Exercise apparatus for the neck

Claim 1

An apparatus for exercising the neck of a user and comprising: a stationary frame having two upwardly extending posts; an adjustable seat secured to said frame for positioning a user between said two posts; a neck exercise assembly pivotably mounted to said posts and including a pivotably movable Ushaped support member having an arm extending forwardly and rearwardly on each side of a user positioned in said seat, and an adjustable length inverted L-shaped member extending generally upwardly therefrom for securing the head of a user, said U-shaped support member being pivotably movable relative to said frame about a horizontal axis which corresponds to an axis of rotation which is coaxial with the axis of flexion/extension movement of the neck, and said adjustable length inverted L-shaped member for securing the head being pivotably movable relative to said U-shaped support member about an axis of rotation which is generally perpendicular to said horizontal axis and coaxial with the axis of lateral flexion movement of the neck; a head engagement pivotably mounted to said adjustable length inverted L-shaped member for securing the head, said head engagement device being adjustable relative to said U-shaped support member and pivotably movable relative to said inverted L-shaped member about a vertical axis which is generally perpendicular to said horizontal axis and coaxial with the axis of rotation movement of the neck; first resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said U-shaped support member of said neck exercise assembly for resisting flexion/extension movement of the neck of a user; second resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said inverted L-shaped member of said neck exercise assembly for resisting lateral flexion movement of the neck of a user; third resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said head engagement device for resisting rotational movement of the neck of a user; a counterweight operatively secured to said U-shaped support member; a counterweight operatively secured to said inverted L-shaped member; and restraint means for securing the user to said seat during exercise of the neck; whereby said neck exercise assembly and said head engagement device carried thereby permit simultaneous multi-axial pivotal movement of the neck about its natural axes, said adjustable seat and adjustable inverted L-shaped member for securing the head allowing for coalignment of the axes of rotation of the exercise apparatus with the natural cervical axes of flexion/extension, lateral flexion and rotation, and said counterweights rendering the exercise assembly gravity independent.

Claim 2

An apparatus for exercising the neck of a user and comprising: a stationary frame having two upwardly extending posts; an adjustable seat secured to said frame for positioning a user between said two posts; a neck exercise assembly pivotably mounted to said posts and including a pivotably movable Ushaped support member having an arm extending forwardly and rearwardly on each side of a user positioned in said seat, and an adjustable length inverted L-shaped member extending generally upwardly therefrom for securing the head of a user, said U-shaped support member being pivotably movable relative to said frame about a horizontal axis which corresponds to an axis of rotation which is coaxial with the axis of flexion/extension movement of the neck, and said adjustable length inverted L-shaped member for securing the head being pivotably movable relative to said U-shaped support member about an axis of rotation which is generally perpendicular to said horizontal axis and coaxial with the axis of lateral flexion movement of the neck; a head engagement pivotably mounted to said adjustable length inverted L-shaped member for securing the head, said head engagement device being adjustable relative to said U-shaped support member and pivotably movable relative to said inverted L-shaped member about a vertical axis which is generally perpendicular to said horizontal axis and coaxial with the axis of rotation movement of the neck; first resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said U-shaped support member of said neck exercise assembly for resisting flexion/extension movement of the neck of a user; second resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said inverted L-shaped member of said neck exercise assembly for resisting lateral flexion movement of the neck of a user; third resistance means operatively connected to and cooperating with said head engagement device for resisting rotational movement of the neck of a user; a counterweight operatively secured to said U-shaped support member; a counterweight operatively secured to said inverted L-shaped member; and restraint means for securing the user to said seat during exercise of the neck; whereby said neck exercise assembly and said head engagement device carried thereby permit simultaneous multi-axial pivotal movement of the neck about its natural axes, said adjustable seat and adjustable inverted L-shaped member for securing the head allowing for coalignment of the axes of rotation of the exercise apparatus with the natural cervical axes of flexion/extension, lateral flexion and rotation, and said counterweights rendering the exercise assembly gravity independent.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claims 2, 3 or 4 including an electrically associated computer for analyzing performance of the neck of a user during flexion/extension, lateral extension and rotational movement.