Patent Publication Number: US-7722512-B2

Title: Prone exerciser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a prone exerciser, especially to an exerciser with a handle, a pedal slides forwards and backwards on a rail respectively or simultaneously by operation of users so as to make upper part or lower part of users achieve stretching or contracting effects. 
   Refer to Taiwanese patent application publication No. 255203, No. 323524, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,483, U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,065 B1, and China patent application No. 00217585.1 while operating the devices, the handle slides forwards freely without any limits so that the device takes larger space. Moreover, the movement of the handle is not specific for upper part or lower part of the body. Thus users can&#39;t stretch or contract only specific area of the body. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a prone exerciser composed of a slide unit disposed with a rail, a buffering and locating member, a handle, and a pedal. The buffering and locating member is arranged on front end of the rail and position of the member on the rail is adjustable so as to restrict sliding distance of the handle and the paddle on the rail. The handle and the paddle slides on the rail so that users can operate the handle by hands to move forwards and users&#39; feet operate the pedal also move forwards to contact and connect with the handle. Then the combinations of the handle and the pedal move backwards along the rail and turn back to original status so as to achieve a cycle of movement for stretching and contracting upper part and lower part of users bodies. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a prone exerciser that further includes an elastic rope with one end set on front end of the slide unit while the other end thereof is inserted through rear end of the slide unit and then set on the handle or the pedal so as to increase resistance of the handle or the pedal while sliding forwards and backwards on the rail. Thus users can stretch or contract upper part or lower part of bodies with different strength depending on their needs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a pedal according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a handle according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3A  is an embodiment of a middle rail according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in  FIG. 3A ; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing initial action of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a next action of the embodiment in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a next action of the embodiment in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a next action of the embodiment in  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a next action of the embodiment in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a next action of the embodiment in  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing showing an action of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 11  is another action of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a further action of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 13  is showing an operating status of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 14  is next operating status of the embodiment in  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 15  is next operating status of the embodiment in  FIG. 14 ; 
       FIG. 16  is an embodiment of the handle according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Refer from  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , a prone exerciser  1  according to the present invention includes a slide unit  10 , buffering and locating member  20 , a handle  30 , a pedal  40  and/or at least one elastic rope  60 . The slide unit  10  consists of a middle rail  11 , a right-side and a left-side rails  12  respectively arranged on right side and left side of the middle rail  11 . A front transverse post  13  and a rear transverse post  14  are respectively disposed on front end and rear end of the middle rail  11  and/or right-side and a left-side rails  12 . Two front stand  17  and two rear stand  18  that is able to adjust height are arranged under the front transverse post  13  and the rear transverse post  14  for supporting the device standing firmly on the ground. Moreover, by adjusting height of the front stand  17  and the rear stand  18 , the slide unit  10  is set to be sliding, high in front and low in rear. Furthermore, front fixing pins  15  and rear fixing pins  16  are respectively arranged on top of the middle of the front transverse post  13  and the rear transverse post  14  while two pulley sets  19  are arranged on the rear fixing pins  16 . In addition, a sliding guiding slot  50  is set on bottom of the rear end of the middle rail  11 , corresponding to a projecting post  324  on bottom of a rear end of a braking device  320  of the handle  30 . 
   The buffering and locating member  20  includes a buffer bar  21  that provides buffering effects to the handle  30  when the handle  30  moves forwards against the buffer bar  21 . A fixing seat  22  and a lock screw  23  are used to adjust and fix the buffering and locating member  20  on front end of the middle rail  11 . A push rod  24  is installed on the fixing seat  22 , facing the handle  30  so as to push away the handle  30 . 
   The handle  30 , disposed on the middle rail  11  that locates between the buffering and locating member  20  and the pedal  40 , consists of a braking control member  31  for arranging the handle  30  on the middle rail  11 , two grips  32  respectively set on right and left side of the braking control member  31  for holding; two rods  33  with a top end connecting to the grips  32  for supporting while a bottom end is disposed with an outer roller  34  moving in the right-side and left-side rails  12 ; two hooks  35  for being inserted with fixing rings  61  of the elastic rope  60 ; two middle rollers  36  used for supporting the handle  30  sliding forwards and backwards on the middle rail  11 . 
   Refer to  FIG. 3 , the braking control member  31  includes a supporting rod  310  that is pushed by the push rod  24  and is pivoted around an axis cylinder  311 ; a spring  312  provides the braking control member  31  restoring force after being pivoted; a central shaft  321  used as a pivot of a braking device  320  that is restored by a spring  323 . A braking block  322  is disposed on top of the braking device  320 . The bottom side of the front side of the braking device  320  is connected with a L-shaped plate  330  and the braking device  320  is threaded on the braking control member  31  by a threaded bolt  331 . The projecting post  324  corresponding to the guiding slot  50  on bottom of the rear end of the middle rail  11  is transversely disposed on bottom of the rear end of the braking device  320 . 
   The handle  30  is disposed on the middle rail  11 , sliding forwards and backwards between the buffering and locating member  20  and the pedal  40  and the right and left grips  32  are for holding. The braking control member  31  is to control the handle  30 , braking or releasing from the middle rail  11 . 
   The supporting rod  310  of the braking control member  31  is arranged vertically and is pivoting forwards and backwards elastically so that it can lean against the braking device  320  or away from the braking device  320  by against the push rod  24  and pivoting backwards. The braking device  320  is a suspending movable block that pivots upwards and downwards elastically by an elastic force. The braking block  322  is disposed on top of the braking device  320 . When the supporting rod  310  leans against top of the rear end of the braking device  320 , the braking device  320  is level and it is out of the middle rail  11  so that there is no braking action. When the supporting rod  310  pivots backwards, away from the braking device  320 , the braking device  320  pivots upwards elastically by spring force so that the braking block  322  presses the middle rail  11  to have braking effects. 
   Refer to  FIG. 2 , the pedal  40  set on rear end of the middle rail  11  is composed of a cushion  41  for sitting upon, a hooked rod  42  disposed on middle of the inner side of the pedal  40  for connecting with the braking device  320  of the braking control member  31 ; two footrests  43  installed on a transverse rod  44  for users to place feet and inclining angle of the footrests  43  is adjustable; two transverse rods  44  connecting straight rods  45  and fixing the footrests  43 ; two straight rods  45  arranged between the transverse rods  44  and outer rollers  46 ; two hooks  47  for being inserted with fixing rings  61  of the elastic rope  60 ; two middle rollers  48  for supporting the pedal  40  moving forwards and backwards on the middle rail  11 . 
   The fixing ring  61  at one end of the elastic rope  60  is set on the front fixing pins  15  on the front transverse post  13  of the slide unit  10  while the fixing ring  61  on the other end is inserted through the pulley set  19  and then set on the rear fixing pin  16  (while the device is not used), set on the hook  35  of the handle  30 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , or the hook  47  of the pedal  40  (as shown in  FIG. 12 ). Thus the resistance of the handle  30  or the pedal  40  is increased while moving on the slide unit  10 . 
   The middle rail  11  is made from aluminum extrusion material and there is no restriction on cross section of the middle rail  11 . It can be rectangular, as shown in  FIG. 3  or II-shaped, as shown in  FIG. 3A  &amp;  FIG. 3B . Moreover, there is no limit on the assembling way between the middle rail  11  and the middle roller  36 . Refer to  FIG. 3 , when the middle rail  11  is rectangular, the two middle rollers  36  are disposed on the middle rail  11  for axial sliding. When the middle rail  11  is II-shaped, as shown in  FIG. 3A  &amp;  FIG. 3B , the two middle rollers  36  are respectively set on inner side of C-shaped slots on right and left sides of the middle rail  11  and are moving axially so that the stability of the middle rollers are increased whiling sliding. And at the same time, the right-side and left-side rails  12 , the rod  33 , the outer roller  34 , the straight rod  45  and the outer rollers  46  can all be removed from the device. 
   Refer to  FIG. 4  &amp;  FIG. 13 , now users arms as well as feet are contracted and the handle  30  is in a “stop” position. The supporting rod  310  doesn&#39;t contact with the push rod  24  and the braking block  322  of the braking device  320  doesn&#39;t contact with the middle tail  11 . Thus the users prepare to push the handle  30  for moving forwards. 
   Refer to  FIG. 5  &amp;  FIG. 14 , now the user&#39;s hands move forwards so that the body is stretched. The handle  30  moves forwards so as to make the supporting rod  310  contact with the push rod  24  and pivot around the axis cylinder  311  for separating from the braking device  320 . 
   By tension of the spring  323 , the braking device  320  pivots clockwise around the central shaft  321  so as to make the braking block  322  press the middle rail  11  tightly. Thus the handle is in braking status and is not going to move. 
   Refer to  FIG. 6  &amp;  FIG. 15 , now user&#39;s feet move forward so that the body is contracted. The pedal  40  moves forwards and the hooked rod  42  presses the braking device  320  to move downwards so as to make the braking block  322  separate from the middle rail  11  while the hook on front end of the hooked rod  42  hooks with the braking device  320 . Thus the handle  30  (the braking control member  31 ) fastens with the pedal  40  integratedly. 
   Refer to  FIG. 7 , now by the hooked rod  42  hooking with the braking control member  31 , the pedal  40  and the handle  30  move backwards simultaneously with each other due to sliding status of the slide unit  10  (or the middle rail  11 ) as well as elastic force of the elastic rope  60 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . When the projecting post  324  moves into the guiding slot  50 , the braking device  320  pivots counterclockwise and separates from the hooked rod  42 . By tension of the spring  312 , the supporting rod  310  moves forwards and now the user&#39;s body is contracted and moving backwards. 
   Refer to  FIG. 8 , now the pedal  40  keeps moving backwards and then separates from the handle  30 . 
   Refer to  FIG. 9 , the handle  30  moves forwards so as to make the projecting post  324  move away from the guiding slot  50 , and the braking device  320  pivots clockwise around the central shaft  321  while the top part of the braking device  320  is against the supporting rod  310  so that there is a certain distance between the braking block  322  and the middle rail  11 . Thus the handle  30  can move freely on the middle rail  11  or turn back to a standby status as shown in  FIG. 4  &amp;  FIG. 13 . Therefore, there is a cycle for movement from  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 9 . 
   Refer to  FIG. 10 , height of the front stand  17  can be adjusted for changing slope of the slide unit  10  so as to adjust or increase resistance of the handle  30  and the pedal  40  while moving forwards. The elastic rope  60  is not necessary now. 
   Refer to  FIG. 11 , the fixing ring  61  at one end of the two right-and-left elastic ropes  60  is set on the front fixing pin  15  of the slide unit  10  while the other end thereof is inserted through the pulley set  19  and then set on the hook  35  of the handle  30  so as to increase resistance of the handle  30 . Thus when users are stretching/contracting, upper part of the body can have higher loading of stretching force/contracting force. 
   Refer to  FIG. 12 , the fixing ring  61  at one end of the two right-and-left elastic ropes  60  is set on the front fixing pin  15  of the slide unit  10  while the other end thereof is inserted, through the pulley set  19  and then set on the hook  47  of the pedal  40  so as to increase resistance of the pedal  40 . Thus when users are stretching/contracting, lower part of the body can have higher loading of stretching force/contracting force. 
   Refer to  FIG. 16 , a prone exerciser  1  according to the present invention consists of the braking control member  31  which may utilize a electromagnetic mechanism  31   a  to provide the electromagnetic function for the braking control member  31  to brake and lock the middle rail  11 . The handle  30 , which also may utilize a electromagnetic mechanism  31   a  to combine with the pedal  40  and the hooked rod  42 , that makes both the middle rail  11  of the handle  30  and the pedal  40  be able to brake, connect, and separate. Further, the additional components including the supporting rod  310 , the braking device  320 , the push rod  24 , and the braking block  322  are not necessary and can be replace by electromagnetic mechanism  31   a . The design of electromagnetic mechanism can be achieved by related electronic magnetic techniques available now so the details are not mentioned here. 
   As mentioned above, the prone exerciser  1  according to the present invention achieves a cycle of exercise a shown from  FIG. 13  to  FIG. 15  that is unable to do by prior arts. 
   While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be readily understood and appreciated that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.