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Exercise devices

Exercise devices description/claims

This invention relates to exercise devices, in particular exercise devices which can be used to allow a number of different exercises to be carried out while in a gymnasium or at home. The possible exercises may include a very wide range of exercises covering all muscle groups.

There are generally two options available for exercising specific muscle groups. The first is to use free weights in an appropriate manner, and the second is to use a specific machine arranged to allow the performance of a particular exercise designed to target that muscle group.

A major advantage of free weight training is that it allows the user maximum freedom to exercise against a selected resistance in any manner chosen. The user, is however, confined to working against gravity. No resistance can be provided when moving weights in a downwards direction. In contrast to this, existing machines can provide resistance against movement in both upward and downward directions but are generally constructed in such a way as to allow only very specific exercises to be carried out at any given machine. Other devices suffer from being of overly complex design.

It is an aim of the present invention to alleviate some of the problems associated with existing exercise devices.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on guidance means for translational movement along a path, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means.

The guidance means may be a mechanical guidance means.

The guidance means may be a linear guidance means. For the purposes of the present application, a linear guidance means is means capable of guiding the carriage along a substantially linear path. The term linear guidance means includes, for example a straight-line linkage or a rail. The rail may, for example, be in the form of a track, a slide or a rod and bushing.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the substantially linear path along which the carriage is arranged to move.

In some embodiments of the present invention the guidance means may be a straight-line linkage. The straight-line linkage may comprise a support link for mounting the straight-line linkage to a surface. The carriage may be pivotally mounted on the straight-line linkage. This can allow a user to adjust the orientation of the arm before or during exercise.

In other embodiments the guidance means may be a rail.

The path may be a predetermined path relative to another portion of the apparatus, for example, relative to a rail or relative to a support link of a straight-line linkage.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising an arm arrangement and resistance means, the arm arrangement comprising an arm mounted on a carriage, which carriage is mounted on a rail for translational movement along the rail, and the resistance means being arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage so that, in use, a user can move the arm relative to the carriage in order to work against the resistance means.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that the arm is movable through a position in which the arm is substantially parallel with the rail.

The arm may be pivotally mounted on the carriage. The resistance means may be arranged to resist pivotal movement of the arm relative to the carriage. Such an arrangement can give a particularly effective device whilst simplifying construction and manufacture.

The resistance means, or a part of the resistance means, may be mounted on the arm and on the carriage. The resistance means may be disposed between the arm and the carriage. The resistance means may be arranged to resist movement of the arm relative to the carriage independently of any movement of the carriage along the rail.

The exercise device may be arranged such that, in use, the carriage is movable, guided by the guidance means, in two directions. The movement of the carriage may be substantially unresisted. The carriage may be mounted on the rail for linear motion. The carriage may be fixable with respect to the rail in one or a plurality of user selected positions.

The arm may comprise a handle portion to which a user may apply a force in order to work against the resistance means. The handle portion may be pivotally mounted on remainder of the arm. The handle portion may be mounted to allow pivoting about an axis parallel to the length of the remainder of the arm. The handle may be mounted to allow pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the length of the remainder of the arm and the length of the handle.

The rail may be pivotally mountable to a support, such as a wall or frame, to allow a user to change the orientation of the rail. This can allow a user to move the handle portion to a desired position and can facilitate movement of the handle portion and carriage in a corresponding direction. The rail may be fixable in one or a plurality of user selected positions. The rail may be pivotable, in use, by a user as he/she works against the resistance means.

The rail may comprise a pair of spaced upstanding portions. The carriage may comprise pairs of wheels, each wheel of each pair of wheels being arranged to grip a respective upstanding portion.

The upstanding portions may be disposed on opposite sides of the rail. The apparatus may be arranged so that the wheels of the carriage and the upstanding portions are substantially co-planar.

Each wheel may comprise a V shaped groove around the wheel circumference. The upstanding portions may be profiled to match the grooves in the wheels.

The exercise apparatus may be arranged such that, in use, the only contact between a user and the exercise device is via the arm.

The resistance means may comprise a piston and cylinder arrangement including at least one chamber. The piston and cylinder arrangement may form two chambers, a respective chamber being located on either side of the piston. The resistance means may comprise a pneumatic arrangement. The pneumatic arrangement may comprise an air source connected via a pneumatic circuit to at least one chamber. The pneumatic circuit may comprise a first valve arranged to allow a user to select whether the air source is connected to one of or both of the chambers. The pneumatic circuit may comprise a second valve to allow a user to select to which of the two chambers the air source is connected.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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