Compact multi-function exercise apparatus

• US 7,575,538 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Jon Clark
• Original Assignee: David Jon Clark
• Inventors: Clark, David Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, VICTOR KENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/787,307
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 482/92, 482/93, 482 99-103, 482/138, 482/142
• US Class Current: 482/103
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/078 Devices for bench press exercises , e.g. supports, guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0285 Hanging
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/06 incorporated in cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0211 moving torso with immobilized lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0494 primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1263 Rotation about an axis passing through both shoulders, e.g. cross-country skiing-type arm movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0062 Leg restraining devices

Abstract

An exercise apparatus that provides a complete body workout, folds up into a small footprint, and can be hidden inside of a closet or decorative cabinet. The apparatus has an arm assembly with two arms pivotally attached to a guide assembly that translates vertically within a frame assembly to a multitude of locations. At the free ends of the arms are cable ends that allow an exercise bar or handgrips to be attached to a resistance assembly. Rotating pulley assemblies there allow the cables to exit the arms freely. The cable ends move independently of each other, which simulates working out with free weights. A counterweight offsets the weight of the arm and guide assemblies to permit easy positioning of the arm assembly for different exercises. A counterweighted fold out seat assembly with lower member completes the versatile and compact workout station.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a guide assembly able to slide along a guide path, having an axis of translation parallel to said guide path, and having a first guide end and a second guide end;

an arm assembly pivotally coupled to said guide assembly, having an axis of rotation perpendicular to said axis of translation, and comprising

a first arm including a distal end and a pivot end pivotally coupled to the first guide end at the axis of rotation,

a second arm including a distal end and a pivot end pivotally coupled to the second guide end at the axis of rotation,

a first pulley assembly comprising a first rotating structure rotationally attached to the distal end of the first arm and that contains at least one pulley, and

a second pulley assembly comprising a second rotating structure rotationally attached to the distal end of the second arm and that contains at least one pulley;

a resistance assembly comprising a source of force and a selective means of engaging a portion of said source of force; and

a cable assembly means for transferring force and allowing rotation and translation, comprising a first cable end positioned adjacent to the first pulley assembly and a second cable end positioned adjacent to the second pulley assembly, such that the first cable end and the second cable end are in communication with the resistance assembly and remain substantially at the same location adjacent the pulley assemblies during rotation of the first and second arms and translation of the guide assembly without substantially engaging the resistance assembly and without the need to perform any secondary operations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising, a frame, comprising,

a first frame element and a second frame element that are substantially parallel to one another, wherein said first guide end is slideably connected to said first frame element and said second guide end is slideably connected to said second frame element;

and

a top frame assembly and a bottom frame assembly, wherein said first frame element and said second frame element mount between them.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said guide assembly further comprises a locking means for locking the translation of said guide assembly relative to said frame at a plurality of locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arm assembly further comprises a connecting tube for connecting said first arm and said second arm proximate their pivot ends such that both arms are able to rotate together and translate together.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arm assembly further comprises,

a first pulley proximate the pivot end of said first arm that has an effective circumference that is substantially tangent to said axis of rotation, and

a second pulley proximate the pivot end of said second arm that has an effective circumference that is approximately tangent to said axis of rotation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising,

a third pulley that is in communication with said first cable end and that has an effective circumference that is substantially tangent to said axis of rotation, and

a fourth pulley that is in communication with said second cable end and that has an effective circumference that is approximately tangent to said axis of rotation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein,

said first cable end further comprises a first cable segment that runs from said first cable end, wraps around said first pulley, exits the pulley substantially parallel to said axis of rotation, and then wraps onto said third pulley;

and

said second cable end further comprises a second cable segment that runs from said second cable end, wraps around said second pulley, exits the pulley substantially parallel to said axis of rotation, and then wraps onto said fourth pulley,

whereby the arm assembly is able to rotate without appreciably changing the cable length between the first pulley and the third pulley and without appreciably changing the cable length between the second pulley and the fourth pulley.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arm assembly, further comprises, a locking means for locking the rotation of said arm assembly relative to said guide assembly at a plurality of rotations.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cable assembly means further comprises

a pulley block assembly that is free to translate and contains at least two pulleys,

an arm cable assembly that contains said first cable end and said second cable end, and is in communication with at least one pulley in said pulley block assembly, and

a resistance cable assembly that is in communication with said resistance assembly and is in communication with at least one pulley in said pulley block assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pulley block assembly comprises

a first side and a second side where any pulley contained on said first side communicates with said arm cable assembly and any pulley contained on said second side communicate with said resistance cable assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cable assembly means further comprises

a first user interface with a first bar end and a second bar end that are pivotally connectable to said first cable end and said second cable end or

a second user interface comprising at least one hand grip pivotally connectable to either said first cable end or said second cable end.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said force source comprises a confined weight stack or non-gravity based resistance elements.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising,

a counterweight assembly comprising,

a counterweight means for applying a counterbalancing force that is in communication with said arm assembly, wherein said counterweight means has sufficient force to counterbalance the weight of said arm assembly and the weight of said guide assembly in order to allow them to be able to translate with minimal resistance;

a counterweight cable assembly that is in communication with said counterweight means and pivotally connects to said arm assembly a predetermined distance from the pivotal end.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising,

a guide tube having a member,

a backrest having a top and a bottom wherein the backrest is slideably attached to the guide tube, and

a seat having a top and a bottom, where the top of the seat is rotateably attached to the bottom of the backrest to permit an alignment that is substantially perpendicular to the backrest in an open position and substantially parallel to the backrest in a closed position,

wherein the seat in the open position is suitable to be sat upon and in a closed position is suitable for storage in a space having minimal depth.

15. An exercise apparatus, comprising,

a structural support having an upper support point and a lower support point, where the upper support point is substantially vertical from the lower support point;

a frame having a left, center, and right member wherein the left and right members are substantially parallel to each other, substantially vertical and substantially straight, and the center member has a top end that is pivotally attached to the upper support point of the structural support so that said center member can pivot from an angular position to a vertical position;

a guide assembly able to slide along a guide path formed by the left member and the right member, having an axis of translation parallel to the guide path, and having a first end and a second end;

an arm assembly pivotally coupled to the guide assembly, having an axis of rotation, the rotation sufficient to permit positions suitable for exercise activity when in an open position and alignment substantially parallel and proximate to the plane of the guide assembly when in a closed position, and comprising a first arm and a second arm, each containing a pivot end proximate its pivot point and a distal end;

a resistance assembly comprising a source of force and a selective means of engaging a portion of said source of force;

a cable assembly means for transferring force, comprising a first cable end extending from the distal end of said first arm and a second cable end extending from the distal end of said second arm, such that said first cable end and said second cable end are in communication with said source of force and are able to be moved independently of each other;

a backrest having a top and a bottom wherein the backrest is slideably attached to the center member;

a seat having a front end and a back end, where the back end of the seat is rotateably attached to the bottom of the backrest to permit an alignment that is approximately perpendicular to the backrest in an open position and substantially parallel to and in line with the backrest in a closed position; and

a lower member having a top and a bottom, where the top is pivotally attached to the front end of the seat;

wherein the exercise apparatus in the open position is suitable for exercise activity and in a closed position is suitable for storage in a space having minimal depth.

16. The arm assembly of claim 15,

wherein the guide assembly first end is slideably attached to the right member and the guide assembly second end is slideably attached to the left member,

wherein the axis of rotation of the arm assembly is perpendicular to the axis of translation of the guide assembly, and

wherein the arm assembly further comprises a first element connecting the first arm and second arm proximate their pivot end.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising, a decorative covering at least partially covering apparatus when apparatus is in the closed position.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the covering is a cabinet with a fully retractable front that is capable of concealing the apparatus in the closed position.

19. An exercise apparatus, comprising,

a resistance assembly comprising a source of force, a means of engaging said source of force and a means for transferring said source of force;

a structural support having an upper support point and a lower support point, where the upper support point is substantially vertical from the lower support point;

a center member that has a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end is pivotally attached to the upper support point of the structural support so that said center member can pivot from an angular position to a vertical position;

a backrest having a top and a bottom wherein the backrest is slideably attached to the center member;

a seat having a front end and a back end, where the back end of the seat is rotateably attached to the bottom of the backrest to permit an alignment that is approximately perpendicular to the backrest in an open position and substantially parallel to the backrest in a closed position, and

a lower member having a top, a bottom and a center section, where the top of the lower member is pivotally attached to the seat near the front end of the seat, where the center section of the lower member is slideably and pivotally attached to the bottom end of the center member and where the bottom of the lower member is pivotally attached to the lower support point of the structural support.

20. The exercise apparatus of claim 19, further comprising, a counterweight means to offset the weight of the backrest and the seat in order to allow them to be able to be moved between their open and closed positions with minimal effort.