Unstable Platform

Abstract

A platform comprising a planar member having a top face and a bottom face and at least one pivoting member approximately in the center of said top face or bottom face, such that when a pivoting member is placed on a surface a distance depending on the shape of the pivoting member is created between the planar member and the surface and the platform is unstable. Thus the unstable platform encourages a user to expend energy, and is quickly height adjustable by choosing which pivoting member is placed on the surface.

1 . An unstable platform comprising:
 a substantially planar member having a first face and a second face;   a first pivoting member being attached on the first face, said first pivoting member having a first summit point;   a second pivoting member being attached on the second face, said second pivoting member having a second summit point;   wherein a distance between the first face and the first summit point is different than a distance between the second face and the second summit point, whereby a user can choose a different level of movement of the planar member by setting the first summit point against a surface or setting the second summit point against the surface; and   wherein said first and said second faces are sized to accept a user's feet, hands or other body parts, whereby the platform can be manipulated or rocked in at least one of the directions selected from side to side and forward and backward.   
     
     
         2 . The unstable platform of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second pivoting members have a shape selected from the group consisting of a hemisphere, a disk, a vertical tube, and a tubular half circle. 
     
     
         3 . The unstable platform of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially planar member is square, rectangular, oval, or round. 
     
     
         4 . The unstable platform of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially planar member or the pivoting members or both have an anti-slip member. 
     
     
         5 . The unstable platform of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-slip member is a material or construction with a high coefficient of friction. 
     
     
         6 . The unstable platform of  claim 1 , wherein the platform has at least one distal portion having a bumper member to prevent the distal portion contacting the surface. 
     
     
         7 . The platform of  claim 6 , wherein said bumper member has a lower durometer than said distal portion. 
     
     
         8 . The platform of  claim 1 , wherein a separate construction or accessory is provided to act as an anti-slip member or bumper member or both. 
     
     
         9 . The platform of  claim 8 , wherein the separate construction or accessory comprises a pad member. 
     
     
         10 . The platform of  claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises at least one cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The platform of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one cavity is of a size to accept user's four fingers. 
     
     
         12 . The platform of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one cavity locates in the substantially planar member, or in the first or the second pivoting member. 
     
     
         13 . The unstable platform of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the first summit point and the first face is about 1 to 4 inches, and the distance between the second summit point and the second face is about 2 to 8 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The unstable platform of  claim 3 , wherein the planar member is approximately 10-24 inches by 2-16 inches. 
     
     
         15 . An unstable platform comprising:
 a substantially planar member having a first face and a second face;   a first pivoting member being attached on the first face and having an elongated convex surface with an axis that may be in a curvature, and the elongated convex surface having smallest convexity at both ends of the axis and highest convexity at a desired point along the axis;   a second pivoting member being attached on the second face and having an elongated convex surface with an axis that may be in any reasonable curvature, and the elongated convex surface having smallest convexity at both ends of the axis and highest convexity at a desired point along the axis;   and the highest convexity of the second pivoting member being different from the highest convexity of the first pivoting member, whereby the first and the second pivoting members provide a different level of movement to the planar member when set against the surface;   wherein said first and said second faces are sized to accept a user's feet, hands, or other body parts, whereby the platform can be manipulated or rocked in at least one of the directions selected from side to side and forward and backward.   
     
     
         16 . The platform of  claim 15 , wherein the first or the second pivoting member or both have a rectangular or oblong cross section. 
     
     
         17 . The platform of  claim 15 , wherein the first or the second pivoting member is an elongated shape with a rounded head. 
     
     
         18 . An unstable platform comprising:
 a substantially planar member having two long edges, two short edges, a first face, a second face and two distal portions;   a first hemispherical or half-disk pivoting member being attached at about the center of the first face;   a second hemispherical or half-disk pivoting member being attached at about the center of the second face;   two distal portions locating on the first face between the short edges and the first pivoting member and two distal portion locating on the second face between the short edges and the second pivoting member;   wherein said distal portions are sized to accept a user's feet, hands, or other body parts with one body part on either side of the first or the second pivoting member, whereby the platform can be manipulated or rocked in at least one of the directions selected from side to side and forward and backward.   
     
     
         19 . The platform of  claim 18 , wherein said platform has bumper members around the distal portions. 
     
     
         20 . The platform of  claim 19 , wherein said substantially planar member or said pivoting members have anti-slip members.