THIGH EXERCISE MACHINE WITH ROCKING USER SUPPORT

• US 20110224058A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Original Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Inventors: Hockridge, Bruce, Webber, Randall T., Meredith, Jeffrey O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,562,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/133
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0233 in 90/90 position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0247 with legs in a kneeled 90/90 position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0222 moving torso and lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0488 by spreading the legs

Abstract

A thigh exercise machine has a stationary main frame, a pivotally mounted user support seat, and a pair of exercise arms mounted for rotation between inner and outer positions, each arm having a pad positioned to engage part of a user'"'"'s leg such as a user'"'"'s inner or outer thigh. A connecting linkage translates movement of the exercise arms into rocking movement of the user support seat. The connecting linkage is arranged so that user is positioned in an upright or slightly reclined posture when their legs are together and a more reclined posture when their legs are spread apart.

Claims

1. A thigh exercise machine, comprising:

a stationary main frame having a forward end and a rear end;

a user support seat pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in an exercise position, the user support seat being movable from a start position along a user support path during a thigh exercise;

left and right exercise arms movably mounted relative to the main frame, each exercise arm having a user engaging portion which is adapted for engagement by a respective leg of the user when the user is supported in an exercise position on the user support seat, the left and right exercise arms being configured for inward and outward movement towards and away from each other, at least one of the inward and outward movements defining a thigh exercise movement;

a connecting linkage assembly between at least one of the exercise arms and the user support seat which links movement of the at least one exercise arm to movement of the user support seat; and

a load which resists movement of at least one of the exercise arm assembly, the user support assembly, and the connecting linkage assembly.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engaging portion of each exercise arm faces inward and is configured for engagement by an outer portion of a user'"'"'s leg when the user is positioned on the user support seat, and the exercise arms are configured to move from an inner to an outer position corresponding to an outer thigh exercise movement.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engaging portion of each exercise arm faces outward and is configured for engagement by an inner portion of a user'"'"'s leg when the user is positioned on the user support, and the exercise arms are configured to move from an outer to an inner position corresponding to an inner thigh exercise movement.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engaging portion of each exercise arm is rotatably mounted and configured for rotation between inwardly and outwardly facing positions for performance of outer and inner thigh exercises, respectively.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein each user engaging portion is a thigh engagement pad configured for engagement by a user'"'"'s thigh.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein each exercise arm includes a foot support configured for engagement by a respective foot of a user during a thigh exercise.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support seat is pivotally mounted on the frame for rotation about a horizontal user support pivot axis during a thigh exercise.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the user support pivot axis is located below the seat.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support seat has primary and secondary supports which support spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise, the primary and secondary supports moving together throughout the exercise movement.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the primary support comprises a seat pad and the secondary support comprises a back pad.

11. The machine of claim 10, further comprising handles secured to the seat and configured for gripping by a user during a thigh exercise.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the connecting linkage assembly is configured to position the user support seat in a first orientation when the exercise arms are in an inner position and a second, rearwardly reclined orientation when the exercise arms are in an outer position.

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the first and second orientation are both rearwardly reclined, the second orientation being more rearwardly reclined than the first orientation.

14. The machine of claim 1, wherein the connecting linkage assembly comprises a first connecting linkage between the left exercise arm and the user support seat and a second connecting linkage between the right exercise arm and the user support seat.

15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the user support seat is pivotally linked to the first and second connecting linkage.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein each connecting linkage is pivotally linked to the user support at a first location and pivotally linked to the respective exercise arm at a second location spaced forward from the first location, whereby outward movement of the exercise arms pulls the respective connecting linkages forwards.

17. The machine of claim 16, further comprising first and second pivot brackets which extend downward from the user support seat, each connecting linkage having a first pivot connection to a respective pivot bracket at a location spaced below the user support seat, whereby the user support seat pivots rearward in response to outward movement of the exercise arms.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein the first pivot connections are ball joints.

19. The machine of claim 14, wherein the first connecting linkage comprises a right hand connecting linkage, the second connecting linkage comprises a left hand connecting linkage, the left exercise arm is pivotally linked to the right hand connecting linkage and the right exercise arm is pivotally linked to the left hand connecting linkage.

20. The machine of claim 19, wherein each connecting linkage has a rear pivot connection linked to the user support seat and a forward pivot connection linked to the respective exercise arm.

21. The machine of claim 20, further comprising a first pivot link pivotally connected between the left exercise arm and right hand connecting linkage and a second pivot link pivotally connected between the right exercise arm and left hand connecting linkage and crossing over the first pivot link.

22. The machine of claim 21, further comprising a ROM adjustment mechanism configured for adjusting the exercise start position of the exercise arms, one of the pivot links comprising part of the ROM adjustment mechanism, whereby operation of the ROM adjustment mechanism adjusts the start position of both exercise arms.

23. The machine of claim 22, wherein the ROM adjustment mechanism further comprises a ROM plate having a series of spaced openings defining different start positions, and a pull pin releasably engageable in a selected opening to secure said one pivot link to the ROM plate.

24. The machine of claim 20, wherein the front and rear pivot connection are ball joints.

25. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support pivots through an angle of approximately sixteen degrees between a start position and an end position of a thigh exercise.

26. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a left pivot mount and a right pivot mount on the main frame, the left exercise arm being pivotally mounted on the left pivot mount for inward and outward movement about a first pivot axis and the right exercise arm being pivotally mounted on the right pivot mount for inward and outward movement about a second pivot axis.

27. The machine of claim 26, further comprising a range of motion (ROM) adjustment mechanism associated with one of the exercise arms, the ROM adjustment mechanism being configured for adjustment of an exercise start position of the exercise arms relative to the main frame.

28. The machine of claim 26, wherein the first and second pivot axes are parallel, vertical axes.

29. The machine of claim 1, wherein each exercise arm comprises a generally upright member having an upper portion and a lower portion, and the user engaging portion comprises a thigh engaging pad mounted on the upper portion.

30. The machine of claim 29, wherein the upright member further comprises a forward portion extending forward from the lower portion, and a foot plate mounted on the forward portion,

31. The machine of claim 29, further comprising a swiveling mounting plate rotatably mounted at the upper portion of the exercise arm, the thigh engaging pad being mounted on the mounting plate, and the mounting plate being rotatable between a first position in which the thigh engaging pad faces inwards for engagement by a user performing an outer thigh exercise performing an inner thigh exercise.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exercise arms are linked to the load.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting linkage assembly extends between both exercise arms and the user support seat and is configured to link movement of the exercise arms to movement of the user support seat