Abstract:
A personal supporting device supports a person thereon in various seated positions. The device includes a base member and a deck pivotally supported on the base member for pivotal movement about a hinge axis. Each of the base member and the deck include plural docking stations at spaced positions from the hinge axis for coupling a support arm between docking stations of the deck and base member respectively. Accordingly, the deck may be supported at various inclinations in relation to the base member by varying the docking stations to which the support arm is coupled on both the deck and the base member. The flexibility offered by multiple docking stations on both the deck and the base member ensures that the support arm can be safely mounted in compression at an acute interior angle while providing a wide range of angles at which the deck may be supported.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a personal supporting device for supporting a person thereon in various adjustable positions and more particularly to a device for supporting a person thereon throughout a wide range of personal exercises.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     When a person is exercising, it is desirable to have a proper support for working out varied portions of the body of the person which may involve being supported in various positions depending upon the exercise to be accomplished. Various devices are known specifically for supporting a user while exercising, however, these known devices are generally very large and bulky and may be costly to manufacture. Accordingly known exercise equipment for supporting persons thereon in various positions are generally not portable. U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,567 to McCarty et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,817 to Marple; U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,436 to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 1,103,730 to Anderson; and U.S. Pat. No. 533,727 to McCaffrey disclose various supporting devices which are generally sufficiently small to permit portability and are generally simple in construction. These devices however are limited in that each can only be positioned in a limited number of configurations due to the configuration thereof. In each instance a base is provided upon which a back rest is pivotally supported at various inclinations by a support arm. The support arm is pivotally mounted on the back rest at a fixed position so as to be limited in the number of positions on the base member to which it can be anchored. Furthermore the range is limited as considerable force may be applied when exercising and accordingly these devices generally would not be suitable when in the most reclined position as the support arm in each instance is required to be at a very low inclination relative to the base member in an unstable configuration.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a personal supporting device for supporting a person thereon in various positions, the device comprising:  
         [0004]     a base member for being supported on the ground;  
         [0005]     a deck pivotally supported at one end thereof on the base member for pivotal movement relative to the base member about a hinge axis; and  
         [0006]     a support arm for being supported between the base member and the deck;  
         [0007]     each of the base member and the deck including plural docking stations at spaced positions from the hinge axis, each docking station being configured for being selectively coupled to one end of the support arm;  
         [0008]     whereby the support arm may be coupled to each of the base member and the deck at various spaced positions from the hinge axis for supporting the deck at various inclinations in relation to the base member.  
         [0009]     Plural docking stations on both the deck and the base member permit the deck to be supported at various inclinations in relation to the base member by varying the docking stations to which the support arm is coupled on both the deck and the base member. The flexibility offered by multiple docking stations on both the deck and the base member ensures that the support arm can be safely mounted in compression at an acute interior angle throughout a wide range of angles.  
         [0010]     When each inclination of the deck in relation to the base member corresponds to a different mounting configuration of the support arm, the docking stations are preferably configured such that the support arm lies at an acute interior angle facing the hinge axis relative to the base member in each mounting configuration.  
         [0011]     The docking stations may comprise sockets formed in respective confronting surfaces of the deck and the base member. These may include first sockets for mating with a first end of the support arm and second sockets for mating with a second end of the support arm, the first and second sockets being configured differently from one another.  
         [0012]     When each of the deck and the base member include both first and second sockets, one of the deck or the base member preferably includes only one first socket and only one second socket. In this arrangement, preferably the first end of the support arm only mates with the first sockets and the second end of the support arm only mates with the second sockets.  
         [0013]     The first sockets are may be larger in dimension than the second sockets so as to prevent the first end of the support arm being received in one of the second sockets.  
         [0014]     In one embodiment, the docking stations of one of the deck or the base member comprise a first socket nearest to the hinge axis for mating with a first end of the support arm and a second socket farthest from the hinge axis for mating with a second end of the support arm, the first and second sockets being configured differently from one another. The opposing one of said one of the deck or the base member preferably includes docking stations comprising a second socket nearest to the hinge axis for mating with the second end of the support arm and a first socket farthest from the hinge axis for mating with the first end of the support arm. At least one of the deck and the base member, also preferably includes plural docking stations between said first and second sockets thereof.  
         [0015]     There may be provided an auxiliary bar which is wider than the deck in a direction of the hinge axis, one of the deck and the base member forming at least one bar mount for receiving the auxiliary bar therein parallel to the hinge axis in an auxiliary position in which the deck is supported at an inclination in relation to the base member.  
         [0016]     A plurality of bar mounts are preferably provided, each corresponding to an auxiliary position of the deck. The bar mounts may comprise respective ones of the docking stations.  
         [0017]     The device preferably comprises exercise equipment for supporting a person in a seated position in which the deck is configured for supporting a back of the person thereon. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the personal supporting device according to the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a sectional side elevational view of the device;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a portion of the base member;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the deck;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the support arm;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 6A, 6B  and  6 C are side elevational views of the support arm in a first docking position on the base member at various inclinations;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side elevational views of the support arm in a second docking position on the base member at different inclinations; and  
         [0026]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are side elevational views of auxiliary positions in which the auxiliary bar is supported between the deck and the base member and various inclinations of the deck. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a personal supporting device generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . The device is particularly suited for supporting a person thereon in various adjustable positions and more particularly for supporting a person thereon throughout a range of personal exercises.  
         [0028]     The device includes a base member  12  in the form of an elongate generally rectangular housing having a floor  14  and walls  16  extending upwardly from a periphery of the floor to define a recessed compartment  18  within the housing. A hinge  20  is provided spaced partway in the longitudinal direction of the housing between the head end  22  and the seat end  24  of the housing.  
         [0029]     A seat  26  in the form of a generally rectangular panel spans from the hinge  20  to the seat end  24  of the base member for enclosing a top side of the compartment  18  towards the seat end of the housing. The seat is pivotal about a laterally extending hinge axis so as to be supported at various inclinations relative to the floor of the base member  12 .  
         [0030]     A deck  28  in the form of a planar and rectangular member is similarly pivotally supported at the hinge  20  for pivotal movement about the hinge axis through a range of inclinations relative to the base member. The deck  28  spans from the hinge to the head end  22  of the housing for enclosing the compartment  18  towards the head end  22  of the base member. The deck is supported at an inner end on the hinge and is movable up and down relative to the base member at the free outer end thereof which is supported on the head end of the housing in a closed position.  
         [0031]     A support arm  30  is provided for being mounted in compression between respective confronting interior surfaces  32  of both the base member  12  and the deck  28 .  
         [0032]     The deck  28  includes a pair of longitudinal supports  34  extending in a longitudinal direction of the base member perpendicularly to the hinge axis. The longitudinal supports  34  are parallel and spaced apart and project downwardly from the interior surface  32  of the deck a depth which is several times the depth of the planar top of the deck  28 . An end support  36  similar in depth to the longitudinal supports also projects outwardly from the interior surface  32  of the deck and joins the longitudinal supports  34  towards the free end of the deck but being spaced inwardly somewhat from the end of the planar top of the deck. A free end portion  38  of the planar top is defined which projects in the longitudinal direction beyond the end support  36  for overlapping the wall  16  at the head end  22  of the base member in a closed position of the deck.  
         [0033]     The confronting interior surfaces  32  of the base member  12  and the deck  28  each include a plurality of docking stations  40  at spaced longitudinal positions from the hinge axis for mounting and receiving a respective end of the support arm  30  therein in a respective mounting configuration of the support arm.  
         [0034]     The support arm  30  is a generally planar member having an elongate rectangular body spanning between a first end  42  and a second end  44  thereof. An elongated central aperture  46  is provided within the body of the support arm to reduce weight and material cost when manufacturing. The second end of the support arm has a rounded profile which is generally semicircular in cross-section.  
         [0035]     At the first end  42  of the support arm a bar  48  is provided which is circular in cross-section and extends along the edged of the support arm parallel thereto. The bar  48  at the first end  42  is wider than the body of the support arm, whereas the second end of the support arm is formed integrally with the body so as to have same lateral width. Accordingly the first end is considerably wider than the second end of the support arm so that the bar  48  defines a pair of free end portions projecting laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the body only at the first end thereof. In a mounted position of the support arm, the body of the support arm lies generally parallel to the hinge axis and accordingly in the mounted position the first end of the support arm is wider in the direction of the hinge axis than the second end.  
         [0036]     The docking stations  40  on both the base member  12  and the deck  28  include respective first sockets  50  which mate only with the first end  42  of the support arm and respective second sockets  52  which mount only with the second end  44  of the support arm. The second sockets generally comprise a mating semicircular recess in the form of an elongate trough which receives the second end of the support arm therein in mating configuration.  
         [0037]     The first sockets  50  are configured differently than the second sockets and each generally comprise two pairs of confronting surfaces  54  or lugs, each pair of confronting surfaces or lugs defining a recess therebetween. The two recesses of each first socket  50  are at spaced positions in the direction of the hinge axis such that each pair of confronting surfaces  54  is arranged to receive one of the free end portions of the bar  48  at the first end of the support arm therebetween. Each first socket  50  thus generally comprises two recesses on opposing sides of the device which are aligned with one another to form a trough receiving the bar  48  which extends parallel to the hinge axis.  
         [0038]     The base member includes only one first socket  50  which is positioned nearest to the hinge axis in relation to the only other docking station which comprises a second socket  52  positioned farthest from the hinge axis. The first socket  50  in the base member  12  is arranged to receive the first end  42  of the support arm therein in a first docking position of the support arm in which the second end of the support arm is movable through a range of inclinations for mounting within one of various second sockets  52  located in the deck at spaced positions from the hinge axis. The various positions of the support arm in the first docking position on the base member  12  are illustrated in  FIGS. 6A through 6C .  
         [0039]     Alternatively the second end  44  of the support arm may be received within the second socket  52  in the base member  12  in a second docking position for supporting the first end  42  of the support arm within one of various first sockets in the deck through a range of inclinations as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B .  
         [0040]     By configuring the first and second ends of the support arm differently from one another, the docking stations of the base member are only paired up with the appropriate docking stations of the deck to ensure that an interior angle formed between the support arm and the base member which faces the hinge axis remains within the range of an acute angle being substantially equal or less than 90 degrees to ensure that the support arm remains under compression in a stable configuration as is desirable when using the deck for supporting the back of a seated person thereon which is exerting considerable force on the device due to various exercises.  
         [0041]     As illustrated best in  FIG. 4  the docking station nearest the hinge in the deck comprises a second socket whereas the docking station farthest from the hinge axis comprises a first socket. Both first and second sockets are spaced between the first and second sockets noted at the nearest and farthest positions. An auxiliary first socket  56  is formed at the free end portion  38  of the deck on the confronting interior surface thereof which is similarly in the form of a trough lying generally parallel to the hinge axis for receiving the bar  48  at the first end of the support arm therein.  
         [0042]     The first socket  56  at the free end of the deck and the remaining first sockets at spaced positions along the deck each comprises generally open ended troughs to permit an auxiliary bar  60  to be received therein which is considerably wider in the direction of the hinge axis than both the deck  28  and the base member  12 . The auxiliary bar  60  is thus permitted to be received within the first sockets  50  and  56  of the deck for being engaged on the top side of the walls  16  of the base member when the support arm is removed to support the deck at various auxiliary positions in which the deck is again positioned at an inclination relative to the base member as illustrated in  FIGS. 8A and 8B  for two positionings of the auxiliary bar  60 . The first sockets of the deck thus function as respective bar mounts for mounting the auxiliary bar therein.  
         [0043]     When the auxiliary bar  60  and the support arm  30  are removed from the mounted positions of  FIGS. 6A through 8B  they are permitted to be received within the compartment formed within the base member  12  when supported to extend in the longitudinal direction of the base member in a storage position. In use the deck is raised to a desired inclination from the base member for a particular exercise. The deck is then supported in this desired inclination by placing either the support arm under compression between the deck and base member or by positioning the auxiliary bar within one of the bar mounts defined by the first sockets formed in the deck. When using the support arm, the use of only one first socket and only one second socket in the base member, which require the support arm to be mounted therein within a particular orientation, forces the user of the device to adhere to the range of first docking positions of  FIGS. 6A through 6C  and to the range of second docking positions of  FIGS. 7A and 7B . This ensures that a broad range of inclinations of the deck relative to the base member are permitted while the interior angle between the support arm and the base member facing the hinge axis generally remains an acute angle less than 90 degrees in all mounting configurations.  
         [0044]     While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.