Arm Exercise Apparatus

Abstract

An arm exercise apparatus is disclosed which includes a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first, a second and a third frame member, a rod flexibly coupled to the first frame member at a vicinity of a first end of the rod, the rod having a second end opposite to the first end for being held by a user's hand during an exercise, a first elastic band coupling the rod at a predetermined location to the second frame member, the predetermined location being between the first end and the second end and having a predetermined distance to the first end, the first elastic band exerting a first force at the rod, and a second elastic band coupling the rod to the third frame member, the second elastic band exerting a second force at the rod countering the first force, wherein the rod is statically suspended in a space between the second and the third frame member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An arm exercise apparatus comprising:
 a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first, a second and a third frame member;   a rod flexibly coupled to the first frame member at a vicinity of a first end of the rod, the rod having a second end opposite to the first end for being held by a user's hand during an exercise;   a first elastic band coupling the rod at a predetermined location to the second frame member, the predetermined location being between the first end and the second end and having a predetermined distance to the first end, the first elastic band exerting a first force at the rod; and   a second elastic band coupling the rod to the third frame member, the second elastic band exerting a second force at the rod countering the first force,   wherein the rod is statically suspended in a space between the second and the third frame member.   
     
     
         2 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein first frame member is away from a plane the second and the third frame member cross. 
     
     
         3 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first, the second and the third frame member cross a common plane. 
     
     
         4 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rod is flexibly coupled to the first frame member by a third elastic band. 
     
     
         5 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a fourth elastic band coupling the rod at a vicinity of the first end to a fourth frame member of the framework, wherein the a third force exerted on the rod by the third elastic band is countered by a fourth force exerted on the rod by the fourth elastic band. 
     
     
         6 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth frame member are edges of a border frame of the framework. 
     
     
         7 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a first ring with the rod inserted therein, wherein the first ring is maintained at the vicinity the first end for hooking the third and the fourth elastic band to the rod. 
     
     
         8 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first ring is maintained at the vicinity of the first end by a first releasable clamp clamping to the rod next to the first ring on the second end side, wherein when released, the releasable clamp can slide along the rod. 
     
     
         9 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second elastic band is coupled to the rod at the predetermined location. 
     
     
         10 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a fifth elastic band coupling the rod at the predetermined location to a fifth frame member of the framework; and 
 a sixth elastic band coupling the rod at the predetermined location to a sixth frame member of the framework, 
 wherein the fifth and the sixth elastic band respectively urge the rod to opposite directions, and when viewed along a length of the rod, the fifth elastic band is substantially perpendicular to the first elastic band, and the sixth elastic band is substantially perpendicular to the second elastic band. 
 
     
     
         11 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first, the second, the fifth and sixth elastic bands are made of rubber tubes. 
     
     
         12 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second, the third, the fifth and the sixth frame member are edges of a border frame of the framework with the second and the third frame members being on opposite sides of the border frame, and the fifth and the sixth frame member being on opposite sides of the border frame. 
     
     
         13 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a second ring with the rod inserted therein, wherein the second ring is maintained at the first predetermined location for hooking up the first, the second, the fifth and the sixth elastic band to the rod. 
     
     
         14 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second ring is maintained at the first predetermined location by a second releasable clamp clamping to the rod next to the first ring on the first end side, wherein when released, the releasable clamp is slidable to a different location for adjusting the predetermined distance and hence the forces exerted on the rod by the first, the second, the fifth and the sixth elastic band. 
     
     
         15 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second elastic bands are made of one piece of rubber tube going through an opening in the rod. 
     
     
         16 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a D-shaped handle attached to the second end of the rod to provide a vertical handle for the user. 
     
     
         17 . An arm exercise apparatus comprising:
 a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a border frame;   a rod having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end serving as a handle for a user during an exercise;   a first elastic band having a first terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and a second terminal coupled to the rod at a predetermined location between the first end and the second end, the first elastic band being secured by a first edge of the border frame at a location between the first and the second terminal; and   a second elastic band with a third terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and fourth terminal coupled to the rod at the predetermined location, the second elastic band being secured by a second edge of the border frame at a location between the third and the fourth terminal,   wherein the first and the second elastic band respectively urge the rod toward opposite directions, and wherein the first and the second edge are at opposite sides of the border frame with the rod suspended in the space therebetween.   
     
     
         18 . An arm exercise apparatus comprising:
 a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first and second border frame;   a first rod suspended by a first and a second elastic band in the space confined by the first border frame, the first elastic band coupling the first rod to a first edge of the first border frame, the second elastic band coupling the first rod to a second edge of the first border frame, the first and second edge being at opposite sides of the first border frame; and   a second rod suspended by a third and a fourth elastic band within the space confined by the second border frame, the third elastic band coupling the second rod to a third edge of the second border frame, the second elastic band coupling the second rod to a fourth edge of the second border frame, the third and fourth edge being at opposite sides of the second border frame.   
     
     
         19 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the stand has two slidably engaged sections for height adjustment. 
     
     
         20 . The arm exercise apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the stand has a hinge to engage a base.