Field of the invention

The invention relates to a piece of workout equipment, which comprises a frame rail which can be installed in a vertical position, which frame rail has a front surface, a first edge channel and a second edge channel, an equipment carriage which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, which equipment carnage comprises first rollers arranged to roll in the first edge channel and second rollers arranged to roll in the second edge channel, fastening means for attaching a first workout device in a detachable manner and locking means for fastening the equipment carriage to the frame rail in an immobile manner.

Prior art

Numerous different pieces of workout equipment have been developed for maintaining and improving muscle condition. Pieces of workout equipment are usually devices to be placed on the floor, which devices have a freely standing frame. Mostly, one piece of workout equipment can be used for training only one or at the most a few muscle groups. In order to train all muscle groups it is thus in practice necessary to use several different pieces of workout equipment. Acquiring several different pieces of workout equipment is expensive and workout equipment equipped with their own freely standing frame require a large space. The aforementioned reasons limit the acquiring of workout equipment for home use.

Publication US 2011039665 describes an exercise device which comprises a vertical frame, a resistance system supported on the frame and a cable-pulley assembly functionally connected to the resistance system for using the resistance system.

Publication US10398928 describes an exercise apparatus, which comprises a rail which can be installed in a vertical position and a carriage moving along the rail, on which carriage the workout device is attached. The carriage has first rollers, which are fitted into a groove on the first side of the rail, and second rollers, which are fitted into a groove on the second side of the rail. The carriage has a moveable locking pin, by means of which the carriage can be locked in place in locking holes in the rail.

Publication US20190299043 describes an exercise appliance, which comprises a rail which can be installed in a vertical position and a moveable carriage, on which the workout device is attached. On the front surface of the rail there is a channel, along which the carriage moves on the rollers. The rollers are supported by means of springs to roll along edge surfaces of the channel wall. The carriage can be locked to be immobile on the rail with the aid of a locking pin.

In the publication mentioned last, the carriage locking member is placed in the same groove, along which the carriage moves on the rollers. Via the rollers, dirt or dust can end up in the groove, which can disturb the operation of the carriage locking members. The grooves functioning as the movement path of the rollers are on one side completely open, so obstacles disturbing the movement of the rollers and carriage can end up in the grooves.

An object of the invention is to provide a piece of workout equipment, by which the problems relating to the prior art can be reduced. The objects of the invention are obtained with a piece of workout equipment, which is characterized by what is presented in the independent claim. Some advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

Brief summary of the invention

The invention relates to a piece of workout equipment, which comprises a frame rail which can be installed in a vertical position, which frame rail has a front surface, a first edge channel and a second edge channel, an equipment carriage which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, which equipment carnage comprises first rollers arranged to roll in the first edge channel and second rollers arranged to roll in the second edge channel, fastening means for attaching a first workout device in a detachable manner and locking means for attaching the equipment carriage to the frame rail in an immobile manner. The frame rail comprises a middle channel between the first and second edge channel, and said locking means comprise a row of locking openings in the middle channel and at least one locking protrusion in the equipment carriage, which locking protrusion can be fitted into a locking opening.

In one advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, said equipment carriage has a bottom plate and the locking protrusion has a base part protruding from the plane of the bottom plate and a tip forming an angle with the base part. Advantageously, said equipment carriage has at least two locking protrusions, so that the distance between adjacent locking protrusions is a multiple of the distance between adjacent locking openings. In a second advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, said locking protrusions can be moved into a locking position, where the tip of the locking protrusions is at a first distance from the bottom plate, and into a transfer position, where the tip is at a second distance from the bottom plate, which second distance is smaller than the first distance. In the transfer position, the tip of the locking protrusions is advantageously substantially at the same level as the surface of the bottom plate. In the locking position, at least a part of the locking protrusion extends into the locking opening of the middle channel, preventing the equipment carriage from moving in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail. Correspondingly in the transfer position, the locking protrusion does not extend into the locking opening of the middle channel, whereby the equipment carriage can move along the frame rail.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the locking protrusions can be locked into the transfer position. Thus, the equipment carriage can move freely in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, when force in the longitudinal direction of the frame carriage is directed onto it.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the first side of the equipment carriage has at least two first axles, on which first rollers are arranged, and the second side of the equipment carriage has at least two second axles, on which second rollers are arranged, which first and second axles are substantially parallel. The first axles are advantageously at a distance from each other and the second axles are at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the equipment carriage.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the equipment carriage additionally has third rollers arranged to roll in the first edge channel and fourth rollers arranged to roll in the second edge channel, and the first side of the equipment carriage has at least one third axle, on which the third rollers are arranged, and the second side of the equipment carriage has at least one fourth axle, on which the fourth rollers are arranged, which third and fourth axles are substantially perpendicular to the first and second axles. There are thus rollers in both edge channels, which roll around axles which are perpendicular to each other, whereby the rollers roll along surfaces in the edge channels which are in a perpendicular position to each other.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the equipment carriage has a first support profile, onto which the first and third axles are attached, and a second support profile, onto which the second and third axles are attached. All the rollers in the same edge channel are thus attached via the axles to the same support profile.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the wall of the first edge channel and the wall of the second edge channel have a groove in the longitudinal direction of the edge channel, which groove opens onto the front surface of the frame rail. The first support profile extends from the first edge channel through the groove to the bottom plate of the equipment carriage and the second support profile extends from the second edge channel through the groove to the bottom plate of the equipment carriage.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the frame rail has at least one intermediate channel in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, which intermediate channel has a counterweight, which is connected to the equipment carriage with a cable rotating around a pulley. Due to the counterweight, the equipment carriage can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail with very little force.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the front surface of the frame rail additionally has a first edge groove and a second edge groove for attaching at least one second workout device. The first edge groove and second edge groove are advantageously substantially parallel to the first and second edge channel, and the edge grooves are on the side of the edge channels, outside the movement path of the equipment carriage. The movement path of the equipment carriage in this context means the area covered by the moving equipment carriage on the front surface of the edge rail. Because the edge grooves are situated outside the movement path, the workout devices attached to the edge grooves do not disturb or prevent the movement of the equipment carriage in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention, the front surface of the frame rail additionally has a first side groove and a second side groove for attaching at least one third workout device. The third workout device can be in its place attached to the side grooves at the same time as the second workout device attached to the edge grooves and the first workout device attached to the equipment carriage. An advantage of the invention is that it is a versatile workout device, because several different workout devices can be attached to the frame rail to be used either separately or at the same time.

Additionally, it is an advantage of the invention that it is reliable, because the rollers of the moving equipment carriage are placed into a practically closed channel.

Further it is an advantage of the invention that it can be used in small spaces, because the device does not have a freely standing frame requiring space.

Still an advantage of the invention is that it reduces material and manufacturing costs for workout equipment frames.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in detail. In the description, reference is made to the enclosed drawings, in which figure 1 a shows as an example a frame rail of a piece of workout equipment according to the invention shown from the front, figure 1 b shows the frame rail shown in figure 1 a as a cross-sectional view, figure 2a shows as an example an equipment carriage belonging to a piece of workout equipment shown from the front, figure 2b shows the equipment carriage shown in figure 2a shown from the side, figure 2c shows the equipment carriage shown in figures 2a and 2b shown from below, figure 3 shows as an example an equipment carriage belonging to a piece of workout equipment shown diagonally from above as a so-called exploded view, figure 4a shows as an example a piece of workout equipment according to the invention as a cross-sectional view and figure 4b shows as an example an advantageous embodiment of a piece of workout equipment according to the invention shown from the front, figure 5 shows as an example an advantageous embodiment of a piece of workout equipment according to the invention shown from the side and figure 6 shows as an example a second advantageous embodiment of a piece of workout equipment according to the invention shown from the side.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 a shows as an example a frame rail of a piece of workout equipment according to the invention shown from the front, and figure 1 b shows the same frame rail as a cross-sectional view. In the following both figures are described simultaneously.

The frame rail 10 is an elongated metal profile, which has a shaped front surface 11 and a substantially plane rear surface 15. The edge rail is meant to be fastened onto a wall in a vertical position, so that its rear surface is set against the wall surface. The front surface of the frame rail means the surface of the metal profile, which is left visible in the edge rail installed into place. The length of the frame rail can be dimensioned to be suitable for the users of the workout equipment or the height of the walls in the use space. The length of the frame rail is advantageously a bit smaller than the height of the wall functioning as the attaching base of the frame rail. The frame rail can be a uniform piece or it can be constructed of two or more parts which are coupled together.

In the middle of the frame rail there is a middle channel 28 in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, the front surface 11 side of which is open. The middle channel is thus in practice a groove opening up onto the front surface, which groove has two side walls and a bottom. In the bottom of the middle channel there is in a row a group of rectangular locking openings 24, which go through the bottom of the middle channel, i.e. the locking openings form a hole from the middle channel through the bottom into a cavity 29 between the rear surface 15 and the middle channel. On both sides of the middle channel, there are two intermediate channels 38, which are parallel to the middle channel. The walls of the intermediate channels are closed over the entire length of the intermediate channels and the open ends of the intermediate channels open up onto the end surfaces of the frame rail.

On the first edge of the frame rail there is a first edge channel 14 and on the second edge of the frame rail there is a second edge channel 16, so that the intermediate channels, which are parallel to the edge channels, are situated between the edge channels. The edge channels and intermediate channel have a rectangular cross- sectional shape. The front surface side wall of the edge channels has a groove 18 in the longitudinal direction of the edge channel, which opens up onto the front surface 11 of the frame rail 10. The front surface of the frame rail additionally has a first edge groove 44 and a second edge groove 46, so that the grooves 18 are left between the edge grooves. The edge grooves have a semi-circular cross-sectional shape and a gap in the longitudinal direction of the edge grooves opens up from the edge grooves to the front surface, the width of which gap is smaller than the largest width of the cross-section of the edge grooves. The outermost parts of the front surface of the frame rails have a first side groove 72 and a second side groove 74.

Figure 2a shows as an example an equipment carriage of a piece of workout equipment shown from the front, figure 2b shows the equipment carriage shown in figure 2a shown from the side and figure 2c shows the equipment carriage shown in figures 2a and 2b shown from below. In the following all the above-mentioned figures are described simultaneously.

The equipment carriage has a bottom plate 13, in the mid part of which there is a ridge 25 in the longitudinal direction of the equipment carriage, the cross-section of which ridge is compatible with the cross-sectional shape of the middle channel of the frame rail, i.e. the ridge can be fitted inside the middle channel, so that a gap enabling the movement of the equipment carriage is left between the outer surface of the ridge and the inner surface of the middle channel. In the bottom of the ridge there are three holes, out of each of which a locking protrusion 26 protrudes. On the first edge of the bottom plate there is a first support profile 34 and on the second edge of the bottom plate there is a second support profile 36. The support profiles are connected to the lower surface of the bottom plate by their edges, which point upwards in the figures. In the first end of the equipment carriage there is a fastening pipe 58 and in the second end a fastening rod 59, which function as fastening members, with which a workout device can be attached to the equipment carriage in a detachable manner. In the first end there is additionally a pulling ring 57 and in the second end a locking handle 60. By moving the locking handle, the locking protrusions 26 can be moved into the protruding locking position and into the retracted transfer position in a manner described below.

Three first axles 22 are attached to the first support profile 34 at a distance from each other as seen in the longitudinal direction of the equipment carriage. Two first rollers 20 have been attached to each first axle, so that the rollers are situated on different sides of the support profile. In a corresponding manner, three second axles 32 are attached to the second support profile 36 at a distance from each other, and two second rollers 30 have been attached to each second axle (figure 2c). The first and second axles are parallel. Two third axles 42 have additionally been attached to the first support profile and two fourth axles 52 to the second profile, which axles are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first and second axles. One third roller 40 has been attached to each third axle and one fourth roller 50 to each fourth axle.

Figure 3 shows as an example an equipment carriage 12 belonging to a piece of workout equipment shown diagonally from above as a so-called exploded view. On the upper surface of the bottom plate 13 of the equipment carriage there is a surface plate 15 and on both edges of it an edge plate 17. An elongated recess 62 opens by the ridge underneath the bottom plate onto the part of the bottom plate underneath the surface plate. An elongated transfer bar 63 has been placed in the recess, in one end of which transfer bar there is a locking handle 60. The transfer bar is a downward opening gutter-like metal profile, the cross-section of which is dimensioned so that it can fit to move in the recess 62 in the longitudinal direction of the recess.

Inside the gutter-like shape of the transfer bar there is an elongated locking rod 67. The locking rod is an upward opening gutter-like metal profile, on the bottom surface pointing toward the recess 62 of which there are three locking protrusions 26 at standard distances from each other. The distance between two consecutive locking protrusions is a multiple of the distance between two consecutive locking openings in the frame rail, i.e. the distance between two consecutive locking protrusions is the distance between two consecutive locking openings multiplied by an integer higher than one. The locking protrusions have a base part, which has a plane edge surface, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the locking rod. In the free end of the base part there is a tip 27, which forms an angle with the edge surface of the base part. When the equipment carriage is locked into place on the frame rail, the locking protrusion is fitted into a locking opening in the frame rail, so that the edge surface of the base part settles against the edge surface of the locking opening and the tip of the locking protrusion is situated in the cavity 29 (figure 1 b). The tip thus functions as a stopper, which prevent the locking protrusion from inadvertently sliding out of the locking opening.

The side walls of the locking rod has lifting pins 66, which are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the locking rod, and the side walls of the gutter-like profile of the transfer bar has elongated lifting holes 65. All the lifting holes are in the same kind of slanted position in relation to the longitudinal direction of the transfer bar, so that the first end of the lifting hole is farther from the upper surface of the transfer bar than the second end of the lifting hole. In an assembled equipment carriage, the locking rod is placed inside the transfer bar, so that the ends of the lifting pins settle inside the lifting holes. In the bottom of the gutter-like profile of the locking rod there are guide holes 70, and in the bottom of the recess there are guide pins 68, which settle into the guide holes, when the transfer bar 63 and the locking rod inside it are placed in the recess. The lid surface of the gutter-like part of the transfer bar has elongated through holes 64, through which the guide pins pass. The ends of the guide pins extend through the locking rod and the transfer bar into holes 69 in the surface plate 15.

The elongated shape of the through holes 64 enables movement of the transfer bar 63 in the recess in the longitudinal direction of the recess by pushing or pulling the locking handle without the guide pins preventing it. The locking rod 67, which is connected to the transfer bar via the lifting pins 66, on the other hand cannot move in the longitudinal direction, because the guide holes 70 and the guide pins 68 passing through them enable movement of the locking rod only in the direction of the guide pins, i.e. in a perpendicular direction to the transfer bar. The longitudinal movement of the transfer bar forces the lifting pins to move in the elongated lifting holes 65 in a slanted position, whereby the locking rod moves, depending on the movement direction of the transfer bar, either toward the surface plate 15 or away from it. By moving the transfer bar by pushing or pulling on the locking handle, the locking protrusions 26 attached to the locking rod can thus be moved into the protruding locking position or the retracted transfer position. The equipment carriage can be equipped with a locking device not shown in the figure, with which the transfer bar can be locked to be immobile in the recess when the locking protrusions are in the retracted transfer position. Thus, the equipment carriage can be moved freely along the frame rail. The locking device can for example be a pin, which is placed in the hole which goes through the transfer bar, surface plate and bottom plate.

Figure 4a shows as an example a piece of workout equipment according to the invention as a cross-sectional view and figure 4b shows the same workout equipment shown from the front. In the following both figures are described simultaneously.

The equipment carriage 12 is attached in place on the frame rail 10 by fitting the first and third rollers 20, 40 of the equipment carriage in the first edge channel 14 and the second and fourth rollers 30, 50 in the second edge channel 16. The side dimensions of the rollers are substantially larger than the widths of the grooves 18 opening from the edge channels to the front surface 11 of the frame rail, so the rollers must be fitted into the edge channels through the open ends of the edge channels. When the equipment carriage is installed into place on the frame rail, the equipment carriage can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame rail, when the locking protrusions 26 are moved into the transfer position. In order to make moving the equipment carriage easier, there is a counterweight 54 inside each intermediate channel 38, which counterweight is attached to the equipment carriage with a cable 56 rotating around a pulley 48 in the top end of the frame rail (figure 4b). In the top end of the frame rail there is an end piece 78, inside which the pulleys are. When the equipment carriage is moved into a desired point on the frame rail, the equipment carriage is locked to be immobile in place on the frame rail by moving the locking protrusions into the locking position.

The first and second rollers are dimensioned so that their diameter is slightly smaller than the smaller side dimension of the edge channels 14, 16. When the equipment carriage moves along the frame rail, the first rollers 20 and the second rollers 30 thus roll along the wall surface of the edge channel either on the front surface or rear surface side of the frame rail. The third rollers 40 and fourth rollers 50 are attached to the equipment carriage so that they roll along the wall surface of the edge channels, which is closer to the intermediate channel 38.

A desired workout device can be attached to the first and second edge groove 44, 46 and the first and second side groove 72, 74 of the frame rail 10. In figure 4a, a loop 76 has as an example been attached to the first and second edge groove, which loop functions as a controller of a lifting cable of an equipment carriage equipped with weights (figure 6).

Figure 5 shows as an example an advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention shown from the side. The edge rail 10 of the workout equipment is attached with a screw attachment in a vertical position to a wall 100 of a room. The equipment carriage 12 is locked into place at the bottom end of the frame rail close to the floor 102 of the room. A treadmill 110 has been attached to the equipment carriage, so that the first end of the treadmill is attached to the fastening members of the equipment carriage and the second end of the treadmill is supported on the floor. The treadmill is a workout device designed especially for the workout equipment according to the invention, the first end of which has fastening members, which are compatible with the fastening means of the equipment carriage. Two parallel hand supports 112 are attached to the side grooves of the frame rail, so that the treadmill settles between the hand supports. The hand supports function as second workout devices supporting safe use of the treadmill and they are equipped with fastening members compatible with the side grooves of the frame rail.

Figure 6 shows as an example a second advantageous embodiment of the workout equipment according to the invention shown from the side. In this embodiment, the locking members of the frame rail 12 are locked into the transfer position, whereby the equipment carriage can move freely along the frame rail 10. Two bogie wheels 114 have been attached to the edge grooves of the equipment rail, close to the upper end of the frame rail, and the equipment carriage is connected to the grips 118 with two lifting cables 116 rotating around the bogie wheels. Additional weights 120 have been attached to the fastening means of the equipment carriage. When the grip is pulled down, the equipment carriage and the thereto attached additional weights rise up. Additionally, the equipment carriage can be connected to the grips with two resistance rubber bands rotating over the bogie wheels. In this embodiment, the equipment carriage is attached in an immobile manner to the frame rail at a suitable height and the additional weights can be left out. The above-described embodiments of the invention are meant for training muscle groups of the upper body.

Some advantageous embodiments of the workout equipment according to the invention have been described above. The invention is not limited to the solutions described above, but the inventive idea can be applied in different ways within the scope of the claims.

List of reference numbers: 56 cable

58 fastening pipe

10 frame rail 59 fastening rod

11 front surface 60 locking handle

12 equipment carriage 62 recess

13 bottom plate 63 transfer bar

14 first edge channel 64 through hole

15 surface plate 65 lifting hole

16 second edge channel 66 lifting pin

17 edge plate 67 locking rod

18 groove 68 guide pin

20 first roller 69 hole

22 first axle 70 guide hole

24 locking opening 72 first side groove

25 ridge 74 second side groove

26 locking protrusion 76 loop

27 tip 78 end piece

28 middle channel 100 wall

29 cavity 102 floor

30 second roller 110 treadmill

32 second axle 112 hand support

34 first support profile 114 bogie wheel

36 second support profile 116 lifting cable

38 intermediate channel 118 grip

40 third roller 120 additional weight

42 third axle

44 first edge groove

46 second edge groove

47 fastening part

48 pulley

50 fourth roller

52 fourth axle

54 counterweight