Patent Publication Number: US-7585254-B1

Title: Resistance band exercise machine

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure relates generally to exercise devices. More particularly, the disclosure relates to exercise machines of the type utilizing resistance bands. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Treadmills and other perambulatory exercise devices such as walkers, ellipticals, and the like often incorporate handles, poles or the like which are independently movable of one another for enabling the user to achieve additional exercise of the upper body. In one aspect, it has been discovered that significant improvements may be achieved by incorporating one or more resistance bands into such exercise devices. 
     In this regard, one aspect of the disclosure relates to an improved exercise device of the type having independently movable handles which offers enhanced exercise attributes. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes an elongate handle member having a first portion pivotally mounted to a base and a second portion opposite the first portion and configured for grasping by a user; and a resistance system operable with the handle. 
     The resistance system includes an elastic band having a first end portion connected to the elongate handle member adjacent the first portion of the handle, a second end portion fixedly positionable relative to the first end portion of the elastic band, and a tension fulcrum positioned so that the band extends around the tension fulcrum. As the elongate handle member is moved in a first direction the movement thereof is resisted by the band to provide resistance exercise to the user. 
     In other aspects, the resistance system may be adapted to a wide variety of exercise devices to provide resistance to exercise motion. In such devices, which includes treadmill devices, the exercise device includes a user engaging member with which a user interacts with during performance of an exercise. A resistance system operably associated with the user engaging member to provide resistance exercise to the user during movement of the user engaging member by the user. 
     The resistance system includes an elastic band having a first end portion connected to the user engaging member, a second end portion fixedly positionable relative to the first end portion of the elastic band, and a tension fulcrum positioned so that the band extends around the tension fulcrum such that as the user engaging member is moved in a first direction the movement thereof is resisted by the band to provide resistance exercise to the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features of preferred embodiments of the invention will become apparent by reference to the detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale, wherein like reference numbers, indicate like elements through the several views, and wherein, 
         FIG. 1  is side view of an exercise device in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a close-up view of a handle and an associated resistance system of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows an alternate embodiment of a resistance system. 
         FIG. 4  is a close-up view of a portion of the resistance system of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of a resistance system. 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of another embodiment of an exercise machine having sliding handle members. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an exercise machine  10  having one or more independently elongate handle members  12 , and a resistance system  14  operatively associated with each of the members  12 . The exercise machine  10  is shown as a treadmill  16  having a frame  18  supporting a movable tread  20  upon which a user is supported. 
     The treadmill  16  shown in  FIG. 1  is a conventional treadmill of the type having an electrical motor driving the tread  20 . The frame  18  of the treadmill  16  includes a pair of stationary handles  22 . The treadmill  16  has been modified according to the disclosure to include the elongate handle members  12  and the resistance systems  14 , as described below. 
     The elongate handle members  12  may be provided as by poles  24  having a lower end portion  26  pivotally connected to a base, preferably provided by a portion of the frame  18  or other substantially immobile structure, as by a fastener, such as bolt  28 . To limit the travel of the poles  24 , rods  30  each having a stop  32  may be provided on the frame  18 . An upper portion of each of the poles  24  is configured for grasping by the user. The user may grasp the poles  24  and independently pivot the poles  24  in a forward and rearward direction, with the forward extent of travel limited by the resistance systems  14  and the rearward extent of travel limited by the stops  32 . An upper portion of each of the poles  24  preferably includes a connector  34 , such as a hook or other projection for connection of the resistance systems  14  thereto. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each resistance system  14  preferably includes a resistance band  40  having a first end  42  connected to the pole  24  via the connector  34  and a second end  44  positioned so that the band  40  extends around a tension fulcrum  46 , preferably provided as by a carriage roller rotatably secured to the stationary handle  22 . In this regard, it is preferred that the tension fulcrum  46  be provided by a roller or the like such that when force is exerted by the user to stretch the band  40 , the fulcrum  46  rolls the band  40  in the direction of the force exerted by the user. As a result, the band stretches more between the handle and the tension fulcrum than between the fulcrum and the opposite end of the band. This relative stretching has been observed to provide a smooth exercise motion for the user. 
     The tension fulcrum  46  is desirably positioned such that as the pole  24  is moved forward from a position corresponding to the location of the stop  32 , as indicated by the arrow F ( FIG. 2 ), the movement of the pole  24  is resisted by the band  40  to provide resistance exercise to the user. The end  44  may be secured in position to maintain the desired position of the band  40  around the tension fulcrum  46 , such as by securing the end  44  to a lower end of the pole  24 , to the frame  18 , or other fixed point. 
     A desired pre-set tension may independently be applied to each of the bands  40  as by selecting an appropriate length of band material. In this regard, a preferred band material is made of synthetic rubber materials such as latex or other elastomeric rubber-like materials. Alternatively, a length of cable  48  may be connected to the end  44  of the band  40  and secured to a fixed point to apply a desired pre-set tension to the band  40 . For example, a cable clamp  50  or other cable securing structure may be provided on the end of the fastener used to mount the tension fulcrum  46  or other fixed point for adjustably fixing the length of the cable  48  that extends between the end  44  of the band  40  and the clamp  50  to allow adjustment of the pre-set tension of the band  40 . To facilitate this, a cable fulcrum  52 , such as a pulley or the like may be secured to the frame  18  or other fixed point for positioning of the cable  44 . In this regard, it will be understood that the pre-set tension of the band  40  is the tension of the band  40  when the pole  24  is at rest against the stop  32 . 
     To use the machine  10 , a user may stand on the tread  20  and grasp the poles  24  while performing a perambulatory motion to resist the movement of the tread. To enhance the exercise experience, the user may urge the poles  24 , independently or simultaneously, or in an alternating fashion, in the direction of the arrow F as the user performs the perambulatory motion. It has been observed that such action by the user will provide resistance exercise for many body parts, including the arms, stomach, back, and legs to provide an overall exercise experience in excess of that experienced by simply resisting the motion of the tread  20  and not utilizing the poles  24 . The pre-set tensions of the bands  40  may be adjusted to provide the desired resistance. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of a resistance system  14 ′. The resistance system  14 ′ is substantially similar to the resistance system  14 , except the position of the tension fulcrum  46  is adjustable. Also, as seen, the end  44  of the band  40  is secured to a fixed point, such as the lower end of the pole  24 , or the frame  18 , such that the cable  48  is not utilized. 
     To enable adjustment of the position of the tension fulcrum  46 , the resistance system  14 ′ includes an adjustable fulcrum mount  60 , preferably located on the handle  22  or other portion of the frame. The mount  60  includes a plate  62  secured to the handle  22  and a pivot member  64  pivotally mounted to the plate  62  as by a fastener  66  or the like. The plate  62  includes a plurality of apertures  68  for receiving a pin or other stop adjustably positionable within the apertures  68  to limit the downward travel of the pivot member  64 . The pre-set tension of the band  40  is greater the higher the placement of the pin. For example, maintaining the fulcrum  46  at the position shown in  FIG. 4  yields a greater pre-set position than does the fulcrum position depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     The fulcrum  46  is preferably rotatably connected to the pivot member  46  as by a fastener # 72 , with a handle  74  preferably being included for enabling a user to grasp as seen in  FIG. 4  to facilitate adjustment of the position of the fulcrum  46 . That is, the user may grasp the handle  74  to pivot the member  64  upwardly away from the pin (against the resistance of the band  40 ) so that the pin may be relocated to a different one of the apertures  68 , after which the handle  74  is released such that the tension of the band  40  urges the pivot member  64  against the pin. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of a resistance system  14 ″. The resistance system  14 ″ is substantially similar to the resistance systems  14  and  14 ′, except that the band  40  travels around one or more additional rollers  80  in addition to the tension fulcrum  46  to render the band in a substantially compact, such as serpentine, configuration. As will be appreciated, this configuration enables the use of a relatively long band in a compact space. Thus, this configuration of a resistance system is particularly configured for compact exercise machines. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of an exercise machine which substantially corresponds to the exercise machine  10 , but having handle system  12 ′ instead of handles  12 . The handle system  12 ′ includes slides  90  which slidingly travel along guides  92  mounted to the frame  18 . A hand grip  94  extends between the slides  90  for grasping by a user. The slides  90  may be provided as by cylinders, preferably including interior bearings, which travel along the guides  92 , which may be rods, for example. The end of the band  40  of the resistance system  14 ,  14 ′, or  14 ″ may be connected to the hand grip  96  as by connector  34 ′, which may correspond to the connector  34 . 
     While the exercise machines are described herein as a treadmill, it will be understood, that the exercise machines may be of other configuration such as an elliptical machine or stationary bicycle, or stair climber or the like. The exercise machine  10  may also be otherwise configured, such as a weight lifting or resistance exercise device, with the resistance system incorporated to provide or enhance exercise resistance. 
     In the various configurations of the exercise machine, it will be understood that the exercise device includes a user engaging member with which a user interacts with during performance of an exercise. For example, the handle members  12  or other user engaging devices such as a pull handle or leg engaging member or the like with which the user interacts for exercise. A resistance system is operably associated with the user engaging member to provide resistance exercise to the user during movement of the user engaging member by the user. 
     The resistance system includes an elastic band having a first end portion connected to the user engaging member, a second end portion fixedly positionable relative to the first end portion of the elastic band, and a tension fulcrum positioned so that the band extends around the tension fulcrum such that as the user engaging member is moved in a first direction the movement thereof is resisted by the band to provide resistance exercise to the user. 
     The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only, and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.