Adjustable position gripping handle assembly for exercise machines

Abstract

A gripping handle assembly for an exercise machine, the gripping handle assembly having an axial shaft connected at an angle to a gripping handle, wherein the axial shaft is receivable into a circular bearing housing that is mounted to an end of an exercise arm, and wherein the axial shaft and the circular bearing housing each have engaging mechanisms such that a user pushes on a knob or pulls on the gripping handle to first unlock the axial shaft and then rotate the gripping handle. Releasing the gripping handle causes a spring to lock it into its new radial position. A first engaging mechanism may be a collar connected to the gripping handle with an indexing tab on the collar and a second engaging mechanism may be a plurality of indexing slots on the circular bearing housing with the indexing tab receivable therein.

Claims

1. A gripping handle assembly for an exercise machine, the gripping handle assembly comprising: a circular bearing housing; an axial shaft receivable into the circular bearing housing; a gripping handle extending from the axial shaft, the gripping handle extending at an angle to the axial shaft; at least one bearing between the axial shaft and the circular bearing housing permitting rotational movement of the axial shaft within the circular bearing housing; a first engaging mechanism on the axial shaft; a second engaging mechanism on the circular bearing housing, wherein the first and second engaging mechanisms interlock to prevent rotation of the axial shaft in the circular bearing housing and wherein the first and second engaging mechanisms detach to permit rotation of the axial shaft in the circular bearing housing; a spring biasing element in the circular bearing housing, the spring biasing element biasing the axial shaft into a locked position, the spring biasing element being displaceable to move the axial shaft into an unlocked position; and wherein the exercise machine is a shoulder press machine and the gripping handle assembly is configured such that a user pushing upwards on the gripping handle urges the axial shaft into the locked position.

2. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the axial shaft moves forward into the locked position when the spring biasing element is in a neutral position.

3. The gripping handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the spring biasing element is compressed to move the axial shaft into the unlocked position.

4. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first engaging mechanism is a collar having an indexing tab thereon, and the second engaging mechanism is a plurality of indexing slots on the circular bearing housing, and wherein the indexing tab is receivable into any one of the plurality of indexing slots.

5. The gripping handle assembly of claim 4, wherein the collar wraps around an outside of the circular bearing housing.

6. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second engaging mechanisms are configured to detach from one another when a user pushes a knob connected to the gripping handle.

7. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second engaging mechanisms are configured to detach from one another when a user pulls the gripping handle out of the circular bearing housing.

8. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, further comprising padding around the gripping handle.

9. The gripping handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second engaging mechanisms interlock at a plurality of different radial positions in a circle.

10. The gripping handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of different radial positions in the circle are disposed at 45 degrees relative to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present gripping handles in a first position at the start of the exercise.

(2) FIG. 1B is a front perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1A, but at the end of the shoulder press exercise.

(3) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present gripping handles in a second position.

(4) FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present gripping handles in a third position.

(5) FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present gripping handles in a fourth position.

(6) FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present gripping handles in a fifth position.

(7) FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the shoulder press exercise machine with one of the present gripping handle assemblies shown in exploded view.

(8) FIG. 7 is a close up front exploded view of one of the gripping handle assemblies shown in exploded view.

(9) FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the gripping handle of the gripping handle assembly.

(10) FIG. 8B is a front elevation view of the gripping handle.

(11) FIG. 8C is a sectional side view of the gripping handle.

(12) FIG. 9 is a close-up perspective end view of the collar and indexing plate slots at the end of the exercise arm of the shoulder press exercise machine.

(13) FIG. 10A is a sectional side elevation view of the present gripping handle assembly with the gripping handle in a locked position.

(14) FIG. 10B is a sectional side elevation view of the present gripping handle assembly with the gripping handle in an unlocked position.

(15) FIG. 11 is an illustration of five different positions for a gripping handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

(16) FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine 100 with the present gripping handles 10 in a first position at the start of the exercise. FIG. 1B shows the same machine after the user has fully lifted the machine's exercise arms 120. In accordance with the present invention, a system for conveniently and easily re-positioning gripping handles 10 is provided. As such, the user can move the gripping handle 10 by 45 degrees (from the position in FIGS. 1A and 1B to the position shown in FIG. 2), or by 90 degrees (from the position in FIGS. 1A and 1B to the position shown in FIG. 3), or by 135 degrees (from the position in FIGS. 1A and 1B to the position shown in FIG. 4), or by 180 degrees (from the position in FIGS. 1A and 1B to the position shown in FIG. 5). As can be appreciated, the present system's ability to rotate gripping handles 10 to various illustrated positions gives the user the ability to perform shoulder press exercises with their hands disposed at different angles. This has the benefit of working different muscle groups.

(17) Importantly, it is to be understood that the present gripping handle assembly is not limited to use only with shoulder press machines. Rather, the present gripping handle assembly can be used with any exercise machine where moveable and re-positionable gripping handles are desired. For example, the present gripping handle assembly can be used with other machines, including but not limited to other “pushing” machines including chest press machines or “pulling” machines such as lateral pulldown machines or mid-row pull back machines.

(18) FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of shoulder press exercise machine 100 with one of the present gripping handle assemblies shown in exploded view. FIG. 7 is a close up view of one of the gripping handle assemblies shown in exploded view, as follows.

(19) Gripping handle assembly 50 comprises a circular bearing housing 51 and an axial shaft 60 receivable into circular bearing housing 51. A gripping arm 10 extends outwardly at an angle from axial shaft 60; and one or more bearings 70 are received between axial shaft 60 and circular bearing housing 51. Bearings 70 permit rotational movement of axial shaft 60 within circular bearing housing 50. A knob 55 is also provided.

(20) Gripping handle 10 is locked into place as follows. A first engaging mechanism 61 is provided on axial shaft 60 and a second engaging mechanism 52 is provided on circular bearing housing 50. The first and second engaging mechanisms 61 and 52 interlock to prevent rotation of the axial shaft 60 in circular bearing housing 50. The first and second engaging mechanisms 61 and 52 can be detached (i.e.: unlocked) to permit rotation of axial shaft 60 in the circular bearing housing 50. However, a spring biasing element 71 in circular bearing housing 51 can be used to bias axial shaft 60 into its locked position. Only when the spring 71 is displaced (i.e.: compressed) does axial shaft 60 become moveable into an unlocked position.

(21) As illustrated herein, spring 71 may be compressed from its neutral position to unlock the gripping handle and permit its rotation. Preferably, this is done by pushing down on knob 55 (and/or pulling on handle 10). However, it is to be understood that the present system also encompasses embodiments where the spring is instead extended from its neutral position to unlock the gripping handle and permit its rotation. As illustrated herein, however, axial shaft 60 moves forward into its locked position when the spring returns to its neutral position.

(22) In preferred aspects best seen in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the present gripping handle assembly can be locked and unlocked with its first engagement mechanism 61 being a collar having an indexing tab 62 thereon. Preferably, to provide protection to the user's fingers, collar 61 wraps around the outside of circular bearing housing 51. The second engagement mechanism 52 as best seen in FIG. 9 may optionally be a plurality of indexing slots 53 on the end of an indexing plate 52. The indexing tab 62 is receivable into any one of the indexing slots 53 in plate 52.

(23) In operation, the first and second engaging mechanisms 61 and 52 (illustrated herein as tab 62 and indexing slots 53 in plate 52) detach from one another when a user pushes down on knob 55 and/or pulls gripping arm 10 downwardly in a direction partially out of circular bearing housing 50. Further details of this locking and unlocking are seen by comparing FIGS. 10A and 10B, as follows. As seen in FIG. 10A, the gripping handle 10 is in a locked position with indexing tab 62 received into one of slots 53. Next, as seen in FIG. 10B, the user pulls on knob 55 and/or pushes gripping handle 10 in an axial direction (i.e.: compressing spring 71) to unlock indexing tab 62 from slot 53. (Knob 55 and handle 10 are connected and move together as a unit). At this time, gripping handle 10 can be rotated about the central axis of axial slot 60 to align indexing tab 62 with another one of indexing slots 53. When knob 55 and gripping handle 10 are then released, spring 71 will expand back into its neutral position, thereby locking indexing tab 62 into indexing slot 53. As such, the user must continuously pull back (and hold back) on the hand grip to unlock and adjust its angular position. This makes the present system ideally suited for exercise machines in which the user is pushing forwardly on the hand grip—since such forward pressure will ensure that the hand grip remains in a firmly locked position during the exercise.

(24) Lastly, as seen in FIG. 11, gripping handle 10 can be locked into place at a plurality of different radial positions in a circle that are disposed at 45 degrees to one another (i.e.: corresponding to the positions shown in FIGS. 1A, 2, 3, 4 and 5).