Exercise apparatus

• US 7,621,847 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barbara Mrena, Stewart Lamle, Tamas Varro
• Original Assignee: Barbara Mrena, Stewart Lamle, Tamas Varro
• Inventors: Lamle, Stewart, Mrena, Barbara, Varro, Tamas
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, ROBERT FRANKLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/621,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 482/93, 482/40, 482/904
• US Class Current: 482/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0442 Anchored at one end only, the other end being manipulated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/1627 for anchoring on or between the vertical posts of a door frame
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0285 Hanging
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• 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 23/03533 With separate means driven by each limb, i.e. performing different movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03575 Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• 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 23/1236 Push-ups in horizontal position, i.e. eccentric movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/904 Removably attached to wheelchair, home furnishing, or home structure

Abstract

A doorway mounted body exercise apparatus has upper and lower horizontal bars bridging the doorway and carrying respective pulleys and, a rearwardly protruding weight set supporting arm which can be swung between either lateral side to the rear of the doorway to accommodate left and right hand hinged doors and can be retracted into the doorway to permit the door to be completely closed while still mounted. Different cabling arrangements enable the weight set to be used as a counter weight for body weight assistance or additional resistance. An upper frame carrying the upper bar is collapsible for removal and storage or to enable a person to walk through the doorway. The lower bar is hinged at one end to the jamb for swinging up against the jamb so as not to obstruct the doorway when not in use. Footpads on the upper frame enable exercising while hanging upside down.

Claims

1. A body exercise apparatus mounted in a doorway independently of any door comprising:

a frame comprising a first, overhead, level/horizontal support bar having respective opposite ends attached to inner facing surfaces of upper ends of the door jambs so as to bridge the doorway;

a second, overhead horizontal, pull bar attached by at least one transverse bar to the support bar to extend in parallel spaced apart relation in front of the support bar and in front of the doorway;

a pair of depending stabilizing bars having respective upper ends attached to the support bar adjacent opposite ends thereof and, a pair of depending strut bars attached at upper ends to the pull bar adjacent respective opposite ends thereof and at respective lower ends to respective adjacent lower ends of the stabilizing bars;

an outwardly extending potion provided on each lower end of one of the stabilizing bar and strut bar to protrude in front of respective door jambs so as to be brought into stabilizing pressure engagement therewith by a person'"'"'s weight applied to the pull bar whereby the frame is mounted in the doorway independently of any door being supported soley by the door jambs;

the frame further comprising means for operatively supporting a resistance set, which means comprises a resistance set supporting bar which, in an operating position, protrudes horizontally rearwards, cantilever fashion, out of a top of the doorway and has a resistance set cable pulley mounted on a distal, rear end,

wherein means are provide on the frame for pivotally mounting the resistance set supporting bar for horizontal swinging movement about a vertical axis between either lateral side of the doorway adjacent respective door jambs, as selected, thereby to accommodate both left hand and right hand, rearwardly opening doors.

2. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame comprises means for locking, releasably, the resistance set supporting bar in either lateral position.

3. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for pivotally mounting the resistance set supporting bar for horizontal swinging movement between either lateral side of the doorway enables swinging movement of the resistance set supporting bar between the rearwardly protruding, extended operating position and an inoperative, collapsed position, withdrawn forwards so as not to protrude behind the door frame and to enable a rearwardly opening door to be closed completely with the apparatus remaining mounted on respective door jambs.

4. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the means for pivotally mounting the resistance set comprises a sleeve pivotally mounted on the horizontal support bar and slidingly receiving the resistance set supporting bar for axial movement in the sleeve between the extended and the withdrawn positions.

5. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve is pivotally mounted on the horizontal support bar so that the resistance set supporting bar extend side by side in the withdrawn position.

6. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1

wherein overhead foot rests are attached to the frame at spaced apart overhead locations between the support bar and the pull bar and are each shaped to supportively engage an inverted heel and an inverted instep so that a person exercising can hang upside down therefrom by their feet.

7. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the foot rests each comprise a discrete inverted heel engaging portion and a discrete inverted instep engaging portion which portions are supported by the frame in adjacent spaced apart relation from each other providing respective ankle entry apertures.

8. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the instep engaging portion is pivotally mounted for limited swivelling movement and screw means are provided to vary the relative separation of the heel engaging portion and the instep engaging portion to adjust to feet of different sizes.

9. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the upper ends of respective stabilizing bars are pivotally attached to the level support bar for swinging movement about the support bar in respective vertical planes;

the strut bars are attached releasably to the pull bar at respective upper ends and pivotally attached at respective lower ends to the corresponding lower ends of respective stabilizing bars for swinging movement transversely thereof, so that the apparatus can be collapsed to a compact state by releasing the upper ends of the strut bars from the pull bar, swinging the support bars forwards and upwards to extend horizontally with said lower ends adjacent the pull bar and swinging strut bars towards each other to extend horizontally in side by side relation with each other and with the support bar.

10. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising means for operatively supporting a resistance set comprising resistance set supporting bar movable between an operative position in which the resistance set supporting bar protrudes behind the doorway and an inoperative, collapsed position, in which the resistance set supporting bar is withdrawn forwards so as not to protrude behind the doorway so as to enable a rearwardly opening door to be closed completely.

11. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 10 wherein respective opposite ends of the horizontal support bar are attached releasably to the respective door jambs.

12. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1 and for providing, selectively, assistance and resistance to a person exercising comprising;

means for attaching a cable to an attachment point of a person'"'"'s body;

a lower horizontal support bar attached at respective opposite ends to respective door jambs at a lower height adjacent a standing exerciser'"'"' feet so as to bridge the doorway;

pulley means mounted on one of said at least one upper horizontal support bars and pulley means mounted on said lower horizontal support bar;

so that a cable attached at one end to the resistance set and at an opposite end to the body attachment point can selectively be passed over one of the upper pulley means and over the lower pulley means to extend upwardly from the body attachment point and downwardly from the body attachment point, respectively, to provide an upward assisting force and a downward resisting force, respectively, for a person performing a body lifting exercise wherein;

the lower horizontal bar is hingedly attached at one end to the jamb and releasably attached at the opposite end to the jamb so that it can be swung upwards laterally out of the path of the doorway to extend vertically adjacent the jamb leaving the doorway free for access therethrough.

13. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein foot rests are attached to the frame at spaced apart locations between the support bar and the pull bar and are each shaped to supportively engage an inverted heel and an inverted instep so that a person exercising can hang upside down therefrom by their feet while raising their body with assistance from the resistance set.

14. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said at least one transverse bar comprises two transverse bars and the foot rests comprise laterally open, horizontal loops in respective transverse bars, respective loop openings providing ankle entry apertures.

15. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for locking, releasably, the resistance set supporting bar comprises one of plug and socket means mounted on respective transverse bars and aligned obliquely of each other rearwardly towards respective opposite sides of the doorway for selective mating with a proximal end of the resistance set supporting bar when in an extended position.

16. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for operatively supporting a resistance set comprises a sleeve which receives the resistance set supporting bar for sliding movement between the rearwardly protruding operating position and an inoperative, collapsed position, in which the resistance set supporting bar is withdrawn forwards so as not to protrude behind the door frame so as to enable a rearwardly opening door to be closed completely.

17. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 1;

wherein a first pair of pulleys is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane on the horizontal support bar, aligned under the proximal end of the resistance set supporting bar when extended in operating position;

pulleys of a second pair of pulleys are mounted for rotation in respective vertical planes and for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane in spaced apart relation on the horizontal support bar at medial locations between respective pulleys of the second pair and respective opposite ends of the support bar;

respective pulleys of a third pair of pulleys are mounted for rotation in vertical planes at respective opposite ends of the pull bar and a pulley is mounted for rotation in a vertical plane in downwardly open loop bent in the center of the pull bar, whereby a cable extending upward from the weight set, over the pulley on the distal rear end of the resistance set supporting bar can selectively be passed over either pulley of the first pair and an adjacent pulley of the second pair to an adjacent pulley of the third pair or between both pulleys of the first pair over the pulley on the center of the pull bar to enable the performance of different body exercises.

18. A body exercise apparatus mounted in a doorway independently of any door, comprising:

a frame comprising a first, overhead, horizontal support bar having respective opposite ends attached to inner, facing surfaces of upper ends of the door jams so as to bridge the doorway;

a second, overhead, horizontal, pull bar attached by at least one transverse bar to the support bar to extend in parallel spaced apart relation in front of the support bar and in front of the doorway;

a pair of depending stabilizing bars having respective upper ends attached to the support bar adjacent opposite ends thereof and, a pair of depending strut bars attached at upper ends to the pull bar adjacent respective opposite ends thereof and at respective lower ends to respective adjacent lower ends of the stabilizing bars;

an outwardly extending portion provided on each lower end of one of the stabilizing bar and strut bar to protrude in front of respective door jambs so as to be brought into stabilizing pressure engagement therewith by a person'"'"'s weight applied to the pull bar whereby the frame is mounted in the doorway independently of any door being supported entirely by the door jambs;

wherein the apparatus further comprises unitary, loose piece, dip bars having respective upper ends and lower ends joined together by respective elongate intermediate portions, the upper ends being formed with hooking elements attached releasably, as loose pieces, by hooking application to respective portions of respective stabilizing bars adjacent respective lower ends of the stabilizing portions, so that respective elongate intermediate portions depend therefrom extending downwards within the doorway adjacent and alongside respective door jambs so that the dip bars are suspended by the frame spaced above a floor surface, said lower ends being formed with respective loops having handrest forming portions that curl inwardly, forwards and then outwards, protruding out of a front of the doorway, shaft portions extending laterally outwardly from free ends of the respective loops to protrude in front of respective door jambs so as to be pivotally biased into stabilizing pressure engagement with a front of each jamb by weight applied to the hand rests by a person performing dips.

19. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the stabilizing bars are formed with respective waisted portions adjacent their respective lower ends which embrace respective waisted portions of the stabilizing bars to releasably attach respective dip bars to respective stabilizing bars.

20. A body exercise apparatus according to claim 18 wherein foot rests are attached to the frame at spaced apart locations between the support bar and the pull bar and are each shaped to supportively engage an inverted heel and an inverted instep so that a person exercising can hang upside down therefrom by their feet.