Gravity leg exercise machine

Abstract

The present invention is an exercise machine to be used mainly for lower body exercises that involve quads, shins, thighs, and hip areas of a user and provides a moving seat frame that supports the weight of the user to use it as a source of a resistance as a pedal is pushed away. The resistance can be adjusted by changing the ratio between the seat movement and the pedal movement. The machine can be foldable for a stowed position. A preferred embodiment includes a base assembly that stands on a floor, a seat assembly movable substantially in vertical direction to support the user's weight and use it as a source of the resistance, and a pedal assembly supporting a pedal that moves away from the seat assembly when pushed by the user. The pedal assembly and the seat assembly are linked together so that when the pedal is pushed away, the seat assembly is lifted up from its rest position. The amount of the lift on the seat assembly per given displacement of the pedal can be adjusted by changing the leverage between the pedal assembly and the seat assembly. Greater the lift on the seat assembly per given pedal displacement, greater the resistance the user feels on the pedal.

1 . A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
 a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,   b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system, a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and a force adjuster, wherein the force adjuster is used to adjust the amount of resistance on the gravity leg exercise machine, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and   c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and adjustably engaged with the force adjuster so that the base assembly, the pedal frame, the force adjuster, and the pedal link, when combined, move as another four bar linkage system.   
   
   
       2 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position. 
   
   
       3 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 2  wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users. 
   
   
       4 . A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
 a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,   b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system and a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and   c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and pivotally engaged with the seat assembly so that the base assembly, the pedal frame, the seat assembly, and the pedal link, when combined, move as another four bar linkage system.   
   
   
       5 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 4 , further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position. 
   
   
       6 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 5  wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users. 
   
   
       7 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 4  wherein the pedal link is selectively and adjustably engaged with the seat assembly so that the amount of resistance can be adjusted for the exercise by changing the leverage between the seat assembly and the pedal frame. 
   
   
       8 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 4 , further comprising: a seat pad, a seat frame supporting a back pad in the seat assembly wherein the seat pad is foldable for the stowed position and is substantially parallel with the seat frame in the stowed position. 
   
   
       9 . A gravity leg exercise machine comprising:
 a. a base assembly for supporting the gravity leg exercise machine on a floor,   b. a seat assembly comprising a four bar linkage system and a seat pad on at least one link of the four bar linkage system, and pivotally joining with the base assembly so that the seat pad moves substantially in a vertical direction when the four bar linkage system is urged, and   c. a pedal assembly comprising a pedal, a pedal frame structurally supporting the pedal and pivotally joined with the base assembly, and a pedal link, wherein the pedal link is pivotally joined with the pedal frame and pivotally engaged with the seat assembly.   
   
   
       10 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 9 , further comprising: a slider in the base assembly wherein the slider can be locked on a first base frame of the base assembly or released to make the gravity leg exercise machine foldable for a stowed position. 
   
   
       11 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 10  wherein the slider in the base assembly is selectively and adjustably engaged with the first base frame of the base assembly so that the distance between the pedal and the seat pad can be adjusted to accommodate different body size users. 
   
   
       12 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 9  wherein the pedal link is selectively and adjustably engaged with the seat assembly so that the amount of resistance can be adjusted for the exercise by changing the leverage between the seat assembly and the pedal frame. 
   
   
       13 . The gravity leg exercise machine of  claim 9 , further comprising: a seat pad, a seat frame supporting a back pad in the seat assembly wherein the seat pad is foldable for the stowed position and is substantially parallel with the seat frame in the stowed position.