BACKGROUND ART

Exercise devices for home use are well-known and varied. A conventional device for exercising the chest (pectoral) muscles is comprised of two handles connected by a plurality of parallel coil springs (or elastic elements) . Springs are clipped into or out of the device depending on the desired resistance. The handles are then pulled apart across the chest to perform an exercise.

Such a device may have some general use as a D feat of strengthD test, but is not particularly well suited for use as a regular exercise. Like many home exercise devices the user may quickly become bored and stop using it. Furthermore, the spring mechanism, being expanded across and in contact with the chest has the potential to cause injury which is a further discouragement to regular use.

The exercise device of the present invention seeks to provide a simple and effective chest exercise that is safe for use. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In one broad aspect of the invention a chest exercise device is provided that includes two arms, each outwardly extending from a pivot axis and two handles located at or near a proximal end of the arms, wherein the arms have a contact surface that, in use, engages with a forearm of a user. In this way a user grips each handle and uses a force via his/her forearms onto the contact surface to collapse the arms of the device to perform a repetitive exercise.

Preferably there is a resistance means associated with or at the pivot axis. In the preferred embodiment each arm connects with a common pivot axis which includes the resistance means that is, preferably, adjustable.

It is possible that the arms may extend from a central element via separate pivot axes. Furthermore, the handles could be located on this central element, rather than at the proximal ends of the arms themselves to provide a functionally equivalent exercise device. In one form the resistance means includes a sliding selector that engages one or more resistance elements to provide variable resistance selection. In one form the resistance elements are a series of torsion coil springs mounted with a shaft therethrough.

In a second form the resistance means includes a spindle, upon which a selected number of torsion coil springs are to be mounted, wherein a greater number of springs provides a greater resistance to pivoting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figures Ia to Ie illustrate general perspective views of an exercise device according to the invention,

Figures 2a and 2b illustrate general exploded views of the exercise device from Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates an underneath exploded perspective view of the exercise device,

Figures 4a to 4d illustrate cross section views of a resistance mechanism according to the invention,

Figures 5a and 5b illustrate use of the exercise device of the invention,

Figures 6a and 6b illustrate an alternative resistance mechanism according to the invention, and

Figures 7a and 7b illustrate plan and cross section views of the alternative embodiment from Figure 6.

Figures 8 illustrate a further, modified form of the embodiment from Figures 1 to 5.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As visible in most views, the exercise device is comprised of a left arm assembly 1 and right arm assembly 2, which each have a handle means Ia, 2a and an engagement surface Ib, 2b that in practice supports the forearm of a user (U) . Surface Ib, 2b may include a pad of compressible material for improved comfort of the user.

The arm assemblies are mounted on a shaft 3 secured with end caps 4 and which threads through a plurality of torsion coil springs 22. In the illustrated form there are four torsion springs 22 provided as part of the variable resistance means hereinafter described, but alternative numbers of springs 22 are possible. As illustrated, the left arm 1 is keyed, by ridges 5a, to a channel 5b in the shaft 3 such that it is fixed relative thereto and cannot rotate thereabout. By contrast, right arm 2 includes an unkeyed aperture 6a in flange 6 that receives shaft 3 and is mounted for free rotation about an axis X defined by shaft 3.

A keyed disc 7 is threaded onto shaft 3 using the same channel

5b and assembled to one side of each torsion spring 22. On the other side a free spinning disc 8 is arranged, both discs 7 and

8 including a small aperture 10 for receiving a protruding end

9 of a torsion spring 22.

As a result the spring DclusterD is comprised of a plurality of springs 22 each sandwiched between a keyed 7 and free moving 8 disc with shaft 3 mounted therethrough.

Figure 3 best illustrates a selection means 11 comprised of a protruding switch 12 and a series of recesses 13. The selector 11 can slide in a predefined distance by virtue of a slot 23 formed on the part of right arm assembly 2 serving as a casing for the adjustment means.

Moving in the direction of the shaft axis X, selector 11 can click into four positions corresponding to the engagement of one to four torsion springs 22 and, hence, resistance to relative rotation is applied to the arms 1 and 2. An indicator number 18 is highlighted, e.g. by a red coloured background provided by selector 11, i.e. the red colour is visible through cut-out numbers 18 and or narrow slots 24.

In use, when a recess 13 is aligned with a free spinning disc 8, the right arm assembly 2 allows the torsion spring 22 and free moving discs 8 to move freely with the left arm assembly 1. This state is illustrated by Figures 4a and 4b.

By contrast, referring to Figures 4c and 4d, when a recess 13 is off set from a free spinning disc 8, the selector 11 engages with a notch 25 in said disc. Free moving disc 8 therefore spins against the resistance of spring 22 that is secured at its other end by keyed disc 7 rotatively fixed to the shaft 3. The engagement profile illustrated by Figures 4c and 4d is repeated for the additional torsion springs, depending on how far the selector 12 is moved along slot 23. It follows that in position one, one spring is engaged, up to position four, corresponding to four springs engaged, enabling progressive resistance. It is intended that spring selection Dnumeral oneD is pre-loaded so that the arms 1, 2 are fully opened to 180°. This is the start position for exercise movement.

As illustrated, a cosmetic cover plate 14 is clipped, glued or otherwise affixed to the underside of the right arm assembly 2. This protects and hides from view the resistance mechanism. Also, featured at a distal end 19 of each arm is a curved lip to provide improved engagement with a userDs forearm. As seen by the exploded views, the assembly of arms 1 and 2 on a shaft 3 is best achieved by having the left or first arm 1 keyed to a shaft 3 with a centre axis X and having the right or second arm 2 generally free moving on said shaft, except for engagement of the resistance mechanism that occurs within the casing of the second arm. As illustrated, spaced apart keyed flanges 5 of the first arm 1 accommodate free moving flanges 6 of second arm assembly 2, which in turn has the resistance mechanism housed therein. As can be appreciated in Figure 3, a ledge 26 within the arm assembly 2 will be, when assembled, in permanent contact with the first notch 27 of spinning disc 8 such that Dposition oneD is always engaged.

Referring to Figures 5a and 5b, use of the exercise device is illustrated, wherein a user U grips handles Ia and 2a and applies force to the device via forearm pads lb/2b. Each arm of the device may rotate through 90° to a position 20 (Figure 5b) . In order to do this comfortably, it is natural for the user to raise the unit upwards through the 90° stroke in such a way that the elbows move horizontally inward in relation to the user and meet together. At the same time the hands move vertically upward to a finish position 21. Overall this is an upward scooping motion which exercises the pectoral muscles.

The device can also be used as a thigh exerciser in the known way, i.e. squeezed between thighs to reproduce a DscissorD action. The present invention has the additional advantage of providing the handles Ia, 2a for steadying the device when squeezed between the thighs. The conventional thigh exercise action is often not very stable and such devices have been known to spring open and fly across a room.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the invention with a simplified form of resistance mechanism. The device still includes a number of springs 22, but these are arranged for additional removal from a spindle, which is equivalent to shaft 3 with a rotational axis X of the first embodiment. The underside of each arm assembly includes narrow recesses 28 that receive extending ends 9 of springs 22. In practice a selected number of springs (corresponding to required resistance) are pushed into place in the recesses 28 and then spindle 3 is threaded through and suitably locked in place by an end cap 4. In this embodiment it is not mandatory for there to be a keyed flange 5 on one of the arm assemblies because the springs are secured with one end in each arm 1, 2 to provide resistive force therebetween. Otherwise, operation of the device is the same .

Figures 8 to 14 illustrate a further improvement over the first embodiment described above. Functional components consist of: left arm 1, right arm 2, left handle Ia, right handle 2a, three spring sub-assemblies 30, shaft 3, two endcaps 4, two screws 31 with screw covers 32, two bushes 33 with square holes 33a, four cosmetic cover plates 34, circular recesses 35 on right arm 2 to receive the bushes 33,

During assembly, the left and right handles Ia and 2a are clipped into the left and right arms 1 and 2 respectively; the left and right arms 1 and 2 each have two cover plates 34, which are attached to the arms to improve cosmetics. The left arm 1 is assembled onto the square sectioned shaft 3 and keyed thereto by means of a square cutout 36 in flanges 5 into which the square sectioned shaft 3 is assembled. The right arm 2 has circular recesses 35 in its flanges 6 into which the two bushes 33 are placed such that they are able to rotate freely. The right arm 2 is assembled to the square shaft 3 with the bushes 33 via the square holes 33a.

As before left arm 1 is keyed for fixed movement with the shaft 3 whereas the right arm 3 by means of the circular recesses 35 can freely rotate about the shaft 3. In the improved embodiment, three spring sub assemblies 30 are to be attached to the shaft 3, although more or less sub assemblies can be included in further embodiments.

An end cap 4 is fastened to the shaft 3 with a screw 31 at each end thereof. The screws are hidden at each end with a cover 32 which clips into the endcap 4.

The spring assemblies (best shown by figures 11 to 14) consist of: a keyed cylinder 37 with a square receiving aperture 51, free cylinder 38 with an angled surface 45 and a spline 46, torsion spring 22 with spring ends 9, selector ring 39 with internal cogs 47 and external engagement lugs 48, keyed cylinder rotation stop rib 40, free cylinder rotation stop rib 41, keyed cylinder spring arm ribs 42, free cylinder spring arm ribs 43, shaft clip 44, V shaped notches 49 on the right arm 2 together with rectangular clearance channels 50.

Figure 13 shows the general components of the resistance elements. The spring 22 is assembled into the keyed cylinder 37 and aligned rotationally by a first spring end 9, which is held captive between two ribs 42. In this angular position (of Figure 13), the first spring end 9 is offset 6 degrees from the 12 oDclock position. The free cylinder 38 is assembled onto the keyed cylinder 37 which is held fastened by an integral clip 44 in the end of the shaft of the keyed cylinder. As the free cylinder 38 is inserted onto the cylinder shaft the rotation stop ribs 40 and 41 align which prevents the cylinders rotating in one direction. First spring end 9 then makes contact with an angled surface 45 on the free cylinder spring arm ribs 43 (Figure 11) . Spring end 9 clashes with the angled surface as the cylinders are inserted together, forcing the free cylinder 38 to rotate. The rotation stop ribs 40/41 provide a reaction force to prevent the cylinders rotating, and hence the spring end 9 is deflected into the 12 oDclock position in a preloaded state.

The selector ring 39 has internal cogs 47 which mesh with a spline 46 on the free cylinder 38. This means the selector ring 39 is rotationally keyed to the free cylinder but is free to move axially along the spline as shown in Figure 14.

As seen in Figures 10a and 10b, the right arm 2 has three V- shaped notches 49 which can engage with three V-shaped lugs 48 on the selector ring 39 (as shown in Figure 10b) . In this case the ring 39 effectively keys the free cylinder 38 to the right arm 2 and resistance is applied to that arm as it rotates relative to the left arm 1. When the selector ring 39 lug 48 is disengaged from a notch 49 by moving the ring axially along the pivot axis (as indicated by double headed arrows) , the resistance is disengaged from the right arm 2, allowing the left arm to rotate without any resistance, with the lugs 48 rotating through a rectangular clearance channel 50 on the right arm 2.

When engaging resistance, the V-shaped notches 49 align with the lugs 48 to prevent disengagement and provide a positive tactile click using the torsion spring 22 to provide resistance as the selector ring 39 is moved into and out of the engaged position. Specifically, Figure 10a shows none of the resistance mechanisms 30 engaged, and Figure 10b shows all springs engaged to apply resistance to the relative movement of arms 1 and 2. The device can be designed with more or less adjustments than the three stages illustrated. When the adjustment ring 39 is moved out of the engaged position, three equally spaced clips moulded into the free cylinder spline 46 provide a tactile click to lock the rings into an unengaged position to prevent the rings accidentally moving during use. The force of the clips is strong enough to stop movement but light enough to allow the rings to be manually clicked in and out of position easily.

The present invention could be made with two parallel rotational axes for arms 1, 2 or any configuration that enables relative rotational movement. In such an embodiment a central housing would be needed, which preferably houses the resistance means, and each arm is pivotally connected thereto. The handles could extend from this central housing or from each arm as in the described embodiments.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The exercise device can be injection moulded from plastics or made from any suitable material with the required strength to withstand the internal resistance force.