Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Stair climbing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-21
2001-03-27
Donnelly, Jerome (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Stair climbing
C040S605000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206805
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
N/A.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an exercising device based on principles of a single step platform, and specifically, to an improved exercising stepping platform device that allows for numerous activities using the stepping motion as the basic exercise source by providing directional platform stability for performing forward, backward, and lateral stepping movements from a multitude of different positions, safely and conveniently.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of indoor exercising equipment is well known in today's health-conscious world. Aerobic exercising devices in particular have been used. Of popular usage is a device that basically functions as a single step that typically is square, having one raised platform or surface, somewhat elastic, that allows a person to begin a series of step up and step down motions from the floor. While these devices work quite well, they are somewhat limited in the range of action permitted athletically and aerobically, due to its confined size and area configuration. The user cannot vary the exercise motion in the stepping action presented because there is only a single area available to be stepped on.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A raised stepping platform supported on the ground comprising, in a first embodiment, a rigid hexahedronal-shaped body having an elevated horizontal top surface substantially rectangular in perimeter shape and sized in area to receive the feet of a person using the device on all elevated horizontal top surface portions, the raised platform having a vertical central interior hollow area forming a vertical passage to the floor that also functions to allow one to step down into the center passage area therein while performing aerobic step up and step down exercises.
The platform body has a top flat horizontal surface, divisible into four surface sections, elevated to the height of a conventional human step, four exterior vertical side walls perpendicular to the floor and a bottom flat horizontal surface that contacts the floor and is attached to the exterior side walls. The hollow central interior passage also has four interior vertical walls perpendicular to the floor. The hexahedronal body includes peripheral rounded, vertical corners for smoothness and safety and includes substantially rectangular individual exterior side walls, all of which are connected together to form a hexahedron, with a hollow central portion. The interior hollow central passage of the body is sized in length and width (and may be also square) to permit sufficient volume and area where the user may at least plant two feet on the ground within the central hollow area with some space left over to permit active and vigorous step up and step down motions with one or two feet within the central hollow area.
The length and width of the hexahedronal body may each be approximately four feet with the top platform surface area sized for a person to safely stand on all four sides around the hollow passage, being sufficiently wide on each top horizontal surface portion (between the exterior vertical wall and the interior vertical wall) of the device to accommodate both feet of the user while the entire device remains stable. The top surface flat horizontal area surrounding the interior vertical passage on all sides is approximately the same area size to allow receiving the length and width of two human feet laterally and longitudinally during exercise motions. The height of the platform from the floor is from 7 inches to 9 inches for best results.
The hexahedronal body itself may be made of a rigid, polypropylene plastic or plastic foam material that is sufficiently rigid to support an adult, large person standing on the top surface of the platform.
In addition, a top horizontal thin layer of a rubber or rubber-like high friction material is adhesively glued to the top flat horizontal surface of the device so that stepping on and off the device will be safely done without slipping because of the non-skid or non-slip type top surface.
The dimensions of the body and the configuration and shape (inside and out) is important to the overall operability and suitability for extensive aerolic exercises. The overall top plan shape is that substantially of a rectangular polygon with square or rectangular interior vertical central passage all the way through. The top body horizontal platform is essentially four rectangular top surfaces, joined end-to-end, each of which must be sufficiently sized to comfortably and safely receive both feet of a person while the body remains stable and sized so that the top surface walls are not so thin that one might easily trip or fall off.
The inside hollow interior vertical passage must be large enough in length and width to also receive both feet of the user with extra space to allow for active stepping movement in all directions.
The volumetric size of the interior vertical passage could be varied by an insert block that itself has an interior vertical passage for use with smaller persons.
The height of the device can be varied, depending on how tough or stringent the exercising will be, but should be somewhere in the range of six to eight inches for average usage.
The device could be constructed with hinges or sections that lock together for storage purposes.
In an alternate embodiment, the central interior vertical passage that would be entirely through the body of the device so that the floor is exposed could be modified in depth so that a small central portion remains, altering the overall height of the vertical step or the depth of the passage from the top surface to a bottom surface raised slightly above the floor.
In yet another alternate embodiment, the central passage of the device might be replaced by a raised stair protrusion that instead of having a hollow passage in the same area portion in the central part of the device, could have substantially another hexahedronal-shaped body that is raised and elevated above the top surface of the device even higher, adding another step in the center of the device. The step height again could be anywhere from 6 to 8 or 9 inches as desired. This would be a rigid body portion so that the entire structure could be substantially rigid and have, in effect, two raised upper surface platforms, one in the center higher than the peripheral to allow double stepping motion from the floor to the lower horizontal platform which would be one step high, and then to another higher step position that can support the weight of a human being sized in horizontal length and width to comfortably accommodate the feet of the user. In this alternate embodiment, the body of the platform provides a double step, measured from the floor to the center of the platform while still allowing the user lateral, forward, and backward movements relative to the central step. The center step is (from a top plan view) sized in length and width to be substantially a 22 inch square with the overall outside periphery of the platform being 4 feet by 4 feet.
In a preferred embodiment, the hexahedronal-shaped body includes a removed perimeter side member to form a U-shaped body. A user thus can gain access to the central hollow interior through the removed perimeter side member.
The preferred U-shaped body embodiment is divisible in three surface sections, elevated to the height of a conventional human step, three exterior vertical side walls perpendicular to the floor and a bottom flat horizontal surface that contacts the floor and is attached to the exterior side walls. The hollow central interior passage also has three interior vertical walls perpendicular to the floor. The U-shaped body can include peripheral rounded, vertical corners for smoothness and safety and includes substantially rectangular individual exterior side walls, all of which are connected together to form a U-shape, with a hollow central portion. The interior hollow central passage of the body is sized in lengt
Helton Kimberly J.
Helton, Jr. George E.
Donnelly Jerome
Malin Haley & DiMaggio, P.A.
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