Exercise appliance for abdominal muscles and method of using same

• US 5,755,647 A
• Filed: 05/16/1995
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence I. Wechsler
• Original Assignee: Lawrence I. Wechsler
• Inventors: Watnik, Harry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, VICTOR KENNY
• Application Number:
  US08/442,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 482/8, 482/91, 482/121-124, 482/129, 482/130, 482/140, 482/142, 482/128, 482/148, 601/23, 601/24, 602/13, 602/19, 5/464, 5/633, 5/639, 5/640, 5/643, 5/652, 5/935, 297/452.32, 297/452.37
• US Class Current: 482/121
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0252 supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/62 Inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0211 moving torso with immobilized lower limbs
• 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 23/03575 Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously

Abstract

An exercise appliance for conditioning the abdominal muscles of an individual includes a structure presenting a resiliently yieldable contact surface which provides a restoring force against a force applied thereto. The contact surface has a contour suitably sized and shaped to be at least partially fittable in the space formed between a support surface and a static lordotic curve of a lumbar back of an individual positioned with a remaining portion of the back of the individual in contact with the support surface. The structure may provide the resilient yieldability in a form permitting deformation of the contact surface, or may alternately include a rigid member arranged to permit resistive movement thereof in a direction towards a plane of the support surface. By positioning the resiliently yieldable portion of the appliance in the space formed between a support surface and the lumbar back, subsequent attempts by the individual to straighten the lumbar curvature by contraction of the abdominal muscles, forces the lumbar spine to flatten against the counter-force provided by the appliance, conditioning the abdominal muscles responsible for the action. In a further embodiment, the exercise appliance allows selection of the degree of resistance provided by the contact surface, allowing efficient use by individuals of varying levels of physical conditioning. The appliance may also be provided with a sensor which can output an audible or other type feedback signal indicative of the degree of compression of the mass, to insure proper performance of the exercise by the individual.

Claims

1. An exercise appliance for strengthening and toning the abdominal muscles, comprising:

a structure presenting a yieldable contact surface, adapted to fit between a static lumbar lordosis of a back of an individual and a support surface when a remaining portion of the individual'"'"'back is positioned against the support surface, at least a portion of said yieldable contact surface being disposed in an original spaced apart position from the support surface, said yieldable contact surface being a portion of an exterior of a compressible mass comprised of a resiliently deformable material;

means for providing a resistive counterforce to an approximation of said yieldable contact surface with a plane of the support surface in response to an applied force, and for restoring said at least portion of said contact surface to substantially said original spaced apart position upon a removal of said applied force;

said resistive counterforce being provided in an amount less than a force required to straighten the static lumbar lordosis of the back of the individual over a substantial portion of a maximum allowable approximation of said yieldable contact surface with the plane of the support surface;

means for rendering said yieldable contact surface substantially non-rotational with respect to the support surface during said approximation, said means for rendering said contact surface non-rotational including a flattened portion of said exterior disposed opposite said portion defining said yieldable contact surface;

means for selectively varying a degree of said resistive counterforce, said means for selectively varying a degree of said resistive counterforce including a plurality of inserts, each presenting a different modulus of elasticity; and

said compressible mass including a shape defining a cavity therein for receiving a selected one of said plurality of inserts.

2. The exercise appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

said cavity includes an opening disposed in a side of said compressible mass facing the support surface.

3. The exercise appliance according to claim 2, wherein:

each of said plurality of insert are received in press-fit engagement within said cavity.

4. The exercise appliance to claim 1, further comprising:

means responsive to an application of said applied force for emitting a feedback signal.

5. An exercise appliance for strengthening and toning the abdominal muscles, comprising:

a structure presenting a yieldable contact surface, adapted to fit between a static lumbar lordosis of a back of an individual and a support surface when a remaining portion of the individual'"'"'s back is positioned against the support surface, at least a portion of said yieldable contact surface being disposed in an original spaced apart position from the support surface;

means for providing a resistive counterforce to an approximation of said yieldable contact surface with a plane of the support surface in response to an applied force, and for restoring said at least a portion of said contact surface to substantially said original spaced apart position upon a removal of said applied force;

means for selectively varying a degree of said resistive counterforce;

said yieldable contact surface being a portion of an exterior of a compressible mass comprised of a resiliently deformable material;

means for providing rigidity in a plane parallel to and proximate with the support surface including a plate member; and

said plate member is disposed on a side of said compressible mass facing the support surface, pivotably mounted at an end thereof to an end of said compressible mass.

6. An exercise appliance for strengthening and toning the abdominal muscles, comprising:

a structure presenting a yieldable contact surface, adapted to fit between a static lumbar lordosis of a back of an individual and a support surface when a remaining portion of the individual'"'"'s back is positioned against the support surface, at least a portion of said yieldable contact surface being disposed in an original spaced apart position from the support surface;

means for providing a resistive counterforce to an approximation of said yieldable contact surface with a plane of the support surface in response to an applied force, and for restoring said at least a portion of said contact surface to substantially said original spaced apart position upon a removal of said applied force;

said yieldable contact surface is a portion of an exterior of a compressible mass comprised of a resiliently deformable material;

means for selectively varying a degree of said resistive counterforce including a plurality of inserts, each presenting a different modulus of elasticity;

said compressible mass including a shape defining a cavity therein for receiving a selected one of said plurality of inserts;

said cavity includes an opening disposed in a side of said compressible mass facing the support surface; and

a plate member disposed on said side of said compressible mass facing the support surface, pivotably mounted at an end thereof to an end of said compressible mass.

7. An abdominal exercise kit for use in strengthening abdominal muscles of a user, said kit comprising:

a resiliently compressible body adapted to at least partially fit between a support surface and a static lumbar lordosis of the user, said body including a curved surface for contacting a lumbar back region of the user and a flattened side opposite said curved surface for contacting the support surface;

a plurality of resiliently compressible inserts, each including a different modulus of elasticity; and

said body further including a cavity formed therein, said cavity having an opening in said flattened side for receiving a selected one of said plurality of inserts within said cavity, each said selected one of said plurality of inserts substantially filling said cavity when inserted therein, a side thereof being disposed substantially flush with said flattened side of said body.

8. The kit according to claim 7, further comprising:

at least one spacer engagable with said flattened side, for increasing a distance between the support surface and said curved surface.