AU2013100004A4 - An exerciser - Google Patents

Abstract

An exercise device comprising a base frame lying on an underlying surface for supporting a first part of a user's body; a back frame pivotally mounted to the base 5 frame for supporting a second part of a user's body, wherein the back frame is operable to pivot in relation to the base frame between a substantially recumbent position and a substantially more upright position; a seat is mounted on the base frame for receiving the user in a seated position, wherein the seat is mounted for rotation on the base frame. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU

Description

-2 TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to the field of exercise devices, and in particular, to a new and useful abdominal exerciser with a seat and a back supporting 5 structure. A wide variety of exercise devices and techniques are known for exercising the muscles of the stomach and back. Of these, the most common is the sit-up or crunch which, however is also known to place adverse pressure on the back and neck muscles. 10 U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,171 and D581,471, which are both incorporated here by reference, disclose an abdominal exerciser co-invented by the inventors of the subject application. While effective for exercising the muscles of the stomach and back, the subject application discloses improvements that have been discovered as a result of use and 15 understanding of the dynamics of the inventors' previous device. A need thus still remains for further improvements in abdominal exercise devices which enhance the exercising of the stomach and back muscles while avoiding adverse pressure on the back and neck muscles. 20 The above references to the background art do not constitute an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. The above references are also not intended to limit the application of the apparatus and method as disclosed herein. 25 SUMMARY Disclosed herein is an exercise device. The device comprises a base frame for lying on an underlying surface and for supporting a first part of a user's body. The device also 30 comprises a back frame pivotally mounted to the base frame for supporting a second part of a user's body. The back frame is operable to pivot in relation to the base frame between a substantially recumbent position and a substantially more upright position. A 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 3 seat is mounted on the base frame for receiving the user in a seated position, wherein the seat is mounted for rotation on the base frame. In an embodiment, the seat may be operatively connected with the base frame by a 5 mounting mechanism that provides a rotation journal positioned at a location spaced from a rear end of the seat by between about 30% and about 42% of the distance between a forward end and the rear end of the seat. The axis of rotation of the journal may substantially align with a user's coccyx/spine. 10 In an embodiment, the exercise device may further comprise a first arm extending from a first lateral side of the base frame and a second arm extending from a second lateral side of the base frame. Each arm may include a U-shaped handhold lying in a plane that extends at an acute angle to the horizontal. The handholds on opposite sides of the base frame may extend outwardly from each other. The outwardly extending arms can 15 increase available room for a user and can also improve access to handholds by the user sitting on the seat. In an embodiment, the exercise device may further comprise a locking mechanism to lock the seat in a non-rotating position. 20 Also disclosed is an abdominal exercise device comprising a base frame for lying in a horizontal plane on the floor, the base frame having a pair of side members; a back frame having a pair of side members pivotally mounted near respective rear ends of the side members of the base frame for movement between a forward upright position and a 25 rearward recumbent position, a plurality of back cushions connected between and spaced along the side members of the back frame, a seat comprising a seat cushion mounted to the base frame; an arm detachably connected to each side member of the base frame and on opposite sides of the seat cushion; a pair of side-by-side tandem pulleys mounted for rotation at each side member of the base frame near a rear end of 30 the base frame; a pair of tension springs connected between the base frame and the back frame side members on each side of the base and back frames for biasing the back 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 4 frame toward the forward upright position; and a resilient sleeve covering each spring, each resilient sleeve engaged with one of the pulleys. Also disclosed is an abdominal exerciser that has a base frame, a back frame pivotally 5 mounted near a rear end of the base frame for movement between upright and recumbent positions, at least one back cushion connected to the back frame for supporting a user's back, a seat frame mounted for rotation on the base frame and a seat cushion fixed to the seat frame on which a user sits. A low friction journal bushing with a journal post rotatably mounted therein, is operatively connected between the base and 10 seat frames for supporting the weight of the user. The bushing and post are about 30% to about 42% of the distance from a rear end of the seat cushion to the front end of the seat cushion so that the user's coccyx is substantially vertically aligned with the bushing and post when the user sits on the seat cushion and his or her back is resting against the back cushion. Arms at each side of the base frame have a pair of extensions connected 15 to either the base or seat frame. Each arm has a U-shaped handhold lying in a plane extending at an acute angle of about 30 to about 80 degrees to the horizontal plane. A pair of pulleys is mounted for rotation near a rear end of the base frame and engages springs with resilient sleeves thereover, the springs being connected between the base and back frames for biasing the back frame toward the upright position. 20 Also disclosed is an abdominal exercise device that comprises: a base frame for lying in a horizontal plane on the floor, the base frame having a pair of side members and a cross member connected between the side members of the base frame; a back frame having a pair of side members pivotally mounted near respective rear ends of the 25 respective side members of the base frame for movement between a forward upright position and a rearward recumbent position; a plurality of back cushions connected between and spaced along the side members of the back frame; an H-shaped seat frame having front and rear members and a cross member connected between the front and rear members; a seat cushion fixed to the seat frame and resting on the front, rear and 30 cross members of the seat frame, the seat cushion having a front end and a rear end; a low friction journal bushing having a vertically extending bore and being connected to the cross member of one of the base and seat frames; a journal post connected to the 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 5 cross member of the other of the base and seat frames and received for rotation in the low friction journal bushing so that the seat cushion may rotate with respect to the base frame, a support area of the cross member around the journal post and to which the journal post is connected, being in weight-bearing contact with the low friction journal 5 bushing for supporting the weight of a user sitting on the seat cushion, the location of the low friction journal bushing and the journal post received therein, being from about 30% to about 42% of the distance from the rear end of the seat cushion to the front end of the seat cushion so that when a user is sitting on the seat cushion with the users back against the back cushions, the coccyx of the user is substantially vertically aligned with 10 the low friction journal bushing and journal post received therein; an arm at each side of the base frame, each arm having a pair of extensions connected to one of the base frame and the seat frame, each arm including a U-shaped handhold lying in a plane that extends at an acute angle of about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees to the horizontal plane, with the handholds of the arms on opposite sides of the base frame extending 15 outwardly from each other for increasing available room for a user sitting on the seat cushion, and access to the handholds by the user; a pulley mounted for rotation at each side of the base frame near a rear end of the base frame; a tension spring connected between the base frame and the back frame side members for biasing the back frame toward the forward upright position; and a resilient sleeve covering each spring, each 20 resilient sleeve being engaged with one of the pulleys. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the apparatus and 25 method as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a side, front, top perspective view of an embodiment of an abdominal exercise device, in an upright forward and ready position awaiting use by a user for exercising 30 the user's abdominal and back muscles; FIG. 2 is a view of the device similar to FIG. 1 but with the back frame and cushions 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 6 moved from an upright forward position toward a rearward recumbent position for exercising the back muscles of a user (not shown) sitting on the device; HG. 3 is a view of the device similar to FIG. 2 with the back frame and cushions 5 moved toward the recumbent position and with a seat frame and cushion of the device rotated to an extreme left position for further exercising the side muscles of the users abdomen; HG. 4 is a view of the device similar to FIG. 3 but with the seat frame and cushion 10 rotated to an extreme right position for further exercising the side muscles of the users abdomen; HG. 5 is a front elevational and slightly perspective view of the device for illustrating the non-perpendicular, angled extension of U-shaded handholds of arms of the device, 15 for improved room on the seat cushion and improved access to the handholds; HG. 6 is a side elevational and slightly perspective view of the device showing a user sitting on the seat cushion to illustrate the location of a low friction, weight-bearing journal of the device and its vertical alignment with the base of the user's spine; 20 HG. 7 is a top plan view of the device that better illustrates the position of the journal with respect to front and rear ends of the seat cushion; HG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the abdominal exercise device; 25 HG. 9 is a top perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the device with the arms fixed to the seat frame rather than to the base frame; HG. 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of a locking pin for holding the seat frame 30 in a non-rotatable position of the base frame; 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 7 FIG. 11 is an enlarged, exploded, sectional view of the journal area of the device; and 5 FIG. 12 is a partial, rear, perspective view of a further abdominal exercise device embodiment with tandem pulleys and resilient sleeve covered springs for each side of the base and back frames plus a safety band for covering the pulleys and springs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 10 Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements, FIGS. 1 and 8 illustrate an abdominal exercise device 10 that comprises a base frame 12 for lying in a horizontal plane on the floor, the base frame having a pair of side members 12a and 12b and a cross member 12c connected, e.g. by 15 welding, between the side members of the base frame. Members 12a, 12b and 12c and preferably square of rectangular cross-sectioned metal tubes. A back frame 14 having a pair of side members 14a and 14b is pivotally mounted on a pair of ears 13 at the top of, and near respective rear ends of the side members 12a and 12b of the base frame for movement between a forward upright position shown in FIG. 1, and a rearward 20 recumbent position shown in FIG. 2. A bolt 15 extends through aligned holes in the pair of ears 13 on each side of base frame 12, to hold back frame side members 14a, 14b to the base frame, and to form the axle for one or two pulleys 60 mounted for rotation to each side of the base frame 12. A plurality of back cushions 20, each in the form of a rotatable foam rubber roller, are connected between and spaced along the side members 25 14a and 14b of the back frame 14. The lowest roller cushion 20 is mounted for rotation on the same axis on which the opposite bolts 15 extend. An H-shaped seat frame 16 having front and rear members 16a and 16b, has a cross member 16c that is connected, e.g. by welding, between the front and rear members. A 30 padded seat cushion 30 is fixed to the seat frame 16 and resting on the front, rear and cross members of the seat frame. The seat cushion has a front end 30a and a rear end 30b. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 8 A low friction journal bushing 40, shown also in FIG. 11, is made for example from low friction nylon, has a vertically extending bore 40a and is fixed to the cross member 12c, e.g. by extending through a bore in the cross member and by having a small lower 5 flange ring 40a and a large upper flange ring 40b. The upper flange ring 40b has a broad flat upper annular bearing surface. A journal post 42 is connected, e.g. by welding, to the cross member 16c of the seat frame 16 and is received for rotation in the low friction journal bushing bore 40a so that the seat cushion 30 may rotate with respect to the base frame 12. 10 A support area of the seat frame cross member 16c that is immediately around the journal post 42, is in weight-bearing contact with the upper surface of the upper flange 14b of low friction journal bushing 40, for supporting all of the weight of a user 100 sitting on the seat cushion as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 7, The location of the 15 low friction journal bushing 40 and the journal post 42 received therein, is a distance C from the rear end 30b of the seat cushion 30, that is from about 30% to about 42% (preferable about 33 to 39%) of the total distance B from the rear end 30b of the seat cushion to the front end 30a of the seat cushion 30. Because of this important placement of the rotation journal for the seat frame 16 and its cushion 30, when a user 100 is 20 sitting on the seat cushion 30 with the user's back against the back cushions 20, the user's coccyx at the lower end of his or her spine 102, is substantially vertically aligned with the low friction journal bushing 40 and journal post 42 received therein, as shown by the arrow X in FIG. 6. In this way virtually all the user's weight is centered on the upper surface of the bushing flange 40b so that no other weight bearing mechanism is 25 needed for allowing free and easy rotation of the seat cushion 30 on the base frame 12. In the embodiment shown, for example, the dimension of distant C is about 4 inches for a total front to back dimension B of about 11 inches for seat cushion 30. The same weight-bearing function would be achieved in the alternate embodiment of 30 the invention where the bushing 40 is mounted to the cross member 16c of the seat frame 16 and the post 42 is mounted to the cross member 12c of the base frame 12. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 9 An arm 50 is also provided at each side of the base frame 12, each arm having a pair of extensions 50a and 50b that are detachably connected to side tubes 12d and 12e extending from the side members 12a and 12b of base frame 12. As best shown in 5 FIGS. 5 and 8, the side tubes 12e are circular cross sectioned metal tubes welded to the outside surfaces of side member 12a and 12b, while side tubes 12d are actually the sideways opposite extensions of a front member, circular cross sectioned metal tube of base frame 12, welded to and across the front ends of the side members 12a and 12b. 10 Each arm 50 includes a U-shaped handhold 50c best shown in FIG. 5, to lie in a plane that extends at an acute angle A of about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees to the horizontal plane with the handholds 50c of the arms 50 on opposite sides of the base frame extending outwardly from each other for increasing available room for a user sitting on the seat cushion 30, and provided better access to the handholds by the user's 15 hands. The even more preferred range of angle A is about 50 to 70 degrees. Detachable connection of the arms 50 to the base frame 12 is achieved by having the round cross sectioned tubes making arm extensions 50a and 50b, smaller in diameter than the round cross sectioned tubes making base frame extensions 12d and 12e, so that the arm tubes fit inside the base frame tubes. Locking of the arms 50 in position on opposite sides of 20 base frame 12 is achieved by a pair of outwardly spring-loaded hemispheres 50d near the inside ends of front extensions 50a, that snap into opposite holes 12h near the end of the base frame extensions 12d. No separated locking is needed for the rear extensions 50b. 25 In this embodiment the arms 50 are fixed to the base frame 12 and the user can hold the arms at the handholds 50c to help rotate the user's waist and thus rotate the seat cushion 30 on the base frame while cycling the back frame 14 between the upright and recumbent positions to target the side muscles of the user's abdomen. In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, arm extensions 50a and 50b are 30 detachably connected to the opposite tubular ends of the front and rear members 16a, 16b of the seat frame 16, so that the arms 50 rotate with the seat cushion 30 for a different set of exercise dynamics. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 10 In order to lock seat frame 16 and its cushion 30 in a centered and non-rotating position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rear seat frame member 16b has one tubular end 16d that projects beyond the seat cushion 30 and has a vertical locking hole that aligns with a 5 vertical locking hole 12j that is in the rear arm extension 50b but may alternatively be in the rear base frame extension 12 in the embodiment of FIG. 8, but especially when the arms are connected to the seat frame in the embodiment of FIG. 9. A locking pin 70 having a shaft 70a and a ball handle 70b has its shaft 70a inserted into the aligned locking holes to lock the seat frame in place. As best shown in FIG. 10, an annular 10 groove 70c near the top end of shaft 70a resists accidental withdrawal of the locking pin 70 as the user exercises by catching the sheet metal material of the hollow tubes making up the seat and base frames at the locking holes. By the action of gravity and with the help of the extra weight of ball handle 70a, the pin 70 is randomly cause to fall back into its locked position rather than being pushed out of the locking holes during an 15 exercise session. With the locking pin pulled out of the locking holes as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the seat cushion 30 can be rotated to the left and right as the user rotates his or her waist for enhancing the exercise routine. One pulley 60 is mounted for rotation at each side of the base frame 12 near a rear end 20 of the base frame about the bolts 15. A tension spring 80 has an eye 84 at one end engaged onto a spring post 14c extending from the back frame side member 14a, and an eye 85 on its opposite end engaged onto a spring post 12f extending from the base frame side member 12a, for biasing the back frame 14 toward the forward upright position shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. Threaded knobs 86 are screwed onto the threaded 25 ends of spring posts 14c and 12f to secure the springs 80 on place. A resilient, e.g. foam rubber sleeve 82 covers each spring 80 and each resilient sleeve-covered spring is engaged with the groove of one of the pulleys 60. Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 12 where a pair of tandem 30 pulleys 60, 60 mounted for rotation on a longer bold 15 at each side of the base frame and tension springs 80 connected between the base frame and the back frame side members each with a resilient sleeve 82 covering each spring, is engaged with each 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 11 pulley 60 for biasing the back frame toward the forward upright position with twice the strength. This adds more resistance to each back movement toward the recumbent position for a stronger workout. The tandem pulleys can be used with the prior abdominal exercisers of U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,171 and D581,471, or with the 5 improvements of FIGS. 1-11. As also shown in FIG. 12 and also usable with the tandem pulleys and/or with the improvements of FIGS. 1-11, is an elastic fabric band 90 that has a width that is wide enough to cover the single pulley 60 or the double pulleys 60, 60, and a circumference that is slightly less than the path around the pulleys 60, the spring posts and the springs 80 with covering sleeves 82. In use the band 90 is stretched 10 over the pulleys and engaged sleeve-covered springs, and is held in place by one or a pair of hook-and-loop covered straps 92 that are threaded behind the one or two springs 80, at locations over and, if two straps are use, under the area of engagement between the sleeves 82 and the grooves of the pulleys 60, and then back over the band until the straps are engage to themselves at their bases, and held in place be the hook-and-loop 15 action on their touching surfaces. The use of these elastic bands 90 serve two purposes. Firstly, they are a safety measure in case any part of the springs or their attachments break, to keep all parts confined inside the elastic band so nothing flies away for the device. Secondly the elastic bands reduce or muffle any noise created by the springs and pulleys as the device is cycled between upright and recumbent positions during an 20 exercise cession. While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 25 In the claims which follow, and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" and variations such as "'comprises" or ''comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence 30 or addition of further features in various embodiments of the apparatus and method as disclosed herein. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU

Claims (5)

1. An exercise device comprising: 5 a base frame lying on an underlying surface for supporting a first part of a user's body; a back frame pivotally mounted to the base frame for supporting a second part of a user's body, wherein the back frame is operable to pivot in relation to the 10 base frame between a substantially recumbent position and a substantially more upright position; a seat is mounted on the base frame for receiving the user in a seated position, wherein the seat is mounted for rotation on the base frame. 15

2. An exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the seat is operatively connected with the base frame by a mounting mechanism that provides a rotation journal positioned at a location, spaced from a rear end of the seat by between about 30% and about 42% of the distance between a forward end and 20 the rear end of the seat.

3. An exercise device according to either claims 1 or 2 further comprising a first arm extending from a first lateral side of the base frame and a second arm extending from a second lateral side of the base frame, each arm including a U 25 shaped handhold lying in a plane that extends at an acute angle to the horizontal and the handholds on opposite sides of the base frame extending outwardly from each other.

4. An exercise device according to any one of the preceding claims further 30 comprising a locking mechanism to lock the seat in a non-rotating position. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU - 13

5. An abdominal exercise device comprising: a base frame for lying in a horizontal plane on the floor, the base frame having a pair of side members; 5 a back frame having a pair of side members pivotally mounted near respective rear ends of the side members of the base frame for movement between a forward upright position and a rearward recumbent position; 10 a plurality of back cushions connected between and spaced along the side members of the back frame; a seat comprising a seat cushion mounted to the base frame; 15 an arm detachably connected to each side member of the base frame and on opposite sides of the seat cushion; a pair of side-by-side tandem pulleys mounted for rotation at each side member of the base frame near a rear end of the base frame; 20 a pair of tension springs connected between the base frame and the back frame side members on each side of the base and back frames for biasing the back frame toward the forward upright position; and 25 a resilient sleeve covering each spring, each resilient sleeve engaged with one of the pulleys. 39706671 (GHMatters) P92218.AU