Exercise machine and method for exercising the musculature of a limb that can be carried out through such a machine

Abstract

The invention refers to an exercise machine ( 1 ) comprising: a frame ( 2 ) adapted to support the machine ( 1 ) with respect to a supporting surface ( 8 ); at least one arm ( 4 a , 4 b ) hinged to the frame ( 2 ) and comprising, at a distal end thereof, at least one engagement element ( 42 a , 42 b , 43 a , 43 b ) for an end of a user's limb, such an engagement element ( 42 a , 42 b , 43 a , 43 b ) being adapted to describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory during the movement of the arm ( 4 a , 4 b ); an applicator device ( 6 ) of a resisting force to said arm ( 4 a , 4 b ). The engagement element ( 42 a , 42 b , 43 a , 43 b ) is fixed to a carriage ( 41 a , 41 b ) slidably associated with the arm ( 4 a , 4 b ) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm ( 4 a , 4 b ), and the applicator device ( 6 ) is associated with the carriage ( 41 a , 41 b ) so as to apply a resisting force to the arm ( 4 a , 4 b ) acting along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane locally tangent to the substantially curvilinear trajectory for at least a portion of said trajectory. The invention also refers to a method for exercising the musculature of a user's limb that can be carried out through such an exercise machine ( 1 ).

1 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) comprising: 
 a frame ( 2 ) adapted to support said machine ( 1 ) with respect to a supporting surface ( 8 );    at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) hinged to said frame ( 2 ) and comprising, at a distal end thereof, at least one engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) for an end ( 71 ) of a user's limb ( 7 ), said at least one engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) being adapted to describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) during the movement of said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b );    an applicator device ( 6 ) of a resisting force (R) to said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ); characterised in that said at least one engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) is fixed to a carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) slidably associated with said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ), and in that said applicator device ( 6 ) is associated with said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) so as to apply a resisting force (R) to the arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane (π) locally tangent to said substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) for at least a portion of said trajectory (T).    
   
   
       2 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said applicator device ( 6 ) comprises at least one flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ) extended between said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) and a generator ( 61   a ,  61   b ) of the resisting force.  
   
   
       3 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising angular adjusting means ( 9   a ,  9   b ) of the direction of application of the resisting force (R) with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to the curvilinear trajectory (T).  
   
   
       4 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein said angular adjusting means ( 9   a ,  9   b ) comprise at least one deviator element ( 9   a ,  9   b ) slidably mounted in said frame ( 2 ) and acting on said at least one flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ) to deviate the path thereof.  
   
   
       5 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one deviator element ( 9   a ,  9   b ) is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially perpendicular to said supporting surface ( 8 ).  
   
   
       6 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one deviator element ( 9   a ,  9   b ) comprises a roller.  
   
   
       7 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein said angular adjusting means ( 9   a ,  9   b ) comprise a fastening point ( 44   a ,  44   b ) of a first free end of said flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ), said fastening point ( 44   a ,  44   b ) being adjustably positionable on said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ).  
   
   
       8 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein said angular adjusting means ( 9   a ,  9   b ) comprise a plurality of fastening points ( 44   a ,  44   b ) of a first free end of said flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ) defined on said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) and spaced apart from each other along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ).  
   
   
       9 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein said fastening points ( 44   a ,  44   b ) are pitchwise spaced apart from each other.  
   
   
       10 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said resisting force (R) is applied to said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) along an initial direction of application forming an angle (α) of between about 30° and about 130° with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T).  
   
   
       11 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein said resisting force (R) is applied to said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) along an initial direction of application forming an angle (α) of between about 75° and about 105° with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T).  
   
   
       12 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises adjusting means ( 62   a ,  62   b ) of the intensity of said resisting force.  
   
   
       13 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ) is an elastic element and wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) essentially consists of the flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ).  
   
   
       14 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein said elastic element ( 61   a ,  61   b ) extends between at least one fastening point ( 243   a ,  243   b ,  251   a ) defined on said frame ( 2 ) and said carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) and is subjected to a predetermined pretensioning.  
   
   
       15 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein said applicator device ( 6 ) of the resisting force (R) comprises at least one pair of idle pulleys ( 62   a ,  62   b ,  63   a ,  63   b ) of said flexible transmission element ( 61   a ,  61   b ), interposed between said fastening point ( 243   a ,  243   b ,  251   a ) and said carriage ( 2 ).  
   
   
       16 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one of said idle pulleys ( 62   a ,  62   b ,  63   a ,  63   b ) is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially parallel to said supporting surface ( 8 ).  
   
   
       17 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises a plurality of weights adapted to be selectively associated with a second end of said flexible transmission element.  
   
   
       18 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according  claim 2 , wherein said generator of the force (R) comprises electrical drives.  
   
   
       19 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises pneumatic drives.  
   
   
       20 . Exercise machine ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) is an inertial force generator.  
   
   
       21 . Method for exercising the musculature of a user's limb ( 7 ) through an exercise machine ( 1 ) comprising a support frame ( 2 ), said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) engaging an engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ), positioned at a distal end of at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) hinged to said support frame ( 2 ) through an end ( 71 ) of the limb ( 7 );    b) making said at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) of the exercise machine ( 1 ) rotate through the limb ( 7 ) so as to make the engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory (T);    c) exerting a counteraction to the rotation of said at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) through an applicator device ( 6 ) of a resisting force (R) acting on said arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b );    characterised in that it comprises the further step of:    d) translating said engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) for at least a portion of said substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) and during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ).    
   
   
       22 . Method according to  claim 21 , wherein said at least one engagement element ( 42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ) is fixed to a carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) slidably associated with said at least one arm ( 4   a ,  4   b ) and wherein said step d) is carried out by applying a resisting force (R) to the carriage ( 41   a ,  41   b ) along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T).