Exercising apparatus

[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/982,911 filed Nov. 6, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,935 entitled “Exercising Apparatus”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/878,427, filed Jan. 3, 2007 entitled “Exercise Apparatus”.

[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to an exercising apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat, such as a toilet seat or a wheelchair.

[0003] Various types of exercising apparatus are known in the art that are intended for indoor use. Typically, an exercising apparatus includes a frame standing on a floor on which resistance delivery systems are attached and the resistance delivery systems provide resistance to a force applied by a user. Further, the frame has a seat or a bench attached to it on which the user may sit or lay down depending upon the exercise to be performed.

[0004] Conventional exercising apparatus with an attached seat is suitable to use for the intended exercise; however, such an exercising apparatus occupies a relatively large space. Moreover, a separate room or a large area is required for the exercising apparatus. Further, such exercising apparatus does not have provision for a user in a wheelchair or on a toilet seat to exercise without getting up out of the seat.

[0005] In light of the foregoing, there is a need for an exercising apparatus that is easy to fit around an existing seat.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to fit around a seat.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to fit around a toilet seat.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to receive a wheelchair.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention provide an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat. In one configuration of the apparatus, the seat is a toilet seat. The exercising apparatus includes a frame adapted to be attached to a support through one or more attachment devices. The support may be a wall or a base member or the seat. One or more arms are pivotally coupled to the frame through one or more pivot joints. The pivots allow a pivotal motion of each of the arms when a user exerts a directional force on the arms. The user may sit on the seat and exert the directional force on the arms.

[0010] One or more first resistance devices are attached to the frame and the arms. The first resistance devices provide resistance to the pivotal motion. The resistance may be increased or decreased based on the convenience of the user. The exercising apparatus includes one or more handgrip members that are releasably attached to each of the arms. One or more shafts protrude from the arms and are attached to the handgrip members. These shafts extend or retract based on a linear axial movement of the shafts with respect to the arms. The linear axial movement of the shafts provides proper hand positioning of the user during exercise. In addition, the exercising apparatus includes one or more second resistance devices inside the arms, which are attached to the shafts. These second resistance devices provide resistance to the linear axial movement.

[0011] In another configuration, the exercising apparatus is designed to receive a wheelchair. This exercising apparatus includes a frame with a U-shaped configuration and a lateral open area to receive the wheelchair into the frame. The frame is mounted on a base and attached to a support. In a particular embodiment, the frame is secured to the base through a base plate. In this embodiment, the base plate receives the wheelchair and is secured in place on the base by the weight of the user.

[0012] The present invention concerns various aspects of an exercising apparatus of the aforementioned type. In a first aspect of the invention, means are provided to adjust the resistance applied to the arms, against the directional force applied by the user. As will be explained in detail below, the resistance is adjusted by adjusting the position of a “control point”; that is, the point at which a resistance device is coupled to the arm. This adjustment, which can be easily made by the user by turning a knob, changes the distance of the control point from the pivot point of the arm, thus changing the mechanical advantage of the resistance device.

[0013] Another aspect of the invention relates to a locking mechanism for adjustably limiting the range of motion of the arm about their pivot points. In this way, the range of motion can be adjusted to fit the needs of the user, so that the user need not stretch beyond a comfortable limit when exercising with the arms. The locking mechanism may be operated to constrain only one end of the range of motion of an arm about its pivot, or constrain both ends of the range of motion. In a particular embodiment, where the resistance device comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder with an internal piston, the locking mechanism includes a device, attached to the cylinder, for limiting the motion of the piston within the cylinder.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, each arm of the exercise device is provided at its end with a handgrip member to be gripped by a user which is moveable to, and lockable at, at least two different positions with respect to the arm. For example, the handgrip member may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the arm to its most convenient angular position for the user. In a preferred embodiment, the handgrip member may be rotated to a first position directed toward the user or to a second position directed away from the user.

[0015] The mechanism for locking and retaining the handgrip member includes two tubes, arranged coaxially and surrounding with the arm and the stem of the handgrip member, respectively, which tubes have mating services for engaging one another and limiting their respective movement.

[0016] Still another aspect of the present invention relates to the pivot joint used for each arm of the exercise machine. This pivot joint comprises a casing having a first opening accepting a tubular portion of the arm and a second opening accepting a tubular portion of the frame. An internal rotatable joint is provided between the two portions. This joint has an axle aligned with and extending between the tubular portions of the arm and frame, without intersecting either portion.

[0017] For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0035] In the description herein for embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or mechanisms, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat. Various embodiments of the invention provide an exercising apparatus that includes a frame, one or more arms and one or more resistance devices. The frame is secured to a support. The frame has a U-shaped configuration to receive a seat into the frame. The arms are pivotally coupled to the frame at one or more pivots. A pivotal motion is provided to each of the arms about the pivots with the frame, when a user exerts a directional force on the arms. The resistance devices are coupled to the frame and the arms and provide resistance to the pivotal motion. Retraction devices return the arms to their initial positions after they have been moved by the user.

[0037] Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever feasible and convenient, same reference numerals are used in the figures and the description to refer to the same or like parts. The drawings are in a simplified form and not to scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be strictly construed to limit the scope of the invention. In addition, words such as couple, connect, and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes are used interchangeably, unless the difference is noted or made otherwise clear from the context. These words and expressions do not necessarily signify direct connections, but include connections through mediate components and devices.

[0038] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the configuration of the exercise apparatus designed to fit around a toilet seat and be operated by a user while sitting on this seat. FIGS. 4-8 show the configuration of the exercise apparatus designed to be operated by a person while sitting in a wheelchair. The two configurations are similar in many respects and, in particular, they are similar with respect to the aspects, features and mechanisms to which the present invention relates.

[0039] Generally, the first configuration shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises a frame 102 adapted to surround a toilet and be attached to a wall by brackets 201a and 201b directly behind the toilet. The brackets can be adjustable, for example, in the manner shown in FIG. 10. In this arrangement, a tubular member 202a is fitted within the frame tube 102 and is adjustably fixed therein by an expansion joint 203a. The opposite end of the tube 202a is attached to the bracket 204a which, in turn, is attached to the wall.

[0040] Returning to FIGS. 1-3, it may be seen that the exercise apparatus comprises arms 103a and 103b which are pivoted with respect to a tubular portion of the frame 102 by pivot joints 105a and 105b, respectively. The structure of each pivot joint will be described below in connection with FIG. 9.

[0041] The spacing between the arms 103a and 103b may be adjusted by loosening screws 109a in the pivot joint and rotating the arms about their axis which passes through the pivot joints and then retightening the screws.

[0042] Handgrip members 104a and 104b are provided and, as shown in FIG. 2, can be extended upward or downward with respect to the arms 103a and 103b, respectively, in which they are coaxially inserted. This extension affords an additional mode of exercise for the user. As will be described below in connection with FIG. 9, a resistance device is provided within each arm to act against the force applied by the user to extend or retract the handgrip member.

[0043] In addition, it may be seen that the handgrip members 104a and 104b may be rotated in position either toward or away from the user. When the handgrip members are in their retracted position, as shown by solid lines in FIG. 2, they are prevented from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the arm by interlocked mating portions of the tube sections 106a and 106b.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a piston and cylinder device 301a which provides resistance to the force applied by the user to the arm 103a. This resistance device is attached at one end to a tubular portion of the frame 102 and is attached at the opposite end to a mechanism for adjusting the distance from a control point to the pivot joint 105a of the arm 103a. The mechanism, comprising elements 401a, 403a, 404a and 405a will be described below in connection with FIG. 12.

[0045] The movement of the arm 103a about the pivot joint 105a is limited by the path of travel of the piston within the cylinder 301a. This path of travel, which is shown in FIG. 3 as an 85° arc from the vertical to the forward position, may be adjusted and limited by adjusting the position of a thumbscrew 306a. This mechanism for adjusting the limit of travel of the arm will be described in detail below in connection with FIGS. 13 and 14. Suffice it to say, at this point, that the arc of movement of the arm is limited by the piston and cylinder at both ends of its travel: from the vertical to a position away from the vertical that is selectable by the user.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows how a user, who in this case sits in a wheelchair, may exercise by moving the arms up and down. FIG. 6 shows how the user may exercise by moving the arm 103a forward. FIG. 8 shows how a user may operate the exercise device with the direction of the wheelchair reversed within the apparatus.

[0047] FIGS. 9 and 9a illustrate with arrangement which enables the handgrip member 104a to move axially upward and downward (or outward and inward) with respect to the arm 103a. As is shown here, the downwardly extending portion of the handgrip 104a is connected by a sleeve 507a to a co-axial stem 506a which slides within the tube of the arm 103a. The stem 506a is maintained in alignment with the arm tube 103a by a Teflon coated piston 504a which slides within the tube 103a. A piston/cylinder arrangement 502a is connected between the arm 103a and the stem 506a of the handgrip member 104a by means of coupling devices 501a and 503a, respectively.

[0048] FIG. 9 also shows the structure of the pivot joint 105a. As is illustrated there, the pivot joint comprises a casing 105a having first and second openings, accommodating the tubular portions of the arm 103a and the frame 102, respectively. These tubular portions are held in place by set screws 108a and 109a which clamp the casing tightly about the arm and frame, respectively.

[0049] The two portions of the casing 112a and 114a are rotatable with respect to each other about a central axle formed by a screw 116a, fixed in position by the set screw 118a.

[0050] FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of a piston and cylinder 301a with an internal spring 303a which serves as the combined resistance and retraction device of the exercise apparatus. This device 301a is pivotally attached to the frame at one end 309a and pivotally attached to a resistance force adjusting device at its opposite end 308a. The oil within the cylinder flows freely past the piston when the piston travels on one direction (the retraction direction) but is partially blocked when the piston travels in the opposite direction (the resistance direction).

[0051] Motion of the piston is limited at the end of its travel within the cylinder by a locking screw 306a, which may be adjusted in position at the frame-connected end of the cylinder.

[0052] FIG. 12 shows the mechanism for adjusting the leverage of the piston and cylinder 301a that provides both the resistance force and retraction force applied to the arm 102a. This mechanism comprises two parallel bars 403a and 404a which are pivoted with respect to the arm 102a and the cylinder 301a at points 408a and 308a, respectively. The bars are maintained in parallel relationship by a pin 405a and a threaded bolt 402a having a knob 401a at the top. The pin 405a is rigidly connected to the upper bar 403a but slides in an opening within the lower bar 404a. The bolt 402a has a mating screw thread with the upper bar 405a, and is rotatably retained by flanges 407a in an opening in the lower bar 404a. When the knob 401a is rotated, turning the bolt 402a, the distance between the upper and lower bars is either increased or reduced, depending upon the direction of rotation. Since the upper bar is fixed with respect to the arm at the pivot point 408a, such knob rotation changes the distance of the lower bar 404a from the pivot joint 105a, thus changing the length of the lever arm of the piston/cylinder 301a.

[0053] FIGS. 13 and 14 show in detail the locking mechanism for limiting range of arm movement in the first embodiment (FIG. 13) and second embodiment (FIG. 14), respectively. As explained previously in connection with FIG. 11, the locking screw 306a may be moved either to the right or to the left along a slot 311a and set to limit the end travel of the piston, thus limiting the end travel of the arm 103a.

[0054] Finally, FIGS. 15a-15d show the mating surfaces of the upper and lower tubes 106a and 107a, respectively, which constrain the angular position of the handgrip member. FIGS. 15a and 15b show the parts as separate, whereas FIGS. 15c and 15d show the parts in mating relationship. As indicated in FIG. 15d, the tubes are fastened to the arm and handgrip member, respectively, by pins 108a.

[0055] FIG. 15e shows the lower tube 107a in isometric view, making visible the mating surface 152 (also identified in FIGS. 15a and 15b, respectively). The mating surface 152 of the tube member 107a has a vertical slot which prevents the handgrip member from rotating when the upper tube member 106a is in mating relationship with this lower tube member. This constrains the handgrip member to be either in one of two angular positions which are separated by 180° with respect to each other.

[0056] There has thus been shown and described a novel exercising apparatus which fulfills all the objects and advantages sought therefor. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is to be limited only by the claims which follow.