SHOULDER AND FOREARM EXERCISE DEVICE

Abstract

A device that exercises the shoulder and forearm is disclosed. The device is fabricated with a handle attached to a square tubular shaft that telescopes in and out over a smaller square tubular shaft. The smaller tubular shaft is attached to a round shaft with a sprocket attached. A first link of a small length of linked chain is attached to a tooth of the sprocket. A second link of the linked chain is attached to a first end of a wire cable. The wire cable passes under one pulley, then up and over two other pulleys and then is removably attached to one or more weights. By adjusting the total weight of the weights, the resistance of the device is controlled. By grasping the handle and turning it clockwise or counterclockwise, a person exercises the shoulder and/or forearm.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] The present application may include subject matter related to one or more of the following commonly-owned United States patent applications, each of which was filed on even date herewith, claims the benefit of, and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/339555, filed Mar. 6, 2010.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates generally to exercise devices. More particularly, it relates to devices that assist in exercising the shoulder and forearm.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Use of the shoulders and forearms for throwing and lifting plays a prominent role for athletes and the rest of the active population. Often the shoulder is injured, and remedial treatment is required. Even for healthy athletes, strengthening the shoulder muscles is desirable. Shoulder muscle strengthening usually involves a series of structured exercises designed to strengthen the muscle group associated with the shoulder joint. Such exercises often use apparatus that assist in shoulder muscle strengthening.

[0004] Many exercise devices exist and are described in prior art patent publications and found in commercially available products that are designed to assist in the shoulder muscle strengthening exercises. Often these devices are large complex pieces of equipment that are expensive to produce, are not portable, and have limited use in the home. Therefore, there is a need for a simple device that is portable, inexpensive to produce, and assist in the execution of strength-training shoulder and forearm exercises for the home exerciser.

SUMMARY

[0005] The shoulder and forearm exercise device of the present invention has a handle that is attached to a square tubular shaft that telescopes in and out over a smaller square tubular shaft attached to a round shaft. The square tubular shaft, the smaller square tubular shaft, and the round shaft are positioned vertically relative to the floor. A sprocket is attached near the bottom of the round shaft. The round shaft goes through the center of the sprocket with the sprocket rotational axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the round shaft. A tooth of the sprocket is rotationally attached to a small length of linked chain at a first end of the linked chain. Attached to a second end of the linked chain is a first end of a wire cable. The wire cable passes under a first pulley, then up and over a second and a third pulley, and then down. The second end of the wire cable is removably attached to one or more free hanging weights. The shafts, pulleys, and wire cable are installed in a simple frame. Weights may be added or subtracted to provide a variable selection of resistance. A person, grasping the handle and turning it clockwise or counterclockwise, may work the posterior or anterior muscles of the musculotendinous cuff or the supinator or pronator muscles of the radioulnar joints. By holding the handle and not rotating it, a person may stretch these muscles. In one embodiment, the shoulder and forearm device may be positioned freestanding on the floor. In an alternative embodiment, the shoulder and forearm device may be mounted on a wall. In either embodiment, the person may sit in a chair and use the device, or may use the device while standing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0008] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a person using the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 5A is a perspective detail view of the sprocket, linked chain and wire cable of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 5B is a further detail view of the sprocket and linked chain.

[0012] FIG. 5C is a detailed perspective view of the sprocket and linked chain when rotated clockwise.

[0013] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of the linked chain connected to the wire cable of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the wire cable removably connected to a weight.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention mounted on a wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the following description, the terms top, bottom, left and right refer to the figure where each reference applies. The same numeral is used to denote the same part in different views. If more than one similar part occurs in a figure, only one part may have a numeral pointing to it.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment 100 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of first embodiment 100 of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, first embodiment 100 is comprised of a handle 102 attached to a first square tubular shaft 104 that telescopes in and out over a smaller second square tubular shaft 106. Second square tubular shaft 106 is permanently attached to a round shaft 108. Round shaft 108 passes through center of, and is attached to, a sprocket 110 such that the rotational axis of sprocket 110 is perpendicular to longitudinal axis of round shaft 108. A tooth 140 of sprocket 110 is rotationally attached to a first link 142 of a small length of a linked chain 112. The sprocket 110 and linked chain 112 are of the type similar to that used in a bicycle. At a second link 152 of linked chain 112, a wire cable 114 is attached. Wire cable 114 passes under a first pulley 116, up and over a second pulley 118 and over and down a third pulley 120. Wire cable 114 is removably attached to one or more weights 122 at a wire cable second end 158. The three pulleys 116, 118, and 120, are each rotationally mounted on a pulley axial round shaft 124 that is attached to first side 128A and second side 128B of frame 126 such that pulleys may rotate freely. By grasping handle 102 and turning it clockwise or counterclockwise, a person experiences a resistance caused by weights 122. By adjusting the total poundage of the weights 122 being used, a person may exercise the posterior or anterior muscles of the musculotendinous cuff or the supinator or pronator muscles of the radioulnar joints. By holding handle 102 and not rotating it, a person may stretch these muscles.

[0018] Frame 126 is operationally coupled with the pulleys and shafts. Frame 126 is comprised of a first side 128A, a second side 128B, a support member 132, a bottom member 134, and a top member 130. Support member 132 has a vertical socket 136 that accepts round shaft 108 below sprocket 110 and permits round shaft 108 to rotate in it. Top member 130 has a vertical hole 138 that accepts first square tubular shaft 104 and permits first square tubular shaft 104 to rotate. Support member 132 has a rectangular shape and is attached to bottom member 134. Bottom member 134 has a rectangular shape and is attached to first side 128A and second side 128B. Frame 126 has a preferable length of 12 inches, a height of 18 inches, and a width of 6 inches.

[0019] FIG. 5A illustrates a detail of FIG. 3. FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D illustrate further details of FIG. 5A. Referring to FIG. 5A, sprocket 110 is securely attached to round shaft 108 with round shaft 108 going through center of sprocket 110. Round shaft 108 is rotationally supported by a vertical socket 136 positioned in support member 132. Round shaft 108, vertical socket 136 and vertical hole 138 are sized and configured such that round shaft 108 rotates slidingly clockwise and counterclockwise within vertical hole 138 and vertical socket 136, while round shaft 108 is held in an upright position.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 5B and 5C, tooth 140 of sprocket 110 is rotationally attached to a first link 142 located on linked chain 112 using a first pin 146. When sprocket 110 rotates in a clockwise direction 148, linked chain 112 engages teeth 144 of sprocket 110, pulling linked chain 112 forward and towards left. When sprocket 110 rotates in a counterclockwise direction 149, linked chain 112 engages teeth 145 of sprocket 110, pulling wire cable first end 154 backwards and towards left. In either case, second link 152 and wire cable first end 154 are pulled towards left. This movement results in lifting weight 122.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5C, second link 152, located on linked chain 112 is attached to wire cable first end 154 using a crimping clamp 156 passing through a second pin 147 located on second link 152.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 6, wire cable second end 158 has attached a swivel bar 160 that fits through a cylindrical hole 162 located in center of weight 122. Swivel bar 160 allows weights to be added and removed at wire cable second end 158, thereby adjusting resistance.

[0023] First embodiment 100 may be mounted on a wall 164 in addition to being placed on a floor 166. FIG. 7 illustrates a wall mount. Bottom member 134 is mounted vertically on wall 164 such that frame 126 is rotated 90 degrees relative to floor mounted position illustrated in FIG. 1. Tubular shaft 104 is horizontal when first embodiment 100 is mounted on wall 164.

[0024] A person may use the invention as follows. He or she sits in a chair next to the shoulder and forearm exercise device and adds a set amount of weights to the device. FIG. 4 illustrates this position. The person grasps handle 102 and rotates it. The weights cause a resistance, thereby exercising the shoulder and/or forearm muscles. By adjusting the amount of weights mounted on the device, the resistance may be varied. Alternately the person may hold the handle while it is rotated a given amount, causing the muscles to be stretched. Other alternate uses of the invention are possible. For example, the person may stand up while using the invention, and the invention may be mounted on a wall, and used that way as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0025] The first embodiment presented herein illustrates one way of implementing the inventive concept. Alternate implementations are considered to be within the inventive concept of the present invention. For example, the vertically positioned rectangular, tubular telescoping shafts may be replaced by other mechanisms such as elliptical telescoping cylinders. The telescoping feature may be omitted. The sprocket, linked chain, and wire cable mechanism may be replaced by a pulley that is horizontally mounted on the vertical shaft, with the wire cable first end attached to the horizontally mounted pulley in a manner such that rotation of the horizontally mounted pulley translates to motion of the cable. The wire cable may be replaced by any other mechanism that performs an equivalent function as the wire cable, such as a nylon cable, a chain or a rope. The vertical hole 138 and vertical socket 136 may be augmented with bearings or other devices that facilitate rotation. Therefore, the first embodiment of the present invention is to be considered as only illustrative of the present invention and not a limitation of the scope of the present invention. Various permutations, combinations, variations, and extensions of the components of the first embodiment are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of this shoulder and forearm exercise device may be determined with respect to the claims and not just by the embodiment presented.

Claims

1. A shoulder and forearm exercise device comprising; a frame; at least one shaft rotatably attached to the frame; a handle, the handle attached to at least one shaft; a cable, the cable having a cable first end and a cable second end; at least one weight, the weight removably attached to the cable second end; a means for operationally coupling the cable, the shaft and the weight such that when at least one weight is attached to the cable second end, then rotation of the handle translates to rotation of at least one shaft, which translates to a linear motion of the cable first end which translates to a vertical motion the cable second end thereby translating rotation of the handle to resistance caused by the attached weights.

2. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises: a first side; a second side; a support member; a bottom member; and a top member.

3. A shoulder and forearm exercise device comprising: a frame; a handle; a first rectangular tubular member having a first rectangular tubular member first end and a first rectangular tubular member second end; a handle, the handle attached to the first rectangular tubular member first end; a second rectangular tubular member having a second rectangular tubular member first end and a second rectangular tubular member second end, such that the second rectangular tubular member first end fits inside the first rectangular tubular member second end such that the second rectangular tubular member telescopes inside the first rectangular tubular member; a round shaft having a round shaft first end, a round shaft second end, and a longitudinal axis such that the round shaft first end is permanently attached to the second rectangular tubular member second end; a sprocket, the sprocket having a rotational axis, the sprocket additionally comprising a plurality of teeth, the sprocket is attached to the round shaft such that the sprocket rotational axis is centered and positioned such that it coincides with the longitudinal axis of the round shaft; a linked chain having a linked chain first end and a linked chain second end, the linked chain first end rotationally attached to a tooth of the sprocket; a wire cable having a wire cable first end and a wire cable second end, the wire cable first end attached to linked chain second end; a first pulley, a second pulley and a third pulley; at least one weight, wherein the wire cable passes under the first pulley, over the second pulley, over the third pulley, and is removably attachable to the weight, wherein the first, second and third pulleys are rotationally attached to the frame, the round shaft being rotationally attached to the frame; wherein when the handle is rotated in a first rotational direction, the sprocket pulls the linked chain which pulls the wire cable which lifts the weight, thereby causing a resistance on the handle, and wherein when the handle is turned in a second rotational direction, the sprocket pulls the linked chain which pulls the wire cable which lifts the weight thereby causing a resistance on the handle.

4. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises: a first side; a second side; a support member; a bottom member; and a top member.

5. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 5 wherein the support member has a vertical socket, the vertical socket being configured to accept the round shaft below the sprocket and permit the round shaft to rotate within the vertical socket.

6. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 5 wherein the top member has a vertical aperture that accepts the first rectangular tubular member and permits first rectangular tubular member to rotate.

7. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 5 wherein the support member is attached to the bottom member.

8. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 5 wherein the bottom member is attached to the first side and the second side.

9. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein the round shaft, the vertical socket, and the vertical aperture are configured such that the round shaft slidingly rotates clockwise and counterclockwise within the vertical aperture and the vertical socket while the round shaft is held in an upright position.

10. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein the tooth of the sprocket is rotationally attached to the linked chain first end by a first pin.

11. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein rotating the sprocket in a clockwise direction causes the linked chain to engage the tooth of the sprocket and to pull the linked chain forward and to the left.

12. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein rotating the sprocket in a counterclockwise direction causes the linked chain to engage the tooth of the sprocket and to pull the wire cable first end backwards and to the left.

13. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein a second link is attached to the wire cable first end using a crimping clamp, wherein the second link is located on the linked chain, wherein the crimping clamp passes through a second pin, wherein the second pin is located on the second link.

14. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 4 wherein the wire cable second end is attached to a swivel bar, wherein the swivel bar fits through a cylindrical aperture, wherein the cylindrical aperture is located in a center of the weight.

15. The shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 15 wherein the swivel bar is configured to allow the weight to be added and removed at the wire cable second end.

16. A method of using a shoulder and forearm exercise device comprising: sitting in a chair next to the shoulder and forearm device; adding a set amount of weight to the shoulder and forearm exercise device; and grasping and rotating a handle, wherein the rotation causes the weight to create resistance.

17. The method of using a shoulder and forearm exercise device of claim 17 further comprising: adjusting the set amount of weight mounted on the shoulder and forearm exercise device to vary the resistance.

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