Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EXERCISE APPARATUS
Description
The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus comprising a frame
which
has supported thereon a hip rest and a leg support.
Exercise apparatuses of the above-described type are known from the prior art
as
back trainers. The training person is normally lying with his/her hip and
thighs on
the hip rest and supports his/her legs on the leg support, so that the upper
part of
the body is pivotable around the hip joint. Such exercises can be performed in
a
horizontal initial position or in a slightly inclined initial position. To
permit an
adaptation to different human sizes, the leg support is normally adjustable in
its
height, and the hip rest is displaceably supported on the frame.
These known exercise apparatuses have the drawback that they can only be used
for training the muscles of the back.
The prior art also shows bench-like apparatuses, similar to a push bench, in
the
case of which it is possible to lean laterally on the bench in an inclined
position for
exercising the lateral body muscles (lateral trainer).
It is the object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus
which is of
a simple construction and can be produced at low costs and operated easily and
which can be used for exercising the back muscles and also as a lateral
trainer.
According to the invention this object is achieved by the features of the main
claim;
the subclaims show further advantageous developments of the invention.
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Thus, in accordance with the invention, the hip rest is supported on the
exercise
apparatus in such a manner that it can be displaced from a substantially
horizontal
into a substantially vertical position.
The exercise apparatus of the invention is characterized by several
considerable
advantages. First of all, it offers the possibility of performing two
different types of
exercises with one apparatus, namely as a lateral trainer and as a back
stretching
trainer. The hip rest can be adjusted in a particularly simple manner so that
even
persons who are not versed in technical matters can carry out the adjusting
operation in an easy and simple manner.
Since the apparatus can be installed in a space-saving manner, it is suited
for the
most different applications without requiring a lot of space. In particular,
there is no
need for several individual devices, as in the case of the prior art. As a
consequence, the apparatus is particularly suited for use at home where, in
contrast to fitness studios, the available space is in general much smaller.
In a further advantageous development of the invention, the hip rest is
pivotable
about a horizontal axis. An adjustment about a vertical axis can be realized
constructionally in a particularly simple manner, resulting in a stable
construction
for pivoting or tilting the hip rest.
The hip rest is preferably supported on a bearing pedestal which is firmly
connected to the frame. Such a bearing pedestal can be dimensioned in an
adequate manner for reliably introducing the forces particularly produced by
heavyweight persons, into the frame.
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To fix the respective position of the hip rest and to reliably support the
same, it is
advantageous when the hip rest is supported by means of an adjustable support
strut. Said strut may preferably be of a telescopic type and/or may be
provided
with a fixing device.
The hip rest advantageously comprises a hip cushion which is adjustable in
longitudinal direction. As a result, an adaptation to different lengths of the
legs or
to different sizes of the exercising persons is possible. It is of particular
advantage
when the hip cushion is provided at least in a portion with a central recess.
In
particular in the case of lateral exercises, said central recess serves to
center and
hold the lateral pelvic portion to avoid unintended falling or slipping. The
recess
can also extend over the entire length of the hip cushion.
The leg support is configured to be vertically adjustable for adaption of the
exercise apparatus in an advantageous installation; furthermore, it is
advantageous when the leg support is provided on its lower portion with a foot
rest. In a further advantageous development of the invention said footrest may
be
provided with an inclined tread plate and/or may be configured to be
vertically
adjustable. The inclined tread plate is particularly advantageous in the case
of
lateral exercises to ensure a safe standing position of the exercising person
who is
standing in a laterally inclined position.
The invention will now be explained with reference to an embodiment taken in
conjunction with the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective simplified view of the exercise apparatus of the
invention in
a back stretching position;
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Fig. 2 is a perspective view analogous to Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view analogous to Fig. 1, in a lateral training
position with
an upwardly displaced hip cushion;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the arrangement according to Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a perspective arrangement similar to Fig. 3, with a downwardly
positioned
hip cushion; and
Fig. 6 is a further perspective view of the arrangement according to Fig. 5.
The exercise apparatus according to the invention comprises a frame 1 which
may
be configured in the form of a tubular frame and may be provided with a cover
plate. The frame 1 is preferably made very stable and as heavy as possible to
ensure a safe standing position of the exercise apparatus.
The frame 1 has secured thereto a bearing pedestal 4 which on its lower
portion
supports a telescopic support strut 5 by means of a horizontal axis or shaft
11. In
its upper tube the support strut 5 comprises a plurality of recesses into
which a
bolt of a fixing device 6 can be inserted in a detachable manner. Thus the
length of
the support strut 5 is variable by means of the fixing device 6.
On its upper portion the support strut 5 is supported by means of a horizontal
axis
or shaft 12 on a U-shaped frame 13 of a hip rest 2. The hip rest, in turn, is
pivotably supported on the bearing pedestal 4 by means of a horizontal axis or
shaft 11. Thus the inclination of the frame 13 of the hip rest 2 can be
adjusted by
changing the length of the support strut 5, as follows from Figs. 1 to 6.
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Furthermore, the exercise apparatus according to the invention comprises a hip
cushion 7 which is provided with a central recess 8. The hip cushion 7 is
secured
to an auxiliary frame 14 (see Figs. 3 and 5). The auxiliary frame 14 comprises
lateral struts 15, 16 whose ends have mounted thereon handles 17, 18. The
struts
15, 16 are displaceably received in guides 19, 20 which are secured to frame
13.
Guides 19, 20 comprise fixing means 21, 22 with the aid of which a bolt (not
shown) can detachably be inserted into the recesses (shown) of the struts 15,
16.
It is thereby possible to displace the hip rest 2 along frame 13. Each of
Figs. 5 and
6 shows a position in which the hip rest 2 is in an inclined lateral training
position
and displaced into a lower position, whereas Figs. 3 and 4 show a
corresponding
inclined positioning of the hip rest 2 in the case of which said rest has been
displaced into an upper position.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the hip rest 2 is oriented in a horizontal direction and is
in a central
position, based on frame 13.
The exercise apparatus according to the invention further comprises a vertical
support 23 which is firmly connected to frame 1. A guide tube 24 which is
provided
with a fixing device 26 slides on the vertical support 23. The fixing device
26 is
also configured in the form of a manually operable screw or in a similar way.
The
guide tube 24 has secured thereto a footrest 9 whose lower end is designed in
the
form of a bent tread plate 10.
Furthermore, the vertical support 23 has displaceably supported thereon a
guide
tube 25 whose free end has mounted thereon lateral leg cushions 28. A leg
support 3 is formed thereby. The guide tube 25 is provided with a fixing
device 27
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which may also be designed in the form of a clamping screw, or the like,
similar to
the fixing device 26.
A vertical adjustment can be carried out by adjusting the footrest 9 and the
leg
support 3.
The tread plate 10 is e.g. inclined at an angle of 55°; the hip rest 2
can e.g. be
displaced from the horizontal into an inclined position having an angle of
70°.
The exercise apparatus of the invention thus permits very different exercises
and
can in particular be used for overweight or older persons in a particularly
simple
and suitable manner.
The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Rather, many
alterations
and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.
According to the invention the following should be noted:
The invention relates to an exercise apparatus comprising a frame 1 which has
supported thereon a hip rest 2 and a leg support 3, characterized in that the
hip
rest 2 is displaceable from a substantially horizontal into a substantially
vertical
position. (Fig. 4).
