APPAREIL D'EXERCICE PHYSIQUE

APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Abrégé français

Appareil pour exercices physiques, comprenant un support tubulaire principal dont une extrémité est faite pour reposer sur le plancher, tandis que l'autre comporte une barre transversale destinée à recevoir les mains de l'utilisateur. L'extrémité inférieure du support principal est reliée, de façon articulée, à un second support tubulaire plus court, dont l'extrémité supérieure est munie d'une barre transversale servant à recevoir les pieds de l'utilisateur, ainsi que des élastiques reliant la barre transversale pour les pieds et la barre transversale pour les mains. Les élastiques fournissent une résistance à l'étirement que l'utilisateur doit contrer pour faire de l'exercice.

Abrégé anglais

The apparatus for physical exercises features a
principal tubular support designed to rest on the floor at
one end and having at the other end a crossbeam destined
to receive the user's hands and a second shorter tubular
support, joined close to the lower end of the principal
tubular support, by an articulation, having at its upper
end a crossbeam destined to receive the user's feet and
elastic means of connection between the crossbeam for the
feet and the crossbeam for the hands, to permit physical
exercise by counteracting the resistance to traction of
these said elastic elements.

Revendications

- 5 -
CLAIMS
1.- Apparatus for physical exercises,
characterized in that it is comprised of a principal
tubular support designed to rest on the floor at one end
and having at the other end a crossbeam destined to
receive the user's hands and a second shorter tubular
support, joined close to the lower end of the principal
tubular support, by an articulation, having at its upper
end a crossbeam destined to receive the user's feet and
elastic means of connection between the crossbeam for the
feet and the crossbeam for the hands, to permit physical
exercise by counteracting the resistance to traction of
these said elastic elements.
2.- Apparatus for physical exercise according to
claim 1, characterised in that the elastic elements are
made out of rubber elements with a variable number of
elements to be used as well as a variable number of turns
around the crossbeams for the hands and feet respectively.
3.- Apparatus for physical exercise according to
claim 1, characterised in that the principal tubular
support has a dismountable element in the middle part,
enabling a reduction of the dimensions of the apparatus,
once folded.

Description

CA 02244270 1998-07-28
,
APPARATUS ~OR PHYSICAL EXERCISE
DESCRIPTIVE MEMORANDUM
The present invention refers to an apparatus for
physical exercise showing advantageous features as against
those currently known allowing a simplified and versatile
use.
As is known, there are many physical exercise
apparatus in the awareness of the public which claim to
deliver to the users the necessary means to carry out a
series of physical exercises in limited spaces, and
therefore of special application in the home.
However, in many cases, the apparatuses
currently known, suffer from certain complications
requiring stabilization or fixing to the floor, or having
considerable dimensions and weight in order to achieve
stability, or offer the inconvenience that they are only
appropriate for a reduced range of physical exercises.
The apparatus subject of the present invention
is designed with simplicity to provide physical exercise
and is built in a simple way in its basic elements but
combined to give great versatility in its use, enabling
the carrying out of a very varied series of physical
exercises in a reduced space and in a very convenient
manner.
The apparatus of this invention essentially
comprises a principal support in the form of a tubular
support fitted in its upper part with a crossbeam and
handles to receive the two hands of the user and in its
lower part designed to be able to rest on the floor, with
a second tubular support articulated close to the lower
part of the principal support and shorter than the first
which at its upper end is also fitted with a crossbeam
designed for the user's feet.
An elastic connection is established, specially
made of rubber strands or of another type, between the two
cross-pieces, the upper one that is normally used as

; CA 02244270 1998-07-28
handles and the lower one normally destined for the users
feet, connecting the ends of both crossbeams, enabling
various physical exercises to be undertaken counteracting
the resistance to traction of these elastic elements.
Thus, for example, it is very practical to use
the apparatus for exercising the arms, back, chest muscles
and legs using the apparatus in a sitting position with
the principal tubular support placed upright on the floor,
supporting the feet on one crossbeam and holding the
apparatus with the hands on the other upper cross-beam of
the principal tubular support.
It is also possible to use the apparatus of the
present invention for exercises similar to those in the
sport of rowing. In this case, the user will be in a
sitting position, support the feet on the crossbeam of the
shorter tubular support, the hands on the handles while
the principal tubular support will be in the air.
Exercises for the legs can also be carried out
either standing or seated or for the arms in an arched
position as well as many other exercises which this new
and original apparatus offers to the user.
For greater comprehension some illustrations are
attached, in an explanatory but not limitative manner,
showing some examples of the use of the present invention
destined for a complete physical exercise session.
Figures 1 and 2 show views in perspective of the
apparatus of the present invention, from the back and the
front, respectively.
Figure 3 shows a side view of the apparatus.
Figures 4 and 5 represent sketched views of two
examples of using the apparatus of the present invention.
As can be appreciated in the drawings, the
apparatus of the present invention comprises essentially
two long tubular struts of different lengths with an
articulation between them. One of these, the principal
tubular support -1- is fitted at the lower end with a

CA 02244270 1998-07-28
cushioned support -2- to rest upon the floor with a
crossbeam at the upper end -3- destined for use as a
hAndle with elastic cushioned or similar sleeves -4- and
-5- to facilitate its use by the hands. The second
longitudinal tubular support of the apparatus is shown
with reference numeral -6- and is articulated at the joint
-7- at its lower end, where it connects with the principal
tubular support -1- close to its lower end. The tubular
support also has a top crossbeam -8- to support the user's
feet.
Essential to the subject of the present
invention is the connection by means of elastic elements
-9- established between the crossbeam -8- for the feet and
the crossbeam -3- for the hands so that the different
exercises to be carried out with the apparatus are based
specifically on the resistance to traction of thé elastic
elements -9- in opposition, which must be overcome in the
physical exercises.
The elastic elements -9- can be made, preferably
of rubber, and can be given more or less turns between the
anchorage points allowing an easy adjustment of the effort
required by the user to overcome their resistance. Also
the number of elastic elements applied on to the apparatus
can be easily increased or decreased allowing an
additionally greater variation in the effort of the user
while performing the different exercises.
An additional important feature of the apparatus
of the present invention rests on the fact that the long
tubular support -1- can be easily dismantled for which
purpose it has a convenient dismantling device in its
middle part indicated with reference numeral -15-. This
allows the aforementioned support to be easily and rapidly
dismantled for packaging in a box of small dimensions or
for the apparatus to be kept easily in a drawer, suitcase,
etc.
Given the features of the apparatus, it allows

CA 02244270 1998-07-28
a very versatile use with a large number of different
exercises to be carried out.
As examples, but not in any way limited to
these, figures 4 and 5 show two types of exercises, the
first of these shows a human figure -10- in a seated
position on a chair or similar support, holding the upper
crossbeam with the hands -11- and resting the feet -12- on
the lower crossbeam, enabling the person to perform very
comprehensive exercises using the muscles of arms, hands,
chest, back, legs, etc.
In the other example of use, represented in
figure 5, the user is shown in the seated position on a
flat surface -13- with the feet on the crossbeam destined
for the feet while holding the other crossbeam with the
hands and performing exercises by movements such as those
indicated by the arrow -14- resulting in the simultaneous
action of arms and legs.
Another advantage of the apparatus of the
present invention consists in the very small space it
occupies when folded. As is shown in figure 3, the folded
apparatus occupies a minimum space, not very different
from the space occupied by an umbrella or similar
household product, so that putting it away for storage
when not in use does not offer any problem for the user.

Dessin représentatif