Exercise equipment with dock-and-lock and spotter platform

[0001] The invention relates to exercise equipment, including weight training equipment, including olympic style weight racks and benches.

[0002] Olympic style weight racks and benches require rigidity and stability while in use. This is accomplished by positively securing the bench to the rack while it is in use. However, to maximize effective use of a bench, the relationship between the user and the rack needs to be adjustable. For example, the positioning of a person doing a flat press is different from a military press. The challenge is to simultaneously achieve a rigid bench that is adjustable relative to the rack.

[0003] The use of olympic weight racks often requires one or more spotters, who need to be positioned relative to the athlete to achieve maximize advantage when assisting the athlete during training. Exercises such as an incline or military press require the spotter to be elevated from the floor for maximum efficiency. It is desirable to provide a collapsible spotter platform that can be extended for certain exercises, and retracted for other exercises such as flat presses. squats, and other training routines that do not require an elevated spotter. This provides the most efficient use of space, and the least amount of effort and/or inconvenience for the user.

[0004] The present invention arose during continuing development efforts in the above technology and has application thereto and to other applications.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows exercise equipment 30 including a stationary dock 32 and a user support frame 34 engaging the dock in docking relation and releasably lockable thereto at a plurality of selectable locking locations therealong. In one embodiment, the exercise equipment is a weight training rack and bench, and the stationary dock is a weight rack frame 32 for supporting one or more training weights, and the user support frame is a bench frame 34 for supporting a user bench 36, for example a seat 38 and a seat back 40. A locking member 42, FIGS. 4, 6, to be described, releasably locks user support frame 34 to dock 32. The locking member is actuatable between a first locking position 42a, FIG. 16, locking user support frame 34 to dock 32 at a selected one of the noted locking locations, and a second release position 42b, FIG. 13, releasing user support frame 34 from dock 32. A user-operated handle 48 is operable, as shown at arrow 50, FIGS. 4, 14, to a first condition (e.g. an upward position in the drawings as shown at position 52, FIG. 14) which actuates locking member 42 to its locking position at a selected one of the noted locking locations. User-operated handle 48 is operable as shown at arrow 54, FIG. 11, to a second condition (e.g. to a downward position as shown at position 56, FIG. 11) which both: a) actuates locking member 42 to its release position to release user support frame 34 from dock 32; and b) enables movement of user support frame 34 to a different one of the noted locking locations, to be described. User-operated handle 48 has a central neutral position as shown at position 58 in FIG. 8. In the preferred embodiment, locking member 42 is in a locking condition when handle 58 is in its neutral position, to be described.

[0031] A roller 60, FIG. 6, is mounted to user support frame 34, preferably at locking member 42 and is movable relative to the user support frame between a first raised position 44, FIGS. 12, 13, 15, 16, and a second lowered position 46. Roller 60 in the lowered position engages the floor 62 which supports dock 32 and user support frame 34. Roller 60 in its lowered position raises user support frame 34 above floor 62 and actuates locking member 42 to its release position and out of engagement with the dock. Roller 60 in its raised position lowers user support frame 34 and actuates locking member 42 to its locking position and enables re-engagement of locking member 42 and the dock. In the preferred embodiment, user support frame 34 has a lower frame portion 64 having pads such as 66, 68 on the underside thereof, FIGS. 5, 7, which rest on floor 62 when roller 60 is in its raised position 44. When roller 60 is in its lowered position 46, pads 66, 68 are lifted above floor 62, and roller 60 rolls along floor 62 to enable re-positioning of user support frame 34 to a selected one of the noted locking locations along dock 32, to be described.

[0032] Handle 48 is coupled to roller 60 at locking member 42 by pivoted linkage 70, FIGS. 4, 6, connected to user support frame 34. The linkage is provided by a multi-link multi-pivot linkage having: a first link 72 having a first pivot 74 connected to user support frame 34, a second pivot 76, and a handle-connection portion 78 connected to handle 48, preferably rigidly connected thereto, as by welding; a second link 80 having a third pivot 82 connected to user support frame 34, e.g. at trunnions such as 84, a fourth pivot 86 journaling roller 60, and a fifth pivot 88; and a third link 90 pivotally connected between pivot 76 of link 72 and pivot 88 of link 80. Upon upward movement of handle 48 as shown at arrow 50 in FIGS. 4, 14, link 80 pivots clockwise as shown at arrow 92 about pivot 84 such that roller 60 is raised to its raised position 44. During upward movement of handle 48 as shown at arrow 50, link 72 pivots counterclockwise as shown at arrow 94 about pivot 74, and link 90 moves rightwardly as shown at arrow 96 in FIG. 15, to in turn cause the noted clockwise pivoting of link 80 as shown at arrow 92 about pivot 84, to in turn raise roller 60 upwardly as shown at arrow 98, FIGS. 4, 16. The handle 48 includes an extension section 100 extending rearwardly therefrom to link 72, which extension section 100 may be guided for up-down translational movement along slot 102 formed in a bracket 104 attached to the user support frame. Downward movement of handle 48 as shown at arrow 54 in FIG. 11 causes link 72 to pivot clockwise as shown at arrow 106 about pivot 74, which in turn causes link 90 to move leftwardly as shown at arrow 108, which in turn causes link 80 to pivot counterclockwise as shown at arrow 110 about pivot 84, which in turn lowers roller 60 to its lowered position 46 to engage floor 62 and lift the left end of the frame, as shown at arrow 112, FIG. 13, including pads 66, 68 off of and above floor 62, and enable the frame to be re-positioned to a different location left-right, as shown at arrow 113, by rolling of roller 60 along floor 62.

[0033] User support frame 34 is movable left-right as shown at arrow 113, FIG. 13, along longitudinal direction 114, FIG. 1, relative to dock 32 to longitudinally spaced locking locations. Roller 60 is movable relative to user support frame 34 between the noted raised and lowered positions 44 and 46, transversely of longitudinal direction 114. Roller 60 is provided by a set of one or more rollers, such as a bobbin or spindle having rollers 60a and 60b connected by a central axle 60c. A second set of one or more rollers such as 120, 122 are journaled to user support frame 34 at support leg 124 and are longitudinally spaced from the first set of one or more rollers 60. User support frame 34 rolls along floor 62 on the noted sets of rollers 60, 120, 122 when the first set of rollers 60 is in the noted lowered position 46. The first and second sets of rollers 60 and 120, 122 are longitudinally spaced along user support frame 34 at longitudinally distally opposite ends 126 and 128 thereof, respectively. A third set of one or more rollers such as 130, 132 are journaled to user support frame 34 at outrigger legs 134 and 136, FIGS. 6, 7, 2-5, at the noted first longitudinal end 126 thereof and roll along floor 62 when the first set of rollers 60a, 60b is in the noted raised position 44 and the noted second longitudinal end 128 of user support frame 34 is raised by the user as shown at arrow 140 in FIGS. 17, 18, to enable wheelbarrow movement of user support frame 34 on the third set of rollers 130, 132 at first longitudinal end 126 of user support frame 34. This mode may be used when user support frame 34 is disengaged from dock 32 and it is desired to move user support frame 34 to a different location remote from or otherwise spaced from dock 32 to permit access to the weight training rack thereat without bench frame 34 in the near vicinity thereof. The noted third set of rollers 130, 132 are preferably provided by a pair of outrigger rollers laterally spaced outwardly of the noted first set of rollers 60a, 60b therebetween.

[0034] Dock 32 preferably includes an anchor portion 144, FIGS. 3-5, having a locking tongue 146 extending longitudinally therefrom along axis 114 and providing the noted plurality of locking locations longitudinally spaced along the tongue. Tongue 146 has a plurality of detents 148 longitudinally spaced therealong and providing the noted locking locations. The detents are preferably provided by slots longitudinally spaced along tongue 146. The locking member includes a locking pin 150, FIGS. 10, 19, 20, mounted to the user support frame at lower portion 64 and lowered into a respective slot 148, FIG. 20, upon lowering of the left end 126 of user support frame 34 in response to raising of roller 60. Locking pin 150 is biased downwardly toward a respective slot 148 by spring 152 which also provides lost motion when locking pin 150 is not aligned with a respective slot 148 as shown in FIG. 19. User support frame 34 is then moved left or right as shown at arrow 113 along longitudinal direction 114 until pin 150 aligns with a slot 148 and moves downwardly thereinto, FIG. 20, due to the bias of spring 152, to thus lock user support frame 34 to tongue 146 of dock 32. Roller 60 is preferably provided by the noted pair of laterally spaced rollers 60a and 60b straddling tongue 146 extending longitudinally therebetween. Roller 60 is mounted to user support frame 34 by bracket or link 80 having the noted pivot 82 connected to the user support frame 34, and the noted pivot 86 journaling roller 60, and the noted pivot 88 coupled to handle 48 through handle linkage 90, 72, 100.

[0035] In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus provides an olympic caliber weight training rack and bench including weight rack frame 32 for supporting one or more training weights, and bench frame 34 supporting a user bench 36 which may include seat 38 and seat back 40. The angle of seat back 40 may be adjusted by support arms 39, as is standard.

[0036] The noted weight training exercise equipment 30 includes the noted weight rack frame 32 having a plurality of laterally spaced upstanding support posts such as 180, 182, FIGS. 1-3. A pair of collapsible spotter platforms 184 and 186 are provided, each mounted to a respective post 180, 182. Spotter platforms 184 and 186 are laterally spaced by an open lateral gap 188 therebetween, without a lateral cross-brace between the spotter platforms, to facilitate ease of step-through for a spotter.

[0037] Each spotter platform 184, 186 is pivotally mounted to its respective post 180, 182 for pivotal movement between a horizontal position, FIGS. 1, 2, 22, 23, for supporting a spotter thereon, and a collapsed position, FIG. 25, occupying less horizontal area than in the horizontal position. Each spotter platform includes a step plate, such as 190, FIGS. 21-25, having a first pivot 192 pivotally mounted to its respective post, and a second pivot 194, and further includes a triangulated hypotenuse leg 196 having a first end 198 pivoted to step plate 190 at pivot 194, and having a second end 200 having a cross-bar or T-bar 202 translationally slidable along the post. The spotter platform further includes a bracket 204 mounted to the post and having a pivot mount at 206 pivotally mounting the step plate at pivot 192 and having a guide track channel 208 guiding the noted second end 200 of hypotenuse leg 196 at transverse T-bar 202 therealong. The guide track channel preferably includes a pair of spaced channels 208a and 208b each guiding a respective end of T-bar 202 at 202a and 202b, respectively. The guide track channel extends obtusely relative to upstanding post 182 and relative to the noted horizontal position, FIGS. 22, 23, of the spotter platform 190. Guide track channel 208 extends between upper and lower ends 210 and 212. Upper end 210 is at a vertically higher level than pivot 192. Lower end 212 is at a vertically lower level than pivot 192. Lower end 212 is at a vertically lower level than pivot 192 by a distance selected to provide an angle of at least 20°, and preferably about 25°, between hypotenuse leg 196 and step plate 190 when the step plate is in the noted horizontal position, FIG. 23. Guide track channel 208 extends nonrectilinearly between upper and lower ends 210 and 212. The guide track channel has upper and lower sections 214 and 216 meeting at an angled junction 218. Lower section 216 is longer than upper section 214. Angled junction 218 is preferably horizontally aligned with pivot 192.

[0038] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different configurations, systems, and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other configurations, systems and method steps. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.