US20030134728A1

US20030134728A1 - Exercise machine

Info

Publication number: US20030134728A1
Application number: US10/045,163
Authority: US
Inventors: Shen Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-15
Filing date: 2002-01-15
Publication date: 2003-07-17

Abstract

An exercise machine has a small body. The body has a held portion for being held by users. The body is pivotally installed with a rope wheel for being wound by a rope. The rope wheel has a restoring means for restoring the rope to rewind the friction wheel. A friction means is coaxially installed with the rope wheel. A unidirectional bearing is used to connect the friction means and the axis of the wheel. The friction resisting force of the friction means is controlled by an adjust device. Thereby, as the rope is pulled, the friction means will be driven so as that the friction means will generate resisting force. Since the body is small, and the friction force between the friction wheel and the friction strip is not too large, the exercise machine is suitable for the rehabilitated patient and for general users engaged in gymnastic exercise.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to exercise machines, and particularly to an exercise machine with a small volume. The exercise machine can be used in the human by a tying strip. Since the body of the exercise machine is small, and the friction force is not too large, the exercise machine is suitable for the rehabilitated patient and for general users engaged in gymnastic exercise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior pulling-rope exercise machine has one rope. One end of the rope is suspended with a weight so that the user may pull the weightt by applying a force. However, these prior art exercise machines have large volumes and is difficult to be transferred. Furthermore, a pulling-rope exercise machine has an elastic rope. A user may pull an end portion of the rope to extend the length of the rope, but the rope is restored by the restoring force of the rope itself.

Any kind of polling-rope exercise machine must need a further force to restore an extending rope so that the pulled burden and the prolonged rope may restore slowly, otherwise the weight will generate noises and possibly hurt the user or other people aside the exercise machine if the rope is restored quickly.

As a result, in designing an exercise machine, the large restoring force, elastic force and gravitational force must take into consideration. However, this will induce the complication in design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an exercise machine, wherein the tying strip passes through an ear of the body. Each of two ends of the tying strip has a respective sticky strip. As the tying strip is used to tie the user's body, the tying strip can be fixed by the two ends of the sticky strip. Since the body is small, and the friction force between the friction wheel and the friction strip is not too large, the exercise machine is suitable for the rehabilitated patient and for general users engaged in gymnastic exercise.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise machine, wherein one side of the body has a handle for being held by the user and the tying strip is installed with at least one buckling ring. The fixing means of the body is directly connected to the buckling ring, and thus the user may hold a held portion of the body so as to pull the rope for exercise.

The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. [0008]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention. [0009]
FIG. 3 is a lateral view showing that the present invention is formed with a casing. [0010]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention which is engaged with a tying strip. [0011]
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the application of the present invention, wherein a rope is pulled. [0012]
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an application that the present invention is tied to a waist and then is pulled through a handle. [0013]
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing that friction force is adjusted in the present invention. [0014]
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing that the body is pulled as the present invention is tied to a waist. [0015]
FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the application that the present invention is tied to a thigh and is pulled through a body. [0016]
FIG. 10 a schematic view showing the application that the present invention is tied to a shank and is pulled through a body. [0017]
FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing that a tying strip is tied to a shank and another tying strip with buckling ring is tied to another shank. [0018]
FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing that in the present invention, the body is held by one hand and the handle is held by another hand. [0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be described in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims. [0020]
Referring to FIGS. [0021] 1 to 4, the exercise machine of the present invention is illustrated. The exercise machine includes a body 10, a tying strip 17, and a handle 61.
The [0022] body 10 has a small volume and one side thereof is formed with a held portion 101 for being held by the user's hand. One surface of the body 10 has a concave cambered back 102. A receiving space 103 is formed in the body 10. In this embodiment, the body 10 is formed by two casings 11. After the two casing 11 is assembled. A hole 104 and a long groove 105 are formed at a top thereof. The hole 104 serves for being installed with a cover 13 having a via hole 131. A periphery of the cover 13 has an annular trench 132. The inner edge of the via hole 131 of the cover 13 has a round flange 133. Each of the interior of the two casings 11 has a respective positioning block 111 made of metal powders. Each of the positioning block 111 has a hole 112. A shaft 14 passes through the two holes 112. The upper side of the hole 112 of the positioning block 111 has an axial pinhole 113 for being inserted by a positioning pin 15. Two sides of the interior of the two casings 11 have respective sliding grooves 106. Each sliding groove 106 receives an inserting piece 16. An outer side of the inserting piece 106 has an ear 161.
The [0023] tying strip 17 may pass through an ear 161 of the body 1. Each of two ends of the tying strip 17 has a respective sticky strip 171. As the tying strip 17 is used to tie the user's body, the tying strip 17 can be fixed by the two ends of the sticky strip 171.
A [0024] wheel 20 is installed to the shaft 14. A rope 21 winds through the wheel 20. One end of the rope 21 protrudes out of the via hole 131 of the cover 13 for being combined with a fixing means 60. The fixing means 60 is connected to a fixing ring 611 of the handle 61. At one side of the center of the wheel 20 has a radial slot 201. A pin 141 passes through the shaft 14 along a radial direction. The pin 141 is received in the slot 201. One side of the wheel 20 is a restoring means for pulling the wheel 20. The restoring means is positioned between the wheel 20 and the plate 22. The plate 22 has an approximate round shape. In this embodiment, the restoring means is a spiral spring 23. The spiral spring 23 has an outer end 231 and an inner end 232. The outer end 231 of the spiral spring 23 is directly hooked to the wheel 20. The inner end 232 is hooked to the positioning pin 15 of the body 1 0.
At one side of the [0025] wheel 20 corresponding to the spiral spring 23 is installed with a unidirectional bearing 24. The unidirectional bearing 24 is installed with a friction means. In this embodiment, the friction means is a friction wheel 30. An outer periphery of the friction wheel 30 is enclosed by a friction strip 31. The contact between friction strip 31 and the friction wheel 30 is controlled by an adjust device 40. In this embodiment, the adjust device 40 is fixed to the body 10 by a fixing frame 41. The fixing frame 41 is an approximate U shape plate. The fixing frame 41 has a penetrated though hole 411. An approximate rectangular adjust block 42 is installed in the fixing frame 41. The adjust block 42 has a threaded hole 421. The though hole 411 of the fixing frame 41 is passed through by a stud 43. The stud 43 is received in the long groove 105 of the body 10. One end of the stud 43 is installed with a button 431. Another end of the stud 43 has a threaded section 432. The threaded section 432 is screwed to a screw hole 421 of the fixing frame 41. One end of the friction strip 31 is firmly secured to the adjust block 42. By rotating the button 431 to rotate the stud 43, the adjust block 42 may move upwards or downwards in the fixing frame 41. The adjust block 42 resists against the U shape fixing frame 41 so as not to rotate. Therefore, the friction force between the friction strip 31 and the friction wheel 30 is adjusted.
A guide means is installed in the [0026] body 10. In this embodiment, the guide means is two guide wheels 50 which are pivotally installed to the body 10 below the cover 13. One end of the rope 21 wound around the wheel 20 passes through the two guide wheels 50 and then the rope 21 protrudes out of the via hole 131 of the cover 13. Thereby, when the rope 21 is pulled or wound, by the guiding of the two guide wheels 50, the resisting force on the rope 21 is reduced.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, conditions for using two exercise machines at the same time are illustrated. In using, two exercise machines pass through a tying [0027] strip 17 and then the tying strip 17 winds around the waist of a user. Then the back 102 of the body 10 resists against the waist of the user. By the sticky strips 171 at two ends of the tying strip 17, the tying strip 17 is positioned. The user holds the held portions 101 of the ropes 21. When the user applies forces to the ropes 21 to drive the wheels 20 to rotate, the spiral spring 23 will be wound tightly. The wheel 20 will rotate around the shaft 14 and thus the unidirectional bearing rotates so as to drive the friction wheel 30 to rotate. Since the wheel surface of the friction wheel 30 is in contact with the friction strip 31, when user pulls the rope 21, a force is necessary to resist against the friction force between the friction wheel 30 and the friction strip 31. Thereby, the effect of exercising is achieved. Since the body 10 of the present invention is small, and the friction force between the friction wheel 30 and the friction strip 31 is not too large, the present invention is suitable for the rehabilitated patient. Furthermore, the present invention is suitable for general users engaged in gymnastic exercise.
When the user does not apply force, the restoring force of the [0028] spiral spring 23 will drive the rope 21 on the wheel 20 to rewind. In the traveling path of the rope 21, since the unidirectional bearing 24 only rotates unidirectionally, the friction wheel 30 will be driven. The spiral spring 23 only has the function of pulling the rope 21 and thus one with a small twisting force is suitable, which will not cause a burden to the user. When the rope 21 is restored, the user only needs to apply a slight force for resisting against the restoring force of the spiral spring 23. Therefore, no exercise hurt will occur when the rope 21 is pulled back as that induced in the prior art design.
Moreover, the user may adjust the contact between the [0029] friction strip 31 and the friction wheel 30 by the adjust device 40 so as to change the friction force between the friction wheel 30 and the friction strip 31. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in using, the user only needs to rotate the button 431 so that the threaded section 432 of the stud 43 drives the adjust block 42. The adjust block 42 is fixed to the fixing frame 41 to move upwards and downwards so that the adjust block 42 will drive the friction strip 31. Thereby, the tightness of the friction strip 31 contacting the friction wheel 30 is adjusted. The tighter the friction strip 31, the larger the resisting force from the friction between the friction strip 31 and the friction wheel 30. Thereby, the user has a larger exercise effect. If it is desired to reduce the friction resisting force, the above said method is performed along a reverse direction.
In the process of pulling the [0030] rope 21, since the rope 21 passes through the two guide wheel 50 and then protrudes out of the body 10 from the cover 13, and a flange 133 is formed in the via hole 131 of the cover 13, when the rope 21 passes through the cover 13, the rope 21 will not be pulled so as not to be trimmed in the via hole. The gap between two guide wheels 50 only allows the rope 21 to pass through. Therefore, the rope 21 is guided by the two guide wheels so as to reduce the resisting force as the rope 21 moves forwards.
Other than above said exercise way, further referring to Fig. at least one buckling [0031] ring 71 is installed in a tying strip 70. A fixing means 50 of the body 10 is directly connected to the buckling ring 71. The user may hold a held portion 101 of the body 10 so as to move the body 10. Then, the rope 21 moves. Besides, the referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, other than being tied to the waist of a user, the tying strip 70 may tie the thighs or shanks of the user. Referring to FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the body 10 is engaged with the tying strip 17 and then the tying strip 17 is used to tie on shank of the user, while another shank of the user is tied by a tying strip 70 with a buckling ring 71. The fixing means 60 of the body 10 is connected to the buckling ring 71. The user may pull the rope 21 by expanding the legs. With reference to FIG. 12, the user holds the held portion 101 of the body 10 by one hand and holds the handle by another hand so that the pull the rope 21 for exercise.
In summary, in the present invention, a pullable rope is installed in the body. The rope has a proper resisting force. By the tying strip to pass through the ears at two sides of the body and sticky strips at two ends of the tying strip serves to fix the tying strip at a proper portion of the user. Since the volume of the body is small. Other than general exercise, the present invention is also suitable for rehabilitated patients. Moreover, since one side of the body has a held portion to be held by the user directly and the tying strip is installed with at least one buckling ring, by the fixing means of the body is directly connected to the buckling ring of the tying strip, the user may hold the held portion of the body to move the body and then pull the rope. [0032]
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. [0033]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An exercise machine comprising a body, at least one tying strip, and a handle; wherein

one side of the body has a held portion for being held by a user; and one surface of the body has a concave back portion; the body has a receiving space; two sides of the body have respective ears; the receiving space of the body has a rope wheel; one end of a rope is wound around the rope wheel; another end of the rope is installed with a restoring means for driving the rope wheel to receive the pulled rope; a friction means is coaxially installed with the rope wheel; an unidirectional bearing is used to connect the friction means with an axis of the wheel; the friction resisting force of the friction means is controlled by an adjust device; thereby, as the rope is pulled, the friction means will be driven so that the friction means will generate a resisting force;

the tying strip passes through the ears of the body or is tied to a predetermined portion of the user directly; the tying strip has at least one buckling ring and each of two ends of the tying strip has a respective stud sticky strip; and

a fixing ring is connected to the fixing means at an outer side of the rope; thereby, the user can hole it for pulling the rope.

2. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restoring means is a spiral spring having an outer end and an inner end; the outer end of the spiral spring is directly hooked to the rope wheel and the inner end is hooked to a positioning pin of the boy.

3. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing means is a handle for being held by a user.

4. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide means is installed in the body; the guide means is two guide wheels which are pivotally installed to the body below the cover; one end of the rope wind around the wheel passes through the two guide wheels and then the rope protrudes out of the via hole of the cover; thereby, when the rope is pulled or wound, by the guiding of the two guide wheels, the resisting force on the rope is reduced.

5. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction means is a friction wheel and a periphery of the friction wheel is wound by a friction strip; the contact of the friction strip and an the friction wheel is controlled by the adjust device.

6. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the adjust device is fixed to the body by a fixing frame; the fixing frame has a penetrated though hole; an adjust block is installed in the fixing frame; the adjust block has a threaded hole; the though hole of the fixing frame is passed through by a stud; one end of the stud is installed with a button; another end of the stud has a threaded section; the threaded section is screwed to a screw hole of the fixing frame; one end of the friction strip is firmly secured to the adjust block; by rotating the button to rotate the stud, the adjust block moves upwards or downwards in the fixing frame; the adjust block resists against the fixing frame so as not to rotate.