Patent Publication Number: US-6981932-B1

Title: Rowing machine

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to exercising machines and, more particularly, to a rowing machine, which is collapsible and, practical for exercising the muscles of different parts of the body. 
       FIG. 1  shows a rowing machine according to the prior art. This rowing machine is practical for exercising rowing action. However, this design of rowing machine is not adjustable subject to the user&#39;s body size. Furthermore, this design of rowing machine requires much storage space because it is not collapsible when not in use. 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the user can apply force to the handlebar to turn the rocker arm back and forth and to further stretch the elastic cord members, and at the same time apply force the to seat with the legs and the hips to move the slide along the rails and to further stretch the elastic cord members, i.e., simulate rowing action to exercise the muscles of the waist, abdomen, legs, and hands. The user can also selectively exercise the hands or the legs only, or connect the elastic pull cords to the eyes at the horizontal front foot bar or the eyes at the horizontal rear foot bar and then pull the handles when moving the slide along the rails. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the rowing machine is collapsible. The foot rack can directly be turned inwards and closely attached to the rails of the base frame. Thereafter, the rocker arm and the seat can be received to the base frame, and then the rear support can be received to the bottom side of the rails of the base frame. The handlebar can further be detached from the rocker arm to reduce the packing size. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention, the combined height of the vertical front bars and horizontal front foot bar of the base frame is lower than the combined height of horizontal rear foot bar and hollow upright sleeve of the rear support so that the rails are supported sloping forwardly downwards. Therefore, less resisting force is produced upon forward stroke of the slide, and much resisting force is produced upon back stroke of the slide. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention the spring pin of the upright sleeve can be shifted from one locating hole to another to lock the sliding bar to the upright sleeve in one of a series of elevational positions, adjusting the rails to the desired sloping angle. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention, the stop rod can selectively e fastened to the locating holes of the top lugs to limit the turning angle of the rocker arm subject to the user&#39;s body size (waistline). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side plain view of a rowing machine according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rowing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of a part of the rowing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of a part of the rowing machine showing the connection between the rocker arm and the handlebar. According to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of a part of the rowing machine showing the connection between the foot rack and the rails according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of a part of the rowing machine, showing the relationship between the foot rack and the rails according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of the rowing machine showing the connection between the rear part of the rails and the top part of the rear support according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an oblique top view in an enlarged scale of the rear part of the rowing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an oblique elevation of the rear part of the rowing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the position of the stop rod adjusted. 
         FIG. 11  shows the rowing machine received in a collapsed status according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2˜11 , a rowing machine in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a base frame  1 , a foot rack  2 , a rear support  3 , a rocker arm  4 , a handlebar  5 , a slide  6 , a seat  71 , and a back  72 . 
     The base frame  1  comprises two parallel rails  11  arranged in parallel, the rails  11  each having a plurality of locating grooves  1113  spaced near the front end for the positioning of the front foot rack  2  and a pin hole  1111  disposed near the rear end, each locating groove  1113  having a top entrance  1114  and an inner stop portion  1115 , a horizontal front foot bar  112  transversely disposed at the front side below the rails  11 , two vertical front bars  111  vertically connected between the front ends of the rails  11  and the horizontal front foot bar  112 , a stop bar  1110  transversely connected between the front legs  111  and spaced between the rails  11  and the horizontal front foot bar  112 , two rollers  1122  fastened pivotally with the horizontal front foot bar  112  near the two ends, two eyes  1121  fixedly provided at the horizontal front foot bar  112  near the two ends, two elastic pull cords  81 , the elastic pull cords  81  each having a swivel hook  811  provided at one end and respectively coupled to the eyes  1121  and a handle  812  provided at the other end, two bottom lugs  15  symmetrically provided at the bottom side of the rails  11  near the front legs  111 , two elastic cord members  16  each having a first end  161  respectively fastened to the lugs  15  and a second end  162  respectively connected to the slide  6 , two top lugs  119  respectively fixedly located on the rails  11  near the middle, the top lugs  119  each having a plurality of locating holes  1191  and  1192 , and a stop rod  17  selectively fastened to the locating holes  1191  and  1192  of the top lugs  119  and adapted to limit the turning angle of the rocker arm  4 . 
     The foot rack  2  comprises a bottom block  21  inserted in between the rails  11 , two coupling rods  212  (see  FIG. 6 ) bilaterally extended from the bottom block  21  and selectively pivotally coupled to the locating grooves  1113  of the rails  11 , a locating plate  22  provided at the top side of the bottom block  21  and supported on the rails  11 , a supporting bar  221  obliquely upwardly extended from the locating plate  22 , and a foot board  23  fixedly mounted on the supporting bar  221 . 
     The rear support  3  comprises a horizontal rear foot bar  38  transversely disposed at the bottom, two eyes  381  fixedly provided at the horizontal rear foot bar  112  near the two ends for the connection of the swivel hooks  811  of the elastic pull cords  81  after disconnection of the elastic pull cords  81  from the eyes  1121  at the horizontal front foot bar  112 , a hollow upright sleeve  31  vertically upwardly extended from the middle part of the horizontal rear foot bar  38 , two lugs  36  fixedly provided at two sides of the upright sleeve  31 , a sliding bar  32  slidably inserted into the upright sleeve  31 , the sliding bar  32  having a plurality of transversely extended locating holes  321  arranged at different elevations and a top end pivotally connected between the rear ends of the rails  11  by a pivot  12 , a grip  120  fixedly connected to one end of the pivot  12  for the holding of the user&#39;s hand when receiving the rowing machine, a lock pin  30  fastened to the pin holes  1111  of the rails  11  to lock the sliding bar  32  to the rails  11  (see  FIG. 7 ), a spring pin  311  provided at the upright sleeve  31  and selectively engaged into one locating hole  321  to lock the sliding bar  32  to the upright sleeve  31  at the desired elevation (see  FIG. 9 ), a locating plate  34  fixedly fastened to the rails  11  at the rear side by screws  113 , and an adjustment knob  35  mounted in the locating plate  34  and adapted to adjust the angular position of the rear support  3  relative to the rails  11 . The adjustment knob  35  has a threaded shank  351  threaded into the top side of the sliding bar  32  (see  FIG. 7 ). Further, the locating plate  34  has a spare screw hole  340  adapted to accommodate the adjustment knob  35  after disconnection of the adjustment knob  35  from the locating plate  34  and the sliding bar  32  when collapsing the rowing machine. 
     The rocker arm  4  is a tubular arm having a middle arm portion  41 , which has a front side  411  supported on the stop rod  17 , a front arm portion  42  obliquely forwardly extended from one end, namely, the top end of the middle arm portion  41 , and a rear arm portion  43  obliquely backwardly extended from the other end, namely, the bottom end of the middle portion  41 . Two connecting plates  44  are bilaterally pivotally fastened to the end of the rear arm portion  43  with a pivot  431 . Elastic cord members  45  are provided having the respective first ends  451  respectively connected to the connecting plates  44  and the respective second ends  452  respectively connected to the lugs  36  at the upright sleeve  31 . 
     The handlebar  5  comprises is a T-bar having a vertically extended bottom mounting portion  51  and two substantially transversely extended top hand grips  52 . The vertically extended bottom mounting portion  51  is inserted into the front arm portion  42  of the rocker arm  4 , having a plurality of locating holes  511  longitudinally arranged in a row. A spring pin  421  is provided at the front arm portion  42  and selectively engaged into one locating hole  511  to lock the handlebar  5  to the rocker arm  4  (see  FIG. 4 ). Further, a meter  50  is provided on the middle of the handlebar  5  at the top (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     The slide  6  comprises a substantially U-shaped base  61  inserted in between the rails  11 , top and bottom wheel axles  62  and  63  provided at two sides of the base  61 , top and bottom rollers  64  and  65  respectively mounted on the wheel axles  62  and  63  and peripherally disposed in contact with the rails  11  at top and bottom sides for enabling the base  61  to be moved along the rails  11 , and two bottom lugs  66  bilaterally disposed at the bottom side of the base  61  for the connection of the second ends  162  of the elastic cord members  16  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The seat  71  comprises a seat frame  711  fixedly fastened to the top side of the base  61  of the slide  6  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The back  72  comprises a mounting frame  720  pivotally connected to the seat frame  711  of the seat  71  with a pivot pin  73 . A lock pin  74  is detachably fastened to the seat frame  711  and the mounting frame  720  to lock the back  72  to the seat  71 . 
     When in use, the user can sit on the seat  71  and rest the back on the back  72  with the feet stepped on the upper part of the foot board  23  and the hands holding the hand grips  52  of the handlebar  5 , and then alternatively push and pull the hands and the legs, causing the rocker arm  4  to be alternatively turned forwards and backwards to alternatively stretch and release the elastic cord members  45 . At the same time, the slide  6  is alternatively moved with the seat  71  and the user&#39;s hips back and forth along the rails  11  to alternatively stretch and release the elastic cord members  16 . Therefore, the muscles of the user&#39;s abdomen, waist, legs, and hands are exercised. The user can also sit on the seat  71  and step the feet on the foot board  23  with the hands holding the seat  71 , and then alternatively extend and receive the legs to move the slide  6  back and forth along the rails  11 . The user can also sit on the seat  71  and step the feet on the foot board  23 , and then alternatively stretch and release the elastic pull cords  81 , which may be fastened to the eyes  1121  at the horizontal front foot bar  112  or the eyes  381  at the horizontal rear foot bar  38 . 
     When not in use, the user can lift the handlebar  5 , and then turn the foot rack  2  downwardly inwards to be closely attached to the top side of the rails  11 , and then remove the stop rod  17  from the top lugs  119  for enabling the rocker arm  4  to be turned in one direction and closely attached to the collapsed foot rack  2 , and then the lock pin  74  is removed from the seat frame  711  and the mounting frame  720  to unlock the back  72 , for enabling the back  72  to be turned in one directly and closely attached to the rails  11 , and then remove the lock pin  30  from the pin holes  1111  of the rails  11  and the sliding bar  32  and also remove the adjustment knob  35  from the locating plate  34 , for enabling the rear support  3  to be turned in one direction relative to the base frame  1  and closely attached to the rails  11  at the bottom side, and therefore the rowing machine is collapsed (see  FIG. 11 ). If desired, the handlebar  5  can be detached from the rocker arm  4  and then put in a transverse direction to minimize packing or delivery space. 
     Further, the combined height of the vertical front bars  111  and horizontal front foot bar  112  of the base frame  1  is lower than the combined height of the horizontal rear foot bar  38  and hollow upright sleeve  31  of the rear support  3  so that the rails  11  are supported sloping forwardly downwards. Thus, the user can move the slide  6  forwards with less effort, and must employ much effort when moving the slide  6  backwards. 
     Further, a buffer wheel  67  is pivotally mounted in the U-shaped base frame  61  of the slide  6  and peripherally disposed in contact with the back side of the middle arm portion  41  of the rocker arm  4  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     As indicated above, the invention provides the following advantages and features: 
     1. The user can apply force to the handlebar  5  to turn the rocker arm  4  back and forth and to further stretch the elastic cord members  45 , and at the same time apply force the to seat  71  with the legs and the hips to move the slide  6  along the rails  11  and to further stretch the elastic cord members  16 , i.e., simulate rowing action to exercise the muscles of the waist, abdomen, legs, and hands. The user can also selectively exercise the hands or the legs only, or connect the elastic pull cords  81  to the eyes  1121  at the horizontal front foot bar  112  or the eyes  381  at the horizontal rear foot bar  38  and then pull the handles  812  when moving the slide  6  along the rails  11 . 
     2. The rowing machine is collapsible. The foot rack  2  can directly be turned inwards and closely attached to the rails of the base frame  1 . Thereafter, the rocker arm  4  and the seat  71  can be received to the base frame  1 , and then the rear support  3  can be received to the bottom side of the rails of the base frame  1 . The handlebar  5  can further be detached from the rocker arm  4  to reduce the packing size. 
     3. The combined height of the vertical front bars  111  and horizontal front foot bar  112  of the base frame  1  is lower than the combined height of horizontal rear foot bar  38  and hollow upright sleeve  31  of the rear support  3  so that the rails  11  are supported sloping forwardly downwards. Therefore, less resisting force is produced upon forward stroke of the slide  6 , and much resisting force is produced upon back stroke of the slide  6 . 
     4. The spring pin  311  of the upright sleeve  31  can be shifted from one locating hole  321  to another to lock the sliding bar  32  to the upright sleeve  31  in one of a series of elevational positions, adjusting the rails  11  to the desired sloping angle. 
     5. The stop rod  17  can selectively e fastened to the locating holes  1191  and  1192  of the top lugs  119  to limit the turning angle of the rocker arm  4  subject to the user&#39;s body size (waistline).