Gravity leg exercise machine
The present invention is an exercise machine to be used mainly for lower body exercises that involve quads, shins, thighs, and hip areas of a user and provides a moving seat frame that supports the weight of the user to use it as a source of a resistance as a pedal is pushed away. The resistance can be adjusted by changing the ratio between the seat movement and the pedal movement. The machine can be foldable for a stowed position. A preferred embodiment includes a base assembly that stands on a floor, a seat assembly movable substantially in vertical direction to support the user's weight and use it as a source of the resistance, and a pedal assembly supporting a pedal that moves away from the seat assembly when pushed by the user. The pedal assembly and the seat assembly are linked together so that when the pedal is pushed away, the seat assembly is lifted up from its rest position. The amount of the lift on the seat assembly per given displacement of the pedal can be adjusted by changing the leverage between the pedal assembly and the seat assembly. Greater the lift on the seat assembly per given pedal displacement, greater the resistance the user feels on the pedal.
This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/923,320, filed on Apr. 13, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fitness exercise machines for training lower body exercises such as quads, shins, thighs and hip utilizing a user's own weight as a resistance.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A number of lower body exercise machines, utilizing the user's body weight as a source of resistance, have been introduced. U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,249 to Harris shows a bench with support pads moving upward as the user uses a handle which actuates a lever with a roller, rolling on a track to lift the pads. The track can be set at different angles to control the lift of the pads. However, the adjusting the angle of the track can be difficult since it is under the pads near the floor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,678 to Wilson illustrates an apparatus for leg exercise. The user sits on a moving frame that moves away from the pedal as he or she pushes a stationary pedal with his or her feet. It may get some resistance from the user's weight depending on the angle of the movement of the moving frame, however it uses and needs a rubber band or another equivalent device for a primary source of the resistance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,710 B1 to Lin shows an apparatus similar to Wilson's, but it uses more of the user's weight as the resistance in the beginning of the exercise motion profile. However the user's weight as the resistance diminishes as the motion profile continues, which is the reason why it also needs a rubber band or equivalent to compensate the diminishing force curve. U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,577 B2 to Stearns shows a chair like apparatus with a moving frame being a seated area and a pedal on a stationary frame. The overall motion profile of the moving frame is more vertical compared to the other arts in the field, but the seating angle can be uncomfortable when the user's legs are fully extended or the starting position must be at a half extended position of the user's legs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,158 to Giannelli shows a leg press machine with a moving seat frame on a inclined track. As the user pushes the fixed pedal, the whole body goes up on the inclined track partially utilizing the user's weight as a resistance. The machine is combined with a weight and a cable system to provide a full resistance for the exercise. There are other arts in the field that use the user's weight as a source of the resistance whether partially or fully for the lower body exercises. However, they are either big structurally or not very user friendly in terms of adjusting the amount of resistance or simply too costly to build.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention is an exercise machine to be used mainly for lower body exercises that involve quads, shins, thighs, and hip areas of a user and provides a moving seat frame that supports the weight of the user to use it as a source of a resistance as a pedal is pushed away. The resistance can be adjusted by changing the ratio between the seat movement and the pedal movement. The machine can be foldable for a stowed position. A preferred embodiment includes a base assembly that stands on a floor, a seat assembly movable substantially in vertical direction to support the user's weight and use it as a source of the resistance, and a pedal assembly supporting a pedal that moves away from the seat assembly when pushed by the user. The pedal assembly and the seat assembly are linked together so that when the pedal is pushed away, the seat assembly is lifted up from its rest position. The amount of the lift on the seat assembly per given displacement of the pedal can be adjusted by changing the leverage between the pedal assembly and the seat assembly. Greater the lift on the seat assembly per given pedal displacement, greater the resistance the user feels on the pedal. The seat assembly comprises a seat pad and a back pad supported by a seat frame. The user gets on the seat pad, rests her or his back against the back pad, and places her or his feet on the pedal with the legs drew in. As the user pushes the pedal away by extending the legs, her or his body moves up supported by the seat assembly. The machine offers a small space requirement since the linkage system is placed under and between the seat and the pedal.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an apparatus that is compact in size and footprint.
Another objective is to provide such an apparatus that offers a user a full range of motion for the lower body exercises while having the compact size of the apparatus.
Another objective is to provide such an apparatus that utilizes the user's body weight as a source of resistance for the exercises.
A further objective is to provide such an apparatus that provides an adjustment on resistance levels.
A further objective is to provide such an apparatus that provides a foldable frame for a stowed position when it is not in use.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:
The above described drawings
Seat assembly 50 includes a seat frame 51 that has a seat first pivot 56, a seat second pivot 58, and a seat third pivot 62, and supports a back pad 52 near the upper end of seat frame 51. A seat pad frame 53 supporting a seat pad 54 is pivotally engaged at seat first pivot 56 on seat frame 51 so that seat pad 54 fixed on seat pad frame 53 may be folded for a stowed position as shown in
Pedal assembly 80 includes a pedal frame 82 pivotally connected at a base third pivot 38 of base assembly 20, a pedal 84 supported by pedal frame 82, and a pedal pivot 86 on pedal frame 82. Pedal assembly 80 further includes a pedal link 88 that is pivotally connected at pedal pivot 86 on pedal frame 82 at a first end of pedal link 88 and is connected to force adjuster 66 of seat assembly 50 at a second end of pedal link 88. The second end of pedal link 88 where force adjuster 66 is engaged holds a pedal pin 90 that is placed into one of positions 68 on force adjuster 66. In the case force adjuster 66 is placed on seat first link 60 between base fourth pivot 40 and seat second pivot 58, pedal link 88 can be placed at a pivot position on the opposite side of pedal 84 so that base third pivot 38 is between pedal 84 and the attachment point of pedal link 88 on pedal frame 82, not shown.
Although the invention has been disclosed in detail with reference only to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other embodiments can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the claims set forth below.
Claims
1. A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
- a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,
- b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system, a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and a force adjuster, wherein the force adjuster is used to adjust the amount of resistance on the gravity leg exercise machine, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and
- c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and adjustably engaged with the force adjuster so that the base assembly, the pedal frame, the force adjuster, and the pedal link, when combined, move as another four bar linkage system.
2. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position.
3. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 2 wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users.
4. A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
- a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,
- b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system and a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and
- c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and pivotally engaged with the seat assembly so that the base assembly, the pedal frame, the seat assembly, and the pedal link, when combined, move as another four bar linkage system.
5. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 4, further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position.
6. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 5 wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users.
7. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 4 wherein the pedal link is selectively and adjustably engaged with the seat assembly so that the amount of resistance can be adjusted for the exercise by changing the leverage between the seat assembly and the pedal frame.
8. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 4, further comprising: a seat pad, a seat frame supporting a back pad in the seat assembly wherein the seat pad is foldable for the stowed position and is substantially parallel with the seat frame in the stowed position.
9. A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
- a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,
- b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system and a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and
- c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and pivotally engaged with the seat assembly.
10. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 9, further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position.
11. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 10 wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users.
12. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 9 wherein the pedal link is selectively and adjustably engaged with the seat assembly so that the amount of resistance can be adjusted for the exercise by changing the leverage between the seat assembly and the pedal frame.
13. The gravity leg exercise machine of claim 9, further comprising: a seat pad, a seat frame supporting a back pad in the seat assembly wherein the seat pad is foldable for the stowed position and is substantially parallel with the seat frame in the stowed position.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 14, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Inventor: Yong S. Chu (Glendale, CA)
Application Number: 12/082,839