Exercise machine
Exercise machine with a first mechanism that can interact with the person doing the exercise, the first mechanism being suitable to be pushed or pulled by the person doing the exercise, and these actions being balanced by resistance. A second mechanism using the weight of the person doing the exercise is provided as the force of resistance.
This invention concerns an exercise machine specifically designed to be used at home and suitable for doing various kind of exercises. This machine is essentially a bench that balances in a way that allows the person, using his/her weight against the bench, to provide the force of resistance necessary to do the exercises.
For many years now there have been special exercise machines for numerous exercises, but only relatively recently has the market begun to offer a vast quantity of machines primarily for home fitness purposes. This phenomenon is due to a number of factors, such as mythologizing the image and the ease of widely disseminating advertising, including through television sales.
Obviously, this situation translates into stiff competition among manufacturers that tends to offer increasingly complete equipment at ever lower prices. In addition, as these articles are intended for home use, and in fact are often purchased as kits and assembled by the buyer himself, it is necessary to avoid as much as possible offering products that are complex or difficult to assemble and operate. There is thus a need to find new solutions that make it possible to maintain an adequate standard of quality while reducing production costs, and to eliminate as much as possible complex mechanisms that are difficult to assemble and operate.
In the situation described, a critical element is certainly the device, generally present on exercise machines, which is designed to create the force of resistance necessary to do the exercises. Normally these are systems based on counterweights and pulleys, or counterweights and levers; others use systems based on flexible, deformable elements. In the case of counterweights and pulleys in particular, assembly becomes relatively complex, considering that it must sometimes be performed by a person with no expertise whatsoever.
In addition, equipment of this kind must be made for general use as much as possible, in the sense that it must be possible to perform numerous exercises, because except in special cases, it is not feasible to use bulky equipment that is so specialized that only a minimum number of exercises can be performed.
One purpose of this invention is to resolve the problem of complex mechanisms that generate the force of resistance, while at the same time reducing cost.
Another purpose of the invention is to permit a significant variety of exercises by simply changing the body's position on the machine.
This invention achieves these goals by using a bench type of machine that conforms to claim 1, as this machine is ideal for generating the force of resistance to perform physical exercises, with an original system of levers that uses the weight of the person doing the exercises.
To increase the versatility of the machine, this bench also has a system for regulating the inclination.
The advantages of a machine that uses this kind of invention consist essentially of the fact that construction is quite simple, with easier assembly and operation as well as greater reliability and lower cost.
This is also an extremely versatile machine despite its simple construction, with a variety of physical exercises possible.
The invention will now be described by way of indicative example showing a preferred embodiment. Reference is made to the attached figures, in which:
FIGS. 1(a, b, c) show the bench with the invention in three perspective views;
FIGS. 2(a, b) show how the bench is raised by activating the handle;
FIGS. 3(a, b) show how the bench is locked into an inclined position;
FIGS. 9(a, b) show one of the exercises possible with the bench in an inclined position;
FIGS. 10(a, b) show one of the exercises possible with the bench in a horizontal position.
The bench (1) can also be locked into various inclinations, as shown in FIGS. 3(a, b), using a strut (10), hinged along an axis (11) to the base frame (3), which acts on one of the teeth (12) solidly connected to the bench (1), as can clearly be seen in
In
In
In
In
FIGS. 8(a, b) show an exercise similar to the previous one, except that the person is seated on the bench (1). The muscles involved are the same, but the person exerts more force, thus developing the same muscles even more.
FIGS. 4 to 8 show several examples of how to use the exercise machine according to the invention, where resistance is created by the person's own weight. But this machine can also be used as a simple bench, using the handles, (4), handlebar (6) and footrests (7) as holds.
In
As the description makes quite clear, with this invention the exercise machine can perform a significant number of exercises, even though it is quite a simple design. In addition, because of its very simplicity, its production costs are much lower, and it can easily be assembled and maintained.
The invention has been described in indicative terms only, using a preferred form of use. A technical expert in the sector would have no difficulty in finding many other forms of use, all of which would be protected by the following claims.
Claims
1. Exercise machine with first means that can interact with the person doing the exercise, said first means being suitable to be pushed or pulled by said person doing the exercise, and these actions being balanced by means of resistance, characterized in that second means using the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance are provided.
2. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance comprise a bench (1), which is balanced on a base frame (3), and a lever (5), suitable to lifts the bench (1) when activated by said first means (6, 7), by the person doing the exercise.
3. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first means suitable to interact with the person who does the exercise comprise a handlebar (6), solidly connected to said lever (5), pivoted on a point (8) of said base framework (3), said lever interacting with said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
4. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first means suitable to interact with the person who does the exercise, comprise footrests (7), solidly connected to said lever (5), pivoted on said point (8) of said basic framework (3), said lever (5) interacting with said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
5. Exercise machine according to claim 2, characterized in that a roller (9) is provided, positioned on said lever (5), suitable to facilitate the sliding of said lever (5) along the lower part of the bench (1) when said lever (5), activated by said first means (6) and/or (7) by the person doing the exercise, exerts a lifting action on the bench (1).
6. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of handles (4) are provided, solidly connected to said bench (1), that can be grasped by the person doing the exercise to lock his body to the bench (1).
7. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a strut (10) is provided, pivoted on an axis (11) to the base framework (3), said strut being suitable to lock the bench (1) into at least one inclined position, acting on a special tooth (12) solidly connected to the bench (1).
8. Exercise machine characterized in that it comprises a bench (1), pivoted on an axis (2) to the basic framework (3), and a lever (5), equipped with first means (6, 7) capable of interacting with the person who does the exercise (6, 7), with said first means capable of being pulled or pushed by said person while doing the exercises, said actions being balanced by means of resistance, second means being provided suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
9. Exercise machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as a force of resistance, comprise said bench (1), balanced on the base frame (3), and said lever (5), suitable to lift the bench (1), when activated said first means (6, 7), by the person doing the exercises.
10. Exercise machine according to claim 9, characterized in that a strut (10) is provided, pivoted on an axis (11) on said base frame (3), said strut being suitable to lock said bench (1) into at least one inclined position, using a special tooth (12) solidly connected to said bench (1).
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 10, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 19, 2007
Inventor: Luigi Carattoni (Repubblic of San Marino)
Application Number: 11/545,170
International Classification: A63B 21/068 (20060101); A63B 26/00 (20060101);