Cantilevered unweighting systems

• US 10,493,309 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Inventors: Jue, Clifford T., Belson, Amir, Kuehne, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urbiel Goldner, Gary D
• Application Number:
  US14/769,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0058 using motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0085 using pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/025 Spiral springs with turns lying substantially in plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0428 the ends moving relatively by linear reciprocation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/068 using user's body weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4009 to the waist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/04 for lower limbs training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0064 : Attachments on the trainee preventing falling

Abstract

An unweighting system includes a frame having a pair of upright bars, and a cantilevered arm assembly, and a pair of resilient members. The frame is configured to connect to or at least partially encircle an exercise device. The cantilevered arm assembly includes a pair of cantilevers. Each cantilever is attached to one of the upright bars, and the pair of cantilevers is configured to receive and couple to the user to unload a portion of the user'"'"'s weight as the user exercises on the exercise device while coupled to the pair of cantilevers.

Claims

1. An unweighting system for use with an exercise device, comprising:

a frame including a cross member, a right leg, a left leg, a right upright bar and a left upright bar, wherein a spacing between the right leg and the left leg along the cross member is at least as wide as the exercise device whereby the right leg, the left leg and the cross member encircle a portion of the exercise device wherein the frame is configured such that a user gains access to the exercise device by stepping over the cross member and passing completely between the left upright bar and the right upright bar;

a left cantilevered arm assembly extending from the left upright bar, a right cantilevered arm assembly extending from the right upright bar, each cantilevered arm assembly including a cantilever arm having a proximal end attached to one of the upright bars and a distal end configured to receive and couple to the user;

a left resilient member extending between the left upright bar and the left cantilever arm and a right resilient member extending between the right upright bar and the right cantilever arm wherein the left resilient member and the right resilient member are configured to cooperate to unload a portion of the user'"'"'s weight as the user exercises on the exercise device while coupled between the distal end of the left cantilever arm and the distal end of the right cantilever arm;

a right height adjustment mechanism having a first end coupled to the right upright bar and a second end coupled to the right cantilever arm proximal to the distal end of the right cantilever arm, the right height adjustment mechanism being configured to receive and couple to the user wherein operation of the right height adjustment mechanism changes a vertical spacing between the exercise device and the distal end of the right cantilever arm;

a left height adjustment mechanism having a first end coupled to the left upright bar and a second end coupled to the left cantilever arm proximal to the distal end of the left cantilever arm, the left height adjustment mechanism being configured to receive and couple to the user wherein operation of the left height adjustment mechanism changes a vertical spacing between the exercise device and the distal end of the left cantilever arm.

2. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein the left cantilevered arm assembly is attached to the left upright bar at a left fulcrum, the left fulcrum configured to pivot to provide height adjustment of the distal end of the left cantilever arm relative to the exercise device and the right cantilevered arm assembly is attached to the right upright bar at a right fulcrum, the right fulcrum configured to pivot to provide height adjustment of the distal end of the right cantilever arm relative to the exercise device.

3. The unweighting system of claim 2 wherein the left fulcrum and the right fulcrum are configured to be positioned below a shoulder of the user when the user of the exercise device is unweighted by the unweighting system.

4. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein the first end of the left height adjustment mechanism is configured to slide vertically relative to the left upright bar to provide height adjustment of the left cantilevered arm assembly, and the first end of the right height adjustment mechanism is configured to slide vertically relative to the right upright bar to provide height adjustment of the right cantilevered arm assembly.

5. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the left resilient member and the right resilient member is variable to adjust a degree of unloading experienced by the user.

6. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein in use, the left cantilevered arm assembly and the right cantilevered arm assembly are configured to be positioned below the user'"'"'s torso and to receive and couple to the user below the user'"'"'s torso to unweight the user of the exercise device.

7. The unweighting system of claim 6, wherein in use to unweight the user of the exercise device the left cantilevered arm assembly and the right cantilevered arm assembly are configured to receive and couple proximate to the user'"'"'s hips with the left cantilever arm coupled to a user'"'"'s left side and the right cantilever arm coupled to a user'"'"'s right side.

8. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein the exercise device is a treadmill.

9. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein a distance between a distal most end of the left cantilever arm and the right cantilever arm is adjustable to fit the user.

10. The unweighting system of claim 1, wherein the left cantilevered arm assembly is pivotably attached to the left upright bar and the right cantilevered arm assembly is pivotably attached to the right upright bar.

11. A method of unweighting a user while using an exercise machine, comprising:

passing the user between a left upright bar and a right upright bar of an unweighting system into an unweighting position proximal to a distal most end of each of a left cantilever arm coupled to the left upright bar and a right cantilever arm coupled to the right upright bar;

operating a left height adjustment assembly to move a proximal end of the left cantilever arm along the left upright bar to position a user attachment mechanism of the left cantilever arm adjacent to a left side of the user'"'"'s hips;

operating a right height adjustment assembly to move a proximal end of the right cantilever arm along the right upright bar to position a user attachment mechanism of the right cantilever arm adjacent to a right side of the user'"'"'s hips;

coupling a right side of the user to the user attachment mechanism of the right cantilever arm and coupling a left side of the user to the user attachment mechanism of the left cantilever arm; and

operating each of a left unweighting subassembly for compressing a resilient member coupled to the left cantilever arm, and a right unweighting subassembly for compressing a resilient member coupled to the right cantilever arm, to unweight at least a portion of the weight of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a relative position of the user attachment mechanism of the left cantilever arm with respect to the user attachment mechanism of the right cantilever arm by adjusting a width adjustment assembly coupled between the left cantilevered arm and the right cantilevered arm.