Exercise Machine with Multi-Axis Positionable Arms and Circular Motion Resistance

Abstract

An exercise system or method of providing an exercise arm assembly including an arm member having proximal and distal ends, a ball member attached to the proximal end of the arm member, and a housing configured to hold the ball member at a selected position to maintain a placement of the arm member.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present general inventive concept relates to exercise machines, and, more particularly, to an exercise device utilizing multi-axis positionable exercise arms and/or wheels configured to selectively generate various variable circular motion resistance exercises for fitness training.

BACKGROUND

Exercise machines, such as weight cages, are popular for commercial and home gyms, and may be equipped for multiple exercises. However, many of the exercises and pieces of equipment are very limited in their placement and/or orientation. Therefore, exercise arms that can be positioned along multiple axes would be beneficial for allowing a multitude of different exercise associated with the exercise arms.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An exercise system, comprising any one or more of the example embodiments described and/or illustrated herein. Some embodiments can include an exercise arm assembly including an arm member having proximal and distal ends, a ball member attached to the proximal end of the arm member, and a housing configured to hold the ball member at a selected position to maintain a placement of the arm member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept are illustrated herein, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a positionable exercise arm assembly according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a variable resistance assembly 200 of the exercise arm assembly 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIGS. 3A-D illustrate partial cross-sections of the exercise arm assembly 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate various positions of the exercise arm assemblies according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIGS. 5A-B illustrate various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 6 illustrates various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modification, and equivalents of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of fabrication operations described are merely examples, however, and the sequence type of operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, description of well-known functions and constructions may be simplified and/or omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.

Note that spatially relative terms, such as “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, an exercise machine or exercise assembly is provided that includes a positionable arm that is configured to be selectively moved to a variety of positions along the x, y, and z axes, and which is configured to have an exercise component connected to a distal end thereof. In various example embodiments described herein, the exercise component may be a variable resistance exercise wheel, though other exercise components may be connected in various example embodiments without departing from the scope of the present general inventive concept.

FIG. 1 illustrates a positionable exercise arm assembly according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The exercise arm assembly 100, which will be described in more detail herein, is coupled to an exercise rack 110 that may be equipped with several pieces of exercise equipment, some of which may be selectively attached and detached to the rack 110 according to the user's preferences. The example rack 110 of FIG. 1 includes vertical support bars 120 and horizontal support bars 130 that may be used for a first positioning of the respective exercise arm assemblies 100. As illustrated, the vertical support bars 120 and horizontal support bars 130 are each provided with a plurality of openings 140 configured to receive bolts to hold the support bars in place in the selected position over the openings 140. Thus, as seen in FIG. 1, the vertical support bar 120 can be moved horizontally along several fixable positions on the horizontal support bar 130, and the exercise arm assemblies 100 can be moved vertically along severable fixable positions on the respective vertical support bars 120, which places a base housing 150 of the exercise assembly 100 at a desired area. The base housing 150 of this example embodiment is configured to wrap around the vertical support bar 120, and to receive a bolt that interacts with the openings 140 of the vertical support bar 120 to hold the base housing 150 in place. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the exercise arm assemblies 100 include an arm 160 having a proximal end located near the base housing 150, and a distal end to which an exercise wheel 170 is coupled.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a variable resistance assembly 200 of the exercise arm assembly 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The variable resistance assembly 200 can include a rotatable housing 210 surrounding a fixed core 220. An adjustable tension wheel assembly 230 can extend through a perimeter of the rotatable housing 210 to contact a perimeter of the core 220, where turning the handle of the tension wheel assembly 230 can selectively adjust the tension between the rotatable housing 210 and the fixed core 220, thus creating variable circular resistance and making it harder or easier to turn the rotatable housing 210 coupled to the exercise wheel 170 of FIG. 1 during an exercise routine.

FIGS. 3A-D illustrate partial cross-sections of the exercise arm assembly 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. As illustrated in FIGS. 3A-D, a polyhedral ball member 300 having a plurality of flat surfaces is attached to the proximal end of the arm 160, and is encased in the base housing 150. The base housing 150 has an inner cavity configured to hold the ball member 300 in a fixed position when tightened about the ball member 300. In some embodiments, a quick change lever device (for example, as identified by reference number 310′ in FIG. 3D) can be provided to activate or deactivate the base housing 150′ (which can be a compression, clam-shell-like member configured to securely position the exemplary polyhedral ball positioning member). While example representations of the compression member and positioning member are illustrated in the figures, various other types and designs configured to selectively position the arm in any number of positions to perform generally circular resistive motion routines can be chosen using sound engineering judgement, for example similar to, but not limited to, a quick change lever to lower, raise, loosen, tighten, a compression member device to lock the arm in a desired position for variable circular resistance training. In some embodiments the base housing 150 can include upper and lower portions that are held together by a threaded bolt 310 that holds the upper and lower portions together, and/or a quick change lever 310′ configured to compress, or lock, the positioning arm 160 and locking member 300 in any number of positions to perform a desired workout, but the present general inventive concept is not limited to any particular positioning and locking mechanism. Those skilled in the art will recognize various other means for adjustably locking the positioning member 160, 300 into one or more desired positions for achieving variable circular resistance movement for exercise training.

For example, in some embodiments, it is possible to move the arm 160, and therefore the exercise wheel 170, from an initial fixed position shown in FIG. 1 to a different position, a user simply turns the bolt 310 counter-clockwise to loosen the base housing 150 components, as shown in FIG. 3B. This can loosen a clamshell-like grip on ball member 300 so that it is selectively movable to provide any number of fixed positions for circular resistance training for arms, legs, or virtually any muscle group. In FIG. 3C the arm 160 is moved to the desired position, and in FIG. 3D the user simply turns the threaded bolt 310 clockwise to tighten the upper and lower components of the base housing 150 together to again fix the ball member 300 in place. Thus, the exercise arm 160 is configured to be selectively pivoted about a point proximate the proximal end of the exercise arm 160, and proximate the center of the ball member 300. Because of the pivoting based on a generally “round” member, the distal end of the exercise arm 160 is pivotable along three axes. The distal end can be moved forward and back relative to the rack, and up and down, and, because of the ball member, the distal end is movable at least partially side to side as it is being moved in the vertical and/or horizontal directions. In various example embodiments the ball member may have various different numbers of “sides,” such as, for example, 24, 32, etc., to increase the numbers of possible positions of the arms. The exercise arm may be selectively positionable at a number of discrete positions that correspond to the number of flat surfaces on the ball member. Various example embodiments may have ball members that are not the generally complete overall sphere shown in these drawings. In various example embodiments the flat sides may have indicia thereon so that a user can remember desired positions by a particularly placed indicia mark exposed outside the base housing 150. Other various example embodiments may have a ball member that does not have such flat sides, but is positionable due to the pressure of the housing or other fixing mechanism.

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate various positions of the exercise arm assemblies according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. In FIG. 4A the arm assemblies are placed far apart to clear more room in between. The exercise wheels may have a variety of different handles provided thereon, such as a first handle configured to allow a grip that is perpendicular to the wheel, as shown in FIG. 4B, and a second rotatable handle that is configured to allow a grip that is generally parallel to the wheel, as shown in FIG. 4C. Thus as shown, along with the vertical and horizontal positioning capabilities provided by the horizontal and vertical support bars, the multi-sided ball assembly allows the exercise arms to be moved vertically, horizontally, and at least partially in a direction of a z-axis relative to the vertical and horizontal positions. This allows for a variety of different positions, and therefore different exercises, that can be performed with the wheels. As shown in FIGS. 5A-B, in various example embodiments the wheels can be detachable so that other exercise components can be coupled to the positionable arms. FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept in which the horizontal and vertical support bars are of an assembly bolted directly to the walls, rather than being part of a large freestanding exercise rack.

In view of features illustrated and/or described herein, example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can be achieved by an exercise device configured in accordance with one or more or any combination or subcombination of features described and/or illustrated herein, including an exercise device having a positioning device to position the mechanism into any number of desired positions for a user, and a rotatable circular resistance assembly (e.g., rotatable wheel assembly), where the rotatable circular resistance assembly includes a variable resistance member configured to selectively adjust circular resistance of the rotatable circular resistance assembly to enable a user to selectively position the circular resistance assembly into one or more positions and to rotate the rotatable circular resistance assembly to perform variable circular resistance training.

Numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For example, regardless of the content of any portion of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim herein or of any application claiming priority hereto of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated.

It is noted that the simplified diagrams and drawings included in the present application do not illustrate all the various connections and assemblies of the various components, however, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement such connections and assemblies, based on the illustrated components, figures, and descriptions provided herein, using sound engineering judgment. Numerous variations, modification, and additional embodiments are possible, and, accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept.

While the present general inventive concept has been illustrated by description of several example embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the general inventive concept to such descriptions and illustrations. Instead, the descriptions, drawings, and claims herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and additional embodiments will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description and drawings. Additional modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

Claims

1. An exercise arm assembly comprising:

an arm member having proximal and distal ends;

a ball member attached to the proximal end of the arm member; and

a housing configured to hold the ball member at a selected position to maintain a placement of the arm member.

2. The exercise arm assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball member is formed with at least a partially polyhedral surface such that the housing contacts flat sides of the ball member to hold the ball member at the selected position.

3. The exercise arm assembly of claim 2, wherein at least a plurality of the flat sides of the ball member are provided with indicia that may be exposed outside of the housing at various orientations of the arm member.

4. The exercise arm assembly of claim 1, further comprising an exercise assembly connected to the distal end of the arm member.

5. The exercise arm assembly of claim 4, wherein the exercise assembly is an exercise wheel configured to be rotated by a user.

6. The exercise arm assembly of claim 4, wherein the distal end of the arm member is configured to be selectively connected to a plurality of different exercise assemblies.

7. An exercise device configured in accordance with any one of the previous claims, including a positioning device and a rotatable circular resistance assembly, the rotatable circular resistance assembly having a variable resistance member configured to selectively adjust circular resistance of the rotatable circular resistance assembly to enable a user to selectively position the circular resistance assembly into one or more positions and rotate the rotatable circular resistance assembly to perform variable circular resistance training.

8. An exercise system, comprising any one or more of the example embodiments described and/or illustrated herein, including any one or more of the features, functions, structures, mechanisms, assemblies, and/or operations described and/or illustrated herein, including any combination and/or equivalents thereof.