Patent Publication Number: US-2005130816-A1

Title: Abdominal exerciser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to exerciser, and in particular, to an exerciser for use to exercise the abdomen of a human body.  
      (b) Description of the Prior Art  
      Taiwanese Utility Model Publication No. 309775, entitled “Multifunctional Sit-Up Exerciser”, No. 354904, entitled “Multifunctional Sit-Up Exerciser”, No. 368879, entitled “Waist and Abdomen Exerciser” and No. 494775, entitled “Sit-up Exerciser” disclose exercisers for abdomen of the user. These exercisers employ plate bodies or metal tubes pivotally joined together to form the structure of the exercisers. The drawbacks of these structures are that thee structure is not rigid and the strength is insufficient and therefore it is shaky when in use. In other words, the possible of dislocation between the joints of the structure may impose a great impact to the safety of the exercisers. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an abdominal exerciser which mitigates the above drawbacks.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an abdominal exerciser having a framework mounted with a moveable mechanism characterized in that the moveable mechanism has a main shaft end portion mounted with a leg-hooking module and the top face of the end of the main shaft is a seat pad, and the two lateral walls of the main shaft corresponding to the middle section of the seat pad is protruded with a hollow inner clutching member, the end face of the hollow clutching member corresponding to one lateral side of the leg-hooking module is protruded with a protruded engaging block, and the internal of the inner clutching member is provided with a rod for pivotal mounting, and the framework includes a firs supporting frame and a second supporting frame, and the top portion of the two ends of the first supporting frame is a first clutching member which corresponding to the rod, and the first clutching member is mounted at the external side of the clutching member at the main shaft, the end faces of the two lateral side of the first clutching member are formed into protruded engaging block which is different from the protruded engaging block of the inner clutching member, and the top portion of the two ends of the second supporting frame is formed into the second clutching member which can be pivotally mounted to the rod, and the second mounting member is mounted at the external side of the first clutching member, and the second clutching member corresponding to the end face at one side of the first clutching member is formed into a protruded engaging block, and the protruded engaging block and the protruded engaging block is different from that of the first clutching member, thereby an abdominal exerciser is obtained.  
      Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide an abdominal exerciser having a framework mounted with a moveable mechanism, characterized in that the moveable mechanism has a main shaft end portion mounted with a leg-hooking module, and the top face of the end of the main shaft is provided with a seat pad, and the main shaft between the two securing plates is provided with a twisting module, and the twisting module is provided with a clutching seat corresponding to and rotating about the bottom face of the main shaft, and the end face of the two lateral side of the clutching seat corresponding to one side of the leg-hooking module is protruded with a protruded engaging block, and within the clutching seat a horizontal shaft is provided for the mounting of the framework; the framework includes a first supporting frame and a second supporting frame, and the top portion of the two ends of the first supporting frame is a first clutching member which corresponding to the rod, and the first clutching member is mounted at the external side of the clutching member at the main shaft, the end faces of the two lateral side of the first clutching member are formed into protruded engaging block which is different from the protruded engaging block of the inner clutching member, and the top portion of the two ends of the second supporting frame is formed into the second clutching member which can be pivotally mounted to the rod, and the second mounting member is mounted at the external side of the first clutching member, and the second clutching member corresponding to the end face at one side of the first clutching member is formed into a protruded engaging block, and the protruded engaging block and the protruded engaging block is different from that of the first clutching member, thereby an abdominal exerciser is obtained.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide an abdominal exerciser, wherein the main shaft is mounted with a hollow clutching member and the bottom edge of the clutching member is formed into a protruded engaging block, and the interior of the clutching member is mounted with a downward facing pivotal shaft for the mounting of a clutching seat, and the clutching seat has a hollow upright tube and a hollow horizontal tube, and the top face of the upright tube is formed into a protruded engaging block which can be placed at the bottom end of the clutching member, and the protruded engaging block at the end face of the two lateral side of the clutching seat is formed at the end face of the horizontal tube and the horizontal tube of the clutching seat is used for the passing through of the clutching seat so that the moveable mechanism is pivotally mounted to the framework.  
      The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.  
      Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of the abdominal exerciser in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a plan view after extension of the exerciser of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a plan view after the folding of the exerciser of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4A, 4B ,  4 C are sectional views of the exerciser after the exercise is folded.  
       FIG. 5A, 5B , SC are sectional views of the exerciser after the exerciser is extended to be used by user in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the movement of the leg-hooking rod in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing the application of the exerciser in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is another schematic view showing the exercising of the buttock of the user in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is another schematic view showing sit-up exercising in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective exploded view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 11A, 11B  are sectional views of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 12A, 12B  are schematic views showing the exercising of the waist of the user in accordance with the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an abdominal exerciser having a framework  30  pivotally mounted with a moveable mechanism  10  and the mechanism  10  allowing the user to sit thereon and the framework  30  is retractable and folded.  
      Referring together with  FIG. 3 , the moveable mechanism  10  comprises a main shaft  11  and a leg-hooking module  2 , wherein the top face of the end of the hollow main shaft  11  is provided with a series of securing plates  12 . The securing plate  12  is a seat pad  13  fastened by means of screws and nuts. The top face of the other end of the main shaft is provided with a screw hole mount  14  installed with an adjustable button  15 . The two lateral walls of the main shaft  11  corresponding to the middle section of the seat pad  13  is protruded out with an inner clutching member  16 . The end face of the inner clutching member  16  corresponding to one lateral side of the leg-hooking module  2  is protruded with a protruded engaging block  17 . The interior of the inner clutching member  16  is provided with a shaft rod  18  for pivotal mounting of the framework  30 . The threaded plugs  19  at the two ends of the shaft rod  18  limit the framework  30  from dislocation. The leg-hooking module  2  is a sliding rod  20  inserting to the main shaft  11 . The top edge face of the sliding rod  20  is a series of adjusting holes  21  for adjustable of the length of the sliding rod  20  by means of the adjusting button  15  on the main shaft  11 . One end of the sliding rod  20  is a semi-circular combining plate  22  and the two lateral sides of the combining plate  22  are formed into a long arch-slot  23  for mounting an inverted C-shaped leg-hooking rod  24 . Screw nut  25  and mounts  26  are used so that the leg-hooking rod  24  can be mounted onto the combining plate  22 , and the leg-hooking rod  24  can rotate about the sliding rod  20 , as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      The framework  30  includes a first supporting frame  31  and a second supporting frame  35  and the frames  31 ,  35  are pivotally mounted. The first supporting frame  31  can be fully closed to the inner edge of the second supporting frame  35 . The top portions of the two ends of the first supporting frame  31  are respectively formed into the first clutching member  32 , which is pivotally mounted to the shaft rod  18 . The first clutching member  32  is mounted at the external side of the inner clutching member  16  of the main shaft  11 . The end face of the two lateral side of the first clutching member  32  are respectively formed into two protruded engaging blocks  33 ,  34  which are different from the protruded engaging block  17  of the inner clutching member  16  so that the pivotal movement of the moveable mechanism is restricted (disclosed in  FIGS. 4B and 5B ). The top sections of the two ends of the second supporting frame  35  are formed into a second clutching member  36  corresponding to the shaft rod  18 . The second clutching member  36  is positioned at the external side of the first clutching member  32 . The second clutching member  26  (corresponding to the end face of one lateral side of the first clutching member  32  is provided with a protruded engaging block  37  which is different from the protruded engaging block  33  of the first clutching member  32  so that the extended angle of the first and second supporting frame  31 ,  35  are restricted, as shown in  FIGS. 4C and 5C .  
      The middle sections of the external edge at the two lateral sides of the second supporting frame  35  are mounted with a sloping upward insertion tube  38 . The insertion tube  38  is an extended handgrip  40 . The handgrip  40  is an insertion section  41  for mounting at the insertion tube  38 . The top end of the handgrip  40  is mounted at the insertion tube  38 . The top end of the handgrip  40  is mounted with an end plug  42  which can prevent slippery and dislocation, and allows the user holds at the handgrip and manage the hand section.  
      The strong structure of the present invention is obtained and the extended structure is shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  shows the structure when folded.  
      For the operation of the abdominal exerciser of the present invention, reference had to FIGS.  2  to  5 A,  5 B and  5 C. The first and second support frame  31 ,  35  of the framework  30  are extended outward. The protruded engaging blocks  33 ,  37  of the first and second clutching members  32 ,  36  are used to restrict the first and the second support frame  31 ,  35 , as shown in  FIG. 5C . When the first and second supporting frame  31 ,  35  have been extended to a certain angle, the extension will be stopped and the abdominal exerciser can be set on the floor, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The user can sit onto the seat pad  13  and the legs of the user will hook at the leg-hooking rod  24  of the leg-hooking module. Based on the length of the leg, the length of the leg-hooking rod  24  can be adjusted by means of the adjusting button  15  and the adjusting hole  21  on the sliding rod  20 , and by the long slot  23  of the combining plate  22 , the angle of the leg-hooking rod  24  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) can be adjusted and the user&#39;s leg can be firmly hooked onto the leg-hooking rod  24  to proceed with various exerciser accordance with the preset invention. When the user sits onto the seat pad  13 , the center of gravity is at the outside and due to the restriction of the protruded engaging blocks  17 ,  34 , FIG  5 B, the center of gravity will move backward slightly but will not fully turn over.  
      When the user wants to fold the exerciser, as disclosed in  FIGS. 3, 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C, the abdominal exerciser is lifted and the first supporting frame  31  can fully folded within the second supporting frame  35 , and the main shaft  11  of the moveable mechanism  10  can also be fully positioned to the framework  30 . Thus, the exerciser is folded and the space for storage is saved.  
       FIGS. 10 and 11 A,  11 B show another preferred embodiments. The main shaft  11  of the moveable mechanism  10 , between two securing plates  12 , is mounted with a twisting module  50 . The twisting module  50  on the main shaft is mounted with a hollow clutching member  51 , and the bottom edge of the clutching member  51  is provided with a protruded engaging block  52 , and the clutching member  51  is welded with a downward protruded pivotal shaft  53  for the pivotal mounting of a clutching seat  55 . The bottom end of the pivotal end is provided with a screw hole and a screw nut  54  is used to restrict the clutching seat  55 . The clutching seat  55  is spacely mounted with hollow upright tube  56  and hollow horizontal tube  58 , and the top face of the upright tube  56  has a protruded engaging block  57  which is different from the protruded engaging block  52  of the clutching member  51 . The protruded engaging block  57  is suitably placed at the bottom end of the clutching member  51 , different from the range of the protruded engaging block  52  to form a restriction to the rotation.  
      Further, the end face of the two lateral sides of the horizontal tube  58  of the clutching seat  55 , corresponding to one side of the leg-hooking module is provided with the protruded engaging block  59 . The protruded engaging block  59  is corresponding to the range outside the protruded engaging block  34  of the first supporting frame  31  of the framework  30 , and the horizontal tube of the clutching seat  55  is used for the mounting of the shaft rod  18  so that the moveable mechanism  10  can be pivotally mounted to the framework  30 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The user can twist the seat pad  13  to drive the moveable mechanism  10  to pivotally rotate about the framework  30  to form into a waist twisting exercise.  
      While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.  
      It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
      While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.