Exerciser with two rotating axles

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly to an exerciser with two rotating axles for realistic simulation of wave surfing and having a simplified structure.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Indoor exercisers are widely used due to convenience of using these exercisers. A conventional indoor exerciser, such as a treadmill or a stepping exerciser, substantially comprises a transmission device composed of mechanical elements or levers to realistic simulate sport. However, the conventional indoor exerciser has a complex structure and takes a large space for using, storing or transporting, so the conventional indoor exerciser is not convenient in manufacturing and use.

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an exerciser to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0006] The main objective of the invention is to provide an exerciser for realistic simulation of wave surfing and having a simplified structure. The exerciser has a base, a supporting board and a driving device mounted between the base and the supporting board and driving the center of the supporting board to move along a three dimensional 8-shaped track.

[0007] 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 drawings.

[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, an exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a base (10), a driving device (20), a supporting board (30) and a control device (40).

[0020] The base (10) comprises a central frame (12), two lateral legs (11), two posts (13), an axle mount (14) and a handle (16). The central frame (12) has two ends. The lateral legs (11) are attached respectively to the ends of the central frame (12). The posts (13) are mounted on and extend upward from the central frame (12). The axle mount (14) is mounted between the posts (13), is inverse V-shaped and has two inclined wings. The handle (16) is attached between and extends upward from the lateral legs (11) to allow a user to grip the handle (16).

[0021] The driving device (20) is mounted on the base (10) and has two rotating axles (21A,21B), two driven gears (22), two shaking arms (23), two swinging shafts (24) and two lateral arms (25A,25B). The rotating axles (21A,21B) are rotatably and respectively mounted on and extend through the inclined wings of the axle mount (14) with bearings (241). The rotating axles (21A,21B) have an angle between the rotating axles (21A,21B) to make the rotating axles (21A,21B) to form a V-shaped arrangement on the base (10). In an alternative embodiment, with reference to FIG. 11, the rotating axles (21A,21B) have an angle between the rotating axles (21A,21B) to make the rotating axles (21A,21B) to form an inverse V-shaped arrangement on the base (10). In addition, the bottoms of the rotating axles (21A,21B) abut with the central frame (12) of the base (10).

[0022] The driven gears (22) are mounted respectively on the rotating axles (21A,21B) and are engaged with each other to make the rotating axles (21A,21B) rotating synchronously but in opposite directions. To drive the rotating axles (21A,21B) to rotate, a manual driving mechanism or an electrical driving mechanism is provided on the base (10). The electrical driving mechanism comprises a motor (27), a driving gear (271) and a transmitting gear (26). The motor (27) is securely attached to the base (10) and having a driving spindle. The driving gear (271) is coaxially mounted on the driving spindle of the motor (27). The transmitting gear (26) mounted on one of the rotating axles (21B) and engages with the driving gear (271). When the motor (27) is switched on, the rotating axles (21A,21B) will synchronously rotate in opposite directions with the transmission of the driving gear (271), the transmitting gear (26) and the driven gear (22).

[0023] The shaking arms (23) are securely and respectively attached to and extend from the rotating axles (21A,21B). Each shaking arm (23) is securely attached to and extends from a corresponding rotating axle (21A,21B) at a perpendicular angle. Each shaking arm (23) has a sleeve (231) securely attached to one end of the shaking arm (23) at an angle relative to a corresponding rotating axle (21A,21B).

[0024] The swinging shafts (24) are rotatably and respectively mounted in the sleeves (231) on the shaking arms (23).

[0025] The lateral arms (25A,25B) including a first lateral arm (25A) and a second lateral arm (25B) are respectively mounted on and laterally extend from the swinging shafts (24). The second lateral arm (25B) has two rollers (252) mounted respectively on two ends of the second lateral arm (25B).

[0026] The supporting board (30) is pivotally connected to the first lateral arm (25A) and is slidably connected to the second lateral arm (25B) to support a user. The supporting board (30) has a body (31) with a bottom, two rods (32) and two rails (33). The rods (32) are securely mounted on the bottom of the body (31) and are parallel to each other. Each rod (32) has a pivotal hole (321) defined through the rod (32) and aligning with each other and an inner side facing to each other. The first lateral arm (25A) has two ends aligning respectively with the pivotal holes (321) in the rods (32), and two pivots (251) extend respectively through the pivotal holes (321) and are screwed respectively into two ends of the first lateral arm (25A) to pivotally connect the first lateral arm (25A) to the supporting board (30). The rails (33) are securely attached respectively to the inner sides of the rods (32) and each have a channel (331), and the rollers (252) on the second lateral arm (25B) are rotatably attached to the rails (33) and held inside the channels (331), respectively.

[0027] The control device (40) is electrically connected to the driving device (20) and comprises a mounting plate (15), a circuit board (41) and a control meter (43). The mounting plate (15) is mounted between the posts (13). The circuit board (41) is attached to the mounting plate (15), is electrically connected to the motor (21) with wires (42) and has a circuit and multiple electric components mounted on the circuit board (41). The control meter (43) is attached to the handle (16) and is electrically connected to the circuit board (41). Accordingly, the user can control the rotation speed of spindle of the motor (27), operation period of the exerciser or to switch on or off the exerciser through the control meter (43) on the handle (16).

[0028] In such an arrangement, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 to 8, when the motor (27) is switched on, the rotating axles (21A,21B) will be rotated with the transmission of the rotating spindle, the driving gear (271), the transmitting gear (26) and the driven gears (21A,21B). The shaking arms (23) will be rotated with the rotating axles (21A,21B). With the pivotal connection and slidable connection between the supporting board (30) and the lateral arms (25A,25B) and the V-shaped arrangement of the rotating axles (21A,21B), the supporting board (30) can be swung, rotated, lifted and inclined at various angles to move the center of the supporting board (30) along an 8-shaped track with the transmission of the swinging shafts (24) and the lateral arms (25A,25B). Wherein, the 8-shaped track of the center of the supporting board (30) is three-dimensional 8-shaped track, that means that the track is 8-shaped both from a top and a side views as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8.

[0029] Accordingly, the exerciser can provide a realistic simulation for wave surfing, so that a training effect to muscles of hands, legs, waist of the user is provided. In addition, to stand on the swinging supporting board (30) in stable, a balancing training effect is also provided. With such an exerciser, the structure of the exerciser is simplified, and the cost for manufacturing the exerciser is lowered. In addition, the exerciser takes a small space for storing and using, to use or to transport the exerciser is convenient.

[0030] With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, in a second embodiment, the axle mount (14) further has two supporting plates (141) mounted respectively to the inclined wings and respectively around the bearings (241). Each shaking arm (23) has a bottom provided with a supporting wheel (232) abutting with a corresponding supporting plate (141) on the axle mount (14). With the abutment between the supporting wheels (232) and the supporting plates (141), an auxiliary supporting effect is provided to the shaking arms (23) to reduce shearing stress applied to the rotating axles (21A,21B) and the shaking arms (23). Accordingly, deformation of the rotating axles (21A,21B) is prevented.

[0031] 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.