Total body exercising and rehabilitation weight lifting machine and method

• US 5,813,951 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold Joseph Einsig
• Original Assignee: Harold Joseph Einsig
• Inventors: Einsig, Harold Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/857,969
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 482/94, 482/97, 482/1, 482/100, 482/101, 482/104, 482/110, 482/112, 482/113, 482/128, 482/129, 482/148, 482/135, 482/136, 482/137
• US Class Current: 482/97
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0615 pivoting about a fixed horizontal fulcrum
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615

Abstract

A single-station type total body exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine and method of selectively recruiting, isolating, and maximally contracting a specific segment of a target muscle or task-specific synergistic segments of different muscles using the machine are presented. The exercise and rehabilitation machine is designed to provide resistance to variable force vectors in all directions. The machine comprises a weight support member mounted in a box-shaped main support frame. The rear end of the weight support member is multi-pivotally connected through a "sliding box" adjustment device to the rear of the main support frame while the front end of the weight support member is supported by a vertically adjustable roller bar support member of the main support frame. The weight support member can be oriented at many angles using the combined adjustments for the sliding box adjustment device and roller bar support member. The force required to move the weight support member may be infinitely varied by adding or removing weight plate members. The user is not limited to working against a single directional force but may create a resistance force in any direction and perform multiple exercises using only one machine. Since different muscle segments create different force vectors, the user can selectively train a particular muscle segment or synergistic segments of different muscles by selecting the force vector on the machine against which the user must work.

Claims

1. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine, comprising:

a support frame including a pair of anterior upright support members and a posterior upright support member;

a weight support member with an anterior end and a posterior end with an elongated extension at said posterior end with an elongated extension at said posterior end;

a front weight placement member on said anterior end of said weight support member for the placement of weights to provide a downward force component at said anterior end;

a front support member extending across said pair of anterior upright support members;

a vertically adjustable pivot device on said posterior upright support member;

user force applicators on said weight support member for moving said weight support member against said downward force component;

said weight support member being pivotally supported at said posterior end by said pivot device for vertical, horizontal, longitudinal linear and longitudinally axial rotational movements; and

said weight support member supported at said anterior end by said front support member with said weight support member having a downward force component anterior of said user force applicators when weights are placed on said front placement member.

2. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said front support member is a vertically adjustable roller bar.

3. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein a vibrating device is attached to said weight support member to impart vibrational motion to the user.

4. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said weight support member further comprises:

a weight support frame; and

said elongated extension is a support axis bar attached to said weight support frame.

5. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said pivot device is in the form of a sliding box.

6. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 5, wherein said sliding box comprises:

an open box having four walls;

two rolling pins which extend through two of said walls;

two bushings which are attached to the interior of said box;

oval openings in two of said walls;

a pivot pin extending through said oval openings;

a pull pin which extends through at least one wall of said box; and

an axis tube pivotally attached to said box by said pivot pin.

7. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said weight support member comprises:

a weight support frame; and

said elongated extension is a telescoping hydraulic cylinder attached to said weight support frame.

8. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 7 wherein:

said weight support frame has front ends, rear ends and two parallel runners;

a front cross bar spanning the space between said runners;

a back cross bar parallel to said front cross bar spanning the space between said runners;

two spaced apart tubular tunnels affixed to and extending between said front cross bar and said back cross bar through which said runners slide;

a cross bridge connecting said rear ends of said runner; and

a hydraulic cylinder assembly having two ends which are affixed to said cross bridge and said front cross bar.

9. An exercise and rehabilitation weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 8 wherein said weight support frame includes;

at least one moveable stop having an actuated and a non-actuated position on said cross member to arrest any forward movement of said weight support frame when said stop is moved to said actuated position;

said user force applicators being handles located at said front ends of said runners behind said front weight placement member;

rear weight placement members located on said cross member;

a plurality of vertically spaced apart hook members located on each of said pair of anterior upright support members; and

a fixed lock bar extending from each of said front ends of said runners adapted to be placed on said hook members.

10. A weight-lifting machine comprising:

a support frame including a pair of anterior vertical support members and a posterior vertical support member;

a weight support member with an anterior end in the form of a weight support frame and a posterior end in the form of an elongated extension bar attached to said weight support frame;

a front support member in the form of a vertically adjustable roller bar for supporting said weight support frame;

a vertically adjustable pivot device riding on said posterior vertical support member carrying said elongated extension bar in a pivotal support for vertical, longitudinal linear and longitudinally axial rotational movements of said weight support frame relative to said pivot device;

said weight support frame including;

two parallel and horizontally spaced apart runners having front ends and rear ends;

a cross member connecting the rear ends of said runners;

at least one moveable stop having an actuated and a non-actuated position on said cross member to arrest any forward movement of said weight support frame when said stop is moved to said actuated position;

a pair of handles for application of force by the user located at said front ends of said runners;

front weight support members located at said front ends of said runners forward of said handles; and

rear weight support member located on said cross member;

a plurality of vertically spaced apart hook members located on each of said pair of anterior vertical support members; and

a fixed lock bar extending sideways for each of said front ends of said runners adapted to be placed on said hook members.

11. A weight-lifting machine as recited in claim 10 which includes a vibration device attached thereto to cause said handles to vibrate to impart vibrational motion to the user during exercise.

12. A weight-lifting machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein foot plates are attached to said cross member for performing leg exercises.

13. A weight-lifting machine as set forth in claim 10 wherein back bar stops are attached to and project outward from said weight support frame at a location adjacent said rear ends of said runners for limiting the movement of said weight support frame.

14. A weight-lifting machine as set forth in claim 13 wherein said at least one moveable stop is located intermediate said rear ends and said front ends of said runners for limiting the movement of said weight support frame.