Universal exercising machine

• US 4,725,057 A
• Filed: 11/03/1986
• Issued: 02/16/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BowFlex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bow-Flex Of America, Inc.
• Inventors: Shifferaw, Tessema
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/926,950
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 272/135, 272/136, 272/143-145, 272/134, 272/93, 272/72, 272/117
• US Class Current: 482/130
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/026 Bars; Tubes; Leaf springs A63B21/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/04 attached to static foundation , e.g. a user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/045 having torsion or bending or flexion element
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport

Abstract

Exercising machine having a plurality of resilient rods which are flexed and resist movement of a person using the machine. Forces are exerted on the resilient rods through cables to which a variety of attachments such as hand grips, foot stirrups and a sliding bench can be connected to exercise different parts of the body. The rods can be used in any combination to suit the requirements and physical abilities of the person using the machine.

Claims

1. In an exercising machine:

a base, resilient rod mounted on the base in cantilevered fashion with one end of the rod being secured in a fixed position and the other end being free, a cable connected to the free end of the rod for flexing the rod when pulled, and means engageable with the cable for guiding the cable and operatively positioned such that a pull exerted upon the cable by a user, causes the rod to flex and resist the pull in a predetermined manner regardless of the direction in which the pull is exerted.

2. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a hand grip connected to the cable for engagement by the hand of a person using the machine.

3. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a bar connected to the cable for engagement by the hands of a person using the machine.

4. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a foot stirrup connected to the cable for engagement by the foot of a person using the machine.

5. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a belt connected to the cable for engagement with the waist of a person using the machine.

6. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a strap connected to the base for securing the body of the person using the machine in a predetermined position on the base.

7. The exercising machine of claim 1 including a seat movably mounted on the base and connected to the cable for receiving the body of the person using the machine.

8. The exercising machine of claim 7 wherein the base is adapted to rest on a horizontal supporting surface, and the seat includes wheels engageable with the supporting surface.

9. The exercising machine of claim 1 wherein the base and the fixed end of the resilient rod are hingedly connected together for movement between a working position in which the rod extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the base and a collapsed position in which the rod is generally parallel to the base.

10. The exercising machine of claim 1 wherein the guide means comprises a sheave pivotally mounted on the base near the fixed end of the rod.

11. The exercising machine of claim 1 including at least one additional resilient rod and means for selectively connecting the cable to the free ends of any desired number of the rods.

12. In an exercising machine:

a base, a plurality for resilient rods mounted on the base in cantilevered fashion with one end of each of the rods being free, a flexible cable adapted to be pulled upon by a person using the machine , and means for connecting the cable selectively to one or more of the rods so that the rods to which the cable is connected bend in bow-like fashion and thereby produce a force which opposes the pull on the cable, the magnitude of the force depending at least in part upon the number of rods to which the cable is connected.

13. The exercising machine of claim 12 wherein the means for connecting the cable to the rods comprises hook means carried by the flexible cable and the free ends of the rods.

14. The exercising machine of claim 13 wherein the hook means comprises an eyelet connected to the free end of each of the rods and a hook member connected to the cable.

15. The exercising machine of claim 12 including a guide member for the cable mounted on the base near the fixed ends of the rods.

16. The exercising machine of claim 12 including a seat movable in a horizontal direction relative to the base for receiving the person using the machine.

17. The exercising machine of claim 16 wherein the cable is connected to the seat, and the rods to which the cable is connected are bent in bow-like fashion by movement of the seat.

18. The exercising machine of claim 12 wherein the rods are fabricated of nylon.

19. In an exercising machine:

a base having a relatively short upright post, a bench extending from the post, a pair of foot supports on opposite sides of the post for receiving the feet of a person sitting or reclining on the bench, a plurality of vertically extending rods of resilient material mounted on the post in cantilevered fashion with the lower ends of the rods being rigidly affixed to the post and the upper ends of the rods being free, and means selectively connected to the rods and operable by a person on the bench for bending the rods in bow-like fashion to produce a force which resists the bending.

20. The exercising machine of claim 19 wherein the rods are fabricated of nylon.

21. The exercising machine of claim 19 wherein the rods are of circular cross-section and different diameters and provide forces of different magnitudes when bent.

22. The exercising machine of claim 19 wherein the bench is movable in a horizontal direction relative to the post and the lower ends of the rods.

23. The exercising machine of claim 19 wherein the means for bending the rods comprises a flexible cable which is adapted to be pulled by the person and a guide member for the cable positioned near the lower ends of the rods.

24. The exercising machine of claim 19 including means hingedly connecting the bench to the post and permitting the machine to be folded to a position in which the bench is generally parallel and adjacent to the posts and the rods.

25. In an exercising machine:

a base having a relatively short upright post, a bench extending from the post, a pair of foot supports on opposite sides of the post for receiving the feet of a person sitting or reclining on the bench, a plurality of vertically extending rods of resilient material mounted on the post in cantilevered fashion with the lower ends of the rods being rigidly affixed to the post and the upper ends of the rods being free, a flexible cable upon which an axial pull can be exerted by a person on the bench, a guide member for the cable near the lower ends of the rods, and hook means carried by the cable and the free ends of the rods for selectively connecting the cable to one or more of the rods so that the rods are bent by the pull on the cable to produce a force which resists the pull.

26. The exercising machine of claim 25 wherein the rods are fabricated of nylon.

27. The exercising machine of claim 25 wherein the rods are of different sizes and produce forces of different magnitudes when bent in a similar manner.

28. The exercising machine of claim 25 wherein the hook means comprises eyelets connected to the free ends of the rods and a hook member connected to the cable for selective engagement with the eyelets.

29. The exercising machine of claim 25 including means hingedly connecting the bench to the post and permitting the machine to be folded to a position in which the bench is generally parallel and adjacent to the posts and the rods.