Exercise apparatus for use with conventional chairs

• US 6,010,430 A
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roy J. Mankovtiz
• Original Assignee: Roy J. Mankovtiz
• Inventors: Mankovtiz, Roy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/130,859
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1-9, 482/900-902, 482/83, 482/79, 482/121, 482/130, 482/129, 482/132, 482/135
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00061 Replaceable resistance units of different strengths, e.g. for swapping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0428 the ends moving relatively by linear reciprocation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/1609 for anchoring on a chair chairs with exercising means A47C9/002
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4015 to the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/20 using rollers, wheels, castors or the like, e.g. gliding means, to be moved over the floor or other surface, e.g. guide tracks, during exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0233 in 90/90 position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/02 incorporated in chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0494 primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

Exercise apparatus for attachment to a chair having a center support post. The apparatus has a foot support, wheels mounted on the respective ends of the foot support for rolling on a floor, and a resilient member that exerts resistance as the foot support is moved. One or more sensors are coupled to the wheels for monitoring a user'"'"'s body functions during exercise. The sensors provide inputs to software in the user'"'"'s computer that calculate the level of the user'"'"'s exercise activity as the user is at work on his/her computer. The results are displayed on the computer'"'"'s monitor.

Claims

1. Exercise apparatus for attachment to a chair having a center support post, the apparatus comprising:

a foot support having first and second ends;

resilient means for introducing resistance as the foot support is moved back and forth;

wheels mounted on the respective ends of the foot support for rolling on a floor;

a computer monitor;

means coupled to the wheels for monitoring a user'"'"'s body functions during exercise; and

means coupled to the monitoring means for displaying the user'"'"'s exercise level on the computer monitor.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 in which the computer monitor is part of a PC used by an office worker.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the PC is programmed to accept time intervals at which a reminder screen is displayed on the computer monitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the PC is programmed to calcualte the maximum heart rate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the PC is programmed to calculdate a target heart rate.

6. The appratus of claim 2 in which the PC is programmed to operate in the background.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the monitoring means comprises means for counting the number of revolutions of the wheels.