Exercise devices – User manipulated force resisting apparatus – component... – Utilizing inertial force resistance
Reissue Patent
1996-12-17
2001-04-10
Mulcahy, John (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
User manipulated force resisting apparatus, component...
Utilizing inertial force resistance
C482S136000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037132
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercising and training machines. More particularly, this invention relates to exercising and training machines for exercising a person's ability to accelerate a portion of his body through a path of motion, such as which occurs during a baseball or golf swing.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently there exists many types of exercising and training machines designed to exercise portions of a person's body. The most predominant type of exercising and training machine utilizes weight resistance which, through repetition, builds the person's muscles. Unfortunately, there exists a need for an exercise and training machine which exercises a person's ability to accelerate a portion of his body through a path of motion, such as what occurs during the swinging of a baseball bat or a golf club. There also exists a need for an exercising and training machine which isolates individual muscle groups and measures acceleration of a portion of a person's body. Indeed, many professional athletes such as golfers and baseball players refrain from resistance weight training during season in fear of adversely affecting their flexibility and ability t swing their golf club or baseball bat in a controlled manner.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the exercising art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an exercising and training machine which exercises and trains a person's ability to accelerate a portion of his body through a path of motion.
Another object of this invention is to provide an exercising and training machine which is to be utilized by golfer's in exercising their golf swing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an exercising and training machine to be used by golfer's in exercising their backswing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an energy absorbing exercising machine which allows the user to regulate the amount of resistance in accordance with the user's physical ability and which can, therefore, be used for rehabilitation of muscles.
Another object of this invention is to provide an energy absorbing exercising and training machine which allows a person to time the release of energy at the instant of the most importance.
The foregoing has outlines some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is defined by the appended claims with a specific embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose of summarizing the invention, the invention comprises an energy absorbing exercising and training machine for exercising a person's ability to accelerate a portion of his body through a path of motion. The machine comprises a flywheel rotatably connected to a frame by means of a pair of journal bearings. A harness assembly is provided for connection to the portion of the person's body to be exercised. Means are provided for interconnecting the flywheel and the harness assembly allowing the flywheel to rigidly engage relative to the harness assembly upon acceleration of the harness assembly relative to the flywheel in a first direction along the path of motion of the body portion being exercised. The interconnecting means also allows the flywheel to disengage and freely rotate relative to the harness assembly upon deceleration of the harness assembly relative to the flywheel.
The body portion being exercised may therefore be forcibly accelerated in the first direction along the path of motion against the inertia of the flywheel. Upon deceleration of the body portion, the flywheel disengages relative to the harness assembly thereby precluding the inertia of the flywheel from exerting a force on the body portion along the path of motion. In the preferred embodiment, the interconnecting means comprises an over-running clutch having an inner race mounted to a shaft which is connected to the flywheel and journaled in the pair of bearings and having an outer race connected relative to the harness assembly.
The exercising and training machine of the invention may be utilized in conditioning and training for many sports and other activities that encourage the rapid acceleration of a portion of the person's body, such as occurs in baseball, golf, and other swing-type activities. The machine is also usable in exercising individual muscle groups that are customarily exercised through weight lifting exercises like bench presses, bi-ceps curls and overhead presses. The exercising and training machine is described herein as being utilized in conditioning for golf by exercising the twisting acceleration of the golfer's torso and legs during a golf swing.
Specifically, when utilized as a torso and legs exercising machine for golfers, the exercising and training machine of the invention comprises a stand which adjustably positions the flywheel, shaft, and overrunning clutch in a position above the golfer's head, with the harness assembly connected to the lower most end of the shaft by means of a universal joint, preferably a constant velocity universal joint. The harness assembly comprises an inverted substantially U-shaped or V-shaped rigid configuration for fitting over the shoulders and upper torso of the golfer's body. The universal joint allows the torso harness assembly to universally pivot during the golf swing.
Preferably, the frame comprises a carriaged frame that is operatively connected to the stand by means of slide bearings which allow the frame, flywheel, shaft and torso harness assembly to freely reciprocate sideways above the golfer's head, the sideways movement being geared to the rotation of the torso harness of the shaft. Furthermore, the shaft is preferably sliceable journaled within the pair of journal bearings and the inner race of the over-running clutch to allow the shaft to easily reciprocate vertically. The sideways movement of the carriaged frame, the vertical movement of the shaft, and the pivoting of the torso harness assembly via the universal joint allows the golfer to exercise and be trained in a recommended golf swing which requires canting and vertical and sideways movement of the golfer's torso during the backswing and through the golf swing.
It should be appreciated that during the gold swing, the golfer'torso may accelerate to his fullest ability and the energy created thereby forces the flywheel into accelerating rotational movement and such energy is absorbed. When the golfer's torso begins to decelerate at the end of the golf swing, the overrunning clutch disengages the shaft allowing the flywheel to freely rotate. Thus, the inertia of the rotating flywheel does not exert a force on the golfer's torso once the golers's torso begins to decelerate or stop. Over-twisting and possible physical damage is therefore precluded.
When the exercising and training machine of the invention is adapted to be utilized as a golf exercising and training machine, it may additionally include means for providing resistance to the golfer's torso during the backswing and partial extension of the torso at the end of the backswing immediately prior to beginning the golf swing. More particularly, such means may comprise a camm
Douglas D. Scott
Webb John D.
Douglas D. Scott
Holland & Knight LLP
Mulcahy John
LandOfFree
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