FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a breaststroke swimming exercise device which assists an exerciser to perform proficiently and correctly the breaststroke movements out of water, thereby it supports for teaching and learning the breaststroke.

BACKGROUND

In Vietnam, it is not found any inventions regarding the swimming exercise devices. There are many foreign inventors who are interested in reseach to provide the support devices for training the swimming styles.

However, most inventions are provided to enhance the muscular strength of the swimming exerciser, for purposes of raising the speed and improving results of the swimming exerciser, for example, as disclosed in US5354251 of Sleamaker Robert H, CN109745685 of ZHAO GUANGJIE, etc. These inventions mainly study the freestyle swimming, while several inventions can stimulate the different styles of swim such as US20030004036 of Yoss, Mark Stuart which discloses three different types of swim: backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and of which objects are physical health training via swimming-like activities operated in the exercise machine.

US20140315171 of Tsai Tzu-Jan discloses all four standard swimming styles which are included the breaststroke. It is found that the invention of US20141035171 does not faciltate the exerciser to make the correct movements and give the real feeling in swimming, the arm guiding module in the invention of US20140315171 does appropriate to the breaststroke, the structure of simulating leg motions of US20140315171 is a wood plate mounted along the body of the exerciser, the movements of legs along a side of such a wood plate are only the backward pedal activities which comprise a narrow range of motions, lack of a force generating sense in pedal of the exerciser. This causes the exerciser can easily misunderstand the frog-like pedal technique that simply is same as leg stretch movement so that the frog leg -like movement technical can be made wrong. Also, the invention of US20140315171 does not disclose any use of ankle of which activities are very important in frog-like pedal technique of the exerciser, while implementing the frog leg -like pedal movement.

Technic of breaststroke is a collection of cyclical movements. It is found that there is usually a interval of a few seconds between cycles before the next cycle is begun. The technical issues are not disclosed in the art to correctly stimulate these movements.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to design a device by which the exerciser can easily practice the correct movements of breaststroke out of water in order to makes learning and teaching breaststroke faster and easier.

According to the present invention, it is to provide a device, comprising:

A frame unit is consisted of: a front foot portion is formed by a steel box- shaped elongated bar which is attached to the steel horizontal U-shaped plate so that they form a titling angle (most preferable about 10° ) in respect to a vertical direction, this bar is joined to horizontal base by bolts in order to enhance stalibility, robustness and easy mount/demount. A rear foot portion is formed by steel box-shaped elongated bar which is attached perpendicularly to the steel horizontal U-shaped plate, this bar is joined to at the bottom of the rear foot portion (is structured into the isosceles trapezoid or arc shape) by the bolts so that the mount/demount easily is performed. The rear foot portion is located to be lower than the front foot portion so when a steel box-shaped rail bar is placed, one end thereof is joined to the front foot portion and the other end thereof is joined to the rear foot portion, the rail bar can be titled an angle (most preferable about 10°) in respect to a horizontal direction. The rail bar is extended beyond a point joined to rear foot portion and toward the rear foot portion a distance (most preferable about 20cm-30cm), the terminate portion thereof is attatched to a steel plate to be perpendicular to this rail bar.

A roller carrier is provided with pairs of the rollers on inside thereof to can roll along the rail bar. On the roller carrier a support platform wrapped the backing is mounted so that the exerciser can lie thereon when the breaststroke movements are exercised. Two steel rods joined to a semicircular board are mounted below the support platform to shape the hand movements. On two sides of the roller carrier are mounted two cushion members, of which one end is joined to the roller carrier, the other hand is joined to the steel plate at the end of the rail bar.

Two sphere columns are provided at two sides of the rear foot portion to practice the frog leg like movements. When the exerciser retracts the legs then places two feet on the spheres to pedal, the exerciser is required to rotate the spheres while the legs are closed so that the exerciser is able to positively do the folding movements of the ankles. This solution of the invention causes the exerciser to perform the movements of bending and flexing the ankles when performing the frog leg- like pedal technique. This is a new feature of the invention which is not disclosed in prior art.

Two cushion members are located in both sides of the roller carrier to be able to provide an interval between the cycles of the movements. Thus, after finishing one cycle of the movements, the exerciser is forced to wait several seconds in order to return the original state then to perform the next cycles of the movements. This is the solution to provide the interval for the cycles of the movements. This feature of the invention is not disclosed in any prior art. Futhermore, as the frog leg- like pedal movement is performed, the exerciser will slide on the rail bar, this makes feel of the exerciser more real.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the following drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a breaststroke swimming exercise device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a frame unit of the breaststroke swimming exercise device of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a roller carrier of the breaststroke swimming exercise device of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a view of a cushion member of the roller carrier;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a plurality of sphere columns, a plurality of auxilary members for excercising the frog-like pedal movements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a breaststroke swimming exercise device that comprises: a frame unit, a roller carrier, two cushion members, a support platform, an arm board, two sphere columns. These members of the exercise device will be described in detail below.

In Fig. 2, the frame unit of the exercise machine comprising: a front foot portion is consisted of a bar 2 which is fixedly attached in the center of a steel U- shaped plate 3, bar 2 is titled an acute angle in respect to U-shaped plate 3 (most preferable approximately 80" ) so that the front foot portion can be titled with the acute angle in respect to a vertical direction (most preferable approximately 10° ) toward rear foot portion, bar 2 is joined to base 1 by two bolts 35 in order to enhance the stiffness and easy mount/demount. A rear foot portion is consisted of a bar 6 which is fixedly attached perpendicularly to a steel U-shaped plate 3; this bar is joined to isosceles trapezoid base by two bolts 35. The rear foot portion is structured by welding steel box-shaped bar 8 to two steel box-shaped bars 9 (the steel box- shaped bar can be bended into an isosceles trapezoid hoac an arc shape). The length of bar 2 of the front foot portion is larger than that of bar 6 of the rear foot portion. One end of the front foot is joined to one end of a steel single boxshaped rail bar 5 by gusset 4 and bolts 34, one end of rear foot is joined to rail bar 5 by gusset 7 and bolts 34 so that rail bar 5 is extended beyond the rear foot a interval (approximately 20cm -30cm) in respect to a joining point of the rear foot to rail bar 5. A level of the front foot must be larger than a level of the rear foot and a rate of the levels of the front foot to the rear foot and the length of rail bar 5 are appropriately selected so that rail bar 5 can be titled an angle in respect to a horizontal direction (most preferable approximately 10° ) and the length of rail bar 5 is sufficient so that the roller carrier can move to the full range when the frog- like pedal force is formed by the exerciser. The terminate portion of rail bar 5 is fixedly welded to a steel plate 5a that is perpendicular to rail bar 5. In the steel plate the holes are provided to be joined to the cushion member and vent hole 5b.

In Fig. 3, a roller carrier is structured to can be moved along rail bar 5, the carrier is consisted of: a steel frame 17 is provided with a pair of flats 17a which are perpendicular to the body of the carrrier so as to be extended when support platform 18 is mounted therein. A pair of steel plates 17b is provided perpendicularly to the body of the carrrier and flaps 17a to be mounted to cushion member 20. Inside of steel frame 17, two pairs of upper rollers 25 and lower roller 25 are mounted. Two upper rollers are in contact with the upper surface of rail bar 5, two lower rollers are in contact with the lower surface of rail bar 5. The rollers are steply provided with a small diameter in a middle portion thereof, with an intermediate diameter at two outer portions 25a (place of the bearing), with a larger diameter at two outermost portions 25b. The portions 25a of the roller will be cooperated to the horizontal surface of rail bar 5, portion 25b will be cooperated to the stand surface of rail bar 5. These rollers are fixedly and rotatably attached about shaft 28.

In Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, cushion members 20 which are improved from a bicycle hand pump are mounted on either side of steel frame 17 of the roller carrier. The hand portion is improved as flange 20a that is fixedly attached to steel plate 17b of roller carrier by bolts 30, the base portion is improved as flange 21a that is fixedly attached to steel plate 5a by bolts 30, air discharge hole 21b is formed with a very small diameter so that it discharges air from inside of the pump outwardly when the air flow therein is pressed so that in case of the exerciser completes the frog leg like pedal movement, the sliding motion to the original position is prolonged about 2-3 seconds.

On the roller carrier is provided a support platform 18, which is fixed to the roller carrier by bolts 33. The upper surface of support platform 18 is wrapped backing 19 to create a comfortable feeling when the exerciser lies down thereon. At one end thereof two rods 24 are joined to support platform 18 by bolt 32, at the other end thereof two rods 24 are joined to a semicircular shaped board 23 by bolts 31 to practice frog like hand movements. This board should be made from light material (plastic, paper board, porous plate...) and is spaced away from the support platform a space so that the exerciser can retract his hand through such a space (see Fig. 1.)

In Fig. 5, two sphere columns which are symetrically and alignly provided on two bars 9 of the rear foot portion for excercising frog-like pedal movements each are consisted of: a steel circular column 10 that is fixedly and perpendicularly welded to steel U-shaped plate 3. Two steel rods 11 are fixedly welded to plate 3 so as to help the sphere column can firmly stand, two bolts 35 are used to secure the sphere column to the rear foot portion. An upper end of column 10 is a sphere 12 which can rotate around column 10 by two ball bearings 14. Sphere 12 is rotatably and fixedly held on the top of column 10 by the washers 15, 16 and bolts 30. Sphere 12 can be replaced by several different shapes such as a oval, a cylinder, or a truncated cone.

Next, how to practice the breaststroke stimulating movements by device of the present invention will be described: When the exerciser lyes down backing 19 in swimming position (lyes prone, two arms and legs stretched and closed), at this time the roller carrier is in the lowest position and is in contact with bar 6 of the rear foot portion, two arms of the exerciser are placed on board 23, the exerciser performs a hand-flapping movement from top to bottom and to two sides so that the his or her forearm follows the outer edge of the board 23. The semicircular plane of the board helps two elbows of the exerciser are extended to both sides. When the elbow goes all the way through the outer edge of board 23, the exerciser can retract two hands in a space between support platform 18 and board 23, then linearly stretch the hands toward the front side on the plane of board 23. When the hands of the exerciser just linearly are stretched, two legs instantly are contracted and two feet are placed on two spheres 12, respectively to pedal the spheres, roller carrier 17 se will be moved forward along rail bar 5. When the pedal force is dropped to near zero, the roller carrier is archived a certain level and will be stopped and is allowed to roll freely back to the original position. Cushion members 20 mounted in both sides of roller carrier 17 will slow down the free rolling motion of the roller carrier until it is stopped (time of the free rolling motion most preferable is about 2-3 seconds). At this time, the cycles of the breaststroke movements are completed, the next cycles are repeated in the same way until the breaststroke movements are proficient. When the frog leg like pedal movements are performed, asking the exerciser to place feet on the spheres for pedal helps the exerciser stands up the ankles before pedaling. Since the positions of the two sphere columns are located on both sides of rail bar 5, the placement of the feet on the spheres causes the knees of the exerciser are opened and the leg pedal movements are performed with a wide range to both sides. When the pedal force of the leg is generated, the exerciser is required to rotate the spheres. This causes the exerciser to close the leg and to fold the ankle in time when the frog leg like pedal movements are performed.

Therefore, while the present invention are described in detail regarding the preferable embodiments thereof, it is to be appreciated that The present invention is not limited to the embodiments. All various modifications in the size, shape, material, assembly and use will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, All various modifications can be made and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.