Self-aligning pivoting seat exercise machine

• US 7,594,880 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Systems
• Original Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Inventors: Hockridge, Bruce, Webber, Randall T., Meredith, Jeffrey O., Brennan, Christopher E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONNELLY, JEROME W
• Application Number:
  US10/633,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20050032611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 482/95, 482/96, 482/140, 482/72, 482/137, 482/142
• US Class Current: 482/96
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0079 with a pulling cable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0615 pivoting about a fixed horizontal fulcrum
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/068 using user's body weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/159 Using levers for transmitting forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4031 with parts of the bench moving against a resistance during exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0002 involving an exercising of arms for strengthening the upper limbs A63B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0005 with particular movement of the arms provided by handles moving otherwise than pivoting about a horizontal axis parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0089 a counterforce being provided to the support force-resisting aspects A63B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• 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 23/03525 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 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0405 involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously A63B23/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1218 Chinning, pull-up, i.e. concentric movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1227 Dips, i.e. push-ups in a vertical position, i.e. eccentric movement, e.g. between parallel bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1254 : Rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, e.g. butterfly-type exercises
• 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 23/1281 : primarily by articulating the elbow joint

Abstract

An exercise machine has a main frame with a pivot mount, a user support frame pivotally mounted on the pivot mount, the pivot mount defining a vertical, gravitational center line, an exercise arm movably mounted for engagement by the user in performing exercises, a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the user support frame, and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts. Movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame between a start and an end position, the pivot mount being positioned at a predetermined location under the user support frame, such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational centerline throughout the entire exercise movement and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational centerline during the exercise movement.

Claims

1. An exercise machine, comprising:

a main frame;

a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine which moves between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement;

the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement;

the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement;

a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine;

a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and

a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine;

the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary support comprises a seat pad.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the secondary support comprises a back pad.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, including an additional user support for supporting a different part of the user'"'"'s body from the primary support and secondary support.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the additional user support is mounted on the user support frame.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the additional user support comprises a foot support for the user'"'"'s feet.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user support frame defines an initial position for the user'"'"'s body when supported on the frame in the start position of the exercise, and a finish position for the user'"'"'s body in the end position of the exercise, the gravitational center line extending through a central portion of the user'"'"'s body in at least one of said initial and finish positions.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis extends through the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of said user positions.

11. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user engagement device is movably mounted on the main frame.

12. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user engagement device comprises at least one rigid exercise arm.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting link is a rigid link.

14. The machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the connecting link has a first end pivoted to said user engagement device and a second end pivoted to said user support frame.

15. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user engagement device is adjustable.

24. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user support pivot axis is located directly behind the primary user support.

27. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user engagement device comprises two user engaging portions which engage the user'"'"'s hands or the user'"'"'s feet, whereby movement of the user support frame is selectively controlled by actuation of one or both user engaging portions.

9. An exercise machine, comprising:

a main frame;

a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine;

the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in a start position of the support frame, the user support frame having a base member and an upright extending generally upwardly at an angle less than 180 degrees to the base member and which is fixed and not movable relative to the base member, the primary user support comprising a pad mounted on the base member;

a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine;

a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and

a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine;

the user support pivot axis lying on a horizontal line which is located below the entire user engaging part of the primary user support in at least one of the exercise start and end positions, and being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the user support pivot axis is located approximately at a junction between the base member and upright of the user support frame.

25. The machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the user support pivot axis is located on the upright of the user support frame.

16. An exercise machine, comprising:

a main frame having a floor-engaging portion;

a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis at a location spaced above the floor-engaging portion, the support frame being designed for supporting the body of a user in a predetermined exercise position, the pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line of the pivotal movement, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine;

the user support frame having at least a primary user support and a secondary user support for supporting different parts of a user'"'"'s body during an exercise, the secondary user support being at a predetermined angular orientation of less than 180 degrees to the primary user support, the primary and secondary user support together supporting the majority of the user'"'"'s body weight during the exercise and traveling together with the secondary user support fixed at the predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary user support throughout the exercise movement;

an exercise arm movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the exercise arm having at least one user engaging portion, and comprising a second moving part of the machine;

a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the primary and secondary user support, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and

a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine, whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame and user between a start position and an end position;

the user support pivot axis lying on a horizontal plane located below the user'"'"'s hips during at least part of an exercise movement.

17. The machine as claimed in claim 16, including an additional user support mounted on the user support frame and moving with the user support frame.

18. The machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the additional user support comprises at least one foot support plate.

19. The machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the gravitational center line passes through a central portion of the user'"'"'s body in at least one of the start and end positions.

20. The machine as claimed in claim 19, wherein the gravitational center line passes through the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions.

21. An exercise machine, comprising:

a main frame having a floor-engaging portion;

a user support frame pivotally mounted on the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis at a location spaced above the floor-engaging portion, the support frame being designed for supporting the body of a user in a predetermined exercise position, the pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line of the pivotal movement and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine;

the user support frame having at least a primary user support and a secondary user support for supporting different parts of a user'"'"'s body during an exercise, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user'"'"'s weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement;

an exercise arm movable relative to at least one of the frames and movably mounted on said at least one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the exercise arm having at least one user engaging portion, and comprising a second moving part of the machine;

a connecting link linking movement of the exercise arm to movement of the entire user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine;

a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine, whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame and user between a start position and an end position;

the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user'"'"'s hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement; and

the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.

26. The machine as claimed in claim 21, wherein the secondary user support comprises a leg support.

22. An exercise machine, comprising:

a main frame;

a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine;

the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body throughout an exercise movement, the primary support comprising a seat pad and the secondary support comprises a leg support which travels in the same direction as the primary support throughout an exercise movement;

a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine;

a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and

a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine;

whereby movement of the user engagement device in an exercise movement simultaneously moves the user support frame between a start position and an end position, the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.

23. The machine as claimed in claim 22, wherein the secondary support is a foot rest.