Core exercising machine

Abstract

A collapsible exercise machine for strengthening the core muscles (transverse abdominal, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae) includes a frame mounted on a base on which a user sits and manipulates an upstanding lever arm. A seat is convertible between two differently-angled positions for back extension or abdominal exercises. The lever arm rotates a curved tube having a plurality of force adjustment holes. The tube passes through a frame at the upper end of a gas spring, and engaging an adjustment pin on the frame with different adjustment holes changes the amount of resistance. The entire frame above the base can be vertically adjusted to accommodate different sizes of user without altering the relative position between the seat (and user's hips) and the axis of rotation of the lever arm thus not affecting/changing the designated resistance between users of different heights (resistance is affected when the lever arm is lengthened). The connection between the frame and the base enables the unit to be collapsed to a profile small enough to fit under a bed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise machine, comprising:
 a base having at least one upstanding leg at the top of which is a housing within which a horizontal bar rotates, the housing having a seat firmly mounted thereon such a user can sit on the seat with his or her legs on the ground or on the base;   an upstanding lever arm attached to an end of the horizontal bar displaced from the housing terminates in a horizontal force application bar, wherein a user sitting in the seat can manipulate the force application bar and rotate the horizontal bar within the housing;   a source of adjustable resistance to rotation of the horizontal bar; and   an adjustable indexing device connected to the upstanding lever arm for changing the rotational orientation of the lever arm relative to the horizontal bar.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable indexing device comprises an indexing plate that is fixed with respect to the horizontal bar and projects radially away therefrom adjacent the lever arm, and wherein an adjustment pin fixed to the lever arm fits in one of an array of indexing holes in the indexing plate to change the rotational orientation of the lever arm relative to the horizontal bar. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1 , further including a height adjustment mechanism between the at least one upstanding leg and the base which permits the upstanding leg to be raised relative to the base and changes the height of the seat without altering the spacing between the seat and the axis of rotation of the horizontal bar. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the seat position can be changed relative to the upstanding leg, and wherein in one position the seat is horizontal and positioned for a user to perform abdominal exercises, and wherein in the other position the seat is angled from the horizontal in position for a user to perform back extension exercises. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the machine is collapsible wherein the leg and lever arm may be rotated with respect to the base to allow them to lie substantially flat having a maximum height of 8 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the source of adjustable resistance comprises a gas spring connected between a fixed point on the upstanding leg and a force adjustment bar extending from the horizontal bar, wherein a position of an upper end of the gas spring is adjustable along the force adjustment bar. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the progressivity of the gas spring is 1.1 or less. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein there are four upstanding legs. 
     
     
         9 . An exercise machine, comprising:
 a base having at least one upstanding leg at the top of which is a housing within which a horizontal bar rotates, the housing having a seat firmly mounted thereon such a user can sit on the seat with his or her legs on the ground or on the base;   an upstanding lever arm attached to an end of the horizontal bar displaced from the housing terminates in a horizontal force application bar, wherein a user sitting in the seat can manipulate the force application bar and rotate the horizontal bar within the housing;   a source of adjustable resistance to rotation of the horizontal bar; and   a height adjustment mechanism between the at least one upstanding leg and the base which permits the upstanding leg to be raised relative to the base and changes the height of the seat without altering the spacing between the seat and the axis of rotation of the horizontal bar.   
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein there is a single upstanding leg, and wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises a lower end of the leg inserted into an aperture in the base and having an indexing mechanism to adjust the relative insertion depth. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the machine is collapsible wherein the leg and lever arm may be rotated with respect to the base to allow them to lie substantially flat, and further including an adjustment collar through which the lower end of the leg inserts, the adjustment collar having a pair of longitudinal flanges flanking the base, wherein holes in the flanges line up with holes in the base, and pins extend through both flanges and the base to secure the collar in place, and wherein one of the pins may be removed to allow the adjustment collar and leg of the exercise machine to rotate about the other pin, thus facilitating collapse of the machine. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the seat position can be changed relative to the upstanding leg, and wherein in one position the seat is horizontal and positioned for a user to perform abdominal exercises, and wherein in the other position the seat is angled from the horizontal in position for a user to perform back extension exercises. 
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the machine is collapsible wherein the leg and lever arm may be rotated with respect to the base to allow them to lie substantially flat having a maximum height of 8 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the source of adjustable resistance comprises a gas spring connected between a fixed point on the upstanding leg and a force adjustment bar extending from the horizontal bar, wherein a position of an upper end of the gas spring is adjustable along the force adjustment bar. 
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the progressivity of the gas spring is 1.1 or less. 
     
     
         16 . An exercise machine, comprising:
 a base having at least one upstanding leg at the top of which is a housing within which a horizontal bar rotates, the housing having a seat firmly mounted thereon such a user can sit on the seat with his or her legs on the ground or on the base, wherein the seat engages an upstanding post on the housing;   an upstanding lever arm attached to an end of the horizontal bar displaced from the housing terminates in a horizontal force application bar, wherein a user sitting in the seat can manipulate the force application bar and rotate the horizontal bar within the housing; and   a source of adjustable resistance to rotation of the horizontal bar,   wherein the seat position can be changed relative to the upstanding post, and wherein in one position the seat is horizontal and positioned for a user to perform abdominal exercises, and wherein in the other position the seat is angled from the horizontal in position for a user to perform back extension exercises.   
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the seat has two downwardly extending tubes and the seat position can be changed by engaging one or the other of the downwardly extending tubes with the upstanding post on the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the machine is collapsible wherein the leg and lever arm may be rotated with respect to the base to allow them to lie substantially flat having a maximum height of 8 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the source of adjustable resistance comprises a gas spring connected between a fixed point on the upstanding leg and a force adjustment bar extending from the horizontal bar, wherein a position of an upper end of the gas spring is adjustable along the force adjustment bar. 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the progressivity of the gas spring is 1.1 or less.