Claims
- 1. A flexural exercise device consisting of:
- a first arm structure;
- a second arm structure; and
- a flexural connecting assembly having structure for connecting said first arm structure with said second arm structure, said flexural connecting assembly comprising a coil spring having a longitudinal axis extending in an axial direction thereof with said first and second arm structures extending longitudinally with respect to said coil spring in generally opposite directions from said flexural connecting assembly when said first and second arm structures are in unflexed positions, said flexural connecting assembly being constructed and arranged to permit each of said first and second arm structures to flex with respect to said unflexed positions against a flexural resistance provided by said flexural connecting assembly by bending said first and second arm structures to deflect said coil spring laterally with respect to its longitudinal axis,
- said first arm structure including an initial portion extending away from said flexural connecting assembly in a longitudinal direction when said first arm structure is in said unflexed position and a transverse handle structure attached to said initial portion at a position spaced from said flexural connecting assembly,
- said second arm structure including an initial portion extending away from said flexural connecting assembly in a longitudinal direction opposite to the direction of the initial portion of said first arm structure when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions and a transverse handle structure attached to said initial portion at a position spaced from said flexural connecting assembly,
- said transverse handle structures of the respective first and second arm structures including inwardly extending portions extending laterally away from the initial portions of the respective first and second arm structures in directions generally toward one another when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions, so that a free end of each said transverse handle structure is disposed inwardly of an outermost extremity of the respective first and second arm structure,
- wherein said first and second arm structures are constructed and arranged with respect to said flexural connecting assembly to permit an upright user to position said device with said flexural connecting assembly behind the user's neck, said first and second arm structures directed sideways from the user, and the transverse handle structures of said first and second arm structures extending above the user's shoulders when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions, and wherein said inwardly extending portions are adapted to permit the user to extend the user's arms outwardly and bent upwardly at the elbows and manually grasp the transverse handle structures of the respective first and second arm structures at positions above the user's shoulders and spaced inwardly from the outermost extremities of the respective first and second arm structures and effect a butterfly exercise by bending the user's arms at the shoulders toward one another in front of the user while keeping the arms bent upwardly at the elbows and while flexing said first and second arm structures from their unflexed positions against said flexural resistance by bending said first and second arm structures to deflect said coil spring laterally with respect to its longitudinal axis.
- 2. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein said initial portion and said transverse handle structure of the respective first and second arm structures comprise continuous integral members.
- 3. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein said continuous integral members comprise bent tubular steel stock.
- 4. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, where said first and second arm structures are covered with foam padding.
- 5. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein said initial portions of the respective first and second arm structures are generally straight structural elements that are generally collinear with each other when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions.
- 6. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein each of said transverse handle structures comprises a single element having a generally straight portion extending to said free end and connected to said initial portion of the respective first or second arm structure at an angle with respect to said initial portion, said angle having a first and a second component, wherein the first component of the angle of each of said transverse handle structures is generally perpendicular to a portion of said initial portion of the respective first or second arm structure and the second components of the angles of said transverse handle structures are generally collinear with each other when said first and second handle structures are in said unflexed positions.
- 7. The flexural exercise device of claim 6, wherein the second components of the angles of said first and second transverse handle structures extend in directions generally toward one another.
- 8. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein said flexural connecting assembly comprises a single elongated laterally resilient member with each of said first and second arm structures connected to opposite ends thereof.
- 9. The flexural exercise device of claim 8, wherein said single elongated laterally resilient member comprises a steel coil spring.
- 10. The flexural exercise device of claim 8 wherein said single elongated laterally resilient member is covered with a padded roll to protect a user's neck when said device is positioned with said flexural connecting assembly disposed behind a user's neck.
- 11. The flexural exercise device of claim 1, wherein said initial portions and said transverse handle structures of the respective first and second arm structures are constructed and arranged to permit the user's forearms to bear against portions of said initial portions as the user performs the butterfly exercise.
- 12. A flexural exercise device consisting of:
- a first arm structure;
- a second arm structure; and
- a flexural connecting assembly having structure for connecting said first arm structure with said second arm structure, said flexural connecting assembly comprising a coil spring having a longitudinal axis extending in an axial direction thereof with said first and second arm structures extending longitudinally with respect to said coil spring in generally opposite directions from said flexural connecting assembly when said first and second arm structures are in unflexed positions, said flexural connecting assembly being constructed and arranged to permit each of said first and second arm structures to flex with respect to said unflexed positions against a flexural resistance provided by said flexural connecting assembly by bending said first and second arm structures to deflect said coil spring laterally with respect to its longitudinal axis,
- said first arm structure including an initial portion extending away from said flexural connecting assembly in a longitudinal direction when said first arm structure is in said unflexed position and a transverse handle structure attached to said initial portion at a position spaced from said flexural connecting assembly,
- said second arm structure including an initial portion extending away from said flexural connecting assembly in a longitudinal direction opposite to the direction of the initial portion of said first arm structure when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions and a transverse handle structure attached to said initial portion at a position spaced from said flexural connecting assembly,
- said transverse handle structures of the respective first and second arm structures including inwardly extending portions extending away from the initial portions of the respective first and second arm structures in directions generally toward one another when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions, so that a free end of each said transverse handle structure is disposed inwardly of an outermost extremity of the respective first and second arm structure,
- wherein said first and second arm structures are constructed and arranged with respect to said flexural connecting assembly to permit an upright user to position said device with said flexural connecting assembly behind the user's neck, said first and second arm structures directed sideways from the user, and the transverse handle structures of said first and second arm structures extending above the user's shoulders when said first and second arm structures are in said unflexed positions, and wherein said inwardly extending portions are adapted to permit the user to extend the user's arms outwardly and bent upwardly at the elbows and manually grasp the transverse handle structures of the respective first and second arm structures at positions above the user's shoulders and spaced inwardly from the outermost extremities of the respective first and second arm structures and effect a butterfly exercise by bending the user's arms at the shoulders toward one another in front of the user while keeping the arms bent upwardly at the elbows and while flexing said first and second arm structures from their unflexed positions against said flexural resistance by bending said first and second arm structures to deflect said coil spring laterally with respect to its longitudinal axis.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of prior filed provisional application number 60/068,561, filed Dec. 23, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (15)