Calf Exercise Foot Positioner

This patent application is a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/729,739, filed Apr. 26, 2022, entitled “CALF EXERCISE FOOT POSITIONER,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 63/180,347, filed Apr. 27, 2021, entitled “CALF EXERCISE FOOT POSITIONER,” both incorporated herein by reference in entirety.

Exercise machines, devices and apparatus are popular appliances for facilitating the use of weights in resistance-based training. Such devices come in many forms, but are often defined by a free standing frame with various attachments, extensions, and exercise-specific accessories. Calf exercisers are a popular type of exercise machine, and define an elevated surface or bar that allows a user's heel to drop lower than the ball of the foot for providing a range of motion of the ankle/heel above and below the ball of the foot.

A calf exerciser includes a free standing platform with independent foot braces that pivot and rotate for providing an optimally positioned foot and ankle position for a calf exercise. A pair of rotating platforms mount to a base, and each rotating platform has a pivot brace that angles left and right. A handle and locking knob provide one-handed control. Positioning and locking the foot brace at various positions of rotation and right/left angles provide a selectable, varied position as the calf exercises generally involve an ankle driven force against the foot brace, often bearing on the ball or arch of the foot. A beveled or curved edge with a grip surface further enhances contact with the user's foot.

Configurations herein are based, in part, on the observation that calf exercisers are a popular exercise regimen in both home and commercial gym exercise contexts. Calf exercisers typically employ a weight stack or other resistance means in configuration to be displaced by a user positioned for a calf lifting/extension movement. Typically this rests the ball/toe region of the foot on an elevated surface to allow the heel to move above and below the position of the surface based on calf driven movements. Unfortunately, conventional approaches to calf exercisers suffer from the shortcoming that the bearing surface for the toe is typically a fixed, straight base that supports a single pattern for a foot position. Accordingly, configurations herein substantially overcome the shortcomings of conventional calf exercisers by providing a repositionable base with independently rotatable and pivotable foot braces, allowing a user to reposition for receiving a counterforce from the user's foot/ankle in providing resistance to calf movement/exercise.

Conventional exercise apparatus employ a frame and mechanical resistance elements such as weights, elastic/rubber/polymer strands, or other linkage for providing resistance against an exerted muscular force. While arms and legs are common members for exertion against the mechanical resistance, calf exercisers allow the user to elevate the heel on the ball of the foot for movement of the resistive force. Posturing for calf exercise is similar to arm lifting exercises, except that the heels are extended using the calf muscles instead of the arms for elevation or movement against the resistive force. Arm lifting exercises may easily be adapted to calf exercise using the disclosed apparatus (device) for elevating the ball/toe of the foot region and extending the calf instead of the arms.

The disclosed apparatus, therefore, may be employed with a preexisting weight frame or resistance apparatus, or as a stand-alone implement. Conventional calf exercisers are implemented as an afterthought to an exercise rack or frame, and include only a fixed horizontal bar or surface for elevating the front of the foot. Such conventional surfaces are fixed, and provide no ability to alter the user stance for allowing the feet to achieve an alternate rotation or pivot angle while bearing weight. In further detail, the disclosed approach depicts a foot positioning apparatus that allows for varying foot orientation during an exercise regimen, including opposed rotating platforms disposed in an adjacency on a plane for rotation parallel to the plane, and pivoting foot braces on each of the rotating platforms, such that each of the foot braces is disposed to pivot perpendicular to the plane for rotation. A locking mechanism secures the position of the rotation and an angle of the pivot independently for each rotating platform, or alternately rotates the platforms together through a rotational linkage.

The description below presents an example of the foot positioning apparatus (brace) used for calf exercises with or without an accompany weight rack or exercise frame. The foot positioning apparatus may be integrated as part of a larger exercise machine, and may also be deployed as a standalone aid placed in adjacency with a resistance (weight) training implementation. The approach described below may employ various materials for construction, and alternate fabrication of materials may follow from configurations described below.

is a front perspective view on an exercise environment and apparatus suitable for use with configurations herein. Calf exercises are a popular part of many exercise and fitness routines. Calf exercise machines may be dedicated frames directed to calf exercise, while other configurations, particularly home machines, may attempt to utilize a common weight stack or arrangement with multiple exercise devices or movements. In configurations herein, the foot positioning apparatusfor varying foot orientation during an exercise repetition includes opposed rotating platforms-.. . .-(generally) disposed in an adjacency on a basefor rotation parallel to the plane underlying the frameor other floor surface. Pivoting foot braces-. . .-(generally) rest on each of the rotating platforms, such that each of the foot bracesis disposed to pivot in a pivot plane perpendicular to the plane for rotation, and a locking mechanism secures a position of the rotation and an angle of the pivot independently for each rotating platform. The apparatustherefore provides a foot brace adapted to receive each foot at the fixed rotation and pivot, providing movement of the foot brace in 3 dimensions defined by perpendicular planes. The foot positioning apparatusmay be a primary fixture of a calf exerciser, an accessory or an attachment to a calf exercise machine, or it may be a freely positionable base that may be simply placed beneath a resistance device or frameand frictionally engaged from the underlying floor or additionally by the substantial downward force resulting from normal use. As the foot positioning apparatuswill bear the weight of the user, positioning is largely static and slippage or unintended movement is unlikely.

show deployment and usage of the foot positioning apparatus of. Referring to,shows a rest or commencement position where the user rests the toe or ball of the foot on the foot brace. A top surface of the foot braceoperates as a footrest-. . .-(generally) defined by an elevated surface having a predetermined elevationabove the rotating platforms.shows an extension position where the predetermined elevation is based on a heel travel imposing calf resistance, as the user elevates the heel against whatever resistance (or simply the user's own body weight) is grasped or held. The amount of heel travelis based on the elevationand the distance defined by an angle of elevation and the length of the user's foot. Successive iterations provide the calf resistance training sought.

shows a perspective view of the foot positioning apparatusof. Referring to, the foot braceand footrestmay be of any suitable shape for receiving a shoe or footwear of the user, and may have a chamfered or rounded edge and/or frictional or rubberized materialfor facilitating a frictional grip with the footwear. Generally the footwear bears on the foot brace via gravitational downward force of the user, and need not employ straps or other restraint.

shows a disassembled view of the rotating platforms in. Referring to, the rotating platformseach reside on the base, such that the base has a pair of protrusions-. . .-(generally) or shafts defining a respective axis of rotation-. . .-(generally) for each of the rotating platforms. The protrusionsextend through a receptacle-. . .-on a respective underside of each of the rotating platforms for rotation thereabout.

shows a plan view of an alternate configuration of the foot positioning apparatus of. Referring to, a locking mechanism and a rotational linkage between the platformsis shown. A locking mechanismfor the rotating platformsincludes a locking memberpassing through an aperturein the rotating platform and engaged in a receptaclein the basealigned with the aperture. The basefurther includes a series of engaging receptaclesfor defining a plurality of fixation positions, typically 5. Each of the engaging receptacles aligns with the aperturein the rotating platform for receiving a rotational locking memberwhen aligned with an engaging receptacle at an increment of rotation. In other words, as the platform rotates, each of theengaging receptacles passes under and aligns with the aperture for receiving a locking member and fixing the rotating platform via an interference fit at the respective position. Any suitable number and granularity of receptaclesmay also be employed. The locking membermay be a handleddowel or other rigid member capable of extending through the aperture in the rotating platform and into the aligned engaging receptacle.

The rotating platformseach include a cooperative rotational linkagebetween the rotating platforms. The rotational linkage disposes each of the rotating platformsin a rotational increment or pivot corresponding to the other of the opposed rotating platforms-N. In the example configuration, each platformhas a respective row-,-of resilient, engaged teeth intermeshed in a rotational linkage for imparting an equal pivot to each of the opposed rotating platforms. In contrast to the approach depicted in, having independently rotating platforms, the rotational linkageembraces the reality that most users prefer an equal angular rotation for each foot. The rotational linkagealso provides that only one of the platformsneed the locking mechanism, as the opposed rotational platform will be fixed by the rotational linkage.

shows a perspective view of the foot positioning apparatus of FIG. Continuing to refer to, in a somewhat similar arrangement, a pivot shaft-,-(generally) provides a fulcrum for engaging each of the pivoting foot braces for rotation thereof, and a pivot locking pinis adapted for engagement in an interference fit with each respective pivoting foot bracefor locking the angle of the pivot. Flanking fulcrum blockssupport the pivot shaft for pivot/rotational movement. The locking pinmay engage corresponding holes in the pivoting foot brace, or may simply reside in a transverse orientation beneath the foot brace. An aperture block-. . .-has a bore for fixing the locking pinin an interference fit with the foot brace. Any suitable number of pivot positions and engaging receptacles may be provided depending on a desired range and increment of movement.

show rotation of the foot platforms in the apparatus of. Referring more specifically to,shows a toc-outward pivot, shown by arrows-, where the footrestis shown in a position for toes angled out, converging towards the heel (the examples show platform-disposed for a left foot and platform-for a right foot, with friction materialon a shoe-engaging side of the footrest).shows the footrests angled ahead, for disposing the feet in a substantially parallel arrangement by arrows-, andshows a toe-in configuration converging towards the toe, shown by arrows-.

show various pivot positions of the foot brace. In contrast to the variations of, the foot brace adjusts (pivots) in a vertical plane relative to the base, while the rotational positions of the platformsdepict rotation in a plane parallel to the base. In an example arrangement, the locking pinis positionable for three pivot positions, including a level horizontal position (), a sloped inward () and a sloped outward position ().

show schematic views of an alternate rotational locking using a sliding shuttle on a rail. Some users appreciate a common lever and handle control of the rotating platformsto the manual insertion of pins and sockets disclosed above. In an alternate configuration, a rotational control is employed rather than a locking pin extending through each rotating platform. The rotational control applies a rotational force to the opposed rotating platforms from a connected rod or member.shows a top or plan view of a rotational control, andshows a side elevation. Referring to, the rotational controlfurther comprises an angular linkage engaged with at least one of the rotating platformsand configured for applying the rotational force to the rotating platform, shown by arrows. The rotational linkage may be defined by a pair of elongated members-. . .-(generally) attached to an outer radius of the rotating platformsfor imparting a rotation at an angle based on the linear movement of the elongated members.

Manual control may be facilitated by a shuttlein sliding engagement with a rail, where a handleattaches to the shuttleand is responsive to linear movement, such that the angular linkage is defined by the elongated membersextending from the shuttleto at least one rotating platform.

More commonly, the pair of elongated members-. . .-extends from the shuttleto the respective pair of rotating platforms, where the pair of rotating platformsis responsive to concurrent movement of the shuttlefor rotation at a common angle. Using the handle, the attached angular linkage is configured for transferring a linear force of handle movement for applying the rotational force to the platforms. The shuttleand attached elongated memberstherefore define a synchronized rotational linkage between the rotating platforms, such that the rotational linkage disposes each of the rotating platformsin a pivot corresponding to the other of the opposed rotating platformsso that each rotates to the same angular degree.

To lock the rotated position, a knobraises a locking shaftextending through the shuttlefor engaging a plurality of rotation receptacles, such that each rotation receptacle of the plurality of rotation receptacles corresponds to an angular position of the rotating platform. Simultaneous grasping of the handleand knob raises the locking shaftwhile sliding the shuttlewith the handlefor changing the angle of rotation. The locking shaft may be spring loaded or biased for engaging the receptacle. Further, each of the elongated memberspivotally attaches by a screw or shaft to the shuttleand the rotating platforms to accommodate the lateral cam movement as the rotating platformsrotate.

show perspective views of the configuration ofwith alternate deployed shuttlepositions and corresponding rotational positions.shows the rotating platformsin a mid position where the foot bracesare linearly aligned facing a forward position. An attachment bracket, plate or screw(s) may be employed to firmly connect the railand the basewith the freestanding exercise framedefining the forward position of a user. In, the shuttleis pulled rearward to the most distal receptaclefor a “toe in” position angling the users feet outward.shows a “toe out” stance where the shuttleadvances fully forward in the frontmost receptaclenearest the exercise frame.

A further addition is the pivot locking pinresides on an upper side of the foot bracefor engaging receptacles in a pivot post-. . .-(generally). The pivot postprovides a more accessible location than locating the pivot locking pin below the foot surface.

While the system and methods defined herein have been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.