Exercise apparatus

• US 9,962,574 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2011
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sperry Product Innovation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sperry Product Innovation, Inc.
• Inventors: Sperry, Laurence B., Murch, Brian A., Kane, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Andrew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): JALALZADEH ABYAN, SHILA
• Application Number:
  US13/104,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,555 Days
• Field of Search: 482 79, 482 80, 482146, 482147, 482 75, 482 76, 482 1, 482 8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0038 One foot moving independently from the other, i.e. there is no link between the movements of the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/185 specially adapted for using with a single foot or hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4033 Handles, pedals, bars or platforms
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/16 Platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis , e.g. axis through the middle of the platform; Balancing drums; Balancing boards or the like exercising apparatus with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0056; other exercising apparatus for improving balance A63B26/003
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/18 with elements, i.e. platforms, having a circulating, nutating or rotating movement, generated by oscillating movement of the user, e.g. platforms wobbling on a centrally arranged spherical supporthoop exercising apparatus A63B19/00; eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user A63B21/0608; pots rotating or rocking by moving the whole body A63G23/00
• 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 2208/0228 Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• 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

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a sliding exercise apparatus. In various embodiments, the sliding exercise apparatus includes a sliding unit with a platform, a sliding surface, a motion sensor, and a transmitter. The sliding unit moves in response to pressure applied against the platform, as the sliding surface is adapted to slide along a ground surface in one or more directions. The motion sensor generates activity data based on one or more characteristics of the movement, such as speed, direction, etc. The transmitter sends the activity data to a computing device, which is adapted for processing, storing, and sharing information based on the activity data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for promoting exercise by a user while seated comprising:

one or more sliding units configured to facilitate and sense a movement applied thereto by the user, wherein each of the sliding units has a defined length and comprises;

a body member comprising;

a top surface lying in a first plane and extending along a longitudinal axis of said body member, the top surface configured for receiving a foot of the user; and

a rotationally fixed sliding bottom surface extending along the longitudinal axis of said body member and configured for sliding movement in at least one direction relative to and in contact with a floor surface, said sliding bottom surface having a defined length at least equal to the defined length of the at least one of the sliding units and a constant degree of curvature extending along an entirety of the defined length of the sliding bottom surface extending along the longitudinal axis of the body member, wherein at least one portion of the sliding bottom surface is lying in a second plane spaced apart from and parallel with the first plane;

at least one body member extension, extending laterally from a side of the body member and configured for providing a wider footprint of the body member than a footprint provided by the top surface of the body member, said at least one body member extension having a degree of curvature extending along a transverse axis of the body member, the transverse axis being substantially perpendicular to and coplanar with the longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one body member extension is lying in a third plane parallel with both the first and second planes, the third plane being intermediate the first and second planes such that the at least one body member extension is positioned intermediate the top surface and the at least one portion of the sliding bottom surface; and

a sensor configured for sensing and generating data representative of one or more characteristics of the sliding movement.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tom surface is a platform adapted to removably receive a shoe.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one body member extension comprises two body member extensions configured to provide a wider footprint for the sliding unit than a width of the top surface.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the platform further comprises a set of gripping members capable of providing traction against the shoe.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter adapted for receiving the data from the sensor and transmitting the data to a computing device.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is built into a technology pack capable of being removably attached to the body member.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the technology pack further comprises at least one of a rechargeable battery, a display, an audible indicator, and a visual indicator.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sliding units comprises a first sliding unit and a second sliding unit, wherein the first sliding unit is adapted for a left foot and the second sliding unit is adapted for a right foot.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a display, an audible indicator, and a visual indicator adapted to provide feedback to the user.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a removable cover over the sliding surface and having a soft underside.

14. An apparatus for promoting exercise by a user while seated, the apparatus comprising:

one or more sliding units configured to facilitate movement applied by the user, wherein at least one of the sliding units comprises;

a body member configured to receive a foot of the user, the body member having a top surface and a sliding bottom surface, said top surface lying in a first plane, having a width, and providing a gripping surface, said bottom surface comprising a low-friction material, said body member configured for sliding movement in at least one direction and in contact with a floor surface,

wherein;

said bottom surface has a bottom radius on a longitudinal axis of the body member, said bottom radius having a constant degree of curvature extending along an entirety of a length of the bottom surface defined along the longitudinal axis of the body member, at least one portion of the bottom surface lying in a second plane spaced apart from and parallel with the first plane, and

said bottom surface has a smaller edge radius on a transverse axis of the body member, the transverse axis being substantially perpendicular to and coplanar with the longitudinal axis, and

at least one body member extension, extending laterally from a side of the body member and having a degree of curvature extending along the transverse axis, wherein the at least one body member extension defines a footprint of the body member, the footprint being wider than the width of said top surface of the at least one of the sliding units, the at least one body member extension lying in a third plane parallel with both the first and second planes, the third plane being intermediate the first and second planes such that the at least one body member extension is positioned intermediate the top surface and the bottom surface.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising at least one of a display, an audible indicator, and a visual indicator adapted to provide feedback to the user.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the gripping surface is capable of providing traction against a shoe sole.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the bottom radius is between about 8″

and about 20″

.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the edge radius is about between about ⅛

″ and

about 8″

.

19. An apparatus for promoting exercise by a user while seated comprising:

one or more sliding units configured to facilitate movement applied by the user, wherein at least one of the sliding units comprises;

a body member configured to receive a foot of the user, the body member having a top surface and a sliding bottom surface, said top surface lying in a first plane, having a width, and providing a gripping surface, said bottom surface comprising a low-friction material and being configured for sliding movement in at least one direction and in contact with a floor surface,

wherein;

said bottom surface has a bottom radius on a longitudinal axis of the body member, the bottom radius having a constant degree of curvature extending along an entirety of a length of the bottom surface defined along the longitudinal axis of the body member, at least one portion of the bottom surface lying in a second plane spaced apart from and parallel with the first plane, and

said bottom surface has a smaller edge radius on a transverse axis of the body member, the transverse axis being substantially perpendicular to and coplanar with the longitudinal axis,

at least one body member extension having a degree of curvature extending along the transverse axis, wherein the at least one body member extension defines a footprint of the body member, the footprint being wider than the width of said top surface of the at least one of the sliding unit, the at least one body member extension lying in a third plane parallel with both the first and second planes, the third plane being intermediate the first and second planes such that the at least one body member extension is positioned intermediate the top surface and the bottom surface; and

a sensor configured for sensing and generating data representative of one or more characteristics of the sliding movement.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer.

22. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising at least one of a display, a speaker, and an indicator adapted to provide feedback to the user.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the bottom radius is between about 8″

and about 20″

.

24. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the edge radius is about between about ⅛

″ and

about 8″

.

25. A system for promoting exercise, said system comprising:

one or more sliding units configured to facilitate and sense movement applied thereto by the user, at least one of said sliding units having a defined length and comprising;

a body member configured to receive a foot of the user and comprising;

a top surface lying in a first plane, the top surface configured to receive the foot of the user;

a rotationally fixed sliding surface configured for sliding movement in at least one direction relative to and in contact with a floor surface, said rotationally fixed sliding surface having a defined length at least equal to the defined length of the at least one of said sliding units and a constant degree of curvature extending along an entirety of the defined length of the sliding surface extending along the longitudinal axis of the body member;

at least one body member extension, extending laterally from a side of the body member and configured for providing a footprint of the body member wider than a footprint provided by the top surface, the at least one body member extension lying in a second plane spaced below and parallel with the first plane, such that the at least one body member extension is positioned intermediate the top surface and the floor surface in contact with the rotationally fixed sliding surface;

a sensor configured for sensing movement and generating activity data representative of one or more characteristics of the sliding movement of the sliding unit of the surface of the body member in contact with and relative to the floor surface;

a transmitter configured for receiving and sending the activity data;

a processor configured to execute a tracking module to receive the activity data from the transmitter; and

a memory in communication with the processor configured to store the activity data.

26. A system according to claim 25, further comprising an application program interface.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the processor is further adapted for approximating caloric expenditure based at least in part on the activity data.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein caloric expenditure is approximated based at least in part on a user'"'"'s basal metabolic rate.

29. A system according to claim 26, wherein the application program interface is adapted to interact with a third party activity incentive program.

30. A system according to claim 25, further comprising a rechargeable power source for the sensor and the transmitter.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein the rechargeable power source is a rechargeable battery.

32. A system according to claim 25, wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

33. A system according to claim 25, wherein the processor is located at least partially within the at least one of the sliding units.

34. A system according to claim 25, wherein the memory is located at least partially within the at least one of the sliding units.