Attachments and accessories for a collapsible exercise device
An exercise device accessory package comprised of stabilizing attachments and accessories for a collapsible exercise device. A set combination of extension bars, cables and grips provide strength and support for increased weight and resistance. The accessory attachments may include push pins for securing the additional attachments. New contoured weights offer unique advantages for this type of exercise device in that they mount outboard the existing seat slide and are contoured to match the elongated seat slide. The added elongated weights are designed to evenly distribute the weight throughout the seat slide to avoid being centered in any one single point along the exercise devices slide frame. This combination of attachments increases the resistance and stability for lower body exercises. The stabilizing attachments and accessories may also include permanent hand grips that pivot 90 degrees to accommodate stability when in use and for storability when not in use.
The present invention(s) relates to attachments that support newly invented accessories for a collapsible exercise device. The present invention(s) relates to attachments and accessories wherein the exerciser adds additional weight to the existing exercise device to gain additional muscle growth in the lower body. It is also proven that greater upper body growth can be achieved with the same invention(s).
DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING AND PATENTED COLLAPSIBLE EXERCISE DEVICE ARTThis collapsible exercise device invention “Total Gym” was patented by Engineering Fitness International, Inc. This “Total Gym” model is currently on the market and being sold via American Telecast infomercials. This exercise devise is endorsed and demonstrated by “Chuck Norris and Christi Brinkley”.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ARTThis invention relates to additional attachments and accessories for the Engineering Fitness International, Inc (EFI) “Total Gym” collapsible exercise device that are designed for increasing resistance and weight capacity for lower body muscle development. The simple positioning of stabilizing attachments will allow the exerciser to increase the weight capacity and resistance of the Total Gym. It's proven that added upper body muscle development can also be achieved. The attachments provided may comprise horizontal and vertical joining bars that connect to and without altering existing “Total Gym” accessories. Combining and utilizing “Total Gym's” existing accessories with the added stabilizing attachments reduces cost and adds value. The purpose is to allow for ‘Total Gym's” existing accessories to become multi-functional. The added horizontal stabilization bars affix to the Total Gym's rear floor base cross member and connect on the opposite end to the Total Gym's existing and now multi-functional aerobic leg press accessory. This leg press accessory can then be repositioned and used for a second purpose. Two vertical stabilization bars then affix to the end of the existing Total Gym aerobic leg press accessory to provide mid point stability underneath the Total Gym frame. This allows the exerciser to add a significant amount of weight without jeopardizing the structural integrity of the Total Gym. The existing Total Gym leg press foot platform will not be replaced, but becomes multi-functional by adding a single stabilizing extension bar. An attachable and foldable 45 degree extension bar is attached to the foot platform that extends to the floor providing added stability and support to the exerciser during leg press exercises. A single woven flex cable is added and extends from the base of the 45 degree extension bar and back to the existing forward floor support bar to affix the 45 degree extension bar in place. The leg press foot platform may include a raised calf exercise accessory for additional lower leg exercises. The development of unique and contoured weight devices are designed to replace the standard round weight plates. The new contoured weights run parallel to and outboard the seat slide. The weight's are then mounted on separate existing weight support bars running through the existing upper and lower seat slide ports. The linear design of the weights allows the exerciser to add weight without concern for clearance between the weights and the floor. Two adjustable hand grips are added on either side of the seat slide to allow the exerciser to hold and pull in unison the seat slide and added weight plates during leg press exercises. The convenience of six pull pins may be incorporated to enhance the exercisers ease of attaching and detaching the additional accessories. The combined uses of the attachments prove to increase the strength, weight capacity and resistance capacity of the Total Gym, making it appealing to a much larger market. As a result, additional exercise techniques are now possible for lower body muscle development. When not in use, the accessory devices are detachable and foldable to allow for easy storage. This being one of EFI's “Total Gym” marketing and selling points to the home gym market.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA problem associated with the current weight and resistance capacity of the ‘Total Gym” is a lack of lower body muscle growth potential. While the “Total Gym” offers many effective upper body exercises, the same cannot be said for that of the lower body exercises. The “Total Gym” does prove to offer sufficient upper body resistance exercises by combining both body weight and seat slide angle. Because the typical person's lower body is exponentially stronger than the upper body, the “Total Gym” does not allow for adding a sufficient amount of weight or resistance for a person to gain any substantial or equivalent growth in the lower body. To gain this balance between upper and lower body muscle growth, a person would be faced with purchasing a traditional leg press machine or squat bar system to accomplish this. This defeats the “home gym” concept and may require a person to purchase a secondary weight lifting system at a much higher price than that of the ‘Total Gym”. Many of which are too expensive, large and heavy to place in the home setting. This alone negates the purpose of the light weight, collapsible and easily stored “Total Gym” concept. Short of purchasing a secondary lower body exercise system, a person may have to join a fitness club to gain access to these types of secondary machines; thus defeating the advantages and purpose of owning a collapsible and storable in-home exercise machine.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Alphabetical: Denotes item illustrations related to the existing and patented Collapsible Exercise Device
-
- A. Rear Floor Support Base
- B. Aerobic leg press accessory
- C. Slide frame support bar
- D. Leg press foot platform
- E. Forward floor support base
- F. Female insert ports
- G. Weight support bars
- H. Seat Slide
- I. Seat Slide Frame
Numeric: Denotes item illustrations of all invented attachments. - 1. Horizontal Extension Bars
- 2. Push Pin holes
- 3. U-Shaped Connectors
- 4. Female insert ports
- 5. Vertical extension bars
- 6. Inner collars
- 7. Hand Grips Pivot point and bracket
- 8. Tower Extension
- 9. 45 degree stabilizing bar swivel mounts
- 10. 45 degree stabilizer bar
- 11. Extension cable
- 12. Extension cable latches
- 13. Flat metal extension bar
- 14. Push Pins
- 15. Contoured weights
- 16. Telescoping stabilizer bars
- 17. Calve Raise Accessory
- 18. Seat Slide Frame adjustment ports
- 19. Slide Frame Adjustment ports
Claims
1. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, comprising
- A set of horizontal and vertical support members; having U-shaped connectors on one end and open slotted on the opposite end for connecting to an existing Total Gym accessory. Two separate height adjustable bars with push pin inserts support the Total Gym from the rear floor support base. Two horizontal telescoping stabilizer bars insert inside the rear floor base support for tilt stability. The support members will connect with the U-shaped connectors to the Total Gym rear floor base support and on the opposite end to the Total Gym aerobic leg press platform. The extension of the Total Gym Tower addition offers additional resistance.
2. A collapsible exercise device leg press foot platform extension bar to support additional weight. The restraining cable or bar attaches to the 45 degree extension bar for stability and is foldable when not in use. The extension cable or extension bar are attached to the forward floor base at one end and secured on the opposite end to the 45 degree extension bar. The leg press foot platform is equipped with the addition of a removable calf raise platform.
3. A collapsible exercise device accessory package comprising a set of multi-sized contoured weights that mount alongside the slide rail with hand grips for ease of handling and adjustable hand grips mounted and aligned on either side of the Total Gym seat slide; the hand grips have adjustable positioning pins to accommodate user preference with the handles aligned along the long axis of the seat slide and pivot 90 degrees at the center for storability.
4. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, with removable and adjustable hand grips as claimed in claim 3.
5. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, where a leg press extension bar is attached to the existing Total Gym leg press foot platform as claimed in claim 3. The leg press extension bar attaches to pivoting mounts on the back side of the existing Total Gym leg press foot platform.
6. A collapsible exercise device accessory, with a leg press extension bar restraining cable and bar as claimed in claim 3 that attaches on one end to the Total Gym forward base floor support cross member loop weld and on the opposite end to the leg press extension bars lower base floor cross member loop weld.
7. A collapsible exercise device accessory as a package claimed in claim 2 wherein both the leg press extension bar and restraining cable are removable.
8. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, wherein the existing Total Gym leg press foot platform is secured to the Total Gym female coupling ends by push pins as claimed in claim 2.
9. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, comprising a raised calf raise foot platform as claimed in claim 2 with protruding notches on the bottom side for connecting to the Total Gym leg press foot platform.
10. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, wherein the raised calf exercise platform is removable as claimed in claim 2.
11. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, comprising of contoured weights, as claimed in claim 3 that mount along the long axis of the seat slide; the weights have positioning holes on either end for mounting on weight support bars positioned through existing Total Gym seat slide weighs support bar holes.
12. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, wherein the contoured weights are equipped with hand grips as claimed in claim 3.
13. A collapsible exercise device accessory package; wherein the contoured weights are provided in multiple sizes and shapes as claimed in claim 3.
14. A collapsible exercise device accessory package, further comprising two permanently installed tilt stability telescoping bars as claimed in claim 1; the tilt control telescoping bars are mounted inside either end of the “Total Gym's” rear floor base support member; the tilt control telescoping members extend outward and horizontally from inside the Total Gym's rear floor base support member.
15. A collapsible exercise device accessory package wherein the ‘Total Gym” tower is extended as claimed in claim 1 vertically to offer additional height resistance levels.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 30, 2010
Inventor: Bryan Scott Myers (Fort Worth, TX)
Application Number: 12/383,799