GB2346808A

GB2346808A - Exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2346808A
Application number: GB9903782A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wilson Christian Pierre
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-18
Filing date: 1999-02-18
Publication date: 2000-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2019-02-18
Also published as: GB2346808B; GB9903782D0

Abstract

An exercise device for exercising and toning a user's leg and stomach muscles (and potentially also arm muscles) by movement of the user's own body mass. The apparatus comprises a base consisting of substantially horizontal support and translation means (for example a frame 11 supporting a row of parallel rollers 25), upon which the user lies. Foot retention means (17, 18, 23) is slidably mounted on guide rails (14) extending upwardly from the base. The user lies on the base, with his or her feet held by the foot retention means. By pulling on the feet, the user glides towards the foot end of the apparatus, while the foot retention means slides up the guide means in order to permit the user's body the maximum possible scope for movement.

Description

EXERCISE APPARATS This invention relates to personal exercise equipment, for example for exercising and toning body muscles such as leg muscles, stomach muscles and arm muscles. In particular, though not exclusively, the invention relates to apparatus which combines an exercising function with a back massaging function.

When the increase in the number of people employed in generally sedentary occupations over recent years, exercise equipment has become increasingly popular. Many different types of apparatus have been devised for exercising and toning specific body muscles, many of them based on the principle of lifting weights or working against a resisting force. These may, if used incorrectly, result in injury.

The present invention seeks to provide a device which provides an exercising function based principally upon the movement of the user's own body mass. Devices according to the invention permit exercising and toning of the leg and stomach muscles, and at least in preferred embodiments, the arm muscles also.

The invention provides exercise apparatus comprising: substantially horizontal support and translation means adapted to support the back and head of a user lying thereon and to permit substantially horizontal reciprocal movement of the user along the principal axis of the user's body; guide means extending upwardly from the support and translation means; and foot retention means adapted to receive one or both of the user's feet, the foot retention means being mounted to the guide means in a manner permitting the foot retention means to slide along the length of the guide means.

In operation, the user lies on the support and translation means, with his or her feet held by the foot retention means. By pulling on the feet the user glides towards the foot-end of the apparatus, while the foot retention means slides up the guide means in order to permit the user's body the maximum possible scope for movement.

When travelling towards the foot end of the apparatus, the upward displacement of the foot retention means allows the user to raise his or her feet above his or her body. By pulling further on the feet and bending his or her knees, the user's torso is enabled to travel further towards the end of the apparatus, and the user's knees are brought towards the chest in order to achieve maximum stretching of the leg muscles and placing the user in an approximately foetal position. The back muscles and stomach muscles are also stretched during this procedure. The user returns to his or her original position by pushing against the foot retention means, whereafter the process may be repeated as often as desired.

Though it is possible for the support and translation means to comprise a sliding trolley (for example a wheeled trolley running on rails, somewhat akin to an elongated rowing seat), it is preferred that the support and translation means comprises a plurality of rollers mounted to a frame. The rollers are preferably arranged so that their axes are substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to each other. The advantage of using rollers is that these impart a beneficial massaging effect to the user's back, as he or she moves over them. For that purpose, the rollers are preferably coated with a resiliently deformable material, such as a foamed plastics material. For the comfort and convenience of the user, the rollers are preferably overlain by a mat upon which the user lies, which is preferably padded in at least a portion thereof adapted to support the user's head. The mat should be constructed of a material sufficiently rigid to prevent its leading edge becoming caught between adjacent rollers, and yet sufficiently deformable to prevent the massaging effect of the rollers to be transmitted through the mat to the user to a substantial extent.

The guide means supporting the foot retention means preferably consists of two substantially parallel guide arms, between which the foot retention means is mounted, for example on wheeled carriages. Preferably, each guide arm is pivotally moveable about a substantially horizontal axis at or near its lower end, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the user. This may be conveniently achieved by attaching the guide arms by pivotal mountings to the side of the frame. In some embodiments the guide means may be curved instead of being straight. In such embodiments, the guide arms should extend upwardly from the frame and curve towards the head end of the frame.

In preferred embodiments, the foot retention means is mounted to the guide arms so as to pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, to enable the user's ankles to flex as his or her feet ride up the guide means. The foot retention means may conveniently comprise a foot plate, a heel support plate and a toe retention bar. In some embodiments, instead of a single foot-support, a pair of foot supports may be used, i. e. one for each foot. In such arrangements the foot supports are separately mounted, one to each guide rail.

In particularly preferred embodiments, the exercise apparatus is further provided with handles to be gripped by the user, which may be mounted on respective support arms extending upwardly from the support and translation means.

Preferably, each handle support is mounted to be pivotably moveable about a substantially horizontal axis at or near its lower end, for example by means of a pivotal mounting to the side of a frame of the apparatus towards the head end thereof. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises biasing means, to provide resistance against movement of the handle supports in a pivotal manner from the vertical towards the support and translation means. In operation the user pulls with his or her hands on the hand grips while moving towards the foot end of the apparatus, thus providing exercise for the arms. By relaxing the leg muscles, the biasing force then tends to pull the user back towards the head end of the apparatus. The biasing force may be provided by pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, and is preferably adjustable by the user.

In some embodiments the frame may be provided with a stand to raise the frame from the ground. In a modification, the frame may be made to pivot about a transverse horizontal axis near its mid point: this produces a see-saw effect when the user moves along the frame and his or her centre of gravity shifts.

The invention will hereinafter be described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the carriage mountings of the foot-retention means of the Figure 1 embodiment; Figure 3 is am axial cross-section of one of the wheels of the carriage shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the Figure 1 apparatus in use.

The device illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a frame 11, which may typically have a length of about 180cm and a width of about 65cm. The preferred material of construction is steel but the frame may be constructed of any material having sufficient mechanical strength. The frame has a head end 22 and a foot end 21. The frame is kept off the ground by the legs 12.

Guide arms 14 are pivotally mounted to the frame, and are releasably secured by tightening keys 13 (only one shown in Figure 1), which allow the vertical supports to be fixed at any desired angle. Top bar 19 provides stability and support for the guide arms, and also serves as a stop means to prevent the foot support carriages sliding off the end of the guide arms.

Foot support 17 consists of a foot-plate to which is attached a toe retaining bar 18 and heel support 23. The foot support is rotatably mounted via spindle 20 to carriages 16. Each carriage consists of a framework to which the bobbin type wheels 15 are rotatably mounted, the wheels being mounted with their axes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the side of the frame 11.

Handles 26 are mounted on handle support arms 27, which are pivotally mounted at the head end 22 of the frame.

Hydraulic pistons/cylinders 31 are affixed between support arms 27 and frame 11 to provide resistance to pivotal movement of the support arms towards the foot end of the frame. This allows the user to exercise and stretch his or her arm muscles, by pulling on the handles 26 while travelling towards the foot end of the frame.

The support and translation means is provided by a set of parallel rollers 25 mounted transversely between opposite sides of frame 11. Each roller 25 has a length of about 60cm and a diameter of about 6.0cm. The rollers 25 may have metal (e. g. steel) axles for strength, but are covered with a softer but firm material, such as foamed plastics material. They are rotatably mounted to the frame, for example on ball bearings.

In a modification of the illustrated embodiment, the last roller at either or both ends of the frame can be of larger diameter, for example be about 1 times the diameter, of the other rollers, in order to alert the user when he or she reaches the end of the frame.

Mat 29 (as shown in Figures 1 and 4) is made of a length and width suitable to accommodate the upper body of an average user, and is provided with a cushioned portion 32 to support the head of a user. The mat can be made of rubber or synthetic rubber or other soft material, and may have an embossed or textured surface so as to provide a degree of grip for the user.

In a further modification, the rollers may be provided with grooves or other portions of reduced diameter towards their mid points, and the mat may have a corresponding raised portion (e. g. a rib) on its underside to engage the grooves and centre the mat correctly.

Claims

1. Exercise apparatus comprising: substantially horizontal support and translation means adapted to support the back and head of a user lying thereon and to permit substantially horizontal reciprocal movement of the user along the principal axis of the user's body; guide means extending upwardly from the support and translation means; and foot retention means adapted to receive one or both of the user's feet, the foot retention means being mounted to the guide means in a manner permitting the foot retention means to slide along the length of the guide means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support and translation means comprises a plurality of rollers mounted to a frame.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rollers are arranged so that their axes are substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to each other.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein each roller is provided at or near its mid point with a portion of reduced diameter.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4, further comprising a mat overlying the rollers, on which the user lies in operation.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 and claim 5, wherein the mat is provided on its underside with a raised portion adapted to engage the reduced diameter portions of the rollers.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the guide means comprises two parallel guide arms, the foot retention means being mounted between said guide arms.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the foot retention means is mounted to the guide arms by means of wheeled carriages.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the guide arms are provided at their upper ends with stop means adapted to prevent upward movement of the foot retention means beyond a predetermined position.

10. Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein each guide arm is pivotally moveable about a substantially horizontal axis at or near its lower end, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the user.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 10, wherein the foot retention means is mounted to said guide arms so as to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the foot retention comprises a foot plate, a heel support plate and a toe retention bar.

13. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising two handles adapted to be gripped by the user.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the handles are mounted on respective handle support arms extending upwardly from the support and translation means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each handle support arm is pivotally moveable about a substantially horizontal axis at or near its lower end, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the user.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising biasing means adapted to provide resistance against pivotal movement of the handle support arms from a generally vertical orientation towards the support and translation means.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the degree of resistance provided by the biasing means is adjustable by the user.

18. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.