Patent Publication Number: US-6340342-B1

Title: Multipurpose exercising apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an exercising apparatus for physical exercises, and more particularly to a multipurpose exercising apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional exercising apparatus are commonly heavy, and designed for exercising a particular part of the body only. There are also known universal exercising apparatus for exercising different parts of the body. However, because these universal exercising apparatus are a combination of different exercising units, they are commonly heavy and expensive, and not suitable for home use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide an exercising apparatus, which is lightweight, and practical for home use to exercise different muscles of the body. It is another object of the present invention to provide a multipurpose exercising apparatus, which has a simple damping structure, that enables the user to exercise the body in different postures. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a multipurpose exercising apparatus, which comprises a mattress unit formed of a back mattress and a seat mattress, a rack, and a damping unit. The mattress unit comprises an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the relative angle between the back mattress and the seat mattress, and a coupling mechanism for securing the mattress unit to the rack, enabling the mattress unit to be moved on the rack. Preferably a steering mechanism is provided for enabling the mattress unit to be changed to the desired direction. The damping unit is mounted on the rack at one end, comprising at least one actuating bar, a linking mechanism, and a damping force source. The user can change the position of the actuating bar relative to the damping force source. By means of changing the position and/or direction of the mattress, the angle between the back mattress and the seat mattress, and/or the position of the actuating bar, the user can operate the exercising apparatus to exercise different parts of the body in different exercising positions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multipurpose exercising apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. from  3  through  10  illustrate different application examples of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 shows the damping unit of the second embodiment of the present invention set at the first mode. 
     FIG. 12 shows the damping unit of the second embodiment of the present invention set at the second mode. 
     FIG. 13 illustrates an application example of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 shows the damping unit of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a multipurpose exercising apparatus  10  is designed to be placed on the floor for exercising the body, comprising a mattress unit  20 , a rack  50 , and a damping unit  60 . 
     The rack  50  comprises a main rod member  51  extended in X-axis direction  91 , and two stands  53  which support the main rod member  51  in a horizontal position above the floor. The main rod member  51  defines a longitudinal sliding track  52 . 
     The mattress unit  20  comprises a back mattress  21 , a seat mattress  22 , an adjustment mechanism  23 , and a coupling mechanism  30 . The back mattress  21  and the seat mattress  22  are pivoted to each other. The adjustment mechanism  23  is controlled to adjust the angle between the back mattress  21  and the seat mattress  22 . The adjustment mechanism  23  can be achieved by any of a variety of known designs. Because the adjustment mechanism  23  is not within the scope of the invention claimed, it is neither described in detail nor shown in the annexed drawings. 
     The coupling mechanism  30  is provided at the bottom side of the seat mattress  22  for coupling the mattress unit  20  to the main rod member  51 . According to the present preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism  30  comprises a steering mechanism formed of a socket  31  and a support  32 , and a slide  33 . The socket  31  is fixedly fastened to the seat mattress  22  at the bottom. The support  32  has one end fixedly connected to the slide  33 , and an opposite end coupled to the socket  31  to support the socket  31 , enabling the socket  31  to be rotated on the support  32 . By means of the socket  31  and the swivel member  32 , the mattress unit  20  can be turned about Z-axis  93 . A lock pin  321  may be installed to lock the socket  31  and the support  32 , preventing a relative rotation motion between the socket  31  and the support  32 . The slide  33  is coupled to the main rod member  50 , and moved along the sliding track  52 . A lock pin  331  may be installed to lock the slide  33  and the main rod member  50 , preventing movement of the slide  33  relative to the main rod member  50 . 
     The damping unit  60  is mounted on one end of the main rod member  50 . According to the present preferred embodiment, the damping unit  60  comprises an actuating bar  61 , a linking mechanism  62 , and a damping force source  63 . The linking mechanism  62  comprises a link  621 , and a connector  624 . The link  621  has one end coupled to the actuating bar  61 , and an opposite end pivoted to the connector  624 . The connector  624  comprises a plurality of adjustment holes  625  arranged in a circle. The link  621  has a locating hole  622  selectively connected to one adjustment holes  625  at the connector  624  by a locating member  623 . By inserting the locating member  623  through the locating hole  622  at the link  621  into any one of the adjustment holes  625  at the connector  624 , the link  621  is pivoted to the connector  624 . By shifting the locating member  623  from one adjustment hole  624  to another, the relative coupling position between the link  621  and the connector  624  is changed, and the position of the actuating bar  61  is relatively changed. Because the two opposite ends of the linking mechanism  62  are respectively coupled to the actuating bar  61  and the damping force source  63 , a damping force is produced when applying a force to the actuating bar  61 . The actuating bar  61  is disposed in parallel to Y-axis direction  92 , which is perpendicular to X-axis direction  91 . The damping force source  63  has one end coupled to the rack  50 , and an opposite end coupled to the linking mechanism  62 . The damping force source  63  simply comprises an independent damping device  631 . The damping device  631  can be a piston type damping device, spring, elastic cord, weight, magnetic force generator, etc. An adjustable damping device may be used, for example, the Resistance Device of Taiwan Patent Application No. 87218860. (equivalent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/238,499), which was invented by the present inventor. 
     Referring to FIGS. from  3  through  10 , the user can adjust the position of the mattress unit  20  on the main rod member  51 , rotate the mattress unit  20 , adjust the relative angle between the back mattress  21  and the seat mattress  22 , and/or adjust the position of the actuating bar  61 , so as to perform different exercising modes. 
     In FIG. 3, the user  90  operates the multipurpose exercising apparatus in a sitting position to raise the legs forwards In FIG. 4, the back mattress  21  is turned down and supported on the main rod member  51 , and the user prostrates oneself on the back mattress  21  and the seat mattress  22 , and bends the legs upwards. At this time, the position of the actuating bar  61  must be adjusted, enabling the actuating bar  61  to be lifted above the seat mattress  22 . In FIG. 5, the user  90  lies the body in a horizontal position with one lateral side supported on the back mattress  21  and the seat mattress  22 , and then raises the thigh of the leg at the upper side. In FIG. 6, the user  90  sits on the seat mattress  22 , and the actuating bar  61  is adjusted to the back side of the user  90  above the back mattress  21 , so that the user  90  can bend the trunk to stretch the back. In FIG. 7, the user  90  sits on the seat mattress  22 , and the actuating bar  61  is adjusted to the front side of the user&#39;s chest, so that the user  90  can exercise the waist by bending the trunk. At this time, the mattress unit  20  is rotated through 180° relative to the position shown in FIG.  3 . In FIG. 8, the user  90  lies the back on the seat mattress  22 , and extends the lower arms outwards. In FIG. 9, the user  90  lies the back on the seat mattress  22 , and bends the lower arms inwards. In FIG. 10, the mattress unit  20  is turned through 90° relative to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the user  90  sits on the seat mattress  22  to raise the lower arm. FIGS. 3 through 10 simply show certain application examples of the present invention to exercise muscles at different parts of the body. 
     FIG. 11 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the damping unit  60  comprises a pair of actuating bars  61  and a pair of linking mechanisms  62 , and a damping force source  63 . The damping force source  63  is comprised of a damping device  631 . The damping device  631  has two opposite ends respectively coupled the linking mechanisms  62  at one end, so that a damping force can be provided by the damping device  631  to the actuating bars  61 . The rack  50  further comprises a swivel bar  55 . The linking mechanisms  62  are fixedly connected to the swivel bar  55 . Further, a pair of gear wheels  626  are respectively mounted on the linking mechanisms  62 , and meshed with each other. The gear wheels  626  keep the linking mechanisms  62  in a symmetric status, preventing the damping device  631  from being twisted. 
     Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13 and FIG. 11 again, the damping unit  60  of the second embodiment of the present invention can be alternatively adjusted between the first mode shown in FIG. 11, and the second mode shown in FIG.  12 . When in the first mode, the user can operate the multipurpose exercising apparatus in same manner as the aforesaid first embodiment, however in this case, only one actuating bar  61  (the actuating bar  61  at the right side shown in FIG. 11) is operated. When in the second mode, the swivel bar  55  is turned through 90° to change the position of the damping unit  60 . At this time, the actuating bars  61  are disposed in parallel to X-axis direction  91 . FIG. 13 shows the multipurpose exercising apparatus set in the second mode, the user performed a butterfly exercise. 
     FIG. 14 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the damping force source  63  comprises two independent damping devices  631 , each imparting a damping force to the corresponding actuating bar  61 . 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended for use as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed. For example, the stands  53  can be made folding collapsible; the rack  50  may be made having two main rod members  51 ; a different damping unit may be used; the link  621  can be of a telescopic design to fit different users or different exercising positions; and according to a different design of the coupling mechanism  30 , the track  52  may be of different shape or eliminated.