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  Compact abdominal exerciserRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Weight ResistanceThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070027006. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/703,911 filed Jul. 28, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates generally to exercise equipment utilizing elastic resistance members, and in particular to abdominal exercisers. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Compact abdominal exercisers that include resistive force have been known for forty years. Examples of abdominal exercisers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,162 issued Sep. 5, 1989 to Neckamm et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,726 issued Sep. 10, 1991 to Willem J. Van Straaten; U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,119 issued Dec. 10, 1991 to Martin W. Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,425 issued Aug. 3, 1993 to Jack V. Miller and Ned Gvoich; U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,436 issued Dec. 9, 1997 to Ming-Chih Huang; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,742 issued Mar. 30, 2004 to William G. Suiter. All of these exercisers are designed to be used by crunching or bending in a forward direction. Moreover, the Van Stratten and the Miller and Gvoich patents all contain portions of the resistance mechanism that can easily be contacted by the body during exercise, which parts can pinch or snag on the body during use, particularly if used other than in a forward-bending direction. However, the abdominal muscles of the human body are designed for bending in directions other than the forward direction, such as sideways. Thus, the above exercisers cannot comfortably be used for exercising all the abdominal muscles. [0006] The device of the Suiter patent has been commercially successful because the moving parts are all enclosed in a case, and it is very compact and easier to use than the other devices. However, it is designed to be operated by placing the lower portion on the user's thighs, and thus it cannot be easily used to do side-bending exercises. Moreover, it is relatively complex and therefore is relatively costly to build. Thus, an abdominal exerciser that can be easily used to exercise all the abdominal muscles is needed. Moreover, such a device would be even more desirable if it was compact and had all the parts of the resistance mechanism enclosed like the Suiter device, but was simpler and more economical to manufacture. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The problems presented by traditional abdominal exercisers are solved by the systems of the present invention. An abdominal exerciser according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lower body member adapted to engage a seating platform on which a user is seated and an upper body member adapted to engage a portion of the user above the abdomen. A constraint assembly connects the upper and lower body members to permit relative motion of the upper and lower body members in a first direction along a line connecting the body members and to prevent relative motion of the upper and lower body members in directions perpendicular to the first direction. A first anchor notch is operably associated with the lower body member, and a second anchor notch is operably associated with the upper body member. A resilient cord is provided and is connectable between the first and second anchor notches to provide resistance to relative motion of the upper and lower body members in the first direction. The abdominal exerciser is sized such that the length of the apparatus from a distal end of the lower body member to a proximal end of the upper body member permits oblique crunches when the lower body member engages the seating platform. [0008] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an abdominal exerciser is provided and includes a lower body member adapted to engage a seating platform on which a user is seated and an upper body member adapted to engage a portion of the user above the abdomen. The upper body member is connected to the lower body member such that relative motion of the upper and lower body members is permitted in at least a first direction along a longitudinal line connecting the body members and prevented in directions perpendicular to the first direction. A resistance member is operably attached to the upper body member and the lower body member to resist but not prevent relative motion of the upper and lower body members in the first direction. The resistance member is contained within a resistance cavity, and a protective cover is slidingly disposed on at least one of the upper and lower body members to substantially enclose the resistance cavity when the protective cover is placed in a closed position and to allow access to the resistance cavity when the protective cover is placed in an open position. [0009] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an abdominal exerciser is provided and includes a first body member having a first chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a first wall having inner and outer surfaces. A plurality of rails is disposed on the inner surface of the first wall, the rails being substantially parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the first chamber. A slider guide is disposed on the inner surface of the first wall between at least two of the rails. The abdominal exerciser further includes a second body member having a second chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a second wall having inner and outer surfaces. The second body member further includes an end cap formed at one end of the second chamber, and the end cap includes a second anchor notch formed therein. The second body member is received by the first chamber of the first body member such that the outer surface of the second body member engages the plurality of rails within the first chamber. A slider slot is formed in the wall of the second body member substantially parallel to a second longitudinal axis of the second chamber, and the slider slot receives the slider guide to permit relative motion of the first and second body members in a first direction parallel to the first and second longitudinal axes and to prevent relative motion of the first and second body members in directions substantially perpendicular to the first direction. An anchor body is positioned within the second chamber of the second body member and is connected to the slider guide of the first member. The anchor body includes a first anchor notch, and a single resistance member is operably attached to the first anchor notch and the second anchor notch to resist but not prevent relative motion of the first body member and the second body member in the first direction. [0010] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an abdominal exerciser is provided and includes a first body member having a first chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a first wall having inner and outer surfaces. The abdominal exerciser further includes a second body member having a second chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a second wall having inner and outer surfaces. The second body member includes an end cap formed at one end of the second chamber, and a second anchor notch is formed in the endcap. The second body member is slidingly received by the first chamber of the first body member such that the first and second body members are capable of relative motion in a first direction between an uncompressed position and a compressed position. A slider slot is formed in the wall of the second body member, and an anchor body is positioned within the second chamber of the second body member and connected to the first member through the slider slot. The anchor body includes opposing ramp members attached to a base plate, each opposing ramp member having a graduated upper edge transitioning from the base plate at one end of the anchor body to an end plate at an opposite end of the anchor body. The end plate of the anchor body includes a first anchor notch. A resistance member is configured for positioning in an engaged state in which a first end of the resistance member engages the second anchor notch and a second end of the resistance member engages the first anchor notch to resist but not prevent relative motion of the first and second body members in the first direction. The resistance member is further configured for positioning in a disengaged state in which the first end of the resistance member resides in the first chamber and the second end of the resistance member engages the second anchor notch. When the resistance member is in the disengaged state, moving the first and second body members into the compressed position causes the ramp members of the anchor body to bias the second end of the resistance member outward for easier grasping by a user. [0011] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings and detailed description that follow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a compact abdominal exercise apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in an uncompressed position; [0013] FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the compact abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of the compact abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 4 depicts an exploded perspective view of the compact abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1; [0016] FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged exploded perspective view of a portion of the compact abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrated from a different angle than that of FIG. 4; [0017] FIG. 6 depicts a partially exploded perspective view of the compact abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1 with the slideable cover member engaged on the upper support member; [0018] FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of an upper support member of the abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1; [0019] FIG. 8 depicts a front view of a lower support member of the abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1; [0020] FIG. 9 illustrates an enlarged front view of the abdominal exercise apparatus of FIG. 1 in the uncompressed position, the abdominal exercise apparatus including a protective cover which is illustrated in an open position and a resistance member which is engaged to both the upper and lower support members; Continue reading... Full patent description for Compact abdominal exerciser Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Compact abdominal exerciser 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 Compact abdominal exerciser or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Exercise device grips and accessories for exercise devices Next Patent Application: Weight assembly and method of manufacture Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Compact abdominal exerciser patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.73072 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. 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