| Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines -> Monitor Keywords |
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Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machinesRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Weight Resistance, Including Stationary Support For WeightApparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070179028, Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending, commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/780,279 entitled "Apparatus and Methods for Pad Assemblies for Exercise Machines," filed on Feb. 9, 2001. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines, and more specifically, to pad assemblies that provide improved pressure distribution and comfort characteristics during an exercise. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The convenience, efficiency, and safety of exercise machines are widely recognized. Many different types of exercise machines are in use today. Some models have a single exercise station, while other models include multiple exercise stations at which a user may perform one or more exercises for developing and toning different muscle groups. [0004] Many exercise machines include one or more pad assemblies that engage against portions of the user's body during an exercise. For example, FIG. 1 shows an exercise machine 42 in accordance with the prior art. This exercise machine 42 may be used for developing arm and leg muscles, and includes a support frame 44 with a seat 46, and a pair of swing arms 48 rotatably coupled to the support frame 44. Each swing arm 48 includes a stirrup 50 for receiving one of the user's feet, a leg pad 52, and a cylindrical arm pad 54. The arm and leg pads 54, 52 are attached to a support 49 of the swing arm 48. An elastic band 56 is attached between the two swing arms 48. [0005] For leg exercises, a user (not shown) may sit on the seat 46 with the user's feet inserted into the stirrups 50, and with an outer portion of each of the user's legs engaged with the leg pads 52. As the user forces the outer portion of the user's leg against one of the leg pads 52, the swing arm 48 pivots outwardly and stretches the elastic band 56. When the force is relaxed, the elastic band 56 moves the swing arm 48 inwardly to an initial, resting position. Alternately, for arm exercises, the user places a portion of the user's arm (e.g. the forearm or hand) against one of the cylindrical arm pads 54 and applies an outwardly-directed force, causing the swing arm 48 to pivot outwardly and stretching the elastic band 56. Exercise machines of the type shown in FIG. 1 are more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,439 issued to Lee. [0006] Many other models of exercise machines include pad assemblies that are firmly engaged against various portions of a user's body during an exercise. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,587 to Carlson et al. discloses an exercise device having a pair of leg pad assemblies that bear against the user's shins during a leg extension exercise. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,746 to Mask teaches exercise machines having a flat leg pad that bears against the back of the user's calf during a leg curl exercise. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,308 to Lee teaches an exercise machine having a pair of cylindrical arm pads that engage inside surfaces of a user's arms during a chest or "fly" exercise, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,457 issued to Caruso teaches leg exercise machines having pad assemblies that engage a user's shoulders and knees during a leg exercise. Many other examples of exercise machines having pad assemblies that engage portions of a user's body during an exercise are known. [0007] One disadvantage of prior art pad assemblies is that during an exercise, the compressive force applied by the user on the pad assembly does not remain uniformly distributed over the associated portion of the person's body. For example, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of a swing arm 48 of FIG. 1 engaged with portions of a user's body. Specifically, the upper portion of FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a user's forearm 58 engaged with the arm pad 54 during an arm exercise. As the user applies force against the arm pad 54, the outer surface of the arm pad 54 is compressed from an initial position 60 to a compressed position 62. The pressure (i.e. force per unit area) on the user's forearm 58 during the arm exercise is greatest at a peak-pressure area (or point) 64 that typically corresponds to the most highly compressed portion of the arm pad 54. The pressure on the user's forearm 58 decreases from the peak-pressure area 64 over those portions of the user's forearm 58 that are spaced apart from the peak-pressure area 64 and that are in contact with less-compressed portions of the arm pad 54. [0008] Similarly, the lower portion of FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a user's leg 66 engaged against the leg pad 52 during a leg exercise. During the exercise, the outer surface of the leg pad 52 is compressed from an uncompressed position 68 to a compressed position 70. As with the user's forearm 58 in the previous example, the pressure on the user's leg 66 is greatest at a peak-pressure area (or point) 72 usually corresponding to the most highly compressed portion of the leg pad 52, and decreases from the peak-pressure area 72 over those portions of the user's leg 66 that are in contact with less compressed portions of the leg pad 52. Thus, even though the uncompressed position 68 of the surface of the leg pad 52 is a contoured surface adapted to approximately conform to the shape of the user's leg 66, the leg pad 52 does not compress uniformly and the pressure distribution over the user's leg 66 is substantially non-uniform. [0009] Because the compression forces are not more evenly distributed over the relevant portions of the user's forearm 58 and leg 66 during the arm and leg exercises, the user may experience discomfort, or may otherwise experience reduced satisfaction with the exercise machine. Therefore, pad assemblies that more evenly distribute the compression forces over the relevant portions of the user's body during an exercise would have utility over the prior art devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines. In one embodiment, a pad assembly includes a compressible layer having a first surface adapted to engage a portion of a user's body, the first surface having a convex shape in a first cross-sectional direction of the compressible layer, and having a concave shape in a second cross-sectional direction of the compressible layer. The first and second cross-sectional directions may be approximately orthogonal. Similarly, at least one of the convex and concave shapes may have a constant radius of curvature. Pad apparatus in accordance with the present invention may advantageously improve the pressure experienced by a user during an exercise, thereby improving the user's satisfaction with the exercise machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exercise machine in accordance with the prior art. [0012] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1 engaged with portions of a user's body during an exercise. [0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of arm and leg 25 pad assemblies in accordance with two embodiments of the invention. [0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of a leg exercise machine having a pad assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. [0015] FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of a leg yoke of the leg exercise machine of FIG. 4. [0016] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the leg yoke of FIG. 5. [0017] FIG. 7 is a lower isometric view of an embodiment of a pad 5 assembly of the leg exercise machine of FIG. 4. [0018] FIG. 8 is an exploded, cross-sectional end view of the pad assembly of FIG. 7 taken along line 8-8. [0019] FIG. 9 is a partial isometric view of another embodiment of a pad assembly of the leg exercise machine of FIG. 4. Continue reading about Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines... Full patent description for Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Drive system for megnetic resistance exercisers field of the invention Next Patent Application: Multiple resistance curves used to vary resistance in exercise apparatus Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus and methods for pad assemblies for exercise machines patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.10939 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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