Functional training exercise apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. An exercise assembly, comprising:
- a load;
a support assembly operatively positioned relative to the load, the support assembly including an upwardly projecting portion and a pair of outwardly extending frame members coupled to the upwardly projecting portion by a coupling assembly, each frame member having a proximal end portion coupled to the coupling assembly, and a distal end portion spaced apart from the proximal end portion;
a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load and to the support assembly and including first and second portions coupled to and extending along each of the outwardly extending frame members from the proximal end portions to the distal end portions, respectively, the force-transferring assembly being configured such that a training force applied to at least one of the first and second portions induces an associated force on the load; and
a cross member coupled between each of the pair of outwardly extending frame members, wherein the cross member is arranged to simultaneously move both of the outwardly extending frame members, wherein the coupling assembly is configured to enable controllable adjustment of a height of the distal ends of the outwardly extending frame members relative to a support surface by pivotable adjustment of the coupling assembly to effect controllable adjustment of an elevation angle disposed between each outwardly extending frame member and the upwardly projecting portion, and wherein the coupling assembly includes;
an indexing portion coupled to the upwardly projecting portion, the indexing portion having an arcuately-shaped surface and a plurality of engagement projections projecting approximately toward the cross member; and
a locking member operatively coupled to the cross member, the locking member being selectively engageable with the indexing portion to secure the outwardly projecting frame members at the selected height; and
wherein controllable adjustment includes moving the locking member along a locking axis that is normal to a rotational axis of the cross member, including at least one of;
disengaging the locking member from engagement with the indexing portion to disengage the cross member from the indexing portion;
orengaging the locking member into engagement with the indexing portion to engage the cross member with the indexing portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Exercise apparatus and methods having adjustable frame members are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exercise assembly includes a load, a support assembly, and a force transferring assembly. The support assembly includes a pair of outwardly extending frame members coupled to an upwardly projecting portion by a coupling assembly. The coupling assembly enables controllable adjustment of a height of the frame members. The force-transferring assembly includes first and second portions coupled to and extending at least partially along each of the outwardly extending frame members. During an exercise, a training force applied to the first and second portions induces an associated force on the load. The coupling assembly may permit an angle between the outwardly extending frame members to vary freely during an exercise, or may allow a user to controllably adjust and fix the angle during the exercise.
79 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An exercise assembly, comprising:
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a load; a support assembly operatively positioned relative to the load, the support assembly including an upwardly projecting portion and a pair of outwardly extending frame members coupled to the upwardly projecting portion by a coupling assembly, each frame member having a proximal end portion coupled to the coupling assembly, and a distal end portion spaced apart from the proximal end portion; a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load and to the support assembly and including first and second portions coupled to and extending along each of the outwardly extending frame members from the proximal end portions to the distal end portions, respectively, the force-transferring assembly being configured such that a training force applied to at least one of the first and second portions induces an associated force on the load; and a cross member coupled between each of the pair of outwardly extending frame members, wherein the cross member is arranged to simultaneously move both of the outwardly extending frame members, wherein the coupling assembly is configured to enable controllable adjustment of a height of the distal ends of the outwardly extending frame members relative to a support surface by pivotable adjustment of the coupling assembly to effect controllable adjustment of an elevation angle disposed between each outwardly extending frame member and the upwardly projecting portion, and wherein the coupling assembly includes; an indexing portion coupled to the upwardly projecting portion, the indexing portion having an arcuately-shaped surface and a plurality of engagement projections projecting approximately toward the cross member; and a locking member operatively coupled to the cross member, the locking member being selectively engageable with the indexing portion to secure the outwardly projecting frame members at the selected height; and wherein controllable adjustment includes moving the locking member along a locking axis that is normal to a rotational axis of the cross member, including at least one of; disengaging the locking member from engagement with the indexing portion to disengage the cross member from the indexing portion;
orengaging the locking member into engagement with the indexing portion to engage the cross member with the indexing portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of performing exercises, comprising:
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providing a support assembly operatively positioned relative to a load, the support assembly including an upwardly projecting portion and a pair of outwardly extending frame members coupled to the upwardly projecting portion by a coupling assembly, each frame member having a proximal end portion coupled to the coupling assembly, and a distal end portion spaced apart from the proximal end portion, the coupling assembly being configured to enable controllable adjustment of a height of the distal ends of the outwardly extending frame members relative to a support surface by controllable adjustment of an elevation angle disposed between each outwardly extending frame member and the upwardly projecting portion; adjustably positioning the frame members together at a selected height relative to the support surface by pivotably adjusting the coupling assembly to controllably adjust the elevation angle disposed between each outwardly extending frame member and the upwardly projecting portion, wherein a cross member coupled between each of the pair of outwardly extending frame members is arranged to simultaneously move both of the outwardly extending frame members, and wherein adjustably positioning includes translating a locking member operatively coupled to the cross member with respect to an indexing portion coupled to the upwardly projecting portion, the indexing portion having an arcuately-shaped surface and a plurality of engagement projections projecting approximately toward the cross member, and the locking member being selectively engageable with the indexing portion to secure the outwardly projecting frame members at the selected height; and
wherein adjustably positioning further includes moving the locking member along a locking axis that is normal to a rotational axis of the cross member, including at least one of;disengaging the locking member from engagement with the indexing portion to disengage the cross member from the indexing portion;
orengaging the locking member into engagement with the indexing portion to engage the cross member with the indexing portion; and applying a training force to a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load and to the support assembly, the force-transferring assembly including first and second portions coupled to and extending along each of the outwardly extending frame members from the proximal end portions to the distal end portions, respectively, the force-transferring assembly being configured such that the training force applied to at least one of the first and second portions induces an associated force on the load. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An exercise assembly, comprising:
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a load; a support assembly operatively positioned relative to the load, the support assembly including an upwardly projecting portion and an angled member coupled to the upwardly projecting portion by a coupling assembly, the angled member having a pair of angles with a corresponding pair of vertices, and two distal portions spaced apart from each other by a cross member coupled between the vertices of the angles, the angled member being configured to simultaneously move the cross member and the two distal portions; a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load and to the support assembly and including first and second portions coupled to and extending along each of the distal portions of the angled member from the coupling assembly to the distal portions, respectively, the force-transferring assembly being configured such that a training force applied to at least one of the first and second portions induces an associated force on the load; and wherein the coupling assembly is configured to enable controllable adjustment of a height of the distal portions relative to a support surface by pivotably adjusting the coupling assembly to effect controllable adjustment of an elevation angle disposed between each distal portion and the upwardly projecting portion, and wherein the coupling assembly includes; an indexing portion coupled to the upwardly projecting portion, the indexing portion having an arcuately-shaped surface and a plurality of engagement projections projecting approximately toward the cross member; and a locking member operatively coupled to the cross member, the locking member being selectively engageable with the indexing portion to secure the outwardly projecting frame members at the selected height; and wherein the coupling assembly is configured to enable controllable adjustment of the pair of angles, wherein controllable adjustment includes moving the locking member along a locking axis that is normal to a rotational axis of the cross member, including at least one of; disengaging the locking member from engagement with the indexing portion to disengage the cross member from the indexing portion;
orengaging the locking member into engagement with the indexing portion to engage the cross member with the indexing portion. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification