Abstract:
An exercising system for use by wheelchair bound users, uses a platform that has a pair of rollers on which the user can stationarily roll the wheelchair. A first pulley allows the user to perform reciprocating up and down rope and pulley exercises, while a pair of foot pedals allow for lower body exercising. The foot pedals can be attached to the platform and can have a rope over a pulley assist mechanism or the foot pedals can be attached directly to the wheelchair and can operate independently of the platform. A punching bag or other similar item can be attached to the exercising system in order to increase the range of physical activities that can be performed by a user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system that allows a user who is wheelchair bound to be able to perform a variety of exercises, both upper body and lower body exercises and both aerobic and anaerobic exercises, all without the need to leave the wheelchair. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     People become wheelchair bound for a variety of reasons. A sudden lower body injury from a sporting event or an accident, a debilitating disease, and recovery from surgery are all reasons that people use wheelchairs. Some people, such as those who break one or both legs in a skiing accident, for example, are in the wheelchair for a relatively short period of time while their bodies heal. Others, such as those that receive a spinal cord injury, spend substantially longer in the wheelchair and may even spend the rest of their lives being wheelchair bound. 
     After the shock of being wheelchair bound wears off, most wheelchair uses share a common trait. They view their situation with regard to the wheelchair not as a limitation on their abilities as humans, but rather as the wheelchair being just one more of life&#39;s obstacles to be overcome. Such people, owing to the strength and resiliency of the human spirit, adapt to their new wheelchair environment and otherwise attack life like before and such people do not let the wheelchair stand in their way of achieving their goals. 
     One important aspect of life that wheelchair bound people quickly learn to appreciate, is that despite the fact that they spend a large portion of the day in the wheelchair in a sitting position, their bodies need to exercise on a regular basis. They need to kept their bodies in shape just like everyone else. Even a paraplegic needs to keep the muscles in the legs toned despite the inability to feel the legs. The wheelchair bound person also learns that the wheelchair is not a limitation on exercising, only that the wheelchair simply modifies the manner in which exercising is performed. The person recognizes that any muscle group that a normally ambulatory person can exercise, both aerobic and anaerobic, the wheelchair bound person can also exercise, albeit with some modification. 
     Toward this end, many devices have been proposed that allow a person to remain within a wheelchair and to perform exercises of all types directly from the wheelchair in order to allow the person to stay in shape. Some such devices, which work with varying degrees of efficiency, tend to be unduly complex in design making such devices relatively expensive to manufacture and thus less affordable. Other such devices tend to be unduly difficult to assemble and use making the user frustrated with the potential for the user to give up exercising. Still other devices, although relatively simple in design and construction and relatively easy to assemble and use, are limited in that they exercise only a small portion of the user&#39;s body. A user needs to purchase several varying devices and move from device to device in order to achieve a full workout. While some users may not object to such an arrangement, others will find it a difficult solution due to the costs of having to purchase several pieces of equipment, the large storage needs of the several pieces and, if the person needs help assembling and disassembling the equipment to be used, the need to have another person present during the entire workout. 
     Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a system that allows a wheelchair bound person to achieve a robust full body workout and which addresses the above stated problems found in the art. Such a system must be relatively simple in design and construction so that the system can be relatively inexpensively manufactured using standard manufacturing techniques and so that the system is relatively easy to assemble, install and use. Such a system must provide the user with a large variety of exercises, for both the upper body and the lower body, and both aerobic and anaerobic, to allow the user to exercise all desired muscle groups without the need for a large number of devices. Such a system should allow the user to switch between exercises without the need for an additional person to be present so as to allow the user the ability to go through an exercise session unassisted. Ideally, such a system will be comfortable and natural for the person to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The wheelchair exercising system of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The wheelchair exercising system allows a wheelchair bound person to achieve a robust full body workout, offering a wide variety of exercises, both upper body and lower body exercises as well as both aerobic and anaerobic exercises so that the user can exercise all desired muscle groups. The wheelchair exercising system is relatively simple in design and construction making the system relatively inexpensive to manufacture using standard manufacturing techniques. The wheelchair exercising system is relatively easy to assemble, install and use. The wheelchair exercising system of the present invention allows the user to quickly and easily switch between exercises without the need for an additional person to be present thereby allowing the user the ability to go through an exercise session unassisted. The wheelchair exercising system is comfortable and natural for the person to use. 
     The wheelchair exercising system of the present invention is comprised of a platform that has a ramped leading edge and a trailing edge. A pair of generally coextensive rollers are attached to the platform proximate the trailing edge. A first stanchion is attached to the platform proximate the trailing edge and has an extension arm that extends outwardly toward the leading edge. A first pulley is attached to the extension. A first rope is slidably positioned over the first pulley, the first rope having a first end and a second end. A first handle is attached to the first end of the first rope while a second handle is attached to the second end of the first rope. A wheelchair is positioned on the platform via the leading edge, such that a pair of the rear wheels of the wheelchair are received on the pair of rollers and drive the rollers through the rotation of the rear wheels of the wheelchair. The first rope is slidable up and down along the first pulley through alternating up and down pulling on the first handle and the second handle. A table is attached to the platform. A tensioning rod is threadably attached to a bracket located on the platform such that rotation of the tensioning rod causes the tensioning rod to contact one of the rollers and thereby frictionally increase the rolling resistance of that roller. At least one stowage hook is attached to the first stanchion. The first pulley is attached to the extension by providing the first pulley with a first quick release clip which first clip is received within a first eyelet located on the extension. A second eyelet is located on the extension in spaced apart fashion relative to the first eyelet. A punching bag is removably attachable to one of the first eyelet or the second eyelet by providing the punching bag with a clip that attaches to one of the eyelets. A pair of foot pedals are attached to the platform proximate the leading edge. A second pulley is attached to the extension while a second rope is slidably positioned over the second pulley, the second rope having a third end attached to one of the pair of the foot pedals, and a fourth end attached to the other of the pair of foot pedals, such that the pair of foot pedals are in offset relation with each other. A third handle is attached to the second rope between the second pulley and one of the pair of foot pedals while a fourth handle is attached to the second rope between the second pulley and the other of the pair of foot pedals. A pair of wheels is attached to a first side of the platform while a handle is attached to an opposing second side of the platform. A bar is attached to the platform and coextensively extends between the rollers, while a lock is slidably disposed on the bar for holding the wheelchair in lateral alignment on the pair of rollers. A bracket is attachable to the wheelchair, the bracket having a second stanchion. The pair of foot pedals are attached to the bracket, a third pulley is attached to the stanchion, and a third rope is slidably positioned over the third pulley, the third rope having a fifth end attached to one of the pair of the foot pedals, and a sixth end attached to the other of the pair of foot pedals in order for the pair of foot pedals to be in offset relation with each other. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental view of the wheelchair exercising system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the main platform of the wheelchair exercising system. 
     FIG. 3 is an environmental view of the auxiliary leg exerciser of the wheelchair exercising system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the auxiliary leg exerciser. 
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the wheelchair exercising system of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a platform  12  that has a ramped leading edge  14  and a trailing edge  16 . A pair of generally coextensive rollers  18  are rotatably attached to the platform  12  proximate the trailing edge  16 . A wheelchair  20  ascends the platform  12  backwards until the rear wheels  22  of the wheelchair  20  are received between the pair of rollers  18  located on the platform  12 . Once so positioned, the wheelchair  20  is held in lateral alignment on the pair of rollers  18  by the use of a locking system which comprises a bar  24  that is attached to the platform  12  and located between the pair of rollers  18  in generally parallel orientation with the rollers  18  and a sliding lock  26  slidably located on the bar  24  such that once the wheelchair is in a desired position on the platform  12 , the lock  26  is slid along the bar  24  until the lock  26  engages one of the wheels  22  of the wheelchair  20  wherein the lock  26  is locked in place to the bar  24  in order to hold the wheelchair  20  in the desired position. The locking mechanism on the lock  26  is of any conventional system that locks a collar to a bar known in the art. A user of the device  10  sits in the wheelchair  20  and rotates the rear wheels  22  of the wheelchair  20  in order to exercise. The rollers  18  allow the rear wheels  22  of the wheelchair  20  to rotate without the wheelchair  20  moving from the platform  12 . The user can exercise in this fashion as long as desired. 
     If desired, the rolling resistance on of the rollers  18  can be increased. This is accomplished by providing a bracket  28  that has a threaded screw  30  passing therethrough. The end of the threaded screw is positioned proximate one of the rollers  18  such that by rotation of the screw  30 , the end of the screw  30  frictionally engages the roller  18  causing the rolling resistance to increase thereby requiring the user to work harder to achieve a given level of wheelchair wheel  22  rotation. Further rotation of the screw  30  further increases the rolling resistance of that roller  18 . Counterrotation of the screw  30  decreases contact of the screw  30  with the roller  18  and thus decreases the rolling resistance of the roller  18  until the screw  30  completely disengages from the roller  18  whereat the roller  18  has the minimum rolling resistance. An appropriate handle  32  can be attached to the opposing end of the screw  30  to assist the user in rotating and counterrotating the screw  30 . 
     A first stanchion  34  is attached to the platform  12  proximate the trailing edge  16  and has an extension arm  36  that extends outwardly toward the leading edge  14  and which may be telescoping. A first pulley  38  is attached to the extension  36 , the first pulley  38  having a quick release clip  40  thereon that attaches to a first eyelet  42  located on the extension  36 . A first rope  44  is slidably positioned over the first pulley  38 , the first rope  44  having a first end and a second end. A first handle  46  is attached to the first end of the first rope  44  while a second handle  48  is attached to the second end of the first rope  44 . A user sitting in a wheelchair  20  that is positioned on the platform  12  can grasp the first rope  44 , one hand on each of the handles  46  and  48  and slide the first rope  44  up and down along the first pulley  38  by pulling up and down on the pair of handles  46  and  48  in reciprocating fashion in order to achieve an upper body workout. 
     A table  50  is attached to the platform  12  for holding various items desired by the user of the device, the table having a drink holder  52  thereon. 
     A second eyelet  54  is located on the extension  36  in spaced apart fashion relative to the first eyelet  42 . A punching bag  56  can be removably attached to one of the first eyelet  42  or the second eyelet  54 , the punching bag  56  having an appropriate quick release clip  58  thereon for attachment to one of the eyelets  42  or  54 . The punching bag  56  is also tethered to the platform  12 . 
     A pair of foot pedals  60  is attached to the platform  12  proximate the leading edge  14 . A second pulley  62  is attached to the second eyelet  54  of the extension  36  while a second rope  64  is slidably positioned over the second pulley  62 , the second rope  64  having a third end  66  attached to one of the pair of the foot pedals  60 , and a fourth end  68  attached to the other of the pair of foot pedals  60 , such that the pair of foot pedals  60  are in offset relation with each other. A user sitting in a wheelchair  20  positioned on the platform  12  can place each foot onto a respective one of the first foot pedals  60  and can reciprocate the foot pedals  60  up and down in order to receive a lower body workout. If desired, third handle  70  is attached to the second rope  64  between the second pulley  62  and one of the pair of foot pedals  60  while a fourth handle  72  is attached to the second rope  64  between the second pulley  62  and the other of the pair of foot pedals  60 . If the user lacks the requisite lower body strenght, the user can use grasp the third handle  70  and the fourth handle  72  and help move the foot pedals  60  up and down with arm strength. The pair of foot pedals  60  is attached to a bracket  74  which is attached to the platform  12  by having pins  76  which are receivable within corresponding sockets  78  located on the platform  12 . Multiple sockets  78  can be located on the platform  12  for size adjusting the pedals  60  with respect to a user positioned in a wheelchair  20  itself positioned on the platform  12  such that the user positions the pins  76  of the bracket  74  within the sockets  78  that are the desired distance from the wheelchair  20  positioned on the platform  12 . 
     In order to facilitate transport of the wheelchair exercising system  10 , pair of wheels  80  is attached to a first side of the platform  12  while a handle  82  is attached to an opposing second side of the platform  12 . A person can grasp the handle  82  and lift up and roll the platform  12  to a desired location. 
     A bracket  84  may be attached to the wheelchair  20 . The bracket  84  is attached to the wheelchair  20  by providing an adjustable width collar  86  that has a pair of U-bolts  88  thereon which are tightened by appropriate wing nuts  90 . The collar  86  is extended to desired width and the U-bolts  88  engage appropriate portions of the wheelchair  20  wherein the wing nuts  90  are tightened to hold the collar  86  thereat. A pair of foot pedals  60  is pivotally attached to this bracket  84  while a third pulley  92  is attached to a second stanchion  94 . A third rope  96  is slidably positioned over the third pulley  92 , the third rope  96 , having a fifth end  98  attached to one of the pair of foot pedals  60 , and a sixth end  100  attached to the other of the pair of foot pedals  60  by appropriate clips  102 , such that the pair of foot pedals  60  are in offset relation with each other. The pedals  60  are attached to the bracket  84  by having the pins  76  of the foot pedals being removably received within sockets  104  on the bracket  84 . 
     A user of the device can gain a lower body workout by using the foot pedals  60  in similar fashion to the use of the foot pedals  60  on the platform  12 , with the exception that in this configuration the foot pedals  60  lack the rope assist capability. For ease of transport of the wheelchair  20  while the bracket  84  is attached, and for ease of transport of this subsystem, the second stanchion  94  can be attached to the remainder of the bracket  84  by an appropriate quick release handle  106  such that the bracket  84  of two sections, the first section being attached to the wheelchair  20  and the second section holding the stanchion  94  and pulley  92 . The two sections are brought together and the quick release handle  106  secures the two sections together. Pulling on the handle  106  allows the two sections to be separated. 
     Stowage hooks  108  may be located on the first stanchion  34  in order to hold the various ropes and other accessories when such items are not in use. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.