Arm exercise machine with self-aligning pivoting user support

• US 7,654,940 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Original Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Inventors: Hockridge, Bruce, Webber, Randall T., Meredith, Jeffrey O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tecco; Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US11/848,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20080058181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 482 96-103, 482133-138, 482/142, D21/676, D21/690
• US Class Current: 482/94
• 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 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1281 primarily by articulating the elbow joint

Abstract

An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises has a self-aligning pivoting seat or user support on a main frame and an exercise arm for performing biceps curl and/or triceps extension exercises which is linked to the pivoting user support to translate movement of the exercise arm into movement of the user support. The user support is pivotally mounted on the main frame so as to automatically align in order to maintain positioning of the user throughout the exercise motion.

Claims

1. An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises, comprising:

a main frame having a front end and a rear end;

a user support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in an exercise position, the user support moving between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement and having a primary support portion and at least one secondary support portion which are adapted to support spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body when the user is positioned in the exercise position on the user support and which move together throughout an exercise movement, the primary support portion comprising a seat portion;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame to move in an isolation exercise path defining an isolation arm movement and having a user engaging portion which is adapted to be engaged by a user positioned on the user support to move the user engagement device in the isolation exercise path;

the secondary support portion comprising spaced left and right arm rest portions adapted to be engaged by parts of the respective left and right arms of a user when the user is positioned in an exercise position on the user support and is moving the user engagement device in the isolation exercise path during an arm exercise;

a connecting link which links movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support; and

a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting link.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the primary support portion of the user support comprises a seat portion which is adapted to support a user in a generally upright seated position at the start of an exercise.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the user support further comprises a backrest portion which is adapted to be engaged by the back of a user seated on the user support and which moves together with the seat portion throughout the exercise movement.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the user support further comprises a footrest portion which is adapted to be engaged by the feet of a user seated on the user support and which moves together with the seat and back rest portions throughout the exercise movement.

5. The machine of claim 2, wherein the seat portion is reclined rearward relative to the start position in the end position of the user support.

6. The machine of claim 2, wherein the seat portion is inclined forward relative to the start position in the end position of the user support.

7. The machine of claim 2, wherein the user support further comprises a leg support.

8. The machine of claim 1, wherein the arm rest portions are located at a forward portion of the user support and the user engagement device is pivotally linked to the user support at the arm rest portions and extends forward from the arm rest portions.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engagement device is linked to the user support to the rear of the primary support portion and has first and second side portions extending forward on opposite sides of the user support, the user engaging portion comprising a first handle located on the first side portion and a second handle located on the second side portion.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the connection between the user engagement device and the user support is a pivotal connection.

11. The machine of claim 9, wherein the first and second side portions and handles are configured for three dimensional movement of the user'"'"'s hands during an exercise.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engagement device comprises at least one exercise arm movably mounted relative to the main frame for movement between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement, the user engaging portion comprising at least one handle which is adapted to be engaged by a user positioned on the user support, the handle positioned in a first position at the start of the isolation exercise movement and a second position at the end of the isolation exercise movement, the first position of the handle defining a predetermined starting orientation of the user'"'"'s arm at the start of an isolation arm exercise.

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the exercise arm has a main arm portion which is pivotally linked to the user support for rotation about a first arm pivot axis, and at least one handle portion associated with the main arm portion.

14. The machine of claim 13, wherein said one handle portion is pivotally linked to the main arm portion.

15. The machine of claim 12, wherein the exercise arm is bidirectional.

16. The machine of claim 15, further comprising a pivot connection between the exercise arm and user support which includes a ROM adjuster for adjustment of the handle start position between a first start position for performing a biceps curl exercise and a second start position for performing a triceps extension exercise.

17. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a user support pivot mount comprising a four bar linkage between the user support and main frame, the four bar linkage configured to produce pivotal movement of the user support about a predetermined theoretical pivot axis.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein the main frame has a floor-engaging base portion and the theoretical pivot axis is located below the base portion.

19. The machine of claim 1, wherein the connecting link has a first pivot connection to the user engagement device and a second pivot connection to the main frame.

20. The machine of claim 1, wherein the connecting link comprises a multi-part pivot linkage between the user support, main frame, and user engagement device.

21. The machine of claim 1 wherein the connecting link is a flexible link.

22. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support is pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis defining a vertical gravitational center line of the pivotal movement of the user support, the user support pivot axis being positioned at a predetermined location such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line at the start and end of the exercise movement.

23. The machine of claim 22, wherein more of the combined weight is located forward of the gravitational center line at the start of the exercise movement than at the end of the exercise movement.

24. The machine of claim 22, wherein more of the combined weight is located forward of the gravitational center line at the end of the exercise movement than at the start of the exercise movement.

25. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a user support pivot mount pivotally mounting the user support frame relative to the main frame, the pivot mount having at least one pivot axis.

26. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engaging portion of the user engagement device comprises at least one handle which self-aligns to the user'"'"'s hand movement during an exercise.

27. The machine of claim 26, wherein the handle has a rotating grip.

28. The machine of claim 26, wherein the user engagement device comprises at least one exercise arm and the handle is pivotally connected to the exercise arm for self-aligning movement to align to the user'"'"'s hand movement during an exercise.

29. The machine of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary support portions are fixed relative to one another and move together in the same relative orientation to one another throughout the exercise movement.

30. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support further comprises at least one additional support portion which supports a different part of a user'"'"'s body from the primary and secondary support portions and which moves together with the primary and secondary support portions during an exercise.

31. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user support is pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis defining a vertical gravitational center line of the pivotal movement of the user support, the user support pivot axis being positioned at a predetermined location such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement.

32. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user engagement device moves relative to the main frame and user support in an exercise path corresponding to a biceps curl or triceps extension exercise.

33. The machine of claim 1, wherein movement of the user engagement device in the isolation arm exercise path requires action of only one arm joint of one or both of the user'"'"'s arms.

34. The machine of claim 1, wherein the secondary support portion comprises a single arm support pad located at a forward portion of said user support and having left and right side portions comprising said left and right arm rest portions.

35. An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises, comprising:

a main frame having a front end and a rear end;

a user support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame which is adapted to support a user in an exercise position, the user support moving between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement and having a primary support portion and at least one secondary support portion which are adapted to be engaged by spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body when positioned on the user support and which move together throughout an exercise movement;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame to define an exercise path corresponding to an isolation arm exercise and having first and second side portions extending forward on opposite sides of the user support, a first handle located on the first side portion and a second handle located on the second side portion which are adapted to be engaged by a user'"'"'s hands to move the user engagement device in the isolation arm exercise path when the user is positioned on the user support;

a connecting link which links movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support;

a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting link; and

a pair of arm rest pads on opposite sides of the user support which are adapted to be engaged by the user'"'"'s upper arms when the user is positioned on the user support, the arm rest pads being adapted to support the upper arms of a user positioned on the user support throughout an exercise as the handles are moved in the isolation arm exercise path.

36. An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises, comprising:

a main frame having a front end and a rear end;

a user support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in an exercise position, the user support moving between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement and having a primary support portion, a secondary support portion, and an additional support portion which are adapted for engagement by spaced positions on the body of a user positioned on the user support and which move together throughout an exercise movement;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame to define an exercise path corresponding to an isolation arm exercise and having a user engaging portion which is adapted for engagement by a user positioned on the user support to move the user engagement device in the isolation arm exercise path;

a connecting link which links movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support;

a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting link;

the additional support portion comprising at least one arm rest adapted for engagement by the upper part of an arm of a user positioned on the user support during an exercise while the user'"'"'s forearm moves with the user engagement device in the isolation arm exercise path; and

the primary support portion comprising a seat and the secondary support portion comprising a back rest separate from said arm rest.

37. An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises, comprising:

a main frame having a front end and a rear end;

a user support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in an exercise position on the user support, the user support moving between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement, the user support having a primary support portion and at least one secondary support portion which are adapted to support spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body when the user is positioned on the user support and which move together throughout an exercise movement;

the user support further comprises at least first and second additional support portions which are each adapted to be engaged by a different part of a body of a user positioned on the user support from the primary and secondary support portions and which move together with the primary and secondary support portions during an exercise;

the first additional support portion comprising a back rest;

the second additional support portion comprising an arm rest which is adapted to engage part of a user'"'"'s arm during an exercise;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame to define an exercise path corresponding to an isolation arm exercise and having a user engaging portion which is adapted to be engaged by a user positioned on the user support to move the user engagement device in the isolation arm exercise path;

a connecting link which links movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support; and

a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting link.

38. An arm exercise machine for performing isolation arm exercises, comprising:

a main frame having a front end and a rear end;

a user support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame to support a user in an exercise position and moving between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement, the user support having a primary support portion and a secondary support portion which are adapted to be engaged by spaced positions on a user'"'"'s body excluding the user'"'"'s arms when a user is supported on the user support, and a pair of arm support portions which are adapted to be engaged by parts of the user'"'"'s arms when a user is positioned on the user support during an exercise movement, the primary, secondary, and aim support portions moving together throughout an exercise movement;

at least one user engagement device movably mounted relative to the main frame and having first and second side portions, each side portion defining at least one isolation arm exercise path, a first handle located on the first side portion and a second handle located on the second side portion which are adapted to be engaged by a user'"'"'s hands when a user is supported in an exercise position on the user support to move the first and second side portions of the user engagement device in respective isolation arm exercise paths;

a connecting link which links movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support; and

a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, user engagement device, and connecting link.

39. The machine of claim 38, wherein the arm support portions comprise left and right arm rest pads which support an upper part of the user'"'"'s left and right arm, respectively, in a stable position while the user'"'"'s left and right forearms move with the user'"'"'s hands gripping the respective handles from the first position to the second position.

40. The machine of claim 38, further comprising a single arm support pad located at a forward portion of said user support and having left and right side portions comprising said arm support portions.