Portable exercise apparatus comprising resistance generating member in the form of a plunger carried on limb receiving member of the exercise apparatus

• US 10,688,332 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hal Medi Carnago, Vincent Anthony Colistro
• Original Assignee: Hal Medi Carnago, Vincent Anthony Colistro
• Inventors: Carnago, Hal Medi, Colistro, Vincent Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Atkinson, Garrett K
• Application Number:
  US16/246,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20190269954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/028 made of material having high internal friction, e.g. rubber, steel wool, intended to be compressed resistance provided by plastic deformable materials A63B21/00189
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0428 the ends moving relatively by linear reciprocation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4034 for operation by feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4045 Reciprocating movement along, in or on a guide weights moving along or in guiding means A63B21/06; for cardio-training A63B22/201
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0417 with guided foot supports moving parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane by translation

Abstract

An exercise apparatus for use in for example a leg exercise comprises at least one track each extending in a respective longitudinal direction, and each carrying in sliding movement therealong a limb receiving member for supporting a limb of the user. The apparatus includes a resistance generating member in the form of a plunger cooperating with a stop surface to provide gradual resistance to movement of the limb receiving member in a user-driven direction. The resistance generating member is mounted on the limb receiving member so as to be movable therewith and is arranged for releasable contact with the stop surface defined on the respective track.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

at least one track extending in a respective longitudinal direction from a first end of the at least one track to a second end thereof;

at least one limb receiving member defining a top surface for receiving a limb of a user and having first and second ends spaced apart in the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track by a smaller distance than between the first and second ends of the at least one track;

the at least one limb receiving member being operatively coupled to the at least one track so as to be slidable relative thereto in a user-driven direction of sliding movement between the first end and the second end of the at least one track;

the at least one track comprising an upper load bearing surface respectively supporting the at least one limb receiving member in sliding contact therewith and a lower surface adapted for resting on a support surface;

a plunger including;

a housing mounted to one of the at least one track and the at least one limb receiving member so as to support the plunger;

a plunging member supported for movement relative to the housing in a plunging direction substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track;

an end surface defined by the plunging member which is oriented transversely to the plunging direction; and

a biasing member interconnecting the plunging member and the housing and arranged to gradually resist movement of the plunging member in the plunging direction; and

a stop surface which is oriented transversely to the plunging direction supported on the other one of the at least one track and the at least one limb receiving member at a location thereon which is in alignment with the end surface of the plunging member relative to the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track;

the stop surface facing the end surface of the plunging member so as to be presented for contacting the end surface of the plunging member in a manner such that the plunging member is displaced in the plunging direction so as to provide gradual resistance to the sliding movement of said at least one limb receiving member in the user-driven direction.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plunger is mounted on the at least one limb receiving member and the stop surface is supported on the at least one track.

3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plunger comprises a pair of the end surfaces which are disposed in longitudinally opposite relation to one another each facing in an opposite direction towards one of the first and second ends of the at least one track, and wherein there is provided a pair of the stop surfaces each disposed at or adjacent one of the first and second ends of the at least one track.

4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pair of the end surfaces are carried on distinct plunging members which are movable independently of one another in respective plunging directions, the distinct plunging members being connected to and biased against movement in the respective plunging direction by the biasing member which is common thereto.

5. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stop surface is supported in fixed relation to said one of the at least one track and the at least one limb receiving member on which the stop surface is supported.

6. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plunging member is resiliently depressible in the plunging direction.

7. An exercise apparatus comprising:

at least one track extending in a respective longitudinal direction from a first end of the at least one track to a second end thereof, the at least one track including first and second sides spanning between the first and second ends;

at least one limb receiving member defining a top surface for receiving a limb of a user and having first and second ends spaced apart in the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track by a smaller distance than between the first and second ends of the at least one track;

the at least one limb receiving member being operatively coupled to the at least one track so as to be slidable relative thereto in a user-driven direction of sliding movement between the first end and the second end of the at least one track;

the at least one track comprising an upper load bearing surface respectively supporting the at least one limb receiving member in sliding contact therewith and a lower surface adapted for resting on a support surface;

a resistance generating member mounted on the at least one limb receiving member so as to be movable therewith, the resistance generating member being disconnected from the at least one track and arranged for releasable contact therewith at predetermined longitudinal locations of the at least one limb receiving member along the at least one track for generating at said predetermined locations resistance to the sliding movement of said at least one limb receiving member in the driven direction;

wherein the resistance generating member comprises a plunger which is depressible in a plunging direction substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track, the plunger defining an end surface which is oriented transversely to the plunging direction and which is movable relative to the at least one limb receiving member upon depression of the plunger;

a nd there is provided a stop surface oriented transversely to the plunging direction and supported on the at least one track at a location thereon which is in alignment with the end surface of the plunger relative to the respective longitudinal direction of the at least one track;

the stop surface facing the end surface of the plunger.

8. The exercise apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plunger comprises a pair of the end surfaces which are disposed in longitudinally opposite relation to one another each facing in an opposite direction towards one of the first and second ends of the at least one track, and wherein there is provided a pair of the stop surfaces each disposed at or adjacent one of the first and second ends of the at least one track.

9. The exercise apparatus of claim 8 wherein each one of the pair of the end surfaces are carried on a distinct member of the plunger which is displaceable in a direction parallel to the plunging direction, the distinct members which carry the end surfaces of the plunger being biased against displacement in said direction parallel to the plunging direction by a common biasing member.

10. The exercise apparatus of claim 7 wherein the stop surface is supported in fixed relation to said one at least one track.

11. The exercise apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plunger is resiliently depressible.