U.S. patent application number 10/927799 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for bench press apparatus.
Invention is credited to Bae, Sang-Wook.
Application Number | 20050277524 10/927799 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35461239 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050277524 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bae, Sang-Wook |
December 15, 2005 |
Bench press apparatus
Abstract
A bench press apparatus is provided with a barbell having
weights, a counterweight, a cable whose one end is connected to the
barbell with the other end connected to the counterweight, the
cable movably supported by a frame, a barbell stopper for stopping
a downward movement of the barbell, and a weight load reduction
unit for reducing a weight load applied to an exerciser by the
weights in order for the exerciser to exercise with a reduced
weight load.
Inventors: |
Bae, Sang-Wook; (Ulsan-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARSTENS YEE & CAHOON, LLP
P O BOX 802334
DALLAS
TX
75380
|
Family ID: |
35461239 |
Appl. No.: |
10/927799 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/93 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/078 20130101;
A63B 21/00181 20130101; A63B 21/4029 20151001; A63B 21/0783
20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/093 |
International
Class: |
A63B 021/06; A63B
021/062 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 25, 2004 |
KR |
20-2004-0014502 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A bench press apparatus comprising: a barbell having weights; a
counterweight; a cable whose one end is connected to the barbell
with the other end connected to the counterweight, the cable
movably supported by a frame; a barbell stop means for stopping a
downward movement of the barbell; and a weight load reduction means
for reducing a weight load applied to an exerciser by the weights
in order for the exerciser to exercise with a reduced weight
load.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the barbell stop means
comprises: counterweight teeth formed on one lateral surface of the
counterweight; a housing having a pair of guide roller supporting
the other lateral surface of the counterweight, the counterweight
vertically movable through the housing; a pedal switch manipulated
by the exerciser for triggering stopping of a downward movement of
the barbell; a cylinder adapted to protrude a rod in response to a
manipulation of the pedal switch by the exerciser; and a teeth
brake horizontally movable through the housing, the teeth brake
having brake teeth engageable with the counterweight teeth and
mounted to the rod.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the counterweight teeth and
the brake teeth have an inclined teeth shape which permits a
downward movement of the counterweight when they are engaged with
each other.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the weight load reduction
means comprises: a control means through which the exerciser sets
predetermined conditions of a protruding speed, a pressing force
and a protruding distance; a pedal switch manipulated by the
exerciser; a cylinder means adapted to protrude a rod according to
the predetermined conditions when the pedal switch is manipulated;
and a sheave held at an end of the rod to depress the cable.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the weight load reduction
means comprises: a control means through which the exerciser sets
predetermined conditions of a protruding speed, a pressing force
and a protruding distance; a pedal switch manipulated by the
exerciser; a cylinder means adapted to protrude a rod according to
the predetermined conditions when the pedal switch is manipulated;
and a sheave held at an end of the rod to depress the cable.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the weight load reduction
means comprises: a control means through which the exerciser sets
predetermined conditions of a protruding speed, a pressing force
and a protruding distance; a pedal switch manipulated by the
exerciser; a cylinder means adapted to protrude a rod according to
the predetermined conditions when the pedal switch is manipulated;
and a sheave held at an end of the rod to depress the cable.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 20-2004-0014502 filed May 25, 2004, the technical
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a bench press apparatus
and, more particularly, to a bench press apparatus having a weight
change means which allows the exerciser to achieve optimum weight
training benefits without other person's help and a safety means
for preventing an accidental falling of a barbell.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A bench press apparatus is an athletic equipment in which
the exerciser lies on his back on a bench, holds a barbell resting
on a barbell support with a proper separation between his arms and
repeatedly raises and lowers a barbell over his chest in order to
strengthen the muscles of his chest or arms. In the prior art bench
press apparatus, the exerciser has been often injured by unexpected
falling of the barbell onto his chin or chest due to his muscle
fatigue after the repeated raising and lowering of the barbell for
a long time.
[0004] As a prior art bench press apparatus designed to prevent
such accidents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,421 discloses a bench press
apparatus having a protection guard formed above a portion of a
bench near a neck or chest of the exerciser. U.S. Pat. No.
4,253,662 teaches a bench press apparatus having a barbell
suspended by one end of a rope or a chain with the other end
connected to a counterweight, and a clutch means mounted to act on
a middle of the rope. The clutch means stops the movements of the
rope or the chain in response to the manipulation of the
exerciser.
[0005] However, although the prior art bench press apparatuses
described above may be helpful in preventing the accidents, it
provides the exerciser with only a limited weight training benefits
unless another person helps the exerciser. The reason is as
follows:
[0006] The bench press apparatus is known to help the muscle
growth, to maintain the strength of the muscle and to increase the
bone density of the exerciser. In order to maximize such weight
training benefits, the exerciser has to repeat the muscle contract
and the muscle stretch predetermined times or more. Especially, the
optimal muscle growth can be obtained from an exercise of repeating
the muscle contract and the muscle stretch in a situation where the
weights are being changed. Normally, assistants are necessary for
the exercise for the optimal muscle growth of the exerciser, who
will change the weights to be held by the exerciser.
[0007] However, since it is difficult for the exerciser to be
helped by the assistant whenever he exercises by using the bench
press apparatus, the prior art apparatuses are not proper for the
exercise for the optimal muscle growth in which the weight change
has to be performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
provide a bench press apparatus with a safety device, in which the
exerciser can change a weight load exerted by a barbell by himself
without any help by the assistant.
[0009] Consistent with the foregoing objects, and in accordance
with the invention as embodied broadly described herein, a bench
press apparatus is provided with a barbell having weights, a
counterweight, a cable whose one end is connected to the barbell
with the other end connected to the counterweight, the cable
movably supported by a frame, a barbell stopper for stopping a
downward movement of the barbell, and a weight load reduction unit
for reducing a weight load applied to an exerciser by the weights
in order for the exerciser to exercise with a reduced weight
load.
[0010] The above and other objects and features of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following description
of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] Understanding that these drawings depict only typical
embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be
considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described
with additional specificity and detail through use of the
accompanying drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a bench press apparatus
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a clutch means shown in
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0014] The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described
with reference to the drawings.
[0015] There is shown in FIG. 1 a perspective view of the inventive
bench press apparatus designated with a reference numeral 10. The
bench press apparatus includes a base 12 and a frame 11. The base
12 supports upright supports and horizontally extending supports to
which various components for the bench press apparatus 10, e.g., a
bench 13 are connected. The frame 11 has a sheave 42 rotatably
mounted on a frontal upper portion thereof, and a pair of sheaves
43 rotatably mounted on rear upper portions vertically separated
from each other.
[0016] A pair of lug supports 14, 15 is provided in the bench press
apparatus 10, which support a barbell 16 having a bar and weights
17, 18 retained around ends of the bar. The barbell 16 is suspended
by one end of a cable 30 whose other end is connected to a
counterweight 50.
[0017] In an exercise using the bench press apparatus, the
exerciser firstly raises the barbell 16 with a plurality of weights
17, 18 from the lug support 14, 15 and repeats the raising and
lowering of the barbell 16 predetermined times or until his muscle
is exhausted. At the moment, the cable 30 reciprocally travels over
the sheaves 42, 43.
[0018] In order to prevent the accidental falling of the elevated
barbell 16 onto the exerciser due to his muscle fatigue, the
inventive bench press apparatus includes a cultch means 60 which
functions to stop the movement of the counterweight 50 through an
engagement with the counterweight 50 in response to a manipulation
of a first pedal switch S1. The inventive bench press apparatus
further includes a weight changer 70 for the optimal muscle
strengthening of the exerciser. The weight changer 70, as mounted
between the pair of sheaves 43, functions to change the weight load
caused by the barbell 16 with the weights 17, 18 to a predetermined
level during bench-pressing exercise. The weight changer 70 is
controlled by a second pedal switch S2.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the weight changer 70 includes a piston
rod assembly 20 fixed to the frame 11. The piston rod assembly 20
is provided with a sheave 22a mounted at an end of a rod 22. The
sheave 22a is in rolling contact with the portion of the cable 30
between the pair of sheaves 43 at its external surface.
[0020] In the bench-pressing exercising, when the exerciser steps
on the second pedal switch S2, the rod 22 protrudes from the
assembly 20 in a way that the exerciser previously determined. The
exerciser can previously determine, e.g., a distance by which the
rod 20 protrudes, which may be proportional to or correspond to the
distance of the barbell travel in vertical direction, a pressing
force exerted on the cable 30 by the rod 20 for reducing the weight
load by the barbell 16, e.g., 5 kgf, 10 kgf, 15 kgf, etc., and a
speed at which the rod 20 protrudes. The distance, the pressing
force and the speed can be adjusted by means of a control means 90,
which may be embodied with various well-known technologies.
Detailed description about the control means 90 will be
omitted.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the counterweight 50 has teeth 51 on its
one lateral surface, which are inclined in one direction.
[0022] The clutch means 60 includes a housing 61, a pair of guide
roller 62, a teeth brake 64, a rod 65, and cylinder 66. The housing
61 is fixed to the frame 11. The counterweight 50 is vertically
movable through the housing 61. The guide roller 62 has a groove
62a formed along a full circumference of the roller 62, with which
the other lateral surface of the counterweight 50 is in rolling
contact. The pair of guide roller 62 is vertically arranged in the
housing 61. The teeth brake 64 is horizontally movably mounted in
the housing 61. The teeth brake 64 has teeth 63 on its leading
portion, which are also inclined and engagable with the teeth 51 of
the counterweight 50. Therefore, the teeth 63 permits the movement
of the teeth 51 in one direction but does not permit the teeth
movement in contrary direction. The rod 65 is connected to a rear
portion of the teeth brake 64. The cylinder 66 is fixed to the
frame 11 to be supported by the same.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder 66 is connected to the
first pedal switch S1. When the exerciser steps on the first pedal
switch S1, the rod 65 of the cylinder 66 advances, whereas, when
the exerciser removes his foot from the first pedal switch S1, the
rod 65 is retreated. It is well understood to those skilled in the
art that various known cylinders are available for this
purpose.
[0024] When the rod 65 is in the retreated position, the teeth 51
and the teeth 63 are disengaged, so that the counterweight 50 can
freely move in the vertical direction through the housing 61, being
supported and guided by the pair of guide roller 62. When the rod
65 advances, the teeth 63 also advance and are finally engaged with
the teeth 51. At the moment, the counterweight 50 cannot move
upwardly and, accordingly, the barbell 16 cannot be moved
downwardly. However, a downward movement of the counterweight 50
through the housing 61 is permitted and the barbell 16 can be
raised up. This is because the teeth 63, 51 have an inclined
shape.
[0025] Hereunder, the operation of the inventive bench press
apparatus constructed in this manner will be described.
[0026] First, the exerciser sets the conditions on the protruding
distance of the rod 22, the pressing force by the rod 22 and the
protruding speed of the rod 22, under a consideration of his
physical condition and his capacity for locomotion, via the control
means 9, which can be embodied with well known devices.
[0027] Now, the bench press apparatus is in an initial state, where
the first pedal switch S1 is not pushed, the rod 65 is in the
retreated position, the teeth 51, 63 are disengaged from each other
and the counterweight 50 can be freely moved in the vertical
direction. Further, the barbell 16 is stably supported by the lug
supports 14, 15 and the counterweight 50 is suspended by the
tensioned cable 30.
[0028] The exerciser lies on the bench 13 and raises the barbell 16
from the lug supports 14, 15. Then the exerciser repeats the
raising and the lowering of the barbell 16. In response to this,
the cable 30 connected to the barbell 16 at its one end
reciprocates over the sheaves 42, 43. The counterweight 50
connected to the other end of the cable 30 also vertically moves,
being guided by the pair of guide rollers 62.
[0029] While the barbell 16 is raised and lowered by the exerciser,
the counterweight 50 can freely move in the vertical direction. For
this reason, even if the exerciser rapidly moves the barbell 16,
the cable 30 is not deviated from its way, i.e., from the sheaves
42, 43, so that unwanted entanglement of the cable 30 can be
prevented.
[0030] When the exerciser can no longer move the barbell 16 due to
his muscle fatigue after continuous repetition of the raising and
the lowering of the barbell 16, he steps on the first pedal switch
S1 in order to prevent the barbell 16 from accidentally falling
onto his chest. When the first pedal switch S1 is pushed, the rod
65 advances to allow the teeth 63 of the teeth brake 64 to be
engaged with the teeth 51 of the counterweight 50, resulting in
stopping the upward movement of the counterweight 50.
[0031] Meanwhile, after the continuous repetition of the raising
and the lowering of the barbell 16, the exerciser reaches the point
of momentary muscular failure. It has been known that the exerciser
should change or reduce the weight load at that point and then
continue the bench-pressing exercise with a reduced weight load for
his best bench-pressing benefits.
[0032] For this purpose, the exerciser using the inventive bench
press apparatus also steps on the second pedal switch S2 in the
situation where the teeth 51, 63 are already engaged together due
to the advance of the rod 65 by pushing the first pedal switch S1.
In response to this, the rod 22 protrudes from the piston rod
assembly 20 in a manner that he previously determined via the
control means 90, so that the cable 30 is pressed in a certain
magnitude of the force. This results in the reduction of the weight
load of the barbell 16 applied to the exerciser in proportion to
the pressing force.
[0033] Under this circumstance, the exerciser can continue the
repetition of the raising and the lowering of the barbell 16 with a
reduced weight load. Therefore, the exerciser can perform increased
number of repetitions of the raising and the lowering of the
barbell 16 without the help of the assistant and, hence, can enjoy
the best bench-pressing benefits.
[0034] The inventive bench press apparatus constructed in this
manner can prevent the accidental falling of the elevated barbell
onto the exerciser. Further, weight load of a barbell applied to an
exerciser can be changed without an assistant. Accordingly, the
inventive bench press apparatus can provide the exerciser with many
chances to easily increase his muscle strength with reduced
costs.
[0035] Although the present invention has been described by way of
example with respect to the preferred embodiment, it is not limited
thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made thereto
within the scope of the invention defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *