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Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machineRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Weight Resistance, Including Stationary Support For WeightExercise arm apparatus for exercise machine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070117690, Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/305,842, filed on Nov. 26, 2002, which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 09/767,061 field Jan. 22, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,960. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to an exercise arm apparatus for an exercise machine in which a handle is linked to the end of a weight or resistance bearing exercise arm for gripping by a user in performing exercises. [0003] Exercise equipment using a handle attached to the end of a flexible line such as a rope, belt, strap or cable which is secured to a load or resistance has been known in health clubs for over a hundred years. The Lat Pulldown, Low Row, and High/Low Pulley are examples of this type of equipment. Each machine will allow the user to perform multiple exercises. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, such as a slight variation in the direction of push/pull, thereby involving different muscle groups, by changing body position, by changing the body part used (arms, legs, neck, etc.) or simply by changing the type of handle attachment. [0004] One advantage to these machines is that they allow the user to control and define the exercise path. Because the handle is attached to a flexible line, the user determines the direction of movement and can adjust or fine-tune the exercise path to suit their needs. This allows the machines to more readily accommodate users of various sizes and shapes. It also allows the user to guide the handle so that it will traverse through multiple planes. This increases the number of muscles used by involving primary, secondary, and stabilizing muscle groups, and will not only increase muscular strength, but also improve balance and coordination, as is typical with free weight exercises, which are often considered the most beneficial. [0005] One machine of this type was known as a High/Low pulley. This machine has a continuous cable and pulley system, connected with a load, which ends with two pulleys, placed at different elevations, providing various exercises. This machine was designed to perform a wide variety of both pushing and pulling exercises and allowed the user to define the exercise path and perform exercises that involved multiple muscle groups at the same time. [0006] Some known designs attach handles directly to flexible, resilient bands. These bands act as both the flexible line and the resistance at the same time. This design has several drawbacks. First, the resistance cannot be adjusted unless the entire band is replaced. Second, the more the band is stretched, the harder it becomes to move the handles, which can restrict the user's ability to direct the handles in the desired path. [0007] Other machines of this general type use a handle attached to a flexible line and designed to perform a specific exercise working a specific muscle group. Lat Pulldown and Low Row machines are examples of this type of equipment. The flexible line allows the user to adjust the path of the handle to fit their needs. [0008] One drawback of most prior art exercise equipment using flexible lines is the size. They are generally very tall, very long, or both, which can pose problems when low ceilings or limited floor space are an issue. Some machines have therefore been designed to solve the size issue, and these typically have rigid movement arms and rigid handles that can traverse through multiple planes to follow a natural movement pattern, but require less space than flexible line equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,564 of Nichols, Sr., et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,954 of Habing are examples of this type of machine. Some machines with rigid movement exercise arms and fixed handles offer bi-directional movement, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,020 of Webber and U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,530 of Fulks. These machines lack the versatility of flexible line machines, as they are used exclusively for upper body exercises, but they provide a greater level of stability and safety than their flexible line counterparts. Machines with rigid movement arms and handles can provide two, three, or even four-dimensional movement, but are usually exercise or muscle group specific. They either perform one type of exercise only, such as a chest press, or they perform multiple exercises, such as chest press and pectoral fly, that involve the same muscle group. A variation on this type of movement arm, usually found on multi-function home gyms, can perform a variety of exercises involving different muscle groups but is movement specific, meaning that the exercises will be all pressing or all pulling, dependent on the machine design. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved exercise arm apparatus for a weight lifting exercise machine. [0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an exercise apparatus is provided which comprises a support frame, an exercise arm assembly pivotally linked to the support frame for swinging movement in at least one fixed arc about a first pivot axis, the exercise arm assembly comprising at least one exercise arm and a handle assembly of flexible material secured to the exercise arm. The handle assembly has a hand grip portion for gripping by a user, and a flexible elongate portion extending from the hand gripping portion to the exercise arm, the flexible elongate portion comprising a flexible line which is adjustably secured to the exercise arm to vary the extension of the line from the exercise arm. [0011] The exercise arm assembly may comprise a single exercise arm with a single handle or with two strap handles, or alternatively a pair of rigid exercise arms may be provided, each having a flexible handle assembly secured to it. The flexible handle assemblies may be releasably secured to the respective exercise arms, and different handles having flexible elongate portions of different lengths may be provided for selective attachment to the arms for performing different exercises. Alternatively, each handle may have a flexible elongate portion which is adjustable in length. The flexible elongate portion may be of any suitable flexible line or strap material such as rope, flexible fabric material of the type generally used in handle straps and the like, leather or plastic belt material, or similar flexible materials. [0012] In addition to the flexible strap handle assemblies, each exercise arm may also have a rigid, pivotally attached handle for performing selected exercises. The fixed handles may be attached on an outer side of each arm, and may be used to perform pushing exercises. Additionally, an inner handle may be rigidly attached on an inner side of each arm for use in performing lat pull and mid row exercises, while the flexible handles are used for performing selected pulling exercises, such as biceps curl, upright row, and rear deltoid fly. [0013] This invention combines a traditional fixed arc exercise arm with flexible handle assemblies to provide unrestricted four dimensional movement. Forward and rearward movement is provided by the rigid exercise arm, while inward/outward, upward/downward, and rotational movement is provided by the flexible handles. This provides the benefits of flexible line machines with the advantage of a moveable or fixed arc exercise arm, and requires less floor space than a flexible line machine. This apparatus is easier and less expensive to manufacture than traditional fixed arc exercise arms with rigid handles, and is more comfortable and easier to use. The flexible handles can readily adapt to the user's hand and wrist positioning, providing unlimited pronation and supination, as well as flexion/extension and rotation. The provision of adjustable length flexible handles, or replaceable flexible handles of different lengths, will permit a large range of different exercises to be performed with the same basic exercise arms, reducing expense and complexity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of some exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which: [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine with an exercise arm apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exercise arm apparatus of FIG. 1; [0017] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1 with a seated user performing a mid-row exercise, with a first flexible handle assembly attached to the exercise arms; [0018] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a user performing a biceps curl exercise using a second, longer flexible handle assembly; [0019] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but illustrating a user performing a chest press exercise using a third flexible handle assembly which is longer than the first two; [0020] FIG. 6 is a top plan view illustrating the machine with the handle assembly of FIG. 5 and a user performing a crossover type of exercise; Continue reading about Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine... Full patent description for Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine 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 Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Rotating punching accessory Next Patent Application: Functional trainer Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Exercise arm apparatus for exercise machine patent info. 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