Foot retaining device for inversion exerciser

• US 7,081,073 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roger C. Teeter
• Original Assignee: Roger C. Teeter
• Inventors: Smith, Lawerence C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US11/005,899
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 482143-145, 128 69- 74, 561/0, 561/3, 601/23, 601/27
• US Class Current: 482/145
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0218 Drawing-out devices suspension devices for supporting the patient in upright walking or standing position A61H3/008; orthopedic devices for non-surgical treatment A61F5/01; stretching fractured limbs A61F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0493 by hanging the patient upside down or inclined downwardly

Abstract

An inversion exerciser includes a foot retaining device having a beam attached to a base to secure feet of user to the base, and having two fixed foot supports, a housing secured to the beam, a curved rack secured in the housing and having a number of teeth. A lever has one end rotatably attached to the housing and includes two movable foot supports movable toward and away from the fixed foot supports of the beam. A pawl is pivotally secured in the lever, and rotatable to engage with the teeth of the rack, and to selectively lock the lever to the beam, and a controlling device may control the pawl to engage with and to be disengaged from the teeth of the rack. A safety lock device is pivotally secured in the lever, and includes a tongue to selectively engage with the teeth of the rack and to selectively lock the lever to the beam by gravity force.

Claims

1. A tilting inversion exerciser comprising:

a base rotatably attached to a stand to support a user thereon, and being able to rotate at least 180 degrees to allow users to conduct inversion or suspension, or to allow users to straighten the spinal column,

a foot retaining device attached to said base, to secure feet of the user to said base,

said foot retaining device including a beam secured to said base, and having two fixed foot supports attached to said beam, a housing secured to said beam and a curved rack secured in said housing and having a plurality of teeth provided thereon,

a lever including a first end rotatably attached to said housing of said beam with a pivot shaft, said lever including two movable foot supports attached thereto, and movable toward and away from said fixed foot supports of said beam by said lever for retaining the feet of the user between said lever and said beam,

a pawl pivotally secured in said lever, said pawl rotatable to engage with said teeth of said rack in order to selectively lock said lever to said beam, and rotatable disengageable from said teeth of said rack to free said lever and to allow said lever to be rotated relative to said beam,

means for controlling said pawl to engage and disengage from said teeth of said rack, said means for controlling includes a spring engaged on a rod, and engaged between a block and said pawl to bias said rod to rotate said pawl and to disengage said pawl form said teeth of a rack,

a safety lock having an intermediate portion pivotally secured in said lever with a pivot pole, said lock including a tongue provided on one end thereof, and arranged to selectively engage with said teeth of said rack and to selectively secure said lever to said beam by gravity force, said safety lock is rotatable received in a notch of said block in order to limit the rotational movement of the safety lock relative to said block and said lever, and said safety lock further including another end having a weight greater than that of said tongue, in order to force said tongue to engage with said teeth of said rack by the gravity force,

said beam of said foot retaining device includes a plurality of holes formed to adjustably secure said beam of said foot retaining device to said base,

wherein each of said fixed foot supports of said foot retaining device includes a soft pad attached thereto for comfortably supporting the feet of the user, and

said foot retaining device includes two foot pedals attached to said beam to stably support the feet of the user.

2. An inversion exerciser comprising:

a base rotatably attached to a stand, to support a user thereon, and

a foot retaining device attached to said base, to secure feet of the user to said base,

said foot retaining device including a beam secure to said base, two fixed foot supports attached to said beam, a housing secured to said beam, a curved rack secured in said housing and having a plurality of teeth provided thereon,

a lever including a first end rotatably attached to said housing of said beam with a pivot shaft, said lever including two movable foot supports attached thereto, and movable toward and away from said fixed foot supports of said beam by said lever, for retaining the feet of the user between said lever and said beam,

a pawl pivotally secured in said lever, and rotatable to engage with said teeth of said rack, in order to selectively lock said lever to said beam, and rotatable to be disengaged from said teeth of said rack, to free said lever and to allow said lever to be rotated relative to said beam,

means for controlling said pawl to engage and disengage from said teeth of said rack, and

a safety lock device pivotally secured in said lever, and including a tongue provided on one end thereof, and arranged to selectively engage with said teeth of said rack and to selectively lock said lever to said beam by gravity force, and

said lever including a block secured therein and having a notch formed therein to slidably receive said safety lock device, and to limit a rotational movement of said safety lock device relative to said lever said block of said foot retaining device includes a passage formed therein and in communication with said notch thereof, a rod slidably received in said passage of said block and having a first end pivotally coupled to said pawl to actuate said pawl to engage or disengage from said teeth of said rack of said foot retaining device wherein said rack includes a stop extended therefrom, and said block includes a catch extended therefrom for engaging with said stop of said rack and to limit a rotational movement of said lever relative to said beam.

3. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controlling means includes a spring engaged on said rod, and engaged between said block and said pawl, to bias said rod to rotate said pawl, and to disengaged said pawl from said teeth of said rack.

4. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rod includes two washers slidably engaged thereon, and engaged with said block and said pawl respectively, and said spring is engaged between said washers.

5. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controlling means includes an elbow having a middle portion rotatably secured in said beam with a pivot axle, and having a first end pivotally secured to said rod, and having an orifice formed in a second end thereof, a post slidably received in said lever and extended through said orifice of said elbow and having an enlarged head provided on one end thereof, for engaging with said elbow, and for rotating said elbow to actuate said pawl to engage with said teeth of said rack.

6. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controlling means includes a casing secured in an upper portion of said lever, and having a bore formed therein, to slidably receive an upper portion of said post, a spring engaged between said post and said casing, to bias said head of said post to engage with said elbow.

7. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein a knob is slidably engaged onto said lever and includes a stem extended downwardly therefrom and slidably engaged into said bore of said casing, and having a lower portion engaged with said post, for moving said post against said spring, to selectively disengage said head of said post from said elbow.

8. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein said casing includes a pin engaged therein, said stem includes an oblong hole formed therein to slidably receive said pin, and to limit a sliding movement of said stem and said knob relative to said lever.

9. The foot retaining device for inversion exerciser as claimed in claim 8, wherein said knob includes a second spring engaged onto said stem and engaged between said knob and said casing, to bias said knob away from said casing.