Abstract:
An auxiliary exercise apparatus for exercising portions of the upper body is provided for use with a stationary exercise apparatus which exercises the lower body. The auxiliary exercise apparatus has resistance mechanisms which are coupled to actuating means, in turn coupled to handles. The resistance mechanisms are independently actuable and provide exercise for the upper body by resisting motion in the direction of the handles when the handles are pulled. The degree of resistance to motion may be adjusted by changing the tension member providing the resistance, or by adjusting the strength of the tension member by means of external controls.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to exercise equipment, in particular to an attachment for an exercise apparatus which provides tension exercise equipment for exercising the upper body.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Stationary exercise equipment such as stationary exercise bicycles are popular apparatus in gymnasiums and other indoor workout facilities, and for the home. Stationary equipment such as an exercise bicycle typically consists of the frame, seat, stem and handles of a typical bicycle, but is provided with a single wheel which is chain-linked to a pair of foot pedals. The entire stationary bicycle assembly is mounted on a stand or pedestal so that the wheel does not actually contact the ground, but is usually provided with a tensioning mechanism to provide resistance to pedalling. The construction of a stationary bicycle is such that the user may sit in the seat, grasp the handles, and pedal the stationary bicycle, thus exercising and strengthening the leg muscles.  
           [0003]    A significant drawback of the stationary exerciser such as the stationary bicycle is that only the lower body muscles are exercised. The upper body is relatively stationary, as the user is typically holding onto the stationary bicycle handles. Unlike a travelling bicycle, there is no need to steer the stationary bicycle or maintain one&#39;s balance by holding on to the handles. The upper body is thus needlessly kept motionless while the lower body is exercised.  
           [0004]    It is therefore desirable to provide exercise apparatus which may be used in conjunction with stationary exercise equipment in order to exercise the upper as well as the lower body. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide exercise equipment for exercising the upper body which may be universally fitted to existing stationary exercise equipment.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The invention thus provides an auxiliary exercise apparatus having at least two independent resistance mechanisms for exercising portions of the upper body, and adapted to be mounted on a stationary lower body exercise apparatus, the auxiliary exercise apparatus comprising.  
           [0006]    The invention further provides an auxiliary exercise apparatus for exercising portions of the upper body. The apparatus is adapted to be mounted on a stationary exercise apparatus which is used to exercise portions of the lower body. The auxiliary exercise apparatus includes at least two independent resistance mechanisms and actuating means coupled to each of the resistance mechanisms, the actuating means also being coupled to a handle. When the auxiliary exercise apparatus is mounted on a stationary exercise apparatus, the handles are positioned such that when a user is using the stationary exercise apparatus, the user may also use the auxiliary exercise apparatus by means of the handle. In one embodiment, the resistance mechanisms are provided with a pulley wheel coupled to the actuating means and mounted on an axle, the pulley wheel and the axle being coupled by a tension member of a given strength so that when the handle is pulled, the tension member resists the rotation of the pulley.  
           [0007]    The invention further provides that the strength of the tension member may be adjusted by the user by an adjustment means. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention,  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the auxiliary exerciser, mounted on an exercise apparatus.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is side view of the preferred embodiment of the auxiliary exerciser of FIG. 1 showing the attachment means.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of FIG. 2 with the attachment means omitted for clarity.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a cutaway view of a pulley wheel in the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the auxiliary exerciser  10  is mounted on a typical exercise apparatus  100 . The auxiliary exerciser  10  is mounted to the stem  110  of the exercise apparatus  100  using an attachment means  30  which is provided on the support  32 . Mounted on the support  32  is the casing  12 , which contains the resistance mechanism described below. The casing  12  preferably comprises an upper wall  16 , a lower wall  18 , and side walls  14 . The casing  12  defines one or more openings  24  through which the handles  20  project. The direction of the opening  24  in relation to the casing  12  defines an operating direction d. As described below, the handles  20  are capable of being pulled in the general direction d, with some latitude to account for differences in height, arm length etc. of the user. The casing  12  may be shaped in a somewhat teardrop configuration as indicated in FIG. 1, to accommodate the resistance mechanism of the auxiliary exerciser  10 .  
         [0014]    Each handle  20  is configured to be grasped by a user&#39;s hand. Preferably, the handles  20  are each provided with a grip  22 , which may be padded or otherwise finished to provide comfort to the user.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2, the attachment means  30  of the auxiliary exerciser  10  is configured to be releasably mounted on the stem  110  of an exercise apparatus  100 . The attachment means  30  preferably comprises a bracket  38  shaped to receive the support  32 . The bracket  38  is releasably fastened to the support  32  by means of bolts  34  provided on either side of the bracket  38  to mount the auxiliary exerciser  10  on the stem  110 . The bracket  38  is fitted around the stem  110  and the support  32  is then affixed to the bracket  38  by means of bolts  34 . The vertical position of the bracket  38  on the stem  110  is maintained by tightening the bolt  36 , which passes through a threaded hole in the bracket  38  and contacts the stem  110  to draw the support  32  against the stem  110  in locking frictional engagement.  
         [0016]    The auxiliary exerciser  10  should be mounted on the stem  110  such that the handles  20  project from the openings  24  without obstruction by the exercise apparatus  110 , in particular from the exercise apparatus handles  140 . Preferably, the handles  20  and the operating direction d should extend in a plane that is afforded a clear path between the auxiliary exerciser  10  and the user when positioned to use the exercise apparatus  100 ; ideally, the handles  20  will extend above the exercise apparatus handles  140 . In order to accommodate the requirements of the user or the particular configuration of the exercise apparatus  100 , the support  32  preferably provides an adjustment means for altering the angle at which the auxiliary exerciser  10  is mounted, independently of the attachment means  30 , shown at  34  in FIG. 2.  
         [0017]    The resistance mechanism of the auxiliary exerciser  10  is a device which provides resistance to motion in the operating direction d when the auxiliary exerciser  10  is in use. This device may be an elastic member or an extension spring fixed at one end to the interior of the casing  12  and fixed at the other end to a handle  20 . Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in a preferred embodiment the resistance mechanism of the auxiliary exerciser  10  is provided in a pulley system  50  contained within the casing  12 . Two pulley wheels  52  are independently mounted between an inner wall or support  70  and the side wall  14 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the pulley wheels  52  are mounted directly on the inner walls  70  and are free from contact with the side walls  14 . As shown in FIG. 4, each pulley wheel  52  comprises a hub  56  with a central shaft  57 . A flange  54  extends radially from the outside face of the hub  56 . The hub  56  and shaft  57  are constructed such that the shaft  57  extends from the outside face of the hub  56  and partially into the interior of the hub  56 . This configuration thus defines an open area in hub  56 . An axle  60  having a narrower portion and an enlargement  62  is disposed such that the narrower portion of the axle  60  is fitted within shaft  57 , and the enlargement  62  is disposed within the open area of hub  56 . The enlargement  62  thus maintains the pulley wheel  52  in position when it is mounted in the auxiliary exerciser  10 . The outer end  56  of the axle  60  is shaped to hold the pulley wheel  52  on the axle  60 . The inner end  65  of the axle  60  is configured to be received within a corresponding portion of the inner wall  70  (not shown) to hold the axle  60  in rotationally fixed position while the pulley wheel  52  rotates. The axle  60  is further provided with a bore  64 . The hub  56  is also provided with a bore  68 . A tension-exerting member  80 , such as an extension spring, is fed at either end through the bores  68  and  64  and fastened to the hub  56  and the axle  60 , respectively.  
         [0018]    A cord  90 , shown in phantom in FIG. 2, is wound around at least a portion of the hub  56  and one end of the cord  90  is fastened thereto. A handle  20  is fastened to the opposite end of the cord  90 . The cords  90  attached to each pulley wheel  52  are passed through the opening  24  such that the handles  20  extend from the opening  24 .  
         [0019]    In use, when the auxiliary exerciser  10  is mounted on an exercise apparatus  100 , the user assumes the typical position for user of the exercise apparatus  100 , in the case of the exercise bicycle shown in FIG. 1 by sitting on the seat  120 . The user may then grasp the handles  120  and pull on the handles  20  in the operating direction d. As the handle  20  is pulled, the cord  90  attached thereto is likewise pulled in the operating direction d, causing the portion of the cord  90  wound around the hub  56  to become unwound. At the same time, the pulley wheel  52  rotates in the unwinding direction, thus causing the tension member  80  to wind around the shaft  57  as the pulley wheel  52  rotates. The tension member  80  resists this rotation, and applies a force against the motion by the user in the opposite direction. The user thus experiences a resistance as the handle  20  is pulled in the operating direction d. When the user relaxes the force applied to the handle  20 , the tension member  80  contracts and causes the pulley wheel  52  to rotate in the opposite direction, thus retracting the cord  90  and returning the handle  20  to its original position protruding from the opening  24 . As each pulley wheel  52  is independent and provided with its own cord  90 , handle  20  and tension member  80 , it will be appreciated that the pulley systems  50  can be operated independently, providing the user with the option of using one handle, or both handles at the same time or in alternate fashion. Independent resistance mechanisms are provided for each handle  20 , although the resistance mechanisms may be coupled to a single handle  20 .  
         [0020]    It will also be appreciated that the degree of resistance offered by the tension member  80  is determined by the strength of the tension member  80  itself. If a greater degree of resistance is desired, the tension member  80  may be replaced with a more resistant member which exerts a higher retraction force, or an alternate method of applying resistance to the motion of the pulley wheel  52  may be employed, such that the user may adjust the degree of resistance afforded by the pulley system  50  by adjusting controls on the outside of the casing  12  as is commonly used for the wheel of an exercise bicycle.  
         [0021]    Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.