SEATING APPARATUS FOR THE WORKOUT OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

Technical Field

The present invention refers to a seating apparatus for the workout of the abdominal muscles. Background art

Different methods are currently known for toning up the abdominal muscles, some of which require the carrying out of free-standing exercises or with the use of loads, while others require the performance of preset movements with the aid of pieces of gymnastic apparatus of various construction and functional types. A particular type of apparatus intended for the workout of the abdominal muscles consists of a small armchair having a support frame for a substantially horizontal seat and for a substantially vertical backrest. The backrest is fitted on the frame so it swings between an initial configuration, in which it is arranged substantially vertical, and an end configuration, in which it is reclined backwards.

The user, sat on the seat, bends his/her back and produces a thrust on the backrest that tends to make it turn around its own hinging axis from the initial to the end configuration. Such rotation is contrasted by specific resistant means generally made up of elastic elements such as springs or the like, which release a resistant force proportionate to their same deformation.

To correctly perform the exercise, during back bending, the user's shoulders must remain more or less on the vertical plane of the hips and must not remain in contact with the backrest in its turning movement from the initial to the end configuration.

For this purpose, these apparatuses of known type are usually equipped with a pair of retracting armrests which are fitted on the frame so as to turn around a horizontal axis, which is substantially parallel with the backrest, facing the front of this and arranged above the seat. The rotation of the armrests in fact permits moving them between a rest position, in which they are arranged at right angles to the backrest and adjacent to it and the apparatus can be used as a simple

seating means, and an exercising position, in which they are tipped forwards by 180° with respect to the rest position.

At the free ends of the armrests, two corresponding grip handles are fitted for the user's hands, which extend substantially at right angles to the remaining portions of the armrests and which, in exercising position, are arranged substantially vertically.

During the exercise, therefore, to work out the abdominal muscles, the user sat on the armchair presses against the backrest keeping his/her hands firmly gripped on the handles and his/her arms stretched out and straight, so as to maintain the position of the shoulders with respect to the seat.

These apparatuses of known type do however have a number of drawbacks. In this respect, the fact is underscored that the distance of the handles from the backrest in exercising position is established during the apparatus manufacturing stage and depends on the conformation of the frame and on the length of the armrests. Depending on the height and build of the user therefore, the distance of the handles from the backrest could be too great or, on the contrary, too small if compared with the length of the user's arms. It is therefore easy to appreciate how, in some circumstances, this type of known apparatus does not permit a correct favouring of the bending of the spinal column and, consequently, does not permit obtaining a targeted toning up of the rectus abdominal muscles.

For this reason, the results obtainable, expressed in terms of the improvement of the abdominal muscle tone, do not always live up to expectations and are, to say the least, uncertain. Object of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a seating apparatus for the workout of the abdominal muscles that can be freely used by users of any height and build, allowing a correct and efficient toning up of the abdominal muscles. Another object of the present invention is to provide a seating apparatus that permits overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art as part of a simple, rational and low-cost solution. The above aim and objects are all achieved by the present seating apparatus for

the workout of the abdominal muscles, comprising at least one base frame, at least one seating surface for a user associated with said base frame, at least one backrest that has at least one contact surface in contact with the back of said user and which is associated with said base frame that can swing between an initial configuration and an end configuration, resistant means placed in between said frame and said backrest, which are suitable for exercising an action resistant to the oscillation of the backrest itself between the initial configuration and the end configuration, and at least one pair of armrests associated with said base frame and having respective grip portions for the user's hands, portions that are movable between a rest position and an exercising position in which said user is positioned seated on said seating surface, with the back in contact against said backrest, the hands gripping on said portions and the upper limbs substantially stretched out, characterized in that at least one of said grip portions comprises at least one grip substantially elongated which in exercising position is arranged at least partially along a direction crossways to the vertical surface in front of said user. Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear even more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a seating apparatus for the workout of the abdominal muscles illustrated indicatively by way of non limiting example, in the attached drawings wherein: the figure 1 is a perspective view of the seating apparatus according to the invention with the armrests in exercising position (continuous line) and in rest position (broken line); the figure 2 is a raised side view of the seating apparatus according to the invention during use by a fairly tall user; the figure 3 is a raised side view of the seating apparatus according to the invention during use by a fairly short user. Embodiments of the Invention

With special reference to such figures, a seating apparatus for the workout of the abdominal muscles has been globally designated by reference number 1.

The apparatus 1 has a base frame 2 for resting on the ground, which is associated with a seating surface 3 for a user U.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a backrest 4 that has a contact surface 5 in contact with the back of the user U and which is associated with the base frame 2 in a way so that it swings between an initial configuration, in which it is arranged substantially vertical, and an end configuration, in which it is reclined backwards with respect to the initial configuration.

The backrest 4, in detail, is associated with the base frame 2 by interposition of hinging means 6 hinging around an axis of oscillation A substantially at right angles to the sagittal plane of the user U in seated position.

It must be noted that the axis of oscillation A is arranged below the seating surface 3 and near the area in which the hips of the user U are positioned. Between the backrest 4 and the base frame 2 resistant means are also placed suitable for exercising an action resistant to the oscillation of the backrest 4 between the initial configuration and the end configuration; such resistant means consist, for example, of an elastic spring integrated in the hinging means 6 and not shown in the illustrations.

Usefully, the contact surface 5 of the backrest 4 is substantially curved, with the convexity turned towards the back of the user U, and has a substantially cylindrical horizontal-axis conformation.

In detail, the radius of curvature of the backrest 4 is substantially comprised between 35 cm and 45 cm, and is preferably equivalent to 39 í 40 cm. To the base frame 2 is associated a pair of armrests 7 having respective grip portions 8 for the hands of the user U. The grip portions 8 are moving between a rest position, in which they are substantially retracted and arranged near the backrest 4, and an exercising position, in which they are located substantially away from the backrest 4 and the user U is positioned seated on the seating surface 3, with his/her back in contact against the backrest 4, his/her hands gripping on the portions 8 and his/her upper limbs substantially stretched out (figures 2 and 3).

The grip portions 8, in detail, are made up of respective elongated grips that are associated with the base frame 2 by means of rotation means 9 rotating around a

horizontal axis arranged above the seating surface 3 and in front of the backrest 4.

Once the user U has taken up position on the seating surface 3, the rotation axis of the grips 8 is in effect at right angles to the sagittal plane of the user. Advantageously, each grip 8 consists of a tubular section having an outer surface suitable for favouring grip for the hands of the user U, of the type, for example, of a covering layer 10 in substantially polymer material. In exercising position, the grips 8 are arranged partially along a direction crossways to the vertical plane in front of the user U and lie on corresponding sagittal planes with respect to the user.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the illustrations, for example, the grips 8 have a curvilinear shape and, in the exercising position, they are arranged with the convexity turned downwards. The radius of curvature of such grips varies together with the distance from the fulcrum point to the base frame 2 and, in particular, is gradually reduced as the free ends of the grips 8 come closer.

Furthermore, the curvature of the grips 8 is such that in exercising position the ends hinged to the base frame 2 are substantially arranged horizontal while the free ends are substantially vertical. Alternative embodiments of the invention cannot however be ruled out in which, for example, the handles 8 have a substantially constant radius of curvature and describe a more or less extensive arc of a circle. It should be noted that the particular type of grip 8 described previously and shown in the illustrations permits users U of any height to use the apparatus 1. In case of tall users U (figure 2) in fact, the grip point of the hands of the user U is positioned close to the free ends of the grips 8, which are further away from the backrest 4 and, therefore, allow the user U to keep his/her upper limbs stretched out and parallel with each other during the performance of the exercise. If, on the other hand, the apparatus 1 is used by a short user U with shorter upper limbs compared to the previous case (figure 3), the grips 8 can be easily gripped near the ends hinged to the base frame 2, which are closer to the

backrest 4.

Analogous use procedures and similar considerations also hold good for different embodiments, which always however fall within the inventive concept defined by the present invention, in which, for example, the grips 8 are curvilinear as in the previously described embodiment, but such as to have the convexity turned upwards once placed in the exercising position. Similarly, the present invention can provide embodiments in which the grips 8 are rectilinear and, in the exercising position, are arranged substantially oblique compared to the vertical plane in front of the user U, for example at an angle of 45°.

It has in fact been ascertained how the described invention achieves the proposed objects.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which falling within the scope of the inventive concept. Furthermore all the details may be replaced by other elements which are technically equivalent.

In practice, the contingent shapes and dimensions may be any according to requirements without because of this moving outside the protection scope of the following claims.