Patent Application
20140066275
This disclosure generally relates to exercise machines, and more specifically relates to a machine configured for performing squats and other exercises.
A conventional exercise machine used for performing squats helps strengthen muscles using stabilized weight, which is guided through a range of motion by the machine. However, performing the squats creates stress on knees and back, causing improper conditioning of the muscles around targeted areas of a user's body while exercising. Knee pain from using the squat machine is common because the machine forces the user's body into fixed movement patterns and places shearing loads on the user's knees. Further, the conventional machine tends to make the user rest directly against the machine and forces the user into unnatural movement patterns losing balance while pushing a weighted bar upwardly. This creates more back stress, especially with heavier weights, thereby causing lower back pain.
According to the present disclosure, there is provided an exercise machine for a user performing squats. Included in the exercise machine is a base for supporting the exercise machine. An upright member having a free end and an attachment end is mounted to the base at the attachment end and configured to be straddled by the user. A leg pad assembly is adjustably attached to the upright member for vertically adjusting a height of the leg pad assembly. The leg pad assembly has a first leg pad member extending horizontally relative to the upright member and configured to engage a back of the user's legs. A locking mechanism is provided for selectively releasably securing the leg pad assembly in a desired position on the upright member.
In another embodiment, there is provided an exercise machine for a user performing squats. Included in the exercise machine is a base for supporting the exercise machine. An upright member having a free end and an attachment end is mounted to the base at the attachment end and configured to be straddled by the user. A leg pad assembly is slidably attached to the upright member. The leg pad assembly has a locking mechanism for releasably fixing a position of the leg pad assembly on the upright member. Further, the leg pad assembly has a first leg pad member extending horizontally relative to the upright member and configured to engage a back of the user's legs, and a second leg pad member extending horizontally relative to the upright member, substantially parallel to the first leg pad member and configured to engage a front of the user's legs. A handlebar is adjustably attached to adjacent the free end of the upright member and extends transversely relative to the upright member.
In yet another embodiment, there is provided an exercise machine for a user performing squats. Included in the exercise machine are an angled upright member having a free end and an attachment end, and a base assembly. The attachment end of the upright member is connected to a rear portion of the base assembly, and the base assembly further includes a forward portion configured for receiving the user's feet. A roller assembly is adjustably attached to the upright member for vertically adjusting a height of the roller assembly. The roller assembly has a first pair of roller pads extending horizontally relative to the upright member and configured to engage a back of the user's legs, and a second pair of roller pads extending horizontally relative to the upright member, substantially parallel to the first pair of roller pads and configured to engage a front of the user's legs. One pair of roller pads is horizontally adjustable relative to the other pair of roller pads.
The foregoing and other aspects and features of the disclosure will become apparent to those of reasonable skill in the art from the following detailed description, as considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described below by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Another aspect of the machine 10 is that the upright member 16 is inclined at an angle relative to the base 14 such that the free end 18 of the upright member 16 is positioned away from the user during exercise. This arrangement of the angled upright member 16 allows the user 12 to straddle the machine 10 as if riding the upright member. A leg pad assembly, generally designated 22, is constructed and arranged for being movable along the upright member 16 in upward and downward directions, and thus a height of the leg pad assembly 22 can be vertically adjusted below knee level of the user 12 in a squatted position.
As best shown in
Optionally, the leg pad assembly 22 includes a support arm 34 for supporting a second or front pair of roller pads 36, 38, similar to the pads 26, 28. Roller pads 36, 38 are mounted respectively to third and fourth rods 40, 42. As with the first and second rods 30, 32, the third and fourth rods 40, 42 similarly extend horizontally from opposite sides of a distal end 44 of the support arm 34. More specifically, a proximate end 46 of the support arm 34 is coupled to the pad assembly mount 24, and each roller pad of the second pair 36, 38 is rotatably mounted to the respective third and fourth rods 40, 42. The front pair of roller pads 36, 38 is installed to abut and support the front sides of the user's lower legs and/or knees during exercise.
The height of the leg pad assembly 22 can be adjusted and fixed by a first locking pin 48 mounted on the pad assembly mount 24. For example, a spring-biased locking pin with a handle can be used to selectively and vertically adjust and fix the height of the leg pad assembly 22 relative to the upright member 16. Specifically, the upright member 16 has multiple vertically spaced apertures 50 configured for receiving the first locking pin 48 and securing the leg pad assembly 22. While other locations are envisioned depending on the application, it is preferred that the apertures 50 are located around and below the knee level of the user 12 in the squatted position. Further, as shown in
It is preferred that the first locking pin 48 is retracted from one of the apertures 50 by pulling the pin away from the upright member 16 against an action of a spring (not shown) of the first locking pin such that the leg pad assembly 22 slides in upward and downward directions along the upright member. A desired height of the leg pad assembly 22 is selected and secured by releasing and inserting the first locking pin 48 into one of the apertures 50 on the upright member 16 under the action of the spring (not shown). While a spring-loaded locking pin is shown for illustrative purposes, other types of locking mechanisms are also contemplated, such as conventional selector pins, or plunger pins with knobs or handles.
Handlebars 52 are adjustably attached to adjacent the free end 18 of the upright member 16 such that the handlebars are disposed around a shoulder level of the user 12 in the squatted position. During exercise, the user 12 holds onto the handlebar 52 for maintaining balance of the user's body. As with the leg pad assembly 22, the handlebar 52 is also adjustable in height along the upright member 16. In one embodiment, the handle bar 52 is selectively inserted into one of multiple vertically spaced openings 54 located at the free end 18 of the upright member 16. A locking mechanism can be used to secure the handlebars 52 to the upright member 16. Optionally, a pair of handgrips 56 is attached to respective ends 58, 60 of the handlebar 52 for comfort.
It is also contemplated that a monitoring device 62 is optionally attached to near the free end 18 of the upright member 16 for recording and displaying information about user's activities during exercise, such as a number of repetitions and sets the user completed in a predetermined period.
More specifically, to provide vertical adjustability of the handlebar 52, the upright member 16 has a second locking pin 72 for selectively vertically adjusting the height of the handlebar 52 attached to the upper member 64 relative to the lower member 116. As illustrated above, the second locking pin 72 operates similarly to the first locking pin 48. For example, the upper member 64 has a plurality of vertically spaced apertures 74 configured for receiving the second locking pin 72 and securing the upper member. As is the case with the apertures 50, while other locations are envisioned depending on the application, it is preferred that the apertures 74 are located around a chest level of the user 12 in the squatted position.
Further, to provide horizontal adjustability of the second pair of roller pads 36, 38, it is also contemplated that multiple internally threaded openings 76, 78 are disposed on opposite sides 80, 82 of the distal end 44 of the support arm 34. Specifically, the threaded openings 76, 78 are provided for selectively receiving and rotatably securing the third and fourth rods 40, 42 in respective threaded openings. For example, the rods 40, 42 have transverse threaded ends (not shown) and the ends are rotatably fastened into the threaded openings 76, 78. Then, corresponding roller pads 36, 38 are mounted to the rods 40, 42 respectively. As a result, a distance between the first pair of roller pads 26, 28 and the second pair of roller pads 36, 38 can be adjusted based on, for example, the size of the user's legs.
A base support bracket 84, the base 114, and a panel 86 are provided and arranged for supporting and stabilizing the exercise machine 110. Connection of the bracket 84 to the upright member 16 is preferably achieved using transverse threaded fasteners, such as bolts. For example, the bracket 84 is attached at one end to the attachment end 20 of the upright member 16 and the base 114. An opposite end of the bracket 84 is attached to the panel 86. Whereas the base 114 and panel 86 are shown as having rectangular shapes for illustrative purposes, different geometries, such as circular, multilateral, and/or dished shapes, are also contemplated.
While preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been herein illustrated and described, it is to be appreciated that certain changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/695,643, filed Aug. 31, 2012.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61695643 | Aug 2012 | US |
