outwardly from a center of the circular open chamber  111 , a reference point  131  protruded from an outside wall of the coupling end  13 , a locating groove  113  formed at an inside wall of the coupling end  13  inside the recessed circular open chamber  11 , a longitudinal sliding chamber  114  axially inwardly extended from the other end thereof, and three locating holes  115  perpendicularly outwardly extended from the longitudinal sliding chamber  114  to an outside of the main shaft  11  and longitudinally arranged at an equal interval (only one locating hole  115  is shown in  FIG. 1 ). The extension shaft  12  is an elongated plate, having a spring retainer  121  at an end thereof and a pivot hole  122  at the other end thereof. The extension shaft  12  is axially slidably mounted into the longitudinal sliding chamber  114  and selectively locked to one of the locating holes  115  of the main shaft  11  by the spring retainer  121  for adjusting the length of the first motion arm  10 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the coupling block  20  is a barrel-like block fitting the diameter of the circular open chamber  111  of the main shaft  11  of the first motion arm  10 , having a protruding rod  21  at a predetermined position of an outside thereof (see  FIG. 5 ), a locating groove  22  formed at a side along an inner diameter thereof, and a pivot hole  23  axially formed at an center thereof and communicating inside and outside (see  FIG. 4 ). By means of the pivot hole  23 , the coupling block  20  is pivotally coupled to the pivot  112  of the first motion arm  10  and received in the circular open chamber  111  with an opening thereof facing downwards. Thus, the coupling block  20  can be rotatable relatively to the first motion arm  10 .  
         [0025]     The damper  30  according to the present preferred embodiment is a torsional spring set between the circular open chamber  111  of the first motion arm  10  and the coupling block  20 , having an end fastened to the locating groove  113  of the first motion arm  10  and the other end fastened to the locating groove  22  of the coupling block  20 . When the coupling block  20  pivots relatively to the first motion arm  20 , the damper  30  is deformed to generate a return force that forces the coupling block  20  to pivotally return to the original position.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the locking member  40  is an elongated member having an engagement portion  41  disposed at an end, a stop portion  42  disposed at the other end, and a pivot  43  disposed at a midsection thereof and pivotally coupled to a predetermined position of an outside of the coupling block  20 .  
         [0027]     The first spring member  50  is a torsional spring coupled to the pivot  43  of the locking member  40 , having an end fastened to the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  and the other end fastened to the coupling member  20 . By means of the first spring member  50 , the locking member  40  has power of forward rotation (clockwise direction in  FIG. 5 ) to return to the original position. Normally, the first spring member  50  forces an inner side of the stop portion  42  of the locking member  40  to be stopped against the protruding rod  21  of the coupling member  20 .  
         [0028]     The limiter  60  is an elongated member having a first end  61 , a second end  62 , and a pivot  63  pivotally mounted near a midsection thereof for fastening the limiter  60  to another predetermined position of the outside of the coupling block  20 .  
         [0029]     The second spring member  70  is a torsional spring coupled to the pivot  63  of the limiter  60 , having an end fastened to the first end  61  of the limiter  60  and the other end fastened to the coupling block  20 . By means of the second spring member  70 , the limiter  60  has power of backward rotation (counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 5 ) to return to the original position. Normally, the second spring member  70  forces an inner side of the first end  61  the limiter  60  to be stopped against the stop portion  42  of the locking member  40 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the second motion arm  80  has a configuration substantially similar to the first motion arm  10  with the exception that the coupling end  82  of the main shaft  81  is provided with a socket  821  (see  FIG. 1 ). The socket  821  has on the inside  6  chisel grooves  822 , a first protrusion  823 , and a second protrusion  824  ( FIG. 5 ). The chisel grooves  822  are smoothly curvely arranged in parallel, each having a sloping face  825  and a stop face  826 . The sloping faces  825  of the chisel grooves  822  slope in one direction (counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 5 ) and the stop faces  826  are respectively connected between inner and outer ends of each two adjacent sloping faces  825 , and therefore each of the chisel grooves  822  is acute in shape. Further, peaks of each two adjacent chisel grooves  822  are spaced at an angle of substantially 15°, such that the chisel grooves  822  are disposed in the socket  821  within an angle of substantially 90°. The first protrusion  823  is disposed adjacent to a side of the last forwardly spirally extended chisel groove  822 , and protruded from an inside wall of the socket  821  toward a central axis of the socket  821  for a predetermined thickness. The second protrusion  824  is protruded from an inside wall of the socket  821  toward the central axis of the socket  821  for a predetermined thickness. The second protrusion  824 , the first protrusion  823 , and the chisel grooves  822  are spaced from one another at a predetermined angle. Further, the coupling end  82  is provided with six marks  827  at an outer periphery thereof opposite the chisel grooves  822 , and a center pivot hole  828  extended through the axial center of the socket  821 . The six marks  827  are equally spaced from one another at angle of substantially 15′.  
         [0031]     By means of the pivot hole  828 , the second motion arm  80  is pivotally coupled to the pivot  112  of the first motion arm  10 , the socket  821  is pivotally capped on the coupling block  20  and the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  is inserted into one of the chisel grooves  822 . In the meantime, the reference point  131  of the first motion arm  10  is aligned with one of the marks  827  of the second motion arm  80 , and a locating member  829  is inserted through the pivot hole  828  and the pivot  112  to prevent disconnection between the two motion arms  10  and  80  during exercise.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 1  again, the two baffles  90  are oval plates each having a vertically mounting hole  91  running therethrough. Each of two bolts  92  is threadedly mounted between the mounting hole  91  and the pivot hole  122  of the first arm  10  (the second arm  80 ). When installed, the two baffles  90  are disposed respectively at outsides of the first and second motion arms  10  and  80 .  
         [0033]     Referring to FIGS.  5 ˜ 7 , when the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  is inserted into the foremost chisel groove  822  and the reference point  131  of the first motion arm  10  is aligned with the foremost mark  827  of the second motion arm  80 , the first and second motion arms  10  and  80  are at a collapsed position. (see  FIG. 5 ) When in use, the second motion arm  80  is turned outwards from the first motion arm  10  (i.e. the second motion arm  80  is turned in one direction relatively to the coupling block  20 ) to move the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  over the sloping face  825  of the first one of the chisel grooves  822  (see  FIG. 6 ), for enabling the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  to be forced by the first spring member  50  into engagement with the next (second) one of the chisel grooves  822  (see  FIG. 7 ). By means of this operation procedure, a contained angle between the two motion arms  10  and  80  can be selectively adjusted to one of six different angles subject to the user&#39;s requirement.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 7  again, when operating the two motion arms  10  and  80 , the user&#39;s two arms or legs are respectively pressed on the baffles  90  of the motion arms  10  and  80 , and then move the motion arms  10  and  80  alternately inwards and outwards with the arms or legs. At this time, the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  will be stopped at the stop face  826  of the respective chisel groove  822 , and the second motion arm  80  will drive the coupling block  20  to pivot relatively to the first motion arm  10 . During exercise, the motion arms  10  and  80  compress the damper  30  to cause the damper  30  to generate a damping resistance, against which the user can exercises, and therefore the user&#39;s muscle are trained.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when the angle between the first and second motion arms  10  and  80  are excessively big or when the user intends to collapse the scissors-action exerciser, the user can unfold the second motion arm  80  further to let the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  be stopped at the first protrusion  823  (see  FIG. 8 ) to cause the stop portion  42  of the locking member  40  to move over the first end  61  of the limiter  60  and then to press on outside of the first end  61  of the limiter  60  and to force the inner side of the first end  61  of the limiter  60  against the projecting rod  21 , and meanwhile, the second end  62  of the limiter  60  is disposed in a position touchable by the second protrusion  824  (see  FIG. 9 ) and the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  is kept away from the chisel grooves  822 . Thus, the second motion arm  80  can freely be pivotable relatively to the first motion arm  10  and the coupling block  20 . Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11  and  FIG. 5  again, at this time, the user can turn the second motion arm  80  inwards toward the first motion arm  10  (see  FIG. 10 ) to the extent that the second end  62  of the limiter  60  is stopped at the second protrusion  824 .  
         [0036]     At this time, the limiter  60  slightly pivots to move the first end  61  over the stop portion  42  of the locking member  40 , thereby causing the first end  61  to press on the outside of the stop portion  42  of the locking member  40  against projecting rod  21  (see  FIG. 11 ), and the engagement portion  41  of the locking member  40  is forced into engagement with the foremost the chisel grooves  822  to lock the two motion arms  10  and  80  at the collapsed position (see  FIG. 5 ). Therefore, the user can adjust the desired operation angle again.  
         [0037]     As indicated above, the scissors-action exerciser allows the user to adjust the contained angle between the motion arms  10  and  80  for operation comfortably. Further, subject to the alignment between the reference point  131  and the marks  827 , the user knows the set angle between the motion arms  10  and  80 . Further, the user can adjust the length of the motion arms  10  and  80 , i.e. the extending status of the extension shafts  12  of the motion arm  10  and  80 . This scissors-action exerciser is ergonomic to be practical in use. The baffles  90  of the motion arms  10  and  80  give a comfort touch to the user, and provide a broad area for receiving the force applied from the user.  
         [0038]     Further, the simple structural design of the scissors-action exerciser is practical for exercising the arms and the legs through a scissors action. The invention can also be miniaturized for use in other exercise apparatuses like handgrips.