US20050187084A1

US20050187084A1 - Exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20050187084A1
Application number: US10/781,836
Authority: US
Inventors: Dean Tornabene
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-20
Filing date: 2004-02-20
Publication date: 2005-08-25

Abstract

An exercise apparatus that will exercise at least five groups of muscles is disclosed. The exercise apparatus exercises the abdominal muscles, the serratus muscles, the intercostals muscles and the back and leg muscles. The apparatus uses a seated position for the person exercising and the exerciser is seated on a swing. When the exerciser leans back the swing rotates such that the exerciser's feet rotate upward. When the exerciser bends forward the apparatus goes back to its original position. When the exerciser bends forward, the above five groups of muscles are exercised.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an exercise apparatus and more particularly the present invention is directed to an exercise apparatus that will exercise at least five groups of muscles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,766 to Chin-Lien Huang. This patent describes an abdomen and leg building mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,287 to Brewer uses tensioning members to provide the resistance when a person pulls up on handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,120 to Rasmussen describes a gravity exercise machine that uses pulleys and ropes to connect to weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,196 to Jones describes an exercise machine with variable resilient members in conjunction with weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,013 to Dofel utilizes a mechanical resistance assembly that employs a resilient strap which is stretched by use of a pulley system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to exercise at least five groups of muscles.
It is another object of the present invention to exercise at least the abdominal muscles, the serratus muscles, the intercostals muscle and the back and leg muscles.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can be efficiently and economically manufactured.
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an exercise apparatus that has a first frame with a connecting member attached to the bottom of the first frame and a second frame with a connecting member attached to the bottom of the second frame. The two frames are connected by a hinge pin and a hinge member that breaks in the center and allows the exercise apparatus to be folded for storage. The upper portion of the first frame has two handgrips attached thereon. A seat member is hinged to the two frames that have another frame that rotates about a point where the two frames are attached at their upper end. The seat member has extended downward a member that has a footrest. Attached to the footrest is a flexible strip to prevent the seat member from going too far backwards.
When an exerciser leans backward, the seat member will rotate and the flexible strip stops the backward movement. The exerciser can them start forward and begin exercising the five groups of muscles.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon detail consideration of the following Description of

- the Preferred Embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best made presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a left side view of the present invention showing an exerciser in place.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a right side view of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a left side view of the present invention.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristics of the invention, both as its organization and its method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description only, sand are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is seen an isometric view generally shown as 10. The exercise apparatus has a frame 12 with a connecting member 14 attached to the bottom portion of frame 12. A frame 16 is connected to frame 12 by a hinge pin and (as seen in FIG. 3). Frame 16 has a connecting member 18 attached to the bottom of frame 16. Frames 12 and 16 are connected by hinge member 20 that breaks in the center and allows the exercise apparatus to be folded for storage. The upper portion of frame 16 has two handgrips 22 which gives the exerciser, as seen in FIG. 2, a firmer grip. A seat 24 is made from a hard material such as wood or plastic and is covered by a foam and waterproof material 16. Also seen in this view is a center bar 28, which can be seen in more detail in FIG. 3. Attached to the backside of the center bar 28 is a footrest 30 whereby the Exerciser rests the heel when exercising as shown in FIG. 2. Attached to a fitting 34 on the bottom of the center bar 28 is a footrest 32 where the exerciser rests of sole of the foot, which is also shown in FIG. 2. The footrest 32 extends outward by a footrest extension member 31, which is seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. Also seen in FIG. 1 is a flexible strap 36 connecting member 14 to center bar fitting 34. This strap limits the exerciser when moving backward to a position where the exerciser can start forward and begin exercising the five groups of muscles.
Turning now to FIG. 2 there is seen an exerciser positioned on the present exercise apparatus in the forward position. The exerciser is positioned on the seat 24 and the feet are on footrest 30 and 32.
FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the present exercise apparatus. In this view there is seen the seat 24 and hinge pins 40 that connect frames 12 and 16 which allows frames 12 and 16 to rotate around hinge pins 40. Also seen in this view is the center bar 28, which is fastened to the seat 24 by fasteners 42 and 44. This view also shows a cradle member having cradle arms 46 and 48 where the upper ends of arms 46 and 48 rotate around hinge pin 40. The cradle arms 46 and 48 are attached on the lower end by a cradle cross member 50. Cradle cross member 50 is fastened to seat bottom 24 by screws of some other suitable means.
FIG. 4 shows the right side of the present exercise apparatus.
FIG. 5 shows the front view of the present exercise apparatus.
FIG. 6 is a left side view of the present exercise apparatus and is a mirror image of that shown in FIG. 4.
The disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus that exercises at least the abdominal muscles, the serratus muscles, the intercostals muscle, and the back and leg muscles comprising:

a first frame having two members parallel to each other, said first frame connected on one end of said two members by a connecting member, said two members having handles fitted thereon on the other end, said first frame resting on a hard surface;

a second frame having two members parallel to each other, said second frame being rotatively attached on one end to said second frame by a hinge pin, said second frame being connected on one end by a connecting member, said second frame sitting on a hard surface;

link members linking said first frame members to said second frame members, said link members locking in a straight position, said link members unlocking and folding in a closed position;

a seat, having a top and a bottom, said seat being made from a hard material, said seat hard material being covered on said top with a soft material, said soft material being covered with a waterproof material;

a cradle member, said cradle member having two cradle arms, said cradle arms having a lower end and an upper end, said upper end being rotatively attached to an extension of said hinge pins, said lower end being attached to cradle cross member, said cradle cross member being further attached to said bottom of said seat;

a center bar, having an upper end and a lower end, said center bar upper bar being fastened to said bottom of said seat, said center bar lower portion resting on a hard surface;

two foot rests attached to said lower end of said center bar, said lower end of said center bar having a back side and a front side.

2. An exercise apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said one footrest of said two footrests attached to said lower end of said center bar is further attached in the center of said footrest on said back side of said center bar.

3. An exercise apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein one footrest of said two footrests is attached by a footrest extension member to said front side of said center bar, said footrest being attached in the center.

4. An exercise apparatus as described in claim 1 having a flexible strap having two ends, one end of said strap being connected to said center member connecting said second frame, the other end of said strap being connected to said lower end of said center bar.

5. An exercise apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein an exerciser sitting on said seat, placing the feet on said two footrests, placing the hands on said handles, leaning back which will allow said exercise apparatus to rotate upward until said exercise apparatus is restrained by said flexible straps.

6. An exercise apparatus as described in claim 5 where an exerciser by bending forward will allow said exercise apparatus to rotate downward until said exercise apparatus is restrained by said hard surface, such action will exercise the abdominal muscles, the serratus muscles, the intercostals muscle and the back and leg muscles.