Slant board exercise machine

Abstract

An exercise machine that enables a user to exercise extensor and flexor muscles. The exercise machine includes a base with a rolling cylinder configured to roll from a front end of the base to a rear end of the base. The exercise machine further includes a slant board resting on the rolling cylinder.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exercise machine and, more particularly, to an exercise machine that exercises extensor and flexor muscles.

Currently, exercise machines generally fail to enable users to exercise both the extensor and flexor muscles. In order to exercise both extensor and flexor muscles, a user may have to use two separate machines. However, some machines that do allow a user to exercise the extensor and flexor muscles are extremely expensive.

As can be seen, there is a need for a less expensive machine that exercises the extensor and flexor muscles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an exercise machine comprises: a base comprising upright walls spaced apart from one another, and tracks formed along inner surfaces of the upright walls from a front end of the base to a rear end of the base; a fulcrum comprising a frame and a rotating cylinder rotatably disposed within the frame, wherein guide bearings extend from opposing sides of the frame and are slidably disposed within the tracks; a slant board disposed substantially above the base and resting on the rotating cylinder; and a seat support extending vertically from the base and comprising a seat.

In another aspect of the present invention, an exercise machine comprises: a base comprising a front end, a rear end, and upright walls; a rotating cylinder rotatably disposed on the upright walls and operable to rotate from the rear end of the base to the front end of the base and from the front end of the base to the rear end of the base; a slant board disposed substantially above the base and resting on the rotating cylinder, the slant board comprising a horizontal back portion, a vertical middle portion, and a horizontal front portion; and a seat support extending vertically from the base and comprising a seat.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a section detail view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a detail side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a side detail view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a side detail view of an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 30 is a side detail view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 30, the present invention includes an exercise machine with a base 30. The base 30 may include a pair of spaced apart upright walls extending vertically from a bottom. Each of the upright walls may include a track 42 formed along an inner surface, near a top end. A back wall 32 may protrude vertically from a back end of the bottom. A front wall 28 may protrude vertically from a front end of the bottom. Protruding from the rear of the base 30 may be an anchor bar 36. The anchor bar 36 may be substantially perpendicular to the base 30. An overhead handle bar 10 may be pivotally connected to the top of the anchor bar 36.

The present invention may further include a fulcrum 22. As illustrated in FIGS. 23 through 26, the fulcrum 22 may include a frame 70 having laterally extending guide bearings 40 slidably engaged within the tracks 42. The fulcrum 22 may further include a rotating cylinder 72 rotatably disposed within the frame 70. The rotating cylinder 72 may rotate relative to the frame 70 along the rotating cylinder's longitudinal axis. In alternate embodiments, the present invention includes a front rolling cylinder stop 82a at the front of the base 30 and a rear rolling cylinder stop 82b at the rear of the base 30. In such embodiments, the fulcrum 22 is a rolling cylinder 78. The rolling cylinder 78 may roll in between the front rolling cylinder stop 82a and the rear rolling cylinder stop 82b.

The present invention may further include a slant board 24. The slant board 24 may be located substantially above the base 30. The slant board 24 rests on top of the rotating cylinder 72 of the fulcrum 22. The slant board 24 includes a horizontal back portion, a vertical middle portion, and a horizontal front portion. The horizontal back portion of the slant board 24 may rest on the rotating cylinder 72, adjacent to the vertical middle portion. The horizontal back portion may further include an opening 46 in which a seat 20 is disposed within. A footpad 26 may be attached to the horizontal front portion of the slant board 24. The footpad 26 may connect to the slant board 24 by a rotating dowel 48 and thereby the footpad 26 may pivot relative to the slant board 24. A pair of foot straps 34 may be attached to an upper surface of the footpad 26.

In certain embodiments, a weight 54 may be added to the horizontal back portion to add resistance when the user's weight is not used for resistance. As illustrated in FIG. 27, the weight 54 may include a plurality of weights. In such embodiments, the horizontal back portion of the slant board 24 includes a plurality of pegs extending vertically from an upper surface. Each of the plurality of weights may include an opening that fits around the pegs. Therefore, the user may remove and add weights to the slant board 24 depending on amount of resistance desired. As illustrated in FIG. 30, the weight 54 may slide from a rear end of the slant board 24 to a front end of the slant board 24 while in use.

In certain embodiments, a seat back 18 may be connected to the exercise machine. For example, as illustrated in the Figures, the seat back 18 may be connected to the base 30 and slide within the vertical guide rails 14. The seat 20 protrudes horizontally from the seat back 18. Behind the seat back 18 and attached to the slant board 24 may be connecting bars 12. The connecting bars 12 may each include a sliding pin 15 disposed within a slot 13 formed in the slant board 20. The sliding pins 15 slide along the slot 13. The connecting bars 12 protrude upwards from the slant board 24 and pivotally connect to the overhead handle bars 10. For example, the connecting bars 12 may each include a sliding pin 15 disposed within a slot 13 formed in the overhead handle bar 10. The sliding pins 15 slide along the slot 13.

As mentioned above, the present invention may include vertical guide rails 14. The vertical guide rails 14 extend vertically from the top of the base 30. A first set of vertical guide rails 14 may include aligned slots. The seat back 18 is slidably connected to the vertical guide rails 14 by connecting members 16 disposed within the aligned slots. A second set of vertical guide rails 14 may also include aligned slots. The connecting bars 12 are slidably connected to the vertical guide rails 14 by connecting members 44 disposed within the aligned slots.

To use the present invention, the user may sit on the seat 20. The user may secure their feet to the footpad 26 using the foot straps 34. When the fulcrum 22 is near the front of the base 30, the user may press the front of the slant board 24 downwards with their feet. This may thereby force the fulcrum 22 to slide backwards along the track 42 or roll. At this point, the slant board 24 may be slanting downwards, and front of the slant board 24 may rest against the front wall 28. The user may then lift the front of the slant board 24 using the foot straps 34 when the fulcrum 22 is disposed at the rear of the base 30. By lifting upward, the fulcrum 22 is forced to slide or roll forwards to the front of the base 30. The overhead handle bar 10 may also be used as a mechanism to move the fulcrum 22 forward and backward along the base 30. For example, the overhead handle bar 10 may be pushed upward, thereby pushing the rear of the slant board 24 downward and positioning the slant board 24 towards the upward slanting position. Further, the overhead handle bar 10 may pulled downward, lifting the rear of the slant board 24 and positioning the slant board 24 towards the downward slanting position.

Referring to FIGS. 10 through 22, the present invention may include a pulley system. A pulley support 56 protrudes vertically from the rear of the base 30. The pulley support 56 may be substantially perpendicular to the base 30. The pulley support 56 may support pulleys 60, such as upper pulleys 60a and lower pulleys 60b. Pulley cables 58 may wrap around the pulleys 60. A pulley connection 62 may be between the pulley cables 58 and the overhead handle bar 10 and the pulley cables 58 and the slant board 24. The pulley connection 62 may include rounded pegs 63. The pegs 63 may be coupled to the pulley cables 58. The pegs 63 may be disposed above and below the overhead handle bar 10 and the slant board 24. Therefore, when either the overhead handle bar 10 or the slant board 24 is pivoted, the pulley cables 58 are moved upward or downward in the same direction as the overhead handle bar 10 and the slant board 24.

Alternatively, the present invention may include two bars that connect to the pulley cables 58 and move in the same direction. One bar runs through a slot in the slant board 24, and the other through a slot in each overhead handle bar 10. To reduce friction, the bars could pivot within a slidable piece within the slots. The pivot-slide assembly could be coupled to the connecting bars 12, the slant board 24, and the overhead handle bars 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, the seat back 66 may be stationary relative to the base 30. In such embodiments, the seat back 66 is fixed and extending upward from the base 30. Additional support posts 64 may also be fixed to and extending upward from the base 30. The support posts 64 may surround the seat back 66. Bracings 68 may extend laterally from the support posts 64 and couple the support posts 64 to the seat back 66, further stabilizing the seat back 66. In such embodiments, the over head bars 10 may pivot relative to the seat back 66 and may push the pulley cord 58 upwards and downwards.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An exercise machine comprising: a base comprising upright walls spaced apart from one another, and tracks formed along inner surfaces of the upright walls from a front end of the base to a rear end of the base;a fulcrum comprising a frame and a rotating cylinder rotatably disposed within the frame, wherein guide bearings extend from opposing sides of the frame and are slidably disposed within the tracks;a slant board disposed substantially above the base and resting on the rotating cylinder;a seat back extending vertically from the base and comprising a seat; andan overhead handle bar disposed above the seat.

2. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the slant board comprises a horizontal back portion, a vertical middle portion, and a horizontal front portion.

3. The exercise machine of claim 2, further comprising a weight disposed on the horizontal back portion.

4. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a back wall and a front wall disposed to prevent the slant board from pivoting forward or backward beyond the front wall and the back wall respectively.

5. The exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising an anchor bar protruding from the rear end of the base and pivotally attached to the overhead handle bar.

6. The exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising a connecting bar connected to the rear end of the slant board, a sliding pin disposed within a slot and pivotally connected to the overhead handle bar.

7. The exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising a footpad pivotally attached to the front end of the slant board.

8. The exercise machine of claim 7, further comprising foot straps attached to the footpad.

9. An exercise machine comprising: a base comprising a front end, a rear end, and upright walls;a rotating cylinder rotatably disposed on the upright walls and operable to rotate from the rear end of the base to the front end of the base and from the front end of the base to the rear end of the base;a slant board disposed substantially above the base and resting on the rotating cylinder, the slant board comprising a horizontal back portion, a vertical middle portion, and a horizontal front portion; anda seat back extending vertically from the base and comprising a seat.

10. The exercise machine of claim 9, further comprising an overhead handle bar disposed above the seat back.

11. The exercise machine of claim 10, further comprising an anchor bar protruding from the rear end of the base and pivotally attached to the overhead handle bar.

12. The exercise machine of claim 10, further comprising a connecting bar connected to the rear of the slant board, a sliding pin disposed within a slot and pivotally connected to the overhead handle bar.

13. The exercise machine of claim 9, further comprising a footpad pivotally attached to the front end of the slant board.

14. The exercise machine of claim 13, further comprising foot straps attached to the footpad.

15. The exercise machine of claim 9, wherein the base further comprises a back wall and a front wall disposed to prevent the slant board from pivoting forward or backward beyond the front wall and the back wall respectively.