Abstract:
Apparatus for bi-directional torso exercise movements has a main-frame base with a seat and upwardly extending columns at either side to support a “U” shaped first sub-frame, mounted so that it pivots about a horizontal first axis passing above the seat, and a second sub-frame mounted to the first sub-frame cross bar for pivotal movement about a second axis generally perpendicular to the horizontal first axis and thereby, mounted for pivotal movement about both axes. A motion transfer linkage is provided to force simultaneous pivotal movement of both sub-frames when either is moved, so as to involve compound muscle groups in an exercise movement.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to exercise machines, and more particularly, to exercise machines for muscles of the torso wherein the user&#39;s movements are opposed by a selected resistance. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many athletes and non-athletes utilize weight lifting or weight training exercises to build muscle strength, to prevent injury, or to improve overall condition and appearance. Typically, weight training exercises are performed with either exercise machines or free weights, such as barbells with weighted plates or dumbbells. 
     Free weights offer certain advantages over exercise machines. For instance, they are relatively inexpensive in comparison to exercise machines. Free weights are also generally more versatile because a variety of exercises can be performed in different planes with the same set of weights, whereas exercise machines are usually designed for movements limited to a specific plane. However, the human body is by no means limited to two dimensional, planar movements. Thus, in an effort to replicate the benefits of multi-dimensional exercise activities, comprehensive exercise programs will incorporate both machines and free weights. In so doing, a variety of exercise routines are combined to work specific muscles and muscle groups in more than two dimensions for a more natural result. 
     Complex muscle groups act for torso movements, such as any combination of bending the chest and shoulders forward or back and twisting the torso toward either side. To varying degrees these movements twisting the torso toward either side. To varying degrees these movements involve the oblique, abdominal and erector muscles, according to the range and direction of the movement. Since these muscles must act in diverse directions, they exemplify muscle groups which cannot be fully exercised and developed by exercises confined to a single plane as in torso machines taught in prior art. While there may be floor exercises for these muscle combinations, providing useful weight resistance for such movements is awkward at best. Prior art torso exercise machines do not provide for fully bidirectional exercise of the torso muscles, therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for bi-directional torso exercises, where movements are not confined to a single plane. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the aforesaid object with improved exercise methods and apparatus. Herein, according to this invention, are disclosed exercise devices affording bi-directional resistance movements of the torso for exercise of the oblique, erector and abdominal muscle groups. The invention relates to or employs some details well known in the arts and therefore, not the subject of detailed discussion herein. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes weights to provide an incrementally adjustable resistance to the exercise movement. The apparatus has a conventional main frame and a centrally mounted user seat. A vertical plane of symmetry extending through the middle of the mainframe and seat would show the two sides to be essentially mirror images. An adjustable height user&#39;s seat, backed by low profile lumbar support, is centrally mounted to the mainframe on a seat support member. A separately mounted member, a “U” shaped, first sub-frame passes below the user&#39;s seat and is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal first axis. This first axis is transversely mounted to pass directly above the seat, at approximately the elevation of the abdomen of a seated user. 
     An “L” shaped second sub-frame, with the long leg of the “L” extending upward, behind the user&#39;s seat, is mounted to the bottom of the “U”, for left or right hand pivotal movement about a central axis. This more or less vertical axis extends upwardly through the user&#39;s seat, in front of the lumbar support and proximate the spine of a user. A pad, mounted to the pivoting second sub-frame above the level of the lumbar support, is located to contact the upper back of a user. A handle assembly is hingedly attached at the top of the second sub-frame and has a pair of frontal support pads positioned to contact a user&#39;s chest at shoulder level. Right and left hand lever arms extend forwardly from this handle assembly. Thus, as the user pulls down on these lever arms during an exercise movement the lever arm support pads come to bear against the user&#39;s shoulders. 
     The transverse first pivotal axis passes horizontally through the top ends of the “U” of the first sub-frame and intersects or near intersects the vertically inclined second axis. It is notable that, the vertically inclined axis and horizontal axis are mutually perpendicular and that the pivoting movement of the first sub-frame is interconnected by a linkage with that of the second sub-frame. Adjustable resistance is provided for exercise movements by incremental addition of weights to an arm extending from the first sub-frame. The weight arm may be positioned to extend to the rear, where the weight provides resistance for forward torso bending exercises, or alternatively to the front, where it provides resistance for back extension exercises. 
     The lever arms provide exercise force input points to effect pivotal exercise movement of the first and second sub-frames about their respective axes in an interrelated manner, so as to rotate the torso sideways, exercising the oblique muscles, while bringing the shoulders forward, thereby exercising the abdominal muscles. The user can elect to twist his torso to either the left or the right while bending and the first/second sub-frame linkage interconnection provides for selection of either exercise mode. 
     The method of the present inventions is enabled by another pivoting member, an “L” shaped sub-frame mounted to pivot about a vertically inclined axis proximate the spinal column of a user and intersecting the transverse horizontal axis, proximate the abdomen of the user. Mounting these members for pivotal movement about both axes; and opposing such movement with a selected resistance, are the essential elements of the present invention. Implementation of the invention involves the user grasping hand grips and bearing against them to turn and pull the sub-frame into a right or left hand exercise movement by pivoting it about both axes simultaneously. In each of the embodiments, the resistance opposing such exercise movements is provided by an appropriate weight placed on an arm extending more or less horizontally in a forward or rearward direction from the “U” shaped sub-frame. Rearward placement works the abdominal muscles while forward placement works the extensors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a bi-directional torso exercise machine according to the present inventions, shown as in the first exercise mode, during which the torso will rotate counter-clockwise when bending forward or clockwise when extending rearward; 
         FIG. 2  is a three-quarter rear view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , shown as in the first exercise mode; 
         FIG. 3  is a three-quarter rear view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , shown as it appears when set for the second exercise mode; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view, showing the embodiment of  FIG. 1  as positioned to begin a first mode, forward bending abdominal exercise; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view, showing the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , with a user ready to begin a forward bending exercise in the first mode; and 
         FIG. 6  is a side view, showing the preferred embodiment, with the weight arm extending forward and the user ready to begin a back extension exercise in the second mode, during which the torso will rotate counter-clockwise. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is described with reference to drawings of a preferred example of how the invention can be made and used. In these drawings, reference characters are used throughout the views to indicate same or corresponding parts. The embodiment described herein is exemplary, Many details are well known in the arts, and as such may be neither shown nor described. 
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate a preferred embodiment  100  of a bi-directional exercise machine for the torso employing the methods of the present inventions. In  FIG. 1 , embodiment  100  is shown as it appears when exercise mode master link  14  of motion transfer linkage  14 A is set, with selection pin  16  in location “I”, for the first exercise mode, during which the torso will rotate counter-clockwise when bending forward, or clockwise when extending rearward. Seat  10  is mounted at an adjustable height on support member  26  of main-frame  24  and lumbar support  12  is mounted in a fixed, universal position. 
     Mainframe  24  is formed of standard rectangular steel tubing, with transverse base member  28  and longitudinal base members  32 R and  32 L providing an “H” shaped “footprint”. Column members  34 R and  34 L extend vertically from longitudinal base members  32 R and  32 L and foot rest members  30  extend to the front. Column members  34 R and  34 L support transversely disposed, “U” shaped sub-frame  38  for pivotal movement about horizontal axis “B”. Weight arm  40  extends more or less horizontally, swinging on hinge connection  54  to either the front or the rear to hold weight  42 . Weight  42  may comprise individual plates, added incrementally to provide a user selected resistance for exercise movements. 
     The horizontal cross bar of “U” shaped sub-frame  38  passes below seat  10  to pivot parallelly about horizontal axis “B” located above seat  10 . “L” shaped sub-frame  36  is centrally mounted on the cross bar by bearings  56  and  58  below seat  10  for pivotal movement about vertically inclined axis “A”. Notably, horizontal axis “B” and vertically inclined axis “A” will intersect at a point proximate a seated user&#39;s abdomen, the relative elevation being set by adjusting the height of seat  10 . An imaginary vertical mid-plane extending through the middle of mainframe  24  would essentially be a plane of symmetry. The right and left sides of device  100 , with the exception of the motion transfer linkage  14 A, comprising the master link  14 , spring loaded selection pin  16 , linkage member  18 , bell crank assembly  20  and linkage member  22 , would thus seen as mirror images with respect to a vertical mid-plane. 
     Upper back support pad  44  is fixedly mounted, at approximately user shoulder height, to “L” shaped sub-frame  36 , so as to bear against the back of a user. Hinged input assembly  46 , with shoulder support members  48 L and  48 R providing areas to bear against the front of the user&#39;s shoulders, swings about attaching hinge  50  at the upper end of sub-frame  36 . Right and left lever arms  52 L and  52 R extend forward from shoulder support members  48 L and  48 R on either side of hinged input assembly  46 , so that they can be gripped for exercise input force application. 
     Vertical first axis “A” extends upwardly through the user seat  10 , in a more or less vertical direction, in front of lumbar support  12 , so as to be proximate the spine of a user. Hinged Input assembly  46  is attached at the top of pivoting sub-frame  36  and is raised, to allow access for seating a user, then lowered to bring shoulder support pads  48 R &amp;  48 L into frontal contact with the user&#39;s shoulders. Upper back support pad  44  is mounted to pivoting “L” shaped sub-frame  36  above the level of lumbar support  12 , and located to oppose right and left shoulder pads  48 R and  48 L. When performing an abdominal exercise, with weight arm  40  in the rearward position, a user grips lever arms  52 R and  52 L and pulls down, causing support pads  48 R &amp;  48 L to bear frontally against the shoulders as shown in  FIG. 5 . As the movement continues, in the manner of a “crunching” exercise, the motion transfer linkage of motion transfer linkage  14 A causes rotation of the user&#39;s torso to either the right or left, according to the selected First or Second Mode. 
       FIG. 2 , shows embodiment  100  at the clockwise end of the pivotal movement range of “L” shaped sub-frame  36 . With master link  14  connected by selection pin  16  at location “I”, motion transfer linkage  14 A is set for a “First Mode” exercise. Here, as sub-frame  38  swings to the rear about axis B, linkage member  18  pushes on bell-crank assembly  20 , making it pivot counter-clockwise. In turn, link  22  pushes against sub-frame  36 , making it pivot simultaneously to the right (counter-clockwise as viewed from above). Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 3 , where sub-frame  36  is shown in the fully counter-clockwise position, connecting master link  14  for a “Second Mode” exercise by inserting selection pin at location “II” reverses pivotal movements of sub-frame  36  relative to sub-frame  38 . In this case, as sub-frame  38  swings to the rear, linkage member  18  pulls on bell-crank assembly  20 , making it pivot clockwise. In turn, link  22  pulls on sub-frame  36 , so that it pivots to the left (clockwise as viewed from above). In either case, increments of weight ( 42 ) added to weight arm  40  will selectively increase resistance to the exercise movement. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view, showing embodiment  100  configured to begin a “First Mode”, forward bending abdominal exercise. Here, sub-frame  36  is shown pivoted to a fully clockwise starting position. Shifting mode selection pin  16  to location “II”, for “Second Mode” exercise movements, pivots sub-frame  36  to the fully counter-clockwise starting position  36 A, as shown by phantom lines. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view, showing the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , with a user as he would appear when ready to begin a forward bending exercise in the “First Mode”. Note that at the beginning of the exercise movement, the user&#39;s torso is rotated clockwise to the right. As the abdominal muscles contract, sub-frame  38  swings rearward and the exercise movement progresses, with sub-frame  36  pivoting (counter-clockwise as viewed from above). This brings the left oblique muscles into action, demonstrating the bi-directional characteristic of machines embodying the present inventions. Similarly, movements performed in the Second Mode would exercise the abdominal and right oblique muscle groups. 
       FIG. 6  shows the configuration for embodiment  100  of the present inventions for performing a back extension exercise. Here, weight arm  40  is shown swung to the forward position as indicated by the arrow, reversing the direction of resistance, and the user is shown ready to begin this second mode exercise, during which the torso will rotate counter-clockwise. As the user grips lever arms  52 R and  52 L, pulls up and forces the shoulders toward an upright position, shoulder support pads  48 R &amp;  48 L bear frontally against the user&#39;s shoulders. In this manner, the left side quadratus lumborum, extensor spinae, ilicostalis lumborum and oblique muscle groups are active in the exercise movement. Similarly, shifting to the First Mode will exercise the opposite, right side muscle groups 
     It is to be understood that the methods of the above-described invention, used as described to create bi-directional torso exercise movements may be applied in other exercise machine embodiments, so that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment. The principle of the invention may be applied in an alternative embodiment for torso exercise machines combining a pushing or pulling movement with a rotional movement to provide for compound exercise of designated muscle groups. Although a preferred embodiment has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the inventions are not limited to the embodiment disclosed but, include other expressions within the scope of the following claims.