US20030013585A1

US20030013585A1 - Exerciser

Info

Publication number: US20030013585A1
Application number: US10/189,515
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-13
Filing date: 2002-07-08
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Also published as: JP3088194U; TW507587U

Abstract

An Exerciser including a main body and at least one cord reel rotatably disposed on the main body. A pull cord is wound around the cord reel. The cord reel is equipped with a restoring mechanism for driving the cord reel to wind back the pulled out pull cord. The cord reel is connected with a shaft which is further connected with a one-way mechanism. Only when the pull cord is pulled to rotate the cord reel, the one-way mechanism one-way drives a resistance wheel which creates a resistance for achieving exercising effect. The main body is equipped with a friction adjustment device for adjusting the resistance against the resistance wheel so as to vary the extent to which a user is exercised.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A present invention is related to an exerciser, and more particularly to a pull cord exerciser in which a cord reel is equipped with a restoring mechanism for driving the cord reel to wind back the pulled out pull cord. The cord reel is connected with a shaft which is further connected with a one-way mechanism. Only when the pull cord is pulled to rotate the cord reel, the one-way mechanism one-way drives a resistance mechanism which creates a resistance for achieving exercising effect.

A conventional pull cord exerciser is generally mounted on a large-size combinational exerciser. The pull cord is wound through a pulley assembly to drive a weight block. A gravitational force of the weight block serves as a resistance against the pulling force so as to achieve an exercising effect.

After a user pulls the pull cord to a limit position, the user must gradually reduce the pulling force, permitting the weight block to descend. Accordingly, in the backward travel of the pull cord, the user still needs to exert a considerable force against the gravitational force of the weight block. Otherwise, the weight block will abruptly acceleratively drop down to injure the user, especially in the case that the user is a beginner.

In some simple-type pull cord exercisers, the pull cord is made of elastic material. The pull cord's own resilient force serves as the resistance against the pulling force for achieving exercising effect.

The stronger the resilient force of the pull cord is, the better the exercising effect is. However, the strong elastic pull cord will exert a great backward force onto the user. Therefore, after pulling and tensioning the pull cord, the user needs to exert a considerably great force to resist against the backward resilient force of the pull cord. Otherwise, the user may get hurt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an exerciser including a main body and at least one cord reel rotatably disposed on the main body. A pull cord is wound around the cord reel. The cord reel is connected with a shaft which is further connected with a one-way mechanism. The one-way mechanism is connected with a resistance mechanism. Only when the pull cord is pulled by a user to rotate the cord reel, the one-way mechanism one-way drives the resistance mechanism which creates a resistance for achieving exercising effect. The cord reel is equipped with a restoring mechanism for driving the cord reel to wind back the pulled out pull cord. Therefore, the user is protected from getting hurt during the backward travel of the pull cord.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above exerciser in which the main body is equipped with a friction adjustment device for adjusting the resistance against the resistance wheel. By means of turning an adjustment bolt, the frictional force exerted by a frictional belt against the frictional wheel can be changed so as to vary the extent to which a user is exercised.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein: [0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective assembled view of the present invention; [0009]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1; [0010]
FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the coiled spring in the cord reel of the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 4 shows the structure of the friction adjustment device of the present invention; [0012]
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the guide mechanism of the present invention; [0013]
FIG. 6 is a side view of the guide mechanism of the present invention; [0014]
FIG. 7 shows the use of the present invention in one state; [0015]
FIG. 8 shows the adjustment of the friction adjustment device of the present invention; and [0016]
FIG. 9 shows the use of the present invention in another state.[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. [0018] 1 to 6. The exerciser of the present invention includes a main body 1 and two step boards 11 laterally extending from two sides of the main body 1. One end of each step board 11 distal from the main body 1 has a grip section 12. Two cord reels 13 are rotatably disposed on the main body 1 via two shafts 16. A pull cord 14 is wound around each cord reel 13. The cord reel 13 is recessed and formed with a receiving space 131 in which a coiled spring 15 is disposed. The coiled spring 15 has an outer end 151 and an inner end 152. The outer end 151 is hooked with the cord reel 13, while the inner end 152 is hooked on a pin member 17 passing through the main body 1 near the shaft 16. The shaft 16 is connected with a one-way mechanism 18. In this embodiment, the one-way mechanism 18 is a one-way bearing 18. When the pull cord 14 drives the cord reel 13 to rotate, the one-way bearing 18 one-way drives a resistance mechanism. In this embodiment, the resistance mechanism is a frictional wheel 19.
The [0019] main body 1 is equipped with a friction adjustment device 2 corresponding to the frictional wheel 19. The friction adjustment device 2 has a frictional belt 21 wound around the two frictional wheels 19. Two ends of the frictional belt 21 are fixed on a movable seat 22 fitted on a slide block 23. The slide block 23 has two projecting sections 231 inserted in a slide slot 101 of the main body 1. An adjustment bolt 24 is screwed in the slide block 23. A spring 25 is disposed between the slide block 23 and the movable seat 22. By means of turning the adjustment bolt 24, the slide block 23 is driven and moved to push the spring 25 against the movable seat 22 so as to change the driving force exerted by the movable seat 22 onto the frictional belt 21. Accordingly, the frictional force exerted by the frictional belt 21 against the frictional wheels 19 is changed so as to change the frictional resistance against the frictional wheels 19 is changeable.
The [0020] main body 1 is equipped with a guide mechanism 3 corresponding to each pull cord 14. The guide mechanism 3 includes a rotary seat 31 pivotally disposed on the main body 1 and freely rotatable. The rotary seat 31 has an axial through hole 32 through which the pull cord 14 is passed. One end of the pull cord 14 extending out of the rotary seat 31 is connected with a handle 141. An end of the through hole 32 from which the pull cord 14 extending out is defined as an outlet end 321. A pulley 33 is rotatably disposed on the rotary seat 31 at the outlet end 321 of the through hole 32. A pin member 34 is passed through the rotary seat 31 near the pulley 33. A gap is defined between the pulley 33 and the pin member 34, just permitting the pull cord 14 to pass therethrough. Accordingly, the pull cord 14 is restricted by the pin member 34 and wound on the pulley 33. When the pull cord 14 is pulled out or wound in, the rotary seat 31 is rotatable along with the pull cord 14. Moreover, the pulley 33 serves to guide the pull cord 14 to reduce the resistance against the travel of the pull cord 14.
Referring to FIG. 7, in use, a user can step on the [0021] step boards 11 and hold the handles 141 of the pull cords 14 with both hands. When the user pulls the pull cords 14 to drive the cord reels 13 to rotate, the coiled springs 15 are wound tight. At this time, the one-way bearing 18 on the shaft 16 will drive the frictional wheel 19 to rotate. The frictional belt 21 abuts against the frictional wheel 19 so that when the user pulls the pull cord 14, it is necessary for the user to exert a force against the frictional force between the frictional wheel 19 and the frictional belt 21. Accordingly, an exercising effect is achieved. When the user no more exerts the pulling force, the restoring force of the coiled spring 15 will drive the cord reel 13 to wind the pull cord 14. The coiled spring 15 is designed simply for pulling back the pull cord 14 so that the coiled spring 15 can have lower torque so as to avoid load on the user. When the cord reel 13 winds the pull cord 14, the shaft 16 is idle-off the one-way bearing 18 without driving the frictional wheel 19. Therefore, when the pull cord 14 is pulled back, the user only needs to slightly exert a force against the restoring force of the coiled spring 15. Therefore, the user is protected from getting hurt during the backward travel of the pull cord.
As necessary, the user can turn the [0022] adjustment bolt 14 to adjust the position of the slide block 23 so as to change the pushing force exerted by the slide block 23 onto the spring 25. Accordingly, the pushing force exerted by the spring 25 onto the movable seat 22 is changeable. The greater the pushing force is, the tighter the movable seat 22 pulls the frictional belt 21. Therefore, the frictional belt 21 will abut against the frictional wheel 19 by greater force. As a result, a greater resistance is created to exercise the user to a greater extent. When it is desired to minify the frictional resistance, the adjustment bolt 14 is turned in reverse direction.
The gap defined between the [0023] pulley 33 and the pin member 34, just permits the pull cord 14 to pass therethrough, whereby the pull cord 14 is restricted by the pin member 34 and kept wound on the pulley 33. Therefore, when the pull cord 14 is pulled out or wound in, the rotary seat 31 is rotatable along with the pull cord 14. Moreover, the pulley 33 serves to rotationally guide the pull cord 14 so that the resistance against the movement of the pull cord 14 is reduced. Therefore, the pull cord 14 can, be pulled out by the user in any direction.
Alternatively, a user can hold the [0024] grip sections 12 of the main body 1 with both hands and step on the handles 141 of the pull cords 14 as shown in FIG. 9. Under such circumstance, the user can use his/her both feet to pull the pull cords 14 for exercising the feet.
In conclusion, when a user pulls the [0025] pull cords 14 to drive and rotate the cord reels 13, the one-way bearings 18 drive the frictional wheels 19 to achieve an exercising effect. The coiled spring 15 of the cord reel 13 serves to drive the cord reel 13 to wind back the pull cord 14 and the user is protected from getting hurt in backward travel of the pull cord 14. Furthermore, by means of turning the adjustment bolt 24 of the friction adjustment device 2, the user can change the frictional force between the frictional belt 21 and the frictional wheel 19 so as to change the exercising extent.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [0026]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An Exerciser comprising a main body having more than one contact section for a user to press or hold, at least one cord reel being rotatably disposed on the main body, a pull cord being wound around the cord reel, the cord reel being connected with a resistance mechanism which creates a resistance only when a user pulls the pull cord, the cord reel being equipped with a restoring mechanism for driving the cord reel to wind back the pull cord.

2. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restoring mechanism includes a coiled spring having an outer end and an inner end, the outer end being hooked with the cord reel, while the inner end being hooked on a pin member disposed on the main body near a shaft of the cord reel.

3. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cord reel is recessed and formed with a receiving space in which the coiled spring is accommodated.

4. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is equipped with a guide mechanism, whereby when the pull cord is pulled out or wound in, the guide mechanism guides the pull cord to reduce resistance against the travel of the pull cord.

5. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guide mechanism includes a rotary seat pivotally disposed on the main body and freely rotatable, the rotary seat having an axial through hole through which the pull cord is passed, an end of the through hole from which the pull cord extending out being defined as an outlet end, a pulley being rotatably disposed on the rotary seat at the outlet end of the through hole, a pin member being passed through the rotary seat near the pulley, a gap being defined between the pulley and the pin member, just permitting the pull cord to pass therethrough, the pull cord being restricted by the pin member and wound on the pulley, whereby when the pull cord is pulled out or wound in, the rotary seat is rotatable along with the pull cord, the pulley serving to guide the pull cord to reduce the resistance against the travel of the pull cord.

6. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance mechanism is a resistance wheel, the pull reel being connected with a shaft which is further connected with a one-way mechanism, whereby when the pull cord drives the cord reel to rotate, the one-way mechanism one-way drives the resistance wheel.

7. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the one-way mechanism is a one-way bearing.

8. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resistance wheel is a frictional wheel, the main body being equipped with a friction adjustment device corresponding to the frictional wheel, the friction adjustment device including a frictional belt wound around the frictional wheel, the frictional belt having at least one free end fixed on a movable seat, by means of turning an adjustment bolt, the movable seat being displaceable to change the force exerted by the frictional belt against the frictional wheel so as to change the frictional resistance against the frictional wheel.

9. The Exerciser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the adjustment bolt is screwed in a slide block which is slidably inserted in the main body, a spring being disposed between the slide block and the movable seat, whereby by means of turning the adjustment bolt, the slide block is driven to push the spring against the movable seat so as to change the frictional force exerted by the frictional belt against the frictional wheel.