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Foldable exerciserRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Involving User Translation Or Physical Simulation Thereof, BicylclingFoldable exerciser description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070161467, Foldable exerciser. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] This invention relates to a foldable exerciser, more particularly to a foldable exerciser which can simulate a horse-riding action and which can be folded and unfolded conveniently. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/152,159, the applicant disclosed a foldable exerciser that includes an elongated main frame 11, a prop member 12, a pedaling unit 14, an operating unit 15, a saddle unit 16, and a saddle supporting unit 17. [0005] The main frame 11 has a bottom end 111 disposed to sit on a ground surface, a top end 112 opposite to the bottom end 111, and a middle portion 113 interposed therebetween. The prop member 12 has an end pivotally connected to the middle portion 113, and an intermediate portion coupled to the main frame 11 by virtue of an elbow joint member 13 so as to be displaceable between straddle and folded positions relative to the main frame 11. The pedaling unit 14 is mounted on the intermediate portion of the prop member 12, and includes a pair of cranked pedals 141 for performing a pedaling exercise. The operating unit 15 includes an upper segment 151, a lower segment 152, an interconnecting segment 153 pivotally connected to the top end 112 to interconnect the upper and lower segment 151,152, and two handlebars 154 mounted on the upper segment 151. The saddle unit 16 includes a saddle mounting frame 161 having an end pivotally connected to the main frame 11, and a saddle 162 mounted on the saddle mounting frame 161. The saddle support unit 17 includes a supporting bar 171 having an end pivotally connected to the main frame 11 adjacent to the bottom end 111, and an opposite end provided with a roller 172 rollable on a bottom surface of the saddle mounting frame 161, a pulley 174 mounted on the supporting bar 171, and a rope 175 extending around the pulley 174 and secured to the lower segment 152. [0006] In use, the foldable exerciser can be operated as a stationary exercise bicycle or a horse-riding exerciser. When the exerciser is to be folded, a plurality of pins 18 have to be detached therefrom, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, as the rope 175 is subjected to a relatively large force during the horse-riding exercise, wearing of the rope 175 may result after prolonged use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a foldable exerciser which has a simple and robust coupling structure and which can be folded and unfolded conveniently. [0008] According to this invention, the foldable exerciser includes an elongated main frame having top and bottom ends opposite to each other, and a middle portion interposed therebetween, and a prop member having a rest end and a propping end opposite to each other, and an intermediate portion interposed therebetween. The propping end is pivotally connected to the middle portion about a first axis such that the rest end is pivotable between straddle and folded positions, where the rest end is remote from and closer to the bottom end, respectively, and such that in the straddle position, the bottom and rest ends are disposed to sit on a ground surface while the top end is disposed upwardly and forwardly of the bottom end. A saddle mounting frame includes a front pivot end which is pivotally connected to the middle portion about a second axis parallel to the first axis and between the top and propping ends, an arm segment which extends from the front pivot end in a radial direction relative to the second axis to terminate at a juncture, and a saddle mounting segment which extends rearwardly from the juncture such that the juncture is turnable about the second axis between proximate and distal positions relative to the top end. A saddle is mounted on the saddle mounting segment. An operating unit includes a fulcrum which is pivotally connected to the top end about a third axis parallel to the first axis, and a force end and a weight end at two sides of the fulcrum. An upper coupler has a first coupled end which is coupled to the juncture, and a second coupled end which is detachably coupled to the weight end such that in the straddle position, a rearward pivoting movement of the force end about the third axis toward the saddle mounting segment results in turning of the juncture from the distal position to the proximate position so as to move the saddle mounting segment forward for simulating a horse-riding action, and such that the second coupled end is disposed to be turnable relative to the juncture between an engaging position, where the second coupled end is retained with the weight end to thereby result in the rearward pivoting movement, and a disengaging position, where the second coupled end is disengaged from the weight end. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable exerciser of the aforesaid co-pending U.S. patent application; [0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the foldable exerciser of FIG. 1 in a straddle position; [0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the foldable exerciser of FIG. 1 in a folded position; [0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a foldable exerciser according to this invention; [0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment in a straddle state; [0015] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment in a horse-riding simulating state; and [0016] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment in a folded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0017] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the preferred embodiment of a foldable exerciser according to the present invention is shown to comprise an elongated main frame 20, a prop member 30, a saddle unit 60, an operating unit 50, an upper coupler 63, a pedaling unit 40, and a reinforcing unit 70. [0018] The main frame 20 has top and bottom ends 21,22 opposite to each other, and a middle portion 23 interposed therebetween. In this embodiment, the main frame 20 includes two elongated side bars 24 spaced apart from each other, and a crossbar 25 disposed between the side bars 24 at the middle portion 23. [0019] The prop member 30 has a rest end 33 and a propping end 31 opposite to each other, and an intermediate portion 35 interposed therebetween. The propping end 31 is pivotally connected to the middle portion 23 about a first axis between the side bars 24 such that the rest end 33 is pivotable about the first axis between a straddle position, where the rest end 33 is remote from the bottom end 21, and a folded position, where the rest end 33 is closer to the bottom end 21, and such that in the straddle position, as shown in FIG. 5, the bottom and rest ends 21,33 are disposed to sit on a ground surface while the top end 22 is disposed upwardly and forwardly of the bottom end 21. [0020] A restricting unit includes a mounting plate 27 which is secured between the side bars 24 adjacent to the propping end 31 of the prop member 30, and a lock pin 26 in the form of a screw bolt which is mounted on the mounting plate 27 and which is extendable relative to the mounting plate 27 in a radial direction relative to the first axis. The propping end 31 has a locking hole 311 which extends towards the first axis, and which is configured to receive the lock pin 26 when the lock pin 26 is extended so as to arrest the prop member 30 in one of the straddle and folded positions. Continue reading about Foldable exerciser... Full patent description for Foldable exerciser Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Foldable exerciser patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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