Patent ID: 7540045

Claim:
An apparatus to enable a person to practice standing from a seated position, the apparatus comprising: a support structure; a pulley coupled to the support structure through a first substantially vertically extending structure, the pulley being at a first height; a handle coupled to the support structure through a second substantially vertically extending structure, distinct from the first vertically extending structure, the handle secured to the second substantially vertically extending structure at an end of the second substantially vertically extending structure, the handle being at a second height suitable to be grabbed by the person while practicing to stand; an adjustable leg brace coupled to the support structure, the adjustable leg brace being at a third height, the adjustable leg brace having a contact area to brace the legs of the person while practicing to stand, the second vertically extending structure being positioned between the adjustable leg brace and the first vertically extending structure, the first height being greater that the second height, the second height being greater than the third height, the first substantially vertically extending structure and the contact area of the adjustable leg brace defining an adjustable horizontal spacing therebetween, the adjustable horizontal spacing being adjustable in accordance with a position of the adjustable leg brace; a counterbalance weight; a cable coupled to the pulley and to the counterbalance weight; and a harness attached to a first end of the cable, the harness to couple to a seat area of the person, a segment of the cable extending from the pulley to the harness being at an oblique angle with respect to the first substantially vertically extending structure when the harness is coupled to the seat area of the person, the oblique angle resulting from the pulley being at the first height and from the adjustable horizontal spacing between the first substantially vertically extending structure and the contact area of the adjustable leg brace, a value of the oblique angle being defined in accordance with the height of the pulley and with the adjustable horizontal spacing, the counterbalance weight applying a force to the cable, the segment of cable extending from the pulley to the harness directing a portion of the force to pull on the harness at the oblique angle, resulting in the person being pulled in a forward direction and in an upward direction, in a way that enables the person to practice standing from a seated position.