Apparatus to maintain spinal alignment during the squat exercise

• US 20070287606A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael Mac Millan
• Original Assignee: Michael Mac Millan
• Inventors: Mac Millan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/804,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20070287606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/97
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/0411 Squatting exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0223 Squatting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/62 posture
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0233 Muscles of the back, e.g. by an extension of the body against a resistance, reverse crunch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0244 with signalling or indicating means, e.g. of incorrect posture, for deep-breathing exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0405 involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously A63B23/0476 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus that allows weight resistance to be applied to the upper torso during the performance of the squat exercise and actively aligns the spine to reduce the chance of spinal injury. The apparatus consists of a set of pads or rests on the shoulders in front of the spine which are connected through a pivot or lever to a lower back rest or pad behind the spine which create and maintain spinal alignment. The pivot between the front and back rests, is positioned over, but not contacting, the spinal axis of the user and is the point at which resistance is applied.

Claims

1. ) An apparatus to maintain spinal alignment during the squat exercise comprising:

A rest or plurality of rests that are positioned against the anterior to middle portion of the shoulders generally capable of exerting a downward and posteriorly directed force;

A rest or plurality of rests positioned against the lower spine, i.e. small of the back, generally exerting an anteriorly directed force;

A connecting member between the anterior shoulder rests and the posterior lower back rests of each side, such that when the user exerts force onto either rest, the opposite rest will exert a reciprocal rotational force against the user;

A point on the connecting member between the rests, that lies along the neutral, i.e. mechanical, axis of the spine, where resistance can be applied and transmitted to the user through the anterior and posterior rests;

The result of the forces created by the opposing anterior shoulder rests and lower back rests, is that the spine is compelled to remain in alignment and is prevented from flexing forward.

2. ) An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rests applied to anterior and middle potions of the shoulders are comprised of two parallel rests that lie on the left and right side of the shoulders, and contact the front to middle portion of the shoulders;

generally capable of exerting a posteriorly directed force.

3. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member between the shoulder rests and the lower back rests is in fact a lever whose pivot point is positioned over the neutral, i.e. mechanical, axis of spine, which

generally lies behind the head and over the middle of the posterior shoulders.

4. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a connecting member from each of the shoulder rests, which travels through the pivot point of the connecting member and extends posteriorly behind the user and behind the neutral mechanical axis of the spine.

5. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member from the shoulder rests which proceeds posteriorly, past the pivot point, will be intersected by and have attached to it a transverse crosspiece between the connecting members of each side.

6. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a lumbar rest attached to the transverse crosspiece between the left and right sides;

which can rotate in an arc around this transverse connector for the purpose of engaging the lumbar rest against the low back.

7. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the the pivot point on the connecting member between the anterior shoulder rests and the posterior lumbar rests can engage a long lever arm that is hinged on an external, immobile base, such that when the user exerts force on the applied shoulder and lumbar pads, the engaged lever arm will be raised and travel up with the user.

Any resistance carried by or applied to the external lever arm will likewise be carried by the user, through the lever arm attachment on the pivot point of the connecting member between the anterior shoulder rests and the posterior shoulder rests.

8. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pivot point on the lever between the anterior shoulder rests and the posterior lumbar rest can have weight resistance applied directly to it by means of a hook, a peg, a post, or a cradle that holds a weight plate, a barbell or a dumbbell onto the pivot.

9. ) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pivot point on the lever between the anterior shoulder rests and the posterior lumbar rest can have weight resistance applied directly to it by means of a cable or a plurality of cables that exert a downward force.