Patent Publication Number: US-8109864-B2

Title: Arm exercising device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Chinese Utility Model Application No. 201020189341.5, filed on Apr. 30, 2010, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an exercising device, more particularly to an arm exercising device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional arm exercising device is shown to include a plurality of elastic straps  91 , two swing arms  92  connected to the elastic straps  91 , two steel cords  93  disposed for respectively driving movement of the swing arms  92 , and two handgrips  94  respectively connected to the steel cords  93 . When the handgrips  94  are pulled by a user, a resistance force is generated by the elastic straps  91  to train the user&#39;s arm muscles. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , another conventional arm exercising device is shown to be similar to the above arm exercising device, and has two fluid pressure cylinders  95  to generate a resistance force to impede swing movement of the swing arms  92 . 
     However, in both of these arm exercising devices, the swing arms are moved independently and the impeding units (e.g., the elastic straps  91  and the fluid pressure cylinders  95 ) are disposed to generate separate resistance forces to each of the respective swing arms  92 , thereby resulting in uneven loading of the handgrips  94  and having an adverse effect upon the exercising user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an arm exercising device which is capable of providing an even and uniform resistance force to train the muscles of a user&#39;s arms. 
     According to this invention, the arm exercising device includes a frame that has an upright support with a fixed guide rod, and a linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism includes a pair of swing arms pivotally mounted on the upright support for swinging upward and downward, a runner sleeve disposed slidably around the guide rod for moving upward or downward, a pair of linking rods, each connected between the runner sleeve and one of the swing arms, a pair of handgrips, and a force transmitting cord connected to the handgrips and the swing arms. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional arm exercising device; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another conventional arm exercising device; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment viewed from a backside thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a pair of swing arms of the first preferred embodiment mounted at a higher position; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to this invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to this invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the fourth preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to this invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the fifth preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that the same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the first preferred embodiment of an arm exercising device according to the present invention is shown to comprise a frame  10 , an impeding unit  55 , and a linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism includes a pair of swing arms  51 , a runner sleeve  53 , a pair of linking rods  54 , a pair of handgrips  4 , and a force transmitting cord  7 . 
     The frame  10  includes a base  1 , an upright support  2  fixed to the base  1  at a bottom end thereof and extending upward, and a transverse bar  3  mounted transversely on the upright support  2 . The upright support  2  has a fixed guide rod  21  extending in a vertical direction. In particular, the guide rod  21  has top and bottom ends fixed to the upright support  2 . Two lower pulleys  61  are mounted on the base  1  at two sides of the upright support  2 . A middle pulley  63  is mounted on the bottom end of the upright support  2  and is interposed between the lower pulleys  61 . The transverse bar  3  has a plurality of lugs  31  disposed at two ends thereof. Two upper pulleys  62  are each hung on a selected one of two of the lugs  31  so that the distance between the upper pulleys  62  can be adjusted. 
     Each of the swing arms  51  has a first end  512  connected pivotally to the upright support  2  in proximity to the bottom end of the guide rod  21  for swinging upward and downward, a second end  513  extending away from the upright support  2 , and a swing arm pulley  511  attached to the second end  513 . 
     The runner sleeve  53  is disposed slidably over the guide rod  21  for moving upward or downward, and has a pair of connectors  531  that are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the runner sleeve  53 . 
     Each of the linking rods  54  has one end  541  connected pivotally to one of the connectors  531  and the other end  542  connected pivotally to one of the swing arms  51  between the first and second ends  512 , 513 . 
     In this embodiment, the impeding unit  55  is in the form of a helical spring  55 , preferably a compression spring, that is sleeved on the guide rod  21 . The helical spring  55  has one end abutting against the runner sleeve  53  to apply a resistance force to the runner sleeve  53 . 
     The force transmitting cord  7  is made of a steel material, and has two cord ends  71  which are respectively connected to the handgrips  4 . The force transmitting cord  7  is disposed to consecutively pass over one of the upper pulleys  62 , one of the lower pulleys  61 , one of the swing arm pulleys  511 , the middle pulley  63 , the other one of the swing arm pulleys  511 , the other one of the lower pulleys  61 , and the other one of the upper pulleys  62 . 
     By pulling the handgrips  4 , the swing arms  51  are moved by the force transmitting cord  7 . At this stage, the linking rods  54  connected to the swing arms  51  drive the runner sleeve  53  to move downward along the guide rod  21  to press the compression spring  55  such that a resistance force is generated and applied to the runner sleeve  53 . The swing arms  51  and the runner sleeve  53  are interconnected through the linking rods  54  and the runner sleeve  53  is impeded by the compression spring  55 . Accordingly, when the user operates the handgrips  4  to perform a stretching exercise, he/she will be subjected to substantially the same resistance force on each arm. Moreover, by virtue of the interconnection between the swing arms  51 , it is convenient to adjust the resistance forces to be applied to two arms of the user. 
     It is noted that due to the adjustable distance between the upper pulleys  62 , the positions of the handgrips  4  can be varied to suit different users. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , alternatively, the swing arms  51  may be connected to the upright support  2  above the guide rod  21 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the second preferred embodiment of the arm exercising device according to this invention is shown to be similar to that of the first embodiment in construction, except that the impeding unit  55  is in the form of a fluid or gas pressure actuated telescopic mechanism  55  that includes a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder  551  connected to the runner sleeve  53 , and a plunger  552  fixed to the upright support  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the third preferred embodiment of the arm exercising device according to this invention is shown to be similar to that of the first embodiment in construction. In this embodiment, the arm exercising device further comprises a leg exercising unit  81  and a downward-pulling exercising unit  82 . The leg exercising unit  81  includes a seat  811  and a weight-lifting member  812  rotatable relative to the seat  811 . The downward-pulling exercising unit  82  includes a downward-pulling rod  821 , two fixed pulleys  822  mounted on the upright support  2 , a pulling cord  823  connected to the downward-pulling rod  821  and passing through the fixed pulleys  822  and the guide rod  21 , and a movable pulley  824  connected to the pulling cord  823 . In addition, two middle pulleys  63  are mounted on the bottom end of the upright support  2 , and the force transmitting cord  7  is disposed to pass through the middle pulleys  63  and the movable pulley  824 . Hence, the user can also perform a leg exercise and a downward-pulling exercise. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the fourth preferred embodiment of the arm exercising device according to this invention is shown to be similar to that of the first embodiment in construction, except that the impeding unit  55  includes a plurality of elastic straps  551 , each connected between one of the linking rods  54  and one of the swing arms  51 . The quantity of elastic straps  551  connected to each of the swing arms  51  may be identical. Alternatively, each elastic strap  551  may be a tension spring. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , in the fifth preferred embodiment, the impeding unit  55  includes a plurality of elastic straps  551 , each connected between the upright support  2  and one of the swing arms  51 . As illustrated, by virtue of arrangement of the handgrips  4 , a single force transmitting cord  7 , the single sleeve runner  53 , the swing arms  51  and the linking rods  54 , uniform resistance forces can be applied to each of the user&#39;s arms when the user grips the handgrips  4  and pulls downward, thereby enabling smooth and even arm exercises to occur. In addition, the resistance force provided by the impeding unit  55  may be conveniently adjusted. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.