Storage unit for collapsible exercise device

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to exercise equipment, and more particularly, to a collapsible resistance device for personal exercise.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Wall-mountable resistance-type exercise devices are well known in the art. Various embodiments of such devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,468,205, 5,431,617, 4,402,504 and 5,385,525. Little, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,546, the contents of which patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto, provides a review of such prior art devices and discloses a wall-mountable resistance-type exercise device that overcomes many of the limitations present in prior art devices. Little's device has a matched pair of slotted rails adapted to be vertically mounted on a vertical surface. A matched pair of swing arms are rotatably mounted on slidably adjustable universal blocks disposed within the slots. The opposing ends of the swing arms are attached to a resistance bar and an elastic resistance member. The points of attachment of both the swing arms and the elastic resistance members to the slotted rails are incrementally adjustable along substantially the entire length of the slotted rails. A disadvantage of the device is the large number of parts required to make the device operational.

[0005] Croft, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,679, the content of which patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto, discloses a compact, low profile, wall-mountable exercise device (“the Croft device” or, in the alternative, “a Croft-type device”). The Croft device includes a modular, wall-mountable rectangular frame, a horizontal hinge rod assembly attached to the frame and rotatably mounted on the frame, a resistance bar, a pair of swing arms, each swing arm having a distal end attached to opposing ends of the hinge rod, and proximal ends attached to opposing ends of the resistance bar. The Croft device includes at least two springs, each spring having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal ends of the springs are releasably attached to spring connectors on the frame. The proximal ends of the springs are attached to the respective swing arms near the proximal ends thereof. In use, an exerciser positions a part of his/her body, such as the hands, in contact with the resistance bar and applies a force sufficient to extend the springs. When the exerciser releases the force, the spring restores to its non-extended length. The exerciser repeats the cycle until the targeted body part(s) is sufficiently exercised. The various possible attachment points for the distal ends of the springs enable the device to be used for exercising various muscles of the body, including the arms, shoulders, legs, back, chest and abdomen. The device is not readily transportable and requires a permanent wall mount which may not be aesthetically pleasing in a home setting. There is, therefore, a need for a versatile resistance-type exercise device that is quickly and easily assembled and may be collapsed when not in use for convenient storage and/or transport.

[0006] A first object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible, resistance-type exercise device that can be rapidly assembled and installed with a minimum of parts.

[0007] It is a further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible, resistance-type exercise device that can be used by an exerciser in either a standing, sitting or supine position.

[0008] It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible resistance-type exercise device that employs springs as a resistance element.

[0009] It is still a further object of the invention to provide an exercise device meeting the above objectives that can be collapsed and stored within a compact, low-profile container that is integral with the device and serves to house the device when not in use.

[0010] The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wall-mountable exercise device (hereinafter referred to as “the Croft device”), disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,679 to the present inventor, is generally indicated at numeral 10. The Croft device 10 includes a rectangular frame 11 attached to a wall 12 by frame mounting means 13 such as, for example, screws. The frame 11 includes a plurality of spaced spring attachment loops 14 integral therewith. A transversely oriented hinge bar 15 is rotatably attached to the frame by a pair of hinge bar mounting brackets 16 affixed to the frame 11. The hinge bar 15 has left and right ends, labeled 61 and 62 in FIG. 6, extending laterally from the hinge bar mounting brackets 16.

[0019] The Croft device 10 includes a left swing arm 17 (not visible in FIG. 1) and a right swing arm 18. A distal end of both swing arms are rotatably attached to the respective left and right ends 61 and 62 of the hinge bar 15. The opposing, proximal ends of the left and right swing arms are non-rotatably attached to left and right ends of a resistance bar 25 which provides a gripping surface for an exerciser's hands. Resistance to motion of the resistance bar is provided by left and right extensible springs 21 (not visible in FIG. 1) and 22. A distal end of the springs include a hook 110 thereon which releasably engages one of the plurality of spring attachment loops 14 on the frame. A hook 111 on the proximal ends of the respective springs releasably engages one of the spring attachment loops 23a, 23b, 24a or 24b disposed on the proximal ends of the respective swing arms.

[0020] An important feature of the Croft device 10 is that the device 10 has fewer separable parts than previous prior art devices and the modular construction permits shipping the device as a kit that is easily assembled. The frame 11 comprises an upper horizontal member 11a, a lower horizontal member 11b, a left vertical member 11c and a right vertical member 11d. The four members comprising the frame preferably have mitered corners and are affixed to one another by frame attachment plates 170 to form a rectangle as shown in FIG. 2. The overall dimensions of the frame 11 are 47 inches high and 18.5 inches wide. The four members comprising the frame and the four frame attachment plates are most preferably aluminum. A plurality of spring attachment loops 14 are disposed along the length of the vertical members 11c and 11d and spaced from one another by a distance of about 3 inches. The spring attachment loops 14 are integral with the frame 11 and are made by die punching the wall of the vertical members to cut two slots and stretching the material between the slots outwardly to form a loop.

[0021] In operation, an exerciser places a targeted portion of the body in contact with the resistance bar and exerts a force on the resistance bar sufficient to move the resistance bar thereby extending the spring against a restoring force. The force required to displace the resistance bar and extend the spring is substantially constant over the range of motion. The resistance bar is then allowed to return to its initial position and the motion repeated until the targeted body portion is sufficiently exercised. The selection of spring attachment hooks 14 on the frame that are available to the exerciser for anchoring the distal hook 110 of the spring makes it possible to exercise a variety of muscles within the body.

[0022] A further embodiment of a wall-mountable Croft device is shown at numeral 180 in FIG. 3. In the embodiment 180, the frame 111 is of unitary construction, wall-mountable and is preferably made of ⅛–¼ inch aluminum plate or from four extruded aluminum members joined to form a rectangular frame by welding or the like. The hinge bar, swing arms and resistance bar are incorporated into a single unitary, substantially U-shaped resistance member 181 that is rotatably attached to the frame 11 at two distal ends 184. The unitary resistance member 181, which has at least two spring attachment loops 182 integral therewith adjacent a resistance bar portion 183, is preferably extruded aluminum rod or tubing formed into a U-shape by bending the extruded member around a mandrel to the desired shape. In the embodiment 180, the hinge bar mounting brackets 16 preferably include roller bearings press-fitted into the bore 161 to reduce wear on the moving surfaces. Embodiment 180 has six separable parts: a unitary frame 11, a unitary resistance member 181, two hinge bar mounting brackets 16 and two springs 22.

[0023] While wall-mountable Croft devices may be suitable for many installations, it may be desirable to transport the device such as, for example, in a vehicle, for use while traveling. The present invention discloses an exercise device comprising a storage case adapted for pivotal attachment to a modified frame 11 of a Croft device such as, for example, the embodiment 180 of the Croft device shown in FIG. 3. The storage case, indicated in perspective view at numeral 40 in FIG. 4, is integral with the Croft device 180. The storage case 40 provides stable support for the Croft device, obviates the need for wall-mounting the device and provides a compact, low-profile means for storing and transporting a Croft device when not in use. The storage case 40 includes a rectangular lid 41 having a fixed end 45 that is pivotally attached to a rectangular base 42 by means of a hinge 43. The lid 41 has a pair of notches 43a and 43b at a free end 44 thereof that serve to support the frame 11 of the Croft device 180, wherein the frame 11 is modified to provide pivotal attachment means 51 thereon, when the modified frame of the device is erected for use as shown in FIG. 7. The base 42 of the storage case 40 includes a pair of cylindrical holes 46 dimensioned to receive pivotal attachment means 30 and 31 on the frame 11.

[0024] With reference now to FIG. 5, an exercise apparatus comprising a Croft device 180 pivotally attached to a storage case 40 is indicated in perspective view at numeral 50. The lid 41 of the storage case is shown opened to expose the Croft device 180 housed therewithin. The frame 11 of the Croft device 180 is pivotally attached to the storage case 40 by pivotal attachment means 51. The pivotal attachment means is preferably a pair of cylindrical axles 30 and 31 (FIG. 3) extending outwardly from the base of the frame to rotate within cylindrical recesses or holes 46 in the rectangular base 42 of the storage case 40. The frame, which may be U-shaped inasmuch as the lower horizontal member 11b of the prior art Croft device is not required, is erected by lifting the lid 41, rotating the frame upwardly from the confines of the storage case as shown in perspective view in FIG. 6 and closing the lid as shown in FIG. 7. When the frame is erected and the lid 41 closed, the notches 43a and 43b on the lid 41 fit snugly against the frame 11 to prevent the frame from collapsing into the storage case 40 when the device 50 is being used. Assembly includes the attachment of a pair of springs 22 (not shown in FIGS. 4–7) to the appropriate spring attachment loops 14 on the frame 11 and loops 182 on the swing arms 181 of the device to provide the desired resistance in the manner discussed above in the description of the assembly and operation of the wall-mounted Croft devices 10 and 180. The exercise device 40 of the present invention is readily stored when not in use and easily transported.

[0025] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.