Abstract:
A pivotal add-on apparatus holds down the pedals of any suitable stepper-exercise-machine so that the stepper can be mounted easily. Before the user dismounts the stepper the user takes the handle of the apparatus in his hand and swings an engagement member down to hold the pedals of the stepper down near their lowest position. The pedals stay in this low position until the user mounts the stepper again. One end of the handle of the apparatus is hung on a peg, and the peg is connected to the stepper in a convenient location with a peg fastener. The other end of the handle is connected to a flexible member that is connected to the engagement member. The engagement member is connected to a post that is connected to a pivot. The pivot is connected to the stepper with a pivot attachment.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on provisional application No. 60/672,152 filed on Apr. 12, 2005 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a stepping exercise machine with independent acting pedals wherein the pedals are held down for easy mounting. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Presently to mount an economically priced stepper, one must step very high to access the pedals. This is a deterrent to older individuals and those with health problems. 
     Shown in my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/425,300 is a medium priced stepper with dependent acting pedals. This stepper has pedals that can be lowered to the floor and lift the user to a higher position where the user can work the pedals freely. 
     A well-equipped rehabilitation clinic might have one large, heavy, complicated, and expensive stepper that can do the same thing as the stepper in application Ser. No. 10/425,300, but its expense limits its use to appointed times at the clinic. 
     Shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,854 is an economically priced stepper that has an adjustable pedal height. The pedal height is adjustable in the medium range. The adjustment must be done while the user is off the machine. If this stepper is set at a low mounting position, the user is limited to very small steps while he is on the machine. 
     The present invention is an add-on device to an existing stepper with independent pedal action and is a very affordable compromise over the previously referenced steppers with dependent pedal action. A low step up to each pedal is made possible with this device. 
     The add-on device shown in abandoned provisional U.S. patent application No. 60/632,257 does the same thing as the present invention, but the device is more expensive to produce and more difficult to install and use. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention relates to an add-on apparatus that holds down the foot pedals of any suitable stepper-exercise-machine making them lower and easier to mount. The apparatus is comprised of a pivot attachment, a pivot, a post, an engagement member, a flexible member, a peg, a peg fastener, and an anti-slip means. The pivot of the apparatus is connected to the main frame of the stepper with the pivot attachment. The pivot is connected to the first end of the post, and the second end of the post is connected to the engagement member. The engagement member is connected to the bottom end of the flexible member, and the top end of the flexible member is detachably connected to the peg. The peg of the apparatus is connected to the main frame of the stepper with the peg fastener. An anti-slip means is used to keep the engagement member from slipping out of engagement position. 
    
    
     
       DRAWING FIGURES 
       In the following drawings and description, longitudinal and transverse are perpendicular directions. Transverse is parallel to the long axis of an elongated engagement member  53   FIG. 1  and longitudinal is perpendicular to it. Near is closer to the reader and far is farther from the reader. 
       Because the add-on apparatus is mostly symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, for simplification, one reference-character is used for a mirrored item on both the reader&#39;s left and right side. For further simplification one reference-character is used for the same fasteners within a group. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the complete device in engagement mode. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the complete device in disengagement mode. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view with a broken out section taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 7  is a partial section taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a partial section taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     Although one skilled in the art would have little trouble making the apparatus from the drawings and the reference-character list alone, the following text will further describe the apparatus for those without these special skills. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Herein described is one way of making the apparatus. An arbitrary mix of manufacturing methods is used to produce this embodiment. The applicant is seeking a patent on the apparatus itself and not one of its embodiments. 
     The herein described apparatus is attached to a Linex X536 Comfort Rail Stepper as an add-on apparatus but could be attached to any suitable stepper. The apparatus holds the stepper&#39;s spring-loaded-pedal-beams down so the pedals can be easily mounted. 
     The Linex X536 Comfort Rail Stepper is referred to as the stepper in the following description and the “X536 Owner&#39;s Manual” as “LXOM”. 
     In  FIG. 3  the elongated engagement member  53  is made of round hollow steel tubing and is shown in engagement position directly over the pedal beams  30  of the stepper near their lowest position. (For these complete pedal beams  30  see parts #6, 7, 8 in the LXOM on pages 6, 13.) Engagement member  53  is long enough to block the vertical up and down path of both pedal beams  30  simultaneously and the long dimension of the engagement member is perpendicular to the long dimension of both pedal beams. The longitudinal cross section and strength of the engagement member  53  is sufficient to hold the pedal beams  30  down near their lowest position. 
     A post  51  is made of the same hollow steel tubing as the engagement member  53  for appearances. A first end  50  of the post  51  is perpendicularly joined to the transverse middle of the engagement member  53  by welding. The length of the post  51  is long enough to pivot the engagement member to its engagement position. This position is shown here and in  FIG. 1 . It is also long enough to pivot the engagement member  53  to its disengagement position in  FIG. 2 . The disengagement position is over and clear of the pedal beams  30  when they are all the way up. The length of the post  51  is equal to half the distance between the engagement and disengagement positions of the engagement member  53   FIGS. 1 and 2  respectfully. In  FIG. 4  the central portion of an axle rod  42  is coaxial with a hub  48  that is also made of the same hollow steel tubing as the engagement member  53  for appearances. The transverse middle of the hub  48  is perpendicularly joined to the second end  52  of the post  51  by welding. Engagement member  53 , post  51 , and hub  48  lie in the same plane. The hub  48  has a rigid plastic bushing  46  in its left and right end. The assembled hub, hub  48  and a left and right bushing  46 , has an overall transverse length that is slightly less than the transverse dimension of the main frame  34   FIG. 1  of the stepper. (For the main frame  34  and the stepper see part #3 in the LXOM on pages 6, 9.) The left and right bushings  46   FIG. 4  are identical to each other and each has two portions that are of different diameter. These diameters are concentric to each other, and the meeting of the different diameters makes a shoulder that abuts an end of the hub  48 . The smaller diameter is on the inner end of bushing  46  and fits into an end of the hub  48 . The larger diameter is on the outer end of bushing  46  and abuts against mounting plate  32 . The lengths of the diameters are sufficient to produce bushings strong enough to withstand the various loads generated by the operation of the apparatus. The bushings are part of the pivot and have a through transversely directed hole concentric to their outside diameters with an opening large enough to freely pass the outside diameter of the axle rod  42 . The axle rod extends through the transversely directed holes of the left and right bushing  46  to and through holes in a left and a right mounting plate  32  far enough to accept a fastening means that holds the axle rod  42  in place. The axle rod  42  and the left and right mounting plate  32  are part of the pivot. The fastening means of the axle rod  42  is a left and right carter pin  44  that passes through a through corresponding left and right hole in the axle rod. These holes are perpendicular to the long dimension of the axle rod. 
     One of the alternatives to the welded items  53 , 51 , 48  and the left and right bushings  46  is to replace these items with a single, solid, rigid, plastic molding with a transversely directed hole through it for axle rod  42 . 
     One of the alternatives for the fastening means is to use a left and right locknut in conjunction with an axle rod  42  that is threaded on its ends to accept these locknuts. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in addition to the hole for axle rod  42  the right mounting plate  32  contains at least two additional through holes that are parallel to the axle rod  42  and that align with corresponding through holes in the left mounting plate  32 , and each set of the aligned holes pass the shank of a transverse bolt  38  that then engages a lock nut  40 . Each of the bolts are located longitudinally near and far of the main frame  34 . When tightened, the bolts  38  clamp the mounting plates  32  to the main frame  34  and fix the position of the axle rod  42 . 
     The left and right rectangular steel mounting plates  32  and steel bolts  38  are sized to be strong enough to produce the clamping force necessary to fix the mounting plates in a stationary position in reference to the main frame  34  while resisting the various loads generated by the operation of the apparatus. 
     The longitudinal and vertical dimensions of the mounting plates  32  are of a size to produce an area that will adequately surround the through holes for bolts  38  and axle rod  42 . The near, lower corners of the mounting plates  32  are cut at a relief angle  36  to give clearance to the engagement member  53  in engagement position. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the hollow engagement member  53  has located in its transverse middle opposite to the post  51  a wall opening  58  that goes through one wall. The opening can freely pass a flexible member  62 , but is too small to pass a knot  60 . The knot  60  is tied in the lower end of the flexible member  62  and is inside the steel tube of the engagement member  53 . The flexible member  62  is made of a flexible material such as twisted nylon fiber. 
     The attachment means of flexible member  62  to the engagement member  53  is knot  60 . 
     To tie the knot  60 , the flexible member&#39;s lower end is pushed from the outside to the inside through the wall opening  58  in the engagement member&#39;s wall. This end is reached and grabbed with a pair of forceps through one of the engagement member&#39;s open ends then, pulled to the outside where the knot can be tied. The knot is then pulled back into the engagement member  53  by the upper end of the flexible member until it meets the wall opening  58 . 
     One of the alternatives to the internal knot  60  is a self-threading steel eyelet screwed into the wall opening  58 . The externally projecting eyelet is then tied to the lower end of the flexible member  62 . 
     The flexible member  62  continues from the engagement member  53  for a length of about four feet (this length will be trimmed to fit during the installation of the apparatus) to a first opening  64   FIG. 1  in the lower end of an elongated handle  66 . The handle is made of rigid plastic and is sized in length so that when it is flipped up and down, it will aid in pivoting of the engagement member  53  up and down. 
     In  FIG. 6  the first opening  64  is perpendicular to the handle&#39;s long dimension. The flexible member  62  freely passes through the first opening and attaches to itself with a rope clamp  63  forming a closed loop through this first opening and around the bottom of handle  66 . The rope clamp is pre-assembled by lightly crimping with a pair of pliers. The rope clamp  63  is a smaller version of a Campbell rope clamp B7679034 distributed by Cooper Tools and is used in place of hand tied knots for appearance. The handle  66  has a second opening in its other end perpendicular to the handle&#39;s long dimension. The second opening fits loosely over a peg  70 . 
     Viewing  FIG. 1  it is apparent that child safety issues may require that a stiff portion be added to the flexible member  62  between the engagement member  53  and the handle  66 . One method of doing this would be to interpose an item similar to the handle  66  between engagement member  53  and the handle  66 . The item would be as long as possible and both its top and bottom connection to the flexible member  62  would be the same as the bottom connection of handle  66 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  an easily made and inexpensive pivoting apparatus holds down the pedals of a suitable stepper-exercise-machine. A child safety feature is easily built into the apparatus. 
     REFERENCE CHARACTERS 
     
         
         
           
               30  pedal beam (LXOM) 
               31  down arrow 
               32  mounting plate 
               33  up arrow 
               34  main frame (LXOM) 
               36  relief angle 
               38  bolt 
               40  lock nut 
               42  axle rod 
               44  carter pin 
               46  bushing 
               48  hub 
               50  first end of post 
               51  post 
               52  second end of post 
               53  engagement member 
               54  keeper block 
               56  block fastener 
               58  wall opening 
               60  knot 
               62  flexible member 
               63  rope clamp 
               64  first opening 
               66  handle 
               68  second opening 
               70  peg 
               72  peg base 
               74  peg fastener 
           
         
       
    
     INSTALLATION AND OPERATION 
     To install the apparatus in  FIG. 2 , the user installs peg  70  and its base  72 , Wal-Mart&#39;s “Bulldog” cup hook PH-410, on the near face of the arching main frame  34  of the stepper with the included foam mounting tape as fastener  74   FIG. 7 . 
     One of the alternatives for peg  70  is to simply weld the end of a metal peg to the near face of the main frame  34   FIG. 2 . 
     The peg  70  extends perpendicularly from the near face of the arching main frame  34  and is located close to its vertically directed centerline at a height that is easy for the user to reach. The user now installs the apparatus loosely around main frame  34  so that the engagement member  53  is in its disengagement position directly over the pedal beams in their highest position and just outside the arching main frame of the stepper as shown. Flexible member  62  is now laid over peg  70  and the handle  66  is left hanging upside down. The user now mounts the stepper and pushes the pedal beams  30  down as shown in  FIG. 1  to their lowest position. The user pulls the handle  66   FIG. 2  towards himself and turns it to its upright position in order to pivot the engagement member  53  down into place on top of the pedal beams  30  as shown by down arrow  31   FIG. 1 . The handle  66  is now hung in position by placing its second opening  68  over peg  70 . The add-on apparatus is now adjusted so that the engagement member  53  sits on top of pedal beams  30 . The apparatus is fixed into place by tightening bolts  38 . An anti-slip means, keeper block  54 , is a flat square of rigid plastic large enough to prevent the engagement member  53  from slipping out of position. It is installed with a fastener  56   FIG. 5  on top of each pedal beam  30  near the engagement member  53 . Wal-Mart&#39;s “Scotch” foam mounting tape Cat#314 is used for fastener  56 . 
     The keeper blocks  54  are fastened with their thin edges perpendicular to the top of the pedal beams as shown. 
     One alternative to the keeper block  54  is to roughen the top surface of the pedal beams  30  under the engagement member  53  to increase friction and prevent slipping. 
     The flexible member  62   FIG. 6  is adjusted in length to remove any slack by pulling on its free end. This action moves the flexible member  62  through the previously lightly assembled rope clamp  63 . The rope clamp  63  is then permanently crimped with a pair of pliers and the excess flexible member  62  is cut off. 
     To operate the apparatus in  FIG. 1 , the apparatus is set to the disengaged mode by pivoting the engagement member  53  up with handle  66  and then in  FIG. 2  hanging the flexible member  62  over peg  70 . See up arrow  33 . The pedal beams  30  and pedals are now free to be used for exercise. 
     Before the user dismounts the stepper, he sets the apparatus to the engaged mode of  FIG. 1  by pulling handle  66   FIG. 2  towards himself and turning it right-side up, thereby pivoting the engagement member  53  down behind the keeper blocks  54   FIG. 1 . See down arrow  31 . The handle  66  is now fixed in position by placing its second opening  68  over peg  70 . 
     The next time the machine is used the pedal beams  30  are still held in their lowest position and can be mounted without stepping high. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the previously described pivoting apparatus is easily installed and operated. It holds down the pedals of a stepper-exercise-machine so that the user can mount them easily. 
     While we have shown and described an embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.