Patent ID: 6471624
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A method for determining a bench pivot axle position on a support frame of an exercise machine including a bench adapted to pivot about the bench pivot axle and equipped with a bench pad, the support frame and bench pad having a combined thickness w, said method comprising the steps of;(a) determining a likely position of a user's shoulder joint relative to the support frame; (b) constructing vertical and horizontal reference planes through the likely position of the shoulder joint to define a shoulder joint axis at the intersection of said vertical and horizontal reference planes; (c) selecting a direction of an exercise motion at an angle &bgr; within a predetermined range of 0Â° to 135Â° relative to said vertical reference plane; (d) constructing a motion plane T-Tâ€² at said angle &bgr; and passing through said shoulder joint axis coincident with said selected direction of exercise motion; (e) constructing a body circle centered on said shoulder joint axis with a radius equal to about 4.1 inches; (f) constructing an approximate 2.5 inch square centered on said shoulder joint axis to establish a functional zone of offset for the shoulder joint relative to said shoulder joint axis; (g) selecting desired operational exercise bench angles &ggr;o, &ggr;f relative to said horizontal reference plane and defining &ggr; as the total exercise range angle; (h) constructing a plane So-Soâ€² through said shoulder joint axis at said angle &ggr;o and a plane Sf-Sfâ€² through said shoulder joint axis at said angle &ggr;f; (i) constructing a pair of intersecting bench pad planes Po-Poâ€² and Pf-Pfâ€² parallel to said planes So-Soâ€² and Sf-Sfâ€², respectively, and tangent to said body circle; (j) constructing a bench pivot axle plane F-Fâ€² through said shoulder joint axis and the intersection of said bench pad planes Po-Poâ€² and Pf-Pfâ€²; (k) constructing a pair of intersecting pivot planes Co-Coâ€² and Cf-Cfâ€² parallel to the respective bench pad planes Po-Poâ€² and Pf-Pfâ€² and offset by the combined thickness w; and (l) establishing an optimal bench pivot axle location at the intersection of said Co-Coâ€² and Cf-Cfâ€² planes, said optimal bench pivot axle location lying on said bench pivot axle plane F-Fâ€².