US20060240955A1

US20060240955A1 - Foot exercise device having tiltable platform

Info

Publication number: US20060240955A1
Application number: US11/039,234
Authority: US
Inventors: Kwan Pu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-19
Filing date: 2005-01-19
Publication date: 2006-10-26

Abstract

A foot exercise device includes a base having a front handle, a frame attached to a rear portion of the base and having an upper channel two or more lower cavities communicating with the upper channel. A platform includes a number of projections for massaging feet of users, and includes a front portion pivotally coupled to the base, and includes a rear portion having one or more pegs slidable along the upper channel of the frame, and selectively engageable in either of the lower cavities of the frame. The platform is adjustable relative to the base to different inclination when the peg of the platform is adjustably engaged in either of the lower cavities of the frame.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foot exercise device, and more particularly to a foot exercise device having a bottom platform for supporting feet of users and tiltable or adjustable to different inclinations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical foot exercise devices comprise a platform having a number of projections provided thereon, for massaging the feet of the users. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,382 to Worthington discloses one of the typical foot exercise devices comprising a platform that may be vibrated by vibrator coil and armature, for vibrating and massaging the feet of the users. However, the platform may not be adjusted relative to a supporting base to different inclinations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,888 to Stroop discloses an exercise and vibration machine including a series of parallel rollers rotatably attached in a frame, and each of the rollers includes longitudinally extending ridges separated by longitudinal grooves. However, the frame also may not be adjusted relative to a supporting ground to different inclinations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,521 to Yang discloses a foot sole massager also including a number of parallel massaging rods rotatably supported in a machine base that is stationary supported on ground with four stands, and vibratable by motor and eccentric wheel. However, similarly, the machine base also may not be adjusted relative to the stands and the supporting ground to different inclinations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,331 to Chang discloses a massage device having a motor for vibrating and reciprocating a massage pad which includes a number of protrusions extended therefrom for massaging the feet of the users. However, similarly, the massage pad also may not be adjusted relative to the supporting ground or to the base to different inclinations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,150 to Lee discloses a foot massaging exercising apparatus comprising a pair of upright rocker bars, a pair of foot pedals mounted on bearing frames and capable of free swinging movement, and two massaging boards inclined forwardly and rearwardly respectively, and disposed below the foot pedals, and each having a number of massaging bosses extended therefrom, for projecting through holes of the foot pedals. The foot pedals may be rotated or swung relative to the supporting base, but may not be adjusted and retained at different inclinations relative to the supporting ground or to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,690 to Chen discloses a typical massage device for feet, and comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on a base, and selectively lockable to the base, and having a number of massage projections extended therefrom for massaging the feet of the users. However, similarly, the rotary member also may not be adjusted relative to the supporting ground or to the base to different inclinations.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional foot exercise devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foot exercise device including a bottom platform for supporting feet of users and tiltable or adjustable to different inclinations relative to a supporting base.
The other objective of the present invention is to provide a foot exercise device including a structure foldable to a compact folding structure for storing and carrying purposes.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a foot exercise device comprising a base including a front portion for supporting a handle thereon, and including a rear portion, a frame attached to the rear portion of the base, and including an upper channel formed therein, and including a first lower cavity and at least one second lower cavity formed therein, and communicating with the upper channel thereof, and a platform including a plurality of projections extended upwardly therefrom, for engaging with and for massaging feet of users, and including a front portion pivotally coupled to the base, and including a rear portion having at least one peg extended therefrom, and slidable along the upper channel of the frame, and selectively engageable in either of the first and the second lower cavities of the frame. The platform is adjustable relative to the base to different inclination when the peg of the platform is adjustably engaged in either of the first and the second lower cavities of the frame.
The base includes a casing disposed on the front portion thereof, and having a space formed therein and defined between two flaps, each of the flaps includes a slot formed therein, a tube includes a lower portion engageable into the space of the casing, and includes a groove formed in the lower portion thereof, and aligned with the slots of the flaps of the casing, for receiving a fastener which is capable of securing the tube to the casing.
The casing includes a screw hole formed therein and communicating with the space thereof, and a fastener threaded with the screw hole of the casing and engageable with the tube, to solidly secure the tube to the casing. The base includes a rear portion having a bar extended upwardly therefrom, for supporting a user thereon.
The base includes a beam laterally disposed therein, and includes a plate supported on the beam, to support the casing thereon. One or more links may further be provided and pivotally coupled between the platform and the base, to pivotally support the platform on the base.
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 an exploded view of a foot exercise device in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the foot exercise device FIG. 3 is a side view of the foot exercise device FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the foot exercise device;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the foot exercise device; and
FIGS. 8, 9 are side schematic views similar to FIGS. 3 and 6, illustrating the folding operation of the foot exercise device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a foot exercise device in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10 including a casing 11 provided or disposed in a front portion 12 thereof, and having a space 13 formed therein and defined between two flaps 14. Each of the flaps 14 includes a slot 15 formed therein. The casing 11 further includes a screw hole 16 formed therein and communicating with the space 13 thereof, for receiving or threading with a fastener 17.
The base 10 further includes a rear portion 18 having a bar 19 projected or extended upwardly therefrom, for supporting a user thereon (FIG. 7), and for massaging the feet of the user. It is preferable that the base 10 includes a beam 20 laterally disposed in a middle portion 21 thereof, and includes a plate 22 disposed or supported on the front portion 12 of the base 10 and the beam 20, for supporting the casing 11 thereon, and includes one or more, such as two brackets 23 disposed thereon, or on the beam 20.
The base 10 further includes one or more, such as two frames 25 attached or secured to the rear portion 18 thereof, and opposite to each other, and facing toward each other, and each of the frames 25 includes a channel 26 formed in an upper portion thereof, and two or more cavities 27, 28, 29 formed in a lower portion thereof, and communicating with the channel 26 thereof. It is preferable that the cavities 27, 28, 29 of the frames 25 are aligned with each other and facing toward each other.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a tube 30 includes a lower portion 31 engageable into the space 13 of the casing 11, and includes a groove 32 formed in the lower portion 31 thereof, and aligned with the slots 15 of the flaps 14 of the casing 11, for receiving a fastener 33, such as a quick release fastener 33, which may be used to secure the tube 30 to the casing 11. The fastener 17 may further be threaded relative to the casing 11 and engaged with the tube 30, to further solidly secure the tube 30 to the casing 11. The tube 30 includes a bore 34 formed therein, and includes an upper portion 35 for attaching a post 36 thereto which may be used to attach and to support a handle 37 thereon.
The post 36 and thus the handle 37 may be slid and adjusted up and down relative to the tube 30 to different heights or extensions, and may be adjustably secured to the tube 30 with a quick release connector 38, as shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 7, and 9. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the fastener 33 is unlocked, the tube 30 may be pulled upwardly relative to the casing 11, and may be rotated or folded relative to the casing 11 to a compact folding structure when the lower portion 31 of the tube 30 is moved or disengaged from the casing 11.
The foot exercise device further includes a platform 40 having one or more, such as two brackets 41 extended therefrom, such as extended from the middle or front portion 42 thereof, and pivotally coupled to the brackets 23 or the middle portion 21 of the base 10 with one or more links 43. The platform 40 includes a rear portion 44 having one or more, such as two pegs 45 extended therefrom or secured thereto, and slidable along the channels 26 of the frames 25, and selectively engageable in either of the cavities 27, 28, 29 of the frames 25 (FIGS. 3, 6).
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the pegs 45 of the platform 40 are engaged in the rearmost cavities 27 of the frames 25, the platform 40 may be adjusted and supported on the base 10 with a decreased inclination. On the contrary, when the pegs 45 of the platform 40 are engaged in the forward or frontmost cavities 29 of the frames 25, the platform 40 may be adjusted and supported on the base 10 with an increased inclination, such that the platform 40 may be adjusted relative to the base 10 to different inclinations.
The platform 40 preferably includes a number of projections 46 extended upwardly therefrom, for engaging with and for massaging the feet of the users. When the platform 40 is adjusted relative to the base 10 to different inclinations, the users may have to bent their feet upwardly or downwardly according to the inclinations of the platform 40 relative to the base 10, and may thus stretch and exercise their gastrochemius, Achilles tendon, ankle, or other portions.
In addition, the users may also directly stand on the upwardly extended or projected bar 19, to further exercise their tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges, or the like.
Accordingly, the foot exercise device in accordance with the present invention includes a bottom platform for supporting feet of users and tiltable or adjustable to different inclinations relative to a supporting base, and includes a structure foldable to a compact folding structure for storing and carrying purposes.
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 foot exercise device comprising:

a base including a front portion for supporting a handle thereon, and including a rear portion,

a frame attached to said rear portion of said base, and including an upper channel formed therein, and including a first lower cavity and at least one second lower cavity formed therein, and communicating with said upper channel thereof, and

a platform including a plurality of projections extended upwardly therefrom, for engaging with and for massaging feet of users, and including a front portion pivotally coupled to said base, and including a rear portion having at least one peg extended therefrom, and slidable along said upper channel of said frame, and selectively engageable in either of said first and said at least one second lower cavities of said frame,

said platform being adjustable relative to said base to different inclination when said at least one peg of said platform is adjustably engaged in either of said first and said at least one second lower cavities of said frame.

2. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a casing disposed on said front portion thereof, and having a space formed therein and defined between two flaps, each of said flaps includes a slot formed therein, a tube includes a lower portion engageable into said space of said casing, and includes a groove formed in said lower portion thereof, and aligned with said slots of said flaps of said casing, for receiving a fastener which is capable of securing said tube to said casing.

3. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said casing includes a screw hole formed therein and communicating with said space thereof, and a fastener threaded with said screw hole of said casing and engageable with said tube, to solidly secure said tube to said casing.

4. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a rear portion having a bar extended upwardly therefrom, for supporting a user thereon.

5. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a beam laterally disposed therein, and includes a plate supported on said beam, to support said casing thereon.

6. The foot exercise device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one link pivotally coupled between said front portion of said platform and said base, to pivotally support said platform on said base.