Aerobic climbing step/bench

• US 5,116,044 A
• Filed: 07/24/1991
• Issued: 05/26/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William T. Wilkinson
• Original Assignee: William T. Wilkinson
• Inventors: Wilkinson, William T., Schiff, David R., Schneider, Eric A., Bressler, Peter W., Lincov, Pietr
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US07/735,185
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 297/197, 297/423, 297/424, 297/438, 297/439, 297/445, 297/461, 108/11, 108/12, 108/19, 108/155, 108/156, 108/157, 108/159, 248/188, 248/188.8, 403/3, 211/175, 211/207, 211/208, 272/70, 272/144, 272/DIG. 4
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/20 Chairs or stools with vertically-adjustable seats tables with variable height A47B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/912 Plural, selectively usable, article engaging means

Abstract

An exercise step/bench for aerobic climbing and dance includes a base in the form of a horizontal platform having a downwardly and outwardly extending apron. A leg is reverseably mounted against the apron at each corner of the platform. The reverseable mounting of the legs permits height adjustment in accordance with the orientation of each leg.

Claims

1. An exercise device for use in aerobic step climbing routines/programs comprising a base, said base consisting of a horizontal platform having opposite ends and intermediate sides with a downwardly extending apron extending from each of said ends and sides, a corner where each of said ends is joined to each of said sides, a plurality of spaced legs mounted to said base to support said base at spaced locations, each of said legs being detachably mounted so as to be movable from an active position to a stored condition, each of said legs having corresponding mounting structure on said apron, each of said legs having a central portion terminating in a shoulder, a narrowed extension on each side of said central portion extending outwardly from its respective shoulder, the length of each extension differing from the length of the other extension, and each of said shoulders preventing said leg from being inserted into said mounting structure on said apron past said respective shoulder to selectively reverseably mount said legs to said apron whereby the overall height of said platform may be adjusted in accordance with the selective mounting position of said legs to said apron.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said legs is generally tubularly shaped.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein a tubular pocket is formed at each of said corners of said apron, each of said extensions being selectively snugly received in a respective one of said pockets, and said shoulders limiting the telescoping of its respective extension into said pocket.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein mounting means are provided on the underside of said base to mount said legs to said base completely within the periphery of said apron when said legs are in their stored condition.

5. The device of claim 4 including a second set of legs having generally the same shape as the first set of legs but of differing overall length to provide additional height adjustment for said platform.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said apron is inclined outwardly from said platform.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said device has height adjustability from about 4 inches when no legs are mounted to said apron to 12 inches.

8. An exercise device for use in aerobic step climbing routines/programs comprising a base, said base consisting of a horizontal platform having opposite ends and intermediate sides with a downwardly extending apron extending from said platform, a plurality of spaced legs mounted to said base to support said base at spaced locations, each of said legs being detachably mounted so as to be movable from an active position to a stored condition, said apron having a leg receiving pocket for each of said legs, each of said legs being shaped to be reversably received in its respective one of said pockets, each of said legs terminating in an outer support surface at each end thereof, a first stop means located inwardly of one of said outer surfaces of each of said legs, a second stop means located inwardly of the other of said outer surfaces of each of said legs, each of said stop means being located off-center with respect to the longitudinal center of said leg, each of said stop means being located a different distance from its respective outer surface than the other of said stop means, and each of said stop means controlling the degree of insertion of each of said legs into its respective pocket.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said apron is located at at least said ends of said platform.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said apron extends completely around the periphery of said platform.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein each of said legs is snugly received in its respective pocket.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the height adjustability is in two inch increments.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein said apron is inclined outwardly from said platform.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein each of said legs is inclined outwardly with respect to said platform.

15. The device of claim 8 wherein said platform has four corners where each of said ends is joined to each of said sides, and said legs, support said base at each of said corners.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein each of said stop means is a shoulder.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said corners of said platform are rounded.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said platform has a generally rectangular shape.

19. The device of claim 8 wherein each of said pockets terminates in an upper surface, and one of said stop means maintaining its said outer surface spaced form said upper surface of said pocket when said outer surface is telescoped into said pocket.

20. The device of claim 8 wherein each of said pockets includes a surface which selectively contacts one of said stop means to limit the degree of insertability of said leg into said pocket.

21. The device of claim 8 wherein each of said legs has a height of six inches.