Exercise apparatus and method with articulating arms

Abstract

An exercise apparatus and a method with articulating arms involving an exercise machine ( 1 ) which includes a cam ( 30 ) coupled to a multi-directional hinge located between the distal portions of a yoke ( 10 ) and an extension arm ( 22 ). The cam ( 30 ) maintains resistance through a range of motion of exercises. The multi-directional hinge has a swivel portion ( 12 ) that allows the extension arm ( 22 ) to pivot on a horizontal plane such that the exerciser may perform a pectoral fly exercise or a lateral raise exercise and a hinge bracket ( 14 ) that allows the extension arm ( 22 ) to pivot in a vertical plane as well.

1 . An exercise machine comprising: 
 a support frame;    a seat being operatively connected to the support frame for accommodating an exerciser;    left and right yokes, each yoke being mechanically coupled to the support frame by a vertical attachment shaft;    means for pivoting a yoke, the yoke pivoting means being operatively mounted at a location selected from a group consisting essentially of below the seat, at the seat, and above the seat, for pivotal movement of the left and right yokes;    at least one cam being operatively connected to the yoke pivoting means, each the at least one cam containing a perimeter groove for guiding a cable from the yoke pivoting means to a weight stack via at least one pulley, whereby the at least one cam maintains a relatively constant weight resistance through a range of motion of an exercise; and    articulating left and right extension arms each being pivotably connected to a corresponding upper portion of the left and right yokes by means for swiveling and means for vertically pivoting, the left and right extension arms being pivotable along at least one plane selected from a group consisting essentially of a substantially horizontal plane and a substantially vertical plane, the left and right extension arms each having a distal end, and the distal end forming a handle portion,    the exercise machine being engaged by the exerciser for performing, under the resistance, a variety of movements at a variety of angles.    
   
   
       2 . A machine, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cam comprises an elongated arc configuration for maintaining resistance through a range of motion.  
   
   
       3 . A machine, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the elongated arc configuration comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an apostrophe, a comma, a paisley, a lituus, a semi-ellipse, a semi-ogive, an involute of a circle, a nephroid, a logarithmic curve, a parabola, a hyperbola, an epicycloid, an exponential curve, a cardioid, a cochleoid, an a cycloid, a spiral of Archimedes, a folium of Descarte, a lemniscate of Bernoulli, a limaçon of Pascal, an oval of Cassini, a strophoid, and a witch of Agnesi.  
   
   
       4 . A machine, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cable is operatively coupled to a resisting structure.  
   
   
       5 . A machine, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the resisting structure comprises the weight stack.  
   
   
       6 . A machine, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cam maintains the resistance through a first approximately 30% segment of a range of motion.  
   
   
       7 . A machine, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the resistance gradually increases over a second approximately 70% segment of the range of motion.  
   
   
       8 . A machine, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cam comprises an increasing moment arm from a beginning of the range of motion to an end of the range of motion.  
   
   
       9 . A machine, as recited in  claim 8 , 
 wherein the increasing moment arm is measured from the vertical attachment shaft to a location along the perimeter groove, and    wherein the location comprises a tangent point formed by the cable in the perimeter groove.    
   
   
       10 . An exercise machine comprising: 
 a support frame;    a seat being operatively connected to the support frame for accommodating an exerciser;    left and right yokes, each yoke being mechanically coupled to the support frame by a vertical attachment shaft;    means for pivoting a yoke, the yoke pivoting means being operatively mounted at a location selected from a group consisting essentially of below the seat, at the seat, and above the seat, for pivotal movement of the left and right yokes;    at least one cam being operatively connected to the yoke pivoting means, each the at least one cam containing a perimeter groove for guiding a cable from the yoke pivoting means to a weight stack via at least one pulley, whereby the at least one cam maintains a relatively constant weight resistance through a range of motion of an exercise; and    articulating left and right extension arms each being pivotably connected to a corresponding upper portion of the left and right yokes by means for swiveling and means for vertically pivoting, the left and right extension arms being pivotable along at least one plane selected from a group consisting essentially of a substantially horizontal plane and a substantially vertical plane, the left and right extension arms each having a distal end, and the distal end forming a handle portion,    the exercise machine being engaged by the exerciser for performing, under the resistance, a variety of movements at a variety of angles,    wherein the at least one cam comprises an elongated arc configuration for maintaining resistance through a range of motion,    wherein the elongated arc configuration comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an apostrophe, a comma, a paisley, a lituus, a semi-ellipse, a semi-ogive, an involute of a circle, a nephroid, a logarithmic curve, a parabola, a hyperbola, an epicycloid, an exponential curve, a cardioid, a cochleoid, an a cycloid, a spiral of Archimedes, a folium of Descarte, a lemniscate of Bernoulli, a limaçon of Pascal, an oval of Cassini, a strophoid, and a witch of Agnesi,    wherein the cable is operatively coupled to a resisting structure,    wherein the resisting structure comprises the weight stack,    wherein the at least one cam maintains the resistance through a first approximately 30% segment of a range of motion,    wherein the resistance gradually increases over a second approximately 70% segment of the range of motion,    wherein the at least one cam comprises an increasing moment arm from a beginning of the range of motion to an end of the range of motion,    wherein the increasing moment arm is measured from the vertical attachment shaft to a location along the perimeter groove, and    wherein the location comprises a tangent point formed by the cable in the perimeter groove.    
   
   
       11 . A method of providing exercise by way of an exercise machine, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a support frame;    providing a seat being operatively connected to the support frame for accommodating an exerciser;    providing left and right yokes, each yoke being mechanically coupled to the support frame by a vertical attachment shaft;    providing means for pivoting a yoke, the yoke pivoting means being operatively mounted at a location selected from a group consisting essentially of below the seat, at the seat, and above the seat, for pivotal movement of the left and right yokes;    providing at least one cam being operatively connected to the yoke pivoting means, each the at least one cam containing a perimeter groove for guiding a cable from the yoke pivoting means to a weight stack via at least one pulley, whereby the at least one cam maintains a relatively constant weight resistance through a range of motion of an exercise; and    providing articulating left and right extension arms each being pivotably connected to a corresponding upper portion of the left and right yokes by means for swiveling and means for vertically pivoting, the left and right extension arms being pivotable along at least one plane selected from a group consisting essentially of a substantially horizontal plane and a substantially vertical plane, the left and right extension arms each having distal end, and the distal end forming a handle portion,    the exercise machine being engaged by the exerciser for performing, under the resistance, a variety of movements at a variety of angles.    
   
   
       12 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing an elongated arc configuration for maintaining resistance through a range of motion.  
   
   
       13 . A method, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the elongated arc configuration providing step comprises providing at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an apostrophe, a comma, a paisley, a lituus, a semi-ellipse, a semi-ogive, an involute of a circle, a nephroid, a logarithmic curve, a parabola, a hyperbola, an epicycloid, an exponential curve, a cardioid, a cochleoid, an a cycloid, a spiral of Archimedes, a folium of Descarte, a lemniscate of Bernoulli, a limaçon of Pascal, an oval of Cassini, a strophoid, and a witch of Agnesi.  
   
   
       14 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises operatively coupling the cable is to a resisting structure.  
   
   
       15 . A method, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the resisting structure with the weight stack.  
   
   
       16 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the at least one cam which maintains the resistance through a first approximately 30% segment of a range of motion.  
   
   
       17 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the at least one cam which facilitates the resistance being gradually increased over a second approximately 70% segment of the range of motion.  
   
   
       18 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing an increasing moment arm from a beginning of the range of motion to an end of the range of motion.  
   
   
       19 . A method, as recited in  claim 18 , 
 wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the increasing moment arm being measured from the vertical attachment shaft to a location along the perimeter groove, and    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises defining the location as a tangent point formed by the cable in the perimeter groove.    
   
   
       20 . A method, as recited in  claim 11 , 
 wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing an elongated arc configuration for maintaining resistance loss through a range of motion,    wherein the elongated arc configuration providing step comprises providing at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an apostrophe, a comma, a paisley, a lituus, a semi-ellipse, a semi-ogive, an involute of a circle, a nephroid, a logarithmic curve, a parabola, a hyperbola, an epicycloid, an exponential curve, a cardioid, a cochleoid, an a cycloid, a spiral of Archimedes, a folium of Descarte, a lemniscate of Bernoulli, a limaçon of Pascal, an oval of Cassini, a strophoid, and a witch of Agnesi,    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises operatively coupling the cable is to a resisting structure,    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the resisting structure with the weight stack,    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the at least one cam which maintains the resistance through a first approximately 30% segment of a range of motion,    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the at least one cam which facilitates the resistance being gradually increased over a second approximately 70% segment of the range of motion,    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing an increasing moment arm from a beginning of the range of motion to an end of the range of motion, wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises providing the increasing moment arm being measured from the vertical attachment shaft to a location along the perimeter groove, and    wherein the at least one cam providing step comprises defining the location as a tangent point formed by the cable in the perimeter groove.