Patent ID: 7004890

Claim:
A leg press exercise machine, comprising: a frame; a seat unit attached to the frame; a press mechanism pivotally attached to the frame, the press mechanism including a foot panel configured to receive an exerciser's feet during exercise and a front swing link pivotally interconnected with the frame, the press mechanism being configured such that the foot panel is movable along a generally longitudinal stroke path between a retracted position and a fully extended position, wherein the press mechanism further comprises a rear swing link pivotally interconnected with the frame and a connecting link fixed to and extending forwardly from the foot panel and pivotally interconnected with the rear swing link at a first pivot and with the front swing link at a second pivot; a resistance-imparting unit operatively connected with the press mechanism to provide resistance to the foot panel as it moves from the retracted position to the fully extended position; and a resistance coupling mechanism attached to the press mechanism and to the resistance-imparting unit, the resistance coupling mechanism including: a drawing link pivotally interconnected with the front swing link; and a control link pivotally interconnected with the drawing link and with the connecting link at a third pivot, and further is attached to the resistance-imparting unit.