Compact shuffle leg exerciser

Abstract

A leg exerciser is provided allowing exercise while the user is seated or stationary. The leg exerciser includes a base member having at least one longitudinally extending track configured to accommodate a foot pad having a plurality of gliders and/or rollers coupled to the bottom of the foot pad and providing a sufficient coefficient of friction to allow the foot pad to smoothly slide within the track. Various alternative configurations provide foldable construction for ease of travel, mounting devices for securing the leg exerciser to a seat, non-removable foot pads and various configurations to provide for variations in travel and/or effort required for movement of the foot pad.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A leg exerciser comprising: 
 a first foot pad configured to receive a user's foot;    a base member having at least one longitudinally extending first track formed thereon, the first track being sized and shaped to permit the first foot pad to travel therein; and    a plurality of gliders coupled to a bottom surface of the first foot pad, the gliders being formed of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient to permit the first foot pad to smoothly slide within the first track.    
     
     
         2 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising 
 a second foot pad configured to receive a user's foot, the base member including a second track formed thereon, the second track being aligned parallel to the first track, a plurality of gliders being coupled to a bottom surface of the second foot pad, the gliders being formed of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient to permit the second foot pad to smoothly slide within the second track.    
     
     
         3 . The leg exerciser of    claim 2    further comprising 
 a pulley mounted to the base member, and  
 a cable mounted to the first and second foot pads and through the pulley so as to move one of the first and second foot pads by movement of the other of the first and second foot pads.  
 
     
     
         4 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , wherein the plurality of gliders are symmetrically disposed about the bottom surface of the first foot pad.  
     
     
         5 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , wherein the base member includes means for folding the base member between an expanded operational configuration to a collapsed configuration.  
     
     
         6 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , wherein the leg exerciser is configured to be operated from a seated position.  
     
     
         7 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising means for providing resistance to the motion of the first foot pad within the first track.  
     
     
         8 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising a track end bumper mounted at each end of the first track.  
     
     
         9 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising an incline stand mounted on a bottom surface of the base member.  
     
     
         10 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising at least one of a toe strap, a heel strap and an ankle strap mounted to secure the user's foot to a top surface of the first foot pad.  
     
     
         11 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , wherein the first foot pad is provided with a texturized surface along at least a portion of the first foot pad adapted to receive the user's foot.  
     
     
         12 . The leg exerciser of    claim 11   , further comprising at least one of a toe strap, a heel strap and an ankle strap mounted to secure the user's foot to a top surface of the first foot pad.  
     
     
         13 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising at least one bottom foot mounted to a bottom surface of the base member to inhibit motion of the leg exerciser along a floor.  
     
     
         14 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising noise inhibiting material mounted to at least one of a side of the first foot pad and a track edge of the first track to inhibit noise during operation of the leg exerciser.  
     
     
         15 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , wherein at least one glider of the plurality of gliders is mounted to the first foot pad by the use of a bolt to allow the at least one glider to be moved relative to the first foot pad.  
     
     
         16 . The leg exerciser of    claim 1   , further comprising an elevated guard mounted to and extending up from an end of the base member to inhibit the leg exerciser from sliding under a luggage retention bar of an airline seat.  
     
     
         17 . A leg exerciser, comprising: 
 a first foot pad configured to receive a user's foot; and    a base member adapted to be rotatably mounted to a floor in front of a chair and having at least one longitudinally extending first track formed thereon, the first track being sized and configured to permit the first foot pad to travel therein;    wherein the base member is adapted to be rotated to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by an operator seated in the chair.    
     
     
         18 . A leg exerciser, comprising: 
 a first foot pad configured to receive a user's foot; and    a base member adapted to be rotatably and slidably mounted to a first chair and having at least one longitudinally extending first track formed thereon, the first track being sized and configured to permit the first foot pad to travel therein;    wherein the base member is adapted to be rotated to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by a seated operator.    
     
     
         19 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , wherein the leg exerciser is adapted to be rotated and slid to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by a user seated in the first chair.  
     
     
         20 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , wherein the leg exerciser is adapted to be rotated and slid to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by a user seated in a second chair behind the first chair.  
     
     
         21 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , wherein the base member is formed of at least a first piece and a second piece and the first piece is rotatably mounted to the second piece by a hinge.  
     
     
         22 . The leg exerciser of    claim 21   , wherein an intersection of the first piece and the second piece is a lap joint.  
     
     
         23 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , further comprising an adjustable resistance device mounted to the first foot pad and adapted to apply pressure to at least one track edge of the first track to increase resistance to movement of the first foot pad within the first track.  
     
     
         24 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , wherein the first foot pad is provided with a texturized surface along at least a portion of the first foot pad adapted to receive the user's foot.  
     
     
         25 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , further comprising a flange formed on the first foot pad and slidably mounted within a groove formed in a track edge of the track such that the foot pad is slidably secured within the first track.  
     
     
         26 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , further comprising: 
 a mounting groove adapted to be mounted to the first chair; and    a first swing pin and a second swing pin, each mounted to the base member and configured to travel within the mounting groove to enable the leg exerciser to be positioned for use by a seated operator.    
     
     
         27 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , wherein the leg exerciser is adapted to be rotated and slid to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by a user seated in the first chair.  
     
     
         28 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , wherein the leg exerciser is adapted to be rotated and slid to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by a user seated in a second chair behind the first chair.  
     
     
         29 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , wherein the base member is formed of at least a first piece and a second piece and the first piece is rotatably mounted to the second piece by a hinge.  
     
     
         30 . The leg exerciser of    claim 29   , wherein the first piece and the second piece each having a mating end forming a lap joint.  
     
     
         31 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , further comprising an adjustable resistance device mounted to the first foot pad and adapted to apply pressure to at least one track edge of the first track to increase resistance to movement of the first foot pad within the first track.  
     
     
         32 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , wherein the first foot pad comprises a surface feature along at least a portion of the first foot pad.  
     
     
         33 . The leg exerciser of    claim 26   , further comprising a flange formed on the first foot pad and slidably mounted within a groove formed in a track edge of the track such that the foot pad is slidably secured within the first track.  
     
     
         34 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , further comprising a plurality of gliders coupled to a bottom surface of the first foot pad, the gliders being formed of a material having a coefficient of friction sufficient to permit the first foot pad to smoothly slide within the first track.  
     
     
         35 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , wherein the first chair is adapted for use in an aircraft.  
     
     
         36 . The leg exerciser of    claim 18   , further comprising a roller mounted to a bottom surface of the first foot pad and adapted to roll along the first track during relative movement between the first foot pad and the first track.  
     
     
         37 . A leg exerciser, comprising: 
 a first foot pad configured to receive a user's first foot and formed with a first flange and provided with a first strap to secure the first foot to the first foot pad;    a second foot pad configured to receive a user's second foot and provided with a second strap and formed with a second flange and provided with a second strap to secure the second foot to the second foot pad;    a base member adapted to be mounted to a chair and having a longitudinally extending first track formed thereon with a first groove and a longitudinally extending second track with a second groove and parallel to the first track, each of the first track and first groove and the second track and second groove being sized and shaped to permit the first foot pad and first flange and the second foot pad and second flange to travel therein, respectively; and    a cable mounted to the first foot pad and the second foot pad so as to move one of the first foot pad and the second foot pad by movement of the other of the first foot pad and the second foot pad.    
     
     
         38 . The leg exerciser of    claim 37   , wherein the base member is rotatably and slidably mounted to the chair and adapted to be rotated and slid to a position enabling use of the leg exerciser by the user while seated in the chair.