Patent Publication Number: US-7591767-B2

Title: Universal adapter for exercising sticks

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to construction forms and more specifically to a universal adapter for exercising sticks. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known in the prior art to which this invention appertains that utility or exercising sticks used as an aid in walking or skiing are commercially available in various forms, designs and styles for the satisfaction of the preferences of consumers or users. But there is one thing or feature that is still common to these sticks that is their being elongated or having an elongated body regardless of the variations in form, appearance or style. Oftentimes, such aesthetic aspect or feature of the stick is compromised or sacrificed by functional requirements such as: (1) the provision thereto of a form of resistance to the user&#39;s pushing action, (2) making the effective length thereof adjustable, and (3) making it conveniently adaptable as a complement for other related exercising devices such as a stepper or treadmill. Providing or incorporating all these functionalities into the stick is seemingly impractical as it would make it a complex device not anymore suitable for use as a simple personal stick. A form of an adapter that can accommodate all these functionalities while temporarily becoming part of any types of stick would be a perfect solution to the shortcomings of the prior art. 
     There are disclosures in the prior art for sticks with accessories attached thereon such as holding implements or unit for other gadgets or components thereof not in use at the moment. Patent Nos. EP1547655 and DE10340135 disclose and teach such type of sticks commonly used for Nordic walking, trekking or skiing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a universal adapter for exercising sticks ( 10 ) that comprises of a mounting means ( 11 ) for stably and detachably securing any types of exercising stick ( 12 ) in place. The mounting or placement of the stick ( 12 ) in the adapter ( 10 ) makes the latter to form part or as an extension of the stick ( 12 ) when in use, hence, performing functions for the sticks such as those aforementioned in the preceding discussion on the prior art. The mounting means ( 11 ) preferably comprises of an elongated member ( 14 ) into which a stick-holding means ( 13 ) is slidably, tensionally and adjustably mounted, such that the mounting means ( 11 ) is capable of providing a varying resistive force against the pushing action of a user when in use, and an extension for increasing the stick&#39;s effective length, especially when used to complement a stationary exercising stepper device. 
     The primary object therefore of the present invention is to provide a universal adapter for exercising sticks that is capable of accommodating the placement or mounting therein of any type of utility or exercising sticks enabling them to perform such other functions as providing a varying resistance to the pushing action applied thereon, providing an extension thereto as maybe desired by the user, and complementing a stationary exercising stepper and/or twister, treadmill, stationary bicycle, stationary stair climber or any similar devices in the most practical, flexible and convenient way. This invention is useful to a person who is in an actual or simulative action of stepping, climbing, walking, skiing, or similar actions serving as an aid, balancer, stabilizer, or an exerciser especially for the arms and upper body. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal adapter for exercising sticks that readily blends with the form, appearance or style of the sticks mounted thereon due to its elegance and ergonomic features. 
     Still another object thereof is to provide an universal adapter for exercising sticks that has a very simplistic, but practical structural design and construction, thus, most economical to manufacture and highly marketable to commercialize. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent, understood and appreciated upon reading the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a normal position; 
         FIG. 1   a  is perspective view thereof with the stick in place being pushed in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view thereof; 
         FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view thereof showing the stick in exploded position with respect to a stick-holding means (shown also in  FIGS. 5   b  to  7 ) having a slightly different form from the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view thereof showing the strap in an open position; 
         FIG. 5   c  is a perspective view thereof showing the strap in a close position; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, perspective view thereof showing the components or elements thereof in detail; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view thereof showing the stick and collapsible elongated member thereof in exploded position; and 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational side view thereof in combination with an exercising device and a mat, together with an inset view of the mat captioned as  FIG. 8   a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before describing the preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the phraseologies and terminologies employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals designate the same steps, components or elements all throughout the succeeding description, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a universal adapter for exercising sticks is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . The exercising stick  12  may be any well known stick used as an aid in walking or skiing and typically includes a shaft  12   a  having a handle  12   b  secured about the upper end of the shaft  12   a  and includes a ring  12   c  positioned about the lower end  12   d  such that a lower end tip  12   e  extends past the ring  12   c . The universal adapter  10  includes a mounting means  11  for stably and detachably securing at least an exercising stick  12  in place, such that the adapter  10  functions and forms as an extension of the stick  12  when in use, defining an adapter  10  and stick  12  assembly  10   a  whose lower end portion  14   a  that makes contact with a rigid surface  14 ′ is that of the adapter  10 . 
     It is preferred that the mounting means  11  has an adjustable effective length to conveniently meet user&#39;s preferences and requirements. To be an effective exercising device when the stick  12  is held therein, the mounting means  11  is preferably provided with a means  17  for providing a varying resistive force to act against the pushing action of a user when in use. The means  17  is preferably in a form of a tension cord member  18  that is mounted on the mounting means  11 , such that pushing the combined the stick  12  and the mounting means  11  against a rigid surface stretches the cord member  18  effecting a resistance that varies based on the size and type of the member  18  adopted or preferred. In the illustrative example shown in the drawing, the cord member  18  is connected at the upper end portion thereof to the elongated member  14  via the upper end cap  13   d , and to the stick-holding means  13  at the lower end portion thereof as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The mounting means  11  preferably comprises of a stick-holding means  13  and an elongated member  14  into which the stick-holding means  13  is slidably, lockably, tensionally and adjustably mounted. The elongated member  14  is positioned in clips  13   e  placed in the upper and lower portion of the stick-holding means  13  that help position the elongated member  14  but allow it to slide therein. The stick-holding means  13  has at least a fastening means  15  for stably and detachably holding the stick  12  in place. The means  15  is being complemented by an apertured arm member  16  into which the bottom end portion of the stick  12  is securely mounted and held in place. For storage or safekeeping convenience when the adapter  10  is not in use, the mounting means  11 , or specifically the elongated member  14 , is preferably made collapsible such that it can be dismantled in a facile way for storage purposes, hence, the elongated member  14  comprises of detachable or collapsible members  14   b  and  14   c  that are jointed together when the adapter  10  is in use. 
     In usage, the assembly of the adapter  10  and stick  12  is conveniently used in combination with an exercising device  19 , especially a stepper and/or twister device  19   a,  wherein the assembly is pivotably mounted-rearwardly of the device  19   a.  The assembly  10   a  can also be used in combination with a treadmill, stationary bike, stationary stair climber, and other stationary exercisers. 
     When in use in combination with and to complement a stationary exercising device  19 , especially a stepper and/or twister device  19   a,  the invention is preferably used in combination with a mat  20  having a means  21  for pivotally mounting the lower end portion  14   a  of the assembly  10   a  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 8   a,  thus, preventing the end portion  14   a  to move or slide along the surface of the mat  20 , while allowing same to freely pivot thereon. When in use, the exercising device  19 , specifically the stepper and/or twister device  19   a,  is preferably placed on the mat  20  serving as a base floor mat with the means  21  on which the end portion  14   a  pivots being located at a pre-determined proximate location depending on what type of exercising device  19  is used, which is at a certain distance at the back of the exercising device  19  in the case where the latter is a stepper and/or combined stepper and twister device  19   a  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The means  21  is preferably in a form of a protrusion  22  having at least a cavity  23  that accommodates the mounting of the end portion  14   a  of the assembly  10   a  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 8   a.  The mat  10  can be rolled up into a cylindrically rolled position or state  8   b  for storage purposes as shown in the inset view in  FIG. 8   a.    
     The present invention embodying the universal adapter  10  can accommodate the mounting of the stick  12  that can be any types of utility sticks, especially exercising sticks, such as stick for Nordic, brisk or ordinary walking, skiing stick, jumping pole, mountain climbing stick, or stick used in trekking. 
     Before defining the scope of the following claims, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the embodied device set forth in the preceding description or illustrated in the drawings. It is to be noted that the invention is capable of other embodiments and limitless applications not disclosed herein, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways falling within the teaching and scope of the following claims.