Isometric exercise device

• US 5,776,037 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald B. Millington
• Original Assignee: Donald B. Millington
• Inventors: Millington, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/797,870
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 482/38-42, 482/91, 482/104, 482/142, 482/907
• US Class Current: 482/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0023 for isometric exercising, i.e. substantial force variation without substantial muscle motion
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for particular parts of the body A63B22/00 takes precedence; force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00; devices for exercising or strengthening of fingers, or arms in teaching operation of keyboards G09B15/06

Abstract

An isometric exercise device (10) which comprises a flat bench (12) and an upright rack (14). A pair of butterfly arms (44) are held in either an upright position or an outwardly angular position on opposite sides of the base (30) of the upright rack. A person without strength and endurance can exercise isometrically all parts of the body with the flat bench (12), with the upright rack (14) and with a combination of the flat bench (12) and the upright rack (14) together.

Claims

1. An isometric exercise device, which comprises:

an upright rack which includes;

a) a base plate to sit upon the floor;

b) a pair of elongated standards, each said elongated standard having a plurality of evenly spaced apart adjustment holes therethrough;

c) means for attaching in an upright position each said elongated standard to an opposite side of said base plate, so that said adjustment holes in said elongated standards are in alignment;

d) an adjustable exercise bar to fit into any two aligned adjustment holes in said elongated standards, so that said adjustable exercise bar can extend horizontally across said elongated standards above said base plate, to allow a person to grip said adjustable exercise bar and exercise isometrically;

e) a pair of butterfly arms; and

f) means for holding in an upright position and an outwardly angular position each said butterfly arm to an opposite side of said base plate, so that a person can grip said butterfly arms to exercise isometrically.

2. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said attaching means includes a pair of brace members, in which each said brace member is connected to and extends at an angle from a side corner of said base plate to a lower portion of said elongated standard, so as to maintain said elongated standard in the upright position.

3. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 1, further including a crossbar affixed at opposite ends to upper ends of said elongated standards, so that said crossbar will extend horizontally above said base plate to stabilize said elongated standards in their upright positions.

4. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 1, wherein each said holding means is a Y-shaped bracket having two sockets therein, said Y-shaped bracket mounted to the side of said base plate adjacent one said elongated standard, so that a lower end of said butterfly arm can be plugged into any one socket of said Y-shaped bracket.

5. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 1, wherein each said butterfly arm is height adjustable and includes:

a) a sleeve segment having a transverse aperture therethrough;

b) a rod segment having a plurality of spaced apart transverse apertures therethrough, whereby said rod segment is sized to slide within said sleeve segment; and

c) a pin to be inserted into said transverse aperture in said sleeve segment and one of said transverse apertures in said rod segment.

6. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 1, further including a flat bench and an adjustable back support bar to fit into any two aligned adjustment holes in said elongated standards, so that said adjustable back support bar can extend horizontally across said elongated standards above said base plate, to maintain an adjustable backrest on said flat bench in an inclined manner when said flat bench is placed in conjunction with said upright rack, thereby allowing the person to use said flat bench and said upright rack together to exercise isometrically.

7. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 6, wherein said flat bench includes:

a) a rectangular frame;

b) four legs, in which each said leg extends downwardly from a corner of said rectangular frame to support said rectangular frame above a floor;

c) a seat attached to a first end of said rectangular frame; and

d) said adjustable backrest carried on a second end of said rectangular frame adjacent said seat, so that the person can use said flat bench to exercise isometrically.

8. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 7, wherein said flat bench further includes two cross foot bars, in which each said cross foot bar is affixed to and extends horizontally between bottom ends of two said legs, parallel to and below a short side of said rectangular frame for stabilizing said legs upon the floor.

9. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 7, wherein said flat bench further includes a hinge between abutting ends of said seat and said backrest, so that said backrest can be inclined in an adjustable manner.

10. An isometric exercise device which comprises:

a) a flat bench, wherein said flat bench includes a rectangular frame, four legs, in which each of said legs extends downwards from a corner of said rectangular frame to support said rectangular frame above a floor, a seat attached to a first end of said rectangular frame and an adjustable backrest carried on a second end of said rectangular frame adjacent said seat, so that a person can use said flat bench to exercise isometrically, and

b) an upright rack, wherein said upright rack includes a base plate to sit upon the floor, a pair of elongated standards, each said elongated standard having a plurality of evenly spaced apart adjustment holes therethrough, means for attaching in an upright position each said elongated standard to an opposite side of said base plate so that said adjustment holes in said elongated standards are in alignment, an adjustment exercise bar to fit into any two aligned adjustment holes in said elongated standard so that said adjustable exercise bar can extend horizontally across said elongated standards above said base plate, a pair of butterfly arms and means for holding in an upright position and an outwardly angular position each said butterfly arm to an opposite side of said base plate so that a person can grip said butterfly arms to exercise isometrically, and an adjustable back support bar to fit into any two aligned adjustment holes in said elongate standards so that said adjustable back support bar can extend horizontally across said elongated standards above said base plate to maintain said adjustable backrest on said flat bench in an inclined manner when said flat bench is placed in conjunction with said upright rack, to allow a person to grip said adjustable exercise bar and exercise isometrically all parts of the body with said flat bench, with said upright rack and with a combination of said flat bench and said upright rack together.

11. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 10, wherein said flat bench further includes two cross foot bars, in which each said cross foot bar is affixed to and extends horizontally between bottom ends of two said legs, parallel to and below a short side of said rectangular frame for stabilizing said legs upon the floor.

12. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 11, wherein said flat bench further includes a hinge between abutting ends of said seat and said backrest, so that said backrest can be inclined in an adjustable manner.

13. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said attaching means includes a pair of brace members, in which each said brace member is connected to and extends at an angle from a side corner of said base plate to a lower portion of said elongated standard, so as to maintain said elongated standard in the upright position.

14. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 13, further including a crossbar affixed at opposite ends to upper ends of said elongated standards, so that said crossbar will extend horizontally above said base plate to stabilize said elongated standards in their upright positions.

15. An isometric exercise device as recited in claim 10, wherein each said holding means is a Y-shaped bracket having two sockets therein, said Y-shaped bracket mounted to the side of said base plate adjacent one said elongated standard, so that a lower end of said butterfly arm can be plugged into any one socket of said Y-shaped bracket.

16. An isometric exercise device as recited in 15, wherein each said butterfly arm is height adjustable and includes:

a) a sleeve segment having a transverse aperture therethrough;

b) a rod segment having a plurality of spaced apart transverse apertures therethrough, whereby said rod segment is sized to slide within said sleeve segment; and

c) a pin to be inserted into said transverse aperture in said sleeve segment and one of said transverse apertures in said rod segment.