Limb movement exercising and training apparatus

An exercise apparatus for exercising a user's muscles employed in a specific limb motion, the apparatus comprising:

• a cam wheel structure having a cam axis and being supported for rotation about the cam axis;
• motion transferring means for transferring the limb motion to a rotation motion for rotating the cam wheel structure a plurality of degrees of rotation;
• and
• resistance means operatively coupled to the cam wheel structure for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of the cam wheel structure;
• wherein the cam wheel structure comprises control means for controlling the resistance to the rotation of the cam wheel structure to provide a relatively large resistance during a first portion of the cam wheel structure rotation and a relatively small resistance during a second portion of the cam wheel structure rotation;
• wherein the cam wheel structure further comprises adjustment means for adjusting the position of the first and second portions of the cam wheel rotation over the plurality of degrees of rotation;
• wherein the motion transferring means comprises:
• a handle to be gripped and swung by the user;
• a handle connecting arm connected with the handle;
• a swing arm connected at approximately a right angle with the handle connecting arm so as to be operatively connected to the handle, the swing arm being supported for pivotal motion about the cam axis as the handle is swung;
• and
• a cam axle supported for rotation about the cam axis, the cam axle being operatively coupled to the swing arm to rotate about the cam axis as the swing arm is pivoted, the cam axle being connected to the cam wheel structure to rotate the cam wheel structure about the cam axis as the cam axle is rotated about the cam axis.

An exercise apparatus disposed over a horizontal surface for exercising a user's muscles employed in a specific limb motion, the apparatus comprising:

• a cam wheel structure having a cam axis and being supported for rotation about the cam axis;
• motion transferring means for transferring the limb motion to a rotation motion for rotating the cam wheel structure a plurality of degrees of rotation;
• resistance means operatively coupled to the cam wheel structure for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of the cam wheel structure;
• wherein the cam wheel structure comprises control means for controlling the resistance to the rotation of the cam wheel structure to provide a relatively large resistance during a first portion of the cam wheel structure rotation and a relatively small resistance during a second portion of the cam wheel structure rotation;
• wherein the cam wheel structure further comprises adjustment means for adjusting the position of the first and second portions of the cam wheel structure rotation over the plurality of degrees of rotation;
• wherein the motion transferring means comprises a handle to be gripped and swung by the user, a swing arm extending at an angle with respect to the horizontal surface and operatively connected to the handle and supported for pivotal motion about the cam axis as the handle is swung, and a cam axle supported for rotation about the cam axis, the cam axle being operatively coupled to the swing arm to rotate about the cam axis as the swing arm is pivoted, the cam axle being connected to the cam wheel structure to rotate the cam wheel structure about the cam axis as the cam axle is rotated about the cam axis;
• the apparatus further comprising:
• a support arm for supporting the cam wheel structure, the cam axis and the swing arm;
• the support arm having means for adjusting the angle at which the swing arm extends with respect to the horizontal surface;
• and
• the support arm further having means for adjusting the height of the support arm above the horizontal surface.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• a cam wheel having an axis of rotation and supported for rotation about the axis;
• a swing arm operatively supporting the handle for swinging motion and operatively connecting the handle with the cam wheel so as to rotate the cam wheel about the axis as the handle is moved in a swinging motion;
• resistance means for providing a resistance force resisting rotational motion of the cam wheel;
• a support arm for supporting the cam wheel with the cam axis directed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane at the cam axis;
• and
• means for pivoting the support arm to adjust the angle of the cam axis with respect to the horizontal plane.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• support means for supporting the handle for swinging motion;
• a cam wheel having an arcuate periphery and an axis for rotation, the cam wheel being supported for rotation about the axis;
• linkage connecting the handle with the wheel so as to rotate the wheel about the axis as the handle is moved in a swinging motion;
• a weight member;
• a cable connected to and extended between the weight member and the cam wheel, the cable being connected to the arcuate periphery of the cam wheel;
• a cable guide for guiding the cable to lift the weight member by an amount dependent upon the amount of rotation of the cam wheel about the axis;
• wherein the weight member provides a resistance force through the cable for resisting the rotation of the wheel and for resisting the swinging motion of the handle;
• wherein the support means comprises a swing arm pivotally supported for pivotal motion about the axis of the cam wheel, a handle connecting arm having first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the swing arm, and
• wherein a ball joint assembly connects the handle to the second end of the handle connecting arm for allowing pivotal motion of the handle with respect to the handle connecting arm.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• support means for supporting the handle for swinging motion;
• a cam wheel having an arcuate periphery and an axis for rotation, the cam wheel being supported for rotation about the axis;
• linkage connecting the handle with the cam wheel so as to rotate the cam wheel about the axis as the handle is moved in a swinging motion;
• a weight member;
• a cable connected to and extended between the weight member and the cam wheel, the cable being connected to the arcuate periphery of the cam wheel;
• and
• a cable guide for guiding the cable to lift the weight member by an amount dependent upon the amount of rotation of the cam wheel about the axis;
• wherein the weight member provides a resistance force through the cable for resisting the rotation of the cam wheel and for resisting the swinging motion of the handle;
• wherein the support means comprises a swing arm pivotally supported for pivotal motion about the axis of the cam wheel, a handle connecting arm having first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the swing arm;
• pivotal connecting means for connecting the handle to the second end of the handle connecting arm for allowing pivotal motion of the handle with respect to the handle connecting arm;
• wherein the support means further comprises:
• a support arm for supporting the cam wheel and the swing arm;
• an elongated substantially vertical member;
• a slide-member coupled to the substantially vertical member and slidable along the length of the substantially vertical member;
• a pressure plate interposed between the slidable member and the substantially vertical member;
• and
• at least one bolt extending through the slidable member and in contact with the pressure plate, the bolt being adapted to press against the pressure plate to force the pressure plate against the substantially vertical member to fix the slidable member to the substantially vertical member.

A method for exercising user's muscles employed in a specific limb motion, the method comprising the steps of:

• supporting a cam wheel structure on a support arm for rotation a plurality of degrees about a cam axis;
• pivoting the support arm with respect to a frame member to adjust the angle of the cam axis with respect to the frame member to accommodate the specific limb movement;
• transferring the limb motion to a rotational motion of the cam wheel about the cam axis;
• and
• resisting cam wheel rotation.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• support means for supporting the handle for swinging motion;
• a cam wheel having an arcuate periphery and axis of rotation, the cam wheel being supported for rotation about the axis;
• linkage connecting the handle with the wheel so as to rotate the wheel about the axis as the handle is moved in a swinging motion;
• a weight member;
• a cable connected to and extended between the weight member and the cam wheel, the cable being connected to the arcuate periphery of the cam wheel;
• and
• a cable guide for guiding the cable to lift the weight member by an amount dependent upon the amount of rotation of the cam wheel about the axis;
• wherein the weight member provides a resistance force through the cable for resisting the rotation of the wheel and for resisting the swinging motion of the handle;
• wherein the arcuate periphery of the cam wheel is provided with a plurality of apertures and wherein the cable is provided with a hook configured to selectively engage any one of the plural apertures of the cam wheel so as to connect the cable to the cam wheel at a selected location on the cam wheel, the location being selected in dependence on the aperture selected for engagement with the hook.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a cam wheel having an arcuate periphery and an axis for rotation, the cam wheel being supported for rotation about the axis;
• a swing arm operatively connected to the cam wheel and supported for swinging motion and for rotating the cam wheel about the cam wheel axis upon being moved in a swinging motion;
• a handle having a grip, an elongated shaft extending from the grip and a coil spring disposed around a portion of the length of the shaft;
• and
• a handle connecting arm connecting the handle to the swing arm, the handle connecting arm having a slidable connector connected to the elongated shaft between the grip and the coil spring for sliding motion of the shaft relative to the handle connecting arm.

An exercising apparatus comprising:

• a handle;
• a cam wheel having an arcuate periphery and an axis for rotation, the cam wheel being supported for rotation about the axis;
• support and linkage means for supporting the handle for swinging motion and for connecting the handle with the wheel so as to rotate the wheel about the axis as the handle is moved in a swing motion;
• resistance means for resisting the rotation of the wheel and for resisting the swinging motion of the handle;
• wherein the support and linkage means comprises a swing arm pivotally supported for pivotal motion about the axis of the cam wheel, a handle connecting arm having first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the swing arm, and
• wherein a ball joint assembly connects the handle to the second end of the handle connecting arm for allowing pivotal motion of the handle with respect to the handle connecting arm.