Self-aligning pivoting seat exercise machine
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An exercise machine, comprising:
- a main frame;
a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine which moves between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement;
the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement;
the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement;
a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine;
a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and
a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine;
the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.
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Abstract
An exercise machine has a main frame with a pivot mount, a user support frame pivotally mounted on the pivot mount, the pivot mount defining a vertical, gravitational center line, an exercise arm movably mounted for engagement by the user in performing exercises, a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the user support frame, and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts. Movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame between a start and an end position, the pivot mount being positioned at a predetermined location under the user support frame, such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational centerline throughout the entire exercise movement and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational centerline during the exercise movement.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An exercise machine, comprising:
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a main frame; a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine which moves between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement; the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement; the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement; a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine; the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24, 27)
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9. An exercise machine, comprising:
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a main frame; a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine; the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in a start position of the support frame, the user support frame having a base member and an upright extending generally upwardly at an angle less than 180 degrees to the base member and which is fixed and not movable relative to the base member, the primary user support comprising a pad mounted on the base member; a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine; the user support pivot axis lying on a horizontal line which is located below the entire user engaging part of the primary user support in at least one of the exercise start and end positions, and being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement. - View Dependent Claims (10, 25)
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16. An exercise machine, comprising:
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a main frame having a floor-engaging portion; a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis at a location spaced above the floor-engaging portion, the support frame being designed for supporting the body of a user in a predetermined exercise position, the pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line of the pivotal movement, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine; the user support frame having at least a primary user support and a secondary user support for supporting different parts of a user'"'"'s body during an exercise, the secondary user support being at a predetermined angular orientation of less than 180 degrees to the primary user support, the primary and secondary user support together supporting the majority of the user'"'"'s body weight during the exercise and traveling together with the secondary user support fixed at the predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary user support throughout the exercise movement; an exercise arm movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the exercise arm having at least one user engaging portion, and comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the primary and secondary user support, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine, whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame and user between a start position and an end position; the user support pivot axis lying on a horizontal plane located below the user'"'"'s hips during at least part of an exercise movement. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An exercise machine, comprising:
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a main frame having a floor-engaging portion; a user support frame pivotally mounted on the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis at a location spaced above the floor-engaging portion, the support frame being designed for supporting the body of a user in a predetermined exercise position, the pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line of the pivotal movement and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine; the user support frame having at least a primary user support and a secondary user support for supporting different parts of a user'"'"'s body during an exercise, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement; an exercise arm movable relative to at least one of the frames and movably mounted on said at least one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the exercise arm having at least one user engaging portion, and comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the entire user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine, whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame and user between a start position and an end position; the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement; and the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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22. An exercise machine, comprising:
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a main frame; a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine; the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the primary support comprising a seat pad and the secondary support comprises a leg support which travels in the same direction as the primary support throughout an exercise movement; a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine;
whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame between a start position and an end position, the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification