Overhead exercise device for the upper body

Abstract

An exercise machine for strengthening the upper torso of a user. An overhead support structure supports a wheel assembly that attaches to a rotatable handlebar assembly and a mass. The handlebar assembly is supported by the overhead support structure in a manner that allows it to rotate substantially without friction. The handlebar structure is further situated so that a user can grasp the handlebar assembly with one or both hands and twist his upper torso around his centerline. When the user twists his upper torso, it causes the wheel assembly to cooperatively rotate the mass. In the preferred embodiment, the wheel assembly has two gear wheels with interlocking teeth. One of the wheels rotates with the handle bar assembly and the other wheel rotates with the mass. In an alternative embodiment a continuous belt interconnects the two wheels. The mass can be a conventional removable and interchangeable exercise weight. As the exercise weight increases in weight, more strength is required by the user to initiate, stop or reverse a twisting motion. In use, the angular momentum carries the user further around than the user could potentially do on his own, which stretches the user's muscles, and the rotational inertia causes the user to use extra force to start and stop, which strengthens his muscles.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention generally relates to the field of exercise machines. This invention relates particularly to an exercise machine that strengthens and stretches a user's abdominal and upper torso muscles by resisting rotational inertia.

BACKGROUND

Athletes and non-athletes have increasingly turned to exercise machines to assist them with their conditioning. Professional and recreational athletes routinely use exercise machines to increase their strength, muscular endurance and flexibility and to facilitate recovery from injury. Exercise machines also are an important component in health clubs and rehabilitation centers, where non-athletes are trying to achieve an overall healthy body or recover from injuries.

In general, exercise machines rely on resistance to work particular muscles. Isokinetic exercise machines, for example, provide variable resistance at a constant speed throughout an exercise movement. This ensures that the user applies the maximum force of which the muscle is capable throughout the entire range of motion. Another type of resistance machine is a negative resistance exercise machines that requires a user to move weights in one direction and to resist the weight when moving in the other direction. A third type of machine, a variable resistance exercise machine, provides a change of resistance in a predetermined manner as a user contracts a muscle.

Exercise machines can target many muscle groups or just a few muscles depending on how they are designed. One area in particular that is often targeted by exercise machines is the abdominal muscles and upper torso. Exercising the abdominal region can improve a user's shape and tone and increase the strength of his abdominal muscles, which is of particular importance to an athlete who needs strong abdominals for his sport. A golfer, football player, baseball player and tennis player, for example, all use his upper torso when throwing or hitting a ball. This type of athletes can benefit from an exercise machine that aims to improve his ability to rotate around his centerline and to develop strength in his upper body.

Various machines exist in the prior art that attempt to increase an athlete's strength and flexibility by having the athlete repeatedly rotate or twist his body. One such example is a rotatable turntable on which a user stands, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,180. The user holds on to a stationary “handlebar” located in front of him. The user can increase the amount of resistance by placing additional weights on the turntable. Alternatively, the resistance can be increased through use of additional wheels and belts. The user then rotates the turntable below him or her by twisting his lower body. The resistance remains constant throughout the user's range of motion, however, and the user is not twisting his upper torso.

Another example of a twisting exercise device is an overhead rotatable turntable that comprises two plates stacked along an axis directly over the user's head, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,600. A tension spring is mounted below the lower plate and can be tightened to increase the friction between the plates, thereby increasing resistance. A handle is located near the periphery of the lower plate, and the user can hold the handle with one or two hands and twist his body to turn the plate. Because the handle is located above the user at the periphery of the plate, the user does not rotate around his centerline. Additionally, a user cannot build up momentum when using this turntable arrangement due to the friction between the plates.

While these currently available exercise machines target the abdominals and are adequate for developing stronger muscles, they do not simulate how the muscles act in common sporting applications. A golfer, for example, rotates his upper body around his centerline and accelerates and decelerates a golf club. The golf club must be accelerated from a resting position, swung up to a top backswing position and then decelerated to an instant of zero motion at the top of the swing before almost immediately reversing direction and swinging it down to strike the golf ball. The faster the golfer's backswing, the more force is required to resist rotational inertia and stop the golf club's angular momentum at the top of the backswing.

In general, inertia is the tendency of a mass, such as a golf club or a bat, to resist acceleration when it is resting and to resist deceleration once it is in motion. This property becomes especially pronounced as the mass and its speed increase. Accordingly, it would be particularly desirable to provide an exercise machine that targets not only muscle strengthening and flexibility, but also allows an athlete to practice starting and stopping his movements when encountering inertia. It is an object of this invention to provide a exercise device for the upper torso in which angular momentum carries the user further around than the user could potentially do on his own, which stretches the user's muscles, and the rotational inertia causes the user to use extra force to start and stop, which strengthen his muscles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is an exercise machine for strengthening the upper torso of a user. An overhead support structure supports a wheel assembly that attaches to a rotatable handlebar assembly and a mass. The handlebar assembly is supported by the overhead support structure in a manner that allows it to rotate substantially without friction. The handlebar structure is further situated so that a user can grasp the handlebar assembly with one or both hands and twist his upper torso around his centerline. When the user twists his upper torso, it causes the wheel assembly to cooperatively rotate the mass. In the preferred embodiment, the wheel assembly has two gear wheels with interlocking teeth. One of the wheels rotates with the handle bar assembly and the other wheel rotates with the mass. In an alternative embodiment a continuous belt interconnects the two wheels. The mass can be a conventional removable and interchangeable exercise weight. As the exercise weight increases in weight, more strength is required by the user to initiate, stop or reverse a twisting motion. In use, the angular momentum carries the user further around than the user could potentially do on his own, which stretches the user's muscles, and the rotational inertia causes the user to use extra force to start and stop, which strengthens his muscles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the wheel assembly of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the wheel assembly of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the handlebar assembly of this invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a user operating the exercise device of this invention.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the forces acting on the wheel assembly of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is an exercise device aimed at the abdominal and upper torso muscles of a user. In particular, this device stretches and strengthens abdominal and upper torso muscles and targets a user's ability to initiate, resist and reverse a twisting motion of his upper body.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of this invention. Exercise machine 10 has an upright support 21, an overhead support 22, and in the preferred embodiment, a base 20. The supports and base are referred to generally as the frame. The frame can be made out of any strong rigid material as is known in the art, such as steel. Moreover, the frame can have any number of support members, bars, beams and the like to make it a stable structure capable of supporting substantial weights. Equivalent structural modifications are known to a person skilled in the art of designing rigid structures or exercise machines. In the preferred embodiment, the base 20 rests on the ground. Alternatively, the overhead support 22 can be attached to a wall or the ceiling.

The overhead support 22 supports a wheel assembly. In the preferred embodiment, a wheel assembly is disposed above the upright support and parallel to the ground wherein the wheel assembly has at least two cooperating wheels: first wheel 31 and second wheel 32. Two cooperating wheels are preferred, but any number of wheels can be used as long as when one of the wheels turns, the others do as well. The cooperating wheels preferably are attached to the overhead support structure with such that the wheels to rotate with little or no friction. For example, the wheels can rest on a race with ball bearings or, more simply, on a washer, although any known method of securing wheels 31 and 32 to overhead support 22 can be used as long as wheels 31 and 32 can rotate with as little friction as possible. Additionally, cooperating wheels 31 and 32 can be suspended below the overhead support structure without compromising the effectiveness of the machine as long as they are still substantially parallel to the ground and secured so that they can rotate with as little friction as possible.

In the preferred embodiment, first wheel 31 has a larger diameter than second wheel 32. Preferably the first wheel 31 is about 16 inches in diameter and the second wheel is about 2 inches in diameter. First wheel 31 and second wheel 32 as shown in FIG. 1 are preferably gears with interlocking teeth. The interlocking teeth cause second wheel 32 to rotate when first wheel 31 is rotated. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the first wheel 31 with teeth and the second wheel 32 with teeth. Wheels 31 and 32 can be any type of gear with interlocking teeth as is generally known in the art.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the wheel assembly. In the alternative embodiment, first wheel 31 and second wheel 32 are connected by a continuous belt 35 that surrounds them. Again, more wheels can be used as long as all of the wheels rotate when one of the wheels rotates. In this embodiment, wheels 31 and 32 and continuous belt 35 can be any type of pulley wheel and belt device as is known in the art. Other mechanisms known in the art for causing the wheels to cooperatively rotate can be used as well. In yet another embodiment, the wheel assembly can be simply one wheel with a mass placed directly upon the wheel. For example, first wheel 31 can have a mass placed directly on it. The mass can be placed in the center of first wheel 31, or at a specified distance from the center to change how much force is required to rotate first wheel 31.

A handlebar assembly is attached to the wheel assembly. The handlebar assembly can attached to or integral with the wheel assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the handlebar assembly is integral with and extends downwardly from first wheel 31, as shown in FIG. 1. The handlebar assembly can have any design as long as the user can grasp the handlebar with one or both hands and rotate his upper body. The preferred handlebar assembly has a first bar 41 that is attached to first wheel 31 and descends downwardly from first wheel 31. First bar 41 extends through overhead support 22 in a manner that minimizes friction when first bar 41 is rotated about its vertical axis. Accordingly, first bar is preferably a long cylindrical shape, although other bar shapes can be used. First bar 41 then attaches to a second bar 42 that extends radially outward from first bar 41. A third bar 43 is attached to second bar 42 and extends downwardly from second bar 42. Second bar 42 and third bar 43 can be any shape. Finally, a crossbar 44 is attached to third bar 43. Crossbar 44 is substantially perpendicular to third bar 43 and substantially parallel to the ground as shown in FIG. 1 and is preferably a long cylindrical shape to allow a user to easily grasp the bar at any distance from its centerpoint. Other shapes for crossbar 41 can be used, however, without compromising its function. Crossbar 44 can also have one or more handles 46 descending downwardly or radially outward from crossbar 44 as well, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Handles 46 can be any type of handle as is known in the art. Bars 41, 42, 43 and 44, as well as handles 46 and first wheel 31, can be attached to one another by any known method of securing one thing to another, for example with screws and nuts, clamps, threads, or welding. According to this preferred embodiment, crossbar 44 is perpendicular to and offset from first bar 41, which allows a user to stand directly below the center axis of first wheel 31 and to grasp crossbar 44 either in front of or behind the user's head or shoulders.

An alternate handlebar assembly is shown in FIG. 4. According to FIG. 4, the handlebar assembly also has first bar 41 attached to first wheel 31 and descending downwardly from first wheel 31. First bar 41 extends through overhead support 22 in a manner that minimizes friction when first bar 41 is rotated about its vertical axis. Accordingly, first bar is preferably a long cylindrical shape, although other bar shapes can be used. In this embodiment, crossbar 44 is attached directly to first bar 41. Crossbar 44 is substantially perpendicular to first bar 41 and substantially parallel to the ground as shown in FIG. 4. Crossbar 44 is again preferably a long cylindrical shape to allow a user to easily grasp the bar at any distance from its centerpoint. Other shapes for crossbar 41 can be used, however, without compromising its function. Crossbar 44 can also have one or more handles 46 descending downwardly or radially outward from crossbar 44 as well. Handles 46 can be any type of handle as is known in the art. As with the preferred embodiment, bars 41 and 44, as well as handles 46 and first wheel 31, can be attached to one another by any known method of securing one thing to another, for example with screws and nuts, pins, clamps, friction fit, threads, or welding. According to this alternate embodiment, crossbar 44 is directly below and perpendicular to first bar 41, which allows a user to grasp crossbar 44 above his head. FIG. 5 illustrates a user grasping handles 46 with crossbar 44 directly over the user's head.

Also in the preferred embodiment, as is shown in FIGS. 2-4, a plate 34 is connected to second wheel 32. Plate 34 can be constructed of any strong material and fixed to wheel 32 by any method of securing one thing to another, as discussed above and as is known in the art. Plate 34 can be any shape or design as long as it can securely support a mass 33 or exercise weight resting on it. In the preferred embodiment, plate 34 includes a center pin to anchor the mass and prevent it from slipping off of plate 34.

FIGS. 2-4 also show how mass 33 impacts second wheel 32. Mass 33 must be evenly distributed on second wheel 32, preferably aligned with the center axis of second wheel 32. Using plate 34 helps ensure that mass 33 is aligned with the center of second wheel 34. Mass 33 can be any type of mass, but preferably is a conventional exercise weight commonly used with exercise machines or weightlifting equipment, such as barbell weights. The exercise weight can be permanently attached, or preferably, removable and interchangeable. Also, while it is preferred to use plate 34 as a support for mass 33, mass 33 alternatively can be directly attached, permanently or temporarily, to second wheel 32 as is known in the art.

FIG. 5 illustrates exercise machine 10 in use. A user stands below the overhead support 22 and directly below the first wheel 31. The user aligns his centerline with the vertical axis through the center of first wheel 31. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the user is also below crossbar 44. In the preferred embodiment, crossbar 44 would be slightly behind the user's head but the user's centerline would still be directly below first wheel 31. The user grasps handles 46 and rotates the handle bar back and forth in clockwise and counterclockwise motions to twist his upper body and generally rotate about his centerline. The handlebar assembly causes first wheel 31 to rotate, which in turn causes second wheel 32, which is supporting mass 33, to rotate as well.

Angular momentum causes first wheel 31 and second wheel 32 to either remain motionless or, once they have begun rotating, to stay in motion. The rotational inertia of either first wheel 31 or second wheel 32 is the wheel's resistance to a change in the angular momentum. In order to overcome the rotational inertia for either first wheel 31 or second wheel 32, a user must supply enough torque. Torque is the amount of tangential force on the wheel at a particular distance from the wheel's center, or, in other words, torque equals force multiplied by a radius. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of this invention, rotating first wheel 31 causes a force to act on the perimeter of second wheel 32. The following formulas along with FIG. 6 illustrate how much force must be applied to the perimeter of second wheel 32 to overcome its rotational inertia and how it relates to the overall mass of second wheel 32. For purposes of these calculations, second wheel 32 is considered a solid cylinder having a mass substantially equal to mass 33. The moment of inertia for a solid cylinder is equal to ½ of the cylinder's mass times its radius squared. In the following equations, torque is T, rotational inertia is I, angular acceleration is α, force is F, radius of second wheel 32 is R, and mass of second wheel 32 is M.

$T=I·\alpha =F·R$ $F=\frac{I·\alpha }{R}$ $I=\frac{M·R^2}{2}$ $F=\frac{M·R·\alpha }{2}$

The force necessary to overcome the moment of inertia of second wheel 32 is one half of its mass multiplied by its radius and multiplied by its angular acceleration. Accordingly, the greater the mass of second wheel 32, the more force is necessary to cause second wheel 32 to rotate or to stop it from rotating at a particular acceleration or deceleration. A user of exercise device 10 applies force to the perimeter of second wheel 32 by rotating the handlebar assembly, which in turn rotates first wheel 31. If the user wishes to make the exercise more challenging, he only needs to increase mass 33.

The benefits of exercise device 10 is that a user must use extra force to initiate the rotation, but then once the rotation has started, the angular momentum carries the user further around than the user could potentially do on his own, which helps stretch the user's muscles. To stop the rotation or reverse direction, the user must again use extra force and resist the rotational inertia, which thereby helps increase muscle strength. By using this exercise device, a professional or recreational athlete can increase strength and flexibility in a way directly related to his sport.

While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising:

a) an overhead support;

b) a rotatable handlebar assembly rotatably connected to the overhead support and extending downwardly from the overhead support;

c) a wheel assembly supported by the overhead support and operatively connected to the handlebar assembly wherein the wheel assembly is parallel to the ground; and

d) a mass connected to the wheel assembly.

2. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein:

a) the wheel assembly comprises a first wheel with teeth and a second wheel with teeth; and

b) the first and second wheel cooperate such that when the first wheel rotates, the second wheel rotates.

3. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein:

a) the wheel assembly comprises a first wheel, a second wheel and a continuous belt disposed around the first wheel and second wheel; and

b) the belt, the first wheel and the second wheel cooperate such that when the first wheel rotates, the second wheel rotates.

4. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the wheel assembly comprises one wheel and wherein the mass rests directly on the wheel.

5. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the mass is a removable exercise weight.

6. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the handlebar assembly is disposed through the overhead support such that it rotates substantially without friction.

7. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the handlebar assembly comprises a first bar extended downwardly from the overhead support and a crossbar connected to the first bar and disposed substantially perpendicular to the first bar.

8. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the handlebar assembly comprises:

a) a first bar extended downwardly from the overhead support;

b) a second bar extended radially outward from the first bar and connected to the first bar;

c) a third bar extended downwardly from the second bar and connected to the second bar and offset from the first bar; and

d) a crossbar connected to the third bar and disposed substantially perpendicular to the third bar.

9. The exercise device according to claim 7 wherein the handlebar assembly further comprises at least one handle attached to the crossbar.

10. The exercise device according to claim 8 wherein the handlebar assembly further comprises at least one handle attached to the crossbar.

11. An exercise device comprising:

a) a frame having a base attached to an upright support that is attached to an overhead support;

b) a rotatable handlebar assembly rotatably connected to the overhead support and extending downwardly from the overhead support;

c) a first wheel attached to the handlebar assembly and supported by the overhead support such that the first wheel is parallel to the ground and disposed above a user's head;

d) a second wheel parallel to the ground and supported by the overhead support wherein the second wheel cooperates with the first wheel such that when the first wheel rotates, the second wheel rotates; and

e) a mass connected to the second wheel.

12. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the first wheel is a gear and the second wheel is a gear.

13. The exercise device according to claim 11 further comprising a continuous belt disposed around the first wheel and second wheel.

14. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the mass is a removable exercise weight.

15. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are disposed above the overhead support.

16. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the first wheel has a larger diameter than the second wheel.

17. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the handlebar assembly comprises a first bar extended downwardly from the overhead support and a crossbar connected to the first bar and disposed substantially perpendicular to the first bar.

18. The exercise device according to claim 11 wherein the handlebar assembly comprises:

a) a first bar extended downwardly from the overhead support;

b) a second bar extended radially outward from the first bar and connected to the first bar;

c) a third bar extended downwardly from and connected to the second bar such that the third bar is offset from the first bar; and

d) a crossbar connected to the third bar and disposed substantially perpendicular to the third bar.

19. The exercise device according to claim 14 wherein the wheel assembly further comprises a plate connected to and disposed above the second wheel for securely supporting the removable exercise weight.

20. An exercise device comprising:

a) an overhead support;

b) a rotatable handlebar assembly comprising a first bar rotatably connected to the overhead support and suspended from the overhead support and a crossbar disposed substantially perpendicular to the first bar wherein the handlebar assembly rotates substantially without friction;

c) a first wheel with teeth attached to the handlebar assembly and disposed above at least one of the overhead supports;

d) a second wheel with teeth that cooperates with the first wheel with teeth such that rotating the first wheel with teeth causes the second wheel with teeth to rotate as well; and

e) a removable exercise weight centered above and connected to the second wheel with teeth wherein the force required to turn the handlebar assembly increases as the weight of the exercise weight increases.