Physical exercise machine with disassemblable frame

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine of the type including a frame with a carriage that can move horizontally in opposition to springs, as well as other accessories for performing different exercises, with a disassemblable frame. The invention prevents disassemblability from negatively affecting the operation of the machine once assembled. For this purpose, the machine comprises plates (9-9') with lower vertical extensions (10-10') connected together by respective stiffening crossbars (11-11'), the plates including an upper vertical extension (13) whose inner face is flush with the external side face of the free end of a half longitudinal member (8') to which same is fastened by means of screws (14). The mechanism includes a lateral support seat (15) for the outer side face of the end of the half longitudinal member (8) to which same is to be fastened, and further comprises a set screw (17) that facilitates manoeuvres.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Machine for performing physical exercises with removable frame.

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] The present invention relates to a machine for performing a multitude of physical exercises, commonly known as "reformers", with the aim of incorporating the technique used in physical exercises such as Pilates, usually practiced on the floor, into a more intense workout.

[0005] The machine is therefore of the type that includes a frame on which a carriage moves horizontally against the tension of springs, as well as a series of accessories associated with said frame for performing very diverse types of exercises.

[0006] The object of the invention is to provide a machine whose frame can be easily disassembled into two elements that are independent of each other, in order to facilitate the maneuvers of moving, storing and transporting the machine by virtue of the great reduction in volume that said disassemblable nature allows.

[0007] It is also an object of the invention that the removable nature of the frame does not negatively affect the operation of the machine once assembled, and more specifically with regard to the smoothness of movement of the device's carriage along the frame, along the movement guides for the carriage that are defined in said frame.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0009] There are known exercise machines that consist of a horizontal frame with longitudinal guides along which a carriage moves against the tension of springs. This frame includes a support bar for feet or hands, as well as, optionally, a vertical column with a series of accessories to increase the number of possible exercises that can be performed with the machine.

[0010] The cart is moved by supporting different parts of the body, offering great versatility of exercises.

[0011] Obviously, these types of machines are very large, which poses a problem from the perspective of installation, transport, and storage.

[0012] In an attempt to overcome this problem, there are machines of this type that have a folding or removable frame, in which the side members that serve as guides for the longitudinal movement of the carriage are divided into two sections that can be coupled together by different means.

[0013] The problem with this type of machine is that the connection between sections is not perfect, often generating small gaps or lateral and / or vertical staggers that generate irregularities for the carriage as it moves along these beams. This generates shocks and vibrations that are transmitted to the user when the carriage passes through these areas, with the discomfort that this entails.

[0014] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The machine for performing physical exercises that the invention proposes fully satisfactorily resolves the problem previously described, offering mounting means between the sections of the beams that participate in its frame that ensure perfect alignment and coplanarity between them, avoiding any type of irregularity and vibration of the carriage as it passes through this joining area.

[0016] To this end, and starting from the previously mentioned structure, in which a horizontal frame is used as a rectangular frame, whose longitudinal beams or profiles define the guiding means for a carriage that can move along them against the tension of springs, and including a support bar for feet or hands, the invention focuses its characteristics on the fact that the aforementioned beams are divided into two sections that include means for fixing and aligning them with each other.

[0017] More specifically, to provide greater stability and rigidity to the structure, it has been planned that the free ends of each pair of said beams are linked to plates that are screwed onto the lower face of said profiles and that include lower vertical appendages that are linked together through a transverse bar integral between both facing plates, thus defining two equally rectangular structures or semi-frames by virtue of the inclusion of the aforementioned stiffening transverse bar.

[0018] Two of said plates, preferably those associated with the free ends of the rear half-frame, have an upper vertical appendage whose inner face is flush with the external lateral face of the free end of the half-spar to which it is screwed, with the special feature that said upper vertical expansion extends laterally beyond the free edge of the half-spar, defining a lateral seat for the external lateral face of the other end of the half-spar to which it is intended to be fixed.

[0019] To this end, the free end of the aforementioned complementary half-spar will include an external threaded side hole, into which a set screw is intended to be threaded, which is previously passed through a hole provided in the side area of ​​the upper vertical expansion of the connecting plate.

[0020] In this way, the alignment of the holes and insertion of the set screw ensures perfect vertical alignment between each pair of half-beams, while the tightening of said set screw, which will be provided with a manually operated handle or wing nut, ensures that the free end of the half-beam into which it threads comes close until it stops against the lateral expansion of the plate, a position in which it is ensured that said half-beam is horizontally flush with the half-beam to which it is being fixed, thus offering a completely smooth and perfectly flush connection between profiles, without any type of staggering, which allows a smooth sliding of the carriage along the frame once it has been assembled.This results in a machine with a rectangular main frame that is quick and easy to disassemble, allowing for storage and transport with a significantly smaller volume footprint. In addition, the device is easy to install thanks to its lower weight, as it is divided into two pieces that are easier to handle, transport and place wherever appropriate.

[0021] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] To complement the description that follows and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0023] Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of a machine for performing physical exercises made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2.- Shows a perspective detail of the machine at the level of the fixing means between the ends of two of the half-beams that participate in its main frame.

[0025] Figure 3.- Shows a view similar to that of Figure 2, but in which the set screw that ensures the fixing and alignment both vertically and horizontally between the half-frames appears disconnected from the device, a position in which both half-frames are independent of each other.

[0026] Figure 4.- Shows a view similar to that of figure 3, but in which the rear half-frame plate appears unscrewed, in order to view the machining carried out on the ends of both half-spars.

[0027] Figure 5 shows a detail of the lower-side perspective of the machine at the level of the fixing means between both half-frames. Figures 6 and 7 finally show perspective views of the joining means between both half-frames in the initial position of the tightening screw (Figure 6), in which said half-frames are not horizontally aligned, whereas once the set screw has been properly tightened (Figure 7), it can be seen that they are perfectly aligned.

[0028] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In view of the figures mentioned, and in particular of figure 1, it can be seen how the machine of the invention is of the type constituted from a horizontal and rectangular frame (1), provided with legs (2), as well as optionally with lateral wheels (3) for its transport, frame (1) in which a transversal bar (4) is established in the form of an inverted "U", provided with angular regulation means (5) for carrying out different types of exercises, having a sliding carriage (6) on the side members of said frame (1) by means of wheels (7) against the tension of springs (12), visible in figure 5.

[0030] Well, in accordance with the essence of the invention, it has been provided that the aforementioned frame beams (1) are divided into pairs of half beams (8) and (8'), so that they define two "U" shaped half frames facing each other and that include means of fixing and aligning each other.

[0031] As previously stated, the free ends of each pair of half-beams (8-8') are connected to plates (9-9') clearly visible in figure 5, which are screwed onto the lower face of said half-beams (8-8') and which include lower vertical appendages (10-10') which are connected to each other through two transverse bars (11-11') connected between both facing plates, thus defining two equally rectangular structures or half-frames, which increase the rigidity of the assembly.

[0032] In accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, it is provided that two of said plates, preferably the plates (9') associated with the free ends of the half-long members (8') of the rear half-frame, have an upper vertical appendage (13) whose inner face is flush with the external lateral face of the free end of the half-long member (8') to which it is fixed by means of four screws (14), with the special feature that said upper vertical expansion extends laterally beyond the free edge of the half-long member (8'), defining a lateral support seat (15) for the external lateral face of the end of the half-long member (8) to which it is intended to be fixed, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0033] More specifically, the free end of the half-long member (8) includes an external threaded side hole (16), visible in figure 4, into which a set screw (17) is intended to be screwed, which is previously passed through a hole (18) provided in the side area of ​​the upper vertical expansion of the connecting plate, thereby ensuring that the respective half-long members (8-8') on each side are vertically aligned with each other and correctly positioned to be horizontally flush, which is carried out by tightening the set screw (17) which aligns the half-long members (8-8') in the horizontal plane.

[0034] From this structuring, and as can be seen in figures 6 and 7, starting from the two subframes into which the invention is divided, it will be sufficient to face the threaded hole (16) and the hole (18) to pass the set screw (17) through them, as shown in figure 6, so that by tightening said set screw (17) it is achieved quickly, simply and totally precisely that both half-long members are perfectly aligned and flush, both vertically and horizontally, passing to the position of figure 7, offering a perfect linear continuity between both half-long members (8-8') that makes the carriage move smoothly on them without any type of interruption, vibration or pothole.

Claims

x MODIFIED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 3 July 2025 (03.07.2025) 1.- Machine for performing physical exercises with a removable frame, which is of the type made from a horizontal and rectangular frame (1), equipped with 5 legs (2), frame (1) on which a transversal bar (4) is established in the form of an inverted “U”, provided with angular regulation means (5) for carrying out different types of exercises, having a sliding carriage (6) on the side members of said frame (1) by means of wheels (7) against the tension of springs (12), where the side members of the frame (1) are divided into pairs of half-side members (8) and (8'), defining two 10 “U” shaped half-frames facing each other, having pairs of plates (9-9') fixed on the lower face of the half-spars (8-8') in correspondence with their free ends, one of them (9') extending over the outer face of the half-spar (8'), and the other (9) including a lower sector that is flush with the outer face of the half-spar (8), which include means for fixing and aligning each other, characterized by 15 that the means of fixing and aligning with each other are realized in that the plates (9-9') include lower vertical appendages (10-10') that are linked with each other through respective transverse bars (11-11') for stiffening, with the particularity that two of said plates, preferably the plates (9') associated with the free ends of the half-long members (8') of the rear half-frame, have an upper vertical appendage (13) 20 whose inner face is flush with the external lateral face of the free end of the half-beam (8') to which it is fixed by means of screws (14), it having also been provided that the upper vertical expansion (13) extends laterally beyond the free edge of the half-beam (8'), defining a lateral support seat (15) for the external lateral face of the end of the half-beam (8) to which it is intended to be fixed, said seat having 25 half-beam (8) with an external threaded side hole (16), into which a set screw (17) for aligning the half-beams (8-8') can be screwed, said set screw (17) being previously passed through a hole (18) provided in the side area of the upper vertical expansion (13). DECLARATION ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 19 (1) The modification submitted pursuant to Article 19 and accompanied by this declaration aims to clarify claim 1, in accordance with the observations of the written opinion of the International Search Authority, which advised defining how the plates 9 and 9' of each pair of plates are arranged relative to each other, and the position they adopt in relation to the half-spars.

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