Vertical jump exercise apparatus
OwnerMichael Wehrellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical jump exercise apparatus may be used to train and condition participants in sports demanding a high degree of vertical jumping ability. Elastic codes fastened to the waist of the user provide a nearly constant resistive force, thereby simulating increased body weight to strengthen leg muscles and to improve motor reflexes. Generation of the nearly constant force is accomplished by directing one or more of the elastic cords beneath or away from the exercise area, thus allowing use of an increased length of cord. Directional control for the jumper, cord following to prevent fouling of the cord, and reduced friction are provided by movable tracking assemblies that may pivot or move linearly and may be provided with pulleys. The tracking assemblies may also serve as force imbalance indicators for the elastic cords.
Claims22
An exercise apparatus comprising:
- (a) base means for forming an exercise area in which vertical jumping exercises may be performed;
- (b) plural elastic members for providing a nearly constant resistive force to jumping exercises performed in said exercise area, said force providing elastic members having a direction opposite to the direction of the jumping exercises;
- (c) tracking means for directing said elastic members on a path away from said exercise area;
- and
- (d) mounting means for movably attaching said tracking means to said base means to maintain said elastic members on said path.
A kinetic exercise apparatus comprising:
- (a) base means for forming an exercise area;
- (b) harness means adapted to be worn in the use of said exercise apparatus;
- (c) elastic means attached to said harness means for providing a plurality of first forces opposing motion of said harness means away from said base means, said elastic means having a length whereby each of said first forces is relatively constant over the range of motion of said harness means;
- (d) tracking means carried by said base means for directing said elastic means out of said exercise area;
- and
- (e) mounting means for movably attaching said tracking means to said base means so that the position of said tracking means relative to the center of said exercise area may change during use of said exercise apparatus.
An exercising apparatus comprising:
- (a) flat base means;
- (b) harness means;
- (c) elastic means for providing a plurality of first forces opposing motion of said harness means away from said base means during exercise, said elastic means having a length whereby each of said first forces is relatively constant over a predetermined range of movement of said harness means during exercise;
- and
- (d) tracking means for turning said elastic means to a path generally parallel to said base means, said tracking means comprising:
- (1) plural roller bearings for providing low friction movement of said elastic means onto said path, and
- (2) mounting means for movably attaching said tracking means to said base means to maintain said elastic means on said path.
An exercise apparatus comprising:
- (a) an elevated base having a flat upper surface forming an exercise area;
- (b) a waist belt adapted to be worn during kinetic exercise in said exercise area;
- (c) a first plurality of elastic cords, each cord being affixed to said belt for providing a first plurality of forces opposing movement of said belt away from said exercise area during kinetic exercise;
- (d) plural pulleys carried beneath said base for directing the path of said cords over a distance sufficient to maintain said forces approximately constant during kinetic exercise in said exercise area;
- (e) adjustment means for selectively varying the effective length of said cords to thereby relatively vary each of said forces;
- (f) plural tracking assemblies for providing a low friction change of direction of said cords from said exercise area to a point beneath said base, each of said assemblies comprising a frame and plural pulleys attached thereto;
- and
- (g) plural sliding means carried beneath said base, each for slidably carrying one of said tracking assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.