Exercise bench

• US 7,322,911 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Original Assignee: Randall T. Webber
• Inventors: Webber, Randall T.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US11/249,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 482/142
• US Class Current: 482/142
• 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 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/02 for the abdomen, the spinal column or the torso muscles related to shoulders (e.g. chest muscles)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0211 moving torso with immobilized lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0233 Muscles of the back, e.g. by an extension of the body against a resistance, reverse crunch

Abstract

An exercise bench has a main support frame with a floor engaging member at one end and a folding front leg assembly at the other end which can be locked in a deployed position or a folded position. A user engaging foot stabilizer is pivotally associated with the front leg, and a thigh support is adjustably mounted on the front leg assembly or main support frame for engaging the thighs of a user when performing exercises while supported on the bench. The thigh support may be separate from or form part of a seat pad mounted on the frame. The bench is adjustable between positions for performing abdominal crunch or lower back exercises and is adjustable in both positions to allow different users to perform exercises effectively.

Claims

1. An exercise bench, comprising:

a main frame having a first end which engages the ground, an opposite, second end, and a support portion between the first and second ends, the main frame engaging the ground only at the first end and the support portion and second end raised above the ground in an exercise position;

a front leg secured to the main frame and having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position;

a support pad which supports part of the user'"'"'s body mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame;

the front leg being adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad;

a user engaging foot stabilizer; and

a pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the front leg whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and the support pad.

2. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot stabilizer is adjustably mounted on the front leg so as to accommodate users having different length legs.

3. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a carriage member slidably associated with the main frame, the support pad having a rear end pivotally secured to the carriage member and a forward end secured to an upper end of the front leg, whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg will cause the forward end of the support pad to pivot upwardly and the rear end to slide forwardly along the main frame.

4. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support pad comprises a seat pad for supporting a seated user in a first abdominal exercise position, and the forward end of the support pad is enlarged and comprises means for engaging behind the knees of the seated user in a first, abdominal exercise position and means for engaging the thighs of a standing user in a second, lower back exercise position.

5. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front leg has first and second telescopically engaged portions for adjusting the length of the front leg, and a locking device for releasably locking the portions in a selected adjusted position, the first portion having a lower end comprising said foot portion, and the foot stabilizer being associated with said first portion.

6. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first portion of the front leg is pivotally secured at or adjacent the second end of the main frame, the front leg being foldable between a deployed, exercise position supporting the second end of the main frame in the raised position and a storage position folded against the main frame.

7. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second portion of the front leg has an upper end and the support pad is secured to the upper end of said second portion.

8. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a seat pad having a rear end pivotally and slidably associated with the main frame and an enlarged forward end comprising said support pad.

9. An exercise bench, comprising:

a main frame having a first end which engages the ground and a second end raised above the ground in an exercise position;

a front leg secured to the main frame and having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position;

a support pad which supports part of the user'"'"'s body mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame;

the front leg being adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad;

a user engaging foot stabilizer;

a pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the front leg whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and the support pad;

the support pad being adjustable in height between positions for engaging behind a user'"'"'s knees when seated on the main frame in a first, forwardly facing abdominal exercise position and different height positions for engaging in front of a user'"'"'s thighs when standing in a second, rearwardly facing lower back exercise position, the foot stabilizer comprising means for engaging over a user'"'"'s feet in the first exercise position and behind a user'"'"'s ankles in the second exercise position.

10. The bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support pad is mounted on an upper end of said front leg, whereby adjustment of the length of said front leg adjusts the height of the support pad.

11. The bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support pad is mounted on the main frame, and the front leg has an upper end pivotally associated with the forward end of the main frame, whereby adjustment of the length of said front leg will adjust the height of the forward end of the main frame and thereby adjust the height of said support pad.

12. The bench as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a seat pad having a rear end pivotally associated with the main frame and a forward end comprising said support pad, the front leg having an upper end associated with the forward end of said seat pad, whereby adjustment of the length of said front leg will pivot the forward end of said seat pad upwardly, thereby adjusting the height of said support pad.

13. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the foot portion comprises a cross bar forming a foot support for a user'"'"'s feet when standing in the second exercise position.

14. An exercise bench, comprising:

a main frame having a first end which engages the ground and a second end raised above the ground in an exercise position;

a front leg secured to the main frame and having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position;

a support pad which supports part of the user'"'"'s body mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame;

the front leg being adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad;

a user engaging foot stabilizer;

a pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the front leg whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and the support pad;

and

a stop member for limiting the range of motion of said foot stabilizer relative to its pivot mount.

15. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 14, wherein the foot stabilizer has a first end secured to said pivot mount and a second, foot engaging end, the stop member preventing downward movement of the foot stabilizer to a location where the foot engaging end is below the level of said pivot mount.

16. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 14, wherein the front leg has a front wall, and the foot stabilizer comprises a cross member extending transversely across the front wall of the frame, oppositely directed pads secured to opposite ends of the cross member, and a pivot bracket assembly extending rearwardly from the cross member and pivotally securing the cross member on said pivot mount, the cross member comprising means for restricting pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a first direction.

17. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 16, wherein the front leg has a rear wall, the pivot mount is located on the rear wall, and the pivot bracket assembly comprises a pair of plates extending on opposite sides of said front leg to engage said pivot mount, the stop member comprising a stop pin secured between said plates at a location rear of said rear wall, whereby the stop pin engages the rear wall of the front leg to restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a second direction.

18. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pivot bracket assembly comprises a pair of plates extending from said pivot mount on opposite sides of said front leg up to said cross member, and the stop member comprises a slop pin secured across the front face of said front leg below said pivot mount for engaging the plates to restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a second direction.

19. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 14, wherein the foot stabilizer comprises a channel member having a first end engaging said pivot mount and a second end, and oppositely directed foot engaging pads secured to the second end of the channel member, the channel member having an inner face facing the front leg, the first end of the channel member comprising a first stop member for engaging the front wall of the front leg to restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a first direction and the inner face of the channel member comprising a second stop member for engaging the front wall of the front leg to restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a second direction.

20. An exercise bench, comprising:

a main frame having a first end which engages the ground and a second end raised above the ground in an exercise position;

a front leg secured to the main frame and having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position;

a support pad which supports part of the user'"'"'s body mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame;

the front leg being adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad;

a user engaging foot stabilizer;

a pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the front leg whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and the support pad;

and

the front leg is pivotally associated with the second end of the main frame, the front leg being foldable between a deployed, exercise position supporting the second end of the main frame in the raised position and a storage position folded against the main frame.

21. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 20, wherein the foot stabilizer has a first end secured to the pivot mount and a second end, and a foot engaging portion at the second end of the stabilizer, the front leg having a front wall, and the foot stabilizer being pivotal into a folded, storage position when the front leg is in the storage position, at least part of the foot engaging portion extending past the front wall in the storage position, whereby the amount of said foot stabilizer protruding from said front wall in the storage position is reduced.

22. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 20, including a locking device for locking the front leg in the deployed and storage positions.

23. An exercise bench, comprising;

a main frame having a first end which engages the ground and a second end raised above the ground in an exercise position;

a front leg secured to the main frame and having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position;

a support pad which supports part of the user'"'"'s body mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame;

the front leg being adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad;

a user engaging foot stabilizer;

a pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the front leg whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and the support pad; and

a seat pad mounted on the main frame, the seat pad being split into a front portion pivotally mounted on the frame and a rear, fixed portion.

24. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 23, wherein the front portion of the seat pad comprises said support pad and has a front end pivotally mounted adjacent the second end of the main frame for movement of the front portion between a lowered position aligned with the rear portion for providing a seat pad for performing abdominal exercises and a raised, forwardly facing position for engaging the thighs of a user when performing lower back exercises, the main frame further comprising a locking device for locking the front portion of the seat pad in the lowered and raised positions.