Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/WO1989006993A1/en
Timestamp: 2020-01-28 17:14:47
Document Index: 590232898

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 1']

WO1989006993A1 - Exercise apparatus - Google Patents
WO1989006993A1
WO1989006993A1 PCT/GB1989/000069 GB8900069W WO8906993A1 WO 1989006993 A1 WO1989006993 A1 WO 1989006993A1 GB 8900069 W GB8900069 W GB 8900069W WO 8906993 A1 WO8906993 A1 WO 8906993A1
PCT/GB1989/000069
Carlo Virginio Girolami Ferrari
Ferrari Carlo Virginio Girolam
1988-01-26 Priority to GB888801701A priority Critical patent/GB8801701D0/en
1988-01-26 Priority to GB8801701 priority
1989-01-25 Application filed by Ferrari Carlo Virginio Girolam filed Critical Ferrari Carlo Virginio Girolam
1989-08-10 Publication of WO1989006993A1 publication Critical patent/WO1989006993A1/en
Portable exercise apparatus comprises a base plinth (1) pivotably connected to an upright member (2) which bears an upper control and display panel (3). In the middle of the plinth (1) is a forceplate (4) on which a user can stand or run-on-the-spot and which is associated with impulse and static load sensing means (not shown) which are connected to computing means adapted to monitor and communicate to the user via the control panel the expended exercise effort. Lateral hand grips (10) are telescopically received in angle supports (7) to enable the user to perform progressive resistance isotonic and isometric exercises, the expanded exercise effort again being sensed by the forceplate (4) by comparison to the user's static bodyweight and communicated to the user by visual or audible signals from the control panel (12). The equipment can be folded away into a flat box structure and carried by means of a handle, not shown.
The latter part of the twentieth century has seen a substantial growth in the number of ordinary citizens taking to regular exercise. The reason for this is that lack of exercise has been discovered to be associated with ill health and premature death by for example heart disease. Overweight is an additional contributory factor. Whereas in the middle of the twentieth century overweight was accepted as not abnormal in people of middle age, it is now unfashionable to be fat, to take unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking to excess, and to be unfit or "out of shape".
Greater study of human fitness has shown that there are separate identifiable forms of exercise which all have their own purpose and effect. One of the simplest forms of exercise is running which, without imposing too much strain on the body, enables the performer to expend energy and raise their heart rate during the exercise period so as to improve their cardio vascular condition.
There are other forms of exercise based on running such as many competitive sports, the level of expended effort in playing which is affected by the game and is therefore not wholly within the participant's control. Swimming is another form of cardio vascular exercise which, however, although easier than running in terms of strain on body joints is not as useful to the populace as a whole because it requires a swimming pool or the like which may not be conveniently available, and there can be breathing problems when the participant is short of breath and partially under water.
Another form of exercise which is not primarily intended to increase cardio vascular fitness to any great extent but does improve muscle tone and strength Is resistance exercise where a participant flexes his or her muscles against the resistance of weights, springs or, in isometric exercise, statically against the resistance of other muscle groups in the body or an immovable object.
Ideally a combination of these forms of exercise, running and resistance exercise gives the best overall result, but sometimes in practice such a combination is difficult to achieve. In for example icy weather conditions, running is dangerous so an exerciser may be restricted to an indoor weight training apparatus. Equally an exercisor may be away from home and not readily able to find a weight training apparatus although they are able to run. Similarly time constraints may prevent a user from using an indoor exercise apparatus and in addition also going outdoors for a run.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which can be fixed but preferably is readily portable and which enables a user to carry out a running-type exercise or preferably both forms of exercise mentioned above and also includes controlling means adapted to monitor and communicate to the user the level of effort which they expend on the exercise.
According to the invention there is provided exercise apparatus comprising a forceplate on which a user can stand and run-on-the-spot, static and impulse load sensing means operatively associated with the forceplate, and electronic computing means adapted to compare the output of the sensing means with the user's bodyweight in order to monitor and communicate to the user -the expended exercise effort of running on the spo .
Preferably the apparatus also includes a pair of lateral hand grips about which the user can perform progressive resistance isometric or isotonic exercise while standing on the forceplate, the computing means being adapted to compare the output of the sensing means with the user's own bodyweight in order to monitor and communicate to the user the expended exercise effort of said resistance exercise.
The computing means can be preprogrammed with exercise effort norms and communicates to the user when the norms are achieved. Alternatively or additionally the computing means may be adapted to be selectively programmed by the user with such norms. Thus, by comparing the static or impulse force sensed at the forceplate with the user's body weight and the norm selected, the computing" means can communicate to the user their level of expended effort and particularly whether they have reached the norm they have set, or has been integrally pre-set.
For example, if the user is running on the spot, their feet will strike the forceplate with a force greater than their body weight because of the upward acceleration of their body mass. The greater the running speed or running effort, the greater the acceleration and the apparatus can be set to sense a particular norm associated with a particular running effort or speed. The apparatus can be set for example so that only when the norm is reached will it actually register that a step has been made. Thus if the user does not put in enough effort the apparatus will not sense any exercise and register the number of paces. Thus a ten minute run at a rate of seven minutes per mile could take considerably longer if the required effort is not put in. In another embodiment of the apparatus, an uphill gradient can .be simulated by requiring a greater running-effort from the user.
In order that the invention may be readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C show sequencial views of the apparatus being packed away for transport,
Figs. 4-A and 4B show the apparatus being used for another form of resistance exercise.
The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 consists of three hingedly interconnected parts 1, 2 and 3- Part 1 is a floor mounted base which supports the remainder of the apparatus. In the centre of the base is a forceplate 4 upon which a user stands and which is supported by springs, electronic sensors or the like which in conjunction with electrical means not shown are able to measure the static or impulse load on the forceplate.
Part 2, which is supportedly connected to Part 1 by brackets 5 is an upstanding member which mounts brackets 6 in which are located angled supports 7 which mount into further brackets 8 mounted on base plate 1. The brackets 7 telescopically receive angle members 9 which form lateral hand grips 10 which can be raised or lowered and fixed in a desired position by means of pins 11 extending into corresponding apertures in member 9•
Part 3 which is angularly inclined to Part 2, so as to be easily seen by the user consists of various controls and visual display devices which are presettable and receive signals from forceplate 4 corresponding to the expended exercise effort sensed thereon. Part 3 has a display panel 12 consisting of an electronic screen, buttons, instructions and audible signal generating means adapted to communicate to the user the level of his expended exercise effort.
Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C show that the apparatus can be packed away for portability. In Fig. 2A, the angular members 7 have been removed from brackets 8 and folded flat against Part 2. In Fig. 2B, the base part 1 has been raised so as to lie substantially flat against Part 2, and in Fig. 2C the hinged part 3 has been lowered so as to be contiguous with part 1 and reveal a carrying handle 13-
Fig. 3A shows the apparatus being used for an 'isometric exercise. The hand grip is set to a suitable height for the user's arms to be bent half way. The user can then press down on the handles without movement and the corresponding reduction in force sensed at the forceplate will be computed and communicated back to the user through the display panel as a measure of the actual force applied during the exercise.
In Fig. 3B, the hand grips are set lower to enable isotonic performance of the same exercise. Here, the user bends their legs and can help restraighten their body by pressing downwards on the hand grips which will lower the load sensed on the forceplate by an amount equal to the exercising force generated by the arms.
Figs. 4A and 4B show similar exercises, i.e. isometric and isotonic where the exercise is an overhead press, sometimes known as a standing press. In Fig. 4A the hand grips are set high and the user simply pushes up on them without movement which this time increases the force sensed on the forceplate. Again the display means will tell the user the actual exercising force and whether sufficient force has been expended, and can also compute the amount of time for which the exercise is performed. In Fig. 4B, an Isotonic exercise is performed where the user bends their legs as they push up on the hand grips to obtain full extension of their arms.
Most of the more common exercises can be performed on the apparatus of the invention, for instance chin- ups, triceps pushdown, high pulls, biceps curls, and even a bench press where the bench is placed on the forceplate so that the sensing means can register the expended effort.
1. Exercise apparatus comprising a forceplate on which a user can stand and run-on-the-spot, static and impulse load sensing means operatively associated with the forceplate, and electronic computing means adapted to compare the output of the sensing means with the user's bodyweight in order to monitor and communicate to the user the expended exercise effort of running on the spot.
2. Exercise apparatus according to claim 1 including a pair of lateral hand grips about which the user can perform progressive resistance isometric or isotonic exercise while standing on the forceplate, the computing means being adapted to compare the output of the sensing means with the user's own bodyweight in order to monitor and communicate to the user the expended exerise effort of said resistance exercise.
3. Exercise apparatus according to claim 1..or 2 in which the computing means is adapted to be selectively programmed with exercise effort norms and to communicate to the user when said norms are achieved.
4. Exercise apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which the computing means is preprogrammed with exercise effort norms and is adapted to communicate to the user when said norms are achieved.
5. Exercise apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which said computing means includes a user operable control and display panel.
6. Exercise apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which said computing means includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the user.
7. Exercise apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which said forceplate is set into a base plinth.
8. Exercise apparatus according to claim 2 or any of the subsequent claims dependant on claim 2 in which the hand grips are supported from an upright member.
9- Exercise apparatus according to claim 7 and 8 in which the hand grips are additionally supported by locating means on said plinth.
10. Exercise apparatus according to claim 9 in which the hand grips include grip members which are telescopically received in angled support members extending in use between the upright member and the plinth. -
11. Exercise apparatus according to claim 10 in which the angled support members are pivotable so as to lie against the upright member.
12. Exercise apparatus according to claim 11 in which - li ¬
the plinth is pivotable with respect to the upright member so as to overlie the angled support members.
13- Exercise apparatus according to claims 5 and 10 in which the control panel is pivotally mounted on the upright member and foldable so as to overlie same.
14. Exercise apparatus according to claim 13 including a carry handle for transporting the apparatus in the folded away configuration.
15. Exercise apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
PCT/GB1989/000069 1988-01-26 1989-01-25 Exercise apparatus WO1989006993A1 (en)
GB888801701A GB8801701D0 (en) 1988-01-26 1988-01-26 Exercise apparatus
GB8801701 1988-01-26
WO1989006993A1 true WO1989006993A1 (en) 1989-08-10
ID=10630550
PCT/GB1989/000069 WO1989006993A1 (en) 1988-01-26 1989-01-25 Exercise apparatus
US (1) US4927138A (en)
AU (1) AU3181489A (en)
GB (1) GB8801701D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1989006993A1 (en)
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WO2009149937A1 (en) * 2008-06-11 2009-12-17 Soehnle Professional Gmbh & Co. Kg Weighing scales
US5234391A (en) * 1987-09-25 1993-08-10 Leonard Schwartz Water exercise apparatus
US5169362A (en) * 1990-09-05 1992-12-08 Leonard Schwartz Strength-aerobic exercise method
US6033351A (en) * 1998-10-05 2000-03-07 Sizemore, Iii; James A. Abdominal exercise apparatus for use in a pool
WO2008008340A2 (en) * 2006-07-11 2008-01-17 Juvent, Inc. System and method for a low profile vibrating plate
DE842613C (en) * 1950-03-21 1952-06-30 Karl Kuschel Gymnastikgeraet
FR1124173A (en) * 1955-03-25 1956-10-05 rehabilitation device briefcase
JPS54140628A (en) * 1978-04-20 1979-11-01 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co Training device
1988-01-26 GB GB888801701A patent/GB8801701D0/en active Pending
1988-07-01 US US07/214,474 patent/US4927138A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
1989-01-25 AU AU31814/89A patent/AU3181489A/en not_active Abandoned
1989-01-25 WO PCT/GB1989/000069 patent/WO1989006993A1/en unknown
EP0451147A4 (en) * 1988-12-16 1991-10-30 Osteo-Dyne, Inc. Method and device for rehabilitating bone disorders
AU3181489A (en) 1989-08-25
US4927138A (en) 1990-05-22
GB8801701D0 (en) 1988-02-24