Exercise apparatus and method with sliding handle assembly
AssigneeCybex International, Inc.
InventorRaymond Giannelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Exercise apparatus and method including a slidable handle assembly. In one embodiment, a support arm structure, pivotally mounted on an upright frame, enables alternatively fixed positioning of a rod at various vertical distances above a ground plane, in a generally horizontal orientation. A pair of left and right handle bracket assemblies are sildably mounted on the rod, and can be engaged by a user for moving the slidable handle bracket assembly across the rod while overcoming a resistance established by an adjustable resistance mechanism (e.g., weight stack). In one embodiment, the apparatus and method are used for developing muscles used during trunk rotation of a user in a standing position.
Claims22
An exercise apparatus is provided comprising:
- an elongated rod mounted on a frame, the rod having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends;
- a pair of pulleys each mounted on an associated sleeve that is slidably mounted on the elongated rod;
- each of the pulleys being interconnected to a force resistance mechanism and adapted to be held in a stable rest position at respective ones of the first and second ends of the elongated rod;
- the pulleys each comprising a respective pulley wheel, the pulleys being interconnected by a pull cable having opposing ends wound around and interconnecting the pulley wheels;
- each end of the pull cable being interconnected to an associated hand grip;
- the interconnection between the pulleys and the force resistance mechanism being arranged such that when the user grasps a selected one of the hand grips and moves the hand grip away from the longitudinal axis, the pulley associated with the selected hand grip is slidable along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rod under forcible resistance from the force resistance mechanism.
Method of performing a muscle exercise comprising providing an exercise apparatus comprised of a frame stationary with respect to a ground surface on which a user is disposed for performing an exercise, an elongated rod mounted on the frame having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, a pair of pulleys each mounted on an associated sleeve that is slidably mounted on the elongated rod, wherein each of the pulleys is interconnected to a force resistance mechanism and wherein the pulleys are interconnected by a pull cable having opposing ends each interconnected to an associated hand grip engageable by the user, the method further comprising:
- the user grasping a selected one of the hand grips and moving the selected grip away from the longitudinal axis of the rod with a degree of force sufficient to overcome the force resistance mechanism such that the pulley and sleeve associated with the selected hand grip slides along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rod.
An exercise apparatus comprising:
- an elongated rod mounted on a frame, the rod having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends;
- a pair of pulleys each mounted on an associated sleeve that is slidably mounted on the elongated rod;
- each of the pulleys being interconnected to a force resistance mechanism and adapted to be held in a stable rest position at respective ones of the first and second ends of the elongated rod;
- the pulleys each comprising a respective pulley wheel, the pulleys being interconnected by a pull cable having opposing ends wound around and interconnecting the pulley wheels;
- each end of the pull cable being interconnected to an associated hand grip;
- the interconnection between the pulleys and the force resistance mechanism being arranged such that when the user grasps a selected one of the hand grips and moves the hand grip away from the longitudinal axis, the pulley associated with the selected hand grip is slidable along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rod under forcible resistance from the force resistance mechanism;
- and
- the rod being mounted on the frame such that the longitudinal axis of the rod is disposed in a generally horizontal orientation.
An exercise apparatus comprising:
- an elongated rod mounted on a frame having a longitudinal axis;
- a pair of pulleys each mounted on an associated sleeve adapted to slide along the elongated rod;
- a pull cable having opposing ends wound around and interconnecting the pair of pulleys, each end of the cable being connected to an associated hand grip;
- each pulley being slidable together with its associated sleeve along the elongated rod via a user grasping the associated hand grip and moving the hand grip away from the longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein the sleeves are interconnected to a force resistance mechanism holding the sleeves at opposing ends of the elongated rod under a selected resistance force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.