WO2003024539A1

WO2003024539A1 - Leg exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2003024539A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/001695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dai Jin Chung
Original assignee: Dai Jin Chung
Priority date: 2001-09-15
Filing date: 2002-09-09
Publication date: 2003-03-27
Also published as: CN2741605Y; JP3122597U; KR200267994Y1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a leg exercise apparatus, which makes leg exercise easy without impact or pressure applied to leg joints by repeating leg stretching and pulling motions in a sitting or lying position. This leg exercise apparatus comprises a footwear 1 for inserting the foot of the user; a frame 2 which is attached to the sole of the footwear 1 and in which a shaft 5 is installed in transverse penetration; wheels 3 which are assembled to the shaft 5 protruded on both sides of the frame 2 and fitted rotatably by a fastening means such as a bolt 6 so as to prevent come-off; and, weights 4 mount on the shaft 5 between both sides of the frame and wheels.

Description

LEG EXERCISE APPARATUS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a leg exercise apparatus, and more specifically to a leg exercise apparatus, which makes leg exercise easy without impact or pressure applied to leg joints by repeating leg stretching and pulling motions in a sitting or lying position.

Background of the Invention

Health is more important than anything else for man, and to keep one's health, one has to take moderate exercise steadily. Moderate exercise strengthens your muscles and joints, keeps you physically fit, and makes you feel good. Also exercise is one of the efficient means of dieting and is known to have an effect of facilitating the growth of young boys and girls.

There are many kinds in exercise, but especially the leg exercise can be said to be an exercise basic to all exercises. Representative leg exercises include walking, jogging, rope jumping and mountain climbing.

But most of these exercises are done outdoors, so it is difficult to exercise when weather is not good. Also, when you set your feet on ground, you give impact to your feet, and when you exercise too much, it could cause arthritis or hurt your muscles. And, since you do most of these exercises while you are standing with your body weight sustained by your legs, much load is on your feet and blood gathers in your feet, which are fatigued easily.

Meanwhile, the apparatuses with which you can do leg exercise indoors include the running machine, indoor bicycle, and various fitness apparatuses. But a disadvantage of these apparatuses is that they also can make the load concentrated on and the impact applied to your feet, and make pressure applied to and blood gathered in your feet. Another disadvantage of most of these indoor exercise apparatuses is that since they are expensive and take a lot of space for installation, they reduce available indoor space. As an exercise that gives relatively less impact or pressure to your legs, there is swimming. But it is a nuisance that you have to go to a swimming pool and it is a disadvantage that it is burdensome in terms of time and money.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a leg exercise apparatus whereby it is easy to do exercises of stretching and pulling the legs in a sitting or lying position, a continuous leg exercise is possible without a feeling of fatigue as it does not give impact or pressure especially to the legs, and leg exercise is possible anytime with ease as it is handy, portable and economical.

In accordance with the present invention a leg exercise apparatus comprises a footwear for inserting the foot of the user; a frame which is attached to the sole of the footwear and in which a shaft is installed in transverse penetration; wheels which are assembled to the shaft protruded on both sides of the frame and fitted rotatably by a fastening means such as a bolt so as to prevent come-off; and, weights mount on the shaft between both sides of said frame and wheels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a leg exercise apparatus according an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the leg exercise apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the leg exercise apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the leg exercise apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the assembly and disassembly of the leg exercise apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the leg exercise apparatus comprises a footwear 1, a frame 2 attached to the sole of the footwear 1, and wheels 3 fitted rotatably on both sides of the frame 2 so as to move the footwear 1 smoothly back and forth by the force of man's pushing and pulling his feet. Also, by making it possible to install weights 4 suitable to the body weight or age of the user between both sides of the frame 2 and the wheels 3, the momentum can be adjusted to suit the condition of the user.

The footwear 1 is made in such a structure that it does not come off when this exercise apparatus is pushed or pulled by the foot on the floor in a sitting or lying condition with the leg exercise apparatus of the present invention worn on the foot. Namely, during the exercise with the footwear 1 on, if the exercise apparatus is pushed by the foot on the ground, the exercise apparatus starts to be pushed while the wheels 3 is rotating with the sole in almost parallel with the ground; if it is pulled by the foot, it starts to be pulled by the top of the foot with the sole stood on end on the ground. At this time, in order for the footwear 1 not to come off when the foot is pulled, it is preferable that the footwear 1 is of such a structure that the footwear 1 tightly supports at least the heel and the top of the foot or tightly supports the ankle. The footwear 1 of such a structure includes sneakers, shoes, and boots.

It is possible also with a sandal structure as illustrated, but in the case of making the footwear 1 in a sandal form, it should have such a structure that the ankle is tightly supported and it is easy to put on and take off the footwear. For this purpose, a plurality of bands la and lb are fixed to the footwear 1. Of these, the rear band lb is preferably of such a structure that fastening and unfastening are possible by using Nelcro™ fastener, which is fitted to an ordinary sandal. As shown in Fig. 2, on both sides of the frame 2 supporting the footwear 1 are the wheel 3 that enable the footwear 1 to move back and forth. For this purpose, a shaft hole 3a is formed on the frame 2, and through this shaft hole 3 a is installed a shaft 5. At both ends of the shaft are formed female screws 5a. To these female screws 5a are fitted male screws 6a to prevent the weight 4 and the wheel 3 from coming off. In the center of the weight 4 and the wheel 3 are formed through holes 4a and 5 a respectively. To prevent the wheel 3 and weight 4 from coming off, a pin may be used instead of a bolt 6.

The following 2 methods can be used during assembly to fit the wheel 3 rotatably on the shaft 5 for the frame 2. hi the first method, make a tight fit between the shaft 5 and the shaft hole 2a of the frame 2 and make a movable fit between the shaft 5 and the through hole 3 a of the wheel 3 to make the wheel 3 rotate around the shaft 5 that is fixed to the frame 2. h the second method, make a movable fit between the shaft 5 and the shaft hole 2a of the frame 2 and make a tight fit between the shaft 5 and the through hole 3 a of the wheel 3, and install the shaft 5 rotatably on the shaft hole 2a of the frame, while the rotation of the wheel 3 in the circumference direction of the shaft 5 restrained, to make the wheel 3 and the shaft 5 rotate in one unit. In the second method, form keyholes in the outer circumference surface of the shaft 5 and in the inner circumference surface of the wheel 3 and insert a key into these keyholes to restrain the rotation in the circumference direction of the wheel 3 on the shaft 5.

During exercise, there is a concern that the effect of exercise could be reduced due to the friction generated when the rear part of the footwear 2 or the heel of the foot touches the ground. To prevent this, the wheel 3 should be so fitted as not to touch the ground even when the footwear 2 is moved while it is stood on end close to a right angle. Therefore, the wheel 3 should have a sufficiently great diameter so that the heel of the footwear 1 or the heel of the foot does not touch the ground while the footwear 1 is stood on end at a right angle.

The fitting positions of the wheel on the frame 2 can be various including the center of the sole or the heel of the footwear 1, but a good position would be the one where it is easy to apply force when pushing this exercise apparatus by foot, so it is preferable to fit it on the rear sole of the footwear 1 as illustrated. Meanwhile, exercise can be fun or the effect can be increased by changing the position of the shaft hole 3 a formed in the center of the wheel 3. Namely, although it is not illustrated, if the through hole is formed eccentrically from the center of the wheel 3, an eccentric motion is possible for the wheel 3 to make the height between the ground and the footwear 1 change to the effect that the wheel 3 is rolling like on an uneven surface. It is preferable to make the outside of the wheel 3 with an elastic material such as rubber or urethane to absorb the impact generated when the wheel 3 is rolling on the ground. Also, although it is not illustrated, it is possible to reduce the noise generated during rotation and make the wheel 3 rotate smoothly by inserting bearings, for example, into the center of the wheel 3, like an ordinary inline skate. The weight 4 is to adjust the momentum to suit the age and build of the user and is made of a heavy material such as metal. If the weight 4 is heavy, a large force is applied to the foot and the momentum increases; if the weight 4 is light, the wheel 3 can be moved even with a small force, so the force applied to the foot decreases and the momentum decreases accordingly. To minimize the momentum, the weight may not be set up or mount only on one of the left and right sides of the frame. For this purpose, it is preferable to make the weight 4 in a structure where it is possible to put on or take off the weight like a barbell. Depending on the circumstances, it could be made in such a structure that makes the exchange of the weight 4 easy by changing the mutual position of the wheel 3 and weight 4 on the shaft 5 (namely, by placing the weight 4 on the outer side of the wheel 3). And, the weight 4 may be fixed separately from the wheel 3 by using another position of the frame 2 or another shaft, but considering the increased effect and exchangeability of the load applied to the wheel 3, it is preferable to fit on the same shaft as illustrated. Also, by forming the wheel 3 and the weight 4 in one unit, it is possible to simplify the structure and shorten the exchange time. As for the weight 4, it is possible to put on one of different weights such as 1 kg, 2 kg, 3 kg, or 5 kg, or many of 1 kg weight to suit the desired weight. But in any case, it should be fitted on the frame 2 so as for the weight 4 not to touch the ground. Therefore, if the weight 4 is mount on the same shaft as that of the wheel 3, the diameter of the weight 4 should be less than that of the wheel 3. Below will be described how to exercise using an exercise apparatus of such a structure.

First, put the foot in the footwear 1 and adjust the band lb to fix the foot so as not to move in a proper feeling of wear. Next, when you stretch or pull your foot in a sitting or lying position, the wheel 3 rotates and the foot together with the footwear 1 repeat the back and forth motion. At this time, you can alternate your feet, pulling one foot and stretching the other as if you were jogging, or you can stretch or pull your two feet at the same time. While the user repeats this motion, he exercises pushing and pulling the weight as much as the weight of his own feet plus the weight of the exercise apparatus, and giving force to his legs and feet. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the leg exercise apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The parts of the same structure as described in Figs. 1 and 2 are marked by the numbers added by 10 and the redundant description of the same part is omitted. hi this embodiment, the structure is the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the footwear 11 and frame 12 are composed in one unit. By composing the footwear 11 and frame 12 in one unit like this, the number of parts can be reduced and the process of attaching the frame 12 to the sole of the footwear 11 is omitted to shorten the assembly time. During assembly, insert and fix the shaft 15 into the shaft hole 12a of the frame 12, and insert the weight 14 and wheel 13 on the shaft 15 protruded out of both sides of the frame 12, and then fasten the bolt 16 to the female screw 15a of the shaft 15.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the leg exercise apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The parts of the same structure as described in Figs. 1 and 2 are marked by the numbers added by 20 and the redundant description of the same part is omitted. In this embodiment, the structure is the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the frame 22 and shaft 25 are composed in one unit. By composing the shaft 25 and frame 22 in one unit like this, the number of parts can be reduced and the process of inserting the shaft 25 for the frame 22 is omitted to shorten the assembly time. Also, the rotation of the shaft relative to the frame 22 is restrained fundamentally to prolong the life of the shaft 25. During assembly, insert the weight 24 and wheel 23 on the shaft 25 protruded out of both sides of the frame 22, and fasten the bolt 26 to the female screw 25a of the shaft 25.

And, though not shown in drawings, the frame and the weights may be formed in one unit.

Further, though not shown in drawings, the frame, the shoe and the weights may be formed in one unit. By the leg exercise apparatus of the present invention as described above, it is possible to do leg exercise in a sitting or lying position, so leg exercise is possible with almost no impact or pressure applied to the legs and gathering of blood in the leg can be prevented. Moreover, the load can be suitably added or subtracted through the exchange of the weights so that the momentum can be adjusted to suit the user's physical strength or ability. The area taken indoors is small so that it is advantageous in terms of space utilization. And, since it is small-sized, it is easy to carry and possible to exercise anyplace; since it is possible to purchase at a lower price, it is advantageous also in terms of economy. Also, if you attach the weights suitably and stretch your legs at fast speed, the weights pull the legs by inertia immediately after the legs are fully stretched. By making use of this principle, it should be effective for the person who has to keep standing for a long time to relax the legs that were compressed by the body weight, and also for the growth of the legs of the children, boys and girls who are in the growth phase. And if you attach the weights only to the outside of the foot and stretch the leg at fast speed, the outside part of the leg is pulled at a stronger force by the inertia of the weights; if you attach the weights only to the inside of the foot, the inside part of the leg is pulled at a stronger force. By making use of tins, it is expected to be effective also in straightening the leg bent inward or outward. Thus, the present invention, with which one can do leg exercise with ease irrespective of the place, is a useful invention having a wide scope of application.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. A leg exercise apparatus comprising: a footwear for inserting the foot of the user; a frame which is attached to the sole of said footwear and in which a shaft is installed in transverse penetration; wheels wliich are assembled to the shaft protruded on both sides of said frame and fitted rotatably by a fastening means such as a bolt so as to prevent come-off; and, weights mount on said shaft between both sides of said frame and wheels.

2. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the said weights are characterized by being mount on the same shaft as that of the wheel.

3. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said weights are characterized by being mount on removably from the shaft.

4. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of bands are fixed on the sole of said footwear.

5. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein said frame is formed in one unit with the sole of said shoe.

6. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein said shaft is formed in one unit on both sides of said frame.

7. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said wheels and said weights are formed in one unit.

8. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame and said weights are formed in one unit.

9. The leg exercise apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein said frame, said shoe and said weights are formed in one unit.