Patent Publication Number: US-2015065320-A1

Title: Reformer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the field of Pilates reformers. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Pilates reformers are exercise machines used while performing Pilates exercises. Most Pilates reformers are large and not portable. Also, most Pilates reformers are not easily stored away when not in use. Some Pilates reformer have a foldable frame, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,192,338 to Solow, et. al., entitled Foldable Transportable Multiple Function Pilates Exercise Apparatus And Method published Jun. 5, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Solow teaches a foldable frame that has a foldable hinged rail. Endleman teaches telescopic rails as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,650 published Aug. 9, 2005 entitled Collapsible Reformer Exercise Apparatus, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A Pilates reformer includes a pair of rails mounted between a front frame portion and a rear frame portion. A carriage is mounted to the pair of rails. The carriage is mounted to slide along the pair of rails. A rear platform is connected to the pair of rails. A plurality of elastic parts is connected to an elastic part retaining block. The elastic part retaining block is mounted to the front frame portion. The plurality of elastic parts pass through an elastic part pulley. The elastic part pulley is mounted to the rear platform. The elastic part pulley has elastic part retaining loops mounted on elastic part retaining loop retainers. The elastic part retaining loops are sized to fit onto hooks that are mounted to the carriage. The Pilates reformer has at least three hooks. A foot bar extends from the rear frame portion. The rear frame portion includes the rear platform. The carriage is preferably formed as a carriage platform having a completely flat top. 
     A storage bracket connects to the pair of rails to store the Pilates reformer. A carriage truck frame connected to the carriage to support the carriage. Wheels are mounted to the carriage truck frame so that the wheels roll along the pair of rails, and a carriage retainer retaining the carriage to the pair of rails. The hooks are mounted to a rear carriage frame. The carriage further includes a rear carriage frame and a front carriage frame. The foot bar has a foot bar horizontal section mounted to a foot bar vertical portion. The foot bar vertical portion includes a foot bar post. The foot bar post includes a foot bar outside post and a foot bar inside post. The foot bar inside post is telescopically mounted to the foot bar outside post to provide an adjustable height of the foot bar. The foot bar is mounted to a foot bar folding socket. The foot bar folding socket has a foot bar folding knob to release the foot bar folding socket from the rear frame portion. The foot bar folding socket is pivotally mounted to the rear frame portion. The foot bar folding socket has a foot bar folding socket ridge that selectively engages a foot bar vertical groove or a foot bar horizontal groove. 
     The hooks have bulbous shaped tips extending upward. The bulbous shaped tips are sized to receive the elastic part retaining loops. The elastic part retaining loops are made of metal. The pair of rails are made of a left rail and a right rail. The left rail has a left rail first section and a left rail second section. The left rail first section fits to the left rail second section. The right rail has a right rail first section and a right rail second section. The right rail first section fits to the right rail second section. An extension platform connects to the front frame portion. The extension platform has a pair of extension platform brackets that connect to the front frame portion. 
     A left cable is connected to the carriage and a right cable is connected to the carriage. The left cable extends through a left cable pulley mounted to the front frame portion. The right cable extends through a right cable pulley mounted to the front frame portion. The left cable is connected to a left cable handle after the left cable passes through the left cable pulley. The right cable is connected to a right cable handle after the right cable passes through the right cable pulley. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view perspective diagram of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view perspective diagram of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view diagram from a right side showing the rail hinge. 
         FIG. 4  is a close-up view of the front frame portion and extension platform. 
         FIG. 5  is a close-up top exploded view of the current frame portion and extension platform. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of the reformer in upside down folded position. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of the reformer showing an underside of the reformer. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of the hook connection to the elastic parts. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view. 
         FIG. 10  is a right side view. 
         FIG. 11  is a left side view. 
         FIG. 12  is a front view. 
         FIG. 13  is a rear view. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view. 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom view. 
     
    
    
     The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.
       21  Carriage     22  Truck Frame     23  Carriage Retainer     24  Wheel Axle     25  Wheel     26  Rear Carriage Frame     27  Front Carriage Frame     28  Carriage Frame Indent     29  Carriage Frame Pad     30  Rail     31  First Rail Section     32  Second Rail Section     33  Rail Socket     34  Lower Stopper     35  Upper Stopper     36  Rail Connection     37  Front Frame Portion     137  Front Frame Block Retainer     38  Rear Frame Portion     39  Frame Roller     41  Rear Platform     42  Rear Platform Ring     43  Rear Platform Post     44  Rear Platform Front Frame     45  Rear Platform Rear Frame     46  Rear Platform Corner     50  Foot Bar     51  Foot Bar Horizontal Section     52  Foot Bar Flange Connector     53  Foot Bar Outside Post     54  Foot Bar Inside Post     55  Foot Bar Folding Knob     56  Foot Bar Folding Socket     57  Foot Bar Folding Socket Protruding Ridge     58  Foot Bar Vertical Groove     59  Foot Bar Horizontal Groove     61  First Elastic Part     62  Second Elastic Part     63  Third Elastic Part     64  Elastic Part Retaining Block     65  Block Flange     66  Elastic Part Pulley Bracket Frame  67  Elastic Part Pulley Axle     68  Elastic Part Pulley     69  Elastic Part Pulley Bracket Frame Attachment     71  Elastic Part Retaining Loop     72  Elastic Part Retaining Loop Retainer     73  Hook Tip     74  Hook     75  Cable Connector     76  Cable     77  Cable Pulley     78  Cable Pulley Axle     79  Cable Handle     81  Cable Pulley Bracket     82  Cable Pulley Bracket Spring     83  Cable Pulley Stem     84  Cable Pulley Hinge     85  First Cable Pulley Opening     86  Second Cable Pulley Opening     87  Pin Retainer     88  Pin Loop     188  Rail Hinge     91  Storage Bracket Rear Socket     92  Storage Bracket Front Socket     93  Storage Bracket     94  Storage Bracket Flange     95  Extension Platform     96  Extension Platform Bracket     97  Extension Platform Front Frame     98  Extension Platform Leg     99  Extension Platform Rear Frame     111  Right Front Vertical Roller     112  Right Rear Vertical Roller     113  Left Front Vertical Roller     114  Left Rear Vertical Roller     115  Right Front Vertical Roller Axle     116  Right Rear Vertical Roller Axle     117  Left Front Vertical Roller Axle     118  Left Rear Vertical Roller Axle   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is a Pilates reformer that has a movable carriage  21  mounted on rails  30 . The movable carriage  21  is a moving platform preferably having an upholstered and padded top portion. The carriage is formed as a carriage platform having a flat top. The carriage platform having a flat top does not have shoulder supports for prone position exercises. The carriage is mounted to the rails by a truck frame  22 . The truck frame  22  further includes a carriage retainer  23 . The carriage retainer  23  retains the carriage  21  to the rails. The carriage retainer  23  can be formed as a flat sheet of metal that is bolted to an outside surface of the truck frame, and then bent around to be connected to an inside surface of the truck frame. The carriage retainer preferably moves around the rail to retain the truck frame to the rail. The truck frame has a pair of wheels  25  mounted to the truck frame at wheel axles  24 . The carriage is supported by a carriage frame that includes a rear carriage frame  26  and a front carriage frame  27 . The front carriage frame could be indented at a carriage frame indent  28 . The carriage frame is a metal frame that is screwed to a plywood plank that includes the carriage frame pad  29 . The carriage frame pad  29  can be padded or can be an exposed wooden plank. 
     The rails  30  include a first rail section  31  connected to a second rail section  32 . The first rail section is connected to the second rail section at a rail connection  36 . The rail connection  36  can be a hinge or can be a telescoping portion that fits within an internal surface of the first rail section  31  or the second rails section  32 . The rails fit into rail sockets  33  formed on a front frame portion  37 . The carriage is limited in movement on the rail by a pair of stoppers that can be formed as lower stoppers  34  and upper stoppers  35 . The second rail section has an end that can fit into a rail socket  33  formed on the front frame portion  37 . The front frame portion also includes a front frame block retainer  137 . 
     The front frame portion is opposite the rear frame portion. The rear frame portion  38  can also have a rail socket  33  receiving an end of a rail. The frame roller  39  is located at a front lower corner of the rear frame portion  38 . The frame roller  39  can be formed as a pair to allow a user to roll the device from one location to another location when the front end is lifted up and the rear end is being rolled along the ground on the frame roller  39 . 
     The rear platform  41  can be mounted on the rail  30 . The rear platform  41  is also preferably upholstered and padded. The rear platform  41  may have two pairs of rear platform rings  42  connecting the rear platform to the rails. The rear platform rings can be formed as connectors having set screws that connect to the rail. Similarly, a pair of rear platform posts  43  can provide a height to support the rear platform  41  above the rear platform rings  42 . The lower end of the rear platform posts  43  can be welded to the rear platform rings  42 . The upper end of the rear platform posts  43  can be welded to the rear platform front frame  44  and the rear platform rear frame  45 . The rear platform front frame  44  can be screwed connected to a plywood plank of the rear platform  41 . The rear platform rear frame can also be screwed connected to a platform plank of the rear platform  41 . The rear platform  41  preferably has rear platform corners  46  that are rounded corners. 
     The rear of the Pilates reformer includes a foot bar  50 . The foot bar has a foot bar horizontal section  51 . The foot bar horizontal section  51  can be padded or can be a wooden dowel or other rigid member such as a metal tube or plastic tube. The foot bar horizontal section  51  is mounted to a foot bar flange connector  52 . The foot bar flange connector  52  receives an end of the foot bar horizontal section  51  and connects to the foot bar outside post  53 . The foot bar outside post  53  is in telescoping arrangement with the foot bar inside post  54 . The foot bar inside post  54  can telescope and extend or retract to adjust a height of the foot bar horizontal section  51 . A latch can allow adjustable height adjustment of the foot bar outside post relative to the foot bar inside post. 
     The foot bar  50  also has a foot bar folding knob  55 . The foot bar folding knob  55  can connect a foot bar holding socket to the left or right end of the rear frame portion  38 . The left or right end of the rear frame portion  38  further includes a foot bar vertical groove  58  and a foot bar horizontal groove  59 . The foot bar vertical groove  58  allows the foot bar to be held in a vertical position and to the foot bar horizontal groove  59  allows the foot bar to be held in a horizontal position. In the vertical position, the foot bar folding socket protruding ridge  57  aligns with and lodges within the foot bar vertical groove  58 . In the horizontal position, the foot bar folding socket protruding ridge  57  aligns with and lodges within the foot bar horizontal groove  59 . The foot bar vertical groove and foot bar horizontal groove are sized to receive a lodging of the foot bar folding socket protruding ridge  57 . The foot bar vertical groove  58  can be orthogonal to the foot bar horizontal groove  59 . The foot bar vertical groove  58  can have a midpoint that is also the midpoint of the foot bar horizontal groove  59 . The foot bar vertical groove  58  can have a coterminous groove depression that is shared with the foot bar horizontal groove  59 . 
     The foot bar folding socket protruding ridge can be formed as a metal ridge that is welded or bolted to a side surface of the foot bar folding socket  56 . The foot bar folding socket  56  receives a lower end of the foot bar post within the foot bar folding socket  56 . The foot bar post comprises a foot bar inside post  54  and a foot bar outside post  53 . The outside surface of the foot bar inside post  54  can be sized to fit inside and be bounded by an inside surface of the foot bar outside post  53 . Preferably, the foot bar folding socket  56  has a socket that receives an external surface of the foot bar inside post  54 , or the foot bar outside post, however the foot bar folding socket  56  could also have a socket that receives an internal surface of the foot bar inside post  54 . The socket of the foot bar folding socket  56  can have a threaded internal surface for receiving and external threaded surface of the foot bar inside post  54 , or the foot bar outside post. The foot bar folding socket receives a lower end of the foot bar post which can be glued within the foot bar folding socket. 
     The foot bar folding socket is configured to allow a user to rotate the foot bar folding socket by manually manipulating the foot bar folding knob  55 . The foot bar folding knob  55  can be spring mounted so that it disengages the foot bar folding socket protruding ridge  57  from the foot bar vertical groove  58  or from the foot bar horizontal groove  59 . The foot bar folding knob  55  can also be connected by threaded screw on an external shaft of the foot bar folding knob  55  such that the threaded screw engages with a threaded opening formed on a hollow portion of the rear frame portion  38 . The rear frame portion  38  can be made hollow such as by making it from tubular steel of rectangular cross-section. 
     A plurality of elastic parts provide an elastic means for providing resistance during exercises such as lunge exercises, squat exercises and plank exercises. A first elastic part  61 , a second elastic part  62 , and a third elastic part  63  can be connected to an elastic part retaining block  64 . The elastic part retaining block  64  preferably further includes a block flange  65  that is connected to the elastic part retaining block  64 . The elastic part retaining block  64  can be made of metal or polymer and is not elastic but rather is rigid. The block flange  65  preferably has a left and right wing that are mounted to be protruding as a plank normal to a direction of the elastic parts. The elastic parts are preferably made of an elastic material and can be a rope, cord, cable or spring. A cord is preferred over a coil spring since a coil spring should not be engaged to a pulley while in tension. The elastic material can be a latex tube and is preferably elastic. The elastic parts are committed to an elastic part pulley bracket frame  66 . The elastic part pulley bracket frame  66  has an elastic part pulley bracket frame attachment  69  that can be attached such as being screw mounted or welded to the rear platform front frame  44 . The elastic part pulley bracket frame  66  holds an elastic part pulley axle  67  that is horizontally mounted normal to a direction of the elastic parts. The elastic part pulley axle  67  allows the mounting of three or more elastic part pulleys  68 . The elastic parts are mounted to the elastic part pulley which in turn is mounted to the elastic part pulley axle  67  which is in turn mounted to the elastic part pulley bracket frame  66  which in turn is mounted to the rear platform front frame  44 . 
     The elastic part retaining loop  71  holds the elastic parts and can be connected and disconnected to a hook  74 . The elastic part retaining loop  71  is preferably formed of a heavy gauge metal wire which is not elastic but can be flexible or relatively rigid. The elastic part retaining loop  71  is mounted to the elastic part retaining loop retainer  72 . The elastic part retaining loop  71  retains the elastic portion. The elastic part retaining loop  71  can be formed as a triangular metal ring having an apex oriented toward the hook. The elastic part retaining loop retainer  72  is preferably made of an elastomeric material that is large enough not to slip between the elastic only bracket frame attachment  69  and the elastic part pulley  68 . The hook  74  is preferably mounted directly to the rear carriage frame  26  and the hook tip  73  can be formed of a ball of metal welded to the tip of the hook. The elastic part retaining loop  71  fits over the bulbous hook tip  73 . The hook ends preferably point upward, but can also point toward the carriage. The hooks are preferably mounted on the rear carriage frame  26 , but can also be mounted on the front carriage frame  27 . The hooks are preferably made of aluminum or steel. 
     The carriage is further stabilized by four rollers mounted to a bottom surface of the carriage such as to a frame portion of the carriage, also called the carriage frame. The four rollers, as seen in  FIG. 15 , have vertically oriented axles. The four rollers include a right front vertical roller  111 , a right rear vertical roller  112 , a left front vertical roller  113 , and a left rear vertical roller  114 . The four vertical rollers engage the inside surfaces of the rails. The right front vertical roller  111  is mounted on a right front vertical roller axle  115 . The right front vertical roller axle  115  is preferably mounted on the carriage frame. The right rear vertical roller  112  is mounted to a right rear vertical roller axle  116 . The left front vertical roller  113  is mounted to the left front vertical roller axle  117 . The left rear vertical roller  114  is mounted to the left rear vertical roller axle  118 . The rollers can be made of low friction polyethylene and the roller axles can be made of a shaft having a plurality of rotational bearings such as a pin or ball bearing. 
     Preferably connected to the front carriage frame  27  is a plurality of cable connectors  75 . The cable connector can have a threaded external surface that is threaded into a threaded aperture formed on the front carriage frame  27 . If the front carriage frame  27  is formed as a metal tube, the front carriage frame  27  can be drilled and tapped with a threaded opening for connectively receiving a tip of the cable connectors  75 . The cable connectors  75  can be formed as a steel screw eye hook as seen in the figures. The eye of the cable connector  75  can receive a cable  76 . The cable  76  extends to a cable pulley  77 . The cable pulley  77  is mounted on a cable pulley axle  78 . The cable pulley axle  78  is mounted on a cable pulley bracket  81 . The cable pulley bracket  81  allows a wide degree of freedom if mounted to a flexible mounting. The flexible mounting can include a cable pulley bracket spring  82 . The cable pulley bracket spring  82  can support a cable pulley hinge  84 . The cable pulley hinge  84  could be formed as a segmented hinge, or could be made as a thick polyethylene rope, or could be made as a flexible and elastomeric post. The cable pulley hinge  84  is mounted on a cable pulley stem  83 . The first cable pulley opening  85  formed on the extension platform bracket  96  allows the cable pulley stem  83  to be mounted to the front frame portion  37 . The second cable pulley opening  86  allows insertion of the cable pulley stem  83  into the front frame portion  37 . A pin retainer  87  can have a school mounted a pin loop  88  as a handle. The pin retainer  87  can be inserted into the front frame portion  37  for retaining the cable pulley stem  83  to the front frame portion  37 . 
     The storage bracket  93  includes a storage bracket rear socket  91  and a storage bracket front socket  92 . A user can store the machine by inserting the free ends of the first rail section  31  into the storage bracket rear socket  91  and then insert the rail connection  36  into the storage bracket front socket  92 . Alternatively, a user can fold the device in half between the first rail section and the second rail section if a rail hinge  188  is mounted between the first rail section and the second section. Alternatively, a user could insert the rail connection  36  into storage sockets formed on the rear frame portion  38 . The first rail section and the second rail section can have a tubular cross-section, but can also be made with a square cross-section. The storage bracket can be made of wood, plastic, metal, expanded polystyrene foam or cardboard. 
     The extension platform  95  is optionally removable. The extension platform  95  is preferably upholstered and padded. The extension platform  95  generally has an extension platform bracket  96  that is formed on a plurality of extension platform legs  98 . The extension platform bracket  96  has a rectangular profile that fits as a saddle on a rectangular profile of the front frame portion  37 . The extension platform bracket  96  is preferably welded to the rear legs of the extension platform leg. The rear legs are preferably angled to be diagonal, as opposed to the front legs of the extension platform being vertical. The extension platform has an extension platform front frame  97  on which the extension platform front legs are mounted. The extension platform also has an extension platform rear frame  99  upon which the extension platform brackets  96  are mounted. 
     The carriage  21  has a flat top portion that includes the carriage frame pad. Flat top portion of the carriage frame pad provides sufficient space for a user to stand, sit or kneel. The rear platform  41  has a flat top portion that includes a padded top as well. Similarly, the extension platform  95  also has a flat top portion. The usage of the present invention reformer relies on a user engaging the carriage, the rear platform and the extension platform with feet such that the user has a stance on the reformer. The cable handles  79  that are attached to the cable  76  are preferably pulled with the hands, but can also be engaged with feet or toes. The present invention preferably has three platforms including a carriage platform, a rear platform and an extension platform.