Abstract:
A squat rack includes a frame, a tread unit, a lifting unit, a pulling unit and a connector. The tread unit includes two treads connected to and located on two sides of the frame for supporting a user&#39;s feet so that the frame is firmly kept on the ground by the user. The lifting unit is pivotally connected to the frame and located behind the user in operation. The pulling unit includes a middle portion pivotally connected to a front end of the frame. The connector pivotally connects a lower end of the pulling unit to the lifting unit so that the user can pull the pulling unit to cause the lifting unit to support the user&#39;s hips via the connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an exercise machine and, more particularly, to a squat rack. 
         [0003]    2. Related Prior Art 
         [0004]    To squat, a person has to use his or her upper legs, abdomen and lower back. Hence, a person can squat to exercise muscles in his or her torso, waist, abdomen, hips and upper legs. However, a person can exert too much stress in his or her knees or upper legs and hence excessively wear the knees or pull the muscles in the upper legs. 
         [0005]    Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 313866 discloses a conventional squat rack for helping a user squat. The conventional squat rack includes a lower tube 1 connected to a upper tube 2, a seat tube 10 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a leg tube 20 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a handle 30 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a connector 4 for connecting the seat tube 10 to the leg tube 20, and a connector 40 for connecting the seat tube 10 to the handle 30. Thus, the leg tube 20 is pivoted together with the handle 30. Hence, the user&#39;s hands, torso and legs move together with the conventional squat rack. Hence, the user&#39;s muscles in the waist and upper legs are only subject to light loads. That is, the user does not exercise the waist and upper legs sufficiently. The conventional squat rack is not effective in helping the user to exercise the waist and upper legs. 
         [0006]    The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive squat rack squat rack for helping a user squat. 
         [0008]    It is another objective of the present invention to provide a squat rack with which a user exercises without exerting excessive stress in his or her muscles. 
         [0009]    To achieve the foregoing objectives, the squat rack includes a frame, a tread unit, a lifting unit, a pulling unit and a connector. The tread unit includes two treads connected to and located on two sides of the frame for supporting a user&#39;s feet so that the frame is firmly kept on the ground by the user. The lifting unit is pivotally connected to the frame and located behind the user in operation. The pulling unit includes a middle portion pivotally connected to a front end of the frame. The connector pivotally connects a lower end of the pulling unit to the lifting unit so that the user can pull the pulling unit to cause the lifting unit to support the user&#39;s hips via the connector. 
         [0010]    Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a squat rack for helping a user squat according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the squat rack shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of the squat rack shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a right side view of a user using the squat rack shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a right side view of the squat rack shown in  FIG. 1  in a adjustment operation; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a right side view of the squat rack in a collapsed position other than the extended position shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of a squat rack for helping a user squat according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a right side view of a user using the squat rack shown in  FIG. 9 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , a squat rack includes a frame  10 , a lifting unit  20  and a pulling unit  30  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The frame  10  includes an upper tube  11  and a lower tube  12 . The upper tube  11  includes a crossbar  111  at a lower end. A middle portion of the upper tube  11  is pivotally connected an upper end of the lower tube  12  by a pivotal joint  13 . The lower tube  12  includes a crossbar  121  at a lower end. The pivotal joint  13  includes two lugs (not numbered) connected to the upper end of the lower tube  12  by welding for example, an axle  131  inserted in the upper tube  11 , and a pin  132  selectively inserted in the upper tube  11 . When the lower tube  12  is opened relative to the upper tube  11 , the pin  132  is inserted in the lugs of the pivotal joint  13  and the upper tube  11 , to keep the lower tube  12  in position relative to the upper tube  11 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the pin  132  is selectively pulled from the upper tube  11  to allow pivoting of the lower tube  12  relative to the upper tube  11 . 
         [0024]    The lifting unit  20  is pivotally connected to the upper tube  11  of the frame  10 . The lifting unit  20  includes a seat tube  21 , a seat  22  and a strut  25 . A front, lower end of the seat tube  21  is pivotally connected to a middle portion of the upper tube  11 . The seat  22  is supported on the seat tube  21 . The seat  22  is elongated element on which a user can move to and fro. The position of the seat  22  on the seat tube  21  is preferably adjustable. A rear, upper end of the strut  25  is pivotally connected to a rear, upper end of the seat tube  21 . A front, lower end of the strut  25  is pivotally connected to the upper tube  11  the frame  10  via a pivotal joint  26 . The pivotal joint  26  includes a plurality of apertures  27  arranged about a pivotal center. Referring to  FIG. 7 , a pin  28  is inserted in a selected one of the apertures  27  to locate the strut  25  at a selected one of several angles relative to the upper tube  11 , thus adjusting the elevation of the seat tube  21  on the strut  25 . 
         [0025]    The pulling unit  30  is pivotally connected the upper tube  11  of the frame  10 . The pulling unit  30  includes a lever  31 , an extensive element  310 , a fastener  33  and a handle  32 . A middle portion of the lever  31  is pivotally connected to the front, upper end of the upper tube  11 . The extensive element  310  is telescopically connected to the lever  31 . The handle  32  is connected to a front, upper end of the extensive element  310 . The extensive element  310  includes apertures  311 . The fastener  33  is inserted in a selected one of the apertures  311  to adjust the entire length of the combination of the extensive element  310  with the lever  31 , i.e., the stroke of the pivotal movement of the handle  32  on the lever  31 . 
         [0026]    The pulling unit  30  is operatively connected to the lifting unit  20 . A rear, lower end of the lever  31  is connected to a middle portion of the seat tube  21  via a connector  35 . Thus, the user exerts a lifting force on the seat tube  21  when he or she exerts a pulling force on the lever  31 . In a process of standing up, the pulling force facilitates backward and upward movement of the handle  32  to help his or her legs to sand up. In a process of squatting, the pulling force slows rearward and downward movement of the seat tube  21  to help his or her legs squat. There is a adjustment unit  36  between the lever  31  and the connector  35 . 
         [0027]    The adjustment unit  36  includes apertures  38  in the lever  31  and apertures  37  in the connector  35 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , a pin  39  is inserted in a selected one of the apertures  38  and a selected one of the apertures  37  to adjust the tilt of the lever  31  to adjust a stroke of movement of the lifting unit  20  relative to the pulling unit  30 . 
         [0028]    The apertures  38  are used to adjust the mechanical effect of the leverage of the lever  31  and hence the pulling force required to help the user stand up and squat. For example, referring to  FIG. 8 , the pin  39  can be inserted in one of the apertures closer to the handle  32  to use his or her hands to provide more support to his or her legs. 
         [0029]    The pin  39  can be pulled out of the apertures  37  and  38  to allow the lever  31  to collapse relative to the upper tube  11 . 
         [0030]    There can be a plurality of apertures  37  and only one aperture  38  in an alternative embodiment. There can be only one aperture  37  and a plurality of apertures  38  in an alternative embodiment. 
         [0031]    The tread unit  15  is securely connected to the frame  10 . The user can set his or her feet on the tread unit  15  to use his or her own weight to keep the frame  10  still on the ground while using the squat rack. The tread unit  15  includes two treads  151  and  152  connected to two ends of the crossbar  121 , which is connected to the front, lower end of the lower tube  12 . In a horizontal sense, the tread unit  15  is located between the point of connection of the seat tube  21  with the upper tube  11  and the point of connection of the lever  31  with the upper tube  11 , thus enabling the user to completely stretch his or her legs while standing up. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , in use, the user sets his or her feet on the treads  151  and  152  of the tread unit  1 , and holds the handle  32  of the pulling unit  30  with his or her hands. Then, the user pulls the lever  31  of the pulling unit  30  towards his or her chest and lifts the seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  towards his or her hips via the connector  35 , thus helping the user stand up. 
         [0033]    Then, referring to  FIG. 5 , the user bends his or her knees and lowers the hips. That is, the user is in a half-stand-half-squat position. The lifting unit  20  supports the hips since the user holds the handle  32  of the pulling unit  30 , and the lever  31  is connected to the seat tube  21  via the connector  35 . The user can further bend his or her knees and lowers the hips without much difficult because the hips and hence the legs are supported by the seat  22  that is lifted by the hands via the connector  35 . 
         [0034]    The steps shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  can be repeated to enable the user to squat and stand repeatedly. Hence, the user can be used to exercise and train his or her muscles. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the angle of the strut  25  of the lifting unit  20  is changed to change the elevation of the seat tube  21  to increase the extent to which the user squat. The adjustment unit  36  of the lever  31  of the pulling unit  30  is inserted in a selected one of the aperture  37  of the connector  35  to locate the lever  31  at a desired angle corresponding to the length of the user&#39;s arms. Thus, the user can squat lower. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 through 11 , there is a squat rack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except for including a telescopic element  23  between the point of connection of the seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  to the upper tube  11  and the crossbar  111 . There is at least one elastic element  40  between the extensive element  23  and the frame  10  so that the seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  tends to be raised as shown in  FIG. 10 . The elastic element  40  can be a spring, an elastic strip, or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , in use the user sets his or her feet on the treads  151  and  152  of the tread unit  15  and holds the handle  32  of the pulling unit  30  with hands. The elastic element  40  pulls the extensive element  23  backwards. The extensive element  23  lifts the seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  to the user&#39;s hips. The seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  is connected to the lever  31  of the pulling unit  30  via the connector  35 . Hence, the lever  31  of the pulling unit  30  moves towards the chest of the user to keep the user stand up because. 
         [0038]    Then, referring to  FIG. 11 , to squat, the user holds the handle  32  of the pulling unit  30  by the hands. Since the connector  35  is arranged between the lever  31  and the seat tube  21 , the lifting unit  20  supports the user by the hips. The extensive element  23  of the seat tube  21  extends and hence loads the elastic element. The elastic element  40  pulls back and moves the seat tube  21  of the lifting unit  20  to the user&#39;s hips when the user stands up again. Hence, the seat  22  of the seat tube  21  supports the user by the hips. 
         [0039]    The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.