Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/068—User-manipulated weights using user's body weight

Definitions

• Exercise machines more specifically an exercise machine with a combination of links that allows an effort force, variable over a range of movement, to be counteracted by a resistance force with a similar variation.
• exercise machines including those that have linkages that vary the resistance force applied to the user, provide a resistance force to the user's applied force, which resistant force is either linear or is not balanced against the effort force of the user.
• the upper leg bone and the lower leg bone initially proscribe a fairly narrow angle, with the knee at the apex.
• the muscle operates to flex the lower leg away from the upper leg and to increase the angle between the two, at the knee.
• the angle between the upper and lower leg at the knee changes, the user gets better leverage from the muscles involved and can apply greater effort force.
• a mechanical device such as a hydraulic cylinder
• Applicant's invention includes a linkage system comprising a multiplicity of links.
• One of the links may be a drive lever that is adapted to receive an appendage of the user (foot, hands or the like) to apply an applied effort force thereto, which effort force will be resisted by a mechanical resistance assembly, with possibly an additional component of resistance generated by the user's own weight.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of Applicant's multi-link exercise machine.
• FIG. 1 A is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment of Applicant's invention.
• Figs. 2A and 2B are side elevational views of Applicant's multi-link leg press exercise machine showing a user in a start position (Fig. 2A) and an extended position (Fig. 2B).
• FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of a portion of Applicant's multi-link leg press machine showing the mechanical assembly thereof.
• FIGs. 3A and 3B are perspective view of alternate preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• Applicant's exercise machine 10 is seen in side elevational view in Fig. 1 and with reference to Figs. 2A and 2B, resting on support surface SS.
• the exercise machine 10 is comprised of a linkage system 12, the linkage system comprising a multiplicity of links, which links are typically rigid members or bars, which may be pivotable with respect to one another, but that cooperate to transmit a resistance force to a user applied effort force.
• Applicant's multiple linkage includes a drive lever 14a, fixed frame 16 supported on a support surface, such as a floor of a workout room, a rocker link 18, and a seat support link 19 (comprised here of seat assembly support 20 and crossbar 22 rigidly, but adjustably, mounted to one another).
• this particular linkage system 12 includes four links.
• the drive lever 14 is pivotally attached to a floor supported fixed frame 16 at point A.
• a removed end of drive lever 14 is pivotally attached to seat link 19 at point B.
• Rocker 18 is pivotally engaged with seat link 19 at point C, and pivotally engaged to frame 16 at point D.
• These points may represent fasteners or other pivot or rotation means known in the trade.
• a mechanical resistance assembly 50 engages at least two of the links of the multi-link system 12. Illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, is the engagement of a mechanical assembly, here including hydraulic cylinder 52, between fixed frame 16 and seat link 19.
• Seat link 19 is seen to include a seat assembly 24 on which will reside at least some of the weight of the user typically in a seated position.
• Application of a force by the user to drive lever 14 will cause a pivoting action of the drive lever and movement of the linkage system. This movement will result in the generation of a resistance force by the mechanical resistance assembly 50 to the applied effort force of the user, as well as an additional component of resistance generated by a lifting of the user's own weight against the force of gravity over at least some range of the drive lever's pivoting motion.
• a footpad assembly 26 is comprised as set forth below (oFelements 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38) and is adapted to easily, conveniently and effectively transmit a muscular applied effort force of the user to the drive lever.
• Footpad assembly 26 includes a footpad 28, which may comprise a single member or a set of members, wherein each member of the set is adapted to receive one of the two feet of the user and may have foam pads covered with a durable fabric as is known in the art.
• Footpad 28 may include two separate covered sections, 28a and 28b, as illustrated in Fig. 1, which sections are hinged together at 28c as by a fabric member.
• a stay bar 34 is pivotally attached at or near one end to the frame and near another end to the support post 30. The function of the stay bar is to rotatably move the surface of the footpads as the drive lever moves along an arc that will tend to keep the feet of the user approximately perpendicular to the lower leg of the user for more comfortable and effective motion.
• the foot pad assembly 26 also includes a stay bar/support post pivotal attachment 36, such as a fastener. Another fastener may act as stay bar/frame pivotal attachment 38.
• Seat assembly 24 functions to, among other things, support the weight of the user and allow easy access of the user to the drive lever.
• Seat assembly 24 is seen in Figs. 1, 2A and 2B to comprise a back rest 40 (which may be padded), a bottom rest 42 (which may be padded), a pair of hand graspable handles 44, all engaged with seat link 19 through the use of a seat support/seat assembly adjustable bracket 46, which adjustably positions (through ways known in the trade, including a multiplicity of holes (21)) the seat assembly along seat support 20 of seat link 19.
• Adjustable bracket 46 may be attached to seat support 20 through the use of a multiplicity of holes (21) in the seat support and adjustable bracket, along with fasteners, such as threaded fasteners, quick pins or other means as known in the trade. Such adjustability will allow one to move the seat assembly and, therefore, the seat longitudinally along seat support 20.
• Mechanical resistance assembly 50 is provided to apply a mechanical resistance to a user actuated pivoting of drive lever 14.
• Mechanical resistance assembly 50 may include different resistance means, for example, weights, spring (see Figs. 3A and 3B), etc., but in Figs .
• Hydraulic cylinder 52 for resisting the user' s effort force and achieving a cushioned let-down when the weight of user allows the machine to return to the lower position as set forth in Fig. 2A.
• the hydraulic cylinder is also "self- adjusting" in that the harder the applied force by the user, the more resistance generated.
• Hydraulic cylinder 52 includes a rod 54, a piston 56, the rod slideably received in a body 58, typically cylindrical, the body for enclosing piston 56, which piston typically moves within a fluid to provide a resistance to the rod proportional to the applied velocity to the rod.
• hydraulic cylinder 52 engages seat link 19, here more specifically the seat support 20, at adjustable bracket 60 and the body 58, adjustably mounted, typically with a ball joint, at frame/adjustable bracket 62.
• the effect of the mechanical resistance assembly is to add additional resistance force to the applied force, here in the form of a hydraulic cylinder.
• the faster the force is supplied to the drive lever the greater the resistance to the lifting action (and hence movement of the rod 45 and body 58).
• the purpose of the hydraulic resistance force is to provide the general baseline resistance over the full range of motion. Its magnitude increases the faster the user drives the lever, and it, too, actually increases as the knee extends. However, it is insufficient to balance strength near full knee extension, and so the gravity component of resistance supplements the hydraulic resistance.
• a combination of a slot and fasteners could also be used to attach the seat assembly to seat support 20.
• Adjustments may be made, between A and B (or other link attachment points), for example, with the use of a series of holes in links 14 and/or 16 that will allow a shorter person to have a decreasing range of motion in the drive lever.
• coupler 18 may have a slot as illustrated or a series of holes to engage frame 16.
• Figs.3 A and 3B illustrate the use of the spring 52a or elastomeric member 52b for providing mechanical resistance, in place of hydraulic assembly. While the use of these different assemblies would achieve some of the results of applicant's present invention, they are not the preferred resistance assembly.
• Fig. IA illustrates the use of a hand engaging handle 28H in place of footpad 28 to allow a user to use the exercise machine for seated bench press.
• the hand engaging member may be rotatably attached to the support post and may also include rotatable hand grip portions 281, wherein the hand grip portions rotate with respect to the rest of the hand engaging assembly in ways known in the trade, such that movement by the user of the drive lever allows rotation of the rotatable portions 281 and for comfort of the user.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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• 2006
  • 2006-03-01 AU AU2006339391A patent/AU2006339391A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-03-01 JP JP2008557246A patent/JP2009528127A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-03-01 WO PCT/US2006/007306 patent/WO2007100325A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-03-01 CA CA002644398A patent/CA2644398A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-03-01 AT AT06736598T patent/ATE519529T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-03-01 MX MX2008011073A patent/MX2008011073A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-03-01 EP EP06736598A patent/EP1993678B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (3)

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