Patent Publication Number: US-10780310-B2

Title: Leg press exercise machine

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/644,829, of same title, filed Mar. 19, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to leg press exercise equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,086 to Habing describes a leg press machine in which a user sits and presses down on two foot pads to lift their seat. Unfortunately, Habing has several limitations, including the fact that its seat is not adjustable back and forth on the support below. As such, shorter users are forced to begin the exercise with their legs comparatively more straightened out, whereas taller users will be forced to begin the exercise with their legs comparatively more crunched up towards their belly. As such, Habing is not adjustable to accommodate users having different body types and dimensions. In addition, Habing&#39;s seat is inclined at a steep angle (approximately 30 degrees) to the ground both when starting and when finishing the leg press exercise. This geometry has the disadvantage of making the resistance on the user&#39;s legs become too heavy too quickly (as the user straightens their legs). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present system provides an improved leg press exercise machine ideally suited for attachment to a cable weight stack. In preferred embodiments, the present leg press machine comprises: a main frame; a first rotating bar connected at one end to the main frame; a second rotating bar connected at one end to the main frame; a support assembly connected to each of the first and second rotating bars, wherein rotation of the first and second rotating bars causes the support assembly to move with respect to the main frame; a seat support bar; and a seat mounted onto the seat support bar. 
     Advantageously, the preferred length of the present rotating bars combined with their preferred angle to the vertical (when the device is sitting in its rest position) provides a preferred range of motion for most users in which the resistance to motion is neither too high nor too low. As a result, the overwhelming majority of users receive an optimal “push back” from the machine over a preferred range of motion. In various preferred embodiments, the rotating bars are disposed at an angle from 0 to 30 degrees, and more preferably 5 to 15 degrees, and most preferably about 10 degrees to the vertical when the machine is in its rest position. 
     Advantageously, the support assembly holds the seat support bar at a downward angle from a line passing through the locations where the first and second rotating bars are connected to the support assembly. Preferably, this downward angle is between 20 and 60 or more preferably between 30 to 50 degrees. In addition, the seat is preferably mounted to sit horizontally onto the seat support bar. Advantageously, the downward angle of the seat support bar defines the angle of the seat but does not define its trajectory of movement. Instead, the trajectory of the seat moves at a shallower angle than the seat is mounted. An advantage of having the seat support bar be angled to the horizontal is that the seat is biased to move forwardly, thereby eliminating the need for a gas spring or other system to return the seat to a forward position after a user has moved it backwards on the support bar. Moreover, in contrast to the Habing system, the present system&#39;s rotating bars are also longer (and therefore move through a much smaller angle of curvature from the start to the end of the leg press exercise). Together, all this has the advantage of preventing the user from swinging too far upwardly during the exercise. As a result, the combined weight of the user and the support frame does not become too heavy too quickly as the user straightens their legs during the leg press exercise. In addition, the present geometry also keeps the user generally parallel to the ground throughout the exercise. 
     In various preferred aspects of the present system, the rotating bars are angled 0 to 30 degrees, and more preferably 5 to 15 degrees (and most preferably about 10 degrees) to the vertical at the start of the leg press exercise. The greater this angle, the heavier the exercise gets. Conversely, the shallower the angle, the bigger the overall machine becomes. As can be seen, the first and second rotating bars are spaced significantly farther apart than in the Habing system. As a result of this different physical design, the entire present structure is stronger (due to both lower torque loading both where the rotating bars connect to the main frame and where they connect to the seat support bar). 
     As mentioned above, the seat is adjustably mounted onto the seat support bar such that the seat is moveable forwards and backwards along the seat support bar. This has the advantage of accommodating users of different body shapes and leg lengths. As such, users with longer legs do not have to start the leg press with their legs too crunched up towards their chest (which would put unnecessary stress on their legs and strain on their lower back), and users with shorter legs do not have to start the leg press with their legs too extended (thereby limiting the full range of motion that they can achieve with the device). An additional advantage of the adjustable seat is that a user can push themselves far enough away from the footplate to perform a calf raise exercise. 
     In preferred aspects, the support assembly is generally triangular in shape with the first and second rotating bars connected to first and second points of the triangle, and the seat support bar connected to the third point of the triangle. 
     The exercise machine also preferably includes full width footplate mounted to the main frame. Advantages of using a full width footplate are that the user can perform the leg press using a variety of foot positions (such as a narrower or wider stance, and with their feet positioned higher or lower relative to their hips). The footplate is advantageously positioned at a height such that the user&#39;s feet are positioned higher than the seat at the start (and optionally the end) of the leg press exercise. In addition, the top end of the first rotating bar is preferably positioned above the user&#39;s hips at the end of the leg press exercise. Taken together, this geometry has the advantage of preventing the resistance on the user&#39;s legs from becoming too heavy too quickly, thereby preventing unnecessary stress on the user&#39;s legs and unnecessary strain on the user&#39;s lower back. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear side perspective view of the leg press. 
         FIG. 2  is a left side elevation view of the leg press. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side elevation view of the leg press. 
         FIG. 4  is a front side perspective view of the leg press. 
         FIG. 5A  is a partial perspective view of the leg press. 
         FIG. 5B  is a rear perspective view similar to  FIG. 5A , but showing a slightly different embodiment of how the seat is connected to the support bar. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view showing a user starting the leg press, showing preferred angles and positions for the rotating bars at the start of the leg press exercise. 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view showing the user finish the leg press. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of a system for mounting the seat on the seat support bar. 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the present system, instead having rotating bars of unequal lengths at an exercise start position. 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation view corresponding to  FIG. 9 , but at the exercise finish position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring to the attached Figures, a leg press exercise machine  10  is provided. Leg press exercise machine  10  comprises: a main frame  20 ; a first rotating bar  30  connected at one end to main frame  20 ; a second rotating bar  40  connected at one end to main frame  20 ; a support assembly  50  is connected to first and second rotating bars  20  and  30 , as shown. Rotation of first and second rotating bars  20  and  30  causes support assembly  50  to move with respect to main frame  20 . This rotational movement of bars  20  and  30  can be seen by comparing  FIG. 6  (which is the start position of the leg press exercise) to  FIG. 7  (which is the end position of the leg press exercise). Leg press exercise machine  10  further comprises a seat support bar  60  and a seat  70  mounted onto seat support bar  60 . 
     In accordance with the present system, support assembly  50  preferably holds seat support bar  60  at a downward angle. Specifically, as seen in  FIG. 2 , axis A 1  passes along through seat support  60 . First rotating bar  30  is connected to support assembly  50  at pivot point  32 . Second rotating bar  40  is connected to support assembly  50  at pivot point  42 . A line passing through the locations where the first and second rotating bars are connected to the support assembly (i.e.: through points  32  and  42 ) defines a second axis A 2 . In accordance with the present system, axis A 1  is downwardly angled from axis A 2  by angle Θ 1 . In preferred aspects, angle Θ 1  is between 20 to 60 degrees. More preferably, angle Θ 1  is between 30 to 50 degrees. A horizontal axis H is also shown. In preferred aspects, support assembly  50  holds seat support bar  60  at an angle Θ 2  to the horizontal. In preferred aspects, angle Θ 2  is between 10 to 30 degrees. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , seat  70  is preferably mounted onto seat support bar  60  such that seat  70  is positioned horizontally (i.e.: generally parallel to the ground). As can be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , seat  70  remains horizontal throughout a full leg press exercise. This provides ample comfort to the user during the exercise. 
     A further advantageous feature of the present exercise machine is that seat  70  is adjustably mounted onto the seat support bar  60  such that seat  70  is moveable forwards and backwards along seat support bar  60  (i.e.: seat  70  can be moved back and forth along axis A 1  to accommodate users of different leg lengths. Having the seat moveable along axis A 1  at angle Θ 2  to the horizontal will tend to return seat  70  to a forward position, thereby avoiding the need for a spring to pull the seat  70  forward when readjusting the position of seat  70  for different users. 
     First rotating bar  30  is pivotally connected to support assembly  50  at point  32  and is pivotally connected to frame  20  at point  34 . Similarly, second rotating bar  40  is pivotally connected to support assembly  50  at point  42  and is pivotally connected to frame  20  at point  44 . As can be seen in the Figures, first and second rotating bars  30  and  40  are positioned parallel to one another and remain parallel to one another when moved. 
     As seen most clearly in  FIG. 5A , support assembly  50  is generally triangular in shape and the first and second rotating bars  30  and  40  are connected to first and second points of the triangle (at  32  and  42 ). As can also be seen, seat support bar  60  can be connected to a third point of the triangle (at non-rotational point  62 ) and also at non-rotational point  64 . Thus, seat support bar  60  can be connected to support assembly  50  at two or more locations ( 62  and  64 ). 
       FIG. 5A  also shows further details of seat  70 , specifically top wheels  72  and bottom wheels  74  for moving seat  70  back and forth along seat support bar  60  to a desired position to accommodate the particular leg length of the user.  FIG. 5B  shows an alternate embodiment where seat  70  is connected to support bar  60  with a triangular aluminum extrusion  65  resting in an adjustable bracket with V-shaped plastic bushings  67 . 
     The present leg press exercise machine  10  also includes a footplate  80  mounted to main frame  20 . The novel positioning of footplate  80  provides advantages to the user in that unwanted stress on the user&#39;s legs and back is avoided. For example, footplate  80  are positioned at a height on main frame  20  such that the user&#39;s feet are positioned higher than seat  70  at the start position of the leg press exercise (see  FIG. 6 ). Moreover, footplate  80  is also positioned at a height on main frame  20  such that the user&#39;s feet are even positioned higher than seat  70  at the end position of the leg press exercise (see  FIG. 7 ). As can also be seen in  FIG. 7 , top end (location  34 ) of first rotating bar  30  is positioned above the user&#39;s hips at the end of the leg press exercise. 
     Exercise machine  10  is ideally suited for use with a cable weight stack (weight stack not shown). Preferably, the weight stack is positioned in front or to the side of the seated user. A cable  90  can be connected from the weights being lifted to the bottom of seat support bar  60  (See  FIG. 7 ). As the user performs the leg press, (s)he pushes down on footplate  80 , thereby pulling cable  60 , lifting the weight(s) supported at the opposite end of the cable. 
       FIG. 6  shows preferred angles and spacings for rotating bars  30  and  40 , as follows. Angle Θ 3  shows the angle between second rotating bar  40  and a vertical axis V (which is also the same angle between first rotating bar  30  and a vertical axis). In preferred aspects, rotating bars are angled 0 to 30 degrees, or more preferably 5 to 15 degrees, (or most preferably about 10 degrees) to vertical axis V at the start of the leg press exercise, as shown. The greater angle Θ 3 , the heavier the exercise gets. Conversely, the shallower angle Θ 3 , the bigger the overall machine becomes. 
     Preferably as well, the first and second rotating bars  30  and  40  are spaced significantly farther apart than in the Habing system. As a result, the entire structure is stronger (due to both lower torque loading both where the rotating bars connect to the main frame at  34  and  44 , and also where the rotating bars  30  and  40  connect to the seat support bar at  32  and  42 ). 
     In addition to performing a leg press exercise, the user may also perform a calf press exercise as seen in  FIG. 8  (where the user keeps her/his legs extended as shown and rotates his/her ankles to slightly raise/lower and move back/forth seat  70 , thereby exercising the user&#39;s calf muscles. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are side elevation views of an alternate embodiment of the present system, instead having rotating bars  30  and  40  of unequal lengths. Specifically, length  30 A is slightly longer than length  40 A. Using this geometry of unequal bar lengths, the user&#39;s trajectory is more level, making the initial lifting at the start of the exercise feel lighter on the user. This beneficially manages the weight of the parts of the present system and gives a favorable rate of increase to a user as the user pushes away from the footplate  80 . It is to be understood therefore, that the present system encompasses both versions where rotating bars  30  and  40  are the same length or are of unequal lengths. In preferred embodiments, bar  30  (i.e.: the rotating bar closest to the user), is longer than bar  40 . This has the advantageous effect of lowing the angle of the seat  70  relative to the horizontal (i.e.: decreasing angle Θ 1 ). This increases user comfort.