Modular Upright For Fitness Apparatus

• US 20150076092A1
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamic Fitness & Strength LLC
• Original Assignee: Dynamic Fitness & Strength LLC
• Inventors: Tambornino, Jason, Tambornino, Curt
• Granted Patent: US 9,278,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/85.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0083 with four vertical uprights for units mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/045
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/007 Racks for cylindrical or barrel-like objects, e.g. casks, rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1408 regularly perforated
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1433 Hollow members
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/145 Composite members, i.e. made up of several elements joined together
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1458 with perforations
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/01 made of tubes or wire A47F5/0807 takes precedence foldable or adjustable A47F5/13
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 17/04 separable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00047 Exercising devices not moving during use benches A63B21/4029; isometric exercising devices A63B21/0023; step exercisers A63B23/0458; walk exercisers A63B23/0464
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/078 Devices for bench press exercises , e.g. supports, guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A modular upright for an exercise equipment superstructure has a base with a floor plate and a stub, a lower tubular upright portion, a connector and an upper tubular upright portion. The lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion both have openings defined at regular intervals along their length for supporting exercise equipment accessories, as well as correspondingly positioned openings in the stub and the connector so fasteners can be used for connection of the components. The stub, the upright portions and the connector are all formed of tubing, sized so none of the columnar load stresses the connector or the stub or the fasteners.

Claims

1. An upright for an exercise equipment superstructure comprising:

a base comprising;

a floor plate for extending in a horizontal plane; and

a stub rigidly connected to the floor plate and extending generally vertically upward from the horizontal plane of the floor plate, the stub having at least one horizontally extending through hole defined therein;

a lower tubular upright portion, the lower tubular upright portion having a peripheral wall defining a first longitudinal axis, a lower portion of the peripheral wall mating with the stub of the base such that the base can support the lower tubular upright portion with the first longitudinal axis extending generally vertically, the lower tubular upright portion having a first horizontally extending through hole defined therein and positioned to align with the horizontally extending through hole of the stub while the base supports the lower tubular upright portion, the lower tubular upright portion having a second horizontally extending through hole at an upper end when the base supports the lower tubular upright portion;

a connector, shorter than the lower tubular upright portion and sized to mate with the peripheral wall of the lower tubular upright portion at its upper end, the connector having first and second through-holes;

an upper tubular upright portion, the upper tubular upright portion having a peripheral wall defining a second longitudinal axis, the upper tubular upright portion being longer than the connector, a lower end of the peripheral wall of the upper tubular upright portion being sized to mate with the connector, the lower end of the peripheral wall of the upper tubular upright portion having a first through hole, such that the upper tubular upright portion can be supported by the lower tubular upright portion and the connector with

a) the second horizontally extending through hole of the lower tubular upright portion being in alignment with the first through hole of the connector;

b) the horizontally extending through hole of the upper tubular upright portion being in alignment with the second through hole of the connector; and

c) the second longitudinal axis extending vertically and being generally coaxial with the first longitudinal axis; and

fasteners extending through each of the through-holes to attach the base to the lower tubular upright portion, the lower tubular upright portion to the connector, and the connector to the upper tubular upright portion;

wherein the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion both have openings defined at regular intervals along their length for supporting exercise equipment accessories.

2. The upright of claim 1, wherein the openings defined at regular intervals along the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion are accessory attachment through-holes.

3. The upright of claim 2, wherein the connector comprises a plurality of through-holes, including a first accessory attachment through hole spaced to align with one of the accessory attachment through-holes of the lower tubular upright portion and a second accessory attachment through hole spaced to align with one of the accessory attachment through-holes of the upper tubular upright portion.

4. The upright of claim 2, wherein the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion each have a rectangular horizontal cross-section, wherein the accessory attachment through-holes are defined on a first two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, and wherein the through-holes for connection to the stub and the connector are defined on a second two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, with the first two parallel faces being normal to the second two parallel faces.

5. The upright of claim 4, wherein accessory attachment through-holes are also defined on the second two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, and wherein the stub comprises an upper edge which intersects an accessory attachment through hole.

6. The upright of claim 5, wherein accessory attachment through-holes on the first two parallel faces of the peripheral wall are offset in elevation relative to accessory attachment through-holes on the second two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, such that fasteners can be simultaneously used in both directions through adjacent accessory attachment through-holes and through the stub.

7. The upright of claim 4, wherein accessory attachment through-holes are also defined on the second two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, and wherein the connector comprises an edge which intersects an accessory attachment through hole.

8. The upright of claim 7, wherein accessory attachment through-holes on the first two parallel faces of the peripheral wall are offset in elevation relative to accessory attachment through-holes on the second two parallel faces of the peripheral wall, such that fasteners can be simultaneously used in both directions through adjacent accessory attachment through-holes and through the connector.

9. The upright of claim 2, wherein the stub comprises a plurality of through-holes, including an accessory attachment through hole spaced to align with one of the accessory attachment through-holes of the lower tubular upright portion.

10. The upright of claim 1, further comprising a series of indicia labeling the openings defined at regular intervals along the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion, wherein the series of indicia continues across an interface between the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion.

11. The upright of claim 1, wherein the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion are both at least 30 inches long.

12. The upright of claim 11, wherein the lower tubular upright portion is longer than the upper tubular upright portion.

13. The upright of claim 12, wherein the lower tubular upright portion is twice as long as the upper tubular upright portion.

14. The upright of claim 1, wherein the stub is a tube which fits inside the lower tubular upright portion.

15. The upright of claim 1, wherein the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion both have the same cross-sectional size and shape.

16. The upright of claim 1, wherein the connector is a tube which fits inside the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion.

17. A plurality of the uprights of claim 1 assembled as an exercise equipment superstructure, and further comprising an upper horizontal cross-bar connecting two upper tubular upright portions.

18. A process of assembling an exercise equipment superstructure, comprising:

placing a base on a floor, the base comprising;

a floor plate for extending in a horizontal plane; and

a stub rigidly connected to the floor plate and extending generally vertically upward from the horizontal plane of the floor plate, the stub having at least one horizontally extending through hole defined therein;

placing a lower tubular upright portion in a mating position with the stub of the base, the lower tubular upright portion having a peripheral wall defining a first longitudinal axis, a lower portion of the peripheral wall mating with stub of the base such that the base supports the lower tubular upright portion with the first longitudinal axis extending generally vertically, the lower tubular upright portion having a first horizontally extending through hole defined therein and positioned to align with the horizontally extending through hole of the stub while the base supports the lower tubular upright portion, the lower tubular upright portion having a second horizontally extending through hole at an upper end when the base supports the lower tubular upright portion;

attaching a fastener through the first horizontally extending through hole of the lower tubular upright portion and through the horizontally extending through hole of the stub;

placing a connector in a mating position with the peripheral wall of the lower tubular upright portion at its upper end, the connector being shorter than the lower tubular upright portion, the connector having first and second through-holes;

attaching a fastener through the second horizontally extending through hole of the lower tubular upright portion and through the first through hole of the connector;

placing an upper tubular upright portion in a mating position with the connector, the upper tubular upright portion having a peripheral wall defining a second longitudinal axis, the upper tubular upright portion being longer than the connector, a lower end of the peripheral wall of the upper tubular upright portion being sized to mate with the connector, the lower end of the peripheral wall of the upper tubular upright portion having a first through hole, such that the upper tubular upright portion is supported by the lower tubular upright portion and the connector with

a) the horizontally extending through hole of the upper tubular upright portion being in alignment with the second through hole of the connector; and

b) the second longitudinal axis extending vertically and being generally coaxial with the first longitudinal axis; and

attaching a fastener through the horizontally extending through hole of the upper tubular upright portion and through the second through hole of the connector, to thereby assemble an upright;

wherein the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion both have openings defined at regular intervals along their length for supporting exercise equipment accessories.

19. The process of assembling an exercise equipment superstructure of claim 18, further comprising:

assembling a second upright for the exercise equipment superstructure; and

connecting an upper horizontal cross-bar between two upper tubular upright portions of the uprights.

20. The process of assembling an exercise equipment superstructure of claim 18, wherein the load of the lower tubular upright portion and the upper tubular upright portion are supported on the floor plate of the base without loading the fasteners in shear.