Adjustable position grip handle assembly for exercise machine

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustable position grip handle assembly for an exercise machine. The grip handle assembly has an axial shaft connected to a grip handle at an angle, where the axial shaft is receivable into a circular bearing housing mounted to an end of an exercise arm, and where the axial shaft and the circular bearing housing each have an engagement mechanism, the grip handle is movable such that a user pushes the knob or pulls the grip handle to first unlock the axial shaft and then rotate the grip handle to a different radial position. Release of the grip handle causes a spring to lock it in its new radial position. The first engagement mechanism may be a collar connected to the grip handle with indexing tabs thereon, and the second engagement mechanism may be a plurality of indexing slots on the circular bearing housing such that the indexing tabs may be received into any of the indexing slots.

Description

[0001] Divisional Application

[0002] This application is a divisional application of the application patent application entitled "Adjustable Position Grip Handle Assembly for Exercise Machine" having application number 201980067644.3 and filing date September 11, 2019.

[0003] Related Applications

[0004] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 747,015, filed October 17, 2018, entitled Adjustable Position Mounted Handle, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005] The present system relates to a grip handle assembly for an exercise machine. BACKGROUND

[0006] Different exercise machines require their users to grip a handle while pushing or pulling on an exercise arm. Examples of such "push" exercise machines include machines such as chest press machines and shoulder press machines. Examples of such "pull" machines include lateral pull down machines and rowing machines. Operating these different machines requires different hand angles and positions. Additionally, it is often desirable to use various different grip positions when operating each of these machines. This is because switching hand positioning requires more muscle involvement from the targeted muscle group, which means more benefit to the user.

[0007] Unfortunately, on most exercise machines, changing grip positions is a cumbersome process. This is because existing exercise machines that provide multiple grip positions for a handle do so by fixedly mounting different grip handles into various positions on the end of the exercise arm. As such, the user has multiple grip positions to choose from, but also has to deal with the added weight and added clutter of being able to remove and replace each grip handle. Therefore, it would be desirable if multiple grip handle positions could be provided in an alternative, comfortable, and easy to use manner. It would also be especially desirable to provide a system in which the user can quickly change grip angle positions (and quickly lock them into new positions) without the risk of the grip handle becoming unlocked and undesirably rotating or moving. SUMMARY

[0008] The present system provides a novel grip handle for exercise equipment that can be easily rotated and moved into a variety of different locked positions. In a preferred aspect, these different positions are placed at a radial angle from one another about a central axis.

[0009] In one preferred aspect, the present system provides a grip handle assembly for exercise equipment comprising: a circular bearing housing; an axial shaft member receivable into the circular bearing housing; a grip arm extending from the axial shaft member, the grip arm extending at an angle relative to the axial shaft member; a plurality of bearings located between the axial shaft member and the circular bearing housing permitting rotational movement of the axial shaft member within the circular bearing housing; a first engagement mechanism located on the axial shaft member; a second engagement mechanism located on the circular bearing housing, wherein the first engagement mechanism interlocks with the second engagement mechanism to prevent rotation of the axial shaft member in the circular bearing housing, and wherein the first engagement mechanism disengages from the second engagement mechanism to permit rotation of the axial shaft member in the circular bearing housing; and a spring biasing element located in the circular bearing housing, the spring biasing element biasing the axial shaft member into a locked position, the spring being displaceable to move the axial shaft member into an unlocked position. In this manner, the grip handle can be easily rotated into a plurality of positions on an exercise arm on an exercise equipment.

[0010] In various preferred aspects, the axial shaft member is moved forward into the locked position when the spring is in a neutral position. In this manner, the user must compress (or in alternative designs, extend) the spring to unlock the grip handle. In this manner, the natural position of the grip handle will be locked into place. This is much safer than relying on the user to perform a forced procedure to lock a grip handle position. Furthermore, the handle assembly can be installed to an overhead shoulder press exercise machine such that the user pushing the arm upward will also push the axial shaft member into its locked position.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the first engagement mechanism can be a collar over the outside of the circular housing with indexing tabs on it, and the second engagement mechanism can be a plurality of indexing slots on an indexing plate on the circular bearing housing, where the indexing tabs can be received into any of the indexing slots. Various indexing slots can define a plurality of different radial positions spaced 45 degrees apart around a circle from each other. Once the indexing tabs on the handle assembly are seated into the slots of the installed indexing plate, the handle will no longer rotate and will be in the desired position. Spring compression (or in alternative embodiments, spring expansion) is preferably used to keep the tabs on the handle assembly mated into the slots in the indexing plate. By compressing the spring, the indexing tab portion of the handle assembly can be withdrawn (i.e., pushed back) from the indexing plate, so the handle assembly can be rotated to an alternative slot in the indexing plate. Releasing the compression on this spring causes the handle assembly to snap back into a locked position.

[0012] In the present system, one or both of a pair of handles can be independently rotated into a plurality of grip positions. This eliminates the extra weight and confusion of needing more than one interchangeable handle for each grip position. Additionally, the present invention can adjust handle can advantageously provide handle positioning not possible with a series of different fixedly mounted handles. For example, the present invention handles can be rotated to provide a close grip position or a grip position spaced farther apart on a seated chest press or seated shoulder press exercise machine. Yet another advantage of the present system is that two handles can be positioned so that they do not physically interfere with each other. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1A is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present invention grip handles in a first position at the beginning of an exercise.

[0014] Figure 1B is a front perspective view corresponding to Figure 1A but at the end of a shoulder press exercise.

[0015] Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present invention grip handles in a second position.

[0016] Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present invention grip handles in a third position.

[0017] Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine with the present invention grip handles in a fourth position.

[0018] Figure 5is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine having the inventive grip handle in a fifth position.

[0019] Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a shoulder press exercise machine having one of the inventive grip handle assemblies shown in exploded view.

[0020] Figure 7 is a close-up front exploded view of one of the grip handle assemblies shown in exploded view.

[0021] Figure 8A is a perspective view of the grip handle of the grip handle assembly.

[0022] Figure 8B is a front elevational view of the grip handle.

[0023] Figure 8C is a cross-sectional side view of the grip handle.

[0024] Figure 9 is a close-up perspective end view of the collar and indexing plate slot at the end of the exercise arm of the shoulder press exercise machine.

[0025] Figure 10A is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the inventive grip handle assembly having the grip handle in a locked position.

[0026] Figure 10B is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the inventive grip handle assembly having the grip handle in an unlocked position.

[0027] Figure 11 is a graphic illustration of the five different positions of the grip handle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figure 1A is a front perspective view of a shoulder press exercise machine 100 having the inventive grip handle 10 in a first position at the beginning of an exercise. Figure 1B The same machine is shown after the user has fully raised the exercise arm 120 of the machine. In accordance with the present invention, a system is provided for conveniently and easily repositioning the grip handle 10. In this manner, the user can move the grip handle 10 45 degrees (from the position in Figure 1A and 1B to the position shown in Figure 2 , or 90 degrees (from the position in Figure 1A and 1B to the position shown in Figure 3 , or 135 degrees (from the position in Figure 1A and 1B to the position shown in Figure 4 , or 180 degrees (from the position in Figure 1A and1B to the position shown in Figure 5 As can be appreciated, the ability of the inventive system to rotate the grip handle 10 to the various illustrated positions gives the user the ability to perform shoulder press exercises with their hands placed at different angles. This has the benefit of exercising different muscle groups.

[0029] Importantly, it should be understood that the inventive grip handle assembly is not limited to use with shoulder press exercise machines. Rather, the inventive grip handle assembly can be used with any exercise machine where a movable and repositionable grip handle is desired. For example, the inventive grip handle assembly can be used with other machines including, but not limited to, other "push" machines (including chest press machines) or "pull" machines such as lateral pulldown machines or rowing machines.

[0030] Figure 6 is a side elevation view of a shoulder press exercise machine 100 having one of the inventive grip handle assemblies shown in exploded view. Figure 7 is a close-up view of one of the grip handle assemblies shown in exploded view as described below.

[0031] The grip handle assembly 50 includes a circular bearing housing 51 and an axial shaft 60 that can be received into the circular bearing housing 51. The grip arm 10 extends outwardly from the axial shaft 60 at an angle; and one or more bearings 70 are received between the axial shaft 60 and the circular bearing housing 51. The bearings 70 permit rotational movement of the axial shaft 60 within the circular bearing housing 51. A knob 55 is also provided.

[0032] The grip handle 10 is locked into place as described below. A first engagement mechanism 61 is provided on the axial shaft 60 and a second engagement mechanism 52 is provided on the circular bearing housing 51. The first engagement mechanism 61 and the second engagement mechanism 52 interlock to prevent rotation of the axial shaft 60 in the circular bearing housing 51. The first engagement mechanism 61 and the second engagement mechanism 52 can be disengaged (i.e., unlocked) to permit rotation of the axial shaft 60 in the circular bearing housing 51. However, a spring biasing element 71 in the circular bearing housing 51 can be used to bias the axial shaft 60 into its locked position. Only when the spring 71 is displaced (i.e., compressed) does the axial shaft 60 become movable into the unlocked position.

[0033] As illustrated herein, the spring 71 can be compressed from its neutral position to unlock and permit rotation of the grip handle. Preferably, this is accomplished by pushing down on the knob 55 (and / or pulling on the handle 10). However, it should be understood that the present system also encompasses embodiments in which the spring alternatively extends from its neutral position to unlock and permit rotation of the grip handle. However, as illustrated herein, when the spring returns to its neutral position, the axial shaft 60 moves forward into its locked position.

[0034] In Figure 8A to 8C the preferred aspects best seen in Figs. 1-3, the present grip handle assembly can be locked and unlocked with its first engagement mechanism 61 being a collar having indexing tabs 62 thereon. Preferably, to provide protection to the user's fingers, the collar 61 is capped on the outside of the circular bearing housing 51. As Figure 9 best seen in Fig. 2, the second engagement mechanism 52 can optionally be a plurality of indexing slots 53 on the end of the indexing plate 52. The indexing tabs 62 can be received into any one of the indexing slots 53 in the plate 52.

[0035] In operation, when the user pushes down on the knob 55 and / or pulls down on the grip arm 10 in a direction that partially disengages the circular bearing housing 51, the first engagement mechanism 61 and the second engagement mechanism 52 (illustrated herein as the tabs 62 in the plate 52 and the indexing slots 53) disengage from one another. Further details of this locking and unlocking can be seen by comparing Figure 10A to 10B as described below. As Figure 10A seen in Fig. 1, the grip handle 10 is in a locked position with the indexing tabs 62 received into one of the slots 53. Next, as Figure 10B seen in Fig. 2, the user pulls on the knob 55 and / or pushes the grip handle 10 in an axial direction (i.e., compresses the spring 71) to unlock the indexing tabs 62 from the slots 53. (The knob 55 and handle 10 are connected and move together as one unit). At this point, the grip handle 10 can be rotated about the central shaft of the axial shaft 60 to align the indexing tabs 62 with another one of the indexing slots 53. When the knob 55 and grip handle 10 are then released, the spring 71 will expand back into its neutral position, thereby locking the indexing tabs 62 into the indexing slots 53. In this manner, the user must constantly pull back on (and hold) the grip to unlock and adjust its angular position. This makes the present system ideally suited for exercise machines in which the user pushes forward on the grip, as this forward pressure will ensure that the grip remains securely in the locked position during exercise.

[0036] Finally, as Figure 11 seen in Fig. 3, the grip handle 10 can be locked into place at a plurality of different radial positions that encircle a circle, the plurality of different radial positions being placed 45 degrees apart from one another (i.e., corresponding to Figure 1A2 , 3, 4 and 5 shown in the position).​

Claims

1. A shoulder press machine, comprising: Grip handle assembly, the grip handle assembly comprising: Circular bearing housing; An axial shaft member that can be received into the circular bearing housing; A grip handle extends from the axial shaft, the grip handle extending at an angle relative to the axial shaft; A knob located at the end of the axial shaft opposite the grip handle, wherein the knob and the grip handle move together as a unit; At least one bearing is located between the axial member and the circular bearing housing, thereby allowing the axial member to rotate within the circular bearing housing; The first engagement mechanism is located on the axial shaft; A second engagement mechanism is located on the circular bearing housing, wherein the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism are interlocked to prevent the axial shaft member from rotating within the circular bearing housing, and wherein the first engagement mechanism is disengaged from the second engagement mechanism to allow the axial shaft member to rotate within the circular bearing housing; and A spring-biasing element, located within the circular bearing housing, biases the axial member into a locked position and is displaceable to move the axial member into an unlocked position; and A fixed seat is provided, and the user, sitting in the fixed seat, pushes the grip handle to move the grip handle away from the fixed seat; The grip handle assembly is configured such that when the user pushes the grip handle upward, the axial member is advanced into the locked position, and when the user pulls the grip handle downward, the axial member is moved to the unlocked position to adjust the angle of the grip handle around the axial member.

2. The shoulder press device according to claim 1, wherein when the spring biasing element is in the neutral position, the axial shaft moves forward to the locked position.

3. The shoulder press device of claim 2, wherein the spring biasing element is compressed to move the axial member to the unlocked position.

4. The shoulder press device according to claim 1, wherein the first engagement mechanism is a collar having an indexing tab, and the second engagement mechanism is a plurality of indexing slots on the circular bearing housing, wherein the indexing tab can be received into any one of the plurality of indexing slots.

5. The shoulder press device according to claim 4, wherein the collar covers the outer side of the circular bearing housing.

6. The shoulder press device of claim 1, wherein the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism are configured to disengage from each other when the user pushes the knob connected to the grip handle.

7. The shoulder press device of claim 1, wherein the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism are configured to disengage from each other when the user pulls the grip handle out of the circular bearing housing.

8. The shoulder press device of claim 1, further comprising a padding surrounding the grip handle.

9. The shoulder press device according to claim 1, wherein the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism are interlocked at a plurality of different radial positions forming a circle.

10. The shoulder press device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of different radial positions forming the circle are positioned at 45 degrees relative to each other.

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