Patent Abstract:
A weight bench system includes an adjustable headrest assembly. The adjustable headrest assembly is movable from a position flat with a backrest assembly to a multitude of articulated positions. To reset the headrest assembly back to the flat position, the headrest assembly is articulated to a fully articulated position, then returned to the flat position.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to weightlifting equipment, and more particularly to a weight bench with a headrest adjustable separate from a backrest.  
         [0002]     Weightlifters perform various exercises for the purpose of developing particular muscles throughout the body. These exercises can be performed through the use of free weights, such as barbells, or with machines. Many weightlifters prefer free weights because free weights permit the lifter to perform the exercises in a natural motion while utilizing pure body leverage in performing the exercise. This facilitates isolation of particular muscle groups and simulates actual athletic sports motions.  
         [0003]     Oftentimes when utilizing free weights in combination with a weight bench, the backrest and the seat of the weight bench are articulated to perform particular exercises. As the backrest of conventional weight benches are generally planar members, the weight bench may not provide proper head support for the weightlifter.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a weight bench which may be adjusted to have a proper head position.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A weight bench system according to the present invention includes an adjustable headrest assembly. The adjustable headrest assembly is movable from a position flat with a backrest assembly to a multitude of tilted positions. To reset the headrest assembly back to the flat position, the headrest assembly is articulated to a fully articulated position, then tilted back to the flat position.  
         [0006]     A hanging lock pin engages an opening within a guide plate of the headrest assembly. The hanging lock pin is center spring loaded such that as the headrest assembly is articulated through from the flat position, the hanging lock pin remains spring loaded forward. When the headrest assembly reaches the fully articulated position, the hanging lock pin is moved rearward within the guide plate opening until the hanging lock pin goes over center and becomes spring loaded in a rearward direction. The headrest assembly may then be tilted back to the flat position. As the headrest assembly reaches the flat position, the lock pin is again forced forward within the guide plate opening during the last portion of the travel such that the hanging lock pin again goes over center and is now spring loaded forward ready to be adjusted to the articulated positions once again.  
         [0007]     The present invention therefore provides a weight bench which may be adjusted to have a proper head position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the weight bench system;  
         [0010]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the weight bench system;  
         [0011]      FIG. 1C  is a top view of the weight bench system;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the weight bench system with the cushions removed;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of the weight bench system with the cushions removed;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the weight bench system illustrating the backrest assembly linkage and the seat assembly linkage;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the weight bench system illustrating the pivot axes of the linkages illustrated in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 5A-5G  show the weight bench system with the backrest in various articulated positions;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is an expanded perspective view of the headrest assembly of the weight bench system;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7A  is an exploded view of the headrest assembly;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7B  is an expanded perspective view of the headrest assembly;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7C  is a side view of a guide plate of the headrest assembly; and  
         [0021]      FIGS. 8A-8O  show the headrest assembly in various articulated positions. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]      FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate views of a weight bench system  10  with a separately adjustable seat assembly  12 , an adjustable backrest assembly  14  and an adjustable headrest assembly  16 . The seat assembly  12 , backrest assembly  14  and headrest assembly  16  are mounted to a frame assembly  18  that may include a foot rest  20 .  
         [0023]     A fore/aft lever assembly  22 , a seat adjustment pin assembly  24 , and a backrest adjustment pin assembly  26  provides for significant adjustment of the weight bench system  10 . Preferably, a remote handle assembly  28  (illustrated in  FIGS. 1B and 1C ) adjacent a handle bar  31  on the backrest assembly  14  provides for remote one-hand operation of the backrest adjustment pin assembly  26  such that the backrest assembly  14  may be articulated with one hand from an advantageously accessible position behind the weight bench system  10 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the frame assembly  18  includes a base assembly  30  and a rear leg assembly  32 . The base assembly  30  includes a first frame plate  34   a , a second frame plate  34   b  and a transverse front leg  36 . The transverse front leg  36  preferably includes rollers  38  to facilitate movement of the weight bench system  10 .  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the backrest assembly  14  supports the head rest assembly  16 . The backrest assembly  14  further includes a backrest cushion frame  40 , a rear backrest link  42  and a forward backrest link  44 . The rear backrest link  42  is pivotally mounted within the frame assembly  18  between the frame plates  34   a ,  34   b  at a backrest pivot axis B 1  ( FIG. 4 ) defined by the seat adjustment pin assembly  24 . The rear backrest link  42  receives the seat adjustment pin assembly  24  for movement within an adjustment slot  46  in the first frame plate  34   a  for engagement with a multiple of adjustment apertures  48 A- 48 G in the second frame plate  34   b  as will be further described.  
         [0026]     An opposite end segment of the rear backrest link  42  is pivotally attached to the forward backrest link  44  at a backrest pivot axis B 2  ( FIG. 4 ) which may be defined by a fastener, pivot pin or the like. It should be understood that various axles or pivot pin arrangements which attach the two components together while providing pivotal movement about the axis may also be utilized with the present invention.  
         [0027]     The forward backrest link  44  is pivotally mounted to an intermediate link  50  at an intermediate pivot axis I 1  which may be defined by a fastener, pivot pin or the like. The intermediate link  50  is the interface between the backrest assembly  14  and the seat assembly  12 .  
         [0028]     The seat assembly  12  includes a seat cushion frame support link  52 , a seat link  54 , an intermediate seat link  56  and a forward seat link  58  and a seat cushion frame  60 . The forward seat link  58  is mounted within the frame assembly  18  between the frame plates  34   a ,  34   b  at a seat pivot axis S 1  which may be defined by a fastener, pivot pin or the like. The forward seat link  58  is pivotally mounted to the intermediate seat link  56  at a seat pivot axis S 2  ( FIG. 4 ). The intermediate seat link  56  is pivotally mounted to the seat link  54  at a seat pivot axis S 3  and the seat cushion frame support link  52  at a seat pivot axis S 4  ( FIG. 4 ). That is, the seat axes S 2 , S 3 , S 4  are defined by the intermediate seat link  56  with the seat pivot axis S 3  intermediate the seat pivot axes S 2 , S 4 . The seat link  54  is pivotally mounted to the intermediate link  50  at an intermediate pivot axis I 2  which may be defined by a fastener, pivot pin or the like.  
         [0029]     The seat cushion frame support link  52  is also pivotally mounted to the intermediate link  50  at an intermediate pivot axis I 3  ( FIG. 4 ) which may be defined by a fastener, pivot pin or the like. A seat cushion frame  60  is pivotally mounted to the seat cushion frame support link  52  at the intermediate pivot axis I 3  such that the seat cushion frame  60  may be adjusted relative the seat cushion frame support link  52 .  
         [0030]     The seat cushion frame  60  may be adjusted relative the seat cushion frame support link  52  and locked into place by the seat adjustment pin assembly  24 . The seat cushion  60  may be adjusted by selectively engaging the seat adjustment pin assembly  24  into one of a multitude of apertures  62   a - 62   c  defined within the seat cushion frame. Preferably, the seat cushion frame  60  may be adjusted in five (5) degree increments to a plus five and plus ten degree position relative the seat cushion frame support link  52 , however, any number of adjustments at various increments may also be utilized with the present invention.  
         [0031]     The adjustable seat assembly  12  and the adjustable backrest assembly  14  provide synchronized movement as illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-5G . There are seven different back angle positions (0 degrees, 15, 30, 45, 60, 70, and 80) each associated with a position of the backrest adjustment pin assembly  26  which moves within the adjustment slot  46  in the first frame plate  34   a  for engagement with the multiple of adjustment apertures  48 A- 48 G in the second frame plate  34   b . It should be understood that each aperture  48 A- 48 G is associated with a position of the backrest position ( FIGS. 5A-5G ). It should be understood that any number or positions may also be utilized with the present invention.  
         [0032]     A unique feature of the adjustable seat assembly  12  and the adjustable backrest assembly  14  linkage is that the seat cushion frame  60  remains in a comfortable position relative to the backrest cushion frame  40  in all back angle positions. In other words, the angle between the seat assembly  12  and the backrest assembly  14  is reduced at a slower rate. For example, when the backrest cushion frame  40  of the backrest assembly  14  is at 80 degrees ( FIG. 5G ), the angle between the seat cushion frame  60  and backrest cushion is 91 degrees. As the forward seat link  58  is pivotally mounted to the intermediate seat link  56  at the seat pivot axis S 2 , the seat pivot axis S 2  transits first forward ( FIGS. 5A-5C ) until approximately the thirty degree position ( FIG. 5C ) then reverse aft toward the seat cushion frame for the remainder of the backrest cushion frame  40  movement ( FIGS. 5C-5G ). Such movement thereby maintains the advantageous relationship.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the adjustable headrest assembly  16  is located within the backrest cushion frame  40 . The adjustable headrest assembly  16  generally includes a headrest cushion frame  70  (also illustrated in  FIG. 7A ) which fits within the backrest cushion frame  40  preferably at least partially around the remote handle assembly  28 . The headrest cushion frame  70  is pivotally mounted to the backrest cushion frame  40  at a headrest pivot axis H. The headrest cushion frame  70  is biased in a direction toward the backrest cushion frame  40  by a set of springs  72  which are preferably mounted on fasteners  74  along the axis of rotation H. It should be understood that various pivot assemblies may alternatively or additionally be utilized.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 7A , movement of the headrest cushion frame  70  is defined by a headrest linkage  76 . The headrest linkage  76  generally includes a guide plate  78 , a hanging lock pin  80 , a pair of support arms  82   a ,  82   b  and a spring  84 . The support arms  82   a  and  82   b  are attached to the hanging lock pin  80  at one end and are pivotally mounted to the headrest cushion frame  70  with fasteners  86  at an opposite end to define a headrest linkage pivot axis Hp ( FIG. 7B ). The spring  84  is mounted to the hanging lock pin  80  and the headrest cushion frame  70  to center bias the hanging lock pin  80  ( FIG. 7B ). The hanging lock pin  80  extends through an opening  79  of the guide plate  78  to selectively engage a multiple of support detents  86  defined thereby.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIG. 7C , the guide plate  78  preferably defines a support detent  86   a  at a 0 degree position, a support detent at an eight (8) degree position  86   b , and a support detent at a twelve (12) degree position  86   c.  It should be understood that any number of headrest position detents at any desired angle will be usable with the present invention as defined by the guide plate  78 . The support detents  86  are located on one side of the opening  79 . An opposite side  88  of the opening  79  is preferably straight while an upper surface  90  and a lower surface  92  are sloped toward the support detents  86 . Preferably, the lower surface  92  smoothly interfaces with the zero degree support detent  86   a.    
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 8A-8O  the headrest assembly  16  is supported at the zero (0) degree position ( FIG. 8A ), the eight (8) degree position ( FIG. 8E ), and the twelve (12) degree position ( FIG. 8H ). As the hanging lock pin  80  is center biased by the spring  84  about a center line C ( FIG. 7C ), the center lock pin  80  is spring biased over the center to the outer periphery of the opening  79  in response to manual movement of the headrest cushion frame  70 . In other words, the spring  70  will bias the center lock pin  80  to either the support detents  86  side of the opening or the oppose side  88  depending on which side of the center line C the center lock pin  80  is on as guided by the upper and lower surfaces  90 ,  92 .  
         [0037]     When the headrest cushion frame  70  is raised to the point that the center lock pin  80  reaches the upper surface  90 , the center lock pin  80  is driven over center ( FIGS. 8I-8J ) and is now spring loaded rearward toward the opposite side  88 . As the headrest cushion frame  70  is moved to the zero degree position as assisted by the springs  72 , the center lock pin  80  is forced forward by the lower surface  92 , again driven over center ( FIG. 8O-8A ) and is now spring loaded forward within the zero degree support detent  86   a  ( FIG. 8A ).  
         [0038]     It should be understood that relative positional terms such as “forward,” “aft,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude and should not be considered otherwise limiting.  
         [0039]     The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0