EP3630309A1

EP3630309A1 - Gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment

Info

Publication number: EP3630309A1
Application number: EP18740892.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio Giuseppe GILIBERTI
Original assignee: World Pilates Srl
Current assignee: World Pilates Srl
Priority date: 2017-05-30
Filing date: 2018-05-30
Publication date: 2020-04-08
Also published as: IT201700058415U1; WO2018220543A1

Abstract

Gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment for training the body, the peculiarity of which consists in that it comprises a frame adapted to define a containment locker, closed by a covering element which is pivoted to the frame, means for offering resistance being contained inside the containment locker and being connected to a plurality of means for traction which are adapted to protrude from the frame.

Description

GYMNASTIC/SPORTS/PHYSIOTHERAPY EQUIPMENT

The present invention relates to gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that makes it possible to train the entire body in any athletic and postural measure.

As is known, gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment is widespread for muscular conditioning, most of which is made to be used with the user standing or lying down, and which can be used either with the arms or with the legs.

For example equipment is known that comprises a wooden board with coupling rings which is affixed to a wall by way of inserts and, as a consequence, once affixed, it is no longer possible to move it. The resistance is provided by steel springs and the traction points are vertical only. The breadth of possible movement is reduced by the limited extension capacity of the steel springs, and there are no parts that are padded or for lying down.

There is also a wall-mounted unit which is composed of a metal frame with coupling rings, which is affixed to a wall and to the floor by way of inserts, and therefore, once again, it is not possible to move it. The resistance is provided only by steel springs, the traction points are only vertical and the breadth of movement is reduced by the limited extension capacity of the steel springs.

Also known is a cable station, which has two hooks in an upper region and two in a lower region, and in which the resistance is constituted by a counterweight that acquires inertia in movement, meaning it cannot be used with rapid athletic moves. It can have a heavy structure and therefore it is adapted to be laid on the floor, or it can be affixed to wall by way of inserts. In the former case moving it is difficult, while in the latter case it is impossible.

There is also portable equipment that has a magnetic resistance, with which it is only possible to make concentric contractions.

There is then equipment that can be used only if placed on the floor with the user lying on top of it and stabilizing the equipment with his/her weight. These types of equipment have only two traction points as well.

The aim of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that makes it possible to simultaneously train the arms and the legs of the user and which can be used either wall-mounted or on the floor.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that can be moved rapidly and simply from a wall-mounted position to a position on the floor and vice versa.

Another object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that can have resistances adjusted independently for each individual limb as a function of the requirements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that offers a resistance to movement without using weights.

Another object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that allows the user to execute slow and fluid movements, or fast, dynamic and explosive movements to reproduce athletic sports moves, for example hitting the ball in tennis, soccer etc.

Another object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that is safe in use since it does not use suspended loads and/or levers with possible scissors effects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment that is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented and low cost. This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment for training the body, characterized in that it comprises a frame adapted to define a containment locker, closed by a covering element which is pivoted to said frame, means for offering resistance being contained inside said containment locker and being connected to a plurality of means for traction which are adapted to protrude from said frame.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the gymnastic equipment according to the invention, which are illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the equipment according to the invention, in a first condition for use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the equipment according to the invention, in a second condition for use;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the equipment according to the invention, in an open condition;

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the equipment according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the equipment according to the invention in a variation of embodiment thereof;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the equipment according to the invention in a further variation of embodiment thereof.

With reference to the figures, the gymnastic equipment according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 100, comprises a substantially rectangular frame 12, which is coupled, for example by way of hinges 4, to a covering element 10, which is provided in an upper region with a padding 3. The covering element 10 is adapted to be moveable from an open position so as to allow access to the inner part of the frame 12, which is closed in a lower region by a deck 10a, and to a closed position in which the covering element 10 is closed onto the frame 12 and is kept in the closed position by way of a mechanical coupling or for example a magnetic coupling.

In this manner, the frame 12 defines a sort of containment locker that is adapted to be closed, in an upper region, as mentioned, by the covering element 10. Conveniently, the covering element 10 is also connected to the frame 12 by way of straps 5 which are arranged coupled to the mutually opposite sides of the frame 12 and to the lower surface of the covering element 10.

The frame 12 is provided at each end with a pair of brackets 15 and

16.

The brackets 15 and 16 of a first end are conveniently provided with respective pulleys 17, 18 and 19, 20, which make possible the transmission of cables 21, 22 which are accommodated inside the frame 12 and which are connected to means adapted to offer resistance, for example elastic means 23, 24 which make it possible to determine the desired resistance that the gymnastic equipment has to offer to the user.

In particular, the elastic means 23 and 24 can be constituted by a variable number of elastic cords (the number of the cords determines the resistance offered), or by hydraulic means, springs, magnetic means or the like. In substance, means adapted to offer a resistance which can be varied according to the requirements of the user are accommodated inside the frame 12.

Conveniently, the elastic means or in general the means adapted to offer resistance are coupled to respective fixed points 30, 31 at one side of the frame 12 and 32, 33 at the opposite side. The coupling points are therefore the points to which the means adapted to offer resistance are coupled which, by way of transmission means such as cords or transmission elements 21-22 which pass through holes 25, 26, 27 and 28 which are respectively defined, in pairs, at the mutually opposite sides of the frame 12, exit from the frame 12 and terminate with means for traction such as a pair of handles 40, 41 (hand grips) at one end of the frame 12 and a pair of ankle grips 43, 44 at the opposite end of the frame 12. Ankle grips and hand grips can also be arranged crossed over.

The transmission means conveniently pass through the pulleys 17, 18 and 19, 20 at one side of the frame 12 and at pulleys 50, 51 at the opposite side of the frame, which are connected to the brackets 15, 16.

Therefore, the gymnastic equipment according to the invention makes it possible to have four traction points that are independent in terms of load (resistance offered) and movement. The four independent points are the handles 40 and 41 at one side of the frame 12 and the two ankle grips 43 and 44 at the opposite side.

The two handles or hand grips can be gripped by the hands of the user while the two ankle grips can be coupled to the lower limbs of the user.

Conveniently, the frame 12 can be affixed to a wall by way of brackets 60 which are adapted to be stably connected to the wall by way of common inserts, and which make it possible to keep the frame 12 locked to the wall by way of adapted pins 61 which make it possible to connect each bracket 60 affixed to the wall to the edge of the frame 12 where adapted affixing holes 62 are provided.

The frame 12 is therefore for example conveniently affixed by way of two pairs of brackets 60, arranged two per side and stably affixed to a wall.

Conveniently, the frame 12 is provided, at its lower region, opposite from the region from which the hand grips 40 and 41 protrude, with a pair of wheels 65, 66 which make it possible to facilitate the movement of the frame 12 when the latter has to be positioned for example in a flat position, by moving it from its vertical position against a wall.

The coupling and decoupling of the transmission cables 21-24 to/from the means adapted to offer resistance is conveniently carried out by way of snap-release shackles 70.

The frame 12 can be provided with fixed or folding feet which keep it raised off the ground when it is in the horizontal position lying on the ground.

In a variation of the gymnastic equipment according to the invention, the covering element 10, with the padding 3, can be split into multiple sections so as to be liftable/tiltable in order to allow further variations of positions and of athletic moves.

Even furthermore, the gymnastic equipment according to the invention can be provided with hinge points 80 at an intermediate region of the frame 12 and of the covering element 10, so as to be able to fold the equipment according to the invention in two so as to facilitate the transport thereof.

Also, the gymnastic equipment according to the invention can be provided with a handle 81 for lifting it and with a pair of wheels 82, 83, arranged at one side of the frame 12, so as to be able to move the equipment according to the invention over the floor.

In a further variation of embodiment the pairs of brackets 15, 16 of the two mutually opposite sides of the frame are provided by two respective bars 90 and 91.

In practice it has been found that the gymnastic equipment according to the invention fully achieves the set aim and objects, since it can be used horizontally, resting on the ground, or vertically, affixed to a wall, or even affixed to the ceiling, hanging vertically from an adapted structure/plate.

It can furthermore be coupled and decoupled with quick-release safety locking pins, for use on the floor.

It is possible to use the equipment according to the invention with legs and arms simultaneously, or with one or two limbs at a time and even with an upper limb and a lower limb at the same time, with the ability to have the resistance (means adapted to offer resistance) adjusted independently for each individual limb as a function of the requirements.

The equipment according to the invention makes it possible, by virtue of the range of travel of the resistance and the absence of resistances constituted by weights, to execute very slow and fluid movements that are very difficult to coordinate and, by virtue of the ability to have one traction point for each individual limb, to execute fast, dynamic and explosive movements to reproduce athletic sports moves, such as for example hitting the ball in tennis, the moves in soccer etc.

Even if the means adapted to offer resistance should break, this does not represent a risk for the user, since they would remain enclosed inside the locker defined by the frame and by its covering element.

The gymnastic equipment thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No.

202017000058415 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. Gymnastic/sports/physiotherapy equipment (100) for training the body, characterized in that it comprises a frame (12) adapted to define a containment locker, closed by a covering element (10) which is pivoted to said frame (12), means for offering resistance (23, 24) being contained inside said containment locker and being connected to a plurality of means for traction (40, 41, 43, 44) which are adapted to protrude from said frame (12).

2. The gymnastic equipment according to claim 1 , characterized in that said means for traction comprise a pair of hand grips (40, 41) and a pair of ankle grips (43, 44) which are arranged respectively at mutually opposite sides of said frame (12).

3. The gymnastic equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said means adapted to offer resistance (23, 24), accommodated inside said frame, comprise elastic means which are attached to a fixed point (30, 31, 32, 33) of said frame (12) and connected, by way of transmission means (21 , 22), to said hand grips and said ankle grips.

4. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame (12) is adapted to be affixed to a wall by way of pins (61) which are adapted to couple said frame (12) to brackets (60) which are affixed integrally with said wall.

5. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame (12) is provided with wheels (82, 83) which are arranged at one of its sides.

6. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame (12) is provided in a lower region with a deck (10a) which is adapted to define, in conjunction with said covering element (10), said containment locker.

7. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said covering element (10) is padded (3) in an upper region, at the region adapted to be used by a user.

8. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, inside said containment locker, pulleys (with hoist functions), adapted to divide the resistance provided by said means for offering resistance (23, 24) and to increase the travel of said hand grips and said ankle grips (40, 41, 43, 44).

9. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame (12) is provided with a pair of hinges (80) that are adapted to make it possible to fold said frame (12) onto itself in order to facilitate the transport thereof.

10. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pair of hand grips (40, 41) and said pair of ankle grips (43, 44) comprise means (23, 24) adapted to offer resistance which are independently adjustable for each one of said hand grips and said ankle grips.

11. The gymnastic equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, at opposite sides of said frame, holes (25, 26, 27, 28) which are adapted to allow the passage of said transmission means (21, 22).