CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to United States Provisional

Patent Application Serial Number 62/889,228, filed August 20, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to exercise equipment.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Weight lifting benches are typically used for human exercise, and can be used with or without weights for resistance. Weight lifting benches typically provide a flat and/or inclined surface on which exercises are performed. The benches are typically longer than they are wide to support the torso of the body without constraining the arms and legs during exercise. Many benches employ support legs at either end of the bench for stability. Many exercise benches take up a lot of room and can be a burden to move. SUMMARY

[0004] Wall mountable retractable exercise systems are described herein. The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below.

Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005] FIGS. 1-8 and 12-16 are illustrations of exemplary wall mountable exercise systems. [0006] FIGS. 9 and 117-18 are illustrations of base assemblies of wall mountable exercise systems.

[0007] FIGS. 10-11 are end views of exemplary wall mountable exercise systems. [0008] FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an exercise system that includes a holding latch.

[0009] FIGS. 20-21 are illustrations of exemplary wall mountable exercise systems that include a display device.

[0010] Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Described herein are retractable exercise systems that are configured to be wall mountable. The exercise systems each include an exercise bench that extends away from the wall while the exercise system is in an extended or inclined position, and is proximal to or resting against the wall while the exercise system is in a retracted position. [0012] FIG. l is a perspective view of an exemplary wall mounted exercise system

100 in a retracted position (e.g., for storage). Exercise system 100 includes a base assembly 60, the base assembly including a mounting plate 21, mounting brackets 22 and 23, a lower base shaft 24, an upper base shaft 25, and rear legs 20 and 26 that are rigid with respect to the mounting plate 21 (e.g., rigidly connected to the mounting plate 21). The mounting plate 21 is configured to be attached to a wall 12. For example, the mounting plate 21 can include one or more mounting holes 29 (shown in FIG. 7) through which a fastener (e.g., a bolt or a screw) can be inserted in order to attach the exercise system 100 to wall 12. A main beam 30 of the exercise system 100 is pivotally connected to the base assembly 60 via the upper base shaft 25. A bench 40 is attached to the main beam 30. The bench 40 includes a first surface (e.g., a top surface on which a user lies while performing exercise), a second surface (e.g., a bottom surface) opposite the first surface, a proximal end 45, and a distal end 46 opposite the proximal end 45. The first surface of the bench 40 is configured to support the torso of a human lying thereon. A distal leg 31 is pivotally connected to the main beam 30 via a main distal shaft 33. A coupler link 32 is connected between the base assembly 60 and the distal leg 31, such that the coupler link 32 is connected to the distal leg 31 via a leg pivot 34 and connected to the base assembly via the lower base shaft 24. As seen in FIG. 1, while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall 12 and in a retracted position, the bench 40 is in a vertical or nearly vertical position for storage with the first surface (e.g., the top surface) of the bench between the wall 12 and the second surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the bench.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows the exercise system 100 in an extended position (e.g., for exercise) in which the main beam 30 is horizontal or near horizontal. FIG. 2 shows the exercise system 100 in an intermediate position while the exercise system 100 is transitioned between the retracted and the extended positions. As seen in FIG. 3, while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall and in the extended position, the proximal end 45 of the bench 40 is closer to the wall than the distal end 46 of the bench 40. [0014] As further seen in FIG. 3, while the exercise system 100 is in the extended position, the angle 48 between the longitudinal axis of the distal leg 31 and the longitudinal axis of the main beam 30 is greater than five degrees. Referring back to FIG. 1, while the exercise system is in the retracted position, the longitudinal axis of the distal leg 34 and the longitudinal axis of the main beam 30 can be approximately parallel to one another, such that the angle 48 (labeled in FIG. 3) between the longitudinal axis of the distal leg and the longitudinal axis of the main beam is less than forty-five degrees. The angle 48 between the longitudinal axis of the distal leg and the longitudinal axis of the main beam can alternatively be less than 40°, less than 35°, less than 30°, less than 25°, less than 20°, less than 15°, less than 10°, or less than 5° while the exercise system is in the retracted position.

[0015] FIGS. 4-9 are illustrations of alternative views of exercise system 100.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show side views of exercise system 100 in the retracted position connected to a wall 12. FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of exercise system 100 in the extended position. FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of exercise system 100 in the extended position. FIG. 8 is a front view of exercise system 100 in the extended position.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the base assembly 60 while the exercise system 100 is in the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2. The base assembly 60 shown in FIG. 9 can be constructed by attaching the mounting plate 21 to the rear legs 20 and 26 using four fasteners through leg attachment holes 27 shown in FIG. 7. The pivot mounting brackets 22 and 23 are connected to the mounting plate 21 using four fasteners through the mounting bracket attachment holes 28 shown in FIG. 6. The mounting plate 21 is attached to the wall using four fasteners through wall mounting holes 29.

[0017] The exemplary base assembly uses an upper base shaft 25 as the main base shaft pivot and a lower base shaft 24 as the coupler base pivot that is fixed between right pivot mounting bracket 22 brackets and left pivot mounting bracket 23 using two fasteners at each end of each base shaft. Two mounted bearings 50 are pivotally connected to the upper base shaft 25 which provides rotational structure for the main beam 30. The coupler link 32 is pivotally connected to the lower base shaft 24. A shaft collar 52 is adapted to receive an actuator 51 and is also adapted to be rigidly clamped to the lower base shaft 24. The actuator 51 shown in FIG. 9 may act continuously by opposing compression and/or may provide damping force that scales with rate at which it is compressed and/or extended. The actuator 51 can serve one or more of the following purposes. The actuator 51 can slow the motion of the system when the bench is moving towards the extended position, slow the motion of the system when the bench approaches the wall in the retracted position, provide a retaining force in the upright position, and/or offset the weight of the bench to assist in its retraction. The actuator 51 can improve the feel of the motion and increase the safety of the system.

[0018] The distal leg 31 shown in FIGS. 1-7 is pivotally connected to the main beam 30 using main distal shaft 33, which serves as the main distal shaft pivot and is pivotally connected to the coupler link 32 using leg pivot 34. Both the main distal shaft 33 and leg pivot 34 are rigidly connected to distal leg 31 and use a bearing surface to pivotally connect to main beam 30 and coupler link 32. Distal leg 31 can be asymmetric, providing a support surface 62 outside of the center line of the bench 40 as seen in FIG.

8. The distal leg 31 can be made symmetric by creating a single piece leg 63 as shown in FIG. 10, or by attaching another leg 64 rigidly attached to the main distal shaft 33, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0019] The bench 40 includes a first surface 41 made to contact the exerciser, a second surface 42 opposite to the first surface 41, a proximal end 43 and a distal end 44 opposite to the proximal end 43. When the exercise system 100 is in the extended position as shown in FIG. 3, the first surface 41 may be used by the exerciser to perform exercises with or without dumbbell or barbell weights such as bench press, step-ups, seated curls, bench dips, sit-ups, one-arm rows or dumbbell pull-overs. In any implementation of the system, the bench 40 can be rigidly or pivotally attached to the main beam 30 even if the two pieces 40 and 30 are made as a single integrated piece. In the exemplary system shown in FIG. 6, the bench 40 connects rigidly to the main beam 30 using four small brackets 70 and six fasteners.

[0020] When rigidly connected to the main beam 30, the bench 40 can be used in the incline position shown in the exemplary constructions in FIGS. 12 through 14, utilizing the mechanism of the base assembly 60 as one link, the coupler link 32 as a second link, the main beam 30 as a third link, and the distal leg 31 as the fourth link such that each link is scaled geometrically to keep the centroid of the support surface 62 further from the wall 12 than the main distal shaft axis 33, which locks the linkage at an inclined angle using any external support structure capable of withstanding the weight as shown as a chair 80 in FIG. 12, a stool 81 in FIG. 13 or by a telescoping or externally supplied leg 82 as seen in FIG. 14. A potential advantage of using a chair 80 or stool 81 is that they are readily available in the home, are designed to support human body weight, and provide a seating surface which can be paired with the first surface 41 of the bench 40 as an ideal position for concentration curl exercises. An extra seating surface (e.g., seat 47 shown in FIG. 15 and further described below) may be pivotally or rigidly connected to the proximal end of the main beam 30 between the wall 12 and the proximal surface 43 of the bench 40 to support the weight of the exerciser while in the incline position to keep the exerciser from sliding down the inclined bench surface, although it is not required. Without the extra seating surface, the friction between the exerciser and the first surface 41 of the bench 40 is enough to keep the exerciser stable when the exerciser has their feet planted on the ground 14, the legs 20 and 26 or on the optional foot platforms 53 and 54.

[0021] The exercise system 100 of FIGS. 1-9 is a four bar linkage that can be capable of automatically positioning and providing structure for the distal leg 31 at every usable rotational position of the system. As described above, base assembly 60 can function as a first link, coupler bar 32 can function as a second link, main beam 30 can function as a third link, and distal leg 31 can function as a fourth link. [0022] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 7, the mounting plate 21 can be attached to the wall 12 via one or more fasteners, where each of the one or more fasteners passes through one of the mounting holes 28 in the mounting plate 21, thereby attaching the exercise system 100 to the wall 12. As further seen in FIGS. 1-3, the rear legs 20 and 26 contact the ground 14 adjacent to the wall 12 while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall 12. Accordingly, while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall 12 and in the retracted position (as in FIG. 1), the rear legs 20 and 26 support at least a portion of the weight of the exercise system 100, which can reduce the amount of weight that needs to be supported by the wall 12 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position. Furthermore, the legs 20 and 26 can support at least a portion of the weight of the exercise system 100 while the exercise system 100 is being attached to the wall 12, thereby simplifying the installation process.

[0023] When the main beam 30 is positioned in the flat extended position seen in

FIG. 3, or when the main beam 30 is in an incline position as seen in FIGS. 12-15 (as further described below), the coupler link 32 forces the centroid of the support surface 62 of distal leg 31 to be further from the wall than the main distal shaft 33. When the first surface 41 of the bench 40 is then subjected to an external compressive force, a mechanism lock is created by way of the coupler link 32 which acts in tension to resist torques about the axis of the main distal shaft 33 created by the vertical ground reaction force on the support surface 62.

[0024] In the retracted position as seen in FIG. 1, the first surface 41 of the bench

40 rests against the wall 12 and the longitudinal axis of the distal leg 31 is at an angle of less than forty-five degrees with the longitudinal axis of the main beam 30. To hold the retracted position, a retaining force is required that opposes motion from the retracted position as seen in FIG. 1 towards the extended expended position as seen in FIG. 3. In an exemplary retracted position as seen in FIG. 4, an actuator 51 pivotally attached to lower base shaft 24 and pivotally attached to the main beam 30 provides such retaining force along its longitudinal axis. In another exemplary retracted position as seen in FIG. 5, the leg pivot 34 rests in a position closer to the wall than an imaginary line between the axis of the upper base shaft pivot 25 and the axis of the main distal shaft pivot 33 as shown in FIG. 5 as the dotted line. In this exemplary retracted configuration, the coupler link 32 is designed to be slightly longer than would permit free movement of the four bar linkage and in this implementation, the linkage locks using spring force when the coupler link 32 buckles as the leg pivot 34 crosses the imaginary dotted line between the upper base shaft 25 and axis of the main distal shaft 33 as shown in FIG. 5 when transitioning between the intermediate position to the retracted position. In another exemplary retracted position shown in FIG. 19, an example latch system restricts rotation of the main beam 30 by contacting the second surface 42 of the bench 40, the latch comprising a latch base 91 that is adapted to attach to the wall 12, a latch arm 90 that is pivotally connected to the latch base 91 and a stop block 92 rigidly connected to the latch base 91 that limits the motion of latch arm 90 when in the locking position. Similar latch systems could be employed between any two links to lock motion.

[0025] As previously mentioned, referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, exercise system 100 can further include an actuator 51 (e.g., a damper) having a first end that is pivotally connected to the main beam 30 and a second end that is pivotally connected to the lower base shaft 24 of the base assembly 60. The actuator 51 can be configured to apply a force that resists motion when the exercise system 100 is transitioned from the retracted position to the extended position and aids motion when the exercise system 100 is transitioned from the extended position to the retracted position, thereby making it easier for a user to transition the exercise system 100 between the extended and retracted positions. Furthermore, the actuator 51 can serve to hold the exercise system 100 in place while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position with the bench 40 against the wall (as in FIG. 1). As such, no additional latch or other holding mechanism is needed to hold the exercise system 100 in place in the retracted position, since the actuator 51 can prevent the exercise system 100 from transitioning to the extended position in the absence of an external force while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall 12 and in the retracted position.

[0026] As previously described, the first surface 41 faces the wall 12 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position, protecting the wall 12 from repeated impacts when moving from the extended position towards the retracted position. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 20-21, exercise system 100 can further include a display device such as an electronic screen 98 or a mirror 99. The display device 98,99 can be mounted such that it is directly between the first surface 41 and the wall 12 while the exercise system 100 is attached to the wall 12 and in the retracted position.

[0027] The coupler link 32 shown in FIGS. 1-3 can cause an axis of the leg pivot

34 to be closer to the wall than the axis of the main distal shaft 33 while the exercise system is connected to the wall and in the retracted position. Furthermore, the coupler link 32 can be configured to buckle as the leg pivot 34 moves past a point between an axis of the upper base shaft 25 and an axis of the main distal shaft 33. The buckling of the coupler link 32 can provide an elastic force that resists movement of the exercise system 100 away from the retracted position while the exercise system is transitioned into the retracted position.

[0028] Additional embodiments of exercise system 100 are shown in FIGS. 10-

19. FIG. 10 is a front view of an embodiment in which the exercise system 100 is in the extended position and includes a single central distal leg 63. FIG. 11 is a front view of an embodiment in which the exercise system 100 is in the extended position and includes a second distal leg 64 in addition to distal leg 31. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which exercise system 100 is held in an incline position by an external chair 80 positioned beneath the distal leg 31. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which exercise system 100 is held in an incline position by an external stool 81 positioned beneath the distal leg 31. FIG. 14 is a side view of an embodiment in which exercise system 100 is held in an incline position with use of a telescoping or externally supplied leg 82 that is configured to extend from distal leg 31.

[0029] FIG. 15 is a side view of an embodiment in which exercise system 100 further includes a bench pivot 71 connected between the bench 40 and the main beam 30. As shown, the bench pivot 71 allows the bench 40 to be tilted so that it is inclined while the exercise system 100 is in the extended position, thereby allowing the user to perform exercises with their torso against an inclined bench. Support rod 72 can be used to prop the bench using one or more notches embedded or attached to the main beam. As also shown in FIG. 15, exercise system 100 can further include a seat 46 attached to the main beam 30 adjacent to the pivot 71. The seat 47 can be positioned adjacent to the distal end 46 of the bench 40. Alternatively, the seat 47 can be positioned adjacent to the proximal end 45 of the bench 40. [0030] Examples of alternative base assemblies are shown in FIGS. 16 through

18. While the base assembly shown in FIG. 9 includes rear legs 20 and 26, the base can be anchored to the wall studs using only base plate 21 as shown in FIG. 16 where the wall studs (not shown) act as the rear supports for the bench. FIG. 18 is another example embodiment of a base assembly 56 that provides a main base shaft 35 for the main beam 30 and a coupler base pivot for the coupler link 32. The base assembly in FIG. 18 also has foot platforms 53 that allow the user to place their feet higher while the rest of their body is supported by the bench. FIG. 17 integrates similar foot platforms 54 with straps 55 which support both the top and bottom of the foot for exercises such as sit-ups.

[0031] FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of exercise system

100 in a retracted position highlighting a holding latch 90,91,92. The holding latch

90,91,92 can be configured to be attached to the wall 12 above the base assembly 60 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position. Or, the holding latch 90,91,92 can be configured to be attached between the coupler link 32 and the distal leg 31 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position. Alternatively, the holding latch

90,91,92 can be configured to be attached between the coupler link 32 and the main beam 30 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position. Or, the holding latch

90,91,92 can be configured to be attached between the main beam 30 and the distal leg 31 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position. Or, the holding latch 90,91,92 can be configured to be attached to the base assembly 60 while the exercise system 100 is in the retracted position.

[0032] A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the techniques and devices described herein. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.