U.S. patent application number 11/755534 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-27 for exercise bench.
Invention is credited to Randall T. Webber.
Application Number | 20070225135 11/755534 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36955317 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070225135 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Webber; Randall T. |
September 27, 2007 |
EXERCISE BENCH
Abstract
An exercise bench has a main support frame with a floor engaging
member at one end and a folding front leg assembly at the other end
which can be locked in a deployed position or a folded position. A
user engaging foot stabilizer is pivotally associated with the
front leg, and a thigh support is adjustably mounted on the front
leg assembly or main support frame for engaging the thighs of a
user when performing exercises while supported on the bench. The
thigh support may be separate from or form part of a seat pad
mounted on the frame. The bench is adjustable between positions for
performing abdominal crunch or lower back exercises and is
adjustable in both positions to allow different users to perform
exercises effectively.
Inventors: |
Webber; Randall T.; (La
Jolla, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PROCOPIO, CORY, HARGREAVES & SAVITCH LLP
530 B STREET
SUITE 2100
SAN DIEGO
CA
92101
US
|
Family ID: |
36955317 |
Appl. No.: |
11/755534 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11249987 |
Oct 12, 2005 |
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11755534 |
May 30, 2007 |
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60664454 |
Mar 22, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/140 ;
482/142; 482/145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/02 20130101;
A63B 21/4029 20151001; A63B 2210/50 20130101; A63B 23/0211
20130101; A63B 21/00047 20130101; A63B 2225/09 20130101; A63B
23/0233 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/140 ;
482/142; 482/145 |
International
Class: |
A63B 23/02 20060101
A63B023/02; A63B 26/00 20060101 A63B026/00 |
Claims
1. An exercise bench, comprising: a main frame having a first end
which engages the ground and a second end raised above the ground
in an exercise position; a front leg secured to the main frame and
having a foot portion which engages the ground in the exercise
position to hold the second end of the main frame in the raised
position; a support pad which supports part of the user's body
mounted on one of said front leg and said main frame; at least one
of the support pad and the front leg being adjustable to adjust the
height of the support pad; a user engaging foot stabilizer; and a
pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the
front leg whereby adjustment of the height of the support pad
adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mount and
the support pad.
2. The bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a forward part
of the main frame is inclined upwardly towards the second end in an
exercise position of the bench, and the support pad comprises a
thigh support which engages the thighs of a user when performing
exercises while supported on the bench, the spacing between the
user engaging foot stabilizer and the thigh support being
adjustable by adjusting the position of the thigh support on the
respective one of the front leg and main frame.
3. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front leg
has an upper end and the thigh support is adjustably mounted in the
upper end of the front leg.
4. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a
seat pad mounted on the forward part of the main frame for
supporting a seated user in a first position for performing
abdominal crunch exercises, the thigh support being moveable
between a first position for engaging behind the user's knees when
seated on the seat pad with their feet engaging the foot
stabilizer, and a second position for supporting the thighs of a
standing user facing the rear end of the bench in a second position
for performing back hyper-extension exercises.
5. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 4, wherein the thigh
support is adjustable independent of the seat pad and is adjustably
mounted at an upper end of the front leg.
6. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 5, wherein the front leg
is pivotally secured to the main frame for movement between a
deployed position in which the foot portion engages the ground and
a folded, storage position.
7. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat pad
has a rear end pivotally associated with the main frame and a
forward end, the forward end of the seat pad being enlarged and
comprising said thigh support.
8. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front leg
has a lower tubular portion and an upper portion having a lower end
telescopically associated with the lower tubular portion of the
front leg, the front leg further comprising releasable locking
means for releasably securing the upper portion of the leg at a
selected position relative to the lower portion, the lower portion
of the front leg being pivotally secured to the main frame, and the
upper portion being pivotally secured to the forward end of the
seat pad.
9. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least a
forward part of the seat pad has a forward end pivotally secured to
the main frame for movement between a lowered position and a
raised, forwardly facing position, the forward part of the seat pad
in said raised position comprising said thigh support for
supporting a user's thighs when performing back hyper-extension
exercises.
10. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the front leg
has an upper end secured to the main frame and is adjustable in
length to adjust the position of the thigh support.
11. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the seat is
split into said forward part pivotally secured to the main frame
and a rear part rigidly secured to the main frame, the forward part
being aligned with said rear part in said lowered position to form
a continuous support pad for a seated user performing abdominal
crunch exercises.
12. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user
engaging foot stabilizer is pivotally mounted on the front leg so
as to extend in front of the leg, and a stop device is provided for
limiting the pivotal range of motion of the foot stabilizer in at
least one direction.
13. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user
engaging foot stabilizer comprises an arm pivotally associated with
the leg, and a pair of foot engaging pads secured to the arm, and
the stop device is positioned to prevent the foot stabilizer from
pivoting to a position in which the foot engaging pads are at a
lower elevation than the pivot mounting.
14. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main
frame has a lower surface, and the front leg is pivotally secured
to the main frame for movement between a deployed position in which
the foot portion engages the ground and a folded, storage position
in which the front leg is located adjacent the lower surface of the
main frame.
15. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 14, wherein the front
leg has a front wall which faces forwardly in the deployed
position, and the foot stabilizer is foldable into a storage
position in which at least part of the foot stabilizer swings past
the front wall of the front leg.
16. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 14, including a locking
assembly for locking the front leg in the deployed and storage
positions.
17. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 4, wherein the foot
portion of the front leg comprises a cross member at the lower end
of the front leg for providing a foot support for the user to stand
on when performing back hyper-extension exercises.
18. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front leg
comprises a first tube and an adjuster member telescopically
associated with the first tube and releasably lockable in a series
of different extended positions relative to the first tube.
19. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first
tube has an upper end secured to the forward end of the first frame
portion, the adjuster member is telescopically mounted in the upper
end of the first tube, and the support pad is secured to the upper
end of the adjuster member.
20. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 19, wherein the support
pad comprises a pair of roller pads projecting in opposite
directions from the upper end of the adjuster member.
21. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a
seat pad having a rear end pivotally associated with the main
frame, the seat pad having an enlarged forward end comprising said
support pad, and the upper end of the adjuster member being
pivotally secured to the forward end of said seat pad, whereby
extension of the adjuster member will increase the angle of the
seat pad and raise the height of the support pad.
22. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 18, wherein the upper
end of the adjuster member is pivotally secured to the main frame,
and a pad is pivotally mounted on the forward part of the main
frame for movement between a lowered position to act as a seat pad
for a user performing abdominal exercises and a raised, forwardly
facing position to act as a thigh support for a user performing
abdominal exercise, whereby adjustment of the extension of said
adjuster member from said first tube varies the height of said pad
in both the lowered and raised positions.
23. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thigh
support is adjustable in height between positions for engaging
behind a user's knees when seated on the main frame in a first,
forwardly facing abdominal exercise position and different height
positions for engaging in front of a user's thighs when standing in
a second, rearwardly facing lower back exercise position.
24. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 23, wherein the front
leg is adjustable in length to adjust the height of the thigh
support.
25. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 24, wherein the thigh
support is mounted at the upper end of the front leg.
26. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a
seat pad mounted on the forward part of the first frame portion for
supporting a seated user in the first exercise position.
27. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 26, wherein the thigh
support comprises a part of said seat pad.
28. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 27, wherein the seat pad
is pivotally associated with said first frame portion and linked to
an upper end of the front leg, whereby adjustment of the length of
said front leg will adjust the height of said thigh pad.
29. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 27, wherein the front
leg has an upper end pivotally associated with the forward part of
the first frame portion, whereby adjustment of the length of said
front leg will adjust the height of the forward part and thereby
adjust the height of said thigh support.
30. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user
engaging foot stabilizer is slidably mounted on said front leg for
adjustment of the location of said stabilizer relative to said
leg.
31. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 30, wherein the foot
stabilizer comprises a bracket slidably mounted on said front leg,
a releasable locking device for securing the bracket in a selected
position on said leg, an arm pivotally associated with said
bracket, and a pair of foot engaging pads secured to said arm.
32. The bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front leg
comprises part of a folding assembly pivotally secured to the main
frame for movement between a deployed position for supporting the
main frame in an exercise-ready position for supporting a user in a
seated position for performing abdominal exercise and a standing
position for performing low back exercise, and a folded position,
the folding assembly being foldable into the folded, storage
position without the dismantling of any component of the bench, and
a securing device for securing the folding assembly in at least one
of said deployed and folded positions.
33. The bench as claimed in claim 32, wherein the folding assembly
has a front edge which faces forwards in the deployed position, the
foot stabilizer being pivotal into a storage position when the
folding assembly is moved into the folded position, at least a
portion of the user engaging section of the foot stabilizer
swinging past the front edge of the folding assembly in the storage
position.
34. The bench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main frame has a
seat pad for supporting a seated user in a first, abdominal
exercise position facing in a first direction, the frame further
comprising means for supporting a standing user in a second, low
back exercise position facing in a second, opposite direction, the
foot stabilizing device being engageable over the feet of a seated
user in the first exercise position and engageable behind a
standing user's ankles in the second exercise position.
35. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 34, wherein the foot
stabilizing device has a limit or stop member to restrict its range
of motion in at least one direction.
36. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 34, wherein the foot
stabilizing device is freely pivoting so as to self-align to the
feet of the user in each exercise position,
37. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 34, wherein the frame
has a front portion, and the foot stabilizing device comprises a
cross member extending transversely across the front portion of the
frame, oppositely directed pads secured to opposite ends of the
cross member, and a pivot bracket assembly pivotally securing the
cross member to a portion of the frame, the cross member comprising
means for restricting pivoting motion of the foot stabilizing
device in a first direction.
38. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a
stop member mounted on the frame for restricting pivoting motion of
the foot stabilizing device in a second direction.
39. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 37 further comprising a
stop member mounted on the foot stabilizing device for engaging the
frame to restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizing device in
a second direction opposite to the first direction.
40. A bench for exercising the low back of a user, comprising: a
main frame; and a folding assembly pivotally secured to the main
frame for movement between a deployed position for supporting the
main frame in an exercise-ready position for supporting a user in a
standing position for performing low back exercise, and a folded
position for storage purposes.
41. The bench as claimed in claim 40 wherein the folding assembly
has a front wall which faces forwardly in the deployed position; a
locking device for locking the folding assembly in at least one of
said deployed and folded positions; a user engaging foot stabilizer
pivotally associated with the folding assembly and having a user
engaging section for engaging the feet of a user in the deployed
position; and the foot stabilizer being foldable into a storage
position when the folding assembly is moved to the folded position,
at least a portion of the user engaging section of the foot
stabilizer swinging past the front wall of said folding assembly in
the storage position.
42. The bench as claimed in claim 41, wherein the folding assembly
is foldable into the folded, storage position without the
dismantling of any component of the bench.
43. The bench as claimed in claim 40, wherein the main frame has a
first end for engaging the ground and a second end, and the folding
assembly comprises a folding front leg pivotally associated with
the second end of the main frame and having a lower end for
engaging the ground.
44. The bench as claimed in claim 43, wherein the front leg is
adjustable in length.
45. The bench as claimed in claim 44, further comprising a support
pad for supporting a part of user's body when using the bench, the
support pad being mounted on one of said front leg and said main
frame.
46. The bench as claimed in claim 45, wherein the support pad is
mounted on an upper end of said front leg, whereby adjustment of
the length of said front leg adjusts the height of the support
pad.
47. The bench as claimed in claim 45, wherein the support pad is
mounted on the main frame, and the front leg has an upper end
pivotally associated with the forward end of the main frame,
whereby adjustment of the length of said front leg will adjust the
height of the forward end of the main frame and thereby adjust the
height of said support pad.
48. The bench as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a seat pad
having a rear end pivotally associated with the main frame and a
forward end comprising said support pad, the front leg having an
upper end associated with the forward end of said seat pad, whereby
adjustment of the length of said front leg will pivot the forward
end of said seat pad upwardly, thereby adjusting the height of said
support pad.
49. A bench for exercising the abdominals of a user, comprising: a
main frame having a first end for engaging the ground and a second
end raised above the ground in an exercise position; a folding
assembly pivotally secured to the main frame for movement between a
deployed position for supporting the main frame in an exercise
ready position for supporting a user in a seated position for
performing abdominal crunch exercise, and a folded position; a
support pad for supporting part of the user's body mounted on one
of said main frame and said folding assembly; and a user engaging
foot stabilizer device for engaging the feet of a seated user,
pivotally associated with said folding assembly.
50. The bench as claimed in claim 49 wherein the folding assembly
has a front wall which faces forwardly in the deployed position, a
locking device for locking the folding assembly in at least one of
said deployed and folded positions, a user engaging foot stabilizer
pivotally associated with the folding assembly and having a user
engaging section for engaging the feet of a user in the deployed
position; and the foot stabilizer being foldable into a storage
position when the folding assembly is moved to the folded position,
at least a portion of the user engaging section of the foot
stabilizer swinging past the front wall of said folding assembly in
the storage position.
51. The bench as claimed in claim 50, wherein the folding assembly
is foldable into the folded, storage position without the
dismantling of any component of the bench.
52. The bench as claimed in claim 49, wherein the main frame has a
first end for engaging the ground and a second end, and the folding
assembly comprises a folding front leg pivotally associated with
the second end of the main frame and having a lower end for
engaging the ground.
53. The bench as claimed in claim 52, wherein the front leg is
adjustable in length.
54. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 49, further comprising a
pivot mount pivotally associating the foot stabilizer with the
folding assembly and a stop member for limiting the range of motion
of said foot stabilizer relative to its pivot mount.
55. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 52, wherein the front
leg has a front wall and a pivot mount pivotally associating the
foot stabilizer with the front leg, and the foot stabilizer
comprises a cross member extending transversely across the front
wall, oppositely directed pads secured to opposite sides of the
cross member, and a pivot bracket assembly extending from the cross
member and pivotally securing the cross member on said pivot mount,
the cross member comprising means for restricting pivoting motion
of the foot stabilizer in a first direction.
56. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 55, wherein the front
leg has a rear wall, the pivot mount is located on the rear wall,
and the pivot bracket assembly comprises a pair of plates extending
on opposite sides of said front leg to engage said pivot mount, the
stop member comprising a stop pin secured between said plates at a
location rear of said rear wall, whereby the stop pin engages the
rear wall of the front leg to restrict pivoting motion of the foot
stabilizer in a second direction.
57. The exercise bench as claimed in claim 52, wherein the foot
stabilizer comprises a channel member having a first end pivotally
connected to said front leg and a second end, and oppositely
directed foot engaging pads secured to the second end of the
channel member, the channel member having an inner face facing the
front leg, the first end of the channel member comprising a first
stop member for engaging the front wall of the front leg to
restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a first
direction and the inner face of the channel member comprising a
second stop member for engaging the front wall of the front leg to
restrict pivoting motion of the foot stabilizer in a second
direction.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a divisional of co-pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/249,987 entitled EXERCISE BENCH, of
concurrent ownership, filed on Oct. 12, 2005, which claims the
benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
60/664,454 filed on Mar. 22, 2005, and the contents of both of the
aforementioned preceding applications are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to exercise benches for
supporting a user while performing exercise, and is particularly
concerned with an exercise bench for performing both abdominal and
low back exercises.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] Exercise benches designed for performing abdominal or sit up
exercises as well as lower back exercises such as hyper-extensions
are known in the field. A simple inclined bench may be used to
perform sit up exercises. Devices for performing hyper-extensions
typically support the user leaning forwardly against a thigh
support pad engaging the front of the user's thighs with their feet
held in place by foot and ankle pads. The user then bends their
upper body forward and downward at the waist, and then bends back
up and rearward into alignment with the lower half of their body.
This exercises the user's lower back muscles.
[0006] Some exercise benches are adaptable for both abdominal and
lower back exercises. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,513 of
Habing et al. describes a dual station exercise bench having a
generally A shaped frame, with a back pad pivotally secured to one
leg of the frame, and a secondary tube welded to the front face of
the second leg of the frame and housing an adjustable slide member
with thigh support pads mounted on its upper end. A second set of
roller pads are pivotally mounted on the adjustable slide member
below the thigh pads, for engaging a user's ankles when performing
sit up or abdominal crunch exercises. A third set of roller pads
are located at the lower end of the second leg, along with angled
foot pads. The user stands on the foot pads with the third roller
pads engaging behind their ankles while performing lower back
exercises. This exercise bench has a large number of parts and is
relatively heavy. It is also not foldable for storage or
shipping.
[0007] Some exercise benches which can be used for lower back or
abdominal exercises can be folded, but generally require removal of
some parts to allow folding of the remainder of the bench. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,809 of Habing requires removal of an
actuator arm carrying the thigh pad before it can be folded. U.S.
Pat. No. 6,258,016 of Kuo requires the seat to be removed prior to
folding the remainder of the frame. This makes movement of the
bench between the folded and deployed positions inconvenient and
does not allow for safe storage of the separated component.
[0008] Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that
overcomes these significant problems found in the conventional
systems as described above.
SUMMARY
[0009] Embodiments described herein provide an exercise bench for
performing abdominal and lower back exercises.
[0010] According to one aspect, an exercise bench is provided which
comprises a frame assembly having a first frame portion having
floor engaging end and a second end, at least a forward part of the
first frame portion being inclined upwardly towards the second end
of the frame in an exercise position of the bench, and a second
frame portion comprising a front leg secured to the first frame
portion and having a foot portion for engaging the ground, a user
engaging foot stabilizer pivotally associated with the front leg,
and a thigh support adjustably mounted on the frame assembly for
engaging the thighs of a user when performing exercises while
supported on the bench, whereby the spacing between the user
engaging foot stabilizer and the thigh support is adjustable.
[0011] The thigh support, which provides support for the user's
upper thigh during a back hyper-extension exercise, may be
associated with either the first frame portion or main support
frame, or with the second frame portion or front support leg. The
adjustable spacing between the thigh support or thigh pad and the
foot stabilizer allows for adjustment of the bench for users of
different heights and also for different body orientations. The
exercise bench may be designed for performing only abdominal
exercises or for only lower back exercises, but in the exemplary
embodiment it is a combination bench which can be used for both
abdominal and lower back exercises. When performing an abdominal
exercise, the user sits on a seat pad located on a downwardly
inclined part of the first frame portion facing forward, and hook
their feet under the self-aligning foot stabilizer with the back of
their lower thighs resting on the thigh support. They then bend
rearward, pivoting at the waist to put their abdominal muscles
under tension, and subsequently pivot back up into a sitting
position. In order to perform a lower back exercise, the thigh
support is adjusted to contact the upper thigh region of the user,
and the user then stands facing the rear of the bench with their
feet on the foot portion of the front leg and the foot stabilizer
engaging behind their ankles, with their body in a forward lean so
their upper thighs engage the thigh support. They then bend forward
at the waist until their lower back muscles are under tension,
subsequently returning to the start position.
[0012] In one embodiment, the user engaging foot stabilizer is
pivotally mounted on the front leg so as to extend in front of the
leg, and a stop device is provided for limiting the pivotal range
of motion of the foot stabilizer in at least one direction. The
stop device may be designed to prevent the foot stabilizer from
pivoting to a position in which it is at a lower elevation than the
pivot connection point to the front leg. This keeps the foot
stabilizer within range of a user's feet when positioning
themselves for either a seated abdominal exercise or a standing low
back exercise. The foot stabilizer is designed to keep the user
secured and properly positioned when performing exercises. It is
designed to rest on top of the user's feet during an abdominal
crunch exercise, keeping their feet securely on the bench by
preventing the feet from sliding forward and preventing them from
tipping over when they lean rearward. The foot stabilizer rests
above the user's heels during a back hyper-extension exercise,
keeping their feet securely on the bench by preventing them from
sliding rearward.
[0013] The front leg may be pivotally secured to the second end of
the first frame portion so that it can be folded up for storage,
and may be tucked up within the framework of the first frame
portion when folded to provide a compact storage position. The foot
stabilizer may be foldable into a storage position in which at
least part of the foot stabilizer swings past the front wall of the
front leg to provide a more compact folded profile, and also keeps
the foot stabilizer, which may comprise foot engaging roller pads,
protected within the framework of the support frame. The front leg
may be lockable in both the folded storage position against the
underside of the first frame portion and the deployed or exercise
position in which it is inclined forwardly from the first frame
portion. The foot portion or cross member at the lower end of the
front leg also acts as a foot support or rest for the user to stand
on when they are exercising their lower back muscles. This allows
the user's weight to bear down on the floor engaging member or
support in order to prevent the bench from tipping or sliding as
the user performs lower back exercises.
[0014] The exercise bench can be folded into a storage position
without first having to remove any component of the bench.
Exercises performed on the bench are gravity resisted and
un-assisted by any supplemental weights or exercise resistance,
although supplemental weights or exercise resistance may be added
if desired.
[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the front leg has a first tube
and an adjuster member or tube telescopically associated with the
first tube and releasably lockable in a series of different
extended positions relative to the first tube. In one embodiment,
the first tube has an upper end secured to the forward end of the
first frame portion and the adjuster member is slidably mounted in
an upper end of the first tube with the thigh support secured to
the upper end of the adjuster member. The thigh support may be a
pair of thigh pads or rollers projecting in opposite directions
from the upper end of the adjuster member. In an alternative
arrangement, the thigh support is an enlarged portion of a forward
end of a seat pad which has a rear end pivotally associated with
the first frame portion, so that extension of the adjuster member
increases the angle of the seat pad while also raising the height
of the thigh support.
[0016] In another embodiment, a pad pivotally associated with a
forward part of the first frame portion can be secured in a first
or down position seated on the first frame portion to act as a seat
pad for a user performing abdominal exercises, or in a second,
raised position to act as a thigh support for a user performing
lower back exercises. The angle of the pad in the raised position
can also be varied to adjust exercise difficulty. In this
embodiment, the upper end of the adjuster member is secured to the
forward end of the first frame portion, so that adjustment of the
extension of the adjuster member also adjusts the height of the pad
in the second, raised position and the inclination of the pad when
acting as a seat in the down position.
[0017] According to another aspect, a combination bench for
exercising the abdominals and low back of a user is provided, the
bench having a main frame and a folding assembly that can fold up
for storage without the removal of any component or fastener. The
bench can be locked in both the exercise and storage position, with
the folding assembly tucked up within the frame work of the
non-folding or main frame part in the storage position. A user
engaging foot stabilizer is pivotally attached to the folding
assembly with an arrangement that allows at least a portion of the
user engaging section of the foot stabilizer to swing past the
front wall or edge of the folding assembly in the folded or storage
position, producing a more compact storage condition.
[0018] In another embodiment, a combination bench for exercising
the abdominals and low back of a user is provided, the bench having
a frame and a foot stabilizing device pivotally attached to the
frame for providing stabilization and proper positioning of the
user's feet during both exercises, the foot stabilizing device
pivoting so as to self-align to the feet of the user in each
exercise position, and having a limit or stop member to restrict
its range of motion in at least one direction. The foot stabilizing
device may comprise a cross member extending transversely across a
front portion of the frame, oppositely directed pads secured to
opposite ends of the cross member, and a pivot bracket assembly
pivotally securing the cross member to the frame. The cross member
engages the front portion of the frame to restrict pivoting motion
of the foot stabilizing device in a first direction. A stop member
may be mounted on the frame to restrict pivoting motion in a second
direction such that the foot stabilizer can always be reached
readily by the user's feet.
[0019] A bench for exercising the low back of a user according to
another aspect has a main frame and a folding assembly that can
fold up for storage without the removal of any component or
fastener, the folding assembly being lockable in at least one of an
exercise position and a storage position, and tucking up within the
frame in the storage position. The folding assembly has a user
engaging foot stabilizer, pivotally associated with the folding
assembly in a manner that allows at least a portion of the user
engaging section of said foot stabilizer to swing past the front
wall or edge of said folding assembly in the storage position to
allow for a more compact storage condition.
[0020] According to another aspect, an exercise bench is provided
which comprises a main frame having a first end for engaging the
ground and a second end raised above the ground in an exercise
position, and a front leg secured to the main frame and having a
foot portion for engaging the ground in the exercise position to
hold the second end of the main frame in the raised position, a
support pad for supporting part of the user's body being mounted on
either the front leg or the main frame, the front leg being
adjustable in length to adjust the height of the support pad, and a
user engaging foot stabilizer pivotally associated with the front
leg with the pivot mounting at a fixed position relative to the
foot portion, whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg
adjusts the distance between the foot stabilizer pivot mounting and
the support pad so as to accommodate user's having different length
legs.
[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, a seat pad has a forward end
secured to an upper end of the front leg and a rear end pivotally
associated with a member slidably mounted on the main frame,
whereby adjustment of the length of the front leg causes the
forward end of the seat pad to pivot upwardly and the rear end to
slide forwardly along the main frame.
[0022] The exercise bench allows a user to perform either abdominal
or lower back exercises, and has a folding front leg assembly so
that it can fold up flat for easier storage The bench is readily
adjustable to allow various size exercisers to perform both
exercises effectively, and also to adjust the exercise difficulty.
A thigh pad of adjustable height is provided either on the main
frame or front leg assembly, and self-aligning, ankle engaging foot
stabilizer pads are pivotally mounted on a part of the front leg
assembly, so that the thigh pad can be adjusted independent of the
ankle engaging pads.
[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art
after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The details of the present invention, both as to its
structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to
like parts, and in which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise bench according
to a first embodiment of the invention, with the bench configured
for performing abdominal crunch exercises;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a front view of the bench of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the bench of FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bench of FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the bench similar to FIG.
4, illustrating a user performing a seated abdominal exercise;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but
illustrating the bench configured for performing a back
hyper-extension exercise;
[0031] FIG. 7 is front view of the bench in the configuration of
FIG. 6;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the bench configured as in FIG.
6 for lower back exercises;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the bench in the back
exercise configuration of FIGS. 6 to 8;
[0034] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 9,
illustrating a user performing a low back exercise;
[0035] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the bench of FIGS. 1 to 10
in a folded, storage position;
[0036] FIG. 12 is a front view of the bench in the storage
position;
[0037] FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the bench in the storage
position of FIGS. 11 and 12;
[0038] FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of the bench in the storage
position of FIGS. 11 to 13;
[0039] FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view from underneath the bench
in the deployed position of FIG. 1, illustrating the pivotal
connection between the frame and the folding front leg
assembly;
[0040] FIG. 15A is an exploded view of the pivotal connection
circled in FIG. 15;
[0041] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the exercise bench of FIGS.
1 to 15 at an intermediate position as the front leg assembly is
being unfolded from a storage position to a deployed position;
[0042] FIG. 16A is an enlarged view of the circled portion of FIG.
16, illustrating the range of motion plate;
[0043] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the exercise bench with the
front leg assembly in the deployed, exercise position;
[0044] FIG. 17A is an enlarged view of the circled portion of FIG.
17, illustrating the range of motion plate;
[0045] FIG. 18A is a side elevation view of the exercise bench of
FIGS. 1 to 17 with the bench in position for performing abdominal
exercises and the adjustable thigh support rollers in their lowest
position;
[0046] FIG. 18B is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 18A
showing the adjustable thigh support rollers in a raised
position;
[0047] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an exercise bench according
to a second embodiment of the invention, with the bench in a first
exercise position for performing abdominal crunch exercises;
[0048] FIG. 20 is a front elevation view of the bench in the
position of FIG. 19;
[0049] FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the bench of FIGS. 19 and
20;
[0050] FIG. 22 is a side elevation view of the bench in the
position of FIGS. 19 to 21;
[0051] FIG. 23 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 22
illustrating a user performing a seated abdominal exercise;
[0052] FIG. 24 is a front perspective view of the bench of FIGS. 19
to 23 in a second exercise configuration for performing back
hyper-extension exercises;
[0053] FIG. 24A is an enlarged view of the circled portion of FIG.
24 to illustrate the locking arrangement between the frame and the
folding front leg assembly in the exercise position;
[0054] FIG. 25 is a front elevational view of the bench in the
exercise position of FIG. 24;
[0055] FIG. 26 is a top plan view of the bench positioned as in
FIG. 24;
[0056] FIG. 27 is a side elevation view of the bench positioned as
in FIG. 24;
[0057] FIG. 28 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 27
illustrating a user performing a low back exercise;
[0058] FIG. 29 is a perspective view illustrating the bench of
FIGS. 19 to 28 in a folded or storage position;
[0059] FIG. 30 is a front view of the folded bench of FIG. 29;
[0060] FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the folded bench of FIG.
29;
[0061] FIG. 32 is a side elevation view of the folded bench of
FIGS. 29 to 31;
[0062] FIG. 33 is a bottom plan view of the folded bench of FIGS.
29 to 32;
[0063] FIG. 34 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 32
illustrating the bench in the folded position;
[0064] FIG. 34A is an expanded view of the circled region A of FIG.
34;
[0065] FIG. 34B is an expanded view of the circled region B of FIG.
34;
[0066] FIG. 35 is a side elevation view of the exercise bench of
FIGS. 19 to 34 with the adjustable seat assembly in its lowest
position;
[0067] FIG. 36 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 35
illustrating the seat assembly in a raised position;
[0068] FIG. 36A is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 35 showing
a modified pivot mounting for the adjustable seat assembly, with
the upholstery cut away to show the front pivotal attachment;
[0069] FIG. 36B is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 27 but
showing the modified exercise bench of FIG. 36A, again with the
upholstery cut away to show the front pivotal attachment;
[0070] FIG. 37 is a perspective view of an exercise bench according
to a third embodiment of the invention in a first exercise position
for performing abdominal crunch exercises;
[0071] FIG. 38 is a front elevational view of the bench in the
position of FIG. 37;
[0072] FIG. 39 is a top plan view of the bench of FIGS. 37 and
38;
[0073] FIG. 40 is a side elevation view of the bench in the
position of FIGS. 37 to 39;
[0074] FIG. 41 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 40
illustrating a user performing a seated abdominal exercise;
[0075] FIG. 42 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the
exercise bench in a second exercise position for performing back
hyper-extension exercises;
[0076] FIG. 43 is a front elevation view of the bench in the
position of FIG. 42;
[0077] FIG. 44 is a top plan view of the bench in the position of
FIG. 42;
[0078] FIG. 45 is a side elevation view of the bench in the
position of FIG. 42;
[0079] FIG. 46 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 45
illustrating a user performing a lower back exercise;
[0080] FIG. 47 is a perspective view of the bench of FIGS. 37 to 46
in a folded or storage position;
[0081] FIG. 48 is a front elevation view of the bench in the folded
position of FIG. 47;
[0082] FIG. 49 is a top plan view of the bench in the folded
position of FIG. 47;
[0083] FIG. 50 is a side elevation view of the bench in the folded
position of FIG. 47;
[0084] FIG. 51 is an expanded perspective view of the adjustable
seat bracket from underneath the front pad, illustrating how the
curved adjuster plate passes through the main frame;
[0085] FIG. 52 is a side elevation view of the exercise bench
illustrating different adjusted positions of the front pad in the
second exercise position for performing lower back exercises;
[0086] FIG. 53 is a side elevation view of the bench of FIGS. 37 to
52 illustrating the front leg assembly being folded about its
pivotal connection to the main frame towards the folded
position;
[0087] FIG. 53A is an expanded view of the circled region of FIG.
53 illustrating the locking pin and pinning hole for locking the
folded leg assembly in the folded position;
[0088] FIG. 54 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 53 but from
the opposite direction to FIG. 53;
[0089] FIG. 54A is an expanded view of the circled region of FIG.
54 illustrating the notch in the leg assembly bracket for fitting
around the seat pad adjusting pull pin;
[0090] FIG. 55A is a bottom plan view of part of the underside of
the bench with the front support leg in the folded position;
[0091] FIG. 55B is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 55A but
illustrating the front support leg in the exercise position;
[0092] FIG. 56 is a side elevation view of the bench of the third
embodiment in the exercise position for performing abdominal
exercises, with the adjustable seat assembly in its lowest
position;
[0093] FIG. 57 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 56
illustrating the adjustable seat assembly in a raised position;
[0094] FIG. 58A is a front perspective view of the self-aligning
foot stabilizer of the first embodiment of the exercise bench;
[0095] FIG. 58B is a rear perspective view of the foot stabilizer
of FIG. 58A;
[0096] FIG. 59A is a front perspective view of the self-aligning
foot stabilizer of the second embodiment of the exercise bench;
[0097] FIG. 59B is a side perspective view of the foot stabilizer
of FIG. 59A;
[0098] FIG. 60A is a front perspective view of the self-aligning
foot stabilizer of the third embodiment of the exercise bench;
and
[0099] FIG. 60B is a rear perspective view of the foot stabilizer
of FIG. 60A.
[0100] FIG. 61A is a front perspective view of an alternative
self-aligning foot stabilizer; and
[0101] FIG. 61B is a rear perspective view of the foot stabilizer
of FIG. 61A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0102] Certain embodiments as disclosed herein provide for an
exercise bench which supports a user while performing exercise. For
example, embodiments of the exercise bench as disclosed herein
allow a user to perform either abdominal or low back exercise.
[0103] After reading this description it will become apparent to
one skilled in the art how to implement the invention in various
alternative embodiments and alternative applications. However,
although various embodiments of the present invention will be
described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are
presented by way of example only, and not limitation. As such, this
detailed description of various alternative embodiments should not
be construed to limit the scope or breadth of the present invention
as set forth in the appended claims.
[0104] FIGS. 1 to 18 illustrate a foldable exercise bench 10
according to a first embodiment for performing abdominal crunch
exercises or lower back exercises. The bench consists of 5 main
elements: A main support frame 12, a folding front leg assembly 14,
a foot stabilizer 15, a thigh support 16 and a seat pad 18, as
indicated in FIG. 1.
[0105] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the bench 10 in a first exercise
position for performing abdominal crunch exercises, while FIGS. 6
to 10 illustrate the bench 10 in a second exercise position for
performing back hyper-extension exercises. FIGS. 11 to 14
illustrate the bench in a folded or storage position, and FIGS. 15
to 18 illustrate various details of the bench components.
[0106] The main support frame 12 comprises a main tube 20 which has
a floor engaging cross support 24 connected at a first end and a
support plate 22 (FIGS. 3 and 4) connected to a second end. The
main tube angles downward and rearward from its second end and has
a downward bend 25 approximate its first end. The seat pad 18 is
engaged with the main tube 20 with a forward end of the seat pad
adjacent the second end of the tube. The seat pad is tapered, as
best seen in FIG. 3, with the widest end at the front closest to
the second end of the main tube.
[0107] The folding front leg assembly 14 is pivotally connected to
the main support frame by pivot pin 26 located adjacent its upper
end and has a floor engaging cross support 28 associated with its
second or lower end. The front leg assembly holds the main tube 20
in the raised position when in the deployed, exercise positions of
FIGS. 1 to 10, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 9. The
lower cross support 28 also acts as a foot rest or support for the
user to stand on when they are performing back exercises. This
allows the user's weight to bear down on the floor engaging section
to prevent the bench from tipping or sliding as the user is
exercising their low back muscles.
[0108] The folding front leg assembly comprises a tubular front
support leg 29 with an open upper end and the floor engaging cross
support 28 is transversely attached at the lower end. An adjuster
tube 30 with multiple adjustment openings 32 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is
inserted into the open first end of the front support leg for
telescopic adjustment with the support leg. One end of the adjuster
tube protrudes past the open end of the support leg and has a round
pad support rod 33 transversely mounted at its upper end. Roller
pads 34 are mounted over the ends of the pad support rod 33. The
roller pads 34 comprise the thigh support 16 for engaging the
user's thighs when the adjuster tube is elevated for low back
exercises, as in FIGS. 6 to 10. The pads 34 also provide support
behind a seated user's knees during abdominal exercises. A pull pin
35 extends through the front wall of the front support leg 29
adjacent its open upper end and into a selected aligned opening 32
in the adjuster tube so as to lock the adjustment tube at a
selected extension.
[0109] A "U" shaped mounting bracket 36 is attached by its web to
the rear wall of the front leg 29, opposite the pull pin 35. The
mounting bracket has a first rearward protruding leg 37 and second
rearward protruding leg 38 which is longer and larger in dimensions
than the first leg, as best illustrated in FIGS. 5, 11 and 15. The
pivot pin 26 extends through a first opening in the first leg 37, a
round tube 40 welded to the front plate 22 of the main tube, and
through a second, aligned opening in the second leg 38 so as to
pivotally connect the front support leg 29 to the main frame, as
best illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 15A. This pivotal connection
allows the front support leg to fold rearward, up against the
underside of the main support frame. The second leg has an arcuate
slot 42 approximate its rearward edge with opposite bulbous ends
43, 44, as best illustrated in FIG. 4. A pull pin 45 is mounted on
one side wall of the main support frame's main tube. The pull pin
45 has a larger diameter body 47 with a smaller diameter tip 46
which engages in the arcuate slot 42 of bracket 36 secured to the
front support leg 29, as illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17. The bulbous
ends 43, 44 of the arcuate slot provide locking positions for the
storage position (see FIG. 11) and the exercise positions (see
FIGS. 4 and 6). When the leg is pivoted about pivot pin 26, the end
or tip 46 of the pull pin travels along slot 42. The stepped design
of the pull pin plunger helps to ensure that the pull pin engages
with the slot, for added safety. When the pull pin is aligned with
one of the enlarged, bulbous ends of the slot, the larger diameter
portion 47 of the pull pin extends into the enlarged end of the
slot, locking the pin in position and thus locking the leg 29 in
its end position (either folded or deployed).
[0110] The foot stabilizer 15 is generally T-shaped and is
pivotally connected to the front support leg 29 at a location
intermediate the leg's two ends. The stabilizer comprises two,
spaced plates 48,49 on opposite sides of the front leg 29 with a
pair of holes located towards the first end of each plate, and a
user engaging cross bar 52 transversely connected to each plate at
their respective second ends. The plates are spaced to allow them
to pass around the sides of the support leg and pivotally mount the
stabilizer to a round tube 54 welded on the support leg's rear
wall, as best illustrated in FIG. 15. This allows the foot
stabilizer to pivot about a pivot axis 53 extending through the
first pair of aligned plate holes. A bolt or pin 55, also
illustrated in FIG. 15, is transversely connected through the
second of the pair of plate holes in plates 48 and 49, and acts as
a stop means to limit the range of motion of the foot stabilizer
about its pivotal connection to the front support leg. Roller pads
56 are mounted to the ends of the user engaging cross bar for added
comfort and to create a larger contact surface. Upward rotation of
the stabilizer about pivot 53 (FIG. 4) is limited by the engagement
of the cross bar 52 with the front side of the leg 29. Downward
rotation of the stabilizer is limited by engagement of the stop pin
55 with the rear face of the leg 29. Because of the stop means
which limits rotation of the stabilizer in the forward direction,
the stabilizers or foot and ankle engaging pads do not pivot out of
the exercise ready position and are readily accessible to the
user.
[0111] As noted above, FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the exercise bench
in a first deployed position for performing abdominal crunch
exercises. In the position of FIGS. 1 to 5, the upper pads 34 are
in a lower position adjacent the front edge of seat pad 18, and the
front support leg 29 is rotated into the deployed, forwardly
inclined position with the floor engaging cross support 28 engaging
the ground and the pull pin 45 extending through the bulbous end 44
of slot 42 to lock the leg 29 in the illustrated position. FIG. 4
illustrates the self-aligning capabilities of the foot stabilizer,
since it can pivot freely about pivot 53 between two end positions.
FIG. 4 illustrates two possible positions of the foot stabilizer in
solid and dotted outline, respectively.
[0112] FIG. 5 illustrates a user 60 performing a seated abdominal
exercise. In FIG. 5, hidden lines have been revealed to better show
the various components. In this case, the user is seated on seat
pad 18 facing forwardly, with their legs extending over thigh pads
34, which engage behind the user's knees. The legs are then bent
downwardly with the feet engaging behind or hooking under the foot
stabilizer pads 56 so that the feet are anchored. The user's legs
are located on opposite sides of the front support leg 29. The
upright position of FIG. 5 represents both the start position and
the finish position for the exercise, with the arrows indicating
the exercise motion. The reclined position is the intermediate
position when the abdominal muscles are under tension. The user
bends backwardly about their waist from the upright start position
until they are in the rearwardly reclined position, and then bends
back upwardly into the upright position. Because the seat pad is
inclined, the user uses their stomach muscles to pull their body up
hill, against the force of gravity. The greater the angle of the
seat pad (or the elevation between their knees and hips), the
greater the effort required to return the body to the starting,
upright position. Because of its pivotal attachment to the front
support leg 29, the foot stabilizer 15 automatically pivots to
adjust to the leg length of the user.
[0113] FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate how the angle of the user's
body for performing abdominal crunch exercises can be adjusted. In
FIG. 18A, the adjustable rollers 34 are in their lowest position
while FIG. 18B shows the rollers 34 in a slightly elevated
position. The rollers are adjusted by pulling the pull pin 35
outwardly and lifting the adjustment rod 30 until the rollers 34
are at the desired height, and then releasing the pull pin 35 to
extend through the aligned opening 32 in the front wall of rod or
tube 30. Raising the rollers 34 increases the amount the user's
knees are raised above their hips. The dotted lines 62, 63 in FIGS.
18A and 18B represent the line of the user's upper leg when they
are seated on the bench as depicted in FIG. 5. By slightly raising
the adjuster tube, the roller pads change the user's seated angle
from 27 to 36 degrees while the roller height is changed from 21.5
inches to 24.25 inches. The steeper the seated angle of the user,
the greater the gravitational influence of their body weight on the
exercise.
[0114] A similar adjustment is also used to vary the height of the
roller pads 34 so as to provide thigh support when performing back
exercises, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 10. It can be seen from
FIGS. 6 and 7 that the adjuster tube 30 has two sets of openings
32, with the upper set engaging the pull pin 35 to adjust the
height of pads 34 when the user is performing seated abdominal
exercises, as described above. The lower set of openings 32 is used
to adjust the height of thigh pads 34 when performing lower back
exercises. With the front support leg 29 in its deployed position,
the user pulls out the pull pin 35 and raises the pads 34 to the
desired height so that they engage the front of the user's thighs
as in FIG. 10. The pad height is dependent on the length of the
user's legs, and the openings provide a wide range of adjustability
for users of different heights. The pin 35 is then released to
extend through the aligned opening and secure the pads 34 in the
raised position.
[0115] The user 60 then stands facing the rear of the bench, as
illustrated in FIG. 10 with their feet planted on the folding
assembly's floor engaging cross member 28 and their heels fitted
under the user engaging cross bar 5.2 and pads 56 of the foot
stabilizer, leaning slightly forward against the thigh pads 34.
Once they are locked in place, making contact with both the thigh
support and the foot stabilizer, they bend over at the waist until
their low back muscles are under tension, as indicated in the
forwardly bent position of the user in FIG. 10, and then return to
the starting position. Because the floor engaging section of the
folding assembly is forward of the thigh support, the user is
placed in a forwardly inclined starting position. This means their
torso is already under the influence of gravity, which increases
the minute they start the exercise by bending forward and force
their low back muscles to resist the effects of gravity.
[0116] FIGS. 11 to 14 illustrate the bench 10 in the folded or
storage position. In order to fold up the bench for storage, the
pull pin 45 (FIG. 15) is pulled out to release the larger portion
of the pin from the bulbous end 44 of the slot 42, and the front
support leg 29 can then be folded rearwardly and upwardly about
pivot 26 until it is positioned adjacent the lower surface of main
tube 20, as indicated in FIG. 14. At this point, the end 46 of the
pull pin has traveled along the slot 42 up to the opposite bulbous
end 43, and the released lock or pull pin 45 springs out so that
the larger diameter portion 47 enters the enlarged end 43 of the
slot, locking the leg 29 in the folded position. It can be seen
that the folded leg 29 tucks up within the framework of the bench
in the folded position, with the ground engaging member 28 at the
end of the leg 29 being spaced from bent end portion of the main
tube 20 and the entire folding assembly being raised above the
cross support 24 at the first end of the tube. The foot stabilizer
15 is also folded up against the support leg 29 in a compact
manner. Because the user engaging roller pads 56 on the foot
stabilizer are at a spacing wider than the width of the support leg
29, they can fold up past the front wall of leg 29, providing a
more compact folded profile and keeping the pads protected within
the curved framework of the main support frame.
[0117] FIGS. 19 to 36 illustrate an exercise bench 70 according to
a second embodiment. This embodiment is similar to the first
embodiment but has the thigh support mounted at the end of a seat
pad on the main frame rather than on an adjuster tube slidably
mounted in the front leg, and the seat pad in this case is
pivotally mounted on the main frame and adjusted by extending the
length of the front leg, as described in more detail below. The
exercise bench is movable between a first exercise position as
illustrated in FIGS. 19 to 23, 35 and 36 for performing abdominal
crunch exercises, a second exercise position as illustrated in
FIGS. 24 to 28 for performing back hyper-extension exercises, and a
folded or storage position as illustrated in FIGS. 29 to 34.
[0118] The exercise bench 70 has a main support frame that has a
downwardly angled main tube 72 with a floor engaging, round cross
support 75 transversely attached to a first end and a U-shaped
support bracket 74 (see FIG. 27) secured to its second end. A
folding front leg assembly 73 is pivotally attached to the second
end of the main tube 72. The main tube has a straight section and a
downward curving section extending to the cross support 75. An
elongate "U" shaped channel 76 is secured to the upper surface of
the straight section of the main tube, as illustrated in FIGS. 22,
23, 24 and 27, with the channel's side panels 78 mounting to the
side walls of the main tube. The channel 76 is raised above the
upper surface of main tube 72 with the raised portions of the side
panels 78 each having a longitudinal guide slot 79 aligned with the
corresponding slot in the other side panel, the arrangement being
such that the slotted sections are located above the upper surface
of main tube 72.
[0119] A seat assembly is pivotally mounted on the main tube 72.
The seat assembly comprises a seat bracket 80 and a tapered seat
pad 82 with an enlarged, rounded front end 84 mounted to the seat
bracket for supporting the user. The rounded front end 84 provides
thigh support for the user when they are performing back
hyper-extension exercises and support behind the user's knee when
they are seated and performing abdominal crunch exercises. The seat
bracket 80 has a transverse tube 85 attached to a forward end (see
FIGS. 25 and 28) and two ears 86 projecting downward and rearward
at its rear end (see FIG. 24). Attachment holes are located
approximate the end of each ear. The rear ears engage over the main
frame's top channel and are connected by a pivot pin 88 that runs
through the hole in a first ear, pivotally and slidably engages
through both slots 79 in the channel and then engages through the
hole in the second ear, as best illustrated in FIGS. 34 and
34B.
[0120] The folding front leg assembly 73 of the bench has a tubular
front support leg 90 with an open first end and a floor engaging
cross support 92 transversely attached at a second end. An adjuster
tube 94 with multiple adjustment openings 95 (see FIG. 24) is
inserted into the open first end of the front support leg for
telescopic adjustment with the support leg. A pull pin 96 is
mounted on the front wall of the support leg 90 adjacent its open
end and extends through an opening in the front wall for engagement
in a selected one of the openings 95 to lock the adjuster tube 94
at a selected extension. As best illustrated in FIGS. 34, 34A, a
U-shaped bracket 98 is secured to the upper end of the adjuster
tube 94 and has a pair of ears 99 which project rearwardly for
engagement with a pivot pin 100 which extends through the
transverse tube 85 at the forward end of the seat bracket 80. This
pivotally secures the forward end of the seat assembly to the upper
end of the adjuster tube 94. A gap 102 is provided at the center of
the rounded front end 84 of the seat pad 82 to provide clearance
for the pivotal movement of the folding front leg assembly about
pivot 100 (see FIGS. 19, 20, 21 and 25, for example)
[0121] The front support leg 90 is pivotally secured to the main
tube 72 via a pivot pin 104 which is pivotally engaged in a
mounting tube 105 which is transversely welded to the front or
forward wall of the support leg at a location between the leg's two
ends. The pivot pin 104 is secured between the forwardly projecting
ears or plates 106 of the front bracket 74 of the main tube, as
best illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 24, so as to pivotally connect the
main support frame to the front support leg 90. The pivotal
connection between the front support leg and forward bracket of the
main tube 72 allows the front support leg to fold rearward, up
against the underside of the main support frame. A rearward
protruding plate 108 is attached to the rear wall of the support
leg at a location behind mounting tube 105 and between the ears
106, as best illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 32. This plate has two
spaced pinning holes 110 (FIG. 22) and 112 (FIG. 32) at opposite
ends of its curved rearward edge 114 which provide locking
positions for the storage (folded) and exercise positions. A pull
pin 115 is located on one ear 106 of the support bracket, engaging
one of the holes located in the support leg's rear plate 108,
depending on whether the support leg is in the deployed position or
the folded position. FIG. 24A illustrates the pull pin 115 engaging
the hole 112 with the support leg in the deployed or exercise
position. In the folded position of FIG. 33, the pull pin 115
engages hole 110 to hold the support leg in the folded
position.
[0122] A generally "T" shaped foot stabilizer is pivotally
connected to the front support leg 90 at a location intermediate
the leg's two ends. The stabilizer consists of a "U" shaped channel
116 with a central web 118 which is wider than the width of the
front face of the leg 90 and which has two side legs 120. The rear
ends of the side legs 120 have rearwardly projecting ears 122 which
are pivotally secured to the support leg or tube 90 via a pivot pin
124 which extends through aligned openings in the projecting ears
and the side walls of the tube, as best illustrated in FIGS. 19 and
22. Oppositely directed user engaging bars or rods 125 are
transversely attached to the respective channel side leg at the
second end of the channel. Roller pads 126 are mounted on each of
the user engaging bars or rods of the foot stabilizer for added
comfort and to create a larger contact surface. The central web 118
of the channel acts as stop means to limit the pivotal range of
motion of the foot stabilizer about its connection to the front
support leg. When the channel is pivoted upwardly, the inner face
of the web eventually contacts the front face of the front support
leg or tube 90 to limit rotation in this direction. When the
channel is pivoted downwardly about pivot 124, the end edge 128 of
the channel eventually contacts the front face of the tube 90 so as
to limit rotation in the anti-clockwise direction, as indicated by
the dotted lines in FIG. 22. FIGS. 24 and 27 also illustrate the
stabilizer pads 126 in the lowermost stop position.
[0123] As noted above, FIGS. 19 to 33, 35 and 36 illustrate the
bench 70 in a deployed or exercise position for performing
abdominal crunch exercises. In FIGS. 19 to 33 and 35, the adjuster
tube 94 and adjustable seat assembly are in the lowermost position
with the tube 94 retracted as far as possible into the support leg
or tube 90. FIG. 23 shows a user 60 performing an abdominal crunch
exercise with the bench in this position. In FIG. 23, hidden lines
have been revealed to better show the various components. The user
starts in the upright position, seated on the seat pad 82 while
facing forwardly with the knees engaging over the enlarged rounded
ends 84 of the seat pad and the feet anchored under the foot
stabilizer pads 126. Once in the proper position, the user bends
rearwardly at their waist until they reach the fully reclined
position illustrated in FIG. 23, extending rearwardly over the seat
pad 82 and stretching the abdominal muscles. The user then bends
back upwardly into the upright position. Because the seat pad is
inclined, the user or exerciser uses their stomach muscles to pull
their body up hill, against the force of gravity. The greater the
angle of the seat pad (or the elevation between their knees and
hips), the greater the effort required to return the body to the
starting, upright position. Because of its pivotal attachment to
the front support leg 90, the foot stabilizer automatically pivots
to adjust to the leg length of the user.
[0124] FIGS. 35 and 36 show the ability to adjust the angle, and
consequently the degree of difficulty, of the user position for an
Abdominal Crunch exercise. FIG. 35 shows the adjustable seat
assembly in its lowest position while FIG. 36 shows it slightly
elevated, which increases the amount the user's knees are raised
above their hips. By releasing the pull pin 96 and slightly raising
the adjuster tube 94, the seat assembly changes the user's seated
angle from 25 to 35 degrees and the user's knee height by over
three inches (since the height of the upper face of the rounded end
84 of the seat pad is increased from about 23.5 inches to about
26.75 inches). The steeper the seated angle of the user, the
greater the gravitational influence of their body weight on the
exercise. This adjustment is also used to vary the height of the
thigh support when performing back exercises, as described in more
detail below.
[0125] FIGS. 24 to 28 illustrate the adjuster tube 94 extended
farther out from the front support leg or tube 90 and the resultant
increased angle of the seat pad assembly so that the rounded front
end 84 of the seat pad is at an even greater height from the floor.
This position is suitable for performing a back hyper-extension
exercise, since it raises the rounded front end of the pad for
engagement by the user's upper thigh, and creates a steep angle to
the seat which leaves room for the user's upper body when they lean
forward to perform a lower back exercise. The seat pad assembly is
adjusted by the user until the rounded front end 84 of the seat
pad, which in this case acts as a thigh support, is located for
engagement with the upper thighs of user 60, as indicated in FIG.
28 which illustrates a user performing a back hyper-extension
exercise. The user can easily adjust the height of the front end or
support pad 84 by pulling out pin 96 and lifting the pad to the
desired height, then releasing the pull pin to lock in the aligned
opening 95 in the adjuster tube 94. As the adjuster tube is
extended, the front end of the seat pad assembly is raised, and the
rear end pivots about pivot pin 88, with the pin also sliding
forwardly along the slots 79 in the channel member 76 mounted on
top of the main frame tube 72 to accommodate the pivotal movement.
When the adjuster tube is retracted downwardly into tube 90, the
pin 88 slides rearwardly along the slots 79.
[0126] In order to perform a lower back or back hyper-extension
exercise, the user 60 stands facing the rear of the bench, as
illustrated in FIG. 28, with their feet planted on the floor
engaging cross member 92 of the front leg and their heels fitted in
front of and under the pads 126 of the foot stabilizer, leaning
slightly forward against the thigh pads 84. Once they are locked in
place, making contact with both the thigh support and the foot
stabilizer, they bend over at the waist until their low back
muscles are under tension, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 28,
and then return to the starting position. Because the front support
leg 90 is inclined generally rearwardly in the deployed or exercise
position, the floor engaging cross member 92 is spaced forward of
the thigh support pads 84, so that the user is placed in a
forwardly inclined starting position. This means their torso is
already under the influence of gravity, which increases the minute
they start the exercise by bending forward and force their low back
muscles to resist the effects of gravity.
[0127] FIGS. 29 to 34 illustrate the bench 70 in the folded or
storage position. In order to move the bench from the deployed or
exercise position into the storage position, the adjuster tube 94
is first lowered into the lowermost position, if extended, and
locked in the lowered position. Pull pin 115 is then pulled back to
release the pin from the opening 112 in plate 108 (FIG. 24A). The
front leg assembly can then be rotated rearwardly about pivot 104
until it is positioned underneath and adjacent the main tube 72, as
best illustrated in FIG. 32. At this point, the pull pin 115 is
aligned with the second opening 110 in the plate 108 and is spring
loaded to engage in this opening and lock the folding leg assembly
in the folded position. When the front leg is folded rearward, the
adjuster tube's pivotal connection 100 to the seat assembly swings
forward, pulling the pin 88 attached to the rear of the seat
assembly along the main frame's slotted channel 79 until it reaches
the forward end of the channel, as indicated in FIG. 32.
[0128] The folded position allows the bench to be stored out of the
way, in a closet or under a bed when not in use and allows the
product to be boxed fully assembled for easier shipping. Notice
that the front support leg 90 fits up against the underside of the
straight section of the main tube 72, ending before the tube bends
towards its first end 75. Also notice that the user engaging roller
pads 126 on the foot stabilizer are spaced wider than the front
support leg to allow them to fold up past the front wall of the
leg. This provides a more compact folded profile and keeps the pads
protected within curved frame work of the main support frame.
[0129] In the embodiment of FIGS. 19 to 36, the rear end of the
seat is pivotally and slidably mounted in a guide slot in a slide
channel which is in turn mounted on the main support frame.
[0130] FIGS. 36A and 36B illustrate a modification of the
embodiment of FIGS. 19 to 36 which is designed to reduce the
potential for pinch points. Some parts of the modified embodiment
of FIGS. 36A and 36B are identical to corresponding parts of the
embodiment of FIG. 19 to 36, and like reference numbers have been
used for such parts, which are not described in detail in
connection with FIGS. 36A and 36B. Instead, reference is made to
the foregoing description of these parts in connection with FIGS.
19 to 36.
[0131] In the modified embodiment of FIGS. 36A and 36B, instead of
pivotally and slidably mounting the rear end of the seat in a guide
slot of a slide channel on the main support frame, the rear end of
the seat is instead pivotally mounted on a slide member or sliding
carriage 200 via pivot 202. The carriage 200 slides along the
length of the seat supporting portion of the main frame 72 when the
seat is pivoted up and down. As in the previous embodiment, the
height of the enlarged support pad 84 at the forward end of the
seat pad 82 can be adjusted by adjusting the extension of the
adjuster tube 94 out of the upper end of front leg 90. By extending
tube 94 upwardly, the seat pad 82 is pivoted upwardly at its
forward end about pivot 100 and its rearward end about pivot 202,
and the carriage 200 slides forwardly along main frame 72 to
accommodate the pivoting motion. This raises the height of the
enlarged forward end or support pad 84.
[0132] FIG. 36A shows the lowermost position of the seat pad 82,
with the bench and seat pad in position for performing abdominal
crunch exercises. Comparison of FIG. 36A with FIG. 35, which shows
the equivalent lowermost position of the embodiment of FIGS. 19 to
36, shows that the pinch risk is substantially reduced in the
modified embodiment of FIG. 36A, due to the larger gap between the
undersurface of seat support bracket 80 and the upper surface of
the main frame 72 beneath the seat.
[0133] FIG. 36B shows the adjuster tube 94 extended out from the
front support leg 90 so as to raise the rounded front end 84 of the
seat pad to a position suitable for performing back hyperextension
exercises, as described above in connection with FIGS. 24 to 28. In
the modified embodiment of FIGS. 36A and 36B, the sliding carriage
or sleeve 200 slides forwardly along main frame tube 72 as the seat
is pivoted upwardly.
[0134] As in the previous embodiment, a foot stabilizer is
pivotally connected to the front support leg 90 at a location
intermediate the leg's two ends. Unlike the previous embodiments,
in which the foot stabilizer is mounted at a fixed position on the
front support leg, the foot stabilizer in FIG. 36A is pivotally
mounted via pivot pin 204 on a bracket 205 slidably mounted on the
front support leg 90 and secured in a selected position by pull pin
206. This allows the foot stabilizer to be adjusted along the
length of the front support leg to accommodate users having
different length legs. The foot stabilizer itself is similar to the
foot stabilizer of the first embodiment, and has a pair of pads 208
mounted on opposite ends of a support rod 210. A pair of spaced
pivot mounting plates 212 extend on opposite sides of the front
support leg 90 and are secured to the support rod 210 at one end,
and pivotally mounted at the rear end of the sliding bracket 205
via pivot 204 with a pivot pin (not shown) extending through the
aligned openings in the sliding bracket and the spaced mounting
plates. Stop pins 214 on each side of bracket 205 limit the
downward rotation of the foot stabilizer by engaging the lower
edges of the plates 212.
[0135] The bench of FIGS. 36A and 36B is adjustable between the
different exercise positions and the folded position in the same
way as described above in connection with FIGS. 19 to 36, with the
exception of the difference in the pivotal mounting of the rear end
of the seat pad. As in FIGS. 19 to 36, the modified bench of FIG.
36A is movable into a folded position which allows the bench to be
stored out of the way, in a closet or under a bed when not in use
and allows the product to be boxed fully assembled for easier
shipping. The user engaging roller pads 208 on the foot stabilizer
are spaced wider than the front support leg 90 to allow them to
fold up past the front wall of the leg in the folded position, as
do the roller pads 126 of the previous embodiment when the bench is
folded as in FIG. 32.
[0136] FIGS. 37 to 57 illustrate an exercise bench 140 according to
another embodiment which is adjustable between deployed or exercise
positions for performing abdominal crunch or back hyper-extension
exercises, and a folded or storage position. As in the first two
embodiments, the bench 140 has a main frame supporting a seat pad
assembly and a front support leg 142 which is foldable between
exercise and folded positions. Unlike the previous embodiments, the
seat pad assembly in this case is a split seat with a pivoting
first seat pad and a fixed second seat pad, with the forward end of
the pivoting seat pad secured near the second end of the main tube,
as described in more detail below.
[0137] FIGS. 37 to 41, 56 and 57 illustrate the bench in a position
for performing abdominal crunch exercises, while FIGS. 42 to 46
illustrate the bench positioned for performing back hyper-extension
exercises, and FIGS. 47 to 50 illustrate the bench in a folded or
storage position. The bench 140 has main support frame that has a
downwardly angled main tube 144 with a floor engaging, round cross
support 146 transversely attached at a first end and a support
plate 145 secured over its open second end. The support plate 145
adds strength to the second end and keeps the main tube from
collapsing under the weight of the user. The main tube has a
straight section extending from the second end and a downward
curving section extending up to the first end. A mounting tube 148
is transversely attached approximate the second end of the main
tube, as best seen in FIGS. 51 and 55.
[0138] Aligned pivot holes 149 and a pinning hole 151 are located
in the side wall 150 of the straight section of the main tube 144,
as best illustrated in FIG. 55, with the pivot hole positioned
between the pinning hole and transverse mounting tube 148. A pull
pin or spring-loaded plunger 152 is mounted to one side wall for
extension through one of the side wall pinning holes, as
illustrated in FIG. 51. Aligned elongated openings or slots 154,155
are located in the top and bottom walls 156,157 of the straight
section of the main tube, as indicated in FIGS. 43, 51 and 55. The
slots 154,155 are positioned in alignment with the pull pin 152, as
seen in FIGS. 51 and 55. As best illustrated in FIGS. 40 and 55, a
raised block or stop member 158 is attached to the bottom wall 157
of the main tube at a location between the slot 155 and the second
end of the main tube. A pair of upholstery mounting-plates 159 are
attached to the top wall of the first section between the slot 154
and the curved section of the main tube.
[0139] As noted above, the bench has a split-seat system comprising
a pivoting first seat pad 160 and a fixed second seat pad 162. The
first seat pad 160 is mounted on a seat bracket 164 with downward
projecting ears 165 at its forward end. Attachment holes are
located approximate the end of each ear 165 for pivotal attachment
to the mounting tube 148 via pivot pin 166. A curved adjuster plate
168 with multiple adjustment holes 170 is welded to underside of
the bracket 164, and projects downwardly through the aligned slots
154,155 in the upper and lower faces 156,157 of the main tube 144,
as best illustrated in FIGS. 51 and 52. The pull pin 152 has a
projecting plunger 172 (FIG. 55) which extends through a selected
aligned hole 170 in the adjuster plate 168 when released. The first
seat pad 160 has tapered sides and a rounded front edge 174 which
provides support behind the user's knee when they are seated and
performing abdominal crunch exercises. The second, fixed seat pad
162 is a smaller tapered pad that is fixedly mounted to the
upholstery mounting plates 159 located atop the main tube.
[0140] The folding front leg assembly has a tubular front support
leg 175 with an open lower end and a second end. A pull pin 176 is
attached to the front wall of the leg approximate its open lower
end. A generally "U" shaped bracket 178 is attached by its web to
the second end of the support leg. The opposite legs 180 of bracket
178 extend upwardly and rearwardly to engage over opposite sides of
the main frame tube 144, and have mounting holes (not visible in
the drawings) located near their outermost edges which are aligned
with the pivot holes 149 in the side walls of tube 144. The legs
are pivotally secured to the main tube via pivot pin 182 which
extends through the aligned mounting holes and pivot holes. One leg
180 has a pull pin 184 mounted to it at a location between the
mounting hole and the bracket's connection to the support leg, as
best illustrated in FIGS. 53, 53A, 55A and 55B. When the main
support frame and folding front assembly are joined, the pull pin
184 acts to lock the folding front leg assembly in either the
deployed exercise position or the folded position. As illustrated
in FIG. 55A, the pull pin plunger 183 engages a second pinning hole
187 (visible in FIG. 53A) on the main support frame in the folded
position. The plunger 183 is extended to wedge against the raised
block 158 and the bottom wall of the main tube in the exercise
position, as illustrated in FIGS. 53A and 55B. This way the front
support leg assembly can be locked in either position. As best
illustrated in FIGS. 50 and 51, the other leg 180 of the bracket
178 has a notch 189 in its rear edge for engaging around the pull
pin 152 when the bench is in the folded position.
[0141] A generally "T" shaped adjuster tube 185 with multiple
adjustment openings is inserted into the open first end of the
front support leg for telescopic adjustment with the support leg.
The cross bar 186 at the lower end of tube 185 is for engagement
with the floor. The pull pin 176 extends through the front wall of
the support leg or tube 175 and into an aligned adjustment opening
in tube 185 to lock the tube 185 at a selected extension relative
to the tube 175. A generally "T" shaped foot stabilizer is
pivotally connected to the adjuster tube 185. The stabilizer
consists of two, spaced plates 188 with a mounting hole located
towards the first end of each plate, and a user engaging cross bar
190 transversely connected at the second end of each plate. The
plates are spaced apart to allow pivotal mounting to the side walls
of the adjuster tube via a pivot pin 192 extending through the
mounting holes at the first ends of the plates and corresponding
pivot holes in the side walls of adjuster tube 185. Roller pads 194
are mounted to the ends of the user engaging cross bar for added
comfort and to create a larger contact surface. A stop pin 195 is
transversely attached to the front wall of the adjuster tube,
between the mounting holes and the floor engaging cross bar, so
that the ends of the pin protrude past the side walls of the
adjuster tube, as best illustrated in FIG. 37. Once attached, the
foot stabilizer's pivotal connection to the adjuster tube is
limited in one direction by contact of plates 188 with the
transverse pin 195 and in the other direction by contact of cross
bar 190 with the front face of the front leg support tube 175 (see
FIG. 38).
[0142] In FIGS. 37 to 41 and 56, the bench is positioned for use in
performing abdominal crunch exercises. In this position, as noted
above, the plunger 183 of pull pin 184 is stopped against the stop
block 158 on the underside of the main frame tube 144. In these
drawings, the pivoting seat pad 160 is in its lowermost position
seated on top of the main frame tube 144 with the plunger of pull
pin 152 extending through an aligned opening in curved adjuster
plate 168 to lock the seat pad in position. In the down position,
the two seat pads 160 and 162 provide support for a seated
exerciser performing abdominal exercises. The adjuster tube 185
which is telescopically engaged in the lower end of the front
support leg or tube 175 may also be in a retracted position, with
pull pin 176 engaging through an adjustment hole in the front face
of tube 185 to lock it in position, but may be adjusted to vary
exercise difficulty or for user's with different leg lengths, as
discussed below.
[0143] FIG. 41 shows a user 60 performing a seated abdominal
exercise. In FIG. 41, hidden lines have been revealed to better
show the various components. The user first sits upright on the
front pad 160, facing forwards, and hooks their feet under the foot
stabilizer pads 194. FIG. 40 illustrates the self-aligning
capabilities of the pivoting foot stabilizer. They then lean their
torso rearward, pivoting at the waist until their abdominal muscles
are under tension, as illustrated in the reclined user position of
FIG. 41. The user then returns to the upright position. The upright
position in FIG. 41 represents both the start and finish of the
exercise, while the reclined position shows the intermediate
position when the abdominal muscles are under tension.
[0144] Because the seat pads 160,162 are inclined, the user uses
their stomach muscles to pull their body up hill, against the force
of gravity. The greater the angle of the seat pad, or the greater
the elevation between the user's knees and hips, the greater the
effort that is required to return to the upright position. The
effort required for performing an abdominal crunch exercise in this
case may be adjusted by increasing the length of the support leg
assembly 142, i.e. by extending the length of adjuster tube 185
extending out of the support leg or tube 175, as indicated in FIG.
57. By slightly raising the support leg, the forward end of the
seat assembly is raised to change the user's seated angle from 28
to 33 degrees, and simultaneously increases the amount the user's
knees are raised above their hips. The height at the top of the
forward end 174 of the seat is 22.75 inches in FIG. 56 and 25
inches in the raised position of FIG. 57. The steeper the seated
angle of the user, the greater the gravitational influence of their
body weight on the exercise. This adjustment is also used to vary
the height of the thigh support when performing back exercises.
[0145] In FIGS. 42 to 46, the position of the bench has been
modified to allow a back hyper-extension exercise to be performed.
In this position, the front seat pad 160 is raised so that it faces
generally forwardly to act as a thigh support for a user. This is
done by releasing pull pin 152 from the adjuster plate 168, and
then rotating the rear end of the seat pad 160 upwardly so that the
seat pad pivots about pivot pin 166 into the raised position, as
best illustrated in FIG. 45. FIGS. 51 and 52 also illustrate the
pad 160 being pivoted into a raised position. FIG. 51 illustrates
how the adjustable seat bracket with its curved adjuster plate 168
passes through the slot in the main tube as the first seat pad is
adjusted from one exercise position to the next. The angle of seat
pad 160 in the upright or raised position can be varied to a less
steep or steeper angle to increase or decrease the level of
exercise difficulty. FIG. 52 highlights the multiple angular
positions available for performing Back Hyper-Extension exercises.
By adjusting the angle of the user engaging thigh support 160, as
indicated in FIG. 52, the gravitational effect of the user's body
weight is adjusted. The steeper or closer the pad is to vertical
the less impact gravity has on the user and the easier the
exercise. When the seat pad 160 is in the desired orientation, the
pull pin 152 is released and engages an aligned opening 170 in
plate 168 to lock the seat pad in position.
[0146] FIG. 46 shows a user 60 performing a low back exercise.
Before performing this exercise, the user can adjust the height of
the thigh support or raised pad 160 to an appropriate position for
engaging the front of their upper thigh as indicated in FIG. 46.
This is done by adjusting the overall length of the folding front
leg assembly by extending adjuster tube 185 until the pad 160 is at
the desired height, and then releasing pull pin 176 to lock the
tube in the adjusted position. The upright position of the user in
FIG. 46 represents both the start and finish of the exercise, while
the bent position shows the intermediate position. The user 60
stands on the foot rest 186 with the foot stabilizer pads 194
engaging behind their ankles and over their heels, and leans
against the pad 160. Once the user is locked in place in this way,
they can bend forward at the waist until their low back muscles are
under tension, as indicated by the forwardly bent position in FIG.
46, and then return to the starting position. The relative
positions of the foot rest 186 and thigh engaging pad 160 are such
that the user is placed in a forwardly inclined starting position,
putting their torso under the influence of gravity, and this force
increases as soon as they start the exercise, forcing their back
muscles to resist the force of gravity.
[0147] FIGS. 47 to 50 illustrate the bench 140 in a folded or
storage position, while FIGS. 53 and 54 illustrate the folding
front support assembly in the process of being folded between the
exercise and storage position or vice versa. With the front seat
pad 160 returned to the lowermost position seated on top of main
tube 144, the front support leg 175 is rotated rearwardly about
pivot 182. The pull pin 184 is pulled outwardly so that the plunger
can clear the side wall of the tube 144 and then enter the opening
187 to lock the folding front assembly in the folded position. At
the same time, the notch 189 in the opposite leg 180 (see FIGS. 50,
54 and 54A) fits around the pad adjusting pull pin 152.
[0148] The folded position of FIGS. 47 to 50 allows the bench to be
stored out of the way, in a closet or under a bed when not in use
and allows the product to be boxed fully assembled for easier
shipping. In this position, the front support leg fits up against
the underside of the straight section of the main tube, ending
before the tube bends towards its first end. At the same time, the
user engaging roller pads 194 on the foot stabilizer are spaced
wider than the front support leg to allow them to fold up past the
leg's front wall. This provides a more compact folded profile and
keeps the pads protected within curved frame work of the main
support frame.
[0149] FIGS. 58 to 61 show several alternative embodiments of the
self-aligning foot stabilizer as described above in connection with
the embodiments of the bench illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 57. The
stabilizers of FIGS. 58 to 61 are interchangeable and any one of
these stabilizers may be used in any of the above embodiments. In
FIGS. 58A and 58B, the stabilizer pivots off the rear wall of the
front support leg and utilizes a bolt 55 contacting the rear wall
of the support leg 29 as stop means to limit the forward motion of
the stabilizer. Rearward motion of the foot stabilizer is limited
by the center section 52 of the cross bar which connects to the
second end of the spaced plates 48, 49. In FIGS. 59A and 59B, the
stabilizer pivots on the side walls of the support leg and uses the
end of the web 118 and the inner surface of the stabilizer channel
as stop means to limit the stabilizer's forward and rearward
motion. In FIGS. 60A and 60B, the stabilizer pivots on the side
walls of the support leg, similar to the design in FIGS. 59A and
59B, but has spaced plates 188 instead of a U-shaped channel. The
forward edges of the twin plates contact a pin 195 transversely
attached to the front wall of the adjuster tube to limit the
forward motion of the foot stabilizer. The rearward motion is
limited by the center section 190 of the cross bar, similar to the
arrangement in FIGS. 58A and 58B.
[0150] In FIGS. 61A and 611B, the foot stabilizer is pivotally
mounted on a bracket 205 which is adjustably secured to a front
support leg 90 of an exercise bench as described above in
connection with FIG. 36A. A pull pin 206 extends through an opening
in a front wall of the bracket 205 and a selected opening in the
front wall of the support leg 90. This allows the foot stabilizer
to be adjusted along the length of the front support leg to
accommodate users having different leg lengths. The foot stabilizer
itself is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 58, and has a pair of
pads 208 mounted on opposite ends of support rod 210. A pair of
spaced pivot mounting plates 212 extend on opposite sides of the
front support leg and are secured to support rod 210 at one end,
and pivotally mounted on the rear end of mounting bracket 205 at
their opposite ends via pivot pins 204. Stop pin 214 on the
opposite sides of bracket 205 restricts downward pivoting movement
of the foot stabilizer and hold the stabilizer in an exercise-ready
position.
[0151] In all four versions of the foot stabilizer, the foot
stabilizer pads self-align to the user and provide
support/positioning for the user's feet during the performance of
both abdominal and low back exercises. The ability of the foot or
ankle engaging pads to swivel allows the foot stabilizer to fold up
tight against the front of the support leg when the bench is in the
storage position as well as to self-align to the user. Because of
the stop means used to limit the pivotal range of motion of the
foot stabilizer pads, the stabilizers do not pivot out of their
exercise ready position and are always easily accessible for either
type of exercise. It should also be noted that other components or
features in the above embodiments of the exercise bench, such as
locking pull pins, pinning hole vs. slots, stop means, exercise
angle adjustment means, pivoting vs. sliding pad adjusters, or
single vs. dual seat pads, may be interchanged between the
embodiments and not alter the scope of the invention.
[0152] The folding exercise bench is designed to allow the user to
perform both abdominal and lower back exercises, and is easy to
switch between the positions for the different types of exercise.
The bench is readily adjustable for various size exercisers to
perform both types of exercise effectively, and is also adjustable
for different levels of exercise difficulty. While resistance for
both exercises is supplied by the user's body weight, this could be
augmented by hand held weights, elastic bands, or other forms of
resistance known in the art, if desired. The bench also has the
ability to fold up and lock into a relatively flat, compact storage
position without having to first remove any components from the
bench. The storage position allows the bench to be readily stored
out of the way, in a closet or under a bed, when not in use. It
also allows the product to be boxed when fully assembled for easier
shipping, and requiring no assembly by a purchaser. In the folded
position, the entire front leg assembly is folded up against or
close to a straight portion of the main frame, and tucked up within
a curved end portion of the main frame.
[0153] The user engaging foot stabilizer in each of the above
embodiments is pivoted to the front support leg assembly at a
location which does not adjust with the seat. This means that the
distance between the seat pad and the foot stabilizer can be varied
to accommodate users of different heights with different leg
lengths. At least a portion of the foot engaging pads of the foot
stabilizer can swing past the front wall or edge of the front
support leg in the folded condition to allow the foot stabilizer to
fold up tight against the front support leg for more compact
storage and also to protect the pads against damage when stored.
The end stops which limit pivotal movement of the foot stabilizer
ensure that it is always readily accessible to the user in an
exercise ready position. The foot stabilizer is also designed to
self-align to the user during each exercise.
[0154] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is
provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the
invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic
principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented
herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention
and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is
broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further
understood that the scope of the present invention fully
encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those
skilled in the art and that the scope of the present invention is
accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.
* * * * *