Gymnastic machine

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine usable for performing functional exercises. Specifically, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine usable for performing functional exercises for the arms and/or legs. More specifically, the present invention relates to a rowing machine, said rowing machine being effectively usable for the safe execution of training sessions which globally involve the muscle regions of the body. The present invention also relates to a training method using such a machine.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In the field of gymnastic machines of the functional type, it is known that the rowing machine is one of the first ones built, because of the specific nature of the rowing motion, which is easily reproducible in a low cost machine that takes up a small amount of space. Starting from the late Sixties, rowing machines were provided with hinged levers to reproduce the part of oar the user can grip, as in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,653 by inventors Stuckenschneider and Ross, but from the early Eighties simplified machines have been produced of the type described with reference to the patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,244—now expired—by the American firm Bally Manufacturing Corporation. Since the early Nineties, the rowing machine “Concept 2” has been known, in which the brake system comprises a blade rotor rotating in air inside a casing provided with inputs for adjusting resistance inversely to the allowable air flow.

[0005] Such rowing machines are very simple, since the load group comprises a drum connected to a brake on which is wound in spiral fashion a cable whereto is connected a handlebar that simulates the oar. The load group is supported by a frame, carrying a seat movable with reciprocating motion on a guide of the alternating rectilinear motion. Familiarity with the rowing motion has facilitated the widespread use of rowing machines also in homes. On the other hand, the familiarity with the motion has frequently led to an underestimation of its particular complexity, sometimes causing damage that could be treated only surgically. The correct proportioning of the forces exercised by the muscles of the upper region and of the lower region, co-ordinated by the part of the torso that connects them, determines the execution of an elegant motion, safe from muscle trauma and discopathy. Hence, prior art rowing machines need to be used under the close control of an experienced trainer, to avoid serious injury.

[0006] In view of the above description, use of prior art rowing machines does not exclude, a priori, the risk of permanent damage to the spine. Therefore, use of functional machine on which to train more than one body region with total safety is currently an unsolved problem, and it represents an interesting challenge for the applicant, which confronted it through its own researchers and was able to solve it.

[0007] In consideration of the situation described above, it would be desirable to have available a gymnastic machine which, in addition to enabling to limit and possibly to overcome the typical drawbacks of the art illustrated above, could define a new standard for these types of gymnastic machines.

[0008] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to construct a functional gymnastic machine that allows the disadvantages described above to be solved, and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and therefore, suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest and capable of modifying the current fitness market.

[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a training method implementable on functional gymnastic machines, and in particular on gymnastic machines similar to rowing machine.

[0010] These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by providing a gymnastic machine including a frame associated with a guide extending along a given direction to carry a support member in a freely sliding manner, and load means supported by the frame and having a first load unit and at least one implement connected with the first load unit by a traction device, a second load unit associated with the support member to condition its mobility along the guide, in order to exercise separately controllable actions on a user's muscles; and a method that includes imposing traction effort on the first load unit through a cable to train upper limbs and imposing a thrust with lower limbs against an abutment to displace the support member from and to a respective rest position, imposing a thrust with lower limbs against the abutment being executed against the resistance of a second load unit.

[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the machine according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the machine itself are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1; and

[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation view of a second preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0015] In FIG. 1, no. 1 indicates, in its entirety, a gymnastic machine comprising a frame 10, which is provided with a guide 20 of rectilinear motion extending along a given direction 30 to carry a user support member 40 in a freely sliding manner. A load device 50 contained inside a casing 51 and supported by the frame 10 comprises at least one load unit 52 of a given nature, and at least one implement 60 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) coupled with the load unit 52 by means of a traction device 70. The guide 20 presents a first end 22, and the load device comprises a further load unit 54 that may or may not be distinct from the unit 52 and associated with the support member 40 to condition its mobility along the guide 20, in order to exercise two actions, controllable jointly or separately on a user's muscles. It must be noted that, without limiting the generality of the present invention, hereinafter the support member 40 comprises a seat that shall be indicated with the same reference number. In this regard, the seat 40 is coupled with the load unit 54 by means of a fastening device 72, comprising a traction member 72. Similarly, without limiting the generality of the present invention, the traction device 70 comprises a cable 70, which may indifferently be made of textile fibre or braided metal; also similarly, the implement 60 comprises a handlebar 60 connected to the cable 70 in centreline position; and the traction member 72 comprises a further cable 72.

[0016] Again according to FIG. 1, the machine 1 comprises a regulating unit 80 associated with the load device 50 to regulate or balance, according to criteria preferred by the user, the resisting actions exercisable on the load units 52 and 54 respectively on the implement 60 and on the seat 40 along the direction 30. At least one of the load units 52 and 54, or even both, may be of the gravitational type, so comprising, for example, a plurality of bricks carried slidably by vertical guides, known in themselves and therefore purposely not shown. Alternatively, at least one of the load units 52 and 54 may be of the mechanical type and may comprise, for example, although not limitingly, friction brake devices, known and thus not illustrated, for example, although not limitingly, band brakes or shoe brakes; or at least one of the load units 52 e 54 may be of a known fluid-dynamic type, for example, although not limitingly, provided with a blade rotor movable in a fluid, generally air, water or oil as in the case of the aforementioned “Concept 2” rowing machine. One the other hand, it is certainly more practical and less bulky if at least one of the load units 52 and 54 is of the electromagnetic type. In particular, with reference to FIG. 1, each load unit 52 and 54 comprises an electromagnetic device 56 suitable to dissipate rotational mechanical energy, and in particular at least one of said load units comprises, without limiting the generality of the present invention, an electromagnetic brake 57. For the sake of convenience, both of the load units 52 and 54 comprise a brake 57 of electromagnetic type.

[0017] Therefore, the unit 80 is electronically connected to each electromagnetic brake 57 and, without limiting the generality of the present invention, it can be positioned internally to the casing 51, as shown in FIG. 1, or externally to the case 51 protecting the load units 52 and 54 as shown in FIG. 2, and be supported by the frame 10 and totally contained within a console 59, hence not visible from the exterior. The unit 80 comprises a logic device, generally an electronic card 82, programmable by means of a keyboard or at least a plurality of keys 84 carried by the console 59 and electronically connected to the card 82 in known fashion. Furthermore, the console 59 is provided with at least a display 86 through which it is possible to verify the current operating state of the load device 50, and therefore also the total power absorbed by the device 50 through the two units 52 and 54, and the percentage of power absorbed by each of the two units, but also the number of strokes per minute of the implement 60 and/or of the seat 40. For the sake of simplicity, the card 82 could coincide or be a part of a programmable logic programmer, known and not illustrated, because it is functionally suitable to embody, in use, what is described above.

[0018] From the constructive point of view, each brake 57 is associated with a transmission 58 with parallel axes, in which two shafts 58′ and 58″ are mechanically connected to each other by means of a belt or any other flexible member wound in a loop on one of the wheels carried by the same shafts 58′ and 58″, or in any other way. In the case of unit 52, the shaft 58′ is supported by the frame 10 in known fashion and not illustrated, and carries, keyed on, a disk 62 of the brake 57 itself; furthermore, in this transmission 58 the further shaft 58″ is positioned side by side and parallel to the shaft 58′, and is also supported by the frame 10 in known fashion and not illustrated. This second shaft 58″ carries, keyed, a drum 64, whereon is wound in spiral fashion a flexible member, generally the cable 70 made of braided textile material, which is stably connected to the implement 60. In the case of transmission 58 of the unit 54, what has already been specified with reference to the shafts 58′ and 58″ applies, whilst the drum 64 carried by the corresponding shaft 58″ carries, wound in spiral, the cable 72 made of braided textile material which is stably connected to the seat 40. Furthermore, with reference to any of the FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide 20 presents a first end 22 provided with an abutment member 24 (visible in FIGS. 1 and 3) connected rigidly to the guide 20 between the seat 40 and the load device 50 to serve as a contrast member for an effort exercised on the seat 40.

[0019] In view of what is described above, the machine 1 can be interpreted as a rowing machine 1, wherein the implement 60, if embodied by means of a handlebar 60, simulates an oar and the seat 40 simulates a seat carried movable with alternative motion on rails in the cockpit of the boat.

[0020] As is well known, the athlete positions himself on the seat 40 after having secured his/her feet to the fixed abutment member 24 before starting to row.

[0021] Use of the machine 1, taken by itself or as a rowing machine 1, is easily understood from the above description and requires no further explanation. However, it may be opportune to provide some additional information, among them the fact that the start of the training session is preceded by the steps of taking place on the seat 40 carried movable by the guide 20 from and to a respective rest position; connecting the lower limbs to the member 24 carried fixed by the frame 10 to have a bearing point to exercise thrust on the seat 40 against the resistance exercised by the load unit 54; gripping the handlebar 60 to exercise the traction effort on the load unit 52 through the cable 70 to train the upper limbs. At this point it possible to start the training alternating a step of exercising a thrust with the lower limbs against the member 24 to displace the seat 40 from and to the corresponding rest position against the action of the unit 54 through the cable 72, and a step of imposing a traction effort on said load unit 52 through implement 60 and cable 70. It should be kept in mind that, in any case, the step of exercising thrust with the lower limbs against the member 24 to displace the seat 40 can be performed against the resistance of the load unit 54 independently from the way this unit 54 is constructed, and that the latter unit can be distinct from the load unit 52 itself, or said units 52 and 54 may be mechanically or electronically coupled to each other to determine energy absorption in manners mentioned above, as will be better specified below. Furthermore, the step of exercising a traction effort on the handlebar acting on the load unit 52 and the step of exercising a thrust with the lower limbs against the member 24 can be subsequent or simultaneous to a step of balancing at will the traction effort and the thrust through the regulating unit 80. Said balancing is particularly useful in the case of less experienced users, given that, if performed under medical supervision, in addition to making the rowing exercise more effective in training terms, enables to control and prevent the formation of herniated disks, which can be caused by an improper use of the rowing machine 1 itself.

[0022] It should be specified that, if the regulating unit 80 is provided with devices for detecting the instantaneous position of the implement 60 and/or of the seat 40 in association with the traction device 70, e.g. encoders 66 provided with a rotatable equipment associated with the drums 64 and/or linear associated with the implement 60 and/or with the seat 40, it is possible to interact with the units 52 and 54 by means of the electronic card 82 of the unit 80 in such a way as to generate electronic signals usable in feedback control loops to drive the units 52 and 54 at will. In this way, it is possible to cause a variation of the load produced by the corresponding electromagnetic brakes 57 for setting training profiles on the basis of current or average operating data, combined in real time with given parameters set by the user and/or predetermined according to criteria derived from physiological and/or other types of analyses. Naturally, the complexity of the operating functions of the regulating unit 80 may require it to be provided with a programmable is logic programmer which may or may not be able to communicate with resident memory cards and/or memory cards loaded on customisable portable memories.

[0023] In particular, among the determined parameters measurable by the encoders 66 can be considered static or dynamic values such as the instantaneous position of the handlebar 60 and/or of the seat 40, the instantaneous velocity of the handlebar 60 and/or of the seat 40, the instantaneous traction effort exercised on the handlebar 60 or the thrust of the lower limbs on the seat 40.

[0024] Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to the machine described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

[0025] For example, with reference to FIG. 3, the set-up of the machine 1 could be changed by utilising, instead of the fastening member 72, and therefore of the cable 72, a linear electric motor 90, in which a stator 92 is connected to the guide 20 and a respective cursor 94 is connected to the seat 40. In this way it may be possible considerably to reduce the bulk on the ground of the device 50, and enable to make the machine 1 markedly slighter, in such a way as to make it also easier to store in small spaces at the end of the training session.

[0026] On the other hand, this solution would enable to make the seat 40 controllable by means of the regulating unit 80 in relation to the power dissipated both in the movement away from and in the movement back towards a given rest position, similarly to what would be possible if the seat were connected to a double acting motor 90.

[0027] Again in order to make the machine 1 easy to store in a small space when not in use, the connection between the guide 20 and the frame 10 could be rigid and selectively releasable, or the guide 20 could even be hinged to the frame 10 from the side of the device 50. In this way, the simple rotation of the guide 20 relative to the portion of the frame 10 carrying the device 50 would allow a considerable reduction in the bulk on the ground of the machine 1.

[0028] It is thus clear that the presence of two distinct load units 52 and 54 and of the regulating unit 80, that allows their dynamic balancing, allows to set training paths in which the distinct regions of a user's body, normally the upper and lower limbs, are stressed to a different percentage and in any case such as to avoid traumas to less experienced users. Therefore, every machine 1 or rowing machine 1 having the structure and the equipment described above enables to combine the characteristics of ease of use and safety of operation even in the case of training profiles in which the current ratio between the loads imposed by the units 52 and 54 individually and in combination is managed in a personalised, advanced manner with respect to similar machines constructed according to the teachings of the prior art.