US20020177509A1 - Aerobic step cube - Google Patents

Abstract

Aerobic step apparatus comprised of stacked interfitting components simulating a unitary structure from which a plurality of different height steps can be selectively assembled. By selectively combining the different components when disassembled from their unitary structure, at least seven steps of different heights can be readily formed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The field of art to which the invention relates comprises aerobic apparatus utilized by persons for physical fitness exercise.[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Exercise of the human body for purposes of physical fitness has become a fundamental staple of life that in recent years has evolved into a flourishing industry. Numerous gymnasiums, exercise salons, etc. with a wide variety of exercise products available from commercial sources can be found in most communities. Even upscale hotels provide exercise rooms for their patrons stocked with various exercise equipment. Many individuals have allocated specific areas of their residence or office for exercise equipment they can use at their convenience.[0002]
• A form of exercise equipment most commonly used at home and/or fitness facilities are individual aerobic steps of a height selected by the user. The person using any of the steps first sets foot on the step and then repetitively over a prolonged time period stands up until erect and then steps down in the manner of climbing. The benefits directly attributed to such exercise include enhanced shaping of the thighs and buttocks and cardio enhancement of the participant.[0003]
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
• A form of aerobic stepping equipment is available from the Reebok Company. Such equipment relies on repetitive stepping onto an 8 inch step and is designed primarily for cardiovascular exercise. It allegedly contributes to shaping of the quadriceps.[0004]
• Another form of aerobic step equipment is available in the form of individual step stools of 12 or 14 inch height sold under the trademark, “THE FANNY LIFTER” from The Firm of Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The 12 inch height is suggested in their catalog literature as being “Ideal for beginners or overweight exercisers. Also recommended for exercisers of short to average height.” The 14 inch height is recommended as being “Ideal for intermediate or advanced exercisers. Recommended for exercisers of average to tall height.”[0005]
• Characteristic of the individual stools of the above type is the fact that they represent items to be purchased and stored separately and with limited size differentiation between them.[0006]
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
• An object of the invention is to provide a novel aerobic step apparatus affording greater versatility than heretofore available.[0007]
• It is a further object of the invention to effect the previous object with such an apparatus formed of interfitting stool steps that can be selectively used singularly or in combination for achieving any of numerous step heights at the option of the user.[0008]
• It is a still further object of the invention to effect the previous objects with stool steps which when marketed and stored can be of relatively light weight and a singular unitary appearance.[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• This invention relates to aerobic step apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel aerobic step apparatus for conducting physical fitness type exercise and when assembled affords a singular appearance with a versatility of an expanded number of selectively available step heights.[0010]
• The foregoing is achieved by a multiple of individual components that when assembled together are interfit and stacked to form a singular unitary appearing individual cube. Each of the achieved steps are of a different height and when the components are disassembled from the cube can be utilized selectively alone or in combination to produce at least seven different step heights. After use, the individual steps can be re-assembled back into the original cube formation for storage.[0011]
• It will be appreciated that the foregoing affords a user of such equipment versatility not previously available. Not only does storage of the unit require minimum space but it affords a versatility with respect to family or other groups made up of different sized individuals for which different steps or step heights can be selected. Not least of the advantages is the lower cost of a pre-assembled package of steps as compared to a comparable number of individual steps purchased separately. Yet, even when fully assembled, the unit is compact and light weight so as to be readily portable.[0012]
• The above noted features and advantages of the invention as well as other superior aspects thereof will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.[0013]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the individual components of the invention as assembled in a cube formation;[0014]
• FIG. 2 is a sectional view as seen substantially along the lines[0015]2-2 of FIG. 1;
• FIGS. 3A and 3B are fragmentary views as seen substantially along the[0016]lines3A-3A and3B-3B of FIG. 2;
• FIG. 4A illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 4 inch step height while[0017]
• FIG. 4B illustrates an exploded view thereof;[0018]
• FIG. 5A illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 6 inch step height while[0019]
• FIG. 5B illustrates an exploded view thereof;[0020]
• FIG. 6A illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting an 8 inch step height while[0021]
• FIG. 6B illustrates an exploded view thereof;[0022]
• FIG. 7A illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 10 inch step height while[0023]
• FIG. 7B illustrates an exploded view thereof;[0024]
• FIG. 8A illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 14 inch step height while[0025]
• FIG. 8B illustrates an exploded view thereof;[0026]
• FIG. 9 illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 14 inch step height while[0027]
• FIG. 9B illustrates an exploded view thereof, and[0028]
• FIG. 10 illustrates a combination of components from the assembly of FIG. 1 for effecting a 17 inch step height while[0029]
• FIG. 10B illustrates an exploded view thereof[0030]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and in certain views proportions may have been exaggerated for purposes of clarity.[0031]
• Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 the assembled cube hereof designated[0032]10 and comprised of a plurality of individual components for forming the various step heights hereof. The assembly, as also seen in FIG. 2, includes the various interfitting rectangular components that can be selectively withdrawn for effecting the various step heights hereof as will be described.
• The entire cube assembly is preferably formed of a medium density fiberboard utilizing oval cuts as[0033]38,40 and42 to reduce cube weight to about twenty-two pounds. This enables the cube to be carried in position by a single individual before separating and combining components for establishing the step height to be utilized.
• Representing the components are a top[0034]12, acollar20,middle sections28 and32, alower section26 and a base29 withupright interfitting walls31 for floor positioning.Middle section28 includes rectangulardependent component32 secured from below tomiddle section28 by brad nails34. The step heights of FIGS.4A-10A to be achieved are:

  	Height
  	Designation	Height
  	From Floor	Inches

  	A	4
  	B	6
  	C	8
  	D	10
  	E	12
  	F	14
  	G	17

• For effecting an A step height there is utilized, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 4A and[0035]4B, the uppermosttop section12 including a top14 is supported on rectangular arrangedbox legs16. Surrounding the legs is a loosefitting collar component18 formed of box-like walls20. Use of the collar is optional for this size step and when assembled in the manner of FIG. 4A, the under-edge22 ofleg16 and the under-edge24 ofwalls20 provide a double width support of a person's weight standing ontop14. For this purpose, thelegs16 are taller than thelegs20, such that the top14 is located abovecollar18 for effecting the desired height A.
• For effecting the step height B, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 5A and[0036]5B, there is utilized the combination of top12 along withlower section26, while step height C, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 6A and6B utilize a combination of top12,collar18 andlower section26. Secured withincomponent26 are triangular support blocks30 (FIG. 3) internally at each of the corners on which to receive andsupport collar18. The individual blocks in thisembodiment support collar18 on which top12 is caused to rest.
• For effecting step height D, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 7A and[0037]7B, the combination of top12,middle sections28,dependent unit32 andlower section26 are utilized, while for achieving step height dimension E, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 8A and8B, there is utilized a stacked combination of top12,collar18,middle section28 withdependent unit32, andlower section26.
• For effecting, step height F, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 9A and[0038]9B there is utilized the same components as for height E exceptlower section26 is installed inverted from that used in FIGS. 8A and 8B. Withblocks30 being closer to the under-edge ofbase28 in FIG. 2, invertingsection26 results in a two inch rise in the overall height of the step as compared to the assembly of FIGS. 8A and 8B.
• Finally, the step G, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 10A and[0039]10B utilizes the same arrangement as in step F, with the addition ofbase29 inserted underneath. This results in an increased overall height of three inches as compared to step F.
• By the above description is disclosed a novel aerobic exercise unit from which individual steps of selected height can be readily formed with only a minimum of effort by a careful selection and assembly from among various components of a cube. Since as many as seven different heights can be readily achieved from the various components forming the cube, there is afforded a versatility not previously known. At the same time, there is afforded a substantial reduction in costs compared to acquiring seven separate steps of comparable height. The virtues thereof are many not least of which are the convenience of handling and storage.[0040]
• Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without the departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the drawings and specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.[0041]

Claims (8)

We claim:

1. Aerobic step apparatus comprising:

stacked interfitting components simulating a unitary structure from which a plurality of different components can be selectively withdrawn and assembled to form different height steps.

2. Aerobic step apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 in which said plurality of different components are suitable to form at least two different height steps from components of said apparatus selectively separated from the simulating unitary structure.

3. Aerobic step apparatus in accordance withclaim 2 in which a plurality of different height steps can comprise any of at least seven different height steps.

4. Aerobic step apparatus comprising:

a) a first box with walls of predetermined height and rectangular configuration have a closed top end; and

b) at least one second box of predetermined height and rectangular configuration adapted to interfit with said first box at the underside of said first box and which when assembled onto said first box cooperates with said first box for establishing a selected step height.

5. Aerobic step apparatus comprising:

a) a first box with walls of predetermined height and rectangular configuration having a closed top end;

b) a plurality of second boxes of like rectangular configuration of different heights and adapted to be stacked contiguously one above the other, and

c) interfitting means positioned above selective of said second boxes to enable said second boxes to interfit with each other in a stacking relation.

6. Aerobic apparatus in accordance withclaim 5 in which at least one of said second boxes includes internal stop means for supporting the intermitting means of another of said second boxes contiguously above said at least one second box.

7. Aerobic apparatus in accordance withclaim 6 in which said at least one of said second boxes can be installed inverted with respect to another second box for increasing the effective height of their combination.

8. An aerobic apparatus in accordance withclaim 7 in which said interfitting means includes an interfit rectangular box attached internally to one of said second boxes.

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