AU2001100625B4

AU2001100625B4 - An exercise device

Info

Publication number: AU2001100625B4
Application number: AU2001100625A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Daniel Frank Paxton
Original assignee: GOLDSCOTT Pty Ltd
Current assignee: GOLDSCOTT Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-10
Filing date: 2001-12-10
Publication date: 2002-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-10
Also published as: WO2003049814A1; AU2001100625A4

Description

AN EXERCISE DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an exercise device and in particular to an exercise device which is directed to the exercise of the abdominal muscles through frictional resistance and which allows a variable degree of resistance through the compression of resilient means.

BACKGROUND ART Exercise machines in general, are well-known. There are a large number of different machines for exercising different muscles of the body.

Devices to exercise the abdominal muscles in particular are also known. One such known device is constructed such that the exerciser lies on the floor in a supine position, with their head and shoulders supported by a padded member. The padded member is attached to two ground bearing members which are circular in shape and are adapted to provide a rocking motion. The exerciser holds the two ground bearing members and utilising their abdominal muscles, rocks their head and shoulders forward and backward within the machine.

These types of machines often place stress on the users lower back and may also stress the user's neck. They are also known to only exercise the upper abdominal muscles and not the lower abdominal muscles. Usually they are constructed to be folded so that they may be stored in a convenient place.

Often the large structural elements must be disassembled or folded. These folding structural elements within the overall device may collapse during vigorous exercise. There is also no means for adjustment in the intensity of the exercise, as it relies only on assisting the natural motion of sitting up.

Also known are the more advanced combination machines. These are designed to provide a cycling element whilst also exercising the abdominal muscles. The user often sits on a cycle-like machine with pedals and grasps a handlebar type assembly. As the pedals are rotated, the handlebar's are moved towards the user's body and away from the user's body by the user.

The seat also moves in an up and down motion, and this combined with the back and forth motion of the handlebars exercises the abdominal muscles.

These more advanced machines also often have folding structural elements to facilitate easy storage of the machine. Also, due to their complexity, they are more expensive to construct. They are load bearing in nature, requiring the user to place their full body weight on the machine, and as such need to be much stronger than the machines used whilst lying on the floor. This requires heavier construction which also impacts on cost and ease of use.

The machines may become heavy and cumbersome and even though they fold, can still be difficult to move.

They also are sometimes fitted with an adjustment mechanism relying on imposing friction upon the joints in the structure or through use of large rubber bands attached to elements which move in opposing directions. The addition of more bands increases the resistance and therefore the exercise intensity.

Often users have difficulty in adjusting the resistance of the device.

They are also prone to both gradual and sudden failure of the rubber bands.

Due to the rubber being placed under cyclic loading and unloading, the rubber degrades and undergoes gradual failure. This decreases the exercise intensity while the user must keep adjusting the device to increase the intensity and so also provides a false representation of the exercise.

If the load placed on the band is larger than its maximum breaking stress, the band undergoes a sudden failure and snaps. This can injure the user.

These devices can also be quite a large when in their use position. They quite often have a size analogous to an exercise cycle.

Exercise machines in the current age are moving more to specificity of exercising muscle groups. This means that an overall abdominal muscle workout cannot be gained without doing more than one exercise on the same machine, or even using separate machines. The need for an overall workout for the abdominals may therefore require multiple machines and/or an extended period of time for the user. Most machines are targeted towards providing an exercise for one muscle or group of muscles only. For example, machines are known to exercise the upper abdominals only and not the external oblique or back muscles. It is well-known that opposing muscle groups should be exercised in order to prevent injury. Therefore exercising only the abdominals and not the back or obliques makes the body more susceptible to an injury.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an exercise device, which may at least partially overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in an exercise device, which has a base member with a raised collar section, resilient means inside the collar, a rotatable upper member receivably located with respect to the collar section, in contact with the resilient means, and spaced from the base member by the resilient means, a gripping member attached to the upper member and adjustment means for adjusting the separation of the base member and the upper member, whereby adjusting the separation compresses or decompresses the resilient means, thereby adjusting the force required to rotate the upper member.

The base member is preferably circular in shape. It will preferably be constructed of a rigid and strong material such as a light metal or engineering plastic. The base member will preferably also be between 15 and 100 cm in diameter.

The base member will preferably be attached to a ground bearing member.

The ground bearing member will preferably be larger than the base member and adapted to allow the user to stand on the ground bearing member with a foot on either side of the base member. The means of attachment to the ground bearing member will preferably be screws or bolts. Suitably, these screws or bolts will not extend beyond the lower surface of the ground bearing member. As such, the lower surface of the ground bearing member shall be substantially flat. The lower surface of the ground bearing member may also preferably be equipped with a grip enhancing profile. This will prevent the exercise device moving once placed upon the ground and the user standing upon it.

The ground bearing member will preferably be between 1 mm and 5 cm in height, but may be any height which will position the exercise device at a usable height.

The raised collar section of the base member will preferably be substantially cylindrical. The height of the raised collar section will preferably be between 3 and 50 cm. Preferably the height of the raised collar section will be less than the height of the resilient means. This will allow adjustment and compression of the resilient means.

The base member will also preferably have a raised portion inside the raised collar section. This raised portion will preferably be of smaller diameter than the raised collar section, and so together they define an annular portion in which the resilient means are located. The raised portion will preferably be solid. The raised portion may also suitably be a second collar. The raised portion will preferably be circular in shape to match the shape of the raised collar portion.

Extending in an orthogonal direction to the base member, from the centre of the raised collar section will preferably be at least one elongate upright member for the attachment of the upper member. This elongate upright member will preferably have a threaded portion. The elongate upright member will suitably be between 2 and 50 cm in length. It will suitably be constructed of metal in order to provide strength. The elongate upright member will preferably extend above the upper member.

The resilient means will preferably be spherical in shape. They may suitably be balls. One example of a suitable resilient means is a tennis ball.

Preferably there shall be a number of spherical resilient means disposed within the raised collar portion of the base member and maintained in location by the second raised portion. There will preferably be between 3 and 30 balls disposed within the raised collar portion, which will provide an even distribution of the upper member.

The resilient means will preferably be disposed evenly around the base member. The resilient means will preferably have a smooth outer shell, but may also be provided with a grip enhancing profile to increase the resistance to movement.

The upper member shall preferably also be circular. It will suitably be of similar diameter to the base member and also of similar thickness. The upper member shall preferably have a hole for receiving of the elongate upright member attached to the base member. This hole will preferably be in the centre of the upper member. The hole itself will preferably not be internally threaded. The diameter of the hole will be slightly larger than the diameter of the elongate upright member which it receives.

The hole may also preferably be fitted with a bearing member. The bearing member will preferably be a journal bearing which supports the upper part of the elongate upright member and allows rotation with reduced friction from the elongate upright member. This bearing will also preferably prevent enlargement of the hole in the upper member.

The lower side of the upper member will preferably have an enlarged portion extending downwards from the lower side and will contact with the resilient means. This enlarged portion will act to space the top member from the raised collar portion of the base member. The enlarged portion will rest upon the resilient means and have a height sufficient to provide clearance between the raised collar portion of the base member and the upper member.

The upper member will preferably be formed in one piece. It will also preferably be solid. It will suitably be manufactured of a light yet strong material preferably a light metal or engineering plastic.

The gripping member is preferably a cylindrical member. The gripping member will preferably be between 5 cm and 80 cm in length. Its diameter will preferably be between 1 cm and 15 cm. It will be manufactured preferably of a light metal or engineering plastic.

The gripping member will preferably be attached to an attaching module, which is in turn attached to the circumference of the upper member. The gripping member will preferably extend in an orthogonal direction from the surface of the upper member. The gripping member will preferably be attached to the upper member in such a way as to allow rotation of the gripping member around its central axis. The gripping member will preferably be hollow for lightness but also be strong enough to undergo rotational force applied by the user.

The gripping member will preferably be attached to the upper member by an attaching module. The gripping member will preferably have an elongate portion at its lower end adapted to engage with the attaching module.

The attaching module shall preferably comprise a first attaching member attached to the circumference of the upper member having an internally threaded hole, a second attaching member extending in the same direction as the elongate upright member attached to the base member, a first elongate member extending through the second attaching member and also through a lower elongate portion of the gripping member, whereby the gripping member may pivot with respect to the second attaching member, and a second elongate member extending through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member having a threaded portion adapted to engage with the internally threaded hole of the first attaching member attached to the circumference of the upper member.

The first attaching member will preferably be a strip shaped member, attached to the circumference of the upper member with screws.

The second attaching member will preferably be attached to the first attaching member, and shall extend in the same direction as the elongate upright member attached to the base member. This direction will generally be vertical, but may be another direction depending on the orientation of the device.

The second attaching member may preferably be a hollow member, or a Ushaped, three sided member. The member is so shaped to engage with the elongate portion at the lower end of the gripping member.

The first elongate member extending through the second attaching member and also the lower elongate portion of the gripping member, preferably acts to fix the two members together, but still allow pivotal movement. The pivotal movement of the gripping member is between a first use position and a second stowed position. The first elongate member is preferably a bolt or other member adapted to pass through both members.

The second elongate member shall preferably have a first end and a second end. The second elongate member shall extend through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first elongate member. It shall preferably engage with the internally threaded hole on the first attaching member. Therefore it shall preferably also have a threaded portion located towards the first end. The second end of the second elongate member shall preferably be fitted with a grip enhancing means for screwing the threaded portion into the hole on the first attaching member.

This grip enhancing means will preferably be a turn knob. The turn knob shall preferably be manufactured of plastic.

The second elongate member will preferably act to fix the gripping member in the use position by engaging with the internally threaded hole on the first attaching member. Operation of the turn knob fixed to the second end of the second elongate member will threadingly attach the second elongate member to the internally threaded hole on the first attaching member, and therefore fix the gripping member in its use position.

The adjustment means is preferably located on the at least one elongate upright member extending from the base member. There will preferably be only the one elongate upright member extending from the base member, and it shall preferably have a threaded portion on the end furthest from the base member.

The adjustment means will preferably be a nut-like member and have an internally threaded section to engage with the threaded portion of the elongate upright member extending from the base member. The nut-like member will preferably have a handle attached to it, in order to allow the user to easily adjust the separation of the upper member and of the base member. The handle will be designed so that it can be easily manipulated by hand.

The nut-like member will preferably be located above the upper member.

This will allow the user to screw the nut along the elongate upright member and thus force the upper member will downwards towards the base member.

This will compress the resilient means, and add resistance to the rotation of the gripping member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the device in use with the gripping member in the first use position, and showing the preferred feature of the ground bearing member attached to the base member and possible directions of rotation.

Figure 2 is an elevation view of the invention showing the attaching module, the ground bearing member, the adjusting member and the gripping member.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the invention with the upper member removed to show the resilient means.

Figure 4 is an elevation view of the upper member, removed from the device.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the invention showing possible directions of rotation.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the underside of the upper member showing the journal bearing and the enlarged portion to contact the resilient means.

Figure 7 is an elevation view showing the gripping member in the second stowed position.

Figure 8 is a close-up view of the attaching member and the lower elongate portion of the gripping member.

BEST MODE The exercise device 10 shown in use in Figure 1, has a base member 12 with a raised collar section 19, resilient means 20 inside the collar section 19, an upper member 13 receivably located with respect to the collar section 19, in contact with the resilient means 20, and spaced from the base member 12 by the resilient means 20, a gripping member 14 attached to the upper member 13 and adjustment means 16 for adjusting the separation of the base member 12 and that the upper member 13, whereby adjusting the separation compresses or decompresses the resilient means The base member 12 is circular in shape. It is constructed of a rigid and strong material such as engineering plastic. The base member 12 shown is approximately 40-45 cm in diameter.

The base member 12 is attached to a ground bearing member or foot plate 11. The foot plate 11 is larger than the base member 12 and adapted to allow the user to stand on the foot plate 11 with a foot on either side of the base member 12. The foot plate 11 is attached to the base member 12 using screws. Suitably, these screws will not extend beyond the lower surface of the foot plate 11. As such, the lower surface of the foot plate 11 is substantially flat. The lower surface of the foot plate 11 may also be equipped with grip pads. This will prevent the exercise device moving once placed upon the ground and the user standing upon it.

The foot plate 11 shown in Figure 1 is approximately 2 cm thick to provide strength, but also be relatively light.

The raised collar section 19 of the base member 12 is substantially cylindrical.

The height of the raised collar section 19 shown is less than that of the height of the resilient means 20, and is 5-10 cm in the illustrated embodiment. This will allow adjustment and compression of the resilient means The base member 12 also has a raised portion 21 inside the raised collar section 19. This raised portion 21 is of smaller diameter than the raised collar section 19, and so together they define an annular portion in which the resilient means 20 are located. The raised portion 21 is solid. The raised portion 21 could also be a second collar. The raised portion 21 is circular in shape to match the shape of the raised collar portion 19.

Extending in an orthogonal direction to the base member 12, from the centre of the raised collar section 21 is an elongate upright member 22 for the attachment of the upper member 13. This elongate upright member 22 will have a threaded portion. The elongate upright member 22 is between 5 and 30 cm in length. It is constructed of metal in order to provide strength. The elongate upright member 22 extends above the upper member 13.

The resilient means 20 are spherical in shape. The resilient means employed in the present embodiment are tennis balls. There are a number of spherical resilient means 20 disposed within the raised collar portion 19 of the base member 12 and are maintained in location by the second raised portion 21. There will be between 3 and 30 balls disposed within the raised collar portion 19, which will provide an even distribution of the upper member 13. In the drawings, ten balls are used.

The resilient means 20 are disposed evenly around the base member 12.

The resilient means 20 may have a smooth outer shell, but are shown provided with a grip enhancing profile to increase the resistance to movement.

The upper member 13 is also circular. It will be of similar diameter to the base member 12 and also of similar thickness. The upper member 13 has a hole 24 for receiving the elongate upright member 22 attached to the base member 12. This hole 24 is in the centre of the upper member 13. The hole 24 itself is not internally threaded. The diameter of the hole 24 is slightly larger than the diameter of the elongate upright member 22 which it receives.

The hole 24 is also fitted with a bearing member. The bearing member is a journal bearing 27 which supports the upper part of the elongate upright member 22 and allows rotation of the upper member with reduced friction from the elongate upright member 22. This bearing 27 will also prevent enlargement of the hole 24 in the upper member 13.

The lower side of the upper member 13 has an enlarged portion 23 extending downwards from the lower side and will contact with the resilient means This enlarged portion 23 acts to space the top member 13 from the raised collar portion 19 of the base member 12. The enlarged portion 23 rests upon the resilient means 20 and has a height sufficient to provide clearance between the raised collar portion 19 of the base member 12 and the upper member 13.

The upper member 13 is formed in one piece. It is also solid. It is manufactured of a light yet strong material preferably engineering plastic.

The gripping member 14 is a cylindrical member. The gripping member 14 is between 5 cm and 80 cm in length. The gripping member 14 diameter is between 1 cm and 15 cm to facilitate grasping with hands. It is manufactured of a light metal.

The gripping member 14 is attached to the attaching module 15, which is in turn attached to the circumference of the upper member 13. The gripping member 14 extends in an orthogonal direction to the circular surface of the upper member 13. The gripping member 14 is attached to the attaching module 15 in such a way as to allow rotation of the gripping member 14 around its central axis. The gripping member 14 is hollow for lightness but also is strong enough to undergo rotational force applied by the user.

The gripping member 14 is attached to the upper member 13 by an attaching module 15. The gripping member 14 has an elongate portion 18 at its lower end adapted to engage with the attaching module The attaching module 15 comprises a first attaching member 25 attached to the circumference of the upper member 13 having an internally threaded hole a second attaching member 26 extending in the same direction as the elongate upright member 22 attached to the base member 12, a first elongate member 28 extending through the second attaching member 26 and also through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member 18, whereby the gripping member 14 may pivot with respect to the second attaching member 26, and a second elongate member 29 extending through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member 18 having a threaded portion adapted to engage with the internally threaded hole 30 of the first attaching member attached to the circumference of the upper member 13.

The first attaching member 25 is a strip shaped member, attached to the circumference of the upper member 13 with screws.

The second attaching member 26 is attached (welded) to the first attaching member 25, and shall extend in the same direction as the elongate upright member 22 attached to the base member 12. This direction will generally be vertical, but may be another direction depending on the orientation of the device.

The second attaching member 26 is a U-shaped, three sided member. The second attaching member 26 is so shaped to engage with the elongate portion at the lower end of the gripping member 18.

The first elongate member 28 extends through the second attaching member 26 and also the lower elongate portion of the gripping member 18 acts to fix the two members together, but still allows pivotal movement. The pivotal movement of the gripping member 14 is between a first use position and a second stowed position. The first elongate member 28 is a bolt or other member adapted to pass through both members.

The second elongate member 29 has a first end and a second end. The second elongate member 29 extends through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member 18 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first elongate member 28. It engages with the internally threaded hole 30 on the first attaching member 25. Therefore it also has a threaded portion located towards the first end. The second end of the second elongate member 29 is fitted with a grip enhancing means or turn knob 17 for screwing the threaded portion into the internally threaded hole 30 on the first attaching member The turn knob 17 is manufactured of plastic.

The second elongate member 29 will act to fix the gripping member 14 in the use position by engaging with the internally threaded hole 30 on the first attaching member 25. Operation of the turn knob 17 fixed to the second end of the second elongate member 29 will threadingly attach the second elongate member 29 to the internally threaded hole 30 on the first attaching member and therefore fix the gripping member 14 in its use position.

The adjustment means 16 is located on the upper end of the elongate upright member 22 extending from the base member 12. There is only the one elongate upright member 22 extending from the base member 12, and it has a threaded portion on the end furthest from the base member 12.

The adjustment means 16 is a nut-like member and has an internally threaded section to engage with the threaded portion of the elongate upright member 22 extending from the base member 12. The nut-like member has a handle attached to it, in order to allow the user to easily adjust the separation of the upper member 13 and the base member 12. The handle is designed so that it can be easily manipulated by hand.

The nut-like member is obviously located above the upper member 13. This allows the user to screw the nut along the elongate upright member 22 and thus force the upper member 13 will downwards towards the base member 12. This will compress the resilient means 20, and add resistance to the rotation of the gripping member 14.

In use, the gripping member 14 is grasped by the user and rotated around the elongate upright member 22, against the frictional resistance provided by the compressed resilient means 20. The degree to which the resilient means are compressed determines the degree of resistance provided.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the 13 means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising a base member with a raised collar section, resilient means inside the collar, a rotatable upper member receivably located with respect to the collar section, in contact with the resilient means, and spaced from the base member by the resilient means, a gripping member attached to the upper member and adjustment means for adjusting the separation of the base member and the upper member, whereby adjusting the separation compresses or decompresses the resilient means, thereby adjusting the force required to rotate the upper member.

2. The exercise devise as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an attaching module attaching the gripping member to the circumference of the upper member wherein the attaching module comprises a first attaching member attached to the circumference of the upper member having an internally threaded hole, a second attaching member extending in the same direction as the elongate upright member attached to the base member, a first elongate member extending through the second attaching member and also through a lower elongate portion of the gripping member, whereby the gripping member may pivot with respect to the second attaching member, and a second elongate member extending through the lower elongate portion of the gripping member having a threaded portion adapted to engage with the internally threaded hole of the first attaching member attached to the circumference of the upper member.

3. The exercise device as claimed in either claim 1 or 2 wherein the base member is operatively associated with a ground bearing member.

4. An exercise device comprising a circular base member with a raised circular collar section, having a centrally located elongate member extending in a perpendicular direction from the base member, resilient means inside the collar, a circular upper member receivably located with respect to the collar section on the centrally located elongate member, the upper member in contact with the resilient means, and spaced from the base member by the resilient means, a gripping member attached to the upper member, whereby rotating the gripping member around the centrally located elongate member also rotates the upper member against the frictional resistance provided by the base member, resilient means and the raised collar section, and adjustment means, threadingly attached to the centrally located elongate member for adjusting the separation of the base member and the upper member, whereby adjusting the separation of the base member and the upper member compresses or decompresses the resilient means which adjusts the frictional resistance. An exercise device substantially as described with reference to the attached drawings. Dated this 10 th day of December 2001 Goldscott Pty Ltd By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.