WO2002085461A2

WO2002085461A2 - Improved sporting apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2002085461A2
Application number: PCT/IT2002/000233
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Musso
Original assignee: Giuseppe Musso
Priority date: 2001-04-23
Filing date: 2002-04-15
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Also published as: WO2002085461A3; ITRM20010221A1; ITRM20010221A0; AU2002256878A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved sporting guided bar apparatus (10), comprising a bearing structure (11), or frame, to which two sliding elements or poles (12) are laterally coupled, said sliding elements (12) being provided with guide means (14) for the vertical sliding of a weight (4) bearing bar (13), characterized in that said guide means (14) of each pole (12) comprise artiiculated joint means, to maintain said guide means (14) coaxial with respect to the relevant pole (12), even in presence of an inclination of the bar (13) with respect to the same pole (12).

Description

IMPROVED SPORTING APPARATUS

The present invention refers to an improved sporting apparatus comprising a bar, slidable along two lateral poles, the sliding occurring by coupling means allowing also a swinging of the bar with respect to the pole axis, the apparatus being thus simple, highly reliable, cheap and easy to use.

It is well known that sporting apparatuses providing a bar, at the ends of which is possible to provide weights, are widely diffused to carry out muscular powering exercises, particularly for arm and upper body part muscles.

Some of said apparatuses are provided with two lateral vertical elements, or poles, coupled with the bearing portion of the apparatus, or frame, comprising a sliding guide for the bar. Making reference to the figures 1 - 3, wherein one of said guided bar apparatus is shown, one guide is coupled in correspondence of each one of the two ends of the bar 1 , said guide sliding along the corresponding lateral pole 3 by the interposition of axial bearings, not shown. In other words, guide 2 is a rectilinear guide. However, said guided bar apparatuses has some drawbacks.

In fact, as shown in figure 2, and well evidenced in figure 3, when the bar 1 is loaded on its ends by the weights 4 necessary to carry out an exercise, bar 1 is subjected to a deformation, emphasised in figures 2 and 3 for sake of clearness, thus creating a downward concavity. This action induces a misalignment of the rectilinear guide 2 with respect to the pole 3, thus causing an increase of the friction opposing to the sliding of the guide 2 along the pole 3, thus making the carrying out of the exercise more difficult and causing a higher wearing of guides and poles. Said drawback is as higher as more heavy are the weights 4 put on the bar. Furthermore, standard guided bar apparatuses does not make a complete simulation of the motion of a free bar, being allowed to the guided bar substantially only vertical movements.

Therefore, object of the present invention is that of providing a guided bar apparatus allowing, in a simple, reliable and cheap way an easy and correct carrying out of the exercise, that could be worn in a highly reduced manner with respect to the standard apparatuses and that better simulate the movements of a free bar. It is therefore specific object of the present invention an improved sporting guided bar apparatus, comprising a bearing structure, or frame, to which two sliding elements or poles are laterally coupled, said sliding elements being provided with guide means for the vertical sliding of a weight bearing bar, characterised in that said guide means of each pole comprise articulated joint means, to maintain said guide means coaxial with respect to the relevant pole, even in presence of an inclination of the bar with respect to the same pole.

Always according to the invention, said articulated joint means can be spherical articulated joint means.

Still according to the invention, said articulated joint means can provide means to limit the inclination of the bar with respect to the relevant pole.

Furthermore, according to the invention, said means to limit the inclination include at least a bushing.

Always according to the invention, said means to limit the inclination include at least a rubber ring.

Still according to the invention, said poles can be hinged to one end of the frame and can freely swing on the other end. Preferably, according to the invention, said poles are provided with a substantially vertical orientation.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective rear view of a standard sporting apparatus; figure 2 shows a rear view of the apparatus of figure 1 of the bar loaded; figure 3 shows a particular of the apparatus of figure 2; figure 4 is a rear view of a sporting apparatus according to the present invention; figure 5 is a first rear view of the apparatus of figure 4, with the bar loaded; figure 6 shows a particular of the apparatus of figure 5; figure 7 shows a second rear view of the apparatus of figure 5; and figure 8 shows a third rear view of the apparatus of figure 5. Making reference to figure 4, it can be noted that a sporting apparatus 10 according to the invention comprises a frame 11 , to which two vertical poles 12 are laterally coupled, each one provided with a relevant guide 14. Each guide 14, suitable to house a bar 13, is provided with sliding means, preferably axial bearings, and with articulated joint means, preferably spherical articulated joint.

Beyond allowing the vertical sliding of the bar 13 along the poles 12, each guide 14 allows to the bar 13 to take an inclination different from 90° with respect to the axis of the relevant pole 12, said sliding means remaining coaxial with respect to the relevant poles 12.

As shown in figures 5 and 6, it allows a remarkable reduction of the friction between the guide 14 and the relevant pole 12, particularly when the exercise is carried out with the ends of the bar loaded with weights 4. Particularly, the preferred embodiment of the sporting apparatus 10 according to the invention has the poles 12 hinged above to the frame 11 , and freely swinging at the bottom, as described and claimed in the Italian patent application N° PA99A000011 , filed on 05.10.1999, and having as title "Sporting apparatus to carry out exercises according to the natural physiological trajectory of each person", the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Making reference to figure 7, apparatus 10 according to the invention also allows to the bar 13 to swing, thus making a better simulation of the movements of a free bar, and allowing to the athlete to take the optimum equilibrium and to make the properly train the muscles while carrying out the exercise.

Making reference to figure 8, guide 14 also allows to the bar 13 to horizontally move with respect to the poles 12, thus allowing to the athlete to adapt the position of the bar 13 with respect to the own position, thus easing the reaching of the optimum equilibrium.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Improved sporting guided bar apparatus (10), comprising a bearing structure (11), or frame, to which two sliding elements or poles (12) are laterally coupled, said sliding elements (12) being provided with guide means (14) for the vertical sliding of a weight (4) bearing bar (13), characterised in that said guide means (14) of each pole (12) comprise articulated joint means, to maintain said guide means (14) coaxial with respect to the relevant pole (12), even in presence of an inclination of the bar (13) with respect to the same pole (12).

2. Sporting apparatus according to claim 1 , characterised in that said articulated joint means are spherical articulated joint means.

3. Sporting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said articulated joint means provide means to limit the inclination of the bar (13) with respect to the relevant pole (12).

4. Sporting apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that said means to limit the inclination include at least a bushing.

5. Sporting apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that said means to limit the inclination include at least a rubber ring.

6. Sporting apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said poles (12) are hinged to one end of the frame (11 ) and can freely swing on the other end.

7. Sporting apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said poles (12) are provided with a substantially vertical orientation.

8. Improved sporting guided bar apparatus (10) according to each one of the preceding claims, substantially as illustrated and described.