Skiing simulating exercise machine

Abstract

A skiing simulating exercise machine includes a pair of handles attached to a base support for supporting an upper portion of a user, a cushioning member disposed on the base support, and a platform mounted on the cushioning member for supporting the user thereon and for simulating a skiing operation, the cushioning member includes a chamber for forming a tubular element and for increasing a resilience of the cushioning member, the cushioning member includes an outer peripheral recess for increasing a resilience of the cushioning member and for allowing the cushioning member to be suitably deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed by the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine, and more particularly to a skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine including a simplified structure for suitably simulating the skiing operations or exercises and for reducing the manufacturing procedures and the manufacturing cost for the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machines comprise a pair of handles supported on top of a base support, a pair of channels or tracks or rails supported on the lower portion of the base support, and a pair of foot supports or foot pedals slidably engaged with the tracks or rails for being actuated or operated by the user to slide along the tracks or rails and to simulate the skiing operations or exercises.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,194 to Haaheim, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,152 to Lo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,264 to Gordon, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,533 to Feuer et al. disclose several of the typical skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machines each also comprising a pair of foot supports or foot pedals slidably engaged with the tracks or rails for being actuated or operated by the user to slide along the tracks or rails and to simulate the skiing operations or exercises.

However, the sliding engagement of the foot supports or foot pedals with the tracks or rails may include a complicated structure that may not be easily and quickly manufactured and assembled by the workers. In addition, the foot supports or foot pedals are slidably engaged with the tracks or rails, but may not be moved up and down relative to the tracks or rails and the lower base support. However, in the actual skiing operations or exercises, the foot supports or foot pedals may move up and down along or relative to the uneven or convex or concave ground.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,033 to Palmer discloses another typical skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine comprising a pair of foot supports or foot pedals to be actuated or operated or stepped up and down by the user to simulate the skiing operations or exercises.

However, the attachment or the engagement of the foot supports or foot pedals with the lower base support also may include a complicated structure that may not be easily and quickly manufactured and assembled by the workers.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine including a simplified structure for suitably simulating the skiing operations or exercises and for reducing the manufacturing procedures and the manufacturing cost for the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a skiing simulating exercise machine comprising a base support, a pair of handles attached to the base support for supporting an upper portion of a user, a cushioning member disposed on the base support, and a platform mounted on the cushioning member for supporting the user thereon and for simulating a skiing operation.

The cushioning member includes a chamber formed therein for forming a tubular element and for increasing a resilience of the cushioning member.

The cushioning member includes an outer peripheral recess formed therein for increasing a resilience of the cushioning member and for allowing the cushioning member to be suitably deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed by the user.

The platform includes an outer peripheral portion located and extended out of the cushioning member for allowing the cushioning member to be suitably deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed by the user.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine, similar to FIG. 1, in which a portion of the exercise machine has been cut off or removed for showing the inner structure of the exercise machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine, taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6 are perspective views similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the operation of the skiing simulating exercise machine; and

FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10 are plan schematic views illustrating the operation of the skiing simulating exercise machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a lower base support 10 for being stably supported on the ground or the other supporting surfaces, the base support 10 includes a pair of journals or hinges or pivot joints 11 for pivotally or rotatably attaching or mounting or securing a pair of handles 20 respectively and for supporting the upper portion of the user 8. The handles 20 may include a retractable or telescopic structure for engaging with or for supporting the users 8 of different heights or sizes or dimensions, and the retractable or telescopic structure of the handle 20 is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine further includes a soft or resilient or cushioning rubber member 30 disposed or attached or mounted or secured onto the base support 10 with latches, fasteners (not shown) or the like. The cushioning member 30 includes a chamber 31, such as a cylindrical chamber 31 formed therein for forming or defining a peripheral or cylindrical or tubular element 32 and for increasing the softness or the resilience of the cushioning member 30 and for allowing the cushioning member 30 to be suitably deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed, best shown in FIGS. 7-10. It is preferable that the cushioning member 30 further includes an outer peripheral groove or depression or recess 33 formed therein for further increasing the softness or the resilience of the cushioning member 30 and for allowing the cushioning member 30 further to be suitably deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed.

The skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine further includes a foot support or platform 50 disposed or attached or mounted or secured onto the cushioning member 30 with latches, fasteners (not shown) or the like for supporting the user 8 thereon, in which the platform 50 includes a size or area or dimension greater than that of the cushioning member 30 for allowing the outer peripheral portion 51 of the platform 50 to be located or extended out of the cushioning member 30 and for allowing the outer peripheral portion 51 of the platform 50 to be easily depressed or compressed by the user 8, in addition, the cushioning member 30 itself that is made of soft or resilient or cushioning or rubber materials may also be deformed or twisted or squeezed or depressed or compressed for allowing the user 8 to suitably simulate the skiing operations or exercises (FIGS. 5-10).

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 5-10, the user 8 may grasp or hold the handle 20, and may squeeze or depress or compress the cushioning member 30, and may also twist or squeeze or depress or compress or deform the cushioning member 30 with the platform 50 in order to suitably simulate the skiing operations or exercises. It is to be noted that the user 8 may step the central portion and/or the outer peripheral portion 51 of the platform 50 to suitably simulate the skiing operations or exercises, and the user 8 is not required to be moved away from the platform 50 such that the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine is also good for rehabilitation operations or exercises. In addition, the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine includes a simplified structure that may be easily and quickly manufactured and assembled by the workers and that may be manufactured and assembled with the manufacturing procedures and the manufacturing cost.

Accordingly, the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine in accordance with the present invention includes a simplified structure for suitably simulating the skiing operations or exercises and for reducing the manufacturing procedures and the manufacturing cost for the skiing simulating and rehabilitation exercise machine.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A skiing simulating exercise machine comprising:

a base support,

a pair of handles attached to said base support for supporting an upper portion of a user,

a cushioning member disposed on said base support, and

a platform mounted on the cushioning member for supporting the user thereon and for simulating a skiing operation.

2. The skiing simulating exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cushioning member includes a chamber formed therein for forming a tubular element and for increasing a resilience of said cushioning member.

3. The skiing simulating exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cushioning member includes an outer peripheral recess formed therein for increasing a resilience of said cushioning member.

4. The skiing simulating exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platform includes an outer peripheral portion located and extended out of said cushioning member.