Abstract:
There is accordingly provided an exercise apparatus including an inner housing upon which a user may stand. The apparatus includes an outer housing rotatably coupled to the inner housing. The apparatus includes a handlebar coupled to and extending upwards from the outer housing. The apparatus includes a mount for retaining one or more weights thereon. The mount operatively connects to the outer housing and is enclosed within one of the housings.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     There is provided an exercise apparatus. In particular, there is provided an exercise apparatus having a stationary inner platform and an outer annular member rotatably connected thereto. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,314,436 to Rubin discloses an exercise device having a first base member with foot platforms mounted thereon for rotating a person&#39;s lower body and a second base member including at least one handle to be grasped by a person for rotating a person&#39;s upper body. The first and second base members are mounted so as to be capable of rotating about the same vertical axis. Resistance means and/or weights may be used to increase the force needed to rotate the base members. Either base member may also be fixed so as not to rotate. Similarly, the foot platforms may rotate on the first base member independently of the first base member or can be fixed thereto so as to remain stationary in relation to the first base member. The second base member may be mounted adjacent the first base member and concentric therewith the handle extending upwardly. As seen in  FIG. 1  thereof, weights may be added to the exercise device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,579 to Rice discloses an apparatus upon which a person can do various different exercises. The apparatus includes a stationary base having two posts with handgrips. The apparatus includes a rotatable platform between the posts. The apparatus includes adjustable weights upon the platform. The apparatus includes two rotatable inclined pads stationarily located on the platform for standing upon. The apparatus includes a head brace supported on the posts. The apparatus includes an upwardly pull cord from a center of the platform for causing it to rotate. 
     The above systems may comprise a relatively large number of exposed parts. There may thus be an increased chance of the users of such systems to get caught on and/or injure themselves as a result thereof, for example. There may accordingly be a need for an improved exercise apparatus in this regard to address these and other issues. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     There is provided an improved exercise apparatus disclosed herein that may overcome the above disadvantages. 
     According to a first aspect, there is accordingly provided an exercise apparatus including an inner housing upon which a user may stand. The apparatus includes an outer housing rotatably coupled to the inner housing. The apparatus includes a handlebar coupled to and extending upwards from the outer housing. The apparatus includes a mount for retaining one or more weights thereon. The mount operatively connects to the outer housing and is enclosed within one of the housings. 
     According to another aspect, there is provided an exercise apparatus including an inner platform upon which a user may stand. The apparatus includes an outer annular member which is rotatable about a vertically-extending central axis. The outer annular member extends around and rotatably connects to the inner platform. The apparatus includes a geared bearing having an outer race operatively coupled to the inner platform and an inner race rotatably connected to the outer race. The inner race of the geared bearing operatively connects to the outer annular member. 
     According to a further aspect, there is provided an exercise apparatus including an inner platform upon which a user may stand. The apparatus includes an outer annular member which is rotatable about a vertically-extending central axis. The outer annular member extends around and rotatably connects to the inner platform. The apparatus includes an exercise resistance band coupled to and extending outwards from the inner platform. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exercise apparatus according to a first aspect, the exercise apparatus including a mounting assembly and a handlebar coupled thereto; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevation thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is a left side elevation thereof opposite the left side elevation view of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view thereof; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  8 - 8  in  FIG. 1  partially in fragment of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the mounting assembly of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the mounting assembly including an inner platform that is removed to reveal interior components of the mounting assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  10 - 10  in  FIG. 1  of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of part of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  12 - 12  in  FIG. 1  of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a top plan view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 , shown with a user gripping the handles thereof and where the user&#39;s body is in a first position; 
         FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the exercise apparatus and user of  FIG. 13 , with the user&#39;s body being a second position in which the upper part of the user&#39;s body is rotated by 90 degrees to left relative to the first position of  FIG. 13 ; and 
         FIG. 15  is a top perspective view of an exercise machine according to a second aspect. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings and first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an exercise apparatus  20 . The exercise apparatus includes a mounting assembly  22  best seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The mounting assembly has a top  24  best seen in  FIG. 6 , a bottom  26  which is opposite the top and best seen in  FIG. 7 , a front  28  best seen in  FIG. 2 , a rear  30  opposite the front and best seen in  FIG. 3 , and a pair of spaced-apart sides  32  and  34  best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , respectively. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the front, rear and sides of the mounting assembly extend between the top and bottom thereof. The sides  32  and  34  of the assembly extend between the front  28  and rear  30  of the assembly. 
     As seen in  FIG. 10 , the mounting assembly includes an inner housing  36  which in this example includes a base member that is planar and in this example in the form of a circular base plate  38 . The mounting assembly  22  has a vertically-extending central axis  39  which coincides and is co-axial with the axis of housing  36  and plate  38 . The base plate is positioned adjacent to and extends parallel with the bottom  26  of the mounting assembly  22 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the base plate  38  extends between the sides  32  and  34 , front  28  and rear  30  of the assembly. As seen in  FIG. 10 , the base plate has an outer annular edge  40  and an outer peripheral edge portion  41  which is annular and which extends radially inwards from the edge. 
     The inner housing  36  further includes an annular peripheral portion in this example in the form of vertically-extending annular member  42 . As seen in  FIG. 11 , the annular member has a first annular end  43  coupled to and extending upwards from base plate  38 . The annular member is adjacent to and radially spaced-apart from the annular edge  40  of the base plate  38 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the outer peripheral edge portion  41  of base plate  38  extends between annular end  43  of member  42  and annular edge  40  of the member  42  in this example Annular member  42  and plate  38  are integrally connected together in this example and form an integrated whole. 
     Annular member  42  further includes a second annular end  45  spaced-apart upwards from said first end  43  thereof. As seen in  FIG. 9 , the inner housing  36  has an opening  37  which is rectangular in this example and which extends through annular member  42  from end  43  to end  45  thereof. 
     As seen in  FIG. 8 , the annular member includes a radially-inwardly extending annular lip  47  at said second end thereof. End  45  and lip  47  of annular member  42  are positioned adjacent to top  24  of the mounting assembly  22  in this example. As seen in  FIG. 9 , annular member  42  includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart slots which extend downwards from end  45  thereof towards end  43  thereof, as seen by slot  49 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the exercise apparatus  20  includes a removable cover, in this example in the form of an inner platform  46  that is a planar member in this example in the form a centrally disposed circular plate  48  having a circular outer edge  50 . The inner platform is part of the inner housing  36  in this example, and plate  38 , annular member  42  and inner platform  46  of the inner housing  36  form a hollow interior  44  that is generally cylindrical in this example. 
     The inner platform includes an upper annular rim  52  integrally formed with and extending upwards from the outer edge  50  of plate  48  in this example. The upper rim of the inner plate generally aligns with the top  24  of the mounting assembly  22 . As seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , plate  48  and rim  52  form a hollow cylindrically-shaped enclosure  54  shaped to receive feet  56  and  58  of a user  60 . As seen in  FIG. 11 , the upper rim  52  of the inner platform  46  is adjacent to and radially-outwardly spaced-apart from annular member  42  in this example. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 11 , the inner platform  46  includes a lower rim  62  integrally formed with and extending downwards from the plate  48  towards the bottom  26  of the mounting assembly  22  in this example at a location adjacent to and radially-inwardly spaced from annular edge  50  of the plate. Lower rim  62  is adjacent to and radially-inwardly spaced from annular member  42  in this example. As seen in  FIG. 9 , the inner platform  46  includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart elongate protrusions which radially outwardly extend from lower rim  62  towards annular edge  50  of plate  48 , as seen by protrusion  65 . Each of the protrusions is in the shape of a rectangular prism in this example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , rim  62  and adjacent annular portions  53  of plate  48  positioned radially outwards therefrom are shaped to form a seat  97  for snugly receiving lip  47  of annular member  42  of inner housing  36 . Put another way, inner platform  46  is shaped to extend overtop of and abut with inner housing  36  by way of lower rim  62  being received within and abutting lip  47 . Protrusions  65  of inner platform  46 , as seen in  FIG. 9 , are shaped and positioned to be received by slots  49  of annular member  42 . In this manner, the inner platform is selectively removable from the rest of the inner housing to reveal interior contents of the inner housing as seen in  FIG. 9 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 10 , the exercise apparatus  20  includes a gear assembly  63  that includes a centrally-disposed first inner gear, in this example a sun gear  64 . The sun gear is rotatably coupled to plate  38  of the inner housing  36 . The sun gear  64  is disposed within the inner housing and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart outwardly facing teeth  67  seen in  FIG. 12 . Referring back to  FIG. 10 , in this example an elongate member in the form of a bolt  66  centrally extends through a central aperture  68  of the sun gear. A pair of axially spaced-apart rotatable members, in this example in the form of upper and lower bearings  70  and  72  rotatably couple the sun gear  64  to the bolt. An annular spacer  74  extends around bolt  66  and is interposed between the inner race  103  of lower bearing  72  and plate  38  of the inner housing  36 . The bolt couples to plate  38  via a nut  101  positioned adjacent to the bottom  26  of the mounting assembly  22 . The manner in which gear  64  rotatably couples to housing  36  is an example only and other manners of rotatably mounting the gear are possible. Rotatably coupling of gears to housings is known per se and therefore will not be described in further detail. 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the exercise apparatus  20  includes a weight mount, in this example a flywheel  69 . The flywheel is generally annular in shape in this example, and has a top  71  and bottom  73 , seen in  FIG. 10 , opposite the top. The bottom of the flywheel  69  couples to the sun gear  64  in this example via a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart threaded members as seen by threaded shaft  75 . The threaded shafts threadably engage with the sun gear at lower ends  83  thereof and couple to flywheel  69  adjacent upper ends  85  thereof via nuts  89  in this example. A plurality of spacers  91  extend about respective ones of the threaded shafts  75  and are interposed between the bottom  73  of the flywheel  69  and sun gear  64 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the flywheel includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart receptacles  93  that are wedge-shaped with radially spaced-apart inner and outer edges  151  and  153  thereof which are arcuate-shaped in this example. The receptacles extend upwards from the bottom  73  of the flywheel towards the top  71  thereof. The exercise apparatus  20  includes a plurality of weights  95  and the receptacles are shaped to receive selective ones of said weights. As seen in  FIG. 12 , the flywheel is disposed within and enclosed by the inner housing  36 . As seen in  FIG. 9 , the flywheel is in communication with the inner platform  46 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the gear assembly  63  further includes a second inner gear in this example, in the form of a planetary gear  76 . The planetary gear includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart, outwardly facing teeth  81 . A portion  99  of the teeth are positioned to extend through opening  37  of annular member  42  of inner housing  36 . As seen in  FIG. 12 , the planetary gear  76  rotatably couples to plate  38  of inner housing  36 . In this example, an elongate member in the form of a bolt  77  centrally extends through a central aperture  79  of the planetary gear. A pair of axially spaced-apart rotatable members, in this example in the form of upper and lower bearings  105  and  107  rotatably couple the planetary gear to the bolt. An annular spacer  109  extends around bolt  77  and is interposed between the inner race  111  of lower bearing  107  and plate  38  of the inner housing  36 . The bolt couples to plate  38  via a nut  113  positioned adjacent to the bottom  26  of the mounting assembly  22 . The manner in which gear  76  rotatably couples to housing  36  is an example only and other manners of mounting the gear to this end are possible. Rotatable coupling of gears to housings is known per se and therefore will not be described in further detail. The planetary gear  76  is shaped to be positioned radially outwards from sun gear  64 . As seen in  FIG. 12 , teeth  81  of the planetary gear, as seen in  FIG. 9 , are shaped to rotatably engage with teeth  67  of sun gear  64 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the exercise apparatus  20  includes an outer housing  78  which is hollow in this example. The outer housing extends around and is rotatable relative to inner housing  36 . The outer housing  78  includes an outer annular peripheral portion, in this example in the form of annular member  80 . As seen in  FIG. 10 , the annular member is generally vertically-extending in this example and has a lower end  82  adjacent to bottom  26  of the mounting assembly  22  and an upper end  84  adjacent to the top  25  of the mounting assembly Annular member  80  in this example aligns with and is spaced-apart above annular edge  40  of plate  38  of the inner housing. As seen in  FIG. 11 , lower end  82  of annular member  80  is adjacent to and spaced-apart above annular edge  40  of plate  38  of inner housing  36  in this example Annular member  80  is radially-outwardly spaced-apart from and extends about annular member  42  of inner housing  36 . 
     Outer housing  78  further includes an annular top in this example in the form of an upper annular flange  86  coupled to and integrally formed with annular member  80  of the outer housing  78 . The flange has an outer annular end  88  and an inner annular end  90  radially-inwardly spaced from said outer end. In this example, outer end  88  of flange  86  couples to and extends radially-inwardly from upper end  84  of annular member  80 . Inner annular end  90  of flange  86  of the outer housing  78  is adjacent to and radially-outwardly spaced from end  45  of annular member  42  of inner housing  36  in this example. 
     Outer housing  78  includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart hollow cylindrical members, in this example in the form of sleeves coupled to and extending downwards from flange  86 , as seen by sleeve  92 . The sleeves are adjacent to and radially-outwardly spaced from inner ends  90  of the flange in this example. The sleeves  92  have upper ends  94  coupled to and integrally formed with flange  86  in this example and lower ends  96  spaced-apart below said upper ends. The lower ends  96  of the sleeves are positioned adjacent to and spaced-apart above plate  38  of inner housing  36  in this example. Centrally-disposed threaded bores  98  extend through the sleeves  92  from ends  96  to ends  94  thereof in this example. 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the gear assembly  63  of the exercise apparatus  20  includes a geared bearing  102  in this example. The slewing bearing comprises an inner race  104  and an outer race  106  rotatably coupled to said inner race. As seen in  FIG. 11 , the outer race of the slewing bearing  102  is adjacent to and radially-inwardly spaced from lower end  82  of annular member  80 . As seen in  FIG. 9 , the outer race  106  of the geared bearing  102  has a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart threaded apertures  108  and is coupled to plate  38  of inner housing  36  in this example via an elongate members, in this example bolts  110  which threadably engage with said apertures as seen in  FIG. 11 . 
     The outer head portions  112  of the bolts  110  extend downwards from plate  38  of the inner housing in this example. The exercise apparatus  20  further includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cushioning members, in this example rubber knobs  114  as seen in  FIG. 1 , which extend around respective ones of the outer head portions  112  of the bolts as seen in  FIG. 11 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the knobs are generally cylindrical in shape in this example and function as an interface between the mounting assembly  22  and floor  117 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 11 , the inner race  104  of geared bearing  102  rotatably couples to outer race  106  thereof via a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart balls  116  in this example. As seen in  FIG. 9 , a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart apertures extend through inner race  104  as seen by aperture  118 . As seen in  FIG. 11 , the apertures  118  have tapered portions  120  which extend from adjacent to bottom  26  of mounting assembly  22  towards top  24  thereof. As seen in  FIG. 11 , inner race  104  is adjacent to and radially-outwardly spaced from annular member  42  of inner housing  36 . The sleeves  92  of outer housing  78  are shaped to align with apertures  118  of inner race  104  of gear bearing  102 . The inner race of geared bearing couples to outer housing  78  in this example via a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart elongate members, in this example in the form of bolts  122 . The bolts are shaped to be threadably received by apertures  118  of inner race  104  of geared bearing  102  and be received by threaded bore  98  of sleeve  92 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , the geared bearing  102  includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart and inwardly extending teeth  124  shaped to threadably engage with teeth  81  of planetary gear  76  seen in  FIG. 9  at a location adjacent to opening  37  of annular member  42  of inner housing  36 . As seen in  FIG. 11 , the outer housing  78  includes and is formed via radially spaced-apart and vertically-extending annular members  42  and  80 , annular outer peripheral edge portion  41  of base plate  38  extending between said annular members  42  and  80  and annular flange  86  extending between said annular members  42  and  80 . The outer housing is thus hollow and generally annular in shape and functions to house and enclose the geared bearing  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  20  includes a handlebar  126 . The handlebar is u-shaped in this example and has an upper end  127  that is arc-shaped and a pair of spaced-apart lower ends  128  and  130  opposite said upper end. As seen in  FIG. 13 , the upper end of the handlebar  126  shaped to align with the curvature of annular member  80  of outer housing  78  and thus curves about axis  39  of the mounting assembly  22 . As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 13 , the upper end  127  of the handlebar  126  is curved in side and top profiles. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the upper end of the handlebar radially-extends outwards relative to the lower ends  130  thereof. As seen in  FIG. 13 , handlebar  126  aligns with and extends in parallel with upper annular flange  86  of outer housing  78  in this example. 
     As seen in  FIG. 8 , the lower ends  128  of the handlebar  126  selectively couple to and are circumferentially spaced-apart on outer housing  78 . In particular, in this example the lower ends of the handlebar extend through apertures  132  of the upper annular flange  86  of outer housing and are received by sockets  134  of the outer housing. The sockets  134  are hollow and generally cylindrical in shape, couple to and extend downwards from flange  86  and couple to and extend radially-inwards from annular member  80  adjacent to upper end  84  thereof. Annular member  80  has a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart apertures extending therethrough which are in communication with the sockets, as seen by aperture  136  in communication with socket  134  in  FIG. 8 . 
     In this example, the lower ends  128  and  130  of the handlebar  126  include connector mechanisms in the form of outwardly-biased spring-loaded pins  138  shaped to selectively extend through apertures  136  of annular member  80  and be spring-biased outwards via corrugated spring  139  in this example. In this manner, the handlebar  126  is selectively coupled to the outer housing  78 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the handlebar  126  includes a pair of outer tubes  140  and  142  which extend upwards from lower ends  128  and  130  thereof to upper ends  144  and  146  of the tubes. A plurality of longitudinally-spaced-apart apertures  148  extend into said tubes at located adjacent to ends  128  and  130  and  144  and  146 , respectively. The handlebar  126  includes an upper, u-shaped tube  150  which extends from the upper end  127  of the handlebar towards the lower ends  128  and  130  thereof. The u-shaped tube in this example has lower ends  152  and  154  shaped to be received within the upper ends  144  and  146  of tubes  140  and  142 . The handlebar  126  in this example has a pair of connector mechanisms in the form of outwardly-biased spring-loaded pins  156  and  158  shaped to selectively extend through apertures  148  of tubes  140  and  142 . In this manner, the handlebar  126  is telescoping with tube  150  being selectively receivable within tubes  140  and  142 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the length L of the handlebar, as extending from its lower ends  128  and  130  to its upper end  127  thereof, is thus adjustable as generally indicated by arrow of numeral  131 . 
     Outwardly-biased spring-loaded pins, including their various parts and functionings, are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail. 
     In operation and referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the user  60  may align his or her feet  56  and  58  in a forward position on top of plate  48  of inner platform  46 . The user grips the handlebar  126  adjacent to the upper end  127  thereof, and selectively twist his or her upper body  61  relative to his or her lower body  59  from the left to the right to varying degrees in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. This is generally indicated by arrow of numeral  162 . For example,  FIG. 14  shows the upper body  61  being angularly displaced relative to the lower body  59  of the user  60  by an angle α. In this manner, the outer housing  78  of the exercise apparatus  20  is thus selectively rotated relative to the inner housing  36  and inner platform  46  seen in  FIG. 10 . Flywheels  69  having various weights  95  and/or combinations may be chosen by the user for selectively adjusting the moment of inertia thereof and the amount of torque required to rotate inner race  104  of geared bearing  102 . 
       FIG. 15  shows an exercise apparatus  20 . 1  according to a second aspect. Like parts have like numbers and functions as the exercise apparatus  20  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10  with the addition of “0.1”. Exercise apparatus  20 . 1  is substantially the same as exercise apparatus  20  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 14  with at least the following exceptions. 
     Apparatus  20 . 1  includes a connector  164  which in this example is u-shaped, and which is centrally-disposed upon, couples to and extends upwards from plate  48  of inner platform  46 . The apparatus further includes an exercise resistance band  166  which may couple with the connector via a hooked-end  168 , for example. The exercise resistance band includes a resilient elongate member  170  and a gripping end  172  spaced-apart from the hooked-end. Exercise resistance band  166  connecting to the mounting assembly  22 . 1  enables the user to perform further exercises in combination with the apparatus  20 . 1 . 
     It will be appreciated that many variations are possible within the scope of the invention described herein. It will also be understood by someone skilled in the art that many of the details provided above are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be determined with reference to at least the following claims.