Exercise Apparatus Including An Adjustable Support Platform

• US 20170080284A1
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Escape Fitness Limited
• Original Assignee: Escape Fitness Limited
• Inventors: Hillson, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00047 Exercising devices not moving during use benches A63B21/4029; isometric exercising devices A63B21/0023; step exercisers A63B23/0458; walk exercisers A63B23/0464
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4033 Handles, pedals, bars or platforms
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04

Abstract

An exercise apparatus having a platform for supporting a person during exercise, a first support arranged to support a first end of the platform at an elevated position, and a second support arranged to engage with the platform at a second end to support the second end of the platform at an elevated position, at least the second support being removable to vary the height of the second end, wherein the first support includes a pivotal engagement element configured for engagement with at least one corresponding pivotal engagement element of the platform such that in use when said pivotal engagement element of the platform is engaged with and supported by the pivotal engagement element of the first support the platform is able to pivot relative to the first support to vary the inclination of the platform when the height of the second end relative to the first end is varied.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a platform for supporting a person during exercise;

a first support arranged to support a first end of the platform at an elevated position; and

a second support arranged to engage with the platform at a second end to support the second end of the platform at an elevated position, at least the second support being removable to vary the height of the second end;

wherein the first support includes a pivotal engagement element configured for engagement with at least one corresponding pivotal engagement element of the platform such that in use when said pivotal engagement element of the platform is engaged with and supported by the pivotal engagement element of the first support the platform is able to pivot relative to the first support to vary the inclination of the platform when the height of the second end relative to the first end is varied.

2. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platform is elongate having a longitudinal axis defined along its length and the corresponding pivotal engagement elements of the support and the platform are arranged to define a pivot axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the platform, the platform and first support being arranged such that the platform is able to pivot about the pivot axis between a horizontal orientation and an orientation in which it slopes downwardly away from the support.

3. The exercise device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal engagement elements of the first support and platform are configured to releasably engage with each other such that the first support is detachable from the platform.

4. The exercise device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal engagement element of the first support comprises one of a spindle and a seat for the spindle, and the pivotal engagement element of the platform comprises the other of a spindle and a seat for the spindle.

5. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second supports both include pivotal engagement elements and the platform includes pivotal support elements at the first and second ends configured to pivotally and detachably engage with the first and second supports.

6. The exercise device according to claim 3, wherein the second support is detachable from the platform.

7. The exercise apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spindle and seat are configured for releasable engagement.

8. The exercise apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pivotal engagement element of the platform comprises a spindle and the pivotal engagement element of the first support comprises a seat configured to receive and support the spindle.

9. The exercise apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the support includes side walls and the channels are arranged at the outer surfaces of the side walls on opposing sides of the support.

10. The exercise apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the shape and configuration of the first and second supports is such that the first and second supports are interchangeable.

11. The exercise apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the deck of the platform includes a lower surface located within the void, and wherein the lower surface includes recessed regions located longitudinally inwards of the pivot axes at the first and second ends configured to receive a portion of the upper part of a support when the platform pivots downwardly about that end.

12. The exercise apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the platform includes an upper deck comprising the support surface of the platform and side walls extending downwardly from the upper deck defining a void beneath the upper deck, and wherein the spindles of the platform extend inwardly into the void from the inner surfaces of the side walls at longitudinally aligned locations defining a pivot axis and at least part of the support is configured to be received within the void beneath the platform and the spindle seats of the support are arranged to receive the spindles when said part of the support is received in the void.

13. The exercise apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the supports are stackable to enable the height of the platform to be selectively varied at the first and second ends of the platform by adding or removing supports.

14. The exercise apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each spindle seat comprises a vertically arranged channel open along its length and upper end such that the corresponding spindle is able to be received through the upper end and move downwardly along the channel, and the base of the channel forms a curved saddle for rotationally seating the spindle.

15. The exercise apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the supports are nestable.

16. The exercise apparatus according to claim 14, wherein spindles are substantially cylindrical and diametrically compressible, the channel of the spindle seat being configured to cause diametric compression of the spindles on insertion into the channel.

17. The exercise apparatus according to claim 15, where each support includes an upper surface and side walls defining a void beneath the upper surface, and the supports include spindles extending from their inner walls into the void, the spindles being configured and arranged to be received within the seating elements of a further support nested beneath it within the void.

18. The exercise apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the supports include multiple sets of spindle supports arranged about their outer edge to enable the supports to engage with the platform or another support at multiple rotational positions.

19. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a platform for supporting a person during exercise;

a first support arranged to support a first end of the platform at an elevated position; and

a second support arranged to engage with the platform at a second end to support the second end of the platform at an elevated position, at least the second support being removable to vary the height of the second end;

wherein at least the second support includes an upper planar surface defining a support platform onto which a user may step during exercise.

20. The exercise apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least the second support includes a support platform and a wall extending downwardly from the platform that supports the platform at an elevated height above the ground.

21. The exercise apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first and second supports have the same shape and configuration such that they are interchangeable, and both include support platforms at their upper surface.