Modular suspended floor and step arrangement

• US 6,238,320 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flanagan, Dennis
• Original Assignee: Flanagan, Dennis
• Inventors: Flanagan, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/329,172
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 482/42, 482/71, 482/130, 482/142, 482/41, 601/23, 601/41, 434/247, 434/265
• US Class Current: 482/41
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/22 Dancing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 3/00 Parallel bars or similar apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus combining many modularized options on a single, portable suspended flooring that provides resilient surfaces to minimize compressive body stresses. The inventive design enables a variety of physical training and rehabilitative routines. The apparatus includes a step section that is adjustable in two-inch increments from two to eight inches, a pleiobox section, and a flooring section that provides a portable, stress-absorbing flooring suitable for dance and assorted physical training. Adjustable bars are provided to assist a user during exercise. The bars can be inclined to match the given step incline.

Claims

1. An exercise device for providing a buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed, said exercise device comprising:

a planar surface;

a plurality of frame members secured peripherally around said planar surface, said plurality of frame members includes two lateral-members, two end-members connected between ends of said lateral-members, and four corner-supports located at an inner junction of each said end-member with each said lateral-member, said lateral-members and said end-members together form a substantially rectangular frame;

a plurality of post-supports secured atop said substantially rectangular frame;

a plurality of adjustable-posts, each adjustable-post affixed to one of said post-supports; and

at least one guide rail pivotably attached between two of said adjustable-posts;

wherein said planar surface and said plurality of frame members form a suspended flooring, said suspended flooring being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar surface.

2. The exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said adjustable-post is telescopingly adjustable in a vertical direction so as to enable an incline of said at least one guide rail, each said adjustable-post having multiple index-holes and a means for securing said adjustable-post in multiple vertical positions that each correspond to one of said multiple index-holes.

3. The exercise device as claimed in claim 2, further including a plurality of pins and at least one step, wherein said lateral-members of said frame each include a pin-plate, said pin-plate being embedded in a recessed manner from an underside of each said lateral-members, said pin and said pin-plate both being formed so as to securely but removably attach to one another.

4. The exercise device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each said pin is cylindrical and has one threaded-end, each said pin-plate having a plurality of threaded-holes designed to accept each said threaded-end, each said lateral-member having through-holes that align with said plurality of threaded-holes, and said step having through-holes that are alignable with said through-holes of each said lateral-member.

5. The exercise device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said exercise device includes more than one of said steps, each said step providing a buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and each said step including

a planar step-surface, and

a plurality of step-frame members secured peripherally around said planar step-surface,

wherein said planar step-surface and said plurality of step-frame members form a suspended step-platform, said suspended step-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar step-surface.

6. The exercise device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said exercise device includes a pleiobox, said pleiobox providing a top-most buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and said pleiobox including

a planar top-surface, and

a plurality of pleiobox-frame members secured peripherally around said planar top-surface,

wherein said planar top-surface and said plurality of pleiobox-frame members form a suspended pleiobox-platform, said suspended pleiobox-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar top-surface.

7. The exercise device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each said step is formed in varying thicknesses relative to one another.

8. An exercise device for providing a buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed, said exercise device comprising:

a planar surface formed from a single sheet of flexible material; and

a frame secured peripherally around said planar surface, said frame having a thickness, said frame is a substantially rectangular frame that includes two lateral-members, two end-members connected between ends of said lateral-members, and four corner-supports located at an inner junction of each said end-member with each said lateral-member;

wherein said planar surface and said frame form a suspended flooring that is elevated from any surface underlying said exercise device by a distance equal to said thickness of said frame minus a thickness of said single sheet of flexible material, said suspended flooring being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar surface.

9. The exercise device as claimed in claim 8, further including

at least two post-supports, each post-support mounted atop a corner of said frame,

at least two adjustable-posts, each adjustable-post mounted to one of said post-supports,

at least two fixed-pivot-plates, each fixed-pivot plate mounted to one of said adjustable-posts,

at least one single-pivot-plate,

at least one multi-pivot-plate, and

at least one guide rail, said single-pivot-plate mounted at a first end of said guide rail and said multi-pivot-plate mounted at a second end of said guide rail,

wherein each said single-pivot-plate and said multi-pivot-plate is pivotably attached to one of said fixed-pivot-plates.

10. The exercise device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each said adjustable-post is formed by an upper section and a lower section, said upper section being of a lesser cross-sectional dimension than said lower section such that each said adjustable-post is telescopingly adjustable in a vertical direction so as to enable an incline of said at least one guide rail, each said adjustable-post having multiple index-holes located within said upper section and a single-index-hole located within said lower section such that said single-index-hole and any one of said multiple index-holes are alignable so as to allow passage therethrough of a means for preventing movement of said upper section within said lower section.

11. The exercise device as claimed in claim 10, further including a plurality of pins and at least one step, wherein said lateral-members of said frame each include a pin-plate, said pin-plate being embedded in a recessed manner from an underside of each said lateral-members, said pin being threadingly attachable to said pin-plate.

12. The exercise device as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said lateral-member includes through-holes that align with said plurality of threaded-holes, and said step includes through-holes that align with said through-holes of each said lateral-member.

13. The exercise device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said exercise device includes more than one of said steps, each said step providing a buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and each said step including

a planar step-surface formed from a single sheet of said flexible material that forms said planar surface of said suspended flooring, and

a step-frame secured peripherally around said planar step-surface, said step-frame having a frame thickness,

wherein said planar step-surface and said step-frame form a suspended step-platform, said suspended step-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar step-surface.

14. The exercise device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said exercise device includes a pleiobox, said pleiobox providing a top-most buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and said pleiobox including

a planar top-surface, and

a plurality of pleiobox-frame members secured peripherally around said planar top-surface,

wherein said planar top-surface and said plurality of pleiobox-frame members form a suspended pleiobox-platform, said suspended pleiobox-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar top-surface.

15. The exercise device as claimed in claim 14, wherein each said step-frame is formed in varying frame thickness so as to provide variable height arrangements through stacking of said steps one upon another.

16. An exercise device having modular elements upon which exercise routines are performed, said exercise device comprising:

a suspended flooring having a planar surface formed from a single sheet of flexible material and a frame secured peripherally around said planar surface, said frame having a thickness, wherein said planar surface is elevated from any surface underlying said exercise device and said suspended flooring is resilient when a force is placed upon said planar surface;

more than one step, each said step providing a buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and each said step having a planar step-surface formed from a single sheet of said flexible material that forms said planar surface of said suspended flooring and a step-frame secured peripherally around said planar step-surface, said step-frame having a frame thickness, wherein said planar step-surface and said step-frame form a suspended step-platform, said suspended step-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar step-surface; and

a pleiobox, said pleiobox providing a top-most buoyant surface upon which exercise routines are performed and said pleiobox has a planar top-surface and a plurality of pleiobox-frame members secured peripherally around said planar top-surface, wherein said planar top-surface and said plurality of pleiobox-frame members form a suspended pleiobox-platform, said suspended pleiobox-platform being resilient when a force is placed upon said planar top-surface;

wherein said pleiobox abuts said steps and said pleiobox together with said steps are alignable atop said suspended flooring.