The present invention relates to an exercise machine and, more particularly, to a squat rack.

Document US 5 370 594 A discloses a conventional exercise machine comprising a frame, two treads connected to and located on two sides of the frame, a lifting unit pivotally connected to the frame, a pulling unit comprising a middle portion pivotally connected to a front end of the frame and a connector for pivotally connecting a lower end of the pulling unit to the lifting unit. In a first use, the user sits astride on the seat of the lifting unit of the machine with the feet on the treads and pulls with the arms and pushes with the feet. In a second use, the handle of the pulling unit may be rotated against the seat. The user stands at the rear facing forward with the hands upon a transverse handle bar and pushes the handle downward against the counterforce thus promoting exercise. In a third exercise the user sits on the floor behind the machine with the handle bar also collapsed against the seat. The feet are placed against the rear of the foot rests with the heels on the floor and the hands grasp the transverse handle and pull the bar downward. Therefore, different muscles can be exercised.

Document US 5 643 147 A discloses another conventional multipurpose exercise machine comprising a frame, a tread unit having two treads, a lifting unit pivotally connected to the frame, a pulling unit comprising a middle portion pivotally connected to a front end of the frame and a connector structure for pivotally connecting a lower end of the pulling unit to the lifting unit. The lifting unit is further interconnected with the frame by an air cylinder set by means of which the exercise machine is capable of making use of the weight of the user for providing a damping effect. The two treads are pedals which are pivotally suspended on the frame. The user can either perform a pushing exercise and a lifting exercise, wherein a handle of the pulling unit and the seat are synchronously raised, or a horse-riding exercise, in which a user seated on the seat pushes the pedals forward with his/ her feet and simultaneously moves the pulling unit downwards. Thereby the seat tube comes upward.
To squat, a person has to use his or her upper legs, abdomen and lower back. Hence, a person can squat to exercise muscles in his or her torso, waist, abdomen, hips and upper legs. However, a person can exert too much stress in his or her knees or upper legs and hence excessively wear the knees or pull the muscles in the upper legs.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 313866 discloses a conventional squat rack for helping a user squat. The conventional squat rack includes a lower tube 1 connected to a upper tube 2, a seat tube 10 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a leg tube 20 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a handle 30 pivotally connected to the upper tube 2, a connector 4 for connecting the seat tube 10 to the leg tube 20, and a connector 40 for connecting the seat tube 10 to the handle 30. Thus, the leg tube 20 is pivoted together with the handle 30. Hence, the user's hands, torso and legs move together with the conventional squat rack. Hence, the user's muscles in the waist and upper legs are only subject to light loads. That is, the user does not exercise the waist and upper legs sufficiently. The conventional squat rack is not effective in helping the user to exercise the waist and upper legs.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive squat rack squat rack for helping a user squat.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a squat rack with which a user exercises without exerting excessive stress in his or her muscles.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the squat rack includes a frame, a tread unit, a lifting unit, a pulling unit and a connector. The tread unit includes two treads connected to and located on two sides of the frame for supporting a user's feet so that the frame is firmly kept on the ground by the user. The lifting unit is pivotally connected to the frame and located behind the user in operation. The pulling unit includes a middle portion pivotally connected to a front end of the frame. The connector pivotally connects a lower end of the pulling unit to the lifting unit so that the user can pull the pulling unit to cause the lifting unit to support the user's hips via the connector.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a squat rack for helping a user squat according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the squat rack shown in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a right side view of the squat rack shown in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a right side view of a user using the squat rack shown in FIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in FIG. 4;
• FIG. 6 is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in FIG. 5;
• FIG. 7 is a right side view of the squat rack shown in FIG. 1 in a adjustment operation;
• FIG. 8 is a right side view of the squat rack in a collapsed position other than the extended position shown in FIG. 3;
• FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a squat rack for helping a user squat according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 10 is a right side view of a user using the squat rack shown in FIG. 9; and
• FIG. 11 is a right side view of the user and the squat rack in another position than shown in FIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a squat rack includes a frame 10, a lifting unit 20 and a pulling unit 30 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The frame 10 includes an upper tube 11 and a lower tube 12. The upper tube 11 includes a crossbar 111 at a lower end. A middle portion of the upper tube 11 is pivotally connected an upper end of the lower tube 12 by a pivotal joint 13. The lower tube 12 includes a crossbar 121 at a lower end. The pivotal joint 13 includes two lugs (not numbered) connected to the upper end of the lower tube 12 by welding for example, an axle 131 inserted in the upper tube 11, and a pin 132 selectively inserted in the upper tube 11. When the lower tube 12 is opened relative to the upper tube 11, the pin 132 is inserted in the lugs of the pivotal joint 13 and the upper tube 11, to keep the lower tube 12 in position relative to the upper tube 11. Referring to FIG. 8, the pin 132 is selectively pulled from the upper tube 11 to allow pivoting of the lower tube 12 relative to the upper tube 11.

The lifting unit 20 is pivotally connected to the upper tube 11 of the frame 10. The lifting unit 20 includes a seat tube 21, a seat 22 and a strut 25. A front, lower end of the seat tube 21 is pivotally connected to a middle portion of the upper tube 11. The seat 22 is supported on the seat tube 21. The seat 22 is elongated element on which a user can move to and fro. The position of the seat 22 on the seat tube 21 is preferably adjustable. A rear, upper end of the strut 25 is pivotally connected to a rear, upper end of the seat tube 21. A front, lower end of the strut 25 is pivotally connected to the upper tube 11 the frame 10 via a pivotal joint 26. The pivotal joint 26 includes a plurality of apertures 27 arranged about a pivotal center. Referring to FIG. 7, a pin 28 is inserted in a selected one of the apertures 27 to locate the strut 25 at a selected one of several angles relative to the upper tube 11, thus adjusting the elevation of the seat tube 21 on the strut 25.

The pulling unit 30 is pivotally connected the upper tube 11 of the frame 10. The pulling unit 30 includes a lever 31, an extensive element 310, a fastener 33 and a handle 32. A middle portion of the lever 31 is pivotally connected to the front, upper end of the upper tube 11. The extensive element 310 is telescopically connected to the lever 31. The handle 32 is connected to a front, upper end of the extensive element 310. The extensive element 310 includes apertures 311. The fastener 33 is inserted in a selected one of the apertures 311 to adjust the entire length of the combination of the extensive element 310 with the lever 31, i.e., the stroke of the pivotal movement of the handle 32 on the lever 31.

The pulling unit 30 is operatively connected to the lifting unit 20. A rear, lower end of the lever 31 is connected to a middle portion of the seat tube 21 via a connector 35. Thus, the user exerts a lifting force on the seat tube 21 when he or she exerts a pulling force on the lever 31. In a process of standing up, the pulling force facilitates backward and upward movement of the handle 32 to help his or her legs to sand up. In a process of squatting, the pulling force slows rearward and downward movement of the seat tube 21 to help his or her legs squat. There is a adjustment unit 36 between the lever 31 and the connector 35.

The adjustment unit 36 includes apertures 38 in the lever 31 and apertures 37 in the connector 35. Referring to FIG. 7, a pin 39 is inserted in a selected one of the apertures 38 and a selected one of the apertures 37 to adjust the tilt of the lever 31 to adjust a stroke of movement of the lifting unit 20 relative to the pulling unit 30.

The apertures 38 are used to adjust the mechanical effect of the leverage of the lever 31 and hence the pulling force required to help the user stand up and squat. For example, referring to FIG. 8, the pin 39 can be inserted in one of the apertures closer to the handle 32 to use his or her hands to provide more support to his or her legs.

The pin 39 can be pulled out of the apertures 37 and 38 to allow the lever 31 to collapse relative to the upper tube 11.

There can be a plurality of apertures 37 and only one aperture 38 in an alternative embodiment. There can be only one aperture 37 and a plurality of apertures 38 in an alternative embodiment.

The tread unit 15 is securely connected to the frame 10. The user can set his or her feet on the tread unit 15 to use his or her own weight to keep the frame 10 still on the ground while using the squat rack. The tread unit 15 includes two treads 151 and 152 connected to two ends of the crossbar 121, which is connected to the front, lower end of the lower tube 12. In a horizontal sense, the tread unit 15 is located between the point of connection of the seat tube 21 with the upper tube 11 and the point of connection of the lever 31 with the upper tube 11, thus enabling the user to completely stretch his or her legs while standing up.

Referring to FIG. 4, in use, the user sets his or her feet on the treads 151 and 152 of the tread unit 1, and holds the handle 32 of the pulling unit 30 with his or her hands. Then, the user pulls the lever 31 of the pulling unit 30 towards his or her chest and lifts the seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 towards his or her hips via the connector 35, thus helping the user stand up.

Then, referring to FIG. 5, the user bends his or her knees and lowers the hips. That is, the user is in a half-stand-half-squat position. The lifting unit 20 supports the hips since the user holds the handle 32 of the pulling unit 30, and the lever 31 is connected to the seat tube 21 via the connector 35. The user can further bend his or her knees and lowers the hips without much difficult because the hips and hence the legs are supported by the seat 22 that is lifted by the hands via the connector 35.

The steps shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be repeated to enable the user to squat and stand repeatedly. Hence, the user can be used to exercise and train his or her muscles.

Referring to FIG. 6, the angle of the strut 25 of the lifting unit 20 is changed to change the elevation of the seat tube 21 to increase the extent to which the user squat. The adjustment unit 36 of the lever 31 of the pulling unit 30 is inserted in a selected one of the aperture 37 of the connector 35 to locate the lever 31 at a desired angle corresponding to the length of the user's arms. Thus, the user can squat lower.

Referring to FIGS. 9 through 11, there is a squat rack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except for including a telescopic element 23 between the point of connection of the seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 to the upper tube 11 and the crossbar 111. There is at least one elastic element 40 between the extensive element 23 and the frame 10 so that the seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 tends to be raised as shown in FIG 10. The elastic element 40 can be a spring, an elastic strip, or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

Referring to FIG. 10, in use the user sets his or her feet on the treads 151 and 152 of the tread unit 15 and holds the handle 32 of the pulling unit 30 with hands. The elastic element 40 pulls the extensive element 23 backwards. The extensive element 23 lifts the seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 to the user's hips. The seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 is connected to the lever 31 of the pulling unit 30 via the connector 35. Hence, the lever 31 of the pulling unit 30 moves towards the chest of the user to keep the user stand up because.

Then, referring to FIG. 11, to squat, the user holds the handle 32 of the pulling unit 30 by the hands. Since the connector 35 is arranged between the lever 31 and the seat tube 21, the lifting unit 20 supports the user by the hips. The extensive element 23 of the seat tube 21 extends and hence loads the elastic element. The elastic element 40 pulls back and moves the seat tube 21 of the lifting unit 20 to the user's hips when the user stands up again. Hence, the seat 22 of the seat tube 21 supports the user by the hips.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.