Door Frame Mounted Exercise Device And System
An exercise system selectively suspendable from a door frame that includes a right forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise, a left forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise, and a connecting structure that attaches at one end to the right and left forearm engaging members and that has an attachment mechanism at the other end that facilitates selective suspension of the right and left forearm engaging members from a door frame.
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This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/610,934 filed Mar. 14, 2012.
TECHNICAL FIELDIn general, the present invention relates to exercise devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to exercise devices that can be mounted on a door frame and that can be used to perform exercises that focus on differing muscle groups including abdominal and core muscles groups.
BACKGROUNDPortable and light-weight exercise devices have become an increasingly popular way to work out. Some of these devices mount to one or more structural elements that are built within a house during the construction process. For example, a device may be mounted to a door frame and/or within a doorway. While existing door frame mountable exercise devices are proficient at targeting certain muscle groups, these exercise devices are limited both in the type of exercises that can be performed and the muscle groups that can be targeted.
One example of a door frame mountable exercise device can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,628 titled “Exercise Device for Chin-Ups.” This patent discloses an exercise device that can be mounted to a door frame and can be used to do pull-up or chin-up type exercises. Additional door frame mountable exercise devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,127 titled “Doorway mounted Horizontal Bar” and U.S. Patent Pub. No. US2005/0250619 titled “Doorway Mounted Exercise Apparatus.” Each of these publications also disclose an exercise device that can be mounted to a door frame and can be used to do pull-up or chin-up type exercises.
While each of these devices enable a user to perform certain specific types of exercises, the types of exercises that can be performed using these devices is extremely limited. Indeed, use of the devices disclosed in the aforementioned publications may be limited to pull-up type exercises. As a result of the limited types of exercises that can be performed with these devices, the muscle groups targeted through use of these devices may also be limited.
SUMMARYIn one embodiment, an exercise system is selectively suspendable from a door frame. The system includes a right forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise, a left forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise, and a connecting structure that attaches at one end to the right and left forearm engaging members and that has an attachment mechanism at the other end that facilitates selective suspension of the right and left forearm engaging members from a door frame.
In one aspect of the disclosure that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the attachment mechanism may be selectively secured to and suspended from a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the attachment mechanism is a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the mounting structure comprises a first cross member that selectively engages a first side of wall above a doorway, a second cross member that selectively engages a second side of the wall, and a mounting member connecting the first cross member with the second cross member.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the mounting structure comprises a first inner door frame mount, a second inner door frame mount, and a bar that extends between the first and second inner door frame mounts within a doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the connecting structure comprises a pair of elongated members that are generally parallel to one another.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the lengths of the elongated members are selectively adjustable such that the vertical position of the right and left forearm engaging members can be varied within a doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the right and left forearm engaging members include right and left cushions.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the exercise system further comprises a back engaging member.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the back engaging member includes a cushion.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the exercise system further comprises a stabilizing member that is connected to right and left forearm engaging members and that selectively engages a wall portion that is adjacent to a doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the stabilizing member selectively engages both a first wall portion to the right of the doorway and a second wall portion that is to the left of the doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the exercise system further comprises right and left stabilizing handles connected to and extending away from the right and left forearm engaging members, respectively.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the exercise system further comprises right and left dip handles connected to right and left forearm engaging members, respectively, wherein the right and left dip handles are in a generally horizontal orientation when the exercise device is suspended from a door frame.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, the right and left stabilizing handles and the right and left dip handles have outer surfaces that are at least partially covered by either a foam or rubber material.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, an exercise system includes a mounting structure, a body engaging structure, and a connecting structure that connects the mounting structure with the body engaging structure.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a mounting structure is selectively connectable to a door frame and includes a first cross member that selectively engages a first side of wall above a doorway, a second cross member that selectively engages a second side of the wall adjacent to the doorway, and a mounting member connecting the first cross member with the second cross member.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a body engaging structure supports the weight of a user during performance of an exercise on the exercise device.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a body engaging structure includes right and left forearm engaging members and a back engaging member.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a body engaging structure includes a stabilizing member that selectively engages a second side of the wall adjacent to a doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a connecting structure comprises an elongated member having a selectively adjustable length.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a body engaging structure comprises right and left stabilizing handles connected to and extending away from right and left forearm engaging members, respectively.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a mounting structure is selectively connectable to a door frame and includes a bar that is configured to extend between a right and left side of a door frame within a doorway.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a body engaging structure supports the weight of a user during performance of an exercise on the exercise device and includes a right forearm engaging member, a left forearm engaging member, and a back engaging member.
In another aspect that may be combined with any of the aspects herein, a connecting structure removeably secures the mounting structure with the body engaging structure.
Exercise devices and systems that can be mounted to a door frame and that can be used to work out a variety of different muscle groups are provided herein. For example, the exercise devices and systems provided herein can be used to perform exercises that involve abdominal, core, and tricep muscle groups.
As shown in
To provide additional stability to a user performing an exercise on exercise device 100, right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114 may also include a right stabilizing handle 120 and a left stabilizing handle 122. Right and left stabilizing handles 120 and 122 may extend away from right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114, respectively, at generally right angles such that a user may easily grasp handles 120 and 122 when the user's forearms are positioned on right cushioning member 116 and left cushioning member 118. A user may grasp right and left stabilizing handles 120 and 122 to avoid the user's forearms from unintentionally slipping off of right forearm engaging member 112 or left forearm engaging member 114 during the performance of an abdominal exercise on exercise device 100.
Right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114 may further include a right dip handle 124 and a left dip handle 126. Dip handles 124 and 126 may be grasped by a user performing dip exercises on exercise device 100.
The outer surfaces of right and left stabilizing handles 120 and 122 and right and left dip handles 124 and 126 may be covered in part or in whole in a material that helps to prevent a user's hands from slipping during performance of an exercise. For example, handles 120, 122, 124, and 126 may include an outer covering made of foam, rubber, or another material that helps to prevent slipping.
Body engaging structure 110 may also include a back engaging member 128. When exercise device 100 is suspended from a door frame mountable device, back engaging member 128 may be positioned in a generally vertical orientation and may provide a user with a place to position his or her back during the during the performance of an abdominal exercise on exercise device 100. For added comfort, back engaging member 128 may include a cushioning member 130.
Right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114 and back engaging member 128 may be secured together via a direct or an indirect connection. For example, with regard to exercise device 100, right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114 and back engaging member 128 are each directly connected to stabilizing member 140 and thus indirectly connected to each other.
In addition to connecting right and left forearm engaging members 112 and 114 and back engaging member 128 together, stabilizing member 140 may be configured so that it contacts a wall to either the right side or the left side of a doorway in which exercise device 100 is to be used. The term “wall” as used herein broadly includes any material that may be used as a vertical partition, including but not limited to wood (e.g., a wooden door frame that defines a doorway), sheet rock, plaster, cement, brick, stone, or another material. This wall contact may provide stability to exercise device 100 during the performance of an exercise.
As shown in
Exercise device 100 also includes a connecting structure 150. Connecting structure 150 connects body engaging structure 110 and stabilizing member 140 with a mounting structure. A mounting structure, according to the present invention, may take on any number of different forms.
As shown in
The length of right and left elongated members 152 and 154 may be selectively adjustable. One of skill in the art will appreciate that there are many different mechanisms that may allow the length of right and left elongated members 152 and 154 to be selectively adjustable. For example, right and left elongated members 152 and 154 may include right and left telescoping mechanisms 156 and 158, respectively. Telescoping mechanisms 156 and 158 may allow an upper portion of elongated members 152 and 154 to fit within or about a lower portion of the elongated member. Right and left telescoping pins 160a and 160b may fit within holes 162a and 162b to secure telescoping mechanisms 156 and 158 in a configuration so that right and left elongated members 152 and 154 are at a desired length.
Right elongated member 152 and left elongated member 154 also include attachment mechanisms 164 and 166, respectively. Attachment mechanisms 164 and 168 may be connected to a mounting structure. A mounting structure may be any structure that is securable to a door frame and that is capable of suspending exercise device 100. As discussed in more detail hereafter,
Right and left attachment mechanisms 164 and 166 may include right and left generally inverted u-shaped members 168a and 168b that hook to a generally horizontal portion of a mounting structure. Right and left attachment mechanisms 164 and 166 may further include right and left attachment pins 169a and 169b, which can extend between two ends of u-shaped members 168a and 168b to lock a generally horizontal portion of a mounting structure within u-shaped members 168a and 168b.
Referring to
Vertical portions 180a and 180b of mounting members 176 and 178 extend downward and horizontal portions 182a and 182b extend through the doorway so that second cross member 174 engages a second side of the wall. Second cross member 174 may engage the second side of the wall in a single or multiple places. With regard to mounting structure 170, second cross member 174 has a width that is greater than the width of the doorway such that it contacts the second side of the wall in two places: to the right of the doorway and to the left of the doorway. A downward force exerted on second cross member 174 causes first and second cross members 172 and 174 to be pressed against opposing sides of the doorway, thus holding mounting structure 170 securely in place.
Exercise device 100 can be selectively attached to mounting structure 170. For instance, right and left attachment mechanisms 164 and 168 may be positioned about second cross member 174 to selectively suspend exercise device 100 from door frame 188 as illustrated by the arrows in
Connecting structure 250 includes a right elongated member 252 and a left elongated member 254. Right and left elongated members 252 and 254 are connected to body engaging structure 210, and may be formed integrally therewith. Connecting structure 250 also includes an attachment mechanism 256 and a stabilizing member 240. Unlike exercise device 100, however, stabilizing member 240 does not engage any portion of a wall surrounding a doorway. Also unlike exercise device 100, attachment mechanism 256 in exercise device 200 is itself a mounting structure. Thus, exercise device 200 does not secure to and suspend from a separate mounting structure. Rather the mounting structure is part of connecting structure 250 in exercise device 200.
Attachment mechanism 256 includes a first cross member 272, a second cross member 274 and mounting members 276 and 278. First cross member 272 may have a length that is less than the width of a doorway. Second cross member 274 may have a length that is greater than the width of a doorway. Second cross member 274 may also include grip members 275a and 275b that may be used to perform pull-up or chin-up type exercises. Mounting members 276 and 278 may include generally vertical portions 280a and 280b, respectively, and generally horizontal portions 282a and 282b, respectively. First cross member 272 is connected to the generally vertical portions 280a and 280b of mounting members 276 and 278. Second cross member 274 is connected to the generally horizontal portions 282a and 282b of mounting members 276 and 278.
Attachment mechanism 256 may be positioned on a door frame so that the first cross member 272 passes through the doorway defined by the door frame and contacts a first side of a wall above the doorway. Vertical portions 280a and 280b of mounting members 276 and 278 extend downward and horizontal portions 282a and 282b extend through the doorway so that second cross member 274 selectively engages a second side of the wall. A downward force exerted on second cross member 274 causes first and second cross members 272 and 274 to be pressed against opposing sides of the doorway, thus holding exercise device 200 securely in place.
In exercise device 200, mounting member 276 is integrally formed with right elongated member 252 and right forearm engaging member 212. Mounting member 278 is integrally formed with left elongated member 254 and left forearm engaging member 214. Generally horizontal portions 282a and 282b are substantially parallel to one another. Right and left elongated member 252 and 254 are generally vertical and substantially parallel to one another. Stabilizing member 240, first cross member 272, and second cross member 274 are each generally horizontal and substantially parallel to one another.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYIn general, systems and devices of the present invention may be suspended from a door frame and may enable a person to perform exercises that target specific muscle groups. For example, systems and devices of the present invention may be used to perform abdominal/core muscle exercises and tricep exercises. Systems and devices of the present invention may include a body engaging structure and a connecting structure. A body engaging structure may support all or part of a person's body weight during performance of an exercise. A connecting structure may selectively suspend the body engaging structure from a door frame.
A connecting structure may include an attachment mechanism that is selectively attachable to a mounting structure. A mounting structure, according to the present invention, may be any structure that may be secured to a door frame and that is capable of suspending a body engaging member therefrom. A mounting structure may be removably or permanently secured to a door frame.
An attachment mechanism may selectively attach to a mounting structure via one or more hooks, pins, straps, or other devices. Alternatively, a connecting structure may include an attachment mechanism that comprises a mounting structure. For example, a connecting structure may be permanently attached to or integrally formed with a connecting structure. For example, a connecting structure may comprise a bar that can be secured to right and left vertical inner surfaces of a door frame.
An attachment mechanism, according to the present invention, may comprise one or more elongated members. For example, in one embodiment, the attachment mechanism may comprise a single elongated member that is connected to a body engaging member at one end and that includes an attachment mechanism at the other end.
An exercise device of the present invention may also include a stabilizing member. A stabilizing member may contact a wall to provide additional stability to a body engaging member. For example, a stabilizing member may contact a wall on either the right or left side of a doorway. Alternatively, a stabilizing member may contact a wall on both the right and left sides of a doorway. Additionally, a stabilizing member may contact the front and/or back sides of a doorway.
Claims
1. An exercise system selectively suspendable from a door frame, the exercise device comprising:
- a right forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise;
- a left forearm engaging member that supports at least a portion of the weight of a user during the performance of an exercise; and
- a connecting structure that attaches at one end to the right and left forearm engaging members and that has an attachment mechanism at the other end that facilitates selective suspension of the right and left forearm engaging members from a door frame.
2. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism may be selectively secured to and suspended from a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame.
3. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism is a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame.
4. The exercise system of claim 3, wherein the mounting structure comprises a first cross member that selectively engages a first side of wall above a doorway, a second cross member that selectively engages a second side of the wall, and a mounting member connecting the first cross member with the second cross member.
5. The exercise system of claim 3, wherein the mounting structure comprises a first inner door frame mount, a second inner door frame mount, and a bar that extends between the first and second inner door frame mounts within a doorway.
6. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the connecting structure comprises a pair of elongated members that are generally parallel to one another.
7. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the lengths of the elongated members are selectively adjustable such that the vertical position of the right and left forearm engaging members can be varied within a doorway.
8. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the right and left forearm engaging members include right and left cushions.
9. The exercise system of claim 1 further comprising a back engaging member.
10. The exercise system of claim 9, wherein the back engaging member includes a cushion.
11. The exercise system of claim 1 further comprising a stabilizing member that is connected to right and left forearm engaging members and that selectively engages a wall portion that is adjacent to a doorway.
12. The exercise system of claim 11, wherein the stabilizing member selectively engages both a first wall portion to the right of the doorway and a second wall portion that is to the left of the doorway.
13. The exercise system of claim 1 further comprising right and left stabilizing handles connected to and extending away from the right and left forearm engaging members, respectively.
14. The exercise system of claim 13 further comprising right and left dip handles connected to right and left forearm engaging members, respectively, wherein the right and left dip handles are in a generally horizontal orientation when the exercise device is suspended from a door frame.
15. The exercise system of claim 14, wherein the right and left stabilizing handles and the right and left dip handles have outer surfaces that are at least partially covered by either a foam or rubber material.
16. An exercise system that is mountable to a door frame, the exercise system comprising:
- a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame, the mounting structure comprising a first cross member that selectively engages a first side of wall above a doorway, a second cross member that selectively engages a second side of the wall adjacent to the doorway, and a mounting member connecting the first cross member with the second cross member;
- a body engaging structure that supports the weight of a user during performance of an exercise on the exercise device, the body engaging structure comprising right and left forearm engaging members, and a back engaging member; and
- a connecting structure connecting the mounting structure with the body engaging structure.
17. The exercise system of claim 16, wherein the body engaging structure further comprises a stabilizing member that selectively engages the second side of the wall adjacent to the doorway.
18. The exercise system of claim 16, wherein the connecting structure comprises an elongated member having a selectively adjustable length.
19. The exercise system of claim 16, wherein the body engaging structure further comprises right and left stabilizing handles connected to and extending away from the right and left forearm engaging members, respectively.
20. An exercise system that is mountable to a door frame, the exercise system comprising:
- a mounting structure that is selectively connectable to a door frame, the mounting structure comprising a bar that is configured to extend between a right and left side of a door frame within a doorway;
- a body engaging structure that supports the weight of a user during performance of an exercise on the exercise device, the body engaging structure comprising a right forearm engaging member, a left forearm engaging member, and a back engaging member; and
- a connecting structure removeably securing the mounting structure with the body engaging structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 13, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 19, 2013
Applicant: ICON Health & Fitness, Inc. (Logan, UT)
Inventors: Traci Jo Maughan (Lehi, UT), David McEvoy (Providence, UT)
Application Number: 13/801,612