Abstract:
A hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base and two pedal assemblies settled abreast on the base. Each of the pedal assemblies includes a pedal, a vertical movement module, an expanding movement module, and a recovery module. The pedal is settled on the vertical movement module while the expanding movement module is settled on the base so that the two pedals can depart from or come close to each other with respect to a level position. The vertical movement module is connected to the expanding movement module so that the two pedals can vertically move in a direction non-perpendicular to the ground. The recovery module is connected to the vertical movement module and the base and provides an external force for returning the vertical movement module and the expanding movement module to initial positions thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to stepper exercise apparatuses, and more particularly, to a stepper exercise apparatus providing a variety of exercise modes. The disclosed exercise apparatus has pedals guiding a primary backward and downward sliding track and an expanding track is additionally integrated into the primary sliding track. The variety of exercise modes of the stepper includes a simultaneous stepping mode, an alternate stepping mode, an undulate stepping mode, and a floating stepping mode. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     When a user uses a conventional stepper exercise apparatus, he/she may primarily tread down a pedal assembly of the stepper exercise apparatus using his/her feet to prompt a right pedal and a left pedal of a pedal assembly to move vertically so that he/she can carry out leg movement resembling mark time in order to exercise his/her muscle groups that would be used during daily walking and stair climbing. 
     One notable problem of such conventional stepper exercise apparatus is the inflexible track of leg exercise it provides. Some additional exercise modes, such as simultaneous stepping and alternate stepping, or auxiliary function, such as guiding waist twisting may be available by properly modifying the mechanism of the conventional apparatus. However, the primary exercise track is still limited as the vertical movement with respect to the ground. Therefore, the muscle groups that get exercised are only those used during vertical stepping movement and, obviously, exercise for hip abductions is neglected in the conventional stepper exercise apparatus. 
     Some development has therefore been done to address the foregoing neglect. For example, a Taiwan Patent Application, appointed with Publication Number 577336, ameliorates the conventional vertical exercise movement into a non-vertical and expanding exercise movement. Thereby, in addition to the muscle groups that would be used during daily walking, the hip-abductions can also get exercised. However, in view of the mechanical design, as the said prior-art requires numerous components and complex structure, the fabrication and maintenance thereof are accordingly inconvenient. Besides, it bears a higher risk of inadequate transmission. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under these circumstances in view. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus that integrates an expanding exercise track into a traditional vertical exercise track of a stepper exercise apparatus so that in addition to the muscle groups that would be used during daily walking, the hip-abductions can also get proper exercise. 
     To achieve these and other objectives of the present invention, the hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base and two unconnected pedal assemblies settled abreast on the base. Each said pedal assembly includes a pedal, a vertical movement module, an expanding movement module and a recovery module. The expanding movement module is settled on the base and can swing outward horizontally. The vertical movement module is connected to the expanding movement module and can move slantwise and downward toward the rear of the base from an initial altitude. The pedal is connected to the vertical movement module. The recovery module is connected to the vertical movement module and the base for providing an external force in order to return the vertical movement module to the initial altitude thereof and to return the expanding movement module to an initial position thereof. 
     The present invention discloses a stepper exercise apparatus providing a variety of exercise modes. The disclosed exercise apparatus leads a primary exercise track of backward and downward sliding. The variety of exercise modes of the stepper includes a simultaneous stepping mode, an alternate stepping mode, an undulate stepping mode, and a floating stepping mode. Besides, the stepper exercise apparatus integrates an expanding exercise track into the primary exercise track so that the exercise track of the pedals can horizontally expand outward with enlarged swing amplitude. 
     The foregoing undulate stepping mode and floating stepping mode are distinguished from each other by the swing amplitude of the vertical movement thereof. The undulate stepping presents swing amplitude of the vertical movement larger than that of the floating stepping. Thus, a user performing the floating stepping exercise shows a body heave less significantly than that of the undulate stepping, and such exercise gives a bystander an image as if the user is floating. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an oblique rear elevation of the pedal assemblies of the hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an oblique front elevation of the pedal assemblies of the hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a lateral view of the pedal assemblies according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is another lateral view of the pedal assemblies according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the pedal assemblies according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an applied view showing the pedal assemblies in the simultaneous stepping mode; 
         FIG. 8  is another applied view showing the pedal assemblies in the simultaneous stepping mode; 
         FIG. 9  is an applied view showing the pedal assemblies in the undulate stepping mode; and 
         FIG. 10  is an applied view showing the pedal assemblies in the floating stepping mode. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the disclosed hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus primarily comprises a base  10  and two unconnected pedal assemblies  11  settled abreast on the base  10 . 
     Each said pedal assembly  11  includes a pedal  20 , a vertical movement module  30 , an expanding movement module  40  and a recovery module  50 . The expanding movement module  40  is settled on the base  10  and can swing horizontally over the base  10  for a predetermined angle. The vertical movement module  30  is connected to the expanding movement module  40 . The pedal  20  is connected to the vertical movement module  30 . The recovery module  50  is connected to the vertical movement module  30  and the base  10  for providing an external force in order to return the vertical movement module  30  to an initial altitude thereof and to return the expanding movement module  40  to an initial position thereof. 
     When a user exerts a downward treading force to the pedal  20 , the vertical movement module  30  guides the pedal  20  along a primary exercise track to slide downward and backward. Meanwhile, the expanding movement module  40  is driven by the vertical movement module  30  and leads the vertical movement module  30  and the pedal  20  to move along an expanding exercise track integrated into the primary exercise track. When the treading force from the user is inferior to the external recovering force from the recovery module  50 , the vertical movement module  30  and the expanding movement module  40  can be driven to return to the initial altitude and position thereof as described above by the recovery module  50 . 
     It is to be noted that the two pedal assemblies  11  are settled on the base  10  in a mutually independent manner so as to move independently of each other. Thereby, the disclosed stepper is capable of providing other stepping modes in addition to a normal reciprocal stepping mode. For example, a user may control both pedals  20  to move downward and upward abreast, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in the condition that the user&#39;s body is given proper support. In that case, when the user treads down the pedals  20  with a heavy force and a gentle speed, the vertical movement module  30  leads the pedals  20  to conduct a full amplitude swing in the downward and upward directions. Consequently, the user&#39;s body shows significant heave and such stepping exercise is defined as the undulate stepping mode. In  FIG. 9 , the swing amplitude is depicted by the bidirectional arrows. On the contrary, when the user treads down the pedals  20  with a weak force and a sharp speed, the pedals  20  conduct a partial amplitude swing in the downward and upward directions. Consequently, the user&#39;s body shows slight heave and such stepping exercise is defined as the floating stepping mode. In  FIG. 10 , the swing amplitude is depicted by the bidirectional arrows. It is obvious that the swing amplitude in  FIG. 9  is more significant than that in  FIG. 10 . 
     One preferred embodiment of the present invention described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is provided to explain the aforementioned main components of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the expanding movement module  40  comprises a swing seat  41  and a swing rod  42 . Both the swing seat  41  and the swing rod  42  have one end thereof rotatably connected to the base  10 . Particularly, it can be seen in  FIG. 6  that the swing seat  41  has the end connected to the base  10  through a pivot  411  so that the swing seat  41  can swing on the pivot  411 . The swing rod  42  is formed in an L-shape and has its middle portion connected to the base  10  through a pivot  421  so that the swing rod  42  can swing on the pivot  421 . 
     Briefly, the vertical movement module  30  can be embodied with a linkage system. There may be numerous methods for materializing the vertical movement module  30 , and one of them is illustrated by the drawings. The exemplificative vertical movement module  30  comprises a guide rod  31 , two pushrods  32  and a linear orientation rod  33 . The pedal  20  is settled on the guide rod  31 . The two pushrods  32  are movably connected to the guide rod  31  and the swing seat  41 . The linear orientation rod  33  has one end thereof fixedly connected to the swing seat  41  and a sliding component  34  is slidably settled thereon. A sliding rod  35  is movably connected with the pushrods  32  and the sliding component  34 . The sliding component  34  is further connected to a swing end of the swing rod  42  via the pivot  36 . The recovery module  50  is an elastic component  51  with one end thereof fixed to the base  10  and the opposite end fixed to the end of the guide rod  31 . Thereby, when the user treads down the pedal  20 , the guide rod  31  generates a downward force to act on the pushrods  32 . Then the pushrods  32  swing downward and the sliding component  34  is pulled by the sliding rod  35  to slide along the linear orientation rod  33  toward the rear of the base  10 . As a result, the pedal  20  is led to slide downward and backward along the primary exercise track to draw and extend the elastic component  51 . Meanwhile, the sliding component  34  drives the swing rod  42  to swing away from the axis of the base  10  so that the vertical movement module  30  and the swing seat  42  both swing outward and therefore the expanding exercise track is integrated into the primary exercise track of the pedal  20 . When the treading force from the user is inferior to the resilience of the elastic component  51 , the elastic component  51  resiles and pulls the guide rod  31  so that the vertical movement module  30  and the swing seat  42  move reversely to bring the pedal  20  to return the initial thereof. 
     In the present embodiment, since the pedal  20  is connected to the guide rod  31  by means of a shaft  21 , the pedal  20  is rotatable over the guide rod  31 . The shaft  21  and the pushrods  32  are connected through a linear rod  22  and universal joints  23  are implemented at the junctions. Thereby, the pedal  20  can be turned horizontally outward for a predetermined angle while it moves along the primary exercise track. 
     As in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the disclosed hip-abduction stepper exercise apparatus further comprises a damping device  60 . The damping device  60  comprises a damping wheel  61  rotatbly settled on the base  10  through an axle  67 , a damper  62  for providing a rotational resistance to the damping wheel  61 , and a controller  63  fixedly settled on the top of a central stem  12  and electrically connected with the damper  62  for controlling the rotational resistance. Each end of the axle  67  of the damping wheel  61  is connected to one end of a crank  65  by means of a one-way bush  64  while the opposite end of the crank  65  is connected to the swing rod  42  by means of a link  66 . The one-way bush  64  contributes to a specific relation between the crank  65  and the axle  67  of the damping wheel  61  as below. When the crank  65  swings toward the rear of the base  10 , it drives the axle  67  and the damping wheel  61  to rotate. When the crank  65  swings back toward the front of the base  10 , it runs idly. Hence, when the pedal  20 , the vertical movement module  30  and the expanding movement module  40  cooperatively implement the primary exercise track and the expanding exercise track, the crank  65  is pulled to swing toward the rear of the base  10  and in turn drives the axle  67  and the damping wheel  61  to rotate so that a resistance to motion can be generated in company with the operation of the primary exercise track and the expanding exercise track. On the contrary, when the recovery module  50  brings the pedal  20 , the vertical movement module  30  and the expanding movement module  40  to return, the crank  65  is pulled to swing toward the front of the base  10 . At this time, the idle running between the crank  65  and the axle  67  ensures the said return free from resistance. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  again, a handrail  13  may be provided on the central stem  12  of the disclosed stepper exercise apparatus for giving support to the user during his taking exercise. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims. The main idea of the present invention is to provide a stepper exercise apparatus that provides the integrated expanding exercise track. While the two unconnected pedal assemblies are described above as preferred embodiment for realizing the expanding exercise track, a conventional associated pedal assembly may be also implemented in the present invention.