Fitness machine

Title: Fitness machine

Related Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor

Fitness machine description/claims

The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060211546, Fitness machine.

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to machines for physical therapy and athletic training, and more particularly to a fitness machine for performing linearly spiral rotation of joint-stretching action or diagonally spiral rotation of multi-joint-stretching action.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Proprioceptive Neuromuscular of Facilitation (PNF) is a type of flexibility exercise, i.e., the combination of muscle contraction and relaxation with passive and partner-assisted stretching. This technique has received considerable attention in physical therapy to help functional recovery of the brain of a patient suffering from brain vessel obstruction. Under the assistance of a medically professional person, like a physiotherapist or chiropodist, the four limbs of the patient are stretched linearly spirally, or diagonally spirally.

[0005] Usually, the assistance of a partner (physiotherapist) is required while performing PNF. This limitation produces a barrier to popularization of PNF flexibility exercise. Further, the different experience of different partner will also affect the result of PNF flexibility exercise done on a patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention has been accomplished to provide a fitness machine that eliminates the drawbacks of conventional isometric flexibility exercise and training. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a fitness machine, which is based on the concept of PNF flexibility exercise for enabling the user to perform different free-angle spiral rotation actions on the floor or under water to improve the strength of the body and Activities Daily of Living (ADL).

[0007] To achieve the foregoing objects of the present invention, the fitness machine is comprised of a framework, a swinging device having a first rod member pivoted to the framework and a second rod member coupled to the first rod member, a transmission mechanism having a driving device and a driven device, and an operating device coupled to the driven device for rotation driven by the driven device. The driving device and the driven device are respectively movably coupled to the first and second rod members of the swinging device, such that the driving device drives the driven device to rotate while the swinging device is turned relatively to the framework. Therefore, the user can operate the fitness machine without the assistance of any of medical professional personals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a partial top view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic drawings of a part of the fitness machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device is turned toward the rear side.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device is turned toward the rear side.

[0015] FIG. 9 is a partial top view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device is turned toward the front side.

[0016] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 11 is a partial front view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 12 is a partial side view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 13 is a partial top view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 14 is a partial side view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device is turned toward the front side.

[0021] FIG. 15 is a partial top view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device is turned toward the front side.

[0022] FIG. 16 is a partial top view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing that the operating device turned toward the front side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a fitness machine 10 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a framework 12, a swinging device 14, a transmission mechanism 16, and an operating device 18.

[0024] The framework 12 includes a base 20 having two pairs of diagonal corners, a first frame 22 extending upwards from one pair of the diagonal corners, a second frame 24 extending upwards from the other pair of the diagonal corners, a crossbar 28 horizontally connected between two ends of the first frame 22 and spaced over the base 20 for holding by the user, a sleeve 30 adjustably mounted to the second frame 24, and a locating block 32 axially perpendicular to the sleeve 30 and having a bevel gear 34 formed at its one side. Further, the first frame 22 and the second frame 24 respectively have top sides crossing each other.

[0025] The swinging device 14 includes a first rod member 36, a second rod member 38 perpendicularly extending from a bottom end of the first rod member 36, and an axle 40 extending outwards from the second frame 24 and through the locating block 32 and pivotally connected with a top end of the first rod member 36 and the sleeve 30, and a weight 41 fastened to the top end of the first rod member 36 and spaced over the axle 40 for balancing the weight of the part of the swinging device 14 below the axle 40. Because the first rod member 36 is pivotally connected to the sleeve 30 at the framework 12, the swinging device 14 is free to swing back and forth like a pendulum.

[0026] The transmission mechanism 16 includes a driving device 42 and a driven device 44. The driving device 42 has a main tube 46 sleeved onto the first rod member 36, a first bevel gear 48 fixedly provided at an end of the main tube 46 and meshed with the bevel gear 34 of the locating block 32, and a second bevel gear 49 fixedly provided at the other end of the main tube 46. The driven device 44 includes an auxiliary tube 50 sleeved onto the second rod member 38 of the swinging device 14, a first bevel gear 52 fixedly provided at an end of the auxiliary tube 50 and meshed with the second bevel gear 49 of the driving device 42, and a second bevel gear 53 fixedly provided at the other end of the auxiliary tube 50. Therefore, rotating the main tube 46 on the first rod member 36 causes the auxiliary tube 50 to rotate on the second rod member 38.

[0027] The operating device 18 is comprised of a grip 54, a bevel gear 56, and a link 58. The bevel gear 56 is provided at a bottom side of the grip 54 and meshed with the second bevel gear 53 of the driven device 44. The link 58 has two eyelets 60,61 respectively formed at two distal ends thereof and axially arranged in parallel and respectively coupled to the main tube 46 and the bevel gear 56, and a coupling ring 62 fixedly provided at a bottom side thereof and coupled to the auxiliary tube 50. The link 58 keeps the grip 54 in upright position. When the auxiliary tube 50 is rotated on the second rod member 38, the grip 54 is jointly rotated.

[0028] When in use, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the user stands on the base 20 and holds the grip 54 with one hand and then has the shoulder joint to exert force and to move the hand toward the front side of the body. Meanwhile, the swinging device 14 is turned relatively to the second frame 24, the driving device 42 is rotated by means of the mesh between the two bevel gears 48,34 and the driven device 44 is forced by the bevel gear 49 to rotate on its own axis. During rotation of the driven device 44, the second bevel gear 53 of the driven device 44 drives the grip 54 of the operating device 18 to rotate, and therefore the wrist joint of the user is turned jointly with the grip 54 in a predetermined direction. When the user moves the hand toward the rear side of the body as shown in FIG. 9, the swinging device 14 is turned again to cause the rotation of the driving device 42, and therefore the driven device 44 and the grip 54 are moved to turn the wrist joint in the reversed direction.

[0029] FIGS. 10-13 show the fitness machine 70 constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention for training the hip joint and the ankle joint of the user. As illustrated, the fitness machine 70 is comprised of a framework 72, a swinging device 74, a transmission mechanism 76, and an operating device 78. The swinging device 74 has an end coupled to the framework 72. The driving device 80 of the transmission mechanism 76 is sleeved onto the first member 82 of the swinging device 74. The driven device 84 is sleeved onto the second member 86 of the swinging device 74. When turning the swinging device 74 relatively to the framework 72, the driving device 80 is forced to rotate the driven device 84. This second preferred embodiment is different from the aforementioned embodiment by that the framework 72 is provided with two pedals 87 for pedaling by the user; the operating device 78 includes a receptacle 88, which is pivoted to an outer end of the second member 86 of the swinging device 74 for receiving the foot; the operating device 78 is coupled to the driven device 84 through a bevel gear 90 such that rotating the drive member 80 causes the driven member 84 to rotate the operating device 78. During the operation of this second preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 14-16, the user has one foot rested on one foot pedal 87 and the other foot rested on the receptacle 88, and then the user has the hip joint to swing the leg back and forth, thereby causing the operating device 78 to move the ankle joint alternately between two positions.

[0030] As indicated above, by means of the swinging device and the transmission device to form a multi-angle motion mechanism, the present invention provides the fitness machine for operation by the user to exercise the arms or the legs in a spiral manner, thereby achieving the following advantages:

[0031] 1. The fitness machine enables the user to train the flexibility and strength of every joint of the body by oneself without assistance of a partner to further improve the health.

[0032] 2. The fitness machine enables the user to stretch the arms or the legs accurately, achieving the desired exercising effect without special training.

[0033] 3. The present invention allows one professional person to train multiple users at the same time.

[0034] 4. The present invention helps the user to maintain and improve (ADL) (Activities Daily of Living).

[0035] 5. The fitness machine can effectively avoid, improve, rehabilitate the patient from joint-concerned illness, wherein the rehabilitation includes (a) walking function maintenance to improve the exercise of walking in water for the patient, (b) preventing the user from joint deformation illness and rehabilitate the user from the surgery of cruciate ligament, and (c) preventing the user from waist ache, shoulder ache, or periarthritis of shoulder.

[0036] 6. The fitness machine is practical for training athletes.

[0037] More particularly, the present invention can be placed in water for enabling the user to operate the machine in water. By means of hydraulic force, every individual user receives the desired load. The buoyancy of water supports the weight of the arm, enabling the user to exercise stretching comfortably and happily. Further, when operating the fitness machine, the user needs to counterweigh the hydraulic pressure of water. When accurate and skillful action is done, everyone can achieve the desired training effectiveness.

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims

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Industry Class:
Exercise devices

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