Exercise devices – User manipulated force resisting apparatus – component... – Utilizing weight resistance
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-10-02
Donnelly, Jerome (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
User manipulated force resisting apparatus, component...
Utilizing weight resistance
C482S097000, C482S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296596
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a machine for muscular exercise, validly employable for training the muscles of the lower part of the body, which for the sake of brevity shall be indicated with the term “leg muscles”.
Normally, exercise machines for training leg muscles are defined with the term “leg press” and are provided with a frame supporting a load unit, with counter-weight or electrical, with which a user exchanges power through a foot board able to slide along or movable by means of corresponding guides associated to the frame itself. This foot board is opposed to a seating station wherein the user positions him/herself, setting his/her feet onto the foot board itself, performing repetitive exercises of extending and retracting his/her legs.
In known machines, the user's feet push against the foot board while remaining nearly at the same distance, both in the retracted position with the legs bent, and in the extended position with the legs straightened. Proceeding in this manner, one does not obtain, with known machines, an effective exercise for the leg muscles as a whole; for example, the abductor muscles do not receive any significant benefit as a result of the exercise. Moreover, in known machines the ankle area is often subjected, especially in the position with the legs retracted, to excessive and inappropriate stresses and stretching.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The aim of the present invention, therefore, is to eliminate drawbacks present in known machines.
An exercise machine is provided for exercising the lower limbs; comprising a seating unit for the user, means for supporting the user's feet opposite to said seating unit, and a loading unit operatively connected to said means for supporting the user's feet to exchange power with the user's legs, said means of supporting the user's feet being movable between a position that is longitudinally approached to said seating unit, in which the user's legs assume a maximum bending configuration, and a position longitudinally removed from said seating unit, in which the user's legs assume a maximum extension configuration; wherein said means for supporting the user's feet comprise a first and a second foot board for supporting a respective foot of the user, and wherein means are provided for actuating said first and second foot boards so that, in correspondence with said position approached to said seating unit, said foot boards are positioned at a maximum transverse distance from each other lying on mutually converging planes and, in correspondence with said position removed from said seating unit, said foot boards are positioned at a minimum transverse distance, lesser than the previous one, lying mutually co-planar.
With the present machine it is possible to obtain a better training of the leg muscles, with particular involvement of the abductor muscles.
The secondary claims refer to particular and advantageous embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3573865 (1971-04-01), Annas et al.
patent: 4511137 (1985-04-01), Jones
patent: 5106080 (1992-04-01), Jones
patent: 5106081 (1992-04-01), Webb
patent: 5527250 (1996-06-01), Chen
patent: 5803882 (1998-09-01), Habing et al.
Hammer Strength Brochure. 482/137 Oct. 1994 (Picture Price List).
Alessandri Nerio
Massarini Massimo
Donnelly Jerome
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Technogym S.r.l.
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