Exercise device

Abstract

An exercise device helps users perform squat exercise while also reducing stress on knees, other joints and the lower back. The exercise device has a seat mechanism, housing and a related base which cooperate so the stress of squat exercises is reduced, especially at the lower/bottom end of the squat exercise. The housing and base are slidably coupled to one another, and include a spring to provide supporting forces to assist users during squat exercises. While carrying out the desired squat exercise, a user will squat downward until their buttocks contacts the seat mechanism, causing the body weight of the user to move the seat and housing downward, acting against the natural force of an internal spring. The exercise device also includes an adjustment mechanism to allow users to adjust the spring force, thus customizing the resistance provided.

1 . An exercise device supported on a supporting surface and capable of providing controlled support to a user while performing exercises, comprising:
 a base supportable on the supporting surface and having an upright extension, with the upright extension having an internal chamber and a spring support surface therein;   a housing having an inner chamber configured to slidably receive the upright extension, the housing further having a spring containing chamber;   an adjustment device movably coupled to the housing to allow free rotation thereof, the adjustment device having a knob situated adjacent an outer surface of the housing and a threaded cylindrical portion contained within the housing, the adjustment device further having an internal cylindrical opening extending from the knob and into the threaded cylindrical portion;   a slider adjustably coupled to the threaded cylindrical portion and contained the spring containing chamber such that rotation of the adjustment device will cause the slider to change its position within the spring containing chamber;   a seat member having a support platform and a post extending downwardly from the support structure, wherein the post is configured to be inserted into the internal cylindrical opening of the adjustment device and coupled thereto, thus also causing the seat member and the housing to be coupled to one another; and   a spring contained within the spring contain chamber and biased between the slider and the spring support surface of the base;   wherein pressure against the seat structure will cause movement of the housing relative to the base and compression of the spring such that increased resistance is encountered as the user further moves the seat in the direction of the support surface.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise device of  claim 1  wherein the post and the internal cylindrical chamber are threaded so that rotation of the seat member will adjust the height of the support platform relative to the supporting surface. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise device of  claim 1  wherein the spring bias is adjusted by movement of the slider. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise device of  claim 1  wherein the upward extension of the base extends at a predetermined angle relative to the supporting surface. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise device of  claim 1  wherein the support platform is a seat usable by the user to sit thereon, and wherein the weight of the user sitting on the seat will cause movement of the housing relative to the base and compression of the spring, and wherein compression of the spring will create an increased upward force urging the user upward. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise device of  claim 5  wherein the spring bias can be adjusted by movement of the slider. 
     
     
         7 . An exercise device for assisting users in performing squat exercised, comprising:
 a base having an upright extension and a spring supporting surface contained within the upright extension;   a housing slidably coupled to the base;   an adjustable seat coupled to an upper side of the housing, the adjustable seat having a supporting platform and an adjustment device to allow the position of the supporting platform relative to the upper end of the housing to be adjusted;   an adjustment mechanism coupled to the housing, the adjustment mechanism having a knob accessible from outside the housing and having a movable slider which can be moved within the housing based upon manipulation of the knob; and   a spring having a first end in physical contact with the movable slider and a second end in contact with the spring supporting surface, wherein movement of the movable slider will adjust a static bias of the spring, and wherein movement of the housing relative to the base will cause compression of the spring and create an increased spring force resisting said compression.   
     
     
         8 . The exercise device of  claim 7  wherein the base is supported on a supporting surface during use, and the upright extension is maintained at an angle relative to the base. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise device of  claim 8  wherein pressure against the seat will cause movement of the housing relative to the base. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise device of  claim 8  wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the housing to allow free rotation thereof, the knob of the adjustment device being situated adjacent an outer surface of the housing, the adjustment mechanism further having a threaded cylindrical portion contained within the housing and coupled to the knob to that rotation of the knob causes rotation of the threaded cylindrical portion, wherein the slider has a threaded portion cooperating with the threaded cylindrical portion such that rotation of the adjustment device will cause the movement of the movable slider. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise device of  claim 10  wherein the adjustable seat is coupled to an upper side of the housing via the adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise device of  claim 11  wherein the adjustable seat and the adjustment mechanism are coupled to one another via a threaded coupling.