U.S. patent number 3,765,407 [Application Number 05/110,917] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-16 for exercise stand.
Invention is credited to Charles S. Prince.
United States Patent |
3,765,407 |
Prince |
October 16, 1973 |
EXERCISE STAND
Abstract
A platform type exercise stand, wherein a spring-loaded platform
is coupled to a housing so when the user stands on the platform,
the platform oscillates from side to side as well as vibrates so as
to cause side-to-side movements of the user's torso. The
combination of the side-to-side and vibrating movements causes the
user to exercise his body sufficiently to lose weight along the
waistline and the hip. The oscillating and vibrational motion is
provided by a pair of electromagnetic motors mounted in the housing
of the stand and coupled to the platform.
Inventors: |
Prince; Charles S. (New York,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
22335640 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/110,917 |
Filed: |
January 29, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
601/90; 601/26;
601/66 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H
23/0218 (20130101); A61H 1/005 (20130101); A61H
2205/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61H
23/02 (20060101); A61h 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/25B,33,41 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Trapp; Lawrence W.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An exercise stand for applying vibrational and twist motions to
a user's body comprising;
a housing having a hollow portion,
a plurality of compression springs disposed on one surface of said
housing,
a platform having its bottom surface mounted on said plurality of
compression springs for support over said housing, and a first
motor drive mounted in said housing and coupled to said platform
for applying lateral oscillation thereto, a second motor drive
mounted within said housing and coupled to said platform for
providing vertical vibration to said platform, said first and
second motor drives including first and second electromagnetic
motors having oscillating armatures.
2. The exercise stand as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising
a second motor drive mounted within said housing and coupled to
said platform for providing vertical vibration to said
platform.
3. The exercise stand as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and
second motor drives comprise first and second electromagnetic
motors respectively each having oscillating armatures.
4. The exercise stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said first
electromagnetic motor additionally comprises a linkage pivotably
coupled to the armature of said motor, a drive shaft secured to
said linkage and a slidable coupling mounted at the center of said
platform and slidably engaging said drive shaft so that the
oscillation of said armature transmitted through said linkage will
oscillate said platform along a lateral plane.
5. The exercise stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said second
electromagnetic motor includes a pad disposed on the bottom surface
of said platform for alternate engagement with the armature of said
second electromagnetic motor.
6. The exercise stand as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising
a timer electrically connected to said first and second
electromagnetic motors for interrupting the power of said motors
after a predetermined time interval.
7. The exercise stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality
of springs comprise four springs, each mounted adjacent to a corner
of said platform through a bore on the bottom of said platform and
engaging the corresponding bore on the top surface of said housing.
Description
This invention relates to an exercising stand for helping the user
lose weight around the waist and the hips respectively.
More specifically, this invention relates to an exercise stand
consisting of an oscillating platform which also vibrates so that
the user, standing on the platform, can exercise in a side-by-side
twisting motion resulting in loss of body weight along the hips,
and waist, as well as improvement in posture.
Conventional exercise stands or devices generally consist of
motor-driven machines utilizing linkages and pulleys to simulate
exercises, such as running, walking, skiing and other common body
movements. These conventional exercise machines are generally
expensive and operate only when electrical power is supplied to the
motor-driven system. Moreover, the conventional exercise devices
have a large number of moving parts which become worn out so that
the machine has a short life span.
The present invention provides an exercise stand which can be
operated with or without electric power to permit the user to
exercise his body in an oscillating twisting motion while being
supported on the platform of the stand. The platform includes a
first electromagnetic motor which is coupled to the stand to cause
a side-by-side oscillating motion. The stand is mounted on four
spaced-apart compression springs which aid the oscillating motion.
A second electromagnetic motor is coupled to the bottom of the
stand so as to vibrate the platform as it is oscillating. Both of
these electromagnetic motors are connected to a timing device so
that the user can time his exercise over a predetermined number of
minutes or cycles of operation. Since the first and second
electromagnetic motor drives are lightly coupled to the platform,
the user can also apply his own twist motion to the platform
without the aid of the electromagnetic motors. The compression
springs which support the platform always restore the platform to
its initial position, whether the platform is driven by the
electromagnetic motors or by the body motion of the user.
It is therefore an object according to the present invention to
provide an exercise stand having an oscillating and vibrating
platform for helping the user lose weight.
It is another object according to the present invention to provide
an exercise stand operated by two electromagnetic motors which can
be programmed for a predetermined period of operation.
It is still another object according to the present invention to
provide an exercise stand which is simple in design, easy to
manufacture and reliable in operation.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description considered in
connection with the accompanying drawing which discloses the
embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that
the drawing is designed for the purpose of illustration only and
not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters denote similar
elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise stand according to the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 3--3 of FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 4--4 of FIG.
1; and
FIG. 5 is an electrically schematic diagram of the exercise stand
of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown exercise stand 10 having a
base or housing 11 constructed in the form of an open box onto
which is supported a platform 12 by means of compression springs 13
adjacent to each of its corners. Secured at the approximate center
of platform 12 is a coupling 20 which extends into the cavity of
box-like housing 11. Coupling 20 preferably includes a rectangular
bore in order to slidably receive and engage rectangular shaft 19.
Shaft 19 is secured to linkage 27 which is pivotably coupled, by
means of pivot 28, to armature 18 of a first electromagnetic motor
17. The end of motor 17 is connected on plate 21 which is mounted
at its foot 22 to the floor of box 11. A second electromagnetic
motor 14 has its armature 15 directed vertically for intermittent
contact with pad 16 mounted on the underside of platform 12. Pad 16
is preferably arc-shaped as shown in detail in FIG. 3, so that
armature 15 will be able to contact pad 16 during the side-by-side
excursion of platform 12. Compression springs 13, mounted adjacent
to the corners of platform 12 are preferably recessed in bores in
both platform 12 and the corners of box 11 as shown in detail in
FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an electrical schematic
diagram, whereby electrical power source 26 which is preferably 120
volts, 60 cycles A.C., is connected through switch 23 to
electromagnetic motor 14 and through switch 24 through
electromagnetic 17. A timer 25, having a hand operated pointer 33,
permits the user to set a predetermined operating time for the
running of motors 14 and 17. Timer 25 is connected to the return
circuit to power source 26 for both motors 14 and 17. Timer 25 may
be a mechanical or electronic clock which closes the circuit
between power source 26 and motors 14 and 17 when hand operated
pointer 33 is set to a predetermined minute setting.
When pointer 33 is set on timer 25 and switches 23 and 24 are
closed, armature 18 of electromagnetic motor 17 will oscillate to
move the end of linkage 27 in an oscillating motion. Linkage 27,
which drives rectangular shaft 19, will cause coupling 20 and thus
platform 12 to oscillate laterally as shown by the direction of
arrow 31 in FIG. 1. Armature 15 of electromagnetic motor 14 will
also oscillate in a vertical direction to intermittently contact
pad 16 and thus provide vibration to platform 12 in a direction as
shown by arrow 32 in FIG. 1. Thus, platform 12 will oscillate and
vibrate simultaneously. By either opening switch 23 or 24, the
vibration or oscillation can be interrupted during the time period
set on the timer. Thus, it is possible to select only oscillation
or vibration as desired. Compression springs 13 are designed to
restore the platform to its initial condition after each swing of
oscillation and each impulse of vibration, so that no additional
springs are required by electromagnetic motors 14 and 17. Both
electromagnetic motors are powered through electrical cord 29 and
plug 30 to power source 26. If no source of power is available, the
user can still utilize the exercise stand according to the
invention by merely twisting his body on the platform and allowing
the platform to vibrate in a side-by-side motion. Springs 13 will
maintain a natural oscillation of the platform for short periods of
time in order to aid the user in his exercise when the power is
turned off. Electromagnetic motors 17 and 14 will offer very little
resistance to the oscillation of platform 12 since they are lightly
coupled to the platform, rather than being coupled through gear
reduction linkages.
Housing 11 and platform 12 may be constructed from any well-known
rigid materials, such as wood, plastic, and metal. Pad 16 is
preferably constructed of neophrene or rubber for contact by
armature 15.
While only a few embodiments of the present invention have been
shown and described, it will be obvious that many changes and
modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
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