Abstract:
An exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat includes a frame that is adapted to be secured to a support. The frame is a U-shaped configuration with a lateral open area to receive the seat into the frame. One or more arms are coupled to the frame about one or more pivots. Further, the pivots allow a pivotal motion of each of the arms when a force is exerted thereto by a user. One or more resistance devices coupled to the frame and the arms, which provide resistance to the pivotal motion of each of the arms. The resistance devices, which may be a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder, may include a spring to bias the arms toward their initial, upright position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/982,911 filed Nov. 6, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,935 entitled “Exercising Apparatus”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/878,427, filed Jan. 3, 2007 entitled “Exercise Apparatus”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates, in general, to an exercising apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat, such as a toilet seat or a wheelchair. 
     Various types of exercising apparatus are known in the art that are intended for indoor use. Typically, an exercising apparatus includes a frame standing on a floor on which resistance delivery systems are attached and the resistance delivery systems provide resistance to a force applied by a user. Further, the frame has a seat or a bench attached to it on which the user may sit or lay down depending upon the exercise to be performed. 
     Conventional exercising apparatus with an attached seat is suitable to use for the intended exercise; however, such an exercising apparatus occupies a relatively large space. Moreover, a separate room or a large area is required for the exercising apparatus. Further, such exercising apparatus does not have provision for a user in a wheelchair or on a toilet seat to exercise without getting up out of the seat. 
     In light of the foregoing, there is a need for an exercising apparatus that is easy to fit around an existing seat. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to fit around a seat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to fit around a toilet seat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus that is designed to receive a wheelchair. 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat. In one configuration of the apparatus, the seat is a toilet seat. The exercising apparatus includes a frame adapted to be attached to a support through one or more attachment devices. The support may be a wall or a base member or the seat. One or more arms are pivotally coupled to the frame through one or more pivot joints. The pivots allow a pivotal motion of each of the arms when a user exerts a directional force on the arms. The user may sit on the seat and exert the directional force on the arms. 
     One or more first resistance devices are attached to the frame and the arms. The first resistance devices provide resistance to the pivotal motion. The resistance may be increased or decreased based on the convenience of the user. The exercising apparatus includes one or more handgrip members that are releasably attached to each of the arms. One or more shafts protrude from the arms and are attached to the handgrip members. These shafts extend or retract based on a linear axial movement of the shafts with respect to the arms. The linear axial movement of the shafts provides proper hand positioning of the user during exercise. In addition, the exercising apparatus includes one or more second resistance devices inside the arms, which are attached to the shafts. These second resistance devices provide resistance to the linear axial movement. 
     In another configuration, the exercising apparatus is designed to receive a wheelchair. This exercising apparatus includes a frame with a U-shaped configuration and a lateral open area to receive the wheelchair into the frame. The frame is mounted on a base and attached to a support. In a particular embodiment, the frame is secured to the base through a base plate. In this embodiment, the base plate receives the wheelchair and is secured in place on the base by the weight of the user. 
     The present invention concerns various aspects of an exercising apparatus of the aforementioned type. In a first aspect of the invention, means are provided to adjust the resistance applied to the arms, against the directional force applied by the user. As will be explained in detail below, the resistance is adjusted by adjusting the position of a “control point”; that is, the point at which a resistance device is coupled to the arm. This adjustment, which can be easily made by the user by turning a knob, changes the distance of the control point from the pivot point of the arm, thus changing the mechanical advantage of the resistance device. 
     Another aspect of the invention relates to a locking mechanism for adjustably limiting the range of motion of the arm about their pivot points. In this way, the range of motion can be adjusted to fit the needs of the user, so that the user need not stretch beyond a comfortable limit when exercising with the arms. The locking mechanism may be operated to constrain only one end of the range of motion of an arm about its pivot, or constrain both ends of the range of motion. In a particular embodiment, where the resistance device comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder with an internal piston, the locking mechanism includes a device, attached to the cylinder, for limiting the motion of the piston within the cylinder. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, each arm of the exercise device is provided at its end with a handgrip member to be gripped by a user which is moveable to, and lockable at, at least two different positions with respect to the arm. For example, the handgrip member may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the arm to its most convenient angular position for the user. In a preferred embodiment, the handgrip member may be rotated to a first position directed toward the user or to a second position directed away from the user. 
     The mechanism for locking and retaining the handgrip member includes two tubes, arranged coaxially and surrounding with the arm and the stem of the handgrip member, respectively, which tubes have mating services for engaging one another and limiting their respective movement. 
     Still another aspect of the present invention relates to the pivot joint used for each arm of the exercise machine. This pivot joint comprises a casing having a first opening accepting a tubular portion of the arm and a second opening accepting a tubular portion of the frame. An internal rotatable joint is provided between the two portions. This joint has an axle aligned with and extending between the tubular portions of the arm and frame, without intersecting either portion. 
     For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top, plan view of the exercise machine according to the invention, in a configuration designed to fit around a toilet seat. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of exercise apparatus in a configuration design to fit around a wheelchair. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is another side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 , with the user in a first position. 
         FIG. 8  is another side view of the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 , with the user in a second position, opposite in direction to the first position. 
         FIG. 9  is a detailed and cross-sectional view showing the pivot joint between and arm and the frame of the exercise apparatus and showing the mechanism for moving the handgrip member axially with respect to the arm to provide an additional mode of exercising. 
         FIG. 9   a  is a detailed view of the handgrip member and its attached stem in an upwardly extended position with respect to the arm of the exercise apparatus. 
         FIG. 10  is a detailed view showing how the exercise apparatus of  FIG. 1  may be adjustably mounted to a wall behind a toilet seat. 
         FIG. 11  is a detailed and cross-sectional view showing the resistance and retraction device for the embodiments of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , respectively. 
         FIG. 12  is detailed view showing the mechanism for adjusting the resistance and retraction forces applied to an arm against the directional force applied by the user. 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  are detailed views showing a locking mechanism for limiting the range of motion of an arm of the exercise apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 4 . 
         FIGS. 15   a  and  15   b  are side and front views, respectively, of two tubular members for locking the handgrip member in one of two angular positions with respect to the arm to which it is attached. 
         FIGS. 15   c  and  15   d  are side and front views, respectively, of the handgrip position lock with the two tubular members in mating position. 
         FIG. 15   e  is an isometric view of the lower tubular member shown in  FIGS. 15   a - 15   d.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the description herein for embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or mechanisms, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to an exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat. Various embodiments of the invention provide an exercising apparatus that includes a frame, one or more arms and one or more resistance devices. The frame is secured to a support. The frame has a U-shaped configuration to receive a seat into the frame. The arms are pivotally coupled to the frame at one or more pivots. A pivotal motion is provided to each of the arms about the pivots with the frame, when a user exerts a directional force on the arms. The resistance devices are coupled to the frame and the arms and provide resistance to the pivotal motion. Retraction devices return the arms to their initial positions after they have been moved by the user. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever feasible and convenient, same reference numerals are used in the figures and the description to refer to the same or like parts. The drawings are in a simplified form and not to scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be strictly construed to limit the scope of the invention. In addition, words such as couple, connect, and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes are used interchangeably, unless the difference is noted or made otherwise clear from the context. These words and expressions do not necessarily signify direct connections, but include connections through mediate components and devices. 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate the configuration of the exercise apparatus designed to fit around a toilet seat and be operated by a user while sitting on this seat.  FIGS. 4-8  show the configuration of the exercise apparatus designed to be operated by a person while sitting in a wheelchair. The two configurations are similar in many respects and, in particular, they are similar with respect to the aspects, features and mechanisms to which the present invention relates. 
     Generally, the first configuration shown in  FIGS. 1-3  comprises a frame  102  adapted to surround a toilet and be attached to a wall by brackets  201   a  and  201   b  directly behind the toilet. The brackets can be adjustable, for example, in the manner shown in  FIG. 10 . In this arrangement, a tubular member  202   a  is fitted within the frame tube  102  and is adjustably fixed therein by an expansion joint  203   a . The opposite end of the tube  202   a  is attached to the bracket  204   a  which, in turn, is attached to the wall. 
     Returning to  FIGS. 1-3 , it may be seen that the exercise apparatus comprises arms  103   a  and  103   b  which are pivoted with respect to a tubular portion of the frame  102  by pivot joints  105   a  and  105   b , respectively. The structure of each pivot joint will be described below in connection with  FIG. 9 . 
     The spacing between the arms  103   a  and  103   b  may be adjusted by loosening screws  109   a  in the pivot joint and rotating the arms about their axis which passes through the pivot joints and then retightening the screws. 
     Handgrip members  104   a  and  104   b  are provided and, as shown in  FIG. 2 , can be extended upward or downward with respect to the arms  103   a  and  103   b , respectively, in which they are coaxially inserted. This extension affords an additional mode of exercise for the user. As will be described below in connection with  FIG. 9 , a resistance device is provided within each arm to act against the force applied by the user to extend or retract the handgrip member. 
     In addition, it may be seen that the handgrip members  104   a  and  104   b  may be rotated in position either toward or away from the user. When the handgrip members are in their retracted position, as shown by solid lines in  FIG. 2 , they are prevented from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the arm by interlocked mating portions of the tube sections  106   a  and  106   b.    
       FIG. 3  shows a piston and cylinder device  301   a  which provides resistance to the force applied by the user to the arm  103   a . This resistance device is attached at one end to a tubular portion of the frame  102  and is attached at the opposite end to a mechanism for adjusting the distance from a control point to the pivot joint  105   a  of the arm  103   a . The mechanism, comprising elements  401   a ,  403   a ,  404   a  and  405   a  will be described below in connection with  FIG. 12 . 
     The movement of the arm  103   a  about the pivot joint  105   a  is limited by the path of travel of the piston within the cylinder  301   a . This path of travel, which is shown in  FIG. 3  as an 85° arc from the vertical to the forward position, may be adjusted and limited by adjusting the position of a thumbscrew  306   a . This mechanism for adjusting the limit of travel of the arm will be described in detail below in connection with  FIGS. 13 and 14 . Suffice it to say, at this point, that the arc of movement of the arm is limited by the piston and cylinder at both ends of its travel: from the vertical to a position away from the vertical that is selectable by the user. 
       FIG. 7  shows how a user, who in this case sits in a wheelchair, may exercise by moving the arms up and down.  FIG. 6  shows how the user may exercise by moving the arm  103   a  forward.  FIG. 8  shows how a user may operate the exercise device with the direction of the wheelchair reversed within the apparatus. 
       FIGS. 9 and 9   a  illustrate with arrangement which enables the handgrip member  104   a  to move axially upward and downward (or outward and inward) with respect to the arm  103   a . As is shown here, the downwardly extending portion of the handgrip  104   a  is connected by a sleeve  507   a  to a co-axial stem  506   a  which slides within the tube of the arm  103   a . The stem  506   a  is maintained in alignment with the arm tube  103   a  by a Teflon coated piston  504   a  which slides within the tube  103   a . A piston/cylinder arrangement  502   a  is connected between the arm  103   a  and the stem  506   a  of the handgrip member  104   a  by means of coupling devices  501   a  and  503   a , respectively. 
       FIG. 9  also shows the structure of the pivot joint  105   a . As is illustrated there, the pivot joint comprises a casing  105   a  having first and second openings, accommodating the tubular portions of the arm  103   a  and the frame  102 , respectively. These tubular portions are held in place by set screws  108   a  and  109   a  which clamp the casing tightly about the arm and frame, respectively. 
     The two portions of the casing  112   a  and  114   a  are rotatable with respect to each other about a central axle formed by a screw  116   a , fixed in position by the set screw  118   a.    
       FIG. 11  shows the arrangement of a piston and cylinder  301   a  with an internal spring  303   a  which serves as the combined resistance and retraction device of the exercise apparatus. This device  301   a  is pivotally attached to the frame at one end  309   a  and pivotally attached to a resistance force adjusting device at its opposite end  308   a . The oil within the cylinder flows freely past the piston when the piston travels on one direction (the retraction direction) but is partially blocked when the piston travels in the opposite direction (the resistance direction). 
     Motion of the piston is limited at the end of its travel within the cylinder by a locking screw  306   a , which may be adjusted in position at the frame-connected end of the cylinder. 
       FIG. 12  shows the mechanism for adjusting the leverage of the piston and cylinder  301   a  that provides both the resistance force and retraction force applied to the arm  102   a . This mechanism comprises two parallel bars  403   a  and  404   a  which are pivoted with respect to the arm  102   a  and the cylinder  301   a  at points  408   a  and  308   a , respectively. The bars are maintained in parallel relationship by a pin  405   a  and a threaded bolt  402   a  having a knob  401   a  at the top. The pin  405   a  is rigidly connected to the upper bar  403   a  but slides in an opening within the lower bar  404   a . The bolt  402   a  has a mating screw thread with the upper bar  405   a , and is rotatably retained by flanges  407   a  in an opening in the lower bar  404   a . When the knob  401   a  is rotated, turning the bolt  402   a , the distance between the upper and lower bars is either increased or reduced, depending upon the direction of rotation. Since the upper bar is fixed with respect to the arm at the pivot point  408   a , such knob rotation changes the distance of the lower bar  404   a  from the pivot joint  105   a , thus changing the length of the lever arm of the piston/cylinder  301   a.    
       FIGS. 13 and 14  show in detail the locking mechanism for limiting range of arm movement in the first embodiment ( FIG. 13 ) and second embodiment ( FIG. 14 ), respectively. As explained previously in connection with  FIG. 11 , the locking screw  306   a  may be moved either to the right or to the left along a slot  311   a  and set to limit the end travel of the piston, thus limiting the end travel of the arm  103   a.    
     Finally,  FIGS. 15   a - 15   d  show the mating surfaces of the upper and lower tubes  106   a  and  107   a , respectively, which constrain the angular position of the handgrip member.  FIGS. 15   a  and  15   b  show the parts as separate, whereas  FIGS. 15   c  and  15   d  show the parts in mating relationship. As indicated in  FIG. 15   d , the tubes are fastened to the arm and handgrip member, respectively, by pins  108   a.    
       FIG. 15   e  shows the lower tube  107   a  in isometric view, making visible the mating surface  152  (also identified in  FIGS. 15   a  and  15   b , respectively). The mating surface  152  of the tube member  107   a  has a vertical slot which prevents the handgrip member from rotating when the upper tube member  106   a  is in mating relationship with this lower tube member. This constrains the handgrip member to be either in one of two angular positions which are separated by 180° with respect to each other. 
     There has thus been shown and described a novel exercising apparatus which fulfills all the objects and advantages sought therefor. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is to be limited only by the claims which follow.