Abstract:
A sports fitness/rehabilitation machine assists in strengthening the abdominal muscle region and includes a base having a main adjustment assembly, an upper adjustable support pivotally attached to the main adjustment assembly, and a lower adjustable support pivotally attached to said main adjustment assembly. The machine may also include an upper adjustable support arm, handle bars, a back and headrest pad, a leg adjustment member, and a foot rest, or any combination of these additional features.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Application No. 61/142,696 filed Jan. 6, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is in the field of exercise apparatus that promotes the development of muscular strength, flexibility, and agility through means of mechanical movement and leverage that is provided by machinery constructed for the specific purpose. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mechanical apparatus for developing strength, flexibility, and agility have been known and used from antiquity to the present. In the past 50 years, machines have been created that may be configured to provide specific resistance and tailored movement for many individuals having different muscle strengths, range of movement, and exercise goals. By being configurable for a variety of possible users, a single machine may replace or be substituted for a range of potential exercises that formerly were done on a number of single-use machines. The first of such machines were normally dedicated to improving arm strength or leg strength. Exercises involving the stomach or abdominal muscles were generally carried out by lying on a mat on a floor, and using the body&#39;s own resistance to work abdominal muscles. Such exercise, however, was limited in the range of movement and muscle groups that could be worked. Accordingly, there is a need for apparatus that permits the exercise of stomach or abdominal muscles over a range of movement and motion, and that permits the user to work all muscle groups within that part of the body. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is comprised of a sports fitness/rehabilitation machine that assists in strengthening the abdominal muscle region as well as core stabilizers of the groin and lower back. The present invention can be adjusted so that the user can be positioned in multiple angles, thus increasing or decreasing the level of intensity asserted by the abdominal muscles as the user engages the machine. 
     The present invention is comprised of an upper adjustable support and a lower adjustable support that are each pivotally attached to a foundation frame. The upper adjustable support and lower adjustable support can each be adjusted to various fixed positions within a range of degrees on an arc. The upper adjustable support can be fixed to a position without effecting the position of the lower adjustable support. Likewise, the lower adjustable support can be fixed to a position without effecting the position of the upper adjustable support. The lower adjustable support can be further comprised of an adjustable footrest capable of accommodating different heights and lengths of the user. 
     Because the upper adjustable support and lower adjustable support can be independently fixed at various degrees along an arc, the present invention allows the user to independently train the upper and lower abdominal muscle regions. The present invention thus allows a user to safely and effectively position the body to execute a range of abdominal exercises. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the exercise machine. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exercise machine. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the exercise machine further demonstrating the range of positions within which the upper adjustable support and the lower adjustable support can be fixed. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the exercise machine further demonstrating the range of positions within which the lower adjustable support can be fixed without effecting the position of the upper adjustable support. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the exercise machine further demonstrating the range of positions within which the upper adjustable support can be fixed without effecting the position of the lower adjustable support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention is comprised of an upper adjustable support  1  to support the user&#39;s upper body, and a lower adjustable support  2  to support the user&#39;s lower body. In another embodiment of the present invention, handle bars  3  are affixed to opposing sides of upper adjustable support  1 , preferably near the region of upper adjustable support  1  most distal to lower adjustable support  2 . Handle bars  3  are preferably shaped so that the user can grasp the handle bars while engaging the machine. Upper adjustment support  1  can further comprise a back and headrest pad  4  made of any acceptable material known and used by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     As further illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2 , lower adjustable support  2  is further comprised of seating pad  5  made of any acceptable material known and used by those of ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, lower adjustable support  2  is further comprised of leg adjustment member  6 . In one embodiment of the present invention, leg adjustment member  6  is comprised of a receiving member  7  and an insertion member  8 . Insertion member  8  can be further comprised of a retractable pin  9  that can be inserted into any one of a plurality of corresponding holes located on receiving member  7 . By adjusting the position of retractable pin  9  along any one of the plurality of holes located on receiving member  7 , the length of leg adjustment member  6  can be varied in accordance with the length and height of the user. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, leg adjustment member  6  is further comprised of footrest  10  having feet straps  11  for securing the user&#39;s feet while the user engages the machine. 
     As illustrated by  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the present invention is further comprised of a base  12  that attaches to and supports upper adjustable support  1  and lower adjustable support  2 . In one embodiment of the present invention, base  12  is comprised of arched legs  13  and  14 . Arched legs  13  and  14  are spaced parallel to each other and provide enough distance between one another to allow both upper adjustable support  1  and lower adjustable support  2  to be positioned in between arched legs  13  and  14 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, base  12  is further comprised of a main adjustment assembly  15  located between and attached to arched legs  13  and  14 . Preferably, both upper adjustable support  1  and lower adjustable support  2  pivotally attach to main adjustment assembly  15  at central axis pin  16 . Pivotal attachment to central axis pin  16  allows both upper adjustable support  1  and lower adjustable support  2  to rotate circumferentially along an arc relative to central axis pin  16 . 
     In this embodiment, upper adjustable support  1  is further comprised of an upper adjustment arm  17 . Upper adjustment arm  17  is preferably arc-shaped. A first end of upper adjustment arm  17  is fixed to upper adjustable support  1 , near the region most proximal to lower adjustable support  2 . A second end of upper adjustment arm  17  remains unattached and is capable of sliding into and out of an upper adjustment chamber  18  located in main adjustment assembly  15 . An upper adjustment pin  19  located in upper adjustment chamber  18  engages any one of a plurality of holes located on upper adjustment arm  17 . As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , as the second end of upper adjustment arm  17  ingresses into or egresses out of upper adjustment chamber  18 , the user can engage and secure upper adjustment pin  19  into any one of the plurality of holes located on upper adjustment arm  17 , thereby fixing the position of upper adjustable support  1  to a desired angle relative to central axis pin  16 . 
     In this embodiment, lower adjustable support  2  is further comprised of a lower adjustment arm  20 . Lower adjustment arm  20  is preferably arc-shaped. A first end of lower adjustment arm  20  is fixed to lower adjustable support  2 , near the region most proximal to upper adjustable support  1 . A second end of lower adjustment arm  20  remains unattached and is capable of sliding into and out of a lower adjustment chamber  21  located in main adjustment assembly  15 . A lower adjustment pin  22  located in lower adjustment chamber  21  engages any one of a plurality of holes located on lower adjustment arm  20 . As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , as the second end of lower adjustment arm  20  ingresses into or egresses out of lower adjustment chamber  21 , the user can engage and secure lower adjustment pin  22  into any one of the plurality of holes located on lower adjustment arm  20 , thereby fixing the position of lower adjustable support  2  to a desired angle relative to central axis pin  16 . 
     As illustrated by  FIGS. 3 through 5 , in an even more preferred embodiment of the present invention, upper adjustable support  1  can be fixed at seven different positions (PU 1 , PU 2 , PU 3 , PU 4 , PUS, PU 6 , and PU 7 ) located along a 60 degree arc relative to central axis pin  16 , and lower adjustable support  2  can be fixed at seven different positions (PL 1 , PL 2 , PL 3 , PL 4 , PL 5 , PL 6 , and PL 7 ) located along a 60 degree arc relative to central axis pin  16 . As further illustrated by  FIG. 4 , lower adjustable support  2  can be fixed to any one of positions PL 1  through PL 7  without effecting the position of upper adjustable support  1 . As further illustrated by  FIG. 5 , upper adjustable support  1  can be fixed to any one of positions PU 1  through PU 7  without effecting the position of lower adjustable support  2 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, upper adjustable support  1  and lower adjustable support  2  are detachable from base  12 , thereby facilitating storage and portability of the apparatus. 
     Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.