BALANCE TRAINING DEVICE

• US 20110098164A1
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chih-Hao Chang
• Original Assignee: Chih-Hao Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Chih-Hao
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/146
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 4/00 Balance beams

Abstract

A balance training device includes at least one supporting base and at least one plank member. The supporting base includes a plank connecting portion formed with a plank coupling groove that opens upwardly. The plank coupling groove includes a first groove section and a second groove section that intersects the first groove section. The plank member includes a plate portion and a rib structure disposed on a bottom face of the plate portion. The rib structure removably engages the plank coupling groove of the supporting base. The rib structure includes a first rib part to engage the first groove section and a second rib part to engage the second groove section.

Claims

1. A balance training device comprising:

at least one supporting base having a plank connecting portion formed with a plank coupling groove that opens upwardly, said plank coupling groove including a first groove section and a second groove section that intersects said first groove section; and

at least one plank member having a plate portion and a rib structure disposed on a bottom face of said plate portion, said rib structure removably engaging said plank coupling groove and including a first rib part to engage said first groove section and a second rib part to engage said second groove section.

2. The balance training device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plank connecting portion of said supporting base is formed with a plurality of projecting parts arranged in a two-dimensional array that includes a plurality of rows and columns, said first groove section being defined by said projecting parts in an adjacent pair of said columns, said second groove section being defined by said projecting parts in an adjacent pair of said rows.

3. The balance training device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rib structure includes parallel first ribs that serve as said first rib part and parallel second ribs that serve as said second rib part, said first ribs cooperating with said second ribs to form a grid that defines a plurality of grid spaces to receive removably said projecting parts.

4. The balance training device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plate portion of said plank member has a pair of longitudinal edges connected respectively to an endmost pair of said second ribs, and a pair of transverse edges connected respectively to an endmost pair of said first ribs.

5. The balance training device as claimed in claim 4, comprising a pair of said plank members, said first groove section being configured to receive an endmost one of said first ribs of each of said plank members simultaneously.

6. The balance training device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said projecting parts has an inclined inner surface that confronts said first groove section, said inclined inner surfaces of said projecting parts configuring said first groove section to diverge upwardly.

7. The balance training device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first groove section is a substantially V-shaped groove section having a largest width greater than twice a thickness of said rib structure.

8. The balance training device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a hoop, said supporting base further having a lower base portion connected to said plank connecting portion, said lower base portion having a lateral side formed with a hoop engaging groove to engage removably a part of said hoop.

9. The balance training device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of said supporting bases, each of said supporting bases further having a lower base portion connected to said plank connecting portion, said lower base portion having a first lateral side formed with a first coupling element, and a second lateral side formed with a second coupling element that complements said first coupling element such that said supporting bases are coupled removably together and are pivotable relative to each other through engagement between said first coupling element of one of said supporting bases and said second coupling element of the other one of said supporting bases.

10. The balance training device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first coupling element is a vertically extending female coupling element, and said second coupling element is a vertically extending male coupling element.

11. The balance training device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a hoop, said first lateral side of said lower base portion of each of said supporting bases being further formed with a hoop engaging groove to engage removably and selectively a part of said hoop.

12. The balance training device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of said supporting bases, said balance training device further comprising a coupling base for coupling removably one of said supporting bases to a top side of said plate portion of said plank member.

13. The balance training device as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said supporting bases has a hollow lower base portion connected to said plank connecting portion, said lower base portion having a surrounding wall and a cross-plate disposed to extend in said surrounding wall;

said coupling base including a base plate to be disposed on top of said plate portion of said plank member, a plate clamping portion extending upwardly from said base plate and extendible into said surrounding wall to clamp removably said cross-plate, and a coupling post extending downwardly from said base plate;

said plate portion of said plank member being formed with a post hole for engaging said coupling post.

14. The balance training device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said cross-plate has at least one surface formed with a protrusion, and said plate clamping portion includes a pair of clamping plates, at least one of said clamping plates having an inner plate surface formed with a recess to engage said protrusion.