Weightlifting apparatus for pronation and supination exercises

Abstract

A weightlifting apparatus is operative to continuously provide and adjust a force resistant to a torque produced by an exerciser that performs supination of biceps simultaneously with other exercise motions or pronation of triceps simultaneously with other exercise motions.

1 . A weightlifting apparatus, comprising:
 an elongated bar operative to rotate about a longitudinal axis in response to an exerciser-generated pulling force;   a handle assembly coupled to and displaceable with the bar, the handle assembly being operative to rotate about a handle axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis in response to an exerciser-generated torque applied to the handle assembly;   a muscle flexing assembly coupled to the elongated bar and operative to generate a counter-pulling force resistant to the exerciser-generated pulling force; and   a muscle rotating assembly coupled to the handle assembly and operative to continuously and adjustably generate a counter-torque force resistant to the torque regardless of a rotational direction of the handle assembly about the handle axis.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claims 1 , wherein the muscle rotating assembly is configured with a weight unit and a force transmitting unit operable to translate rotational motion of the handle assembly into linear motion of the weight unit. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the force transmitting unit is configured with:
 a flexible element having opposite ends coupled to the weight unit and to the handle assembly, respectively, the flexible element having vertical and substantially horizontal stretches extending perpendicular to and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar, respectively; and   a hollow element operatively connected to the bar so that the bar and hollow element are rotatable relative to one another, the hollow element being traversed by the horizontal stretch of the flexible element and operatively coupled to the muscle flexing assembly.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the force transmitting unit further has:
 a housing mounted to the bar and receiving the hollow element, and   a plurality of pulleys for displacing the flexible element in response to the torque applied to the handle assembly, one of the pulleys being rotatably mounted to the housing and juxtaposed with the handle assembly so that a sub-stretch of the horizontal stretch of the flexible element, extending between the one pulley and the handle assembly, lies in a plane extending at a constant angle during rotation of the bar and the handle assembly to maintain a vertical position of the weight unit.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the housing has:
 a U-shaped portion facing the handle assembly and configured to receive the one pulley rotatable about a pulley axis parallel to the handle axis of the handle assembly, and   a bearing surrounding the hollow element in the housing, wherein the plurality of pulleys each have a grooved periphery dimensioned to receive the flexible element.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the force transmitting unit further has:
 a yoke coupled to an end of the hollow element facing away from the handle assembly, the housing being displaceable relative to the yoke during rotation of the bar;   a bracket coupled to the muscle flexing assembly; and   a second one of the plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted to the yoke and positioned between the vertical and horizontal stretches of the of the flexible element, the one and second pulleys being rotatable about parallel axes when the bar is displaced to a rest position.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the weight unit has:
 a pair of spaced vertical rods flanking the vertical stretch of the flexible element;   a slider coupled to the flexible element and slidable along the rods in response to the torque applied to the handle assembly; and   a plurality of weight plates removably coupled to and displaceable the slider.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the bar has a central portion and two substantially U- or C-shaped end portions facing away from an exerciser in the rest position of the bar, the central portion, the housing, the yoke and the muscle-flexing assembly being coaxial. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly includes spaced apart handle units, each handle unit having
 an axle centered on the handle axis and mounted to the bar,   a yoke rotatably mounted to the axle and rotatable about the handle axis,   a handle extending between and rotatably fixed to opposite ends of the yoke, and   a handle pulley fixed to the opposite ends of the yoke and centered along a pulley axis extending perpendicular the handle axis.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the housing is operative to rotate relative to the bar between a first position, in which the flexible element enters the handle assembly below the handle axis of the handle assembly to allow an exerciser to simultaneously perform supination and muscle flexing motions, and a second position in which the flexible element enters the handle assembly above the handle axis of the handle assembly to allow the exerciser to simultaneously perform pronation and muscle flexing motions. 
   
   
       11 . A weightlifting apparatus for performing supination and flexing of biceps comprising:
 a biceps flexing assembly operative to generate a counter-pulling force resistant to an exerciser-generated pulling force; and   a biceps supination assembly coupled to the biceps flexing assembly and operative to constantly and adjustably generate a counter-torque force in response to an exerciser-generated torque regardless of a direction in which the torque is applied, wherein the biceps flexing and supination assemblies are operable to generate the respective counter-pulling force and the counter-torque force simultaneously.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an elongated C-shaped bar operative to rotate about a longitudinal axis in response to the exerciser-generated pulling force and configured to support the biceps flexing and supination assemblies; and   a pair of spaced handle units coupled to and displaceable with the bar, the handle units each being operative to rotate about a handle axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis to actuate the biceps supination assembly in response to the exerciser-generated torque.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the biceps supination assembly is configured with:
 a weight unit; and   a force transmitting unit coupled to the bar and operable to translate rotational motion of the handle assembly into linear motion of the weight unit.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the force transmitting unit comprises:
 a flexible element having opposite ends coupled to the weight unit and to the handle assembly, respectively;   a housing displaceably fixed to the bar;   a hollow element traversed by the flexible element and mounted in the housing so that the housing and hollow element are rotatable relative to one another;   a plurality of pulleys guiding the flexible element between the weight unit and the handle units and arranged so that opposite end regions of the flexible element are coupled to the respective handle units and an intermediate region of the flexible element is looped around a weight unit pulley displaceably fixed to the weight unit.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of the pulleys includes:
 a first pair of coaxial pulleys extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced from the weight unit pulley to define a vertical stretch of the flexible element;   a second pair of spaced pulleys spaced substantially horizontally from the first pair of pulleys and rotatable about respective axes extending perpendicular to one another;   a third pair of pulleys rotatable about parallel axes and spaced from one another across the bar so that the axes of the third pair extend transversely to the axes of the first and second pairs of pulleys, wherein the third pair of pulleys are spaced vertically from the second pair of pulleys to define a further vertical stretch of each end region of the flexible element; and   a fourth pair of spaced pulleys rotatable about respective parallel axes parallel to the axes of the third pair of pulleys and spaced horizontally therefrom to define respective horizontal stretches of the flexible elements, each pulley of the fourth pair being mounted to the housing and juxtaposed with the handle unit so as to maintain a transition region of the flexible element defined between the housing and the handle unit in a constant plan providing vertical displacement of the weight unit during rotation of the handle units.   
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the biceps flexing assembly comprises:
 a weight unit;   a flexible element having one end displaceably fixed to the weight unit; and   a succession of spaced pulleys including a first pulley spaced upwards from the weight unit, a second pulley configured identical to the first pulley, and a third pulley configured to support the first pair of spaced pulleys of the supination assembly, the flexible element being trained over upper segments of the respective first and second pulleys and having an end opposite to the one end fixed to a lower segment of the downstream pulley so that the spaced pulleys rotate about respective axes parallel to one another in response to the exerciser-generated pulling force.   
   
   
       17 . A weightlifting apparatus for performing pronation and flexing of triceps comprising:
 a triceps flexing assembly operative to generate a counter-pulling force resistant to an exerciser-generated pushing force; and   a pronation assembly coupled to the triceps flexing assembly and operative to constantly and adjustably generate a counter-torque force in response to an exerciser-generated torque regardless of a direction in which the torque is applied, wherein the biceps flexing and supination assemblies are operable to simultaneously generate the respective counter-pulling force and the counter-torque force.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a frame provided with an elongated C-shaped bar operative to rotate about a longitudinal axis in response to the exerciser-generated pulling force and configured to support the triceps flexing and pronation assemblies; and   a pair of spaced handle units coupled to and displaceable with the bar, the handle units each being operative to rotate about a handle axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis so as to actuate the pronation assembly in response to the exerciser-generated torque.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the pronation assembly is configured with:
 a weight unit; and   a force transmitting unit coupled to the bar and operable to translate rotational motion of the handle assembly into linear motion of the weight unit of the pronation assembly, the force transmitting unit comprises:
 a flexible element having opposite ends coupled to the weight unit and to the handle assembly, respectively; 
 a housing displaceably fixed to the bar; 
 a hollow element traversed by the flexible element and mounted in the housing so that the housing and hollow element are rotatable relative to one another; and 
 a plurality of pulleys guiding the flexible element between the weight unit and the handle units and arranged so that opposite end regions of the flexible element are coupled to the respective handle units and an intermediate region of the flexible element supports the weight unit, the plurality of pulleys being rotatable to guide the flexible element so that the weight unit travels along a vertical path regardless of an angular position of the handle units. 
   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the biceps flexing assembly comprises:
 a weight unit;   a flexible element having one end displaceably fixed to the weight unit; and   a succession of spaced pulleys including a first pulley spaced upwards from the weight unit, a second pulley configured identical to the first pulley, and a third pulley configured to support a pair of the plurality of pulleys of the pronation assembly, the flexible element being trained over an upper segment of the first pulley, a downstream segment of the second pulley and has an end opposite to the one end fixed to an upper segment of the third pulley.