Tibialis Anterior Strength Training Machine

Abstract

A strength training machine for exercising the muscles of the lower leg that lift the foot toward the body, namely the tibialis anterior. The machine includes a frame that supports a seat and either one or two foot positioning devices, such that a seated user can insert his or her feet into the positioning device(s). The positioning device(s) are rotatably supported by the frame with an axis of rotation that approximately intersects the location of the ankles when the feet are inserted into the positioning device(s). A cam, cable, and pulley system connect each positioning device to weights, thereby providing resistance to ankle dorsiflexion.

1 . A tibialis anterior strength training machine, said strength training machine comprising: a frame;
 a seating apparatus attached to said frame;   two positioning devices for a user to insert the feet to perform the exercise;   means for rotatably supporting each of said positioning devices such that each of said positioning devices includes an axis of rotation that is approximately common to the ankle joint axes of a user when the feet are inserted into said positioning devices; and   means for providing a rotational resistance to said axis of rotation of said positioning devices.   
   
   
       2 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said seating apparatus is located at a distance from said positioning devices. 
   
   
       3 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said seating apparatus includes means for selectively adjusting the vertical and horizontal positioning of a user's hips supported by said seating apparatus, whereby a user may optimize the orientation of the legs relative to the orientation of said positioning devices while said positioning devices are at rest. 
   
   
       4 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for rotatably supporting each of said positioning devices includes two coaxial pivot shafts fixedly attached to opposite sides of said positioning device such that the axis of said pivot shafts approximates the location of a user's ankle when the foot is inserted into said positioning device, said pivot shafts rotatably supported by said frame, whereby a user may rotate each of said positioning devices independently. 
   
   
       5 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each said positioning device comprises:
 a plate having sufficient size to provide a resting surface for the bottom of a user's heel;   two side walls fixedly attached to opposites edges of said plate, said side walls oriented perpendicularly to said plate; and   a bar supported between said side walls, said bar spaced apart from said plate, whereby a user can insert the forefoot between said bar and said plate.   
   
   
       6 . The strength training machine according to  claim 5 , wherein said bar has a cushioning material attached thereto, whereby compression of said cushioning material allows further passage of the forefoot under said bar to allow users having various sized feet to align the ankle in close proximity to the axis of said pivot shafts. 
   
   
       7 . The strength training machine according to  claim 6 , wherein said bar is rotatably supported by said side plates, whereby as a user inserts the forefoot under said bar while the forefoot it in contact with said cushioning material, said cushioning material and said bar rotate in unison to reduce the effort required for passage of the forefoot. 
   
   
       8 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for providing
 a rotational resistance comprises:   a vertical stack of a plurality weight plates supported by said frame, each of said plates having a central hole such that when said plurality of weight plates are vertically stacked a vertical passage is formed throughout said vertical stack, each of said plurality of weight plates having a horizontal channel in the bottom thereof intersecting said vertical passage;   a lifter rod vertically positioned within said vertical passage, said lifter rod having a plurality of holes, a selected one of said plurality of holes being registrable with said channel of a selected one of said plurality of weight plates;   a selector pins engaged to said selected one of said plurality of holes, whereby when said lifter rod is lifted said selected one of said plurality of weight plates and all said plurality of weight plates above said selected one of said plurality of weight plates are lifted with said lifter rod;   a lifter pulley rotatably supported atop said lifter rod;   a cable have a middle and two ends, said middle of said cable routed around said lifter pulley;   at least one guide pulley supported by said frame, said cable being routed around said at least one guide pulley; and   two sets of at least one pulley supported by said frame, each of said sets of at least one pulley corresponding to one of said positioning devices, said cable being routed around said sets of at least one pulley; and   two cams having an outer perimeter, each of said cams corresponding to one of said positioning devices with said cam fixedly attached to one of said pivot shafts, each of said ends of said cable corresponding to one of said cams and fixedly attached thereto, whereby as the user rotates the ankles so that the feet move toward the body while the feet are inserted into a said positioning devices, more of said cable is taken up around said outer perimeter of said cam resulting in said lifter pulley and said weight being lifted with said lifter pulley distributing equal resistance through said cable to each said cam.   
   
   
       9 . The strength training machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for providing a rotational resistance comprises:
 two vertical stacks of a plurality weight plates supported by said frame, each of said plates having a central hole such that when said plurality of weight plates are vertically stacked a vertical passage is formed throughout said vertical stack, each of said plurality of weight plates having a horizontal channel in the bottom thereof intersecting said vertical passage;   two lifter rods, each said lifter rod corresponding to one said vertical stack of a plurality weight plates, said lifter rod vertically positioned within said vertical passage, said lifter rod having a plurality of holes, a selected one of said plurality of holes being registrable with said channel of a selected one of said plurality of weight plates;   two selector pins, each said selector pin corresponding to one said vertical stack of a plurality weight plates, said selector pin engaged to said selected one of said plurality of holes, whereby when said lifter rod is lifted said selected one of said plurality of weight plates and all said plurality of weight plates above said selected one of said plurality of weight plates are lifted with said lifter rod;   two cables, each of said cables corresponding to one said lifter rod, each of said cables having a first end and second end, said first end of said cable being fixed to said lifter rod;   two sets of at least one pulley supported by said frame, each of said sets of pulleys corresponding to one of said cables, said cable being routed around said at least one pulley; and   two cams having an outer perimeter, each of said cams corresponding to one of said positioning devices with said cam fixedly attached to one of said pivot shafts, each of said cams corresponding to one of said cables, said second end of said cable being fixed to said cam, whereby as the user rotates the ankles so that the feet move toward the body while the feet are inserted into said positioning devices, more of said cables is taken up around said outer perimeters of each of said cams resulting in said stacks of a plurality weight plates being lifted.   
   
   
       10 . A tibialis anterior strength training machine, said strength training machine comprising:
 a frame;   a seating apparatus attached to said frame;   two positioning devices for a user to insert the feet to perform the exercise;   means for rotatably supporting each of said positioning devices by said frame;   means for users having various sizes of feet to adjustably insert the feet into said positioning devices such that the ankle joint axes are approximately common to the axis of rotation of said positioning devices; and   means for providing a rotational resistance to said positioning devices.   
   
   
       11 . The tibialis anterior strength training machine according to  claim 10 , wherein said means for rotatably supporting each of said positioning devices includes two coaxial pivot shafts fixedly attached to opposite sides of said positioning device such that the axis of said pivot shafts approximates the location of a user's ankle when the foot is inserted into said positioning device, said pivot shafts rotatably supported by said frame, whereby a user may rotate each of said positioning devices independently. 
   
   
       12 . The strength training machine according to  claim 10 , wherein each said positioning device comprises:
 a plate having sufficient size to provide a resting surface for the bottom of a user's heel;   two side walls fixedly attached to opposites edges of said plate, said side walls oriented perpendicularly to said plate; and   a bar supported between said side walls, said bar spaced apart from said plate,   whereby a user can insert the forefoot between said bar and said plate.   
   
   
       13 . The strength training machine according to  claim 12 , wherein said means for users having various sizes of feet to adjustably insert each foot into each of said positioning devices comprises a cushioning material attached to said bar, whereby compression of said cushioning material allows further passage of the forefoot under said bar to allow the user to align the ankle in close proximity to the axis of said pivot shafts regardless of foot size. 
   
   
       14 . A tibialis anterior strength training machine, said strength training machine comprising:
 a frame;   a seating apparatus attached to said frame;   one positioning device for a user to insert the feet to perform the exercise;   means for rotatably supporting said positioning device by said frame;   means for users having various sizes of feet to adjustably insert the feet into said positioning device such that the ankle joint axes are approximately common to the axis of rotation of said positioning device; and   means for providing a rotational resistance to said positioning device.   
   
   
       15 . The tibialis anterior strength training machine according to  claim 14 , wherein said means for rotatably supporting said positioning device includes two coaxial pivot shafts fixedly attached to opposite sides of said positioning device such that the axis of said pivot shafts approximates the location of a user's ankles when the feet are inserted into said positioning device, said pivot shafts rotatably supported by said frame. 
   
   
       16 . The strength training machine according to  claim 14 , wherein said positioning device comprises:
 a plate having sufficient size to provide a resting surface for the bottom of a user's heels;   two side walls fixedly attached to opposites edges of said plate, said side walls oriented perpendicularly to said plate; and   a bar supported between said side walls, said bar spaced apart from said plate, whereby a user can insert the forefeet between said bar and said plate.   
   
   
       17 . The strength training machine according to  claim 16 , wherein said means for users having various sizes of feet to adjustably insert the feet into said positioning device comprises a cushioning material attached to said bar, whereby compression of said cushioning material allows further passage of the forefeet under said bar to allow the user to align the ankles in close proximity to the axis of said pivot shafts regardless of foot size.