Calf Exercise Machine With Rocking User Support

• US 20110207584A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Original Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Inventors: Hockridge, Bruce, Webber, Randall T., Meredith, Jeffrey O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/94
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0615 pivoting about a fixed horizontal fulcrum
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/08 anchored at one end
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/159 Using levers for transmitting forces
• 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 2208/0238 with stretched legs, like on a bed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/085 by rotational movement of the joint in a plane substantially parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0036 Accessories for stowing, putting away or transporting exercise apparatus or sports equipment A63B47/00, A63B55/00, A63B60/56 take precedence

Abstract

A calf exercise machine has a floor engaging main frame, a user support pivot, a user support assembly pivotally mounted on the main frame via the user support pivot, and a pivotally mounted user engagement device. A user engaging foot plate assembly is pivotally mounted to track movement of the user'"'"'s feet during a calf exercise, and may comprise either the user support in a standing calf machine or the user engagement device in a seated calf machine. A connecting link translates movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support so that pivotal movement in the user engagement device results in a self-aligning, pivoting movement of the user support.

Claims

1. A calf exercise machine, comprising:

a stationary main frame having a forward end and a rear end;

a user support assembly pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in an exercise position, the user support assembly being movable between a start position and an end position during a calf exercise;

an exercise arm assembly movably mounted relative to the main frame and having a user engaging portion which is adapted for engagement by a part of a user'"'"'s body when the user is supported in an exercise position on the user support assembly;

one of the assemblies comprising a foot plate assembly adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s feet when performing a calf exercise and rotatable during a calf exercise to accommodate rotation of a user'"'"'s feet about the ankle joints to contract the calf muscles;

a connecting linkage between the user support assembly and exercise arm assembly which links movement of one of the assemblies to movement of the other assembly; and

a load which resists movement of at least one of the exercise arm assembly, the user support assembly, and the connecting linkage.

2. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a multiple pivot assembly pivotally mounting the user support assembly for rotation relative to the main frame between the start position and the end position, the pivot assembly having multiple pivots which define a theoretical pivot axis of the user support pivotal movement and a vertical gravitational center line which extends through the theoretical pivot axis.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the vertical gravitational center line extends through the user support assembly through at least part of an exercise movement.

4. The machine of claim 2, wherein the vertical gravitational center line is located to the rear of the user support assembly throughout at least part of an exercise movement.

5. The machine of claim 2, wherein the multiple pivot assembly comprises a four-bar pivot linkage.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the main frame has a floor engaging base portion and the foot plate assembly is pivotally mounted on the base portion of the main frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user support assembly includes a user support seat which supports a user in a seated position and the foot plate assembly comprises the exercise arm assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user support assembly has primary and secondary supports which support spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise, the primary and secondary supports moving together throughout the exercise movement.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user support assembly has a support frame extending forward from the user support seat towards the foot plate assembly, and the foot plate assembly comprises a first pivot link and at least one foot plate secured to the first pivot link, the first pivot link having a first pivotal connection to the main frame defining a first pivot axis and a second pivotal connection to the forward portion of the support frame defining a second pivot axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the connecting linkage comprises a second pivot link spaced rearward from the first pivot link, the second pivot link having third pivotal connection to the main frame defining a third pivot axis and a fourth pivotal connection to the user support frame defining a fourth pivot axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second pivot links, user support frame and main frame together define a four bar pivot linkage.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the foot plate assembly includes at least one foot plate adapted for engagement by the feet of user in an exercise position on the user support seat, the at least one foot plate having a substantially upright orientation at the start of an exercise and rotating forward and upward during an exercise.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the user support seat rotates rearward and moves forward during an exercise.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user support seat moves upward during an exercise.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user support assembly is linked to the load.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a multiple pivot assembly between the user support assembly and main frame and between the foot plate assembly and main frame, all pivots of the multiple pivot assembly being located beneath the user support seat throughout an exercise.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foot plate assembly comprises the user support assembly and has at least one pivotally mounted foot plate adapted to support a user in a standing position facing rearward, and the exercise arm assembly has shoulder pads adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s shoulders when standing on said at least one foot plate.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising at least one lifting arm movably mounted relative to the main frame and associated with at least one of the foot plate assembly, exercise arm assembly, and connecting linkage.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connecting linkage comprises at least one connecting link pivotally connected between the exercise arm assembly and the lifting arm, whereby the lifting arm is moved in response to movement of the exercise arm assembly during a calf exercise.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lifting arm is pivotally connected to said at least one foot plate, whereby the foot plate is rotated in response to movement of the lifting arm.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the load is mounted on the lifting arm.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the lifting arm has at least one weight peg and the load comprises one or more weights mounted on said at least one weight peg.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a pivot mount on the main frame which pivotally connects the lifting arm to the main frame.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the connecting link is linked to the lifting arm at a location spaced forward from the pivot mount.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one foot plate is linked to the lifting arm at a location spaced rearward from the connecting link.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the lifting arm has a forward end and a rear end, and a drive link is pivotally connected between the rear end of the lifting arm and said at least one foot plate.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one foot plate comprises two spaced foot plates which are connected together to move in unison during a calf exercise.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the exercise arm assembly has a forward end and a rear end, the main frame has a generally upright strut and the exercise arm assembly is pivotally connected to the upright strut at first location spaced between the ends of the exercise arm assembly, and the shoulder pads are mounted adjacent the forward end of the exercise arm assembly.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least one counterweight at the rear end of the exercise arm assembly.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least one lifting arm movably mounted relative to the main frame, the connecting linkage comprising a connecting link extending between the lifting arm and exercise arm assembly and pivotally linked to said at least one exercise arm at a second location spaced between said first location and said shoulder pads.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the connecting link has a lower end pivotally linked to the lifting arm.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the foot plate assembly is pivotally mounted on the main frame for rotation about a foot plate pivot axis, and said at least one foot plate is adapted to rotate between a forward inclined and a rearward inclined orientation during a calf exercise.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein at least a major part of the at least one foot plate is located in front of a vertical gravitational center line extending through the foot plate pivot axis in a start position of a calf exercise and a major part of the at least one foot plate is located to the rear of the vertical gravitational center line at the end of a calf exercise.

34. A calf exercise machine, comprising:

a stationary main frame;

a user support adapted to support a user in an exercise position and pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation between a start position and an end position during a calf exercise;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame which is engaged by the user in performing exercises;

one of the user support and user engagement device comprising a foot plate assembly adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s feet when performing a calf exercise and rotatable during a calf exercise to accommodate rotation of a user'"'"'s feet about the ankle joints to contract the calf muscles;

a connecting linkage which translates movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support;

at least one lifting arm movably mounted relative to the main frame and associated with at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting linkage, whereby the lifting arm moves in response to movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting linkage; and

a load which resists movement of the lifting arm.

35. The machine of claim 34, wherein the user support comprises the foot plate assembly and the user engagement device comprises an exercise arm assembly pivotally mounted on the main frame above the foot plate assembly.

36. The machine of claim 35, wherein the foot plate assembly has at least one pivotally mounted foot plate adapted to support a user in a standing position, and the exercise arm assembly has shoulder pads adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s shoulders when standing on said at least one foot plate.

37. The machine of claim 36, wherein the exercise arm assembly has a forward end and a rear end and is pivotally mounted on the main frame at a first location spaced between said ends, the shoulder pads are spaced forward from said first location, and at least one counterweight is mounted on the exercise arm assembly at a location spaced rearward from said first location.

38. The machine of claim 34, wherein the connecting linkage comprises a multiple part connecting linkage between said foot plate assembly and said user engagement device, and the lifting arm comprises part of said connecting linkage.

39. The machine of claim 38, wherein the lifting arm has a first portion and a second portion connected together at an angle to form a substantially L-shaped configuration, and the connecting linkage comprises at least one first link between the user engagement device and the first portion of the lifting arm and at least one second link between the second portion of the lifting arm and the user support.

40. The machine of claim 39, wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the first portion of the lifting arm at a first lift arm pivot axis, the lifting arm is pivotally connected to the frame at a second lift arm pivot axis spaced from the first lift arm pivot axis, and the second link is pivotally connected to the lifting arm at a third lift arm pivot axis spaced from the first and second lift arm pivot axes.

41. The machine of claim 40, wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the user engagement device at a location spaced above the lifting arm, and the user support is pivotally connected to the second link at a location spaced forward from at least the second and third link arm pivot axes.

42. The machine of claim 34, wherein the foot plate assembly is pivotally connected to the main frame for rotation about a first foot plate pivot axis, and is movably associated with the lifting arm at a location spaced from the first foot plate pivot axis.

43. The machine of claim 34, wherein the lifting arm has at least one weight peg for receiving at least one weight.

44. The machine of claim 43, wherein the lifting arm has a pair of rods pivotally mounted on the frame, each rod having an outwardly directed weight peg for receiving one or more selected weights.

45. The machine of claim 34, wherein the main frame has a forward end and a rear end, the foot plate assembly is located adjacent the forward end of the machine and comprises at least one foot plate adapted to support a user in a standing position facing the rear end of the main frame, and the connecting linkage is configured to rotate the foot plate from a forwardly inclined orientation to a rearwardly inclined orientation during a calf exercise.