Exercise apparatus

• US 6,733,420 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Life Source International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Life Source International Inc.
• Inventors: Schroeder, Herbert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAM M
• Application Number:
  US09/880,463
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 482/27, 482/28, 482/29
• US Class Current: 482/27
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/11 Trampolines

Abstract

A rectangularly-shaped exercise apparatus (20) having an endless frame (22) formed by angular elements (24) joined together at their adjacent corners (25) that include shoulders (45) and gussets (46). A bed (29) of fabric is disposed within frame (20) and joined to it by coiled springs (31) attaching the bed'"'"'s grommets (33) to pins (38) extending from horizontally-oriented flanges (26) of angular elements (24), being held to pins (38) by washer-nuts 41/42). A socket (29) is securely mounted at the corners (25) to the undersides (39) of flanges (26) and into which deep-stroked leg assemblies (52) having springs (56) are slip fit. The leg assemblies (52) include an additional stroke displacement over the spring'"'"'s stroke displacement by a plunger (53) over which the spring'"'"'s tubular cylinder (54) displaces.

Claims

1. In a device for exercise and for health in body and mental conditions, said device having a frame, a bed spring-mounted to said frame by a plurality of coiled springs in spaced relationship to one another to form a multi-spring suspension system for said device, the springs extending between and connecting said bed to said frame, for effecting rebounding and bouncing movements on the bed by a user of said device, and a plurality of legs each of which having one of a plurality of spring-loaded assemblies disposed therein,

the improvement comprising

a full non-traumatic system composed of

the spring-loaded assemblies each having a deep-stroke spring,

said frame including angular elements each of which having a rotational flexibility and which twists and bends in the action of the rebounding and bouncing movements on the bed by the user of said device thereby providing with the action of the deep-stroke springs in said spring-loaded assemblies a non-bottoming out of said deep-stroke springs in their spring-loaded assemblies in the action of the full suspension system,

whereby action of the combination of said deep-stroke springs in said spring-loaded assemblies, multi-spring suspension system, and the twist and bend of said angular elements contributes in their actions to the fitness and to the health of the user.

2. In the improvement of claim 1,

said angular elements comprise

vertically-oriented flanges and horizontally-oriented flanges forming said angular elements, and

an L-shaped member secured to and between each set of adjacent angular elements,

said L-shaped member including

a truncated shoulder secured to adjacent vertically-oriented flanges in each adjacent set of angular elements and a gusset opposing said truncated shoulder formed in said L-shaped member in planar alignment with each adjacent set of horizontally-oriented flanges.

3. In the improvement of claim 2,

each of said legs comprising

a cylinder capped at its one end,

a plunger having a bell-shaped end portion disposed within said cylinder,

a floor mounted to said bell-shaped end portion,

a deep-stroke coil spring in its corresponding one of said deep-stroke spring-loaded assemblies disposed between said floor and capped end of said cylinder, and

a lubricated bearing seated about said plunger within said cylinder below said bell-shaped end portion.

4. In the improvement of claim 3,

said cylinder being formed of metal,

each of said legs including

a lubricated plastic sleeve seated on said bearing and separating said deep-stroke coil spring from said metal cylinder.

5. In the improvement of claim 4,

said flanges and L-shaped member being made of cold-rolled steel.

6. In the device of claim 1,

each of said leg assemblies being securely mounted to said frame at a corresponding corner of said device.

7. In the device of claim 2,

each of said leg assemblies being securely mounted to said frame at a corresponding corner of said device.

8. In the device of claim 3,

each of said leg assemblies being securely mounted to said frame at a corresponding corner of said device.

9. In the device of claim 4,

each of said leg assemblies being securely mounted to said frame at a corresponding corner of said device.

10. In the device of claim 5,

each of said leg assemblies being securely mounted to said frame at a corresponding corner of said device.