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Exercise deviceRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory ThereforExercise device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060003873, Exercise device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an exercise device, and particularly relates to an exercise device with the purpose of strengthening leg muscles, hip joints, and muscle groups of the waist. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] "Hip extension machine hip", "flexing machines" and etc. are known as exercise devices for working leg muscles and muscle groups of the waist in a standing posture. With these exercise devices, a swing arm rotation fulcrum is fixed. [0005] However, with exercise devices where the arm rotation fulcrum is a fixed type, there is the drawback that the range of movement of the hip joints is restricted. Further, with exercise devices where the rotation fulcrum is fixed, swinging of the arm traces a locus that is part of a circular arc. When the arm travels along such a circular arcuate path, there is risk involved in that a relatively strong load is placed on the waist that may cause the waist to be damaged as the arms are lifted up from a vertical position to the horizontal. [0006] In recent years, it has been recognized that exercising of the psoas major not only improves running ability but can also bring about improvements in overall sports performance. For example, it has been reported that from the results of a cross sectional view of an abdomen taken using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), short distance athletes have a psoas major of a larger cross-sectional area, and there is a high correlation between substantial running ability and the area of the cross-section of the psoas major. Further, it has also been reported that it is easy for middle-aged to older people with a psoas major of a smaller cross-sectional area to become bedridden (Shinya Kuno: "Simple muscle exercise for preventing people from becoming bedridden"), Japan Broadcasting Publishing Co. Ltd., 2002). Working of the psoas major can therefore be confirmed to be important not just for athletes, but for the elderly and the infirm. [0007] Further, it has been reported that the use of "knee/waist same side type actions" is effective as a way of using your body for improving sports performance (Kando Kobayashi: "creating sports actions to increase running performance", Published by Kyorin-Shoin Publishers, 2001). A "knee/waist same side type action" is based on moving the waist of the same side to the front while drawing out your leg to the front. At this time, working of the pelvis, lumbar vertebrae, and the muscles located deep to the abdomen (such as the psoas major and iliacus, together called the iliopsoas) connecting part of the thoracic vertebrae (twelfth thoracic vertebrae) and the thighbone is extremely important. However, study of "knee/waist same side type actions" is difficult depending on the person. [0008] In the related art, with a "hip extension machine" and "hip flexing machine", it is not possible to effectively exercise the muscles located deep to the abdomen such as the psoas major and the iliacus. Further, supplementary exercise and training drills are also employed with the object of strengthening psoas major but exercise equipment capable of effectively working psoas major have yet to be developed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an exercise device capable of effectively working the muscles located deep to the abdomen such as the psoas major and the iliacus. [0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide an exercise device that does not place unnecessary loads on the waist. [0011] The present invention relates to an exercise device where a leg is placed on a swing arm provided so as to be able to swing forwardly and rearwardly via a fulcrum of rotation so that the leg is lifted up forwardly and rearwardly while the swing arm is swung forwardly and rearwardly. The fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm is reciprocally moveable forwardly and rearwardly such that the fulcrum of rotation moves rearwardly when the swing arm swing forwardly and the fulcrum of rotation moves forwardly when the swing arm swings rearwardly. [0012] In a preferred mode, the fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm is coupled to a moveable body capable of reciprocal movement forwardly and rearwardly. Preferably, the exercise device is provided with a forwardly and rearwardly extending guide member, and the moveable body is guided by the guide member so as to move forwardly and rearwardly. [0013] In a preferred mode, swinging of a swing arm and movement of a moving body forwardly and rearwardly are in synchronism. The exercise device is preferably comprised of detecting means for detecting swinging of the swing arm, drive means for moving the moveable body, and control means for controlling movement of the moving body by the drive means based on information from the detecting means. Swinging of the swing arm and forwardly and rearwardly movement of the moveable body are then synchronized as a result of the control means controlling the drive means. The swing arm may also swing via a rotational shaft, with the detecting means detecting the angle and speed of the rotational shaft. [0014] It is also possible to provide load applying means for resisting rotation of the swing arm at the moveable body. As a result, while the fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm moves forwardly and rearwardly, the load applying means therefore does not hinder movement of the fulcrum of rotation. [0015] It is also possible to adjust the position of the fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm in the height direction. In one mode, the guide member is constructed so as to be freely moveable in the height direction. Adjustment of the position in the height direction of the fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm is then carried out by adjusting the height of the guide member guiding the moveable body provided at the fulcrum of rotation. [0016] By adopting a configuration where the rotational shaft of the swing arm moves in a horizontal direction forwardly and rearwardly in line with the angle of rotation of the swing arm, the present invention achieves the following results. First, it is possible to ensure the size of the range of operation of the leg and trunk containing the hip joints, pelvis and thoracic vertebrae. In the event that the fulcrum of rotation of the prior art is fixed, the locus of movement of the swing arm traces a circular arc taking the length of the swing arm as a radius. In this respect, with the apparatus of the present invention, the path of travel of the swing arm can be made to be a U-shape by having the fulcrum of rotation of the swing arm move forwardly and rearwardly in synchronization with swinging of the swing arm forwardly and rearwardly. Giving a more detailed description, according to the exercise device of the present invention, with the swinging of the swing arm forwardly and rearwardly, a pad portion restraining the leg of the user travels along a U-shaped path of travel with the position of a vertical posture being the bottom. As a result of the pad portion traveling along a U-shaped path of travel, an action point (position of the pad) moves at a position relatively close to the body when the leg is raised high. Because of this, there is no localized load on the waist and muscles. It is therefore possible to perform exercise that strengthens the muscular power of the trunk and legs with the leg and waist together. [0017] By performing a forwardly and rearwardly swinging operation of the leg taking the leg and waist together, the exercise device of the present invention is capable of working leg muscles, gluteal muscles such as the musculus gluteus maximus and the musculus gluteus minimums, and the muscles located deep to the abdomen such as the psoas major and the iliacus. According to the device of the present invention, it is possible to effectively strengthen the muscles such as the psoas major and the iliacus by working the leg and the waist at the same time in the same direction. [0018] According to the exercise device of the present invention, it is possible to effectively work the muscle groups of the legs and waist across a broad range of movement centered on the hip joints. It is also possible for not only athletes but frail and elderly people to use this apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] FIG. 1 is a front view of the whole of an exercise device of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the whole of an exercise device of the present invention; [0021] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the whole of an exercise device of the present invention; Continue reading about Exercise device... Full patent description for Exercise device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Exercise device 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. 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