SELF-SUPPORTING MUSCULAR TRAINING APPARATUS CONVERTIBLE BETWEEN A STORAGE POSITION AND A WORKING POSITION

Abstract

A muscular training apparatus to present muscular training accessories. The muscular training apparatus has a bottom part including a central panel and two lateral panels on each side of the central panel. The two lateral panels are installed free to pivot about the central panel. The apparatus can be converted between at least one working position and one storage position. In a working position, the lateral panels are unfolded at the sides of the central panel to form a self-supporting structure. In the storage position, the lateral panels are folded adjacent to the central panel. The bottom part further includes a locking element to secure the self-supporting structure in the working position of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A muscular training apparatus designed to present muscular training accessories, the muscular training apparatus comprising: a bottom part comprising a central panel and two lateral panels on each side of the central panel, the two lateral panels being installed free to pivot about the central panel; wherein the apparatus is convertible between at least one working position and one storage position: in a working position, the lateral panels are unfolded at the sides of the central panel to form a self-supporting structure; in the storage position, the lateral panels are folded adjacent to the central panel; and wherein the bottom part comprises an element locking the position of the lateral panels relative to the central panel in the working position of the apparatus to secure the self-supporting structure; and an upper part, wherein in the working position, the upper part is above the bottom part, and in the storage position, the upper part and the bottom part of the apparatus are brought facing each other and are retained in this position.

2. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the upper part comprises a central panel and two lateral panels installed free to pivot relative to the central panel, the working position of the apparatus, the lateral panels of the upper part are unfolded at the sides of the central panel of the upper part to form a self-supporting structure.

3. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the working position, the lateral panels of the upper part and the bottom part have an assembly so that they can be fixed to each other to form a single self-supporting structure.

4. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the locking element is located close to a top end of the central panel of the bottom part and the locking element forms the assembly for the lateral panels of the top part and the bottom part of the apparatus in the working position.

5. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the central panel of the bottom part, the central panel of the upper part, or the locking element are tubular structures.

6. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mat that is brought into position and retained facing the bottom part or the top part of the apparatus in the storage position, the mat being placed in front of the central panel and between the lateral panels of the bottom part of the apparatus in the working position.

7. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking element comprises two arms free to move relative to the central panel depending on the position of the apparatus, the arms: being parallel and contiguous with the central panel in the storage position of the apparatus; and extending at a distance from the central panel towards the lateral panels in a working position of the apparatus.

8. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 7, wherein locking element is in the form of a U free to move relative to the central panel about a pivot link.

9. The muscular training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lateral panels comprise a plurality of pairs of holes in corresponding positions on each panel to hold a pull-up bar in an approximately horizontal position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer after reading the following description of one preferred embodiment of the invention given as an illustrative and non-limitative example, and the appended drawings among which:

[0056] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views of the muscular training apparatus according to the invention, in a working position and the storage position respectively;

[0057] FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic lateral and front views respectively of the muscular training apparatus according to the invention, in a working position;

[0058] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of one possible working position of the muscular training apparatus according to the invention;

[0059] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the bottom part of the muscular training apparatus according to the invention, with the mat brought into contact with and retained in position facing the bottom part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0060] As shown on FIGS. 1 and 2, the muscular training apparatus 1 according to the invention is convertible between a working position (FIG. 1) and a storage position (FIG. 2).

[0061] With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 et 6, the muscular training apparatus 1 has a bottom part 3.

[0062] As shown on FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 et 6, the bottom part comprises a central panel 30 and two lateral panels 31, one on each side of the central panel. The two lateral panels of the bottom part are installed free to pivot about the central panel such that they can move from an unfolded position at the side of the central panel (FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6) to a folded position facing the central panel (FIG. 2). The connection between the central panel and the lateral panel is made using bottom hinges 300.

[0063] Thus, the apparatus can be converted between a working position of the apparatus in which the lateral panels are unfolded at the side of the central panel and form a self-supporting structure, and a storage position in which the lateral panels are folded facing the central panel.

[0064] With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the muscular training apparatus 1 also has an upper part 2. In this embodiment, in the storage position of the apparatus, the upper part and the bottom part are brought facing each other and are retained in this position.

[0065] For example and as illustrated in FIG. 2, in the storage position the upper part and the bottom part are positioned to be parallel to and adjacent to each other (face to face) so as to minimise the size of the apparatus.

[0066] As shown on FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the bottom part comprises a locking element 4 that locks the position of the lateral panels relative to the position of the central panel in the working position of the apparatus. This locking element 4 thus secures the self-supporting structure in a working position.

[0067] According to the preferred embodiment illustrated by the drawings, the locking element 4 comprises two arms 40 free to move relative to the central panel depending on the position of the apparatus.

[0068] The arms are essentially parallel to and contiguous with the central panel of the bottom part in the storage position of the apparatus (FIG. 2). In the working position of the apparatus, the arms 40 extend away from the central panel towards the lateral panels (FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6). These arms can form muscular training accessories of the parallel bars type. Advantageously, these arms are slightly divergent providing the user with a variable separation distance from one end of the arm to the other, as described above.

[0069] In particular, the locking element 4 illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2 is U-shaped and is free to move relative to the central panel about a pivot link, particularly using intermediate hinges 301.

[0070] As shown on FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the upper part 2 comprises a central panel 20 and two lateral panels 21 installed free to pivot relative to the central panel, particularly using upper hinges 200. In a working position, the lateral panels of the upper part 2 are unfolded at the sides of the central panel of the upper part to form a self-supporting structure (FIG. 5).

[0071] According to this embodiment, the lateral panels of the upper part and the bottom part have assembly means 5 so that they can be fixed to each other and thus form a single self-supporting structure.

[0072] As shown on the figures, the locking element 4 is located close to the upper end of the central panel of the bottom part. The locking element 4 forms the means of assembly of the lateral panels of the upper part and the bottom part of the apparatus in the working position. The locking element thus comprises a section on each arm that can be rigidly fixed with: [0073] a lower fastening system 52 located at the upper end of the lateral panels 31 of the bottom part; [0074] an upper fastening system 51 located at the bottom end of the lateral panels 21 of the upper part;

[0075] For example, the fastening systems consist of clip and/or hook type systems that can be fixed onto a tubular section of the locking element and at the same time make a connection by mutual engagement between the lower attachment system and the upper attachment system

[0076] Preferably, the lateral panels of the bottom part and of the top part are provided with a plurality of pairs of holes 6 in corresponding positions on each panel to hold a pull-up bar 7 in an approximately horizontal position.

[0077] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown on the figures, the central panel of the bottom part, the central panel of the upper part and the locking element are tubular structures.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows a working position of the muscular training apparatus. The bottom part and the upper part are facing each other so that muscular training exercises can be carried out by offering different possible usage combinations of the muscular training accessories.

[0079] As can be clearly seen on FIG. 5, recesses 9 are formed in the lateral panels 31, 21. This shape of the lateral panels allows a user to get into position between the lateral panels and to pass his or her arms through the recesses to get a grip on the outside of the lateral panels.

[0080] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the muscular training apparatus comprises a mat 8. This mat is brought into contact with and is retained in contact with the bottom part and/or the upper part of the apparatus in the storage position.

[0081] In the working position of the muscular training apparatus, the mat will be positioned in front of the central panel and between the lateral panels of the bottom part 3.

[0082] The user can proceed as follows to convert the muscular training apparatus from a working position to its storage position.

[0083] Firstly, the mobile muscular training accessories are separated (particularly the pull-up bar(s)) and for example can be put away or attached onto the central panel 31 of the bottom part. The lateral panels 21 of the upper part are then separated from the lateral panels 31 of the bottom part (separation of the lateral panels 21 from the assembly means 5 formed by the locking element 4), and said lateral panels 21 of the upper part are then folded towards the central panel 20 of the upper part. In other words, the lateral panels 21 are folded on each other and on the central panel 20, in an essentially parallel arrangement.

[0084] The upper part thus folded is then brought into position facing the bottom part 3. More precisely, the upper part is then positioned inside the unfolded bottom part such that the upper part is essentially parallel to the central panel of the bottom part. Once the upper part 2 is in position, the locking element 4 is detached from the lateral panels 31 of the bottom part and folded down to face the bottom part (either inside the bottom part such that the arms 40 are essentially close to and parallel to the central panel 30 of the bottom part, and the lateral panels 31 of the bottom part are then folded in front of the central panel on the upper part that is thus retained in position facing the bottom part. In other words, the upper part is held in position essentially parallel to the bottom part and/or remains contained inside the bottom part as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0085] Finally, the mat 8 is brought into contact with and is retained in contact with the bottom part and/or the upper part of the apparatus in the storage position, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0086] Thus, it will be understood that the muscular training apparatus is compact and can easily be transported when it is in its storage position.

[0087] One particular embodiment overcomes the disadvantages of prior art.

[0088] An embodiment discloses a muscular training apparatus capable of offering a wide variety of exercises.

[0089] An embodiment discloses such an apparatus that is compact and easily transportable.

[0090] An embodiment discloses such an apparatus in which placement and storage operations can be done easily.

[0091] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more examples, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure and/or the appended claims.