US 4,625,962 AGranted

Upper body exercise apparatus

AssigneeThe Cleveland Clinic Foundation

InventorGlenn M. Street

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Abstract

A lower support frame (A) mounts a lower body support structure (B) and an upper body exercise structure (C) thereon. The upper body exercise structure includes an upper frame (30) which is selectively and adjustably mounted on the lower support frame. A flywheel (40) is rotatably mounted in the upper frame. A belt (52) and selectable number of weights (62) drag along the flywheel for selectively adjusting the effort required to maintain rotation of the flywheel. Flexible cables (70, 72) are each wrapped around a pulley (84). A one-way clutch (86) selectively connects the pulley with the flywheel for providing rotational driving force thereto as the cable is pulled. A rewind spring (92) rewinds the cable back onto the pulley. The relative positions of the lower body support structure (B) and the upper body exercise structure (C) are selectively adjustable such that the exercise apparatus is usable in training for walking or running (FIG. 1), ski poleing (FIG. 4), canoeing or kayaking (FIG. 5), rowing (FIG. 6), and other sports.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An exercise apparatus comprising:

(a) a lower support frame including an upstanding frame portion extending upward to at least about the height of an athlete's waist;
(b) a lower body support structure operatively connected with the lower support frame, the lower body support structure including:
(i) a lower support assembly supported on the lower support frame;
(ii) a longitudinally extending rail mounted horizontally on the lower support assembly and extending parallel to a floor on which the exercise apparatus is disposed;
(iii) an athlete supporting seat mounted to the support rail to be selectively and fixedly positioned therealong;
(iv) a telescopic member pivotally connected at one end with the longitudinally extending rail;
(v) a foot supporting structure connected with an other end of the telescopic member such that telescopic member adjusts a distance between the foot supporting structure and the longitudinally extending rail;
(vi) an angular adjustment mechanism for selectively fixing a relative angular relationship between the telescopic member and the longitudinally extending rail;
(c) an upper frame;
(d) a flywheel rotatably mounted adjacent a top of the upper frame;
(e) an adjustable drag means for selectively adjusting the effort required to maintain rotation of the flywheel;
(f) a drive means for selectively rotating the flywheel, the drive means being mounted contiguous to the flywheel;
(g) an adjustable mounting means for selectively mounting the upper frame to the lower support frame such that the flywheel and drive means are adjustably mounted above the athlete's head;
(h) flexible cables extending downward from the drive means to at least one handle such that pulling the cables downward and rearward with effort as determined by the adjustable drag means causes the drive means to rotate the flywheel.

11 more elements

An exercise apparatus comprising:

(a) a lower support frame including:
(i) a pair of parallel lower support rails;
(ii) an upstanding frame portion extending upward from the lower support rails;
(b) a lower body support structure including:
(i) lower supports movably supported on the lower support rails to be selectively and fixedly positional therealong;
(ii) a longitudinally extending rail mounted above the lower supports and extending parallel to the lower support rails;
(iii) an athlete supporting seat mounted to the support rail to be selectively fixedly positioned therealong;
(iv) a telescopic member pivotally connected at one end with the longitudinally extending rail;
(v) a foot supporting structure connected with an other end of the telescopic member such that telescopic adjustment of the telescopic member adjusts a distance between the foot supporting structure and the longitudinally extending rail;
(vi) an angular adjustment mechanism for selectively fixing a relative angular relationship between the telescopic member and the longitudinally extending rail;
(c) an upper body exercise structure including:
(i) an upper frame selectively mounted on the lower support frame upstanding portion;
(ii) a flywheel rotatably mounted on the upper frame,
(iii) an adjustable drag means for selectively adjusting the effort required to maintain rotation of the flywheel;
(iv) a drive means for selectively rotating the flywheel;
(v) flexible cables extending from the drive means to at least one handle such that pulling the cables with effort as determined by the adjustable drag means causes the drive means to rotate the flywheel.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.