DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the physical exercise balancer comprises a main post 20 made up of a hollow lower beam 21 and upper beam 22, a plurality of stuffing sleeves 23, a handle 30, a pair of screws 31, a supporting mount 40, a stepping board 41, a pivot shaft 42, a leg base 50.

[0031] The hollow lower beam 21 and the upper beam 22 that can be made in a rectangular or circular section are telescopically associated with each other for adjustment. The lower beam 21 is provided with a number of equally spaced openings 211 on one inner wall of the lower portion thereof. On the outer surface of the lower beam 21 are disposed a plurality of equally spaced retaining holes with a screw hole disposed at the bottom end thereof. The upper beam 22 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced through holes 221 and 222 on both the opposite sides thereof with a proper distance defined between the through holes 221 and 222. There are a plurality of locking sleeves 23 having a threaded central through hole and. On the inner wall of the lower beam 21 are disposed a plurality of protrusion spots (not marked) with which the locking sleeves 23 can be selectively engaged for telescopic adjustment of the upper beam 21 according to a height of a user. The handle 30 having an axial through hole 301 for attachment to the top end of the upper beam 22 are provided with a lateral through hole 302 and 303 at the top and bottom end thereof for securing the handle 30 to the top end of the upper beam 22 by way of screws 31. The supporting mount 40 has a central hole 401 slightly larger than the outer dimension of the lower beam 21 and two pivot lugs 402 disposed at the front thereof and having a pivot hole thereon respectively. On the top surface of each pivot lug 402 is defined a retaining groove 404. Between the pivot lugs 402 is defined a dodge cavity 403 in communication with the interior of the supporting mount 40. The stepping board 41 has a plurality massage protrusion spots 411 on the top surface and a pivot joint 412 as well as a rectangular supporting block 413 which can engage with the lower edge of the opening 211 for supporting purpose. On the external face of each side of the pivot joint 412 is disposed a retaining projector 414. The stepping board 41 is pivotally mounted to the supporting mount 40 as a whole by way of the pivot shaft 42 which is led through the pivot lugs 402 of the supporting mount 40 and the pivot joint 412 and retained in place at the rear end thereof so as to permit the supporting mount 40 and the stepping board 41 pivotally joined together to be selectively engaged with one of the openings 211 of the lower beam 21. The leg base 50 having a slipper proof pad 51 is secured to the bottom of the lower beam 21 in assembly.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 4, note, in operation the supporting mount 4 is mounted to the lower beam 21 and in selective engagement with one of the openings 211 and the stepping board 41 is forced to pivot about the pivot shaft into a perpendicular position with respect to the lower beam 21. In the pivot operation, the supporting block 413 is first located at a distance of the lower edge of the opening 211 so that the stepping board 41 can be pivoted downwardly for use. Afterwards, the supporting mount 40 is forced to move down along the lower beam 21, making the supporting block 413 in abutment against the lower edge of the opening 211 for use, as shown in FIG. 5. To collect the pivoted stepping board 41, the supporting mount 40 is lifted up in a reverse manner on the lower beam 21 so as to permit the stepping board 41 to be pivoted into a vertical position with the retaining projectors 414 in retaining engagement with the retaining grooves 404 of the supporting mount 40 to hold the stepping board 41 in place for storage.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 6, the second embodiment is illustrated. Basically speaking, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment of the present invention, only the stepping board 41′ is placed on the side of the main post 20, i.e., a user is standing on the stepping board 41′ with the main post 20 located on his or her right hand side instead of the front side as shown in the first embodiment.

[0034] The difference in the first embodiment and the second embodiment lies in the supporting mounts 40 and 40′. As shown in FIG. 6, in the second embodiment, the supporting mount 40′ has a limiting block 413′ on the pivot joint 412′. On the pivot lugs 402′ are disposed countersunk holes 404′ for passage of the pivot shaft 42′. On the front face of the supporting mount 40′ are disposed a retaining hole 405′ and a positioning bore 406′. The retaining hole 405′ is designed for engagement with the limiting block 413′ of the supporting mount 40′ and the positioning bore 406′ is used for holding a V-shaped resilient retaining piece 43′ having an engagement head 431′ at the front thereof On the inner surface of the pivot lugs 402′ are disposed a retaining cavity 407′ respectively for holding the ends of the V-shaped resilient retaining piece 43′. The elements identical to those disclosed in the first embodiment are not repeatedly described and they are marked with the same numerals plus a prime mark.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, the stepping board 41′ is pivotally engaged with the supporting mount 40′ by way of the pivot shaft 42′. The limiting block 413′ passing through the retaining hole 405′ is engaged with one of the opening 211 of the lower beam 21. The V-shaped resilient retaining piece 43′ is also engaged with the supporting mount 40′ with the retaining head 431′ registered with the positioning bore 406′ and further with one of the through hole 213 of the lower beam 21 and the ends of the retaining piece 43′ engaged with the retaining cavities 407′ respectively.

[0036] In practical operation, as shown in FIG. 8, the stepping board 41′ is pivoted into and retained at a normal position with respect to the lower beam 21 in the manner as described above. Then the stepping board 41′ can be easily pivoted into a vertical position, in abutment with the lower beam 21 for storage by first lifting up the supporting mount 40′ to free the limiting block 413′ of the opening 211 of the lower beam and pushing the stepping board upwardly. At the same time, the retaining head 431′ of the V-shaped resilient retaining piece 43′ are separated from the through hole 213 of the lower beam 21 to permit the stepping board to be collected in a vertical position.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 9, a universal joint unit 60 is secured to the bottom of the lower beam 21. It is made up of a universal joint 61 and a joint base 62. The universal joint 61 of a stepwise structure with a ball 611 disposed at the bottom thereof On one side of the universal joint 61 is disposed a screw hole for locking the universal joint 61 to the lower beam 21, as shown in FIG. 10. The joint base 62 has a ball-shaped cavity 621 with which the ball 611 of the joint 61 can be engaged in assembly. The underside of the joint base 62 has a slipproof sticker 622. The joint ball 611 engaged with the cavity 621 of the base permits the lower beam 21 to be oriented in a universal manner.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 11, a spring support 70 is secured to the bottom of the lower beam 21 of the main post 20. The spring support 70 is made up of a C-shaped spring plate 71 of high elasticity and a slipproof sticker 72 disposed at the underside of the projected end thereof and is fixed to the bottom of the lower beam 21 by a screw, as shown in FIG. 12. Thus, the main post 20 can be resiliently supported by the spring support 70 when a user bounce up and down at any angles.

[0039] Referring further to FIG. 13, the lower beam 21 of the main post 20 can be engaged with another spring table 70a made of a closed resilient plate 72a having a stepwise connector 71a secured to the central summit of the spring table 70a by a spring, as shown in FIG. 14. A slipproof sticker 721a is secured to the underside of the spring table 70a. The spring table 70a is fixed to the lower beam 21 by a screw engaged with the stepwise connector 71a thereof. Thereby the same resilient effect can be obtained as in the previous embodiments.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 15, the lower beam 21 can be engaged with a c-shaped spring board 70b made of a stepwise connector 71b having a screw hole 711b at the underside thereof and a bent plate 72b with a compression spring 721b disposed between the upper and lower plate sections of the bent plate 72b. On the upper plate section are disposed a plurality of pairs of locking holes 722b. A slipproof sticker 723b is attached to the underside of the lower plate section of the bent plate 72b. In assembly, the upper plate section of the bent plate 72b is secured to the stepwise connector 71b by screws selectively registering with a pair of the locking holes 722b, depending on the weight of a user. The connector 71b is fixed near to the bending of the bent plate 72b when a user is heavy and away from the bending as the user is light in weight.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 17, the lower beam 21 of the main post 20 can be engaged with an inverted Z-shaped support leg 80 having a connector 81 at the top end and an slipproof sticker 82 at the bottom end thereof. The support leg 80 is secured to the bottom of the lower beam by a screw, as shown in FIG. 18.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 19, the lower beam 21 can be alternatively engaged with a resilient supporting assembly 90 including a connector block 91 having a pair of threaded locking holes 912, a pair of symmetric upper and lower L-shaped units 92, 93 that are pivotally connected together by way of a pivot shaft with a rod mounted spiral spring 96 obliquely located therebetween, as shown in FIG. 20. The connector block 91 has a ditch 911 and two threaded locking holes 912. The upper unit 92 has a dodge opening 923 extending to the right end and an axial slot 921 disposed at the front end and a pivot connector 922 at the bottom end of the vertical extension thereof At the right end of the upper unit 92 is disposed a countersunk hole 924 extending from one end to the other end through the dodge opening 923. The spiral spring 96 has a flat connection end 961 disposed at the end of the dodge opening 923 so as to permit a bolt led through the countersunk hole 924 for pivotal retaining of the spiral spring 96. A ball ended balance rod 94 is disposed at the front end of the dodge opening lower unit 93. The other end 961 of the spiral spring 96 is pivotally locked to the other end of the dodge opening 933 of the lower unit 93. A slipproof sticker 95 is disposed at the underside of the lower unit 93. A countersunk hole 934 is disposed at the end of the dodge opening 933. The vertical section of the lower beam 93 is terminated with a pivot lugs 931 each having a countersunk hole 932 for passage of a bolt leading through the countersunk hole 932 of the lower unit 93 and the pivot connector 922 of the upper unit 92. The connector block 91 directly engaged with the lower beam 21 is secured to the upper unit 92 by way of two bolts leading through the slot 921. The position of the spiral spring 96 can be adjusted according to a user's weight.

[0043] There are a number of advantages associated with the present invention and given as below.

[0044] 1. The supporting mount 40 and the stepping board 41, 41′ can be adjusted on the lower beam 21 of the main post 20 by selective engagement with an opening 211 on the lower beam 21.

[0045] 2. The supporting block 413 or 413′ permits the stepping board 41 or 41′ to be supported in a more secure and stable manner as a result of the tip and bottom thereof engaged with the edge and wall of the opening 211 of the lower beam 21 in operation.

[0046] 3. The lower beam 21 of the main post 20 can be engaged with various supporting means 50 (or 60, 70, 70a, 70b, 80 and 90) according to the requirement of a user. 4. The protrusion spots 411, 411′ on the stepping board 41, 41′ offer a massage effect to users.

[0047] 5. The upper beam 22 can be pushed downwardly and the stepping board 41, 41′ is pivotally vertically for storage purpose.