WO2008001173A1

WO2008001173A1 - Gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles

Info

Publication number: WO2008001173A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/001572
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Salvioli
Original assignee: Nobiltec Comfort S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-06-28
Filing date: 2007-06-12
Publication date: 2008-01-03
Also published as: ITMO20060211A1

Abstract

The gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles, comprises a base frame, a seating surface for a user associated with the frame, grip means for the user's hands associated with the frame, a backrest associated with the frame and movable between an initial configuration and an end configuration, first resistant means placed in between the frame and the backrest and suitable for exercising a first action resistant to the movement of the backrest between the initial configuration and the end configuration in a first exercise of arching the user's back, an element of contact with a pelvic-abdominal region of the user's torso, and second resistant means placed in between the frame and the element of contact and suitable for exercising a second action resistant to the movement of the element of contact in a second exercise of movement of the user from an initially seated position to a substantially orthostatic end position, the second resistant action maintaining itself straight along a substantially cross direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hip bones of the user in movement.

Description

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE WORKOUT OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES AND THE GLUTEUS MUSCLES

Technical Field

The present invention refers to a gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles. Background art

Different methods are currently known for toning up the abdominal muscles, some of which require the carrying out of free-standing exercises or with the use of loads, while others require the performance of preset movements with the aid of pieces of gymnastic apparatus of various construction and functional types. A particular type of apparatus intended for the workout of the abdominal muscles consists of a fixed frame which supports a seat and a backrest for a user during workout. The backrest is fitted on the frame so it swings between an initial configuration, in which it is arranged substantially vertical, and an end configuration, in which it is reclined backwards.

By resting his/her hands or shoulders against a contrast support, the user contracts his/her abdominal muscles and arches his/her back, exercising a thrust on the backrest that tends to cause it to turn round its own hinge axis from the initial configuration to the end configuration. Such rotation is contrasted by specific resistant means generally made up of elastic elements such as springs or the like, which release a resistant force proportionate to their same deformation, or gravity bodies located at a certain height, which oppose changes in their own potential energy. Various gymnastic exercises are also known for toning up the extensor muscles of the lower limbs and, in particular, the gluteus muscles. One of these consists in the use of a special machine made up of a base, from which protrude two vertical gripping uprights for the user's hands, and of a belt for constraining the user's pelvis, which is associated with yielding-contrast resistant means.

The normal use of this machine requires the user to be in a seated or crouched position on the base and to perform an extension movement of the lower limbs in order to achieve an erect position.

Such movement is performed by the user in contrast to the retention action exercised on the pelvis by the resistant means.

The resistant means usually consist of one or more side arms having an end hinged to the base more or less in line with the user's knees and the opposite end associated with the belt more or less in line with the user's pelvis.

During the performance of the exercise, the side arms turn parallel to the user's thighs and exercise an opposing force due to the effect of a system of pulleys and of gravity bodies linked to the arms; instead of the gravity bodies, these machines of known type can have elastic contrast springs or the like.

The apparatuses and the machines of known type described above for the workout of abdominal muscles and of gluteus muscles are nevertheless susceptible to further upgrading.

It must in fact be pointed out that these apparatuses and these machines are structurally and constructively rather complex.

Neither should it be forgotten that they have large overall dimensions and dimensions that only make them useable in spacious and dedicated premises such as gyms or the like.

In this respect, it must be pointed out that, at present, the need is very much felt to have compact gymnastic apparatuses of small dimensions, for example for home use.

Object of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to make available a gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles, that permits achieving the mentioned upgrading as part of a simple, rational and low cost solution.

A further object of the present invention is to present considerably limited dimensions and overall dimensions that make it particularly suitable for home use. The above objects are all achieved by the present Gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles, characterized in that it comprises a base frame, at least one seating surface for a user associated with said frame, grip means for the user's hands associated with said frame, at least one backrest associated with said frame and movable between an initial configuration and an end configuration, first resistant means placed in between said frame and said backrest and suitable for exercising a first action resistant to the movement of said backrest between the initial configuration and the end configuration in a first exercise of arching the user's back, at least one element of contact with a pelvic-abdominal region of the user's torso, and second resistant means placed in between said frame and said element of contact and suitable for exercising a second action resistant to the movement of said element of contact in a second exercise of movement of the user from an initially seated position to a substantially orthostatic end position, said second resistant action maintaining itself straight along a substantially cross direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hip bones of said user in movement. Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of this invention will appear even more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles illustrated indicatively by way of non limiting example, in the attached drawings wherein: the figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention; the figure 2 is a raised side view of the apparatus according to the invention with a user in seated position; the figure 3 is a raised side view of the apparatus according to the invention with a user arching his/her back; the figure 4 is a raised side view of the apparatus according to the invention with a user in orthostatic position.

Embodiments of the Invention

With special reference to such figures, a gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles has been globally designated by reference number 1. The apparatus 1 comprises a base frame 2 that supports a seating surface 3 for a user U, a backrest 4 for the back of the user U and grip means 5 for the hands of the user U.

The base frame 2 has a front upright 6 and a rear upright 7 associated with the two ends of a horizontal crosspiece 8 that supports the seating surface 3 and the backrest 4; in this dissertation the adjectives "front" and "rear" are used with reference to the position assumed by the user U when he/she is seated on the seating surface 3.

At the base of the front and rear uprights 6 and 7 are associated two corresponding balancing plinths 9 and 10; at the front plinth 9 a platform 11 is fitted for resting the feet of the user U.

In detail, the grip means 5 consist of a pair of substantially vertical grip rods, associated integral with the front upright 6.

Advantageously, the base frame 2 has first adjustment means for adjusting the distance of the grip means 5 and of the platform 11 from the backrest 4. Such first adjustment means comprise first guide means 12 sliding along the crosspiece 8₅ placed in between the crosspiece itself, the grip means 5 and the front upright 6.

The first guide means 12, for example, consist of a first sleeve body which is associated with the grip rods 5 and the front upright 6 and which is engaged to measure, longitudinally sliding, around the crosspiece 8.

The first adjustment means also have first removable locking means 13 that permit stopping and keeping stopped the first sleeve body 12 in the desired position on the crosspiece 8; the first removable locking means 13 consist, for example, of a tightening roller fitted at the bottom of the first sleeve body 12. Usefully, the surface of the backrest 4 suitable for contact with the back of the user U is substantially curved, with the convexity turned towards the front part of the apparatus 1, and has a cylindrical shape with horizontal axis. The backrest 4 is also associated with the base frame 2 in a way movable between an initial configuration, in which it is arranged substantially vertical and an end configuration in which it is reclined backwards with respect to the initial configuration. The backrest 4, in detail, is associated with the base frame 2 by interposition of rotation means 14 rotating around an axis substantially at right angles to the sagittal plane of the user U in seated position.

It must be pointed out that such rotation axis is arranged at the rear end of the crosspiece 8 and, during use, close to the area in which the hips of the user U are positioned.

Between the backrest 4 and the base frame 2 are also placed first resistant means 15 suitable for exercising a first resistant action to the swinging movement of the backrest 4 between the initial configuration and the end configuration during the execution of a first exercise for the workout of the abdominal muscles, which consists in arching the back of the user U seated on the seating surface 3. In detail, the first resistant means 15 consist of a pair of first traction resistant elements, having ends associated in an articulated way to the rear upright 6 and to an appendix 4a of the backrest 4, which extend at the bottom of the crosspiece 8, respectively. In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the first resistant elements 15 are of the helical spring type contained inside specific telescopic tubular sections; alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out in which the first resistant means 15 comprise one or more elements resistant to compression, and/or are of the gas-spring, elastic strap type or the like. In performing the first exercise by means of the apparatus 1, the user U is sat on the seating surface 3, with his/her hands firmly gripping the grip rods 5 with his/her arms extended and straight (figure 2); starting from such position, he/she contracts his/her abdominal muscles and arches his/her back to contrast the resistant action opposed by the backrest 4 (figure 3). The apparatus according to the invention also has an element of contact 16 with a pelvic-abdominal region of the torso of the user U.

The element of contact 16 is made up, in particular, of a belt which can be positioned at least in part around the pelvic-abdominal region of the user U and which is associated with the seating surface 3. Between the base frame 2 and the belt 16 second resistant means 17 are placed suitable for exercising a second resistant action to the movement of the element of contact 16 during the performance of a second exercise by the user U for the workout of the gluteus muscles.

During this second exercise, the user U starts moving from an initial seated position, in which his/her lower limbs are bent (figure 2), to a final orthostatic position (figure 4). In such movement, the second resistant action exercised by the belt 16 by effect of the second resistant means 17 is kept straight along a direction substantially crossways to the longitudinal axis of the hip bones of the user U. In this respect, the base frame 2 has second adjustment means of the distance of the seating surface 3 from the backrest 4. The second adjustment means are of the same type as the first and comprise second guide means 18 which are placed in between the crosspiece 8 and the seating surface 3 and permit the sliding of the seating surface 3 longitudinally to the base frame 2. The second guide means 18 are made up of a second sleeve body which is engaged to measure around the crosspiece 8 and which supports the seating surface 3; the second sleeve body 18 is sliding along the crosspiece 8 and can be blocked in the desired position by means of the second removable locking means 19 similar to the first 13. Usefully, the seating surface 3 is fitted on the second sleeve body 18 by inter- positioning hinging means 20 around a horizontal axis at right angles to the sagittal plane of the user U seated on the apparatus 1.

The second resistant means 17 consist of a pair of second traction resistant elements having one end associated in an articulated way with the second sleeve body 18 and the opposite end associated in an articulated way with the seating surface 3.

In detail, the ends of the second resistant elements 17 which are associated with the second sleeve body 18 are arranged close to the hinging means 20. The second resistant elements 17 are of the same type as the first resistant elements 15 and, similarly to these, can be made up of helical springs, gas springs, elastic straps or the like.

It must be pointed out that, before performing the second exercise for the workout of the gluteus muscles, by means of the second guide means 18, the position of the seating surface 3 can be adjusted so the hinging means 20 are arranged close to the knees of the user U.

Also emphasised is the fact that during the performance of the second exercise, the seating surface 3 is dragged in rotation around the hinging means 20 by means of the belt 16 tied around the pelvis of the user U and in contrast to the second resistant means 17, which tend to return the seating surface 3 to horizontal position.

Finally, it is pointed out that the direction of the resistant force acting on the pelvic-abdominal region of the user U exercised by the belt 16 is kept substantially at right angles to the hip bones of the user U practically for the entire duration of the second exercise.

It has in fact been ascertained how the described invention achieves the proposed objects.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore all the details may be replaced by other elements which are technically equivalent.

In practice, the material used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without because of this moving outside the protection scope of the following claims.

Claims

1) Gymnastic apparatus, particularly for the workout of the abdominal muscles and the gluteus muscles, characterized in that it comprises a base frame, at least one seating surface for a user associated with said frame, grip means for the user's hands associated with said frame, at least one backrest associated with said frame and movable between an initial configuration and an end configuration, first resistant means placed in between said frame and said backrest and suitable for exercising a first action resistant to the movement of said backrest between the initial configuration and the end configuration in a first exercise of arching the user's back, at least one element of contact with a pelvic-abdominal region of the user's torso, and second resistant means placed in between said frame and said element of contact and suitable for exercising a second action resistant to the movement of said element of contact in a second exercise of movement of the user from an initially seated position to a substantially orthostatic end position, said second resistant action maintaining itself straight along a substantially cross direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hip bones of said user in movement.

2) Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said frame comprises at least one front upright and one rear upright associated with a substantially horizontal crosspiece that supports said seating surface.

3) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame comprises at least one platform for resting the feet of said user.

4) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said platform is associated with said front upright.

5) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said grip means comprise at least one substantially vertical grip rod.

6) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said grip rod is associated with said front upright. 7) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said grip means comprise a pair of said grip rods. 8) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame comprises first adjustment means for adjusting the distance of at least one between said grip means and said platform from said backrest.

9) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first adjustment means comprise first guide means sliding along said crosspiece placed in between the crosspiece itself and at least one between said grip means and said front upright, and first removable locking means of at least one between said grip means and said front upright with respect to said crosspiece.

10) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first sliding guide means comprise a first sleeve body which is associated with at least one between said grip means and said front upright and which is engaged sliding substantially to measure around said crosspiece.

11) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame comprises second adjustment means of the distance of said seating surface from said backrest.

12) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second adjustment means comprise second guide means sliding along said crosspiece placed in between the crosspiece itself and said seating surface, and second removable locking means of said seating surface to said crosspiece.

13) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second sliding guide means comprise a second sleeve body which is associated with said seating surface and which is engaged sliding substantially to measure around said crosspiece. 14) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said backrest is associated with said frame by interposition of rotation means around a horizontal axis substantially at right angles to the sagittal plane of said user in seated position.

15) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element of contact comprises at least one belt which can be positioned at least in part around said pelvic-abdominal region of the user.

16) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element of contact is associated with said seating surface.

17) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seating surface is associated with said frame by interposition of hinging means around a horizontal axis substantially at right angles to the sagittal plane of said user in seated position.

18) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hinging means are fitted on said second sleeve body.

19) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hinging means are arranged substantially close to the knees of said user in seated position.

20) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first resistant means comprise at least one first traction or compression resistant element having ends associated to said frame and said backrest respectively. 21) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second resistant means comprise at least a second traction or compression resistant element having ends associated to said frame and said seating surface respectively.

22) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an end of said second resistant means is associated with said second sleeve body.

23) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an end of said second resistant means is associated with said second sleeve body close to said hinging means. 24) Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one between said first and second resistant element comprises, alternatively, a helical spring, a gas-spring, an elastic strap or the like.