Patent Publication Number: US-2009239721-A1

Title: Exercise apparatus for the upper body

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
     The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus for the upper body and in greater detail the present invention includes a mechanical resistance apparatus and exercise routine for shaping and sculpting breasts. 
     BACKGROUND  
     Gravity is relentless and aging is inevitable. Together these ineluctable forces wreak havoc on our bodies, wrinkling us, thinning vertebral discs, weakening our bones, making us more susceptible to sickness and disease. But perhaps most vulnerable to the depredations of time and gravity are a woman&#39;s breasts which succumb to sagging due to the tug and pull of gravity. 
     Essentially, there are three known available means to provide or maintain attractive breasts. They include the use of support garments, cosmetic surgery, and exercise. Support garments can shape and support breasts in appealing ways. However, while offsetting some of the effect of gravity, brassieres do little to change or enhance the immediate appearance of the breasts themselves. Cosmetic surgery, while providing a quick and sometimes dramatic result, is dangerous, expensive, can result in long term health problems and an unnatural feel. 
     Exercise has none of the problems or limitations of cosmetic surgery and support garments. Outside of cosmetic surgery, the only effective means of enhancing breast appearance is to exercise the muscles supporting the breasts. But in contrast to cosmetic surgery, exercise is healthful and has long term health benefits, and in contrast to support garments, exercise actually changes the breast themselves. 
     Breast appearance cannot be improved by exercising the breasts since they do not contain muscle tissue. Breasts are composed of fat, glands and connective tissue. Sagging occurs when the skin and connective tissue stretch or break down due to gravity or through the loss of elasticity from aging. Sagging can also occur after a significant weight loss or a pregnancy, when skin and ligaments are temporarily stretched due to increased breast size. 
     Breasts can only be sculpted by increasing the mass of muscles supporting the breasts. Breasts are supported by the pectoral muscles, including the clavicular and sternal parts of the pectoralis major. The pectoralis major is a large muscle that spans both sides of the chest, originating at the medial two thirds of the clavicle, the anterior surface of the sternum, the cartilages of the first six ribs, and the slip from aponeurosis of external oblique abdominal muscle. Building the pectoral muscles generally produces about the same effect as breast augmentation surgery. 
     When breasts are surgically augmented, the effect is to urge breast tissue into the covering skin, thus making the breasts firmer and more buoyant, disposed more outwardly from the chest, rather than sagging or drooping downwardly. Building pectoral muscles accomplishes the same thing. The increased muscle mass pushes breast tissue outwardly and into the skin, thus tightening the skin and pulling the breasts upwardly. Additionally, breast appearance is enhanced by increasing the mass and tonicity in the pectoralis minor, the anterior deltoids, the serratus anterior, the coracobrachialis, and the subscapularis. 
     These muscles can be addressed in a conventional resistance training program of weight lifting. The better known suitable lifts would include the bench press, the inclined and declined presses, parallel bar dips, dumbbell or “pec deck flys,” and dumbbell or barbell pullovers. But such a program entails the use of heavy weights and the execution of difficult, strenuous lifts. It may require the acquisition of a weight set or access to a gym facility, and some of the lifts can be genuinely dangerous if heavy weights are used without a spotter. 
     Therefore what is needed is a lightweight portable apparatus providing a simple, convenient, and inexpensive means to strengthen and tone the chest and shoulder muscles to lift and firm the breasts. 
     SUMMARY  
     The present invention comprises an apparatus for developing the upper body and in particular the chest. The apparatus includes two opposed levers joined at a pivot point formed within opposed pivot arms extend out from the lever arms to provide greater leverage, control and comfort for the user. The pivot point is located at the fulcrum point of the two levers. 
     In greater detail the present apparatus for exercising the upper body includes a first and second lever arm pivotally secured to each other by a pivot assembly. The pivot assembly comprising a first and second pivot arm integrally formed from and extending out from the first and second lever arms respectively. The pivot arms include operatively aligned pivot holes for receiving a pivot point member for pivotally securing the levers. 
     The levers each include an elongated handle portion extending out from a fulcrum point and an anchor portion extending from the fulcrum point in a direction opposite the handle portion. The opposed stationary anchors located at a terminal end of each anchor portion are operatively aligned for receiving a resilient body. The resilient body is biased between the terminal ends of the anchor portions urging the anchor portions together. The resilient body provides the resistance in the exercise routine of the present invention in developing the chest. 
     In a further embodiment the present apparatus includes opposed levers pivotally secured to each other by a pivot assembly. The pivot assembly includes a first and second pivot arm attached to and extending out from the first and second lever respectively. The pivot arms include sloping sides reaching an apex at a fulcrum point. 
     The pivot arms further include operatively aligned pivot holes formed within the pivot arms for receiving a pivot point member for pivotally securing the levers. The pivot point is typically located at the fulcrum point. The lever arms include an elongated handle portion extending out from the fulcrum point and an anchor portion extending from the fulcrum point in a direction opposite the handle portion. The opposed stationary anchors are located at the terminal ends of each anchor portion and are formed within the terminal point in the pivot point arms for added strength. The anchors are operatively aligned for receiving a spring which is biased between the terminal ends of the anchor portions urging the anchor portions together. 
     An additional embodiment of the present apparatus for exercising the upper body includes opposed levers pivotally secured to each other by a pivot assembly, wherein the pivot assembly includes a first and second pivot arm integrally attached to and extending out from the first and second lever respectively. The pivot arms include sloping sides reaching an apex at a fulcrum point. Operatively aligned pivot holes are included and formed within the pivot arms for receiving a pivot point member for pivotally securing the levers, the pivot point located at the fulcrum point. 
     The levers each include an elongated handle portion extending out from the fulcrum point on the lever and an anchor portion extending from the fulcrum point in a direction opposite the handle portion, wherein the handle portion is longer than the anchor portion. 
     Further included are opposed stationary anchors located at a terminal end of each anchor portion, wherein the stationary anchors are formed within a terminal point in the pivot point arms. The anchors are operatively aligned for receiving a spring, wherein the spring includes opposed hook members for engaging a hole formed in the opposed stationary anchors. The spring is biased between the terminal ends of the anchor portions urging the anchor portions together. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS  
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the present apparatus for developing the upper body and in particular the chest illustrating the lever arms and resilient member as a spring; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an embodiment of the present apparatus having an angled view of being slightly rotated about its axis to better appreciate the elements of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a top down view of the apparatus wherein only one lever is in view; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a lever arm of the apparatus including the pivot hole and pivot member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     Disclosed is an apparatus for developing the upper body and in particular the chest. The apparatus includes two opposed levers jointed at a pivot point formed within opposed pivot arms. The pivot point is located at the fulcrum point of the two levers. The pivot arms extend out from the lever arms to provide greater leverage, control and comfort for the user. The two lever arms are biased together at a terminal end of the lever arms to provide resistance for an exercise routine. 
     Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like items throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1-4  depict the present apparatus for exercising the upper body and in particular the chest, in the various embodiments of the present invention. 
     Turning now to the  FIGS. 1-4 , the present apparatus is shown in various perspective views. The present apparatus  2  for exercising the upper body includes opposed levers  4 ( a - b ) pivotally secured to each other by a pivot assembly. The levers  4 ( a - b ) may be formed from most any material, including plastic as is described in an embodiment of the apparatus. The levers  4 ( a - b ) have a curved shape such that the apex of the curve substantially meets at the fulcrum point  10  as is illustrated  FIG. 1 . In a further embodiment the levers  4 ( a - b ) may be comprised of two linear portions meeting at angle instead of a sweeping curve as is illustrated. 
     The pivot assembly includes first and second pivot arms  6 ( a - b ) attached to and extending out from the first and second levers  4 ( a - b ) respectively. The pivot arms  6 ( a - b ) extend out from the levers  4 ( a - b ) to provide a pivot point  12  above the planes of both levers  4 ( a - b ). This arrangement is thought to promote greater leverage, control and comfort for the user. Additionally, having the pivot point  12  above the planes of both levers  4 ( a - b ) reduces the distance between the terminal ends  14 ( a - b ) of the handle potion  16 ( a - b ) of the apparatus, thus decreasing the profile of the apparatus for ease of storage and the gap needed to be crunched when in use which increases the apparatus&#39;  2  ease of use. 
     Typically, the pivot point  12  is located equidistant from both levers  4 ( a - b ). In an embodiment the pivot arms  6 ( a - b ) may have sloping sides reaching an apex at a fulcrum point  10 . The pivot point  12  includes operatively aligned pivot holes  20  formed within the pivot arms for receiving a pivot point member  22  for pivotally securing the levers  4 ( a - b ) as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The pivot point  12  is typically located at the fulcrum point  10 . 
     The levers  4 ( a - b ) include an elongated handle portion  16 ( a - b ) extending out from the fulcrum point  10  on the lever  4 ( a - b ) and an anchor portion  18 ( a - b ) extending from the fulcrum point  10  in a direction opposite the handle portion  16 ( a - b ). The handle portion  16 ( a - b ) may include grips  28 ( a - b ) made of most any material commonly known for such grips. In the most common embodiment the handle portion  16 ( a - b ) is longer than the anchor portion  18 ( a - b ). 
     Further included in the apparatus  2  are opposed stationary anchors located at a terminal end of each anchor portion  18 ( a - b ), wherein the stationary anchors  26 ( a - b ) are formed within a terminal point in the pivot point arms  6 ( a - b ). The anchors  26 ( a - b ) are operatively aligned for receiving a resilient body  8 . The resilient body  8  may be formed from any material capable of returning a stretched body to its original position. As illustrated in the figures, the resilient body  8  may be a spring. The spring may include opposed hook members  24 ( a - b ) for engaging a hole formed in opposed stationary anchors  26 ( a - b ). The spring is biased between the terminal ends of the anchor portions  18 ( a - b ) urging the anchor portions (a-b) together. 
     The present apparatus may be for use in an exercise routine. The routine may consist of various exercises. For example, one routine may include bringing the elbows at shoulders level and the forearms straight up. Then the elbows and forearms are brought together as one presses the handles of the apparatus together. A further exercise includes bringing the elbows back and hands together to just under the chest while holding the apparatus. A third exercise routine may include bringing the arms and elbows straight down and bending the shoulders down about 5 degrees while pressing the handles together. A fourth routine may include bending down from the waist up by about 25 degrees with the elbows at waist level six inches from the body. With the forearms straight in front, they arev brought together by squeezing the handle of the apparatus. The described routines may be done 4 times a day in repetitions beginning at 20 and increasing to about 40 or more. 
     While specific embodiments have been described in detail in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of any claims that are derivable from the description herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.