Patent Publication Number: US-8986168-B2

Title: Fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to fitness equipments, and more particularly, to a fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading, wherein the fitness equipment is characterized by an eccentric driving mechanism whereby two rests are driven to move vertically and alternately along an elliptic track so as for a user to lift his or her hips or tread, thereby allowing the user to work the lower limbs or hips fully and effectively. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There is a wide variety of fitness equipments, including fitness bikes, treadmills, weight lifting devices, and pull exercisers. However, despite the good selection of fitness equipments, fitness equipments for use in hip lift are unavailable. Furthermore, designed for intense workouts, the aforesaid fitness equipments are not suitable for persons looking for moderate workouts. At present, moderate workout equipments are not commercially available. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading, characterized in that: a center axle of a motor rotates to drive the first and second independent shafts to rotate, allowing rotational mechanical energy of the first and second independent shafts to be transmitted to first, second, third and fourth eccentric blocks, such that first, second, third and fourth spindles, first and second U-shaped supports, and first and second rests together move vertically and alternately along an elliptic track so as for a user standing on the first and second rests to tread and for the user sitting on the first and second rests to perform hip lift. 
     In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading. The fitness equipment comprises a casing. The casing has therein a power source. The power source is a motor. A center axle of the motor rotates to drive a transmission shaft. The transmission shaft drives first and second independent shafts to rotate. The rotational mechanical energy of the first and second independent shafts is transmitted to first, second, third and fourth eccentric blocks, such that first, second, third and fourth spindles, first and second U-shaped supports, and first and second rests together move vertically and alternately along an elliptic track to thereby enable a user standing on the first and second rests to tread and the user sitting on the first and second rests to perform hip lift. 
     The technical solution, means, and advantages of the present invention are described hereunder with reference to a preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings. Hence, persons skilled in the art can gain insight into the objectives, structures, and features of the fitness equipment of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a fitness equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cutaway view of transmission-related elements of the fitness equipment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cutaway view of rotation of spindles driven by the transmission-related elements of the fitness equipment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective assembled view of the present invention U-shaped supports and rests according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the fitness equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the fitness equipment, showing its casing enclosed by a sponge sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of hip lift according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of treading according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 8 , the present invention provides a fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading. The fitness equipment comprises a casing  10 , a transmission shaft  20 , a first U-shaped support  31 , and a second U-shaped support  32 . 
     The casing  10  has therein a power source. The power source is a motor  11 . The motor  11  comprises a center axle  111  to which a first worm gear  12  is fixed. 
     The transmission shaft  20  is transversely and centrally disposed in the casing  10 . The transmission shaft  20  is fixedly provided with a first gear  21 , a second worm gear  22  and a third worm gear  23 . The first gear  21  meshes with the first worm gear  12 . The transmission shaft  20  is provided with and supported by a plurality of first bearings  24 . 
     The first U-shaped support  31  has first and second through holes  311 ,  312 . The first and second through holes  311 ,  312  are disposed on two sides of the bottom of the first U-shaped support  31 , respectively. The first U-shaped support  31  is provided with a first spindle  41  and a second spindle  42 . The first and second spindles  41 ,  42  each have one end provided with a first stop portion  411  and a second stop portion  421 , respectively. The first spindle  41  has a first rod segment  412  which penetrates the first through hole  311 , such that a first flat bar  413  disposed at the other end of the first spindle  41  is inserted into and fixed to a first lower eccentric hole  511  of a first eccentric block  51 . A fifth flat bar  611  disposed at one end of a first independent shaft  61  oriented longitudinally is inserted into and fixed to a first upper eccentric hole  512  of the first eccentric block  51 . The first independent shaft  61  is flanked and supported by two second bearings  612 . The first independent shaft  61  is intermediately and fixedly provided with a second gear  613 . The second gear  613  meshes with the second worm gear  22 . The second spindle  42  has a second rod segment  422  which penetrates the second through hole  312 , such that a second flat bar  423  disposed at the other end of the second spindle  42  is inserted into and fixed to a second lower eccentric hole  521  of a second eccentric block  52 . A seventh flat bar  621  disposed at one end of a second independent shaft  62  oriented longitudinally is inserted into and fixed to a second upper eccentric hole  522  of the second eccentric block  52 . The second independent shaft  62  is flanked and supported by two third bearings  622 . The second independent shaft  62  is intermediately and fixedly provided with a third gear  623 . The third gear  623  meshes with the third worm gear  23 . The first U-shaped support  31  is disposed in the casing  10  and protrudes upward from a top surface of the casing  10 . A first rest  71  is fixed to the top surface of the casing  10 . 
     The second U-shaped support  32  has third and fourth through holes  321 ,  322 . The third and fourth through holes  321 ,  322  are disposed on two sides of the bottom of the second U-shaped support  32 , respectively. The second U-shaped support  32  is provided with a third spindle  43  and a fourth spindle  44 . The third and fourth spindles  43 ,  44  each have one end provided with a third stop portion  431  and a fourth stop portion  441 , respectively. The third spindle  43  has a third rod segment  432  which penetrates the third through hole  321 , such that a third flat bar  433  disposed at the other end of the third spindle  43  is inserted into and fixed to a third upper eccentric hole  531  of a third eccentric block  53 . A sixth flat bar  614  disposed at one end of the first independent shaft  61  oriented longitudinally is inserted into and fixed to a third lower eccentric hole  532  of the third eccentric block  53 . A fourth rod segment  442  of the fourth spindle  44  penetrates the fourth through hole  322 , such that a fourth flat bar  443  disposed at the other end of the fourth spindle  44  is inserted into and fixed to a fourth upper eccentric hole  541  of a fourth eccentric block  54 . An eighth flat bar  624  disposed at one end of the second independent shaft  62  oriented longitudinally is inserted into and fixed to a fourth lower eccentric hole  542  of the fourth eccentric block  54 . The second U-shaped support  32  is disposed in the casing  10  and protrudes upward from a top surface of the casing  10 . A second rest  72  is fixed to the top surface of the casing  10 . 
     Given the aforesaid elements and structures, the center axle  111  of the motor  11  rotates to drive the first and second independent shafts  61 ,  62  to rotate. The rotational mechanical energy of the first and second independent shafts  61 ,  62  is transmitted to the first, second, third and fourth eccentric blocks  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 , such that the first, second, third and fourth spindles  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , the first and second U-shaped supports  31 ,  32 , and the first and second rests  71 ,  72  together move vertically and alternately along an elliptic track so as for a user standing on the first and second rests  71 ,  72  to tread and for the user sitting on the first and second rests  71 ,  72  to lift the hips alternately. 
     As regards the fitness equipment for use in hip lift and treading, the casing  10  is enclosed by a sponge sleeve  80 .