Balance assembly of an exercise auxiliary system

Abstract

A balance assembly adapted for an exercise auxiliary system includes a base, a supporting seat pivotally engaged with the base, multiple springs sandwiched between the supporting seat and the base to support the base and a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting seat via wheels mounted on opposite sides of the supporting seat. The base has two phases, a pre-movement phase and an in-movement phase. In the pre-movement phase, the base is still resulted from supporting force from the springs and in the in-movement phase, the base rocks.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a balance assembly, and more particularly to a balance assembly adapted to be attached to an exercise auxiliary system so that the operator of the exercise auxiliary system is able to simultaneously work on the muscles and improve his/her balance ability.

2. Description of the Prior Art

An exercise system normally is aimed to work on the user's muscles of different parts so that the user is able to have better shape and enhanced endurance to load added to the user. A different exercise is Yoga or Pilate, which exercises not only the user's body extension (stretching) capability, but also the user's concentration in the spiritual level.

However, no matter what the currently available exercise systems or the auxiliary exercise systems are aimed for, they are all provided to work on the body muscles, endurance or stretching capabilities. Therefore, after a period of time repeatedly using the same exercise utility, the user's body shape may deform in that only a portion of the body muscle is worked on, which increases the muscle endurance and strength in that particular portion. Other body muscles lacking exercise will become weaker and weaker. As a result, the user has to constantly change his/her exercise machines to accomplish the purpose of maintaining great body shape. Nevertheless, no exercise system is able to simultaneously work on the body and practice the user's balance. Because balancing is crucial in all kinds of exercises and it requires full body coordination, it is necessary to practice balancing technique in all opportunities available.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved balance assembly to mitigate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved balance assembly to work on the user's balancing technique as well as the full body coordination.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned objective, the balance assembly of the present invention includes an elongated base, a supporting seat underneath and pivotally connected to the base and a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting seat. Multiple springs are provided between the base and the supporting seat. The supporting seat has multiple wheels respectively and rotatably received in tracks formed in the fixed seat such that when the supporting seat as well as the elongated seat is slidable relative to the fixed seat via the relationship between the wheels and the tracks, the springs provide a supporting force to the user's body weight.

Another objective of the present invention is that multiple threaded rods are securely mounted on the supporting seat and each threaded rod has a sleeve threadingly connected to the threaded rod such that threadingly extending the sleeves allows the sleeves to support the elongated base thus movement of the elongated base resulted from the springs is stopped.

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side plan view showing the structural relationship of parts of the balance assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an operational side plan view showing that the threaded rods are threadingly extended to abut a bottom face of the elongated base so as to support the elongated base;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side plan view showing that the balance assembly of the present invention is adapted to an exercise auxiliary system; and

FIG. 4 is an operational view showing the movement of the balance assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, it is noted that the balance assembly in accordance with the present invention includes an elongated base (10), a supporting seat (20) and a fixed seat (30).

The elongated base (10) is provided for a purpose on which the user is able to kneel down, sit on or lie down for operation of whatever the balance assembly is attached to. Detailed description of the attachment of the balance assembly to an exercise auxiliary system will be described later. The elongated base (10) has an extension (11) formed on a bottom face of the elongated base (10).

The supporting seat (20) has a triangular connecting block (21) formed on a top face of the supporting seat (20) to correspond to the extension (11) of the elongated seat (10). A securing element, such as a pin (A), is able to extend through the extension (11) and the connecting block (21) to pivotally engage the supporting seat to the elongated seat (10).

Multiple securing devices (40) are formed on opposite sides of the top face of the supporting seat (20) and each securing device includes a sleeve (41) movably mounted on the top face of the supporting seat (20), a path (410) defined through both ends of the sleeve (41) and a threaded rod (411) having a proximal end securely affixed onto the top face of the supporting seat (20) and a distal end to threadingly extend into the path (410) of the sleeve (41). In addition, multiple springs (42) are also provided at the opposite sides on the top face of the supporting seat (20) and each spring (42) is provided with a pad (43) on a free end of the spring (42) to abut a bottom face of the elongated base (10). The supporting seat (20) has a substantially U-shaped cross section so that multiple wheels (44) are rotatably mounted on two opposite sides of the supporting seat (20).

The fixed seat (30) is aimed at standing on a surface, i.e. ground surface, such that there are multiple legs (31) extending from a bottom face of the fixed seat (30) and each legs (31) has a lug (32) extending outward therefrom so that when the fixed seat (30) is situated on a soft surface, the lugs (32) are able to penetrate the soft surface to firmly stand the entire fixed seat (30). Furthermore, a track (33) formed by stamping is formed on opposite sides of the fixed seat (30) so as to rotatably receive therein the wheels (44) of the securing devices (40).

As depicted by FIG. 1, it is noted that normally the elongated base (10) is supported by the springs (42) via the pads (43). However, if the user decides not to use the springs (42) as a supporting means, the user may threadingly extend the sleeves (41) to use distal ends of each of the sleeves (41) to abut the bottom face of the elongated base (10) and the elongated seat (10) is rigid and immovable, as shown in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is noted that when the balance assembly is adapted to an exercise auxiliary system, such as a Pilates auxiliary system, and the elongated base (10) is supported by the springs (42), a user lying (with his face down or up), kneeling down or sitting on the elongated seat (10) with his feet rested on the feet rest (not numbered) is able to use the wheels (44) to move on the fixed seat (30). While the user is moving on the fixed seat (30), due to the supporting force from the springs (42), the elongated seat (10) rocks. In order to continuously work or practice the auxiliary system, the user has to maintain his balance on top of the elongated seat (10), which requires full body strength to maintain steady on the elongated seat (10). Thus, simultaneously, the user is able to work on his muscles of a particular body part and his balance skills.

It is to be understood, however, that 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.

Claims

1. A balance assembly adapted for an exercise auxiliary system, the balance assembly comprising:

a base;

a supporting seat pivotally engaged with the base;

multiple springs sandwiched between the supporting seat and the base to support the base such that the base has two phases, a pre-movement phase and an in-movement phase, wherein in the pre-movement phase, the base is still resulted from supporting force from the springs, in the in-movement phase, the base rocks; and

a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting seat via wheels mounted on opposite sides of the supporting seat.

2. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the springs has a pad formed on an end thereof so that the springs are connected to a bottom face of the base via the pads.

3. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base has an extension formed on the bottom face of the base and the supporting seat has a connecting block formed on a top face of the supporting seat to correspond to the extension of the base so that a pin is able to extend through the extension and the connecting block to complete the pivotal engagement between the base and the supporting seat.

4. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of a top face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base relative to the supporting seat.

5. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 2 further comprising multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of a top face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base relative to the supporting seat.

6. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 3 further comprising multiple securing devices mounted on two opposite sides of the top face of the supporting seat to selectively immobilize the base relative to the supporting seat.

7. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each securing device includes a threaded rod securely mounted on a top face of the supporting seat and a sleeve movably connected to the threaded rod and having a path to threadingly receive therein the threaded rod such that the sleeve is able to be threadingly extended relative to the threaded rod to abut the bottom face of the base so as to immobilize the base.

8. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each securing device includes a threaded rod securely mounted on a top face of the supporting seat and a sleeve movably connected to the threaded rod and having a path to threadingly receive therein the threaded rod such that the sleeve is able to be threadingly extended relative to the threaded rod to abut the bottom face of the base so as to immobilize the base.

9. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fixed seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.

10. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fixed seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.

11. The balance assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fixed seat has a track formed on two opposite sides of the fixed seat to rotatably receive therein the wheels of the supporting seat.