Abstract:
A core muscle exercising apparatus has a support platform that is held off the ground in an operative position by opposed front support legs and opposed rear support legs. A front support leg on one side of the apparatus is pivotally secured to a rear support leg on that same side, and a front support leg on the other side of the apparatus is pivotally secured to the rear support leg on that side. In the operative position, the front support legs hold the support platform in an operative position, generally parallel to a ground surface on which the front and rear support legs stand. In a storable position, the front support legs are pivoted relative to the rear support legs on their respective pivot assemblies, and the support platform further pivots toward the front support legs to provide the apparatus in a collapsed, readily storable position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for exercising core muscles of the body, including the abdominals, hamstrings, and lower back. More particularly, this invention relates to a collapsible and storable apparatus that is conducive to use in the home. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The importance of maintaining strong core muscles for general fitness and the prevention of injuries is well known. Well conditioned core muscle groups, such as the abdominals, the hamstrings and the lower back muscles, not only provide one with a slim and fit overall appearance, but can also contribute to better balance and posture and increased overall body strength. Development of the core muscles can also help one in overcoming lower back pain. This has been well known for years, but undue emphasis has been placed on working the abdominals only, as can be appreciated by considering all of the home-based exercise apparatus that target the abdominals, from “crunch” exercise apparatus to torso-twisting apparatus and many others. In the case of treating back pain and injury, working the abdominals without working other core muscles can lead to an muscle imbalance that can create additional problems for the lower back. Nevertheless, these apparatus are fairly popular despite their narrow focus on developing the abdominals because they are compact and storable and are perceived as providing a good work out for core muscle groups. 
     The present invention addresses the need for developing strong core muscles for general overall fitness and, in particular instances, for the prevention of and rehabilitation from back muscle and cartilage injuries, particularly in the lower lumbar region of the back. Particularly useful exercise methods and apparatus for this purpose are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,356,359 and 6,491,607, and they have been successfully used in many exercise gyms and rehabilitation centers. However, the apparatus disclosed therein are significantly permanent structures demanding dedicated space for their use, and are thus not suitable for use in the home or in other settings where it is impractical to permanently dedicate space to an exercise apparatus of substantial size. 
     This invention seeks to address the need for a more complete core muscle work out particularly in the home environment and other areas where space cannot be dedicated to the more permanent and substantial core muscle apparatus of the prior art. Thus, this invention addresses the need in the art for a collapsible and storable apparatus for exercising the core muscles of the body, particularly including the abdominals, hamstrings, and lower back. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a core muscle exercise apparatus. The apparatus includes a support platform, supported by first and second pairs of support legs. The support platform has a top support surface extending between opposed sidewalls and having a front end and rear end. Each of the opposed sidewalls has a support groove extending from a front groove end to a rear groove end. The first pair of opposed support legs are associated at support ends thereof with the support grooves provided in the opposed sidewalls, such that the support ends of the first pair of opposed support legs can move relative to the opposed sidewalls, from the front groove ends of the support grooves to the rear groove ends of the support grooves. The first pair of opposed support legs extend from the support ends to foot portions thereof. The second pair of opposed support legs each have a support end associated with a respective one of the opposed sidewalls of the support platform through a support platform pivot assembly. The second pair of opposed support legs can pivot at the support platform pivot assemblies relative to the support platform, and the second pair of opposed support legs extending from the support ends to foot portions thereof. The first pair of opposed support legs are pivotally secured to the second pair of opposed support legs at pivot assemblies provided between the support ends and the foot portions of the first and second pairs of opposed support legs. A pendulum assembly is pivotally secured to the support platform proximate a rear end thereof. The pendulum assembly includes a pendulum arm and at least one pad assembly. The support platform, the first pair of opposed support legs and the second pair of opposed support legs are engaged for manipulation to selectively assume an operative position and a collapsed, storable position. 
     In accordance with a particular embodiment, in the operative position, the support ends of the first pair of opposed support legs are secured to the support platform proximate the front groove end of the support groove and the foot portions of the first pair of opposed support legs engage a ground surface. The foot portions of the second pair of opposed support legs engage the ground surface, and the top surface of the support platform is held substantially horizontal to the ground surface. In this embodiment, the support platform includes opposed storage grooves in its opposed sidewalls, and, in the collapsed, storable position, the support ends of the first pair of opposed support legs are positioned at the rear groove end of the support groove. The support platform is pivoted at the support platform pivot assemblies to rest the support platform on the second pair of support legs, with the pivot assemblies provided between the support ends and the foot portions of the first and second pairs of opposed support legs being received in the opposed storage grooves of the support platform. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The best mode contemplated in carrying out this invention is illustrated and disclosed with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the core muscle apparatus of this invention, shown in an operative position; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the core muscle apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is rear elevation of the core muscle apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation of the core muscle apparatus; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the core muscle apparatus, shown in a collapsed, storage position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , it can be seen that a core muscle apparatus in accordance with this invention is shown and designated by the numeral  10 . The core muscle apparatus  10  includes a support platform  12  supported by opposed rear support legs  14  and  16  and opposed front support legs  18  and  20 . The opposed rear support legs  14 ,  16  are designated as “rear support” legs because they secure to support platform  12  proximate the rear edge  22  thereof, at rear support cross arm  24  ( FIG. 3 ). The opposed front support legs  18 ,  20  are designated as “front support” legs because, in the operative position, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the front support cross arm  26  ( FIG. 4 ) to which they are secured is positioned proximate the front edge  28  of support platform  12 . 
     The rear support cross arm  24  is secured between the opposed side walls  34 ,  36  of the support platform  12 , at support platform pivot assemblies  35 ,  37 . The opposed rear support legs  14 ,  16  pivot about the rear support cross arm  24  at their respective support end pivot assemblies  30 ,  32  to support the apparatus  10  at foot portions  31 ,  33  engaging the floor. The front support cross arm  26  is pivotally secured to both the opposed front support legs  18 ,  20 , and extends through the opposed support grooves  42 ,  44  in side walls  34 ,  36  of the support platform  12 . The opposed front support legs  18 ,  20  pivot about the front support cross arm  26  at their respective support end pivot assemblies  38 ,  40 , to support the apparatus  10  at foot portions  39 ,  41 . The rear support leg  14  is secured to the front support leg  18  at a pivot assembly  46 , and the rear support leg  16  is secured to the front support leg  20  at a pivot assembly  48 . Considering the structure explained hereinabove, it should be appreciated that the front support legs  18 ,  20  can pivot in the direction of arrow A, from the operative position shown in  FIG. 2  to the collapsed storable position shown in  FIG. 5 . This is explained more fully below. 
     While it will be appreciated that various pivoting points of connection (i.e. pivot assemblies) herein could simply consist of cross supports inserted through holes in the appropriate structures, they preferably involve some type of bearing as generally known in the art. This should be understood for all pivoting points of connection in the apparatus  10 , described above and herein below. 
     In the operative position shown in  FIG. 2 , the rear support legs  14 ,  16  extend from their support end pivot assemblies  30 ,  32  to contact the floor at foot portions  31 ,  33 , which are positioned outside of the footprint of the top surface  50  of the support platform  12 . It will be appreciated that the “footprint” of the support platform  12  is defined by the side walls  34 ,  36  and the rear edge  22  and front edge  28 . The front support legs  18 ,  20  extend from their support end pivot assemblies  38 ,  40  to their foot portions  39 ,  41 , which extend outside of the footprint of the support platform  12 . With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , it should be appreciated that the operative position of  FIG. 2  is reached by pivoting the front support legs  18 ,  20  in the direction of arrow B, with the front support cross arm  26  forced to move through the opposed support grooves  42 ,  44 . When the front support cross arm  26  reaches the front end  52  of the opposed grooves  42 ,  44 , the support platform  12  is held substantially horizontal to a ground surface on which foot portions  31 ,  33  and  39 ,  41  rest. When the apparatus  10  is being used, an individual will have much of their weight supported by the support platform  12 , and the weight of the individual will urge the rear support legs  14 ,  16  and front support legs  18 ,  20  away from each other, as indicated by the double headed arrows C and D ( FIG. 2 ). This will urge the front support legs  18 ,  20  to stay at the front end  52  of the opposed grooves  42 ,  44 , thus making the apparatus  10  stable for use. Alternatively, the front support legs  18 ,  20  can be secured in this operative position through positioning knobs  54 ,  56 . 
     Positioning knobs  54 ,  56  can interact with the support platform  12  in any suitable manner for selectively engaging the front support legs  18 ,  20  in an operative position relative to the support platform  12 . The side wall  34  of the support platform  12  and its interaction with the front support leg  18  and the positioning knob  54  is shown. For example, a spring or other biasing member can urge a shaft of the positioning knob  54  to extend through the front support leg  18  and engage side wall  34 . In the operative position wherein the front support cross arm  26  contacts the front end  52  of the groove  42 , the shaft of knob  54  would align with an aperture provided in the side wall  34 , and the biasing member would urge the shaft  60  into the aperture to lock the front support leg  18  relative to the support platform  12 . To release the front support leg  18 , the positioning knob  54  would be pulled against the biasing member to remove the shaft from the aperture and thus permit movement of the front support leg  18  relative to the support platform  12 . The same mechanism could be employed for the front support leg  20  for securing it to the side wall  36  through the positioning knob  56 . It will, however, be appreciated that other mechanisms could be used for stabilizing the apparatus  10  in the operative position. 
     Upon manipulating positioning knobs  54 ,  56  to disengage the front support legs  18 ,  20  from the operative position, the front support legs  18 ,  20  can be pivoted to place the apparatus  10  in a storage position as shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein the front support cross arm  26  engages the rear end  64  of the opposed grooves  42 ,  44 , and the support platform  12  pivots at the support platform pivot assemblies  35 ,  37 , store the support platform  12  flush on the rear support legs  14 ,  16 , with the opposed storage grooves  66 ,  68  in side walls  34 ,  36  accepting passage of the pivot assemblies  46 ,  48 . In this collapsed storage position, the opposed storage feet  70 ,  72 , which extend respectively from rear support leg  14  and rear support leg  16 , can be used to place the apparatus  10  in a free standing position, as in  FIG. 5 . The wheels  71 ,  73  extend above the foot portions  39 ,  41 , and can be used as an aid in moving the apparatus  10 , particularly in the collapsed, storable position. 
     Top surface  50  of the support platform  12  preferably provides padding  74 . A right hand grip  76  is provided extending from the front of the support platform  12 , proximate the right side wall  34 , and an opposed left hand grip  78  is provided extending from the front of the support platform  12 , proximate the left side wall  36 . When using the device, an individual will place their pelvis at the rear edge  22  of support platform  12 , supporting their torso along the majority of their stomach. The upper torso will be slightly lifted so that the individual can comfortable grip the right and left hand grips  76 ,  78 . Some individuals will find it comfortable to support themselves somewhat with their elbows on the padding  74 , and others will choose to lay more fully on the padding  74 . The individual will secure his legs to the pendulum assembly  80 , with his hip bending freely at a position slightly rearward of rear edge  22  of the support platform to thereby enable him to move the pendulum assembly forward and rearward in a repetitive motion to perform the exercise for core muscle development. This is fully appreciated from the prior art of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,356,359 and 6,491,607. 
     The pendulum assembly  80  includes a pendulum arm  82  that is secured to the rear cross support arm  24  at sleeve  84 , and extends to distal end  86 . A pivot arm  88  extends from proximate the distal end  86  at pivot assembly  90 , and connects to the resistance transfer apparatus  92 , to which it is connected through pivot assembly  94 . The resistance transfer apparatus  92  preferably includes a central shaft  96  and two or more pad assemblies, such as those at  98  and  100 , mounted to resistance bars, such as those at  102  and  104 , extending from the central shaft  96 . A foot rest  106  extends below the central shaft  96 , offset from pad assemblies  98 ,  100 . An individual will secure his legs to the pendulum assembly  80  by securing his feet between two neighboring pad assemblies, comfortably between pads. The soles of the feet will engage the foot rest  106 . 
     A weight support  108  extends from pendulum arm  82  at selective positions between sleeve  84  and pivot assembly  90 . More particularly, the weight support  108  extends from a weight support sleeve  110  that fits around the pendulum arm  82 , and a position pin  112  extends through the weight support sleeve  110  in a commonly known spring loaded or threaded fashion to be selectively engaged to a desired positioning aperture  114 ,  116 , or  118 . Other positioning apertures can be provided. A selected mass of weights  120  ( FIG. 2 ) can be secured to weight support  108 . It will be appreciated that, with a selected weight mass and selected weight positioning, various resistances can be effected in the full range of movement of pendulum arm  82  during the repetitive movement exercise. The pivot assemblies  90  and  94  permit smooth movement for individuals of various heights by allowing for movement of resistance transfer assembly  92  relative to pendulum arm  82 . 
     In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that the process of the present invention, providing an apparatus for exercising core muscles, substantially improves the art. While, in accordance with the patent statutes, only the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, the present invention is not to be limited thereto or thereby. Rather, the scope of the invention shall include all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the attached claims.