Adjustable Harness with Support Tube for Exercise Equipment

An adjustable harness for exercise equipment. The harness includes a support section and a strap that may be adjusted in length. The harness may include an attachment mechanism. The harness is mounted on exercise equipment and supports a user's limb. The harness may be mounted on exercise equipment through a loop located on a support tube on the exercise equipment.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

Generally, the present invention relates to an adjustable harness for mounting on a support tube to provide support for a user's body part while operating exercise equipment.

Description of Related Art

Exercise equipment can assist a person with their health and fitness. This may include aerobic benefits, strength, mobility, and mental health, as well as physical therapy. A user of exercise equipment typically interacts with the equipment using their arms and/or legs via their hands and feet. Some users may have physical impairments for using traditional exercise equipment, such as an injury, unstable limb, or paralysis. These impairments may make it uncomfortable, difficult, or impossible for a person to use exercise equipment. Other users may have a weakness in certain areas of their body that make exercise equipment difficult or impossible to use or make the equipment difficult to use without the assistance of another person.

Recumbent exercise equipment is known for allowing a user to sit and exercise with their limbs extending mostly in a horizontal direction rather than being mostly upright. Recumbent exercise equipment typically involves the user extending and retracting the user's limbs, such as by pushing pedals with the legs or pushing and pulling on bars with the hands. Examples of exercise equipment include recumbent bikes, recumbent pedal machines, or any kind of recumbent trainer.

Like other exercise equipment, recumbent exercise equipment can help build cardiovascular strength and muscle strength. In addition, recumbent equipment may be a safer and more comfortable way to exercise. For example, recumbent equipment often includes a reclined seat and may also have back support. This provides more sitting space and larger area of support for a user's body. Recumbent equipment also may lower the stress on the body as compared to more upright equipment.

Recumbent exercise equipment also may be easier for beginners to use. Recumbent exercise equipment may put less stress on the joints as compared to upright exercise equipment. Recumbent equipment also may be easier for a user to mount because the seat may be lower than the seat found on upright exercise equipment.

Because the user is sitting, recumbent exercise equipment may be more suitable for a person with a physical impairment, such as someone with low mobility or a leg injury. Recumbent equipment also may be useful for physical therapy or rehabilitation. However, even traditional recumbent exercise equipment may be difficult or impossible for an impaired person. Stabilizing a user's limbs, such as a leg, may allow a person to use exercise equipment who otherwise could not or would not use the equipment.

Currently, exercise equipment, such as a recumbent exercise equipment, may include a strap that attaches a user's lower leg to the equipment by a bar. The strap wraps around the leg and is attached at one end to the strap and attached to the exercise equipment at the other end. While this does provide some level of support, some users may find the strap uncomfortable. This type of strap also may be difficult to attach to the body, difficult to adjust, and harder to reach because the user must extend down to their lower legs. Another disadvantage to this type of strap is that is only supports the lower legs, not the larger upper section of the user's legs. As a result, the user's legs may still shift, move around, abduct, or adduct in an undesired fashion during exercise.

As a result, a need exists for devices, systems, and methods directed to supporting a user's limb or limbs while using exercise equipment, such as a recumbent exercise machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an adjustable harness to support a user's body while mounting and using exercise equipment. The adjustable harness can stabilize non-functioning or unstable body parts on the exercise equipment. In some instances, injured or paralyzed body parts may not be able to stay in place with constant body movement. The injured or paralyzed body part may become unstable, shift, or fall out of place, which can result in decreased efficacy or safety issues if the user continues to use the exercise equipment. The user must stop using the equipment and to re-adjust the body part before continuing use of the exercise equipment.

The present invention will secure the body part (or body parts, if using more than one harness) onto the exercise equipment. The adjustable harness may be fully or partially made from an elastic material to provide give and tension to the user's body part. The portion of the harness supporting the user's body may be wider than the portion going over a support tube on the exercise equipment in order to provide more comfort to the user by distributing the user's weight.

The harness is strapped on with a buckle (or other attachment device) and contains a strap that is adjustable. The user can tighten (or shorten) the strap or loosen (or lengthen) the strap to accommodate the exercise equipment, the user's body size, and/or the user's needs. The length adjustment assists with accommodating different user's body shape, size, and weight. The length adjustment can be achieved with any known adjustment mechanism, such as the types used for belts, backpacks, camera bags, or watches. Hook and loop also may be used for the length adjustment.

The attachment device can be achieved with any known attachment mechanism, such as a buckle or any means of connecting two ends of a strap. Examples of buckles include cam buckles, ratchet buckles, roller buckles, side release buckles, slide buckles, snap buckles, or tie buckles.

A single adjustable harness may be installed on exercise equipment to support one limb, such as a leg. Two adjustable harnesses also may be installed so that two limbs can be supported, such as both of a user's legs.

A user can install the adjustable harness while sitting on the exercise equipment. This may be easier to install than the prior art ankle support mechanism described above.

The adjustable harness may be installed on a support tube on the exercise equipment. In another embodiment, the support tube may have a loop or slot through which the adjustable harness is installed to keep the harness from sliding along the support tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES

FIG.1shows an exemplary exercise equipment3where an adjustable harness1of the present invention may be utilized. In this example, the exercise equipment3is a recumbent trainer having a seat11for the user to sit on, which may optionally include a backrest. The exercise equipment3also includes pedals8and arm attachments12. The user exercises using the equipment3by pushing on the pedals8with their feet and/or pushing and pulling on the arm attachments12.

FIG.2shows an example of a prior art system for stabilizing a user's legs. An ankle strap10is placed around the user's lower leg. The ankle strap10is connected to the pedal8by a bar9. While the ankle strap10does provide some level of support, some users may find this arrangement uncomfortable. The user also may find that the ankle strap10is difficult to attach to the leg, difficult to adjust, and difficult to reach because the user must reach down to their lower legs. Another disadvantage to this type of ankle strap10configuration is that it only supports the lower legs, not the larger upper section of the user's legs. As a result, the user's legs may still shift or move around in an undesired fashion during exercise.

FIG.3Ashows a view of the outside of an adjustable harness1in accordance with the present invention.FIG.3Bshows a view of the inside of the adjustable harness1, which is the side of the harness1that faces towards and contacts a user's limb. The harness1has a support section13to support a user's limb, such as a leg. The support section13may be made of any flexible material. The support section material may also stretch to enhance the user's comfort and conform to the shape of the user's limb.

The support section13has two ends, each of which is connected to a strap6. The support section13may be wider at its widest point than the width of the strap6. The strap6may include an adjustment mechanism to adjust the length of the strap6and thereby the overall length or diameter of the adjustable harness1. This adjustment mechanism can be any type of length adjuster, such as the types used for belts, backpacks, camera bags, or watches. Hook and loop also may be used for the length adjustment. This allows a user to adjust the length or diameter of the adjustable harness1to suit their particular body shape and maximize comfort.

The adjustable harness1also may be a single continuous piece of material such that the support section13and strap6are a single piece.

The adjustable harness1may include an attachment mechanism, such as a buckle5. The buckle5allows the adjustable harness1to be installed or removed from the exercise equipment3.

As shown inFIG.1, the adjustable harness1may be installed on the exercise equipment3by placing the harness1on a support tube2. The support tube2is mounted to the exercise equipment3, such as through attachment to an upright post4. The support tube2may include a loop7through which the strap6of the adjustable harness1is placed. The loop7keeps the harness from moving along the support tube2to keep the harness in place. Although not shown, other known designs may be used to keep the strap6from moving along the support tube2, such as a notch or indentation in the support tube2or any physical structures placed along the support tube2to prevent the strap6from moving.

As shown inFIG.4, two adjustable harnesses1may be installed on the exercise equipment3and may use a buckle5for installation. The support tube2includes two loops7, one for each adjustable harness1.FIG.1also shows the configuration with two loops7and two adjustable harnesses1. The support tube2also may include a length adjuster to adjust the length of the support tube, such as the pin and hole mechanism18shown inFIG.4. Although not shown, the support tube2may include additional loops7, such as to provide multiple positions for the adjustable harness1or to allow for more than two adjustable harnesses1to be installed on the exercise equipment3.

FIG.5shows a user on the exercise equipment3utilizing a single adjustable harness1on the right leg.FIG.6shows a user on the exercise equipment3utilizing a single adjustable harness1on the left leg. As shown, the user can use a single adjustable harness1on a single limb, or the user can use multiple adjustable harnesses1to support multiple limbs, as shown inFIG.1.

FIG.7shows an example where the exercise equipment is a recumbent bike14. The bike14includes a support tube2and loops7. An adjustable harness1is installed within each loop7on the support tube2, thereby providing two adjustable harnesses1. The bike14does not include a seat, such as the seat11shown inFIG.1. By not including a seat, a user on a wheelchair15may use the recumbent bike14and install the adjustable harnesses1while remaining in the wheelchair15. This may be particularly beneficial for a user in a wheelchair who may have difficulty moving to an exercise machine that includes an attached seat.

FIG.8andFIG.9show a user on a wheelchair15using the recumbent bike14. The user has installed and mounted onto their legs two adjustable harnesses1. WhileFIG.7,FIG.8, andFIG.9show a recumbent bike14without a seat, it is understood that the adjustable harness1of the present invention also may be used with a recumbent bike14that includes a seat.

FIG.10shows an example where the exercise equipment is a recumbent trainer16without a seat. The trainer16includes a support tube2and loops7. An adjustable harness1is installed within each loop7on the support tube2, thereby providing two adjustable harnesses1. The trainer16does not include a seat, such as the seat11shown inFIG.1. By not including a seat, a user on a wheelchair15may use the recumbent trainer16and install the adjustable harnesses1.

FIG.11andFIG.12show a user on a wheelchair15using the recumbent trainer16. The user has installed and mounted an adjustable harness1onto each leg. WhileFIG.10,FIG.11, andFIG.12show a recumbent trainer16without a seat, it is understood that the adjustable harness1of the present invention also may be used with a recumbent trainer14that includes a seat, such as shown inFIG.1.

FIG.13shows an additional embodiment for a support tube19that can support one or more adjustable harnesses1. As shown inFIG.14, the support tube19has a single bar that attaches to the upright post4, which in turn has bars extending laterally to provide areas onto which adjustable harnesses1may be installed. The support tube19may include a mechanism to adjust the length, such as a pin and hole mechanism18.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the disclosed subject matter may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.