Patent ID: 6394936
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A convergent exercise machine, comprising:a support frame; a support frame member coupled to the support frame; an arm pivot axle coupled to the support frame member, said arm pivot axle positioned in a first plane; a seat assembly comprising a seat bottom pad and a seat back adapted to hold a user in position for exercising, whereby said user's shoulder joints are positioned substantially in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to the first plane at a displacement perpendicular to the first plane; the first plane being located further into an exercise stroke than the second plane, said exercise stroke being a pushing stroke in a direction away from the support frame member; a pair of exercise arms, each having a first end rotatably attached to the arm pivot axle; said pair of arms adapted to move in a convergent motion; a handle assembly pivotably coupled to a second end of each exercise arm by a handle assembly pivot and adapted to be grasped by the user, wherein the arm pivot axle is positioned to define a machine-determined circular exercise motion path coincident with a movement of the handle assembly pivot from start to finish of said exercise motion path; said handle assembly being adjustable to define the size of the circular exercise motion path; each of said exercise arms being independently pivotal relative to the other exercise arm to allow the user to exercise one arm at a time; said exercise motion path being in a third plane which is at a fixed angle relative to said first and second planes; wherein said handle assembly pivot comprises a wrist joint accommodating pivot, said wrist joint accommodating pivot being disposed perpendicular to said third plane, whereby the exercise motion path for said wrist joint accommodating pivot is continuously in said third plane; and whereby rotation of the user's wrist joint is substantially constrained by the wrist joint accommodating pivot to move in an abduction-adduction, side-to-side, motion.