Patent Publication Number: US-2003224909-A1

Title: Dual-function treading exerciser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The invention relates to a treading exerciser, more particularly to a dual-function treading exerciser.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] A conventional treading exerciser includes a treading platform, a continuous tread that extends around the platform, an upright frame that extends upwardly from a front end of the platform, a control panel mounted on a top portion of the upright frame, and a pair of fixed handles disposed on opposite sides of the control panel.  
       [0005] It is noted that the conventional treading exerciser only provides exercise function for the lower half portion of the user&#39;s body.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a dual-function treading exerciser that can provide exercise function for the whole body of the user, that can train the user&#39;s forearm, stomach, and leg muscles, and that can improve functioning of the user&#39;s lungs.  
       [0007] According to the present invention, a dual-function treading exerciser comprises a treading platform, an upright frame, and a movable handle assembly. The treading platform has a front end, and is provided with a continuous tread extending around the platform. The upright frame includes an upright frame body connected fixedly to the front end of the platform, and a pair of fixed handles connected fixedly to an upper portion of the frame body. The movable handle assembly includes a pair of pulling devices mounted on the frame, and a rotary shaft journalled on the frame. Each of the pulling devices includes a housing with a receiving chamber, a pulley disposed rotatably in the chamber, a pull cord wound on the pulley, a handgrip fastened to an end of the pull cord and movable rearwardly to unwind the pull cord from the pulley, and a biasing unit for biasing the pull cord to wind around the pulley when the cord is pulled rearwardly and is subsequently released. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a dual-function treading exerciser according to the present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a movable handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is a partly exploded perspective view of the movable handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the movable handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment;  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 4, illustrating how an adjustable magnetic resistance device of the movable handle assembly can be adjusted so as to move toward a flywheel assembly, and how the flywheel assembly and pulleys of the pulling devices of the movable handle assembly rotate when the pull cords of the pulling devices are pulled outwardly;  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic view of a lower pulling device of the movable handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating a pull cord, a biasing unit, and a handgrip of the pulling device in a normal state;  
     [0015]FIG. 7 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the lower pulling device of the movable handle assembly of the first preferred embodiment in a state of use;  
     [0016]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment in a state of use; and  
     [0017]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a movable handle assembly of the second preferred embodiment of a dual-function treading exerciser according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0018] Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.  
     [0019] Referring to FIG. 1, the first preferred embodiment of a dual-function treading exerciser according to the present invention is shown to comprise a treading platform  1 , an upright frame  2 , and a movable handle assembly  4 .  
     [0020] The treading platform  1  includes a base  101 , a continuous tread  102  exposed from a top portion of the base  101  and disposed to extend around the platform  1 , a foot member  103  disposed on a bottom portion of the base  101  for supporting the platform  1 , and a front end  104 .  
     [0021] The upright frame  2  includes an upright frame body  10  connected fixedly to the front end  104  of the platform  1 , a control panel  20  mounted on the upright frame body  10  in a known manner, and a pair of fixed handles  30  connected fixedly to an upper portion of the frame body  10 .  
     [0022] The movable handle assembly  4  is mounted on the control panel  20  of the frame  2  (see FIG. 1), and is disposed substantially higher than the fixed handles  30  (see FIG. 1) in this embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and  8 , the movable handle assembly  4  is shown to include a support plate  40 , a pair of superimposed upper and lower pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′ mounted on a rear side surface of the plate  40 , a flywheel assembly  70  mounted on a front side of the plate  40 , a rotary shaft  60  journalled on the plate  40 , and an adjustable magnetic resistance device  80  mounted on the plate  40  and disposed adjacent to the flywheel assembly  70 .  
     [0023] Each of the upper and lower pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′ includes a housing  51  with a receiving chamber  511 , a pulley  52  disposed rotatably in the chamber  511 , a unidirectional bearing  53 , a pull cord  55  wound on the pulley  52 , a handgrip  54 , and a biasing unit. Since the pulling devices  50  are generally similar to each other in construction, only one of the pulling devices  50  will be described in the succeeding paragraph.  
     [0024] The housing  51  includes a bottom wall  511 ′, an outer surrounding wall  513  that extends frontwardly from an outer periphery of the bottom wall  511 ′, a central hole  510  for extension of the rotary shaft  60  therethrough, and an inner surrounding wall  515  that is disposed between the central hole  510  and the outer surrounding wall  513 . A pulley-receiving chamber  512  is defined among the bottom wall  511 ′, the outer surrounding wall  513 , and the inner surrounding wall  515 . A receiving space  514  is defined among the bottom wall  511 ′, the inner surrounding wall  513 , and the unidirectional bearing  53 . The pulley-receiving chamber  512  and the receiving space  514  constitute the receiving chamber  511 . The outer surrounding wall  513  is formed with a notch  517 , and has a positioning piece  518  that is inserted removably into the notch  517  and that has a cord hole  519 . The inner surrounding wall  515  is formed with a retaining groove  516 . The pulley  52  is disposed in the pulley-receiving chamber  512  in the housing  51 , is formed with a reeling portion  522 , an axial hole  521  defined by an annular inner wall  520  for receiving the unidirectional bearing  53  therein, and a receiving space  524  that is defined cooperatively by a bottom wall  523  and an annular outer wall  525  of the pulley  52  and that cooperates with the receiving space  514  in the housing  51  to confine the biasing unit between the housing  51  and the pulley  52 . The pull cord  55  is wound on the pulley  52 , and has a front end portion  551  fastened to the reeling portion  522  of the pulley  52 , and a rear end portion  552  that extends out of the housing  51  and that is fastened to the handgrip  54 . The unidirectional bearing  53  is disposed between the rotary shaft  60  and the pulley  52  so as to rotate the rotary shaft  60  synchronously with the pulley  52  only when the pulley  52  rotates in a direction, in which the pull cord  55  is unwound from the pulley  52 . The handgrip  54  is movable rearwardly to unwind the pull cord  55  from the pulley  52 . The hand grip  54  is disposed outside the housing  51 , is formed with a through hole  541  for extension of the rear end portion  552  of the pull cord  55  therethrough, and is retained on the pull cord  55  by tying the rear end portion  552  of the pull cord  55  into a knot, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The biasing unit is used for biasing the pull cord  55  to wind around the pulley  52  when the pull cord  55  is pulled rearwardly and is subsequently released, and includes a spring member  526  connected between the housing  51  and the pulley  52  for biasing the pulley  52  to rotate in the chamber  512  in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the spring member  526  is a spiral spring that has one end  5262  inserted into the retaining groove  516  in the inner surrounding wall  515  of the housing  51 , and the other end  5261  fastened to a post  527  on the bottom wall  523  of the pulley  52 .  
     [0025] The only difference between the upper and lower pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′ resides in that the housing  51  of the upper pulling device  50  is formed with three upper lugs  509  fixed to the support plate  40  by means of three bolts (B 1 ) (only one is shown in FIG. 3) that extend through the upper lugs  509  and the plate  40  to engage three nuts (N 1 ), and three lower lugs  509 ′; while the housing  51  of the lower pulling device  50 ′ is formed with three lugs  509 ″ fixed threadedly to the lower lugs  509 ′ by means of three bolts (B 2 ).  
     [0026] The flywheel assembly  70  is mounted fixedly on the rotary shaft  60 , and includes a flywheel  75  having a central hole  74 , a pair of magnetically conductive brass rings  73  disposed respectively and fixedly on opposite sides of the flywheel  75 , and a protective member  76  that is mounted fixedly on the support plate  40  by means of three screws (B 3 ) that extend through the protective member  76  and the plate  40  to engage three nuts (N 2 ) (only one is shown in FIG. 3). The rotary shaft  60  extends through the central hole  74  in the flywheel  75  in such a manner that the flywheel  75  is sleeved fixedly on the rotary shaft  60 . The protective member  76  has a central hole  761  with a bearing  762  inserted therein. The rotary shaft  60  is journalled on the support plate  40  by means of a thrust bearing  77  and the bearing  762  so as to permit smooth rotation of the flywheel  75  relative to the plate  40 .  
     [0027] The adjustable magnetic resistance device  80  is disposed adjacent to the flywheel assembly  70  so as to provide resistance to rotation of the flywheel assembly  70 , and includes a positioning seat  81 , a threaded shaft  83 , and a magnet seat  82 . The positioning seat  81  is fixed on the support plate  40 , and has two spaced-apart parallel sliding rails  811 . The threaded shaft  83  is journalled on the positioning seat  81 , and has one end provided with a hand knob  831  to facilitate manual adjustment of the threaded shaft  83 , and the other end formed with an externally threaded portion  832 . The magnet seat  82  includes a U-shaped body  821  and two spaced-apart parallel sliding plates  822  that are connected fixedly to the U-shaped body  821  and that are disposed respectively and slidably along the sliding rails  811 . The body  821  has two opposite side walls  823 ,  824  which are provided respectively with two aligned magnet units  825 , between which the flywheel assembly  70  is disposed, and a connecting wall  826  which interconnects the side walls  823 ,  824  fixedly and which is formed with a threaded hole  8261  that engages the externally threaded portion  832  of the threaded shaft  83  so as to move the U-shaped body  821  toward and away from the flywheel  75  when the threaded shaft  83  is rotated relative to the positioning seat  81 , thereby adjusting magnitude of the resistance.  
     [0028] Referring to FIG. 8, when performing a running exercise, the user&#39;s hands can grip the fixed handles  30  so as to obtain suitable body support, thereby preventing accidents due to imbalance. When the user performs a treading exercise or jogging, the user&#39;s hands can pull the handgrips  54  and move the foot and body portions accordingly. Due to the resistance provided by the spring members  526  (see FIG. 5) of the biasing units when the handgrips  54  are pulled from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7, training of the user&#39;s forearms, stomach and leg muscles can be achieved, and functioning of the user&#39;s lungs can be improved, thereby effecting whole body exercise. Thus, the dual-function treading exerciser of the present invention does not only function as an ordinary treading exerciser, but also can provide training of the user&#39;s hand portion, stomach portion and leg portion and improve functioning of the lungs while permitting movement of the user&#39;s body in a comfortable and natural manner.  
     [0029] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, with regard to the operation of the biasing units, because each of the upper and lower pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′ is journalled to the rotary shaft  60  by means of the unidirectional bearing  53 , when either of the handgrips  54  is pulled rearwardly, the corresponding pull cord  55  is unwound from the corresponding pulley  52  such that the corresponding pulley  52  rotates in a direction (A) (see FIG. 7) so as to rotate the rotary shaft  60  and the flywheel  75  synchronously with the corresponding pulley  52 . Subsequently, upon release of the handgrip  54 , the corresponding spring member  526  biases the corresponding pull cord  55  to wind around the corresponding pulley  52 . At this time, the corresponding pulley  52  rotates in a direction that is opposite to the direction (A) (see FIG. 7) so that rotation of the corresponding pulley  52  cannot be transferred to the rotary shaft  60  and the flywheel  75 .  
     [0030] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, when the handgrips  54  are pulled, due to the magnetic force applied on the flywheel  75  by the magnet units  825 , the spring members  526  and the magnetic resistance device  80  provide cooperatively a relatively great resistance to rearward movement of the handgrips  54  during exercise. Referring once again to FIG. 8, because the movable handle assembly  4  is disposed substantially higher than the fixed handles  30 , when the user uses the pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′, the handgrips  54  are pulled rearwardly and downwardly such that movement of the handgrips  54  can train not only the forearm muscles, but also the stomach muscles.  
     [0031] Referring back to FIG. 5, when an increased load of exercise is desired, the hand knob  831  is rotated so as to move the magnet seat  82  toward the flywheel  75  in a direction (B) in order to obtain a greater magnetic force. When the magnet seat  82  is moved away from the flywheel  75 , as shown in FIG. 4, the magnetic resistance is reduced.  
     [0032] Referring to FIG. 9, the adjustable magnetic resistance device  90  of the second preferred embodiment of the dual-function treading exerciser according to the present invention is shown to be substantially similar to the adjustable magnetic resistance device  80  (see FIG. 3) of the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the magnetic resistance device  90  further includes a motor  91  and a gear  93 . The motor is disposed on the support plate  40 , and is provided with a motor shaft  92 . The gear  93  is sleeved fixedly on the motor shaft  92 , and engages the externally threaded portion of the threaded shaft  83  so as to transfer rotation of the motor shaft  92  to the threaded shaft  83 .  
     [0033] The advantages of the dual-function treading exerciser of the present invention can be summarized as follows:  
     [0034] 1. The dual-function treading exerciser of the present invention does not only have fixed handles  30  to support the user during a running exercise, but also has a movable handle assembly  4  that can effectively train forearm, stomach, and leg muscles of the user and that can improve functioning of the user&#39;s lungs, thereby effecting exercise of the user&#39;s whole body.  
     [0035] 2. The design of the movable handle assembly  4 , which includes the flywheel assembly  70  and the adjustable magnetic resistance device  80 , enables the user to obtain a greater exercise effect. Furthermore, the presence of the upper and lower pulling devices  50 ,  50 ′ in the movable handle assembly  4  enables the user&#39;s hands to follow the body movement in a comfortable and natural manner.  
     [0036] 3. The movable handle assembly  4  is disposed higher than the fixed handles  30  so as to train not only the forearm muscles, but the stomach muscles as well.  
     [0037] While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.