Patent Application
20160199687
The present invention relates generally to physical training machines, and in particular, to exercise machines with collapsible components for a curved track.
Many exercise machines, such as waist and hip developer machines, have been created due to the needs of modern people for maintaining and enhancing the body health. Most commercial exercising machines with the function for training the muscles of the waist and hip tend to require significant track length to operate. Further, such exercising machines usually come with foot stands or a seat back extended from the track. As a result, it can be cumbersome to dissemble/assemble these machines to make them portable and/or space saving for storage.
Thus, the conventional exercising machines with a sliding track require further improvements.
An exerciser or exercise machine applicable for waist and hip developer with may include a track smoothly arched and curving upwardly toward two distal ends of the track from a middle portion of the track. Collapsible components attached around the track may be operated separated and independently over space area around the track without mutual interference for easy storage and operation.
In one embodiment, two handle coupling assemblies may be provided around the two distal ends of the track, each handle coupling assembly configurable with at least two handle positions including a handle operative position and a handle storage position. Two handle bars may be affixed to the track via the handle coupling assemblies configured in one of the handle positions. Two or more leg coupling assemblies may be defined on a bottom side of the track, each leg coupling assembly configurable with at least two leg positions including a leg operative position and a leg storage position. A plurality of leg members may be affixed to the track via the leg coupling assemblies configured in one of the leg positions. A slide assembly may be slidably coupled to the track with rollers thereof and movable along the track. The slide assembly can comprise a rotatable seat. In one embodiment, each handle bar affixed at the handle storage position may be substantially hidden under the track o reduce required storage space of the device. Each leg member affixed at the leg storage position may extend from the middle portion towards the distal ends under the track to reduce the required storage space of the device. Each handle bar affixed at the handle storage position may be fittingly inserted in between two of the leg members affixed at the leg storage position to reduce the required storage space of the device.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
The present invention is illustrated by way of examples and not limitations in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of external surfaces, named components, connections between components, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known components or methods have not been described in detail but rather in a block diagram in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Further specific numeric references such as first, second, third, etc., may be made. However, the specific numeric references should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted as references to different objects. Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.
In one embodiment, slide assembly 107 can include rotatable seat 103 and backrest 101 adapted to support a user from the backside of seat 103 to support a user sitting on seat 103 performing exercise movements (e.g. leftwards or rightwards sliding movements) along track 109. Handle bars 105 can be adapted to provide hand support at two distal ends 147, 149 for the user sitting on seat 103. Multiple or pairs of leg members 111 can be suited to provide floor (or ground) support for device 100 from a bottom side (e.g. close to mid portion 151) of track 109.
In one embodiment, device 100 can include handle coupling assemblies 117 defined at two distal ends 147, 149. Handle coupling assembly 117 can be configured with multiple handle positions including, for example, a handle operative position and a handle storage position. Handle bar 105 can be adjustably affixed to track 109 via handle coupling assembly 117 configured in one of the handle positions. Handle bar 105 may be locked at the handle operative position pointing upwardly above track 109 for providing user hand support. Alternatively, handle bar 105 may be locked at the handle storage position pointing downwardly below track 109 for device storage.
Handle bar 105 may be moveable around two sides (e.g. left side or right side) of track 109 to configure handle coupling assembly 117. For example, handle coupling assembly 117 can allow handle bar 105 to pivot over one side (e.g. outside from left side or right side) of rack 109 around an axis aligned a latitudinal direction (e.g. between the front side and the back side of seat 103) of rack 109. Handle coupling assembly 117 may include other applicable handle positions to allow handle bar 105 to be locked in various angles relative to a surface defined by track 109.
Device 100 can include multiple leg coupling assemblies 119 defined on a bottom side of track 109. Leg coupling assembly 119 can be configured with at least two leg positions including, for example, a leg operative position and a leg storage position. Each leg member 111 may be adjustably affixed to rack 109 via a leg coupling assembly 119 configured with one of the leg positions.
Leg members 111 may be movable around an under side of track 109 to configure leg coupling assemblies 119. For example, leg coupling assemblies 119 can allow leg member 111 to pivot under rack 109 around an axis directed substantially parallel to the surface of rack 109 (or seat 103) to switch or transition between different leg positions.
In one embodiment, leg member 111 may be locked at the leg operative position pointing downwardly from rack 109 to provide height support for device 100. Alternatively, leg member 111 may be locked at the leg storage position pointing sideways (e.g. substantially parallel longitudinally with track 109) from under rack 109 to reduce required space or dimensions (e.g. height) for storage. Leg coupling assembly 119 may include other applicable leg positions to allow leg member 111 to be locked in various angles relative to the surface defined by track 109, for example, to support rack 109 at different heights.
Each leg coupling assembly 119 may be detachably fixed with a pair of leg members 111. Leg coupling assembly 119 may allow the pair of leg members 111 to pivot together under rack 109 around an axis directed substantially laterally to rack 109 (e.g. between the right/left side and below).
In one embodiment, slide assembly 107 can include backrest coupling assembly 115 defined on a back side of seat 103. Backrest coupling assembly 115 may be configured with at least two backrest positions including, for example, a backrest operative position and a backrest storage position. Backrest 101 may be adjustably affixed to seat 103 via backrest coupling assembly 115 configured with one of the backrest positions.
For example, backrest 101 affixed or locked at the backrest operative position can stand upwardly from seat 103 to provide back side support for the user sitting on seat 103. Alternatively, backrest 101 affixed at the backrest storage position may be inclined pointing towards the front side of track 109 (or seat 103) over the top of seat 103 to collapse the height of device 100 for ease of storage. In one embodiment, backrest coupling assembly 115 may allow backrest 101 to pivot between the back side and the front side of seat 103 to switch between various backrest positions, such as the backrest operative position and the backrest storage position.
In some embodiments, slide assembly 107 may include rollers movable back and forth (or left and right) along track 109. Seat 103 may be rotatable relative to track 109 within a predetermined angle range. Slide assembly 107 may include a control mechanism, such as a lock screw to limit an angle of rotation within the predetermined range. Track 108 may include two substantially parallel track bars, for example, front track bar 153 and back track bar 155. Handle coupling assembly 117 and leg coupling assembly 119 may be affixed across the parallel bars.
In one embodiment, handle coupling assembly 117 can include pivot bar 131 inserted though cross tube 135 between track bars 153, 155 of track 109. Two ends of handle bar 105 may be affixed to two ends of pivot bar 131 to allow handle bar 105 to pivot around cross tube 135. Insert positions may be predefined around pivot bar 131 for removable control pin (or screw) 129 to lock a pivoting position (or handle position) of handle bar 105 through cross tube 135. Control pin 129 can be removed (or disengaged) from cross tube 135 to allow handle bar 105 to rotate or pivot between the handle operative position, the handle storage position or other handle positions around cross tube 135.
Leg coupling assembly 119 may include leg base bracket 139 pivotally engaged with track base bracket 145 affixed at the bottom side of track 109. More than one (e.g. a pair) leg members 111 may be detachably affixed to one leg base bracket 139 to allow leg members 111 to rotate, pivot or swing together (or simultaneously) inwards or outwards (between the left side and the right side) under track 109. Track base bracket 145 can provide a stop to limit inward swing of leg members 111. The stop may define a leg position, such as a leg operative position for a leg member. Relative positions between track base bracket 145 and leg base bracket 139 may be locked via control knob 137 to configure a leg position, such as a leg operative position or a leg storage position.
Guard 141 may be mounted around a border of track 109, for example, via guard fastener 133. In some embodiments, multiple guard fasteners 133 may be provided at the bottom side of track 109. Device 100 may be supported on a floor via guard fasteners 133 when device 100 is configured in a storage position.
In one embodiment, handle bar 105, when affixed at the handle storage position, may be substantially hidden under track 109 between a middle portion 151 and two distal ends 147, 149 bounded by, for example, track bars 153, 155. For example, handle bar 105 may be positioned within a gap (or open area) under track 109 within the height between distal end 149 and middle portion 151. The gap may be defined by an upward curvature of track 109.
Turning now to
Each leg member 111 in the storage position may extend from the middle portion of track 109 sideways (i.e. substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of track 109) towards one of the distal ends under track 109. Handle bar 105 at the handle storage position may be fittingly sized (e.g. with matching sizes between the width of handle bar 105 and the separation distance between leg members 111) to be insertable in between two leg members affixed at the leg storage position. As a result, the volume (or amount of space) required to accommodate the dimensions of device 100 can be reduced. In some embodiments, handle bar 105 at the handle storage position may provide floor support for collapsed device 100.
Turning now to
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
