EXERCISE APPARATUS

• US 20110237399A1
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sproing Fitness LLC
• Original Assignee: Paul Toback
• Inventors: Lenz, Steve, Toback, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,979,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0072 Limiting the applied force, torque, movement or speed
• 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 21/0442 Anchored at one end only, the other end being manipulated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/045 having torsion or bending or flexion element
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/153 wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4005 to the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4007 to the chest region, e.g. to the back chest
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4009 to the waist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4013 to the ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4015 to the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4021 to the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4033 Handles, pedals, bars or platforms
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4037 Exercise mats for personal use, with or without hand-grips or foot-grips, e.g. for Yoga or supine floor exercises mats for absorbing shocks A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0285 Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 : Angular positions
• 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 2220/20 : Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 : Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 : Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/78 : Surface covering conditions, e.g. of a road surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0211 : moving torso with immobilized lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/047 : Walking and pulling or pushing a load for exercising the player ability for rugby or American football A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/00 : Exercising apparatus not covered by groups A63B1/00 - A63B25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/16 : Training devices for jumping; Devices for balloon-jumping; Jumping aids A63B25/02, A63B25/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 6/02 : for landing, e.g. for pole vaulting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0035 : on the spot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 : Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

An exercise apparatus including a frame, and a cushion adjacent to the frame having a surface. The exercise apparatus further includes a harness wearable by the user and a resistance member extending between the harness and the frame and where the tension within the resistance member is variable.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a cushion having a surface on which a user may be supported;

a frame adjacent to the cushion; and

a tensionable resistance member attached to the frame and engageable by the user, wherein the tension within the resistance member is variable for a given position of the user.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a base and an upright extending from the base.

3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a tension adjuster moveable with respect to the upright, and wherein the resistance member extends between the harness and the tension adjuster.

4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein movement of the tension adjuster with respect to the upright varies the tension in the resistance member.

5. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushion includes at least one of a fluid filled bladder and a foam pad.

6. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional resistance members extending between the frame and various points of the users body.

7. The exercise apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the additional resistance members extends between the frame and the user'"'"'s wrist.

8. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the cushion defines a firmness, and wherein the firmness of the cushion is variable.

9. The exercise apparatus of claim 8, wherein the firmness of the cushion is varied by adding or removing fluid from the cushion.

10. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a cushion having a surface;

a frame adjacent to the cushion;

a tension adjuster coupled to the frame;

a harness wearable by a user; and

a tensionable resistance member extending between the harness and the tension adjuster, wherein the tension adjuster permits variation of the tension within the resistance member.

11. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cushion includes at least one of a fluid filled bladder and a foam pad.

12. The exercise apparatus of claim 11, wherein the foam pad includes one or more layers of foam.

13. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a guide, and wherein the guide is moveable vertically so as to adjust the angle at which force is applied to the harness.

14. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, further comprising one or more additional resistance members extending between the frame and various points of the user'"'"'s body.

15. The exercise apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the additional resistance members extend between the frame and the user'"'"'s wrist.

16. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tension adjuster comprises a plate, a pair of guide rods along which the plate moves, and a jackscrew threadably coupled to the plate.

17. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a fluid-containing cushion adjacent to the frame having a surface;

a valve for changing the amount of fluid within the cushion so that the surface can be adjusted between a first firmness and a second firmness different from the first firmness;

a harness wearable by a user; and

a resistance member extending between the harness and the frame.

18. The exercise apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cushion includes a fluid filled bladder, and wherein varying the amount of fluid contained within the bladder changes the firmness of the surface.

19. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a cushion adjacent the frame and having a surface;

one or more footfall sensors adjacent the surface to detect when a user'"'"'s foot impacts the surface;

a harness wearable by the user; and

a resistance member extending between the harness and the frame.

20. The exercise apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more footfall sensors includes an accelerometer coupled to the surface.

21. The exercise apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more footfall sensors includes a pressure sensor to detect changes in pressure in the fluid in the cushion.

22. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a cushion having a surface;

a frame adjacent to the cushion;

an adjuster coupled to the frame;

a harness wearable by a user; and

a cord extending between the harness and the adjuster, wherein the adjuster permits variation of the position of the user on the surface of the cushion.

23. The exercise apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cord is inelastic.

24. The exercise apparatus of claim 22, wherein the adjust permits variation of the position of the user on the surface of the cushion without adjusting the tension in the cord.

25. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a rigid structure;

a cushion positionable on a support surface adjacent the rigid structure, the cushion having a surface configured to support a user;

an extendable resistance member coupled to the rigid structure and engageable by the user.

26. The exercise apparatus of claim 25, wherein the rigid structure includes one of a wall and a partition and a beam.

27. The exercise apparatus of claim 25, wherein the extendable resistance member is coupled to the rigid structure by way of an adjuster, and wherein the adjuster is operable to adjust at least one of the tension in the resistance member and the position of the user on the surface when the resistance member is fully extended.