Patent Publication Number: US-2019192902-A1

Title: Apparatus for squat exercise

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to fitness equipment, and more particularly, an apparatus for squat exercise that can assist users with squatting. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In physical training and fitness, squat is a body exercise that can be operated in two ways, including: 
     1. Stand firmly and then squat directly. This may cause knee injury to the beginner due to incorrect posture or lack of muscle strength, or the beginner may even fall to the ground due to instability, causing more serious injuries. 
     2. Lean on the wall and squat. This can prevent the beginner from injury. However, leaning on the wall may limit the location and the environment. 
     To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional ways for squat exercise, the present invention provides an apparatus for squat exercise to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for squat exercise that can assist a user with squatting. 
     The apparatus for squat exercise has a base, a fixed tube, a movable tube, a seat, a shell, two surrounding pillars, two fixing pillars, and at least one elastic rope. The fixed tube is mounted on the base. The movable tube is mounted around the fixed tube, and has an abutting portion formed on an outer surface of the movable tube. The seat is mounted at a top end of the movable tube. The shell has a bottom end mounted on the base. The two surrounding pillars are mounted on the inner surface of the shell. The two fixing pillars are mounted on the inner surface of the shell. The at least one elastic rope has two ends respectively fixed to the two fixing pillars, and the at least one elastic rope is wound on and abuts the two surrounding pillars. 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for squat exercise in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded perspective view of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view in partial sectional view of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an operational side view in partial section of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged front view in partial section of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an operational seat side view of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1  showing the height of the seat being adjusted; and 
         FIG. 8  is an operational side view of the apparatus for squat exercise in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , an apparatus for squat exercise in accordance with the present invention comprises a base  10 , a fixed tube  20 , a movable tube  30 , a seat  40 , a shell  50 , two surrounding pillars  60 , two fixing pillars  70 , and at least one elastic rope  80 . 
     The base  10  is a plate and has a top surface, a fixing mount  11 , and multiple latches  12 . The fixing mount  11  is disposed on the top surface of the base  10 . The fixing mount  11  is used to connect with the fixed tube  20 . The multiple latches  12  are used to connect with the shell  50 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the shell  50  is divided into a right housing and a left housing and has a bottom end. The bottom end of the shell  50  is fixed to the base  10 . The right housing has multiple sockets. The left housing has multiple sockets whose positions correspond to the positions of the sockets of the right housing. The sockets of the right housing and the sockets of the left housing are connected with the two surrounding pillars  60  and the two fixing pillars  70 . Specifically, the multiple sockets are mounted around two ends of the two surrounding pillars  60  and the two fixing pillars  70 . The height of the two fixing pillars  70  is lower than the height of the two surrounding pillars  60 . Furthermore, the shell  50  may be made in one piece, or the shell  50  may be assembled by means of channels, latches, or screws. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the fixed tube  20  is mounted on the base  10  erectly. The movable tube  30  is mounted around the fixed tube  20 , and the movable tube  30  may be moved relative to the fixed tube  20  axially. Specifically, the fixed tube  20  is mounted through the fixing mount  11  of the base  10 . The fixed tube  20  is a circular tube and has an outer surface and a slide. The slide is formed on the outer surface of the fixed tube  20 . The movable tube  30  is a circular tube and has an inner surface and a protruding block. When the movable tube  30  is mounted around the fixed tube  20 , the protruding block of the movable tube  30  is mounted in the slide of the fixed tube  20 , and this may prevent the movable tube  30  from rotating relative to the fixed tube  20 . The movable tube  30  and the fixed tube  20  are not limited to be circular in shape, the movable tube  30  and the fixed tube  20  may be square tubes, and the movable tube  30  still may not rotate relative to the fixed tube  20  without the slide and the protruding block. 
     Furthermore, the fixed tube  20  has a stop device  21 , a bottom end of the movable tube  30  selectively abuts the stop device  21 , and this may limit the path of the movable tube  30 . In this embodiment, the stop device  21  is an annular ring, and is mounted around and fixed on the outer surface of the fixed tube  20 . The stop device  21  also may be a protruding block fixed on the outer surface of the fixed tube  20 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , two ends of each one of the at least one elastic rope  80  are respectively fixed to the two fixing pillars  70 , and the at least one elastic rope  80  surrounds and abuts the two surrounding pillars  60 . The movable tube  30  has an abutting portion  31  formed on the outer surface of the movable tube  30 . The at least one elastic rope  80  is located below the abutting portion  31 , and the abutting portion  31  selectively downwardly abuts the at least one elastic rope  80 . 
     Specifically, in this embodiment, two rings are respectively mounted at two ends of each of the at least one elastic rope  80 , and the two rings are respectively mounted around the two fixing pillars  70 . Each surrounding pillar  60  has at least one pulley  61 , and the at least one pulley  61  is rotatably mounted around each surrounding pillar  60 . The at least one elastic rope  80  is wound on and abuts the at least one pulley  61 , so that the surface of each elastic rope  80  can be displaced relative to the surrounding pillars  60  by the pulleys  61  during stretching, and this can prevent the strength of the at least one elastic rope  80  being restricted by friction. The two ends of each elastic rope  80  can be fixed on the base  10  or the shell  50  without using the rings, and the fixing effect can also be achieved. 
     Furthermore, with reference to  FIG. 6 , the abutting portion  31  has a protruding pillar  311  and a limit slice  312 . The protruding pillar  311  has two ends. One of the two ends of the protruding pillar  311  is mounted on the outer surface of the movable tube  30 , and a bottom surface of the protruding pillar  311  is an arced surface. The limit slice  312  is formed at the other end of the protruding pillar  311  of the movable tube  30 . The at least one elastic rope  80  is wound on and abuts the arced surface of the protruding pillar  311 , and the at least one elastic rope  80  selectively abuts the limit slice  312 . The arced surface of the protruding pillar  311  may decrease the friction between the protruding pillar  311  and the elastic rope  80 . The limit slice  312  is disposed to prevent the at least one elastic rope  80  from moving away from the bottom surface of the protruding pillar  311  due to the sliding displacement. The limit slice  312  can be any structure capable of achieving the desired effect. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the seat  40  is mounted at a top end of the movable tube  30 , and the height of the seat  40  is adjustable. Specifically, in this embodiment, the movable tube  30  has a threaded hole formed through a top end of the movable tube. The seat  40  has a thread rod  41  mounted at a bottom surface of the seat  40 . The thread rod  41  is screwed with the threaded hole of the movable tube  30 , and the height of the seat  40  can be adjusted by rotating the seat  40 . The way of connecting and adjusting the height of the seat  40  and the movable tube  30  is not limited to this, but may also be a method of achieving the same effect by sliding and adjusting with a pin. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , when the apparatus for squat exercise in accordance with the present invention is in use, the height of the seat  40  and the movable tube  30  may be adjusted in order to meet the physical statures of users. Place the base  10  on the ground, and then the buttocks of the user sit on the seat  40  to start the squatting action. 
     The initial state of the apparatus for squat exercise in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein the abutting portion  31  is located between the two surrounding pillars  60 , and the abutting portion  31  moves upward and downward with the movable tube  30 . The abutting portion  31  abuts the at least one elastic rope  80  downwardly, and the at least one elastic rope  80  is wound on and abuts the two surrounding pillars  60  to shape as an M shape, and the movable tube  30  and the stop device  21  are disposed at a spaced interval. The pressed state of the apparatus for squat exercise in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5 , the relationship between the abutting portion  31  and the two surrounding pillars  60  and the elastic rope  80  is the same as that in the initial state. The movable tube  30  downwardly abuts against the stop device  21  on the fixed tube  20  due to the force applied by the user, and this is the end of the downward movement of the movable tube  30 , so as to prevent the user from falling down and unstable posture. 
     The advantage of this invention is that by using the seat  40  to prevent the user from falling down due to the center of gravity during the squatting action, the seat  40  and the movable tube  30  are relatively adjustable to conform to the body shape and posture of the user, and the elasticity of the at least one elastic rope  80  can assist the user to restore the posture to avoid knee muscle injury caused by insufficient muscle strength, and the overall small size allows the user, free from spatial limitations, to select a fitness place according to personal preferences without relying on empty walls. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.