Patent Publication Number: US-6709366-B2

Title: Stepping exerciser having simplified support

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a stepping exerciser, and more particularly to a stepping exerciser including a simplified support for supporting the stepping exerciser. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various kinds of typical stepping exercisers have been developed and used today, and include a pair of pivotal foot pedals attached to a base for allowing the foot pedals to be actuated or stepped and exercised by the users. One or more actuators or pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders are provided for coupling to the foot pedals and for applying the resistive force against the foot pedals. However, a complicated coupling device is required for coupling the actuators or the cylinders together, or for coupling the foot pedals for allowing the stepping operations of the exercisers to be connected together. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional stepping exercisers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stepping exerciser including a simplified support for supporting and coupling the stepping operations of the foot pedals. 
     The other objective of the present invention is to provide a stepping exerciser including a simplified counter device for counting the stepping operations of the users. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a stepping exerciser comprising a base including a post extended therefrom, a pair of foot pedals pivotally secured to the post with a pivot axle, and movable upward and downward relative to the base about the pivot axle, the foot pedals each including a bottom surface, a shaft rotatably secured to the post and including an inner end disposed in the post, and an outer end located outside the post, a lever secured to the outer end of the shaft and including two ends disposed below and engaged with the bottom surfaces of the foot pedals respectively. 
     A device may further be provided for counting rotations of the shaft relative to the post. The lever and the shaft includes a simplified structure and may be rotatable relative to the post when the foot pedals are moved up and down relative to the base. 
     The counting means includes a first actuator member disposed in the post, and a second actuator member attached to the inner end of the shaft, and located close to the first actuator member, and movable across the first actuator member when the shaft is rotated relative to the post. 
     The counting means includes a processor device coupled to the first actuator member for detecting a relative movement between the first actuator member and the second actuator member, and thus for counting the movement between the actuator members. 
     The second actuator member is a magnetic member and attached to the inner end of the shaft. The shaft includes a stud provided on the inner end thereof for supporting the magnetic member. 
     The counting means includes a casing secured on the post, the first actuator member is secured to the casing. The casing includes a conduit extended therefrom the first actuator member is engaged in the conduit. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view showing a counter device for the stepping exerciser; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the stepping exerciser; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the stepping exerciser, in which a portion of the exerciser is cut off for showing the inner structure of the stepping exerciser; and 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are front views similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a base  10  including a post  11  extended upward from such as the front portion thereof, and a pair of foot pedals  12  including a front portion pivotally or rotatably secured to the post  11  with a pivot axle  14 , for allowing the foot pedals  12  to be moved or stepped upward and downward relative to the base  10 , about the pivot axle  14  as that of the typical stepping exercisers. 
     A shaft  16  is rotatably secured to the post  11 , and preferably parallel to the foot pedals  12  when the foot pedals  12  are not being actuated and are located side by side, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shaft  16  includes one end engaged into the post.  11 , and is preferably perpendicular to the post  11 , but may be slightly inclined relative to the post  11  and the base  10 , as also shown in FIG. 3. A lever  17  is secured to the other end or the outer end of the shaft  16  and preferably perpendicular to the shaft  16 , and includes two ends each having a cushion or a pad  18  secured thereon for engaging with the bottom surfaces of the foot pedals  12  respectively, and for allowing the foot pedals  12  to be coupled together. 
     For example, as shown in FIGS. 3-6, when one of the foot pedals  12  is forced or stepped downward, the other foot pedal  12  may be caused to move upward by the lever  17 ; and vice versa, such that the foot pedals  12  may be actuated or operated or used to conduct the stepping exercises. One or more actuators  19  (FIGS. 1,  3 ) may further be provided and coupled to the foot pedals  12  respectively, for applying a resistive force against the foot pedals  12 . As shown in FIGS. 4-6, the shaft  16  includes a stud  20  secured thereto, and located within the post  11 , and preferably extended upward from the shaft  16 . An actuator member, such as a magnetic member  21  is disposed in the stud  20  or directly secured to the shaft  16 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a counting device may further be provided and includes a casing  30  for securing on top of the post  11  with fasteners or the like. A circuit board  31  is disposed or secured in the casing  30  with such as the fasteners, and includes a number of electric elements  32  secured thereon, such as the resistors, the capacitors (not shown), the integrated circuits, and/or the processor devices  32 , and the like and one or more batteries  33  attached thereon and coupled to the electric elements  32  for energizing the electric elements  32 . 
     The casing  30  further includes a conduit  34  extended therefrom, and preferably extended downward beyond the casing  30 , and may include a screen or a displayer device  36  (FIG. 1) provided thereon for displaying purposes. It is to be noted that the casing  30  as shown in FIG. 2 is disposed up-side-down, for showing the inner structure thereof. A probe or a conductor or a detector or a sensor or an actuator member  37  may further be provided and engaged in the conduit  34  and electrically coupled to the circuit board  31 . As best shown in FIGS. 4-6, the actuator member  37  is arranged above the magnetic member  21  for being actuated by the magnetic member  21 . 
     In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3-6, when one of the foot pedals  12  is depressed downward and the other foot pedal  12  is moved upward, the magnetic member  21  may be disengaged or offset from the actuator member  37 . When the other foot pedals  12  is depressed downward, the magnetic member  21  may be rotated and caused to be moved across or bypass the actuator member  37 , in order to actuate the actuator member  37  to generate a signal or to actuate the integrated circuits, and/or the processor devices, and so as to count the stepping exercises of the users. 
     It is to be noted that the stepping exercisers includes a simplified support having the lever  17  secured to the shaft  16  for engaging and supporting the foot pedals  12 , and for coupling the foot pedals  12  together. The shaft  16  and the lever  17  that are stably and rotatably secured to the post  11  may also be used to form the counting structure having the magnetic member  21  disposed on the shaft  16  and movable relative to the actuator member  37  in order to count the stepping exercises of the users. The counted signals or information may be displayed on the displayer device  36  of the casing  30 . The actuator member  37  may also be directly secured to the post  11  without the casing  30 , and may be disposed beside or below the shaft  16  and/or the magnetic member  21 , or disposed close to the magnetic member  21 . 
     Accordingly, the stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention includes a simplified support for supporting and coupling the stepping operations of the foot pedals and includes a simplified counter device for counting the stepping operations of the users. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.