Abstract:
A collapsible resistance exercise device for compact storage and quick deployment includes a horizontally disposed base support frame and an upright frame pivotally attached to the base frame. The upright frame includes a resistance bar pivotally mounted thereon. In practice, the device is placed on a level surface with the base support frame resting on the surface. The free end of the upright frame is rotated upwardly to a vertical position where it is releasably locked into position to be free standing. One end of a pair of springs are attached to spring attachment loops disposed on the upright frame. The opposing ends of the springs are attached to spring attachment loops disposed on a resistance bar, strap or similar device. The exercisor exercises a muscle group by contacting a limb with the resistance bar and repetitively moving the resistance bar against the restoring force of the springs.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 10/899,683 filed Jul. 26, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 10/266,443, filed Oct. 7, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety as though fully set forth. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a resistance exercise equipment and, more particularly, to a collapsible, pilates-type device for personal exercise.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Wall-mountable resistance-type exercise devices are well known in the art. Various embodiments of such devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,468,205, 5,431,617, 4,402,504 and 5,385,525. Little, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,546, the contents of which patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto, provides a review of such prior art devices and discloses a wall-mountable resistance-type exercise device that overcomes many of the limitations present in prior art devices. Little&#39;s device has a matched pair of slotted rails adapted to be vertically mounted on a vertical surface. A matched pair of swing arms are rotatably mounted on slidably adjustable universal blocks disposed within the slots. The opposing ends of the swing arms are attached to a resistance bar and an elastic resistance member. The points of attachment of both the swing arms and the elastic resistance members to the slotted rails are incrementally adjustable along substantially the entire length of the slotted rails. A disadvantage of the device is the large number of parts required to make the device operational.  
         [0004]     Resistance exercise devices that employ springs for providing resistance to the movement of a limb of the body are known in the art. Croft, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,679, the content of which patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto, discloses a compact, low profile, wall-mountable exercise device (“the Croft device” or, in the alternative, a “Croft-type device”). The Croft device includes a modular, wall-mountable rectangular frame, a horizontal hinge rod assembly attached to the frame and rotatably mounted on the frame, a resistance bar, a pair of swing arms, each swing arm having a distal end attached to opposing ends of the hinge rod, and proximal ends attached to opposing ends of the resistance bar. The Croft device includes at least two springs, each spring having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal ends of the springs are releasably attached to spring connectors on the frame. The proximal ends of the springs are attached to the respective swing arms near the proximal ends thereof. In use, an exerciser positions a part of his/her body, such as the hands, in contact with the resistance bar and applies a force sufficient to extend the springs. When the exerciser releases the force, the spring restores to its non-extended length. The exerciser repeats the cycle until the targeted body part(s) is sufficiently exercised. The various possible attachment points for the distal ends of the springs enable the device to be used for exercising various muscles of the body, including the arms, shoulders, legs, back, chest and abdomen. The device is not readily transportable and requires a permanent wall mount, which may not be aesthetically pleasing in a home setting. There is, therefore, a need for a versatile resistance-type exercise device that is quickly and easily assembled and may be collapsed when not in use for convenient storage and/or transport.  
         [0005]     In co-pending application Ser. No. 10/266,443, filed Oct. 7, 2002, and published Apr. 8, 2004, as US 2004/0067828, Croft discloses a device that is similar to the &#39;679 device but is not wall-mountable. The device, which is collapsible, is provided with a low-profile storage case that serves as a base of support and by which the device may be conveniently transported and stored.  
         [0006]     There is a continuing need for a versatile resistance-type exercise device that is quickly and easily assembled and may be collapsed when not in use for convenient storage and/or transport. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exercise device in accordance with the present invention wherein the device is collapsed for storage.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the device of  FIG. 1 , without springs attached thereto, deployed for exercising.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the device showing an exercisor using the device to exercise muscles associated with the left leg and hip.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device showing an exercisor using the device to exercise muscles associated with the both legs and hips.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the device showing an exercisor using the device to perform pull-down/push-down type exercises.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a wall-mounted exercise device.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the wall-mounted exercise device of  FIG. 6  with the springs removed.  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a second embodiment of the Croft device modified to provide pivotal attachment means for the pivotal attachment of the frame to a storage case.  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a storage case adapted for pivotal attachment to a Croft-type exercise device as shown in  FIGS. 6-8 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a transportable Croft-type exercise device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the lid of the storage case open to reveal the exercise device housed within the storage case.  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a transportable Croft-type exercise device of  FIG. 10  with the frame of the exercise device elevated in preparation for use.  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the transportable Croft-type exercise device in accordance with  FIG. 11  with the lid of the storage case closed in preparation for use. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     A collapsible resistance exercise device in accordance with the invention has a low profile when collapsed and may be quickly deployed and readied for use by an exerciser without the need for tools or the assembly of separable parts other than the attachment of springs to the device.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exercise device  10  in accordance with the present invention wherein the device  10  is collapsed for storage. The device  10  has a base support frame  11  with a lower end  12   a  of an upright frame  12  pivotally attached thereto. A resistance bar  13  is attached to a transverse bar  14  pivotally mounted on the upright frame  12 . A pair of guide slots  15   a  and  15   b  receive guide pins  16   a  and  16   b  into a detent on the rearward end of the guide slots when the upright frame  12  is raised to an upright position as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the device of  FIG. 1 , without springs attached thereto, deployed for exercising. The upright frame  12  includes a plurality of spring attachment loops  21  affixed thereto that provide means for attaching an end of a spring to the device. The forward end of the guide slots  15   a  and  15   b  also provide means for attaching a spring to the device  10 . A pad  20  is provided to support the body of an exercisor as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the device  10  showing an exerciser  30  using the device to exercise muscles associated with rearward extension of the left leg and hip. The forward end  31   a  of a spring  31  is shown attached to the forward end of the guide slot  15   b  and the rearward end  31   b  of spring  31  is attached to a strap  32  which provides means for the exerciser  30  to place the left foot in order to extend and relax the spring  31 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device  10  showing an exercisor  30  using the device to exercise muscles associated with both of the exercisor&#39;s legs and hips. The rearward ends of the springs  31  are attached to spring attachment loops  21  on the upright frame and the rearward end of the springs are attached to straps  32 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the device showing an exercisor using the device in a sitting position to perform pull-down/push-down type exercises.  
         [0024]     Turning to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a wall-mountable exercise device (hereinafter referred to as “the Croft device”), disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,679 to the present inventor, is generally indicated at numeral  100 . The Croft device  100  includes a rectangular frame  110  attached to a wall  120  by frame mounting means  130  such as, for example, screws. The frame  110  includes a plurality of spaced spring attachment loops  140  integral therewith. A transversely oriented hinge bar  150  is rotatably attached to the frame by a pair of hinge bar mounting brackets  160  affixed to the frame  110 . The hinge bar  150  has left and right ends, labeled  610  and  620  in  FIG. 11 , extending laterally from the hinge bar mounting brackets  160 .  
         [0025]     The Croft device  100  includes a left swing arm  170  (not visible in  FIG. 6 ) and a right swing arm  180 . A distal end of both swing arms are rotatably attached to the respective left and right ends  610  and  620  of the hinge bar  150 . The opposing, proximal ends of the left and right swing arms are non-rotatably attached to left and right ends of a resistance bar  250  which provides a gripping surface for an exerciser&#39;s hands. Resistance to motion of the resistance bar is provided by left and right extensible springs  210  (not visible in  FIG. 6 ) and  220 . A distal end of the springs include a hook  1100  thereon which releasably engages one of the plurality of spring attachment loops  140  on the frame. A hook  1111  on the proximal ends of the respective springs releasably engages one of the spring attachment loops  230   a ,  230   b ,  240   a  or  240   b  disposed on the proximal ends of the respective swing arms.  
         [0026]     An important feature of the Croft device  100  is that the device  100  has fewer separable parts than previous prior art devices and the modular construction permits shipping the device as a kit that is easily assembled. The frame  110  comprises an upper horizontal member  110   a , a lower horizontal member  110   b , a left vertical member  110   c  and a right vertical member  110   d . The four members comprising the frame preferably have mitered corners and are affixed to one another by frame attachment plates  1700  to form a rectangle as shown in  FIG. 7 . The overall dimensions of the frame  110  are 47 inches high and 18.5 inches wide. The four members comprising the frame and the four frame attachment plates are most preferably aluminum. A plurality of spring attachment loops  140  are disposed along the length of the vertical members  110   c  and  110   d  and spaced from one another by a distance of about 3 inches. The spring attachment loops  140  are integral with the frame  110  and are made by die punching the wall of the vertical members to cut two slots and stretching the material between the slots outwardly to form a loop.  
         [0027]     In operation, an exerciser places a targeted portion of the body in contact with the resistance bar and exerts a force on the resistance bar sufficient to move the resistance bar thereby extending the spring against a restoring force. The force required to displace the resistance bar and extend the spring is substantially constant over the range of motion. The resistance bar is then allowed to return to its initial position and the motion repeated until the targeted body portion is sufficiently exercised. The selection of spring attachment hooks  14  on the frame that are available to the exerciser for anchoring the distal hook  1100  of the spring makes it possible to exercise a variety of muscles within the body.  
         [0028]     A further embodiment of a wall-mountable Croft device is shown at numeral  1800  in  FIG. 8 . In the embodiment  1800 , the frame  110  is of unitary construction, wall-mountable and is preferably made of ⅛-¼ inch aluminum plate or from four extruded aluminum members joined to form a rectangular frame by welding or the like. The hinge bar, swing arms and resistance bar are incorporated into a single unitary, substantially U-shaped resistance member  1810  that is rotatably attached to the frame  11  at two distal ends  1840 . The unitary resistance member  1810 , which has at least two spring attachment loops  1820  integral therewith adjacent a resistance bar portion  1830 , is preferably extruded aluminum rod or tubing formed into a U-shape by bending the extruded member around a mandrel to the desired shape. In the embodiment  1800 , the hinge bar mounting brackets  160  preferably include roller bearings press-fitted into the bore  1610  to reduce wear on the moving surfaces. Embodiment  1800  has six separable parts: a unitary frame  110 , a unitary resistance member  1810 , two hinge bar mounting brackets  160  and two springs  220 .  
         [0029]     While wall-mountable Croft devices may be suitable for many installations, it may be desirable to transport the device such as, for example, in a vehicle, for use while traveling. The present invention discloses an exercise device comprising a storage case adapted for pivotal attachment to a modified frame  110  of a Croft device such as, for example, the embodiment  1800  of the Croft device shown in  FIG. 8 . The storage case, indicated in perspective view at numeral  400  in  FIG. 9 , is integral with the Croft device  1800 . The storage case  400  provides stable support for the Croft device, obviates the need for wall-mounting the device and provides a compact, low-profile means for storing and transporting a Croft device when not in use. The storage case  400  includes a rectangular lid  410  having a fixed end  450  that is pivotally attached to a rectangular base  420  by means of a hinge  430 . The lid  410  has a pair of notches  430   a  and  430   b  at a free end  440  thereof that serve to support the frame  110  of the Croft device  1800 , wherein the frame  110  is modified to provide pivotal attachment means  510  thereon, when the modified frame of the device is erected for use as shown in  FIG. 12 . The base  420  of the storage case  400  includes a pair of cylindrical holes  460  dimensioned to receive pivotal attachment means  300  and  310  on the frame  110 .  
         [0030]     With reference now to  FIG. 10 , an exercise apparatus comprising a Croft device  1800  pivotally attached to a storage case  400  is indicated in perspective view at numeral  500 . The lid  410  of the storage case is shown opened to expose the Croft device  1800  housed therewithin. The frame  110  of the Croft device  1800  is pivotally attached to the storage case  400  by pivotal attachment means  510 . The pivotal attachment means is preferably a pair of cylindrical axles  300  and  310  ( FIG. 8 ) extending outwardly from the base of the frame to rotate within cylindrical recesses or holes  460  in the rectangular base  420  of the storage case  400 . The frame, which may be U-shaped inasmuch as the lower horizontal member  110   b  of the prior art Croft device is not required, is erected by lifting the lid  410 , rotating the frame upwardly from the confines of the storage case as shown in perspective view in  FIG. 11  and closing the lid as shown in  FIG. 12 . When the frame is erected and the lid  410  closed, the notches  430   a  and  430   b  on the lid  410  fit snugly against the frame  110  to prevent the frame from collapsing into the storage case  400  when the device  500  is being used. Assembly includes the attachment of a pair of springs  220  (not shown in  FIGS. 9-12 ) to the appropriate spring attachment loops  140  on the frame  110  and loops  1820  on the swing arms  1810  of the device to provide the desired resistance in the manner discussed above in the description of the assembly and operation of the wall-mounted Croft devices  100  and  1800 . The exercise device  400  of the present invention is readily stored when not in use and easily transported.  
         [0031]     While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, changes, omissions and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the following claims construed as broadly as applicable law allows, including all proper equivalents thereof.