Three-point adjustable multi-purpose exercise machine

• US 8,057,368 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grzegorz Lyszczarz
• Original Assignee: Grzegorz Lyszczarz
• Inventors: Lyszczarz, Grzegorz
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, VICTOR KENNY
• Application Number:
  US12/185,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 482 92- 96, 482/99, 482101-103, 482/133, 482/134, 482/138, 482/142, 482/908, 482/42, D21/673, D21/675, D21/676
• US Class Current: 482/103
• 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 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/078 Devices for bench press exercises , e.g. supports, guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/156 the position of the pulleys being variable, e.g. for different exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4023 the user operating the resistance directly, without additional interface A63B21/072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• 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 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0233 in 90/90 position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• 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 3/00 Parallel bars or similar apparatus

Abstract

A multipurpose exercise machine requiring only three points of adjustment centrally located. It has a one point height adjustment and two adjustments for the rotating arm assemblies. Dip and chin up bars are attached to the arm assemblies. The machine contains an integrated swingable workout bench. Through the use of a pulley system and counter balance assembly, the cable system maintains tension and provides a constant length of cable.

Claims

1. A three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine, comprising:

a frame having at least one substantially upright post;

said post describing a substantially vertical axis and a forward horizontal axis;

a slidable carriage assembly having means to slide and lock on the upright post along said substantially vertical axis, whereby said carriage assembly describes a first point of adjustment for said machine for height adjustment;

right and left arm assemblies rotatably, adjustably, and independently mounted to said slidable carriage assembly and each said arm assembly having an axis of rotation parallel to the forward horizontal axis, whereby said mounting point of the right arm describes a second point of adjustment for said machine for adjusting the right arm and said mounting point of the left arm describes a third point of adjustment for said machine for adjusting the left arm, each arm assembly having a handle unit;

a resistance assembly; and

at least one cable coupling the handle units, arm assemblies and the resistance assembly,

whereby the height and the horizontal span of the arm assemblies can be adjusted by said three points of adjustments, through sliding the carriage assembly along the upright post and by pivotably engaging the arm assemblies with the carriage assembly; and

wherein;

a. said carriage assembly comprises an arm selector plate having a right side and a left side;

b. said right arm assembly having a first end and a second end;

c. said left arm assembly having a first end and a second end;

d. the first end of said right arm assembly pivotably, adjustably, and releasably attached to the right side of said arm selector plate and extending rightward, and the first end of the left arm assembly pivotably, adjustably and releasably attached to the left side of said arm selector plate and extending leftward;

e. each said handle unit positioned at the respective second ends of each arm assembly;

f. said at least one cable extending from the right handle unit through the right arm assembly to said resistance assembly and then from said resistance assembly through the left arm assembly and to the left handle unit; and

g. a pulley assembly to guide said cable,

where said three points of adjustments are locked on the arm selector plate in close proximity of each other, based on which the height and the horizontal span of the arms can be adjusted.

2. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein said means to slide the slidable carriage assembly is comprised of rollers, and bolts.

3. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein said means to lock the slidable carriage assembly on the upright post is comprised of a spring loaded pin.

4. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein said carriage assembly comprises:

a. a sleeve having a central opening to receive the upright post where said sleeve has a multiplicity of rollers in its central opening, said rollers positioned and sized to provide for rolling operation of said carriage over the upright post; and

wherein

b. said sleeve and rollers are operatively connected via bolts; and

wherein

c. said arm selector plate has right and a left semicircular ends and is attached to said sleeve and each said semicircular end having a central aperture, whereby normals to the arm selector plate at the right and left central apertures define a right arm axis and a left arm axis, respectively, and whereby said right and left arm axes provide mounting and rotation points for the right and the left arm assemblies about said respective arm axis;

d. each said semicircle end having multiplicity of position apertures near its perimeter;

e. a pulley mount connected to said sleeve having a horizontal plate, said plate having a right side and a left side;

f. cable anchors mounted on the top and bottom of the pulley mount; and

g. multiplicity of pulleys attached to said pulley mount and said first and second ends of said arm assemblies arranged to keep the tension in the cable constant during the rotation of the arm assemblies about the right and left arm axes,

whereby said carriage and arm assemblies can be adjusted and locked in different heights along the upright post.

5. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 4, wherein said right and left arm assemblies are pivotably connected to the carriage assembly about the right and left arm axes, respectively, and having means to secure the pivotal connection and means to enable adjustment of a rotational resistance.

6. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 5, wherein said arms extend forward at an angle from a pivot attachment point located on the carriage and arm assembly, whereby the arms are angled to provide enough space for performing standing or seated exercises when a pure vertical resistance is required to deliver proper exercise.

7. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 6, wherein the first ends of each said arm assembly comprises:

a. an arm mounting bracket having a front and a rear support;

b. said front and rear supports having position apertures, said apertures having a center;

c. a pulley rotatably mounted between said front and rear supports;

d. arm reinforcement means;

e. a bracket with spring loaded arm selector pin; and

f. said spring loaded arm selector pin mounted in the midsection of the bracket and configured such that in its extended position can be received in one of the position apertures and in the openings of a front reinforcement.

8. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the second ends of each said arm assembly having means to guide said cable through the arms and means to provide cable engagement exercise.

9. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the second ends of each of said arm assemblies each further comprises:

a. an arm pulley assembly comprising a bearing sleeve with a pulley housing, rotatably mounted over a hollow shaft having an end attached to the arm, such that it is free to rotate relative to the arm about a longitudinal axis of the arm;

b. at least one bearing having an outer ring and an inner ring, mounted such that the outer ring is attached to the sleeve and the inner ring is attached to the hollow shaft and secured with external snap rings at the end of the hollow shaft; and

c. at least one pulley rotatably mounted inside said pulley housing, and positioned so that they permit passage of the cable between them, whereby said pulleys are mounted such that their axes of rotation coincides with the axis of the cable when engaged with the pulley,

whereby one pulley is preferably smaller than the other pulley and is positioned such that it engages with the cable when the applied pulling angle of the cable can no longer be supported by one pulley.

10. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, wherein a single cable couples both of the handle units with the resistance assembly.

11. The three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine of claim 1, and wherein

the slidable carriage assembly, the left arm assembly, the right arm assembly, and the upright post are configured so that when and as the vertical height of the slidable carriage assembly along the upright post is adjusted, when and as the left arm assembly is rotated with respect to the upright post in a manner that causes at least a portion of the at least one cable to move, and when and as the right arm assembly is rotated with respect to the upright post in a manner that causes at least a portion of the at least one cable to move, the left handle unit and the right handle unit remain in a plane which is substantially parallel to and a distance away from the upright post and the tension in the at least one cable remains substantially the same.

12. A three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine, comprising:

a frame having at least one substantially upright post;

said post describing a substantially vertical axis and a forward horizontal axis;

a slidable carriage assembly having means to slide and lock on the upright post along said substantially vertical axis, whereby said carriage assembly describes a first point of adjustment for said machine for height adjustment;

right and left arm assemblies rotatably, adjustably, and independently mounted to said slidable carriage assembly and each said arm assembly having an axis of rotation parallel to the forward horizontal axis, whereby said mounting point of the right arm describes a second point of adjustment for said machine for adjusting the right arm and said mounting point of the left arm describes a third point of adjustment for said machine for adjusting the left arm, each arm assembly having a handle unit;

a resistance assembly; and

at least one cable coupling the handle units, arm assemblies and the resistance assembly,

whereby the height and the horizontal span of the arm assemblies can be adjusted by said three points of adjustments, through sliding the carriage assembly along the upright post and by pivotably engaging the arm assemblies with the carriage assembly; and

wherein;

said carriage assembly comprises an arm selector plate having a right side and a left side;

said right arm assembly having a first end and a second end;

said left arm assembly having a first end and a second end;

the first end of said right arm assembly pivotably, adjustably, and releasably attached to the right side of said arm selector plate and extending rightward, and the first end of the left arm assembly pivotably, adjustably and releasably attached to the left side of said arm selector plate and extending leftward;

each said handle unit positioned at the respective second ends of each arm assembly;

said at least one cable extending from the right handle unit through the right arm assembly to said resistance assembly and then from said resistance assembly through the left arm assembly and to the left handle unit; and

a pulley assembly to guide said cable,

where said three points of adjustments are locked on the arm selector plate in close proximity of each other, based on which the height and the horizontal span of the arms can be adjusted, and

wherein

the three-point adjustment multipurpose exercise machine has removable chin-up and dip bar assemblies attached to the arm assemblies comprising a bar and a sleeve removably attached to the arm assemblies and extending substantially horizontally, whereby, said chin-up and dip bar assemblies bars having means to removably attach to the arm assemblies, and said chin-up and dip bar assemblies are adjusted to various widths by rotating said arm assemblies about right and left axes and securing to the selector plate, and whereby the height of said chin-up and dip bar assemblies can also be adjusted by changing the height of the slidable carriage assembly and the arm assemblies.

13. The three-point adjustable multipurpose exercise machine of claim 12, wherein said chin-up and dip bar assemblies further comprising handle straps and other attachments attached to a rotatable connection at the end of said chin-up and dip bar assemblies to provide for more exercise options, whereby the intensity of the exercise can be changed by changing the height or the width of the bar assemblies and attachments and the bar assemblies eliminate the need for specially designated chin-up or dip stations which are achieved here without changing the size of the machine and using the same adjustable structure for several different applications.