EXERCISE DEVICES

Abstract

The invention relates to an exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means. The arm arrangement comprises an arm (2) mounted on a carriage (4, 40), which carriage (4, 40) is mounted on guidance means (5, 8) for translational movement along a path. The resistance means is arranged to resist movement of the arm (2) relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm (2) relative to the carriage (4,40) in order to work against the resistance means. The guidance means is a linear guidance means for guiding the carriage (4,40) along a substantially linear path. In use, the carriage (4,40) is moveable, guided by the guidance means, in two directions as the user works against the resistance means, said movement of the carriage (4,40) is substantially unresisted.

Description

This invention relates to exercise devices, in particular exercise devices which can be used to allow a number of different exercises to be carried out while in a gymnasium or at home. The possible exercises may include a very wide range of exercises covering all muscle groups.

There are generally two options available for exercising specific muscle groups. The first is to use free weights in an appropriate manner, and the second is to use a specific machine arranged to allow the performance of a particular exercise designed to target that muscle group.

A major advantage of free weight training is that it allows the user maximum freedom to exercise against a selected resistance in any manner chosen. The user, is however, confined to working against gravity. No resistance can be provided when moving weights in a downwards direction. In contrast to this, existing machines can provide resistance against movement in both upward and downward directions but are generally constructed in such a way as to allow only very specific exercises to be carried out at any given machine. Other devices suffer from being of overly complex design.

It is an aim of the present invention to alleviate some of the problems associated with existing exercise devices.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement along a path, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means.

The guidance means may be a mechanical guidance means.

The guidance means may be a linear guidance means. For the purposes of the present application, a linear guidance means is means capable of guiding the carriage along a substantially linear path. The term linear guidance means includes, for example a straight-line linkage or a rail. The rail may, for example, be in the form of a track, a slide or a rod and bushing.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage is arranged to move.

In some embodiments of the present invention the guidance means may be a straight-line linkage. The straight-line linkage may comprise a support link for mounting the straight-line linkage to a surface. The carriage may be pivotally mounted on the straight-line linkage. This can allow a user to adjust the orientation of the arm before or during exercise.

In other embodiments the guidance means may be a rail.

The path may be a predetermined path relative to another portion of the apparatus, for example, relative to a rail or relative to a support link of a straight-line linkage.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on a rail for translational movement along the rail, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the rail.

The arm may be pivotally mounted on the carriage. The resistance means may be arranged to resist pivotal movement of the arm relative to the carriage. Such an arrangement can give a particularly effective device whilst simplifying construction and manufacture.

The resistance means, or a part of the resistance means, may be mounted on the arm and on the carriage. The resistance means may be disposed between the arm and the carriage. The resistance means may be arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage independently of any movement of the carriage along the rail.

The exercise device may be arranged such that, in use, the carriage is movable, guided by the guidance means, in two directions. The movement of the carriage may be substantially unresisted. The carriage may be mounted on the rail for linear motion. The carriage may be fixable with respect to the rail in one or a plurality of user selected positions.

The arm may comprise a handle portion to which a user may apply a force in order to work against the resistance means. The handle portion may be pivotally mounted on remainder of the arm. The handle portion may be mounted to allow pivoting about an axis parallel to the length of the remainder of the arm. The handle may be mounted to allow pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the length of the remainder of the arm and the length of the handle.

The rail may be pivotally mountable to a support, such as a wall or frame, to allow a user to change the orientation of the rail. This can allow a user to move the handle portion to a desired position and can facilitate movement of the handle portion and carriage in a corresponding direction. The rail may be fixable in one or a plurality of user selected positions. The rail may be pivotable, in use, by a user as he/she works against the resistance means.

The rail may comprise a pair of spaced upstanding portions. The carriage may comprise pairs of wheels, each wheel of each pair of wheels being arranged to grip a respective upstanding portion.

The upstanding portions may be disposed on opposite sides of the rail. The apparatus may be arranged so that the wheels of the carriage and the upstanding portions are substantially co-planar.

Each wheel may comprise a V shaped groove around the wheel circumference. The upstanding portions may be profiled to match the grooves in the wheels.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that, in use, the only contact between a user and the exercise device is via the arm.

The resistance means may comprise a piston and cylinder arrangement including at least one chamber. The piston and cylinder arrangement may form two chambers, a respective chamber being located on either side of the piston. The resistance means may comprise a pneumatic arrangement. The pneumatic arrangement may comprise an air source connected via a pneumatic circuit to at least one chamber. The pneumatic circuit may comprise a first valve arranged to allow a user to select whether the air source is connected to one of or both of the chambers. The pneumatic circuit may comprise a second valve to allow a user to select to which of the two chambers the air source is connected.

The first valve may be arranged so that when in a first position, the air source is connected to one of the two chambers and the other chamber is connected to a vent for regulating air flow into or out of the other chamber. When the exercise device is arranged in this way, work may be done against air pressure from the air source acting on one side of the piston. Resistance felt by the user may be readily controlled by varying the pressure from the air source.

The exercise device may be arranged such that when the first valve is in a second position the air source is connected to both chambers. In such a case, the force acting on either side of the piston may be substantially equal. When the exercise apparatus is in this configuration there is no load on the arm.

The exercise device may comprise weight compensation means arranged to compensate for the weight of the arm. This arrangement prevents the arm from falling under its own weight and removes the weight of the arm from the resistance experienced by the user when working against the resistance means.

The piston and cylinder arrangement may comprise a double acting cylinder.

The piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement may comprise a piston rod. The piston rod may pass through only a first of the two chambers of the piston and cylinder arrangement. In this case, the area of the piston exposed to the first chamber maybe less than that exposed to the second chamber. An additional cylinder may be provided to compensate for the area of the piston occupied by the rod so that the effective area exposed to the lower and upper chambers is equal.

The piston and cylinder arrangement may be such that the piston rod passes through both chambers formed by the piston and cylinder. In this case there is no need to provide an additional cylinder as there is no difference in surface area of the piston exposed to each chamber.

Optional features described with respect to the second aspect of the present invention may be features used optionally with the first aspect of the present invention with obvious modifications being made as appropriate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise device arm arrangement comprising at least one arm, mounted on a carriage which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise device arm arrangement comprising at least one arm, mounted on a carriage which carriage is mounted on a rail for translational movement along the rail.

The arm may be pivotally mounted on the carriage. The exercise device arm arrangement may comprise a piston and cylinder arrangement disposed between the arm and the carriage so that when the arm is moved relative to the carriage the piston moves within the cylinder.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an exercise device comprising at least one arm and resistance means, the arm being mounted on a carriage and the carriage being mounted for translational motion along a rail in a first direction, wherein a user may work against the resistance means by application of a force to the arm in a second direction, the first direction not being parallel to the second direction.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Various exercise apparatus which embody the present invention are described now by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 shows an arm arrangement of a first exercise device;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a pneumatic arrangement of the first exercise device;

FIG. 3 schematically shows a pneumatic arrangement of a second exercise device;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an arm arrangement of the second exercise device.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the arm arrangement of a third exercise device;

FIGS. 6a, 6b, 6c are drawings showing the exercise device shown in FIG. 5 in various configurations; and

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the arm arrangement of a fourth exercise device.

FIG. 1 shows an arm arrangement 1 of a first exercise device, the arrangement comprising an arm 2 mounted on a carriage 4 which is arranged to move along a rail 5. The arm 2 is pivotally mounted at one end of a support member 41 which is provided at one end of the carriage 4.

At the free end of the arm is provided a handle 21, in the form of a bar to which a user may apply a force whilst exercising. The handle 21 is mounted, via a universal joint towards its centre to remainder of the arm 2, for pivotal movement about an axis A perpendicular to the remainder of the arm 2 and the length of the handle 21. Further, the mounting is such that the handle 21 may rotate about an axis B parallel with the remainder of the arm 2.

Disposed between the arm 2 and the support member 41 is a piston and cylinder arrangement 3. One end of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 is pivotally mounted on the arm 2, part way along the arm's length. The other end of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 is pivotally mounted to the support member 41 at the end which is opposite to that at which the arm is mounted. Thus, the piston and cylinder arrangement is connected between the arm 2 and the carriage 4.

The rail 5, upon which the carriage 4 runs, comprises a first leg S1 of an L shaped metal support structure S. A diagonal strut S2 is provided between the first leg S1 and a second leg S3 of the L shaped metal support structure S for additional strength.

The second leg S3 of the support structure S is provided with a pair of pivotal mountings 7 (only one of which is clearly seen in FIG. 1) by which the arm arrangement is mounted on a support frame (not shown) or wall (not shown).

As may more clearly be seen in FIG. 4 which shows a second exercise device, which will be described in more detail below but is introduced here because it has identical mountings to the first exercise device, the pivotal mountings 7 are connected by a common bar 71. The bar 71 is in turn mounted on the second leg S3 of the L shaped support structure via a pair of brackets 72.

With the arm arrangement in its normal operative orientation as shown in FIG. 1, the rail 5 is generally horizontal and the second leg S3 is generally vertical. The whole arm arrangement 1 can then pivot around a vertical axis C provided by the pivotal mountings 7.

As well as the first leg S1 of the support structure, the rail comprises a plate 51 which is mounted to one side of the first leg S1. The plate 51 has a width which is greater than the width of the first leg S1 so that a pair of upstanding portions 52 are provided. One of the upstanding portions 52 runs along one side of the rail 5 and the other runs along the opposing side of the rail 5.

The carriage 4 has four wheels 42. Two wheels 42 are located on each side of the rail 5, forming respective pairs of wheels and gripping the rail 5. Each wheel 42 has a groove running around its circumference arranged to receive the respective upstanding portion 52 of the rail 5. The wheels 42, and particularly their interaction with the upstanding portions 52, hold the carriage 4 on the rail 5.

When exercising, the user is provided with a large degree of freedom of movement. The user may move the handle 21 in various ways relative to the arm. The user may also arrange the arm 2 and handle 21 in a convenient position by moving the carriage 4 along the rail 5 and/or by pivoting the arm arrangement 1 relative to its mountings 7. Movement of the handle 21 relative to the arm, movement of the carriage 4 along the rail 5 and pivoting of the arm arrangement 1 may also be carried out during an exercise movement without any significant resistance.

However, when the handle 21 is moved up or down, the arm 2 pivots about the support member 41 and the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 is operated. This leads to resistance to movement of the arm 2 relative to the carriage 4 by virtue of a pneumatic arrangement which is shown in FIG. 2, and which is described in more detail below.

As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, the arm arrangement 1 has a handle 21 which is bar shaped and centrally mounted. This arrangement is convenient for simulating barbell type exercise routines. However, in an alternative arrangement two arm arrangements of the type shown in FIG. 1 may be provided, mounted adjacent to each other on a frame or wall. In this arrangement the handle 21 may be modified so as to be suitable for a user to grip with only one hand. This arrangement would be suitable for simulating dumbbell type exercise routines, in which a user grips a handle of one arm arrangement in one hand and the handle of the other arm arrangement in the other hand.

In further alternatives the handle 21 may be interchangeable. The handle may be interchanged with a curl bar and/or foot or leg attachments.

FIG. 2 shows the pneumatic arrangement of the first exercise device which is used with the arm arrangement shown in FIG. 1. The arrangement comprises an air compressor 10 connected to the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 to provide resistance against which a user may work.

When a user applies a force to the handle 21 of the exercise device shown in FIG. 1, so that the arm 2 pivots relative to the carriage 4, a piston 31 moves within the piston and cylinder arrangement 3. The exercise device is arranged so that air pressure may be directed from the air compressor 10, to one side of the piston 31, to oppose motion of the piston 31 when the exerciser is doing exercise and to be able to direct air pressure from the air compressor 10 to both sides of the piston 31 when a user is resting so that no load is applied to the arm 2. Further, as the user may wish to do work by moving the handle 21 either up or down, pivoting the arm 2 in either direction about the support member 41 and causing the piston 31 to move in either of the two directions within the cylinder, the exercise device is arranged to allow a user to select the side of the piston 31 on which air pressure from the air compressor 10 acts.

In the pneumatic arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 forms two chambers, an upper chamber 3a and a lower chamber 3b, which are on opposite sides of the piston 31. The arrangement further comprises a regulator 11, an air receiver tank 12, a loading valve 13 and a direction valve 14.

The regulator 11 is connected to the air compressor 10 and controls the pressure in the circuit, allowing air into the pneumatic circuit and exhausting air from the pneumatic circuit as necessary to keep pressure in the circuit within a predetermined, user selected, range. In turn the regulator 11 is connected to the air receiver tank 12 which acts as a reservoir of air, compensating for variations in pressure within the pneumatic circuit caused by motion of the piston 31 in the piston and cylinder arrangement 3. The air receiver tank 12 reduces pressure variations in the pneumatic circuit, keeping the pressure in the circuit within the predetermined range of the regulator 11 when a user is exercising. This prevents the regulator 11 from exhausting and refilling the circuit every time the user moves the piston 31. Following the air receiver tank 12, the pneumatic circuit splits into a loading channel L and an auxiliary channel A which respectively lead towards the direction valve 14 and the loading valve 13.

The other side of the direction valve 14 is connected to the upper and lower chambers 3a, 3b of the piston and cylinder arrangement by respective upper and lower chamber channels C1, C2. The loading valve 13 is connected to the direction valve 14 via an idle channel E which branches into two portions E1, E2 as it reaches the direction valve 14.

The loading valve 13 is a three port, two position valve for selecting whether air is supplied from the air compressor 10 to one or both of the chambers 3a, 3b in the piston and cylinder arrangement 3. The direction valve 14 is a five port, two position valve for selecting the chamber 3a or 3b of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 to which air is supplied when a user is exercising. The loading valve and/or the direction valve may be solenoid actuated. A switch to actuate the valve(s) may be provided on the handle of the arm arrangement, by means of a foot pedal or at some other convenient location about the exercise device.

FIG. 2 shows the pneumatic arrangement with the loading valve 13 in a first position and the direction valve 14 in a respective first position such that the air compressor 10 may supply air at high pressure to the upper chamber 3a of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3.

In this configuration, air is supplied to the upper chamber 3a of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 via the loading channel L, the direction valve 14 and the upper chamber channel C1. The auxiliary channel A is blocked by loading valve 13. The lower chamber 3b of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 is connected to a vent 15 via the lower chamber channel C2, the direction valve 14, the first branch of the idle channel E1 and the loading valve 13. The vent 15 allows ambient air to enter and escape from the lower chamber 3b.

When the pneumatic arrangement is in this configuration, work may be done against air pressure by moving the piston 31 so as to decrease the volume of the upper chamber 3a. Air in the upper chamber 3a is forced via the upper chamber channel C1, the direction valve 14 and the loading channel L into the air receiver tank 12. The increase in pressure in the circuit due to the reduced volume of the upper chamber 3a provides a slight increase in resistance experienced by a user as the piston 31 is moved within the cylinder. As the piston 31 moves in this way the lower chamber 3b expands drawing air in through the vent 15. If the arm 2 and hence piston 31 is moved in the opposite direction a user is assisted by the hydraulic system. Air from the compressor 10 is fed into the upper chamber 3a whilst the lower chamber 3b contracts and air is expelled through the vent 15.

If the direction valve 14 is moved to its the second position, air in the loading channel L is directed by the direction valve 14 to the lower chamber 3b via the lower chamber channel C2. Further, in this state, the upper chamber 3a is connected to the vent 15 via the upper chamber channel C1, the direction valve 14, the second branch E2 of the idle channel E and the loading valve 13. It can, therefore, be seen that the direction valve 14 controls to which side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 the air compressor 10 is connected when the user is exercising and hence the direction of movement of the handle 21 that is resisted.

The vent 15 is particularly important when pressure is switched from the upper chamber 3a to the lower chamber 3b or vice versa. The vent 15 controls air intake or expulsion from the pneumatic arrangement. By restricting the intake/expulsion of air, the vent 15 prevents sudden changes in pressure difference across the piston and cylinder arrangement 3, caused by switching the direction valve 14 from the first position to the second position, from causing the arm 2 to flail around dangerously.

If the loading valve 13 is moved into its second position whilst the direction valve 14 is left in its first position as shown in FIG. 2, the auxiliary channel A is connected by the loading valve 13 to the idle channel E. The vent is disconnected from the idle channel E. Air from the air compressor 10 is then connected to both the upper chamber 3a and the lower chamber 3b of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3. Air is supplied to the upper chamber 3a of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 via the loading channel L, the direction valve 14 and the upper chamber channel C1. Air is supplied to the lower chamber 3b via the auxiliary channel A, the loading valve 13, the first branch of the idle channel E1, the direction valve 14 and the lower chamber channel C2. In this configuration, air pressure on either side of the piston 31 is approximately equal and thus the arm 2 is held in position by the pneumatic arrangement.

It can be seen that the loading valve 13 controls whether the air compressor 10 is connected to one or both chambers of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3.

The pneumatic circuit also comprises a second branch, which connects the air compressor 10 directly to a second regulator 15. Air from the second regulator 15 is directed to a weight compensating single rod cylinder 16. The weight compensating cylinder 16 is not illustrated in FIG. 1 but is connected to the arm 2 and the support member 41 and located in parallel with the piston and cylinder arrangement 3. The second regulator 15 is adjusted such that the force exerted by the weight compensating piston and cylinder 16 on the arm 2 counters the weight of the arm 2. The weight compensating cylinder 16, thus prevents the arm 2 from falling under its own weight and allows the user to work against equal resistance provided by the air pressure, when moving the arm in either direction.

The piston and cylinder arrangement 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a double acting through rod pneumatic cylinder in which the rod of the piston passes through both chambers 3a and 3b. In the second exercise device, single rod double acting cylinders may be used instead of the through rod cylinder of the first exercise device.

FIG. 3 shows a pneumatic arrangement of the second exercise device which is the same as that shown in FIG. 2 except that the double acting through rod pneumatic cylinder 3 has been replaced by a pair of double acting single rod cylinders 32 and 33. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 2 and 3 to indicate corresponding parts.

The primary single rod cylinder 32 has upper and lower chambers 32a, 32b and is connected to the pneumatic circuit in the same way as double acting pneumatic cylinder 3 shown in FIG. 2. However, because the rod of the main single rod cylinder 32 does not pass through the entire length of the cylinder 32 the additional, secondary, cylinder 33 is provided. The secondary cylinder 33 is connected to the lower chamber 32b of the single rod cylinder 32 to compensate for the area taken up by the rod on the lower side of the piston 31 of the single rod cylinder 32. This arrangement allows cheaper more compact single rod cylinders to be used in construction of the exercise device rather than through rod pneumatic cylinders.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the arm arrangement 1 of the second exercise device showing the location of the weight compensating cylinder 16, the primary cylinder 32 and the secondary cylinder 33. The cylinders 32, 33 and 16 are disposed generally parallel to each other and connected between the support member 41 and the arm 2. Each cylinder is pivotally mounted at either end so as to allow the arm 2 to pivot about the support member 41.

The remainder of the arm arrangement of the second exercise device is the same as that of the first exercise device and therefore detailed description of this is omitted. The same reference numerals are used to indicate the corresponding parts in FIGS. 1 and 4.

In use, both the exercise devices described above operate in a similar manner.

Initially the loading valve 13 is in the second position. Air pressure from the compressor 10 is applied to both sides of the piston and cylinder arrangement 3/main cylinder 32 and the weight of the arm 2 is supported by the weight compensating cylinder 16. A user can select the direction in which to work against the pneumatic arrangement by moving the direction valve 14 into the appropriate position. The regulator 11 which controls pressure in the pneumatic circuit may be adjusted to provide the desired force against which the user will work. When the user wishes to begin exercise, the loading valve 13 may be moved into the first position. The exerciser may exercise taking advantage of the degrees of freedom previously described. When the exerciser wishes to take the load off the arm 2 the loading valve 13 may be moved back into the second position. The weight of the arm 2 is then, again, supported by the weight compensating cylinder 16.

The exercise devices described above allow a user to carry out varied and flexible exercise routine using only a single exercise device and at the same time the exercise devices are of relatively simple construction.

In an alternative even simpler version of the exercise device, the rail can be mounted to a support, for example a frame or a wall, directly rather that via pivotal mountings such that the orientation of the rail cannot be changed.

An exercise bench may be provided under the rail for use in exercises. The bench may be part of the support frame where one is provided. The bench may be an incline, decline or flat bench. Alternatively, an exerciser may use the exercise device whilst standing up.

FIG. 5 shows the arm arrangement of a third exercise device. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 to indicate corresponding features. The operation of this exercise device is substantially the same as that described with reference to previous embodiments.

The difference between the previously described exercise devices and the third exercise device lies in the changes to the carriage 4 and replacement of the rail by a straight-line linkage in the form of a Chebyschev mechanism 6. Other straight-line mechanisms that could be used include those designed by Watt, Hoeken, and Roberts.

The carriage 4 of the third exercise device comprises a mounting block 40 on which the support member 41 is mounted. The mounting block is fixed directly to the Chebychev mechanism 8. The arrangement of the arm 2 and the piston and cylinder arrangement 3 on the support member 41 is the same as in previously described embodiments and description of this is omitted for the sake of brevity.

The Chebyschev mechanism 8 is formed of five bars 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85 and a support link 80. The mounting block 40 is attached to one side of a mounting bar 81. The remaining bars are pivotally connected between the mounting bar 81 and the support link 80 so that the mounting bar 81 is movable in a substantially linear path.

The support link 80 has two pairs of arms, a left pair of arms 801 and a right pair of arms 802. Any term such as left, right, upper, lower and so on, in the description of this embodiment refer to the device when in the orientation shown in FIG. 5. Pivotally attached to the right pair of arms 802 is a pivot bar 84. The pivot bar 84 is attached to the right pair of arms 802 at its mid-point.

The mounting bar 81 is connected to the pivot bar 84 via a first and second diagonal bars 82, 83. The first diagonal bar 82 is pivotally mounted to the left end of the mounting bar 81 at one end and to the upper end of the pivot bar 84 at its other end. The second diagonal bar 83 is pivotally mounted to the right end of the mounting bar 81 at one end and to the lower end of the pivot bar 84 at its other end.

The last 85 of the aforementioned bars is pivotally mounted to the mid-point of the first diagonal bar 82 at one end and to the left arm 80 at its other end.

FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show movement of the carriage 4 relative to the support link 80. As can be seen from these Figures, the support bar 81 carries the carriage 4 upon which the arm 2 is mounted and allows the carriage 4 to be moved along a substantially linear path.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6a, 6b and 6c, the support member 41 is fixed to the mounting block 40.

However, in an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the support member 41 is pivotally mounted on the mounting block 40 allowing the arm to be pivoted about the axis I.

In further embodiments of the exercise apparatus means for slowing the carriage may be provided, perhaps in the form of a spring or damper, whether the carriage is in the form of a wheeled carriage as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a mounting block as described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7 or in some other form. Typically, as in the previously described embodiments, the path of the carriage in normal use of the exercise apparatus in finite. In these further embodiments, a spring or damper is provided so as to resist movement of the carriage in at least one direction through a region of the path of the carriage towards one or both ends of the path of the carriage. This resistance to motion tends to reduce the speed of a moving carriage as it reaches the end of its path. The aforementioned damper could take many forms but may be, for example, a hydraulic damper. The spring could be a pneumatic spring, a mechanical coil spring or take some other form.

Exercise devices with a spring or damper, as described above, are particularly useful for exercises which require the handle to follow a curved path. An example of such an exercise is a biceps curl. When performing a biceps curl on an exercise device of the type described above, the handle is moved so as to cause the carriage to move back and forth along its path. As the carriage moves back and forth along its path, the carriage gains and loses momentum. In general, if the biceps curls are being performed slowly, the user can control motion of the carriage via the handle without much difficulty. However, if the biceps curls are performed more rapidly, the momentum of the carriage may become significant and control of the carriage may become more problematic. In particular, at the beginning and end of the biceps curl the carriage is moving towards the user. If no spring or damper is present, the slowing of the carriage at the end of the user's movement may be felt as a jolt transmitted via the arm and handle to the user. The presence of a spring or damper can allow the excess momentum of the carriage to be absorbed by the exercise device allowing a smooth action to be maintained even when performing biceps curls rapidly.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement along a path, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means, wherein the guidance means is a linear guidance means for guiding the carriage along a substantially linear path and, in use, the carriage is movable, guided by the guidance means, in two directions as the user works against the resistance means, said movement of the carriage being substantially unresisted and the arm is movable relative to the carriage through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage may move as the user works against the resistance means.

2. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arm is pivotally mounted on the carriage.

3. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the resistance means is arranged to resist pivotal movement of the arm relative to the carriage.

4. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the resistance means is disposed between the arm and the carriage.

5. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the guidance means is a mechanical guidance means.

6. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the guidance means is a rail.

7. An exercise apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the rail is pivotally mountable to a support to allow a user to change the orientation of the rail.

8. An exercise apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the rail is fixable in one or a plurality of user selected positions.

9. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, in use, the guidance means is pivotable by a user as he/she works against the resistance means.

10. An exercise apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the carriage is fixable with respect to the rail in one or a plurality of user selected positions.

11. An exercise apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the rail comprises a pair of spaced upstanding portions and the carriage comprises at least one pair of wheels, each wheel of the pair of wheels being arranged to grip a respective upstanding portion.

12. An exercise apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the upstanding portions are disposed on opposite sides of the rail and the wheels of the carriage and the upstanding portions are substantially co-planar.

13. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each wheel comprises a V shaped groove around the wheel circumference.

14. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 arranged such that, in use, the only contact between a user and the exercise device is via the arm.

15. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the linear guidance means is a straight-line linkage.

16. An exercise apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the carriage is pivotally mounted on the straight-line linkage.

17. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the resistance means is arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage independently of any movement of the carriage guided by the guidance means.

18. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the resistance means comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement.

19. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 in which the resistance means comprises a pneumatic arrangement.

20. An exercise apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement forms two chambers, a respective chamber being located on either side of the piston.

21. An exercise apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the resistance means comprises a pneumatic arrangement, the pneumatic arrangement comprising an air source connected via a pneumatic circuit to at least one chamber of the piston and cylinder arrangement.

22. An exercise apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the pneumatic circuit comprises a first valve arranged to allow a user to select whether the air source is connected to one of or both of the chambers.

23. An exercise apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the pneumatic circuit comprises a second valve to allow a user to select to which of the two chambers the air source is connected.

24. An exercise apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the first valve is arranged so that when in a first position, the air source is connected to one of the two chambers and the other chamber is connected to a vent for regulating air flow in to and out of the other chamber.

25. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 comprising weight compensation means arranged to compensate for the weight of the arm.

26. An exercise apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement comprises a double acting cylinder.

27. An exercise apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement comprises a piston rod, the piston rod passing through only one chamber of the piston and cylinder arrangement and the exercise apparatus comprising an additional cylinder to compensate for the area of the piston occupied by the rod.

28. An exercise apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement comprises a piston rod, the piston rod passing through both chambers formed by the piston and cylinder.

29. An exercise device arm arrangement comprising at least one arm, mounted on a carriage which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement.

30-32. (canceled)

33. An exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on a rail for translational movement along the rail, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means wherein the carriage is movable along the rail along a substantially linear path and the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage is movable.

34. An exercise apparatus according to claim 33 arranged such that, in use, the only effective contact between a user and the carriage is via the arm.

35. An exercise apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the carriage is pivotally mounted on the straight-line linkage for rotation about an axis, which axis is perpendicular to the axis about which the arm is pivotally mounted and perpendicular to the substantially linear path along which the carriage may be guided by the linear guidance means.

36. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means for slowing the carriage is provided for slowing the carriage in a portion of its path towards at least one end of the path of the carriage.

37. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a damper for slowing the carriage in a portion of its path towards at least one end of the path of the carriage.

38. An exercise apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a spring for slowing the carriage in a portion of its path towards at least one end of the path of the carriage.

39. A method of exercising using an exercise apparatus according to claim 1.

40. A method of exercising according to claim 39 comprising the step of using the exercise apparatus in such a manner that the only effective contact between the user and the carriage is via the arm of the exercising apparatus.

41. An exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and a resistance device, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on a guide for translational movement along a path, and the resistance device being arranged so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance device, wherein the guide is a linear guide for guiding the carriage along a substantially linear path and, in use, the carriage is movable, guided by the guide, in two directions as the user works against the resistance device, said movement of the carriage being substantially unresisted and wherein the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage is movable.

42. A method of using an exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and a resistance device, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on a guide for translational movement along a path, and the resistance device being arranged so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance device, wherein the guide is a linear guide for guiding the carriage along a substantially linear path and, in use, the carriage is moveable, guided by the guide, in two directions as the user works against the resistance device, said movement of the carriage being substantially unresisted and wherein the method comprises the step of using the exercise apparatus in such a manner that the only effective contact between the user and the carriage is via the arm of the exercising apparatus wherein the arm is movable relative to the carriage through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage is movable.

43. An exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement along a path, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means, wherein the guidance means is a linkage system arranged to constrain movement of the carriage to a substantially vertical plane and to keep the horizontal attitude of the carriage substantially constant as the carriage is moved along the path and, in use, the carriage is movable, guided by the guidance means, in two directions as the user works against the resistance means, said movement of the carriage being substantially unresisted and the arm is movable relative to the carriage through a position in which the arm is substantially horizontal.

44. An exercise apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the guidance means is pivotally mountable to a support for rotation about a substantially vertical axis such that, in use, the guidance means can be rotated about said axis.

45. An exercise apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the carriage is pivotally mounted on the guidance means for rotation about a substantially vertical axis such that, in use, as a user works against the resistance means, the carriage can be rotated about said axis.

46. An exercise apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the straight-line linkage is a Chebyschev mechanism.

47. An exercise apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the straight-line linkage is a Hoeken mechanism.