U.S. patent application number 10/132892 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-30 for wheelchair exercise apparatus.
Invention is credited to Pestes, Larry L..
Application Number | 20030203792 10/132892 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29248862 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030203792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pestes, Larry L. |
October 30, 2003 |
WHEELCHAIR EXERCISE APPARATUS
Abstract
An exercise apparatus for a wheelchair has a raised platform
with an upper surface which will support a wheelchair. Front and
rear rollers mounted rotatably on the platform project slightly
above the platform upper surface to support the driving wheels of
the wheelchair. One of the rollers is connected to a flywheel which
provides momentum to even out the movement of the rollers and the
driving wheels between strokes of the person driving the
wheelchair. One or more attachment arms hold the wheelchair
immovably on the platform when the user is exercising. The arm is
split into two arm sections which rotate relative to one another
through a third joint. The outer end of one of the arm sections is
pivotally attached to the platform through a first joint and the
outer end of the other arm section, is pivotally attached to a
clamp through a second joint. The clamp is configured to quickly
and easily attach to the wheelchair frame. A clamp mechanism causes
the first, second and third joints to be simultaneously locked
immovably upon the activation of a single handle.
Inventors: |
Pestes, Larry L.; (Boring,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Charles D. McClung
Chernoff, Vilhauer, McClung & Stenzel, LLP
1600 ODS Tower
601 S.W. Second Avenue
Portland
OR
97204-3157
US
|
Family ID: |
29248862 |
Appl. No.: |
10/132892 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/60 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 482/904 20130101;
A63B 23/1281 20130101; A63B 21/225 20130101; A63B 2069/168
20130101; A63B 71/0009 20130101; A63B 2071/0018 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/60 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/06; A63B
069/16 |
Claims
1. An exercise apparatus for wheelchairs having large diameter
driving wheels comprising: (a) a platform having an upper surface
which will support a wheelchair; (b) front and rear rollers which
are rotatably mounted on said platform and are configured to
support said driving wheels and permit rotation of said driving
wheels when said wheelchair is on said platform; (c) one or more
attachment arms which hold said wheelchair immovably on said
platform, said attachment arm having a first arm section with a
first joint located at an outer end thereof which is pivotally
attached to said platform, a second arm section with a second joint
located at an outer end thereof which is pivotally attached to a
clamp device which can be removably attached to a frame element of
said wheelchair, and an articulated center having a third joint
which permits inner ends of said arm sections to rotate relative to
one another; and (d) a clamp mechanism which permits fixing said
first, second and third joints simultaneously upon activation of a
single activation member.
2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, including a rotating flywheel
device which is connected to one of said front and rear rollers and
which rotates when said one of said front and rear rollers is
rotated to impart momentum to the rotating driving wheel of said
wheelchair.
3. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamp mechanism
has a rotatable handle which moves said clamp mechanism between
clamped and unclamped positions.
4. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, including a ramp which allows
a wheelchair to be driven up onto said platform.
5. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, further including: (a) said
first and second joints each including a ball which is carried in a
socket; (b) a first rod which is slidably carried in said first arm
section and a second rod which is slidably carried in said second
arm section; (c) said first and second rods having outer ends which
abut respective ones of said balls; (d) said first and second rods
having inner ends which terminate within said third joint and have
opposed sloping extremities; (e) said third joint includes an upper
section which is attached to said first arm section and a lower
section which is attached to said second arm section, said upper
and lower sections being rotatable relative to one another; and (f)
an upper wedge which fits within said upper section and engages the
sloping extremity of said inner end of said first rod, and a second
wedge which fits within said lower section and engages the sloping
extremity of said inner end of said second rod, such that urging
said upper and lower wedges toward one another prevents rotation of
said upper and lower sections and pushes said first and second rods
outwardly against respective ones of said balls to prevent
rotations of said first and second joints.
6. The exercise device of claim 2 wherein said flywheel device
includes: (a) a blade having weights at both extremities thereof,
said blade being rotatably mounted on said platform; and (b) an
endless belt which extends between a pulley associated with said
one of said front and rear rollers and a pulley associated with
said blade.
Description
BACKGROUND OF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus which allows the user
of a wheelchair to exercise, and in particular to such an apparatus
in which the wheelchair is easily secured to the apparatus and in
which the wheelchair operates in a manner which is similar to
actual wheelchair operation.
[0002] Most aerobic exercise apparatus, such as treadmills,
stationary bicycles, stair step machines and the like do not
accommodate people who do not have full use of their legs. While
there are exercise apparatus which allow a wheelchair to be driven
while held stationary, the prior art apparatus of this type have
two shortcomings. First, when a wheelchair is driven in the
apparatus it needs to be securely attached to the apparatus if the
user is going to exercise vigorously. Many of the prior art
wheelchair exercise devices do not allow the wheel chair to be
securely attached to them. Furthermore, in those that do, the
attachment mechanism is difficult and time consuming to use,
particularly for someone in a wheelchair.
[0003] Second, when a wheelchair is driven its weight creates
momentum which keeps it traveling at relevantly the same speed even
though there are intervals where the driving wheels are not being
rotated by the user due to the cycling manner in which a user's
arms push the driving wheel. The prior art wheelchair exercise
apparatus do not do a good job of simulating this momentum.
[0004] The subject invention overcomes the foregoing shortcomings
and limitations of the prior art wheelchair exercise apparatus by
providing an attachment arm having a first arm section with a first
joint on its outer end which is pivotally attached to the exercise
apparatus and a second arm section with a second joint at its outer
end which is pivotally attached to a clamp which can easily and
quickly be attached to a frame element of the wheelchair. The inner
ends of the first and second arm sections are rotatably connected
together through the third joint. A clamp mechanism permits
simultaneously fixing the first, second and third joints
irrotatably by the activation of a single activation member.
[0005] The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages
of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration
of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a wheelchair exercise
apparatus embodying the subject invention, with a wheelchair in
place.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exercise apparatus of FIG.
1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
wheelchair exercise apparatus of FIG. 1, without the wheelchair in
place, partially broken away to show hidden detail.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the wheelchair exercise apparatus
of FIG. 1, without the wheelchair in place, partially broken away
to show hidden detail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a platform 10 is
configured to support a wheelchair 12 carrying a rider (not shown).
The platform 10 has a horizontal planar upper surface 14 and a
sloped ramp 16 which allows the wheelchair to be driven up onto the
upper surface. A cutout 18 located at the back of the upper surface
14 of the platform exposes a pair of spaced-apart, side-by-side
rollers 20a, b. The rollers extend transversely across the platform
and are rotatably mounted on the sides 22 of the platform. The
rollers project through the cutout 18 and extend slightly above the
platform upper surface 14. The rollers are arranged to receive the
driving wheels 24 of the wheelchair and permit the driving wheels
to be rotated when the wheelchair is on the platform. The front
roller 20b is split into two opposed segments and a pulley 26 is
located between the segments on the shaft 28 that carries the front
roller.
[0011] Referring now also to FIGS. 3 and 4, a flywheel device 30 is
rotatably mounted on the front end of the platform in a bearing 32.
A shaft 34, which is journaled in and supported by the bearing 32,
carries a blade 36 having weights 38 located at each of its ends. A
pulley 40, located on the shaft 34, is connected to the pulley 26
by an endless belt 42. Thus, when the driving wheels 24 of the
wheelchair and the rollers 20a and b are rotated, the flywheel is
rotated also. As a result, the flywheel imparts momentum to the
rollers so that the driving wheel continues to rotate between
strokes, much as would occur by wheelchairs driven on the
ground.
[0012] The wheelchair is held in place on the platform by a pair of
attachment arms 41. Each attachment arm is split into a first arm
section 41a and a second arm section 41b which are rotatably
attached at their adjacent inner ends through a third joint 43. The
outer end of the first arm section 41a is pivotally attached
through a first joint 46 to a post 44 which projects upwardly from
the platform, and the outer end of the second arm section 41b is
pivotally attached through a second joint 50 to a clamp 48. A clamp
mechanism 52 permits the first, second, and third joints to be
simultaneously locked and released by turning one handle 54. The
clamp 48 is designed to fit over any tubular frame element in the
wheelchair, such as the foot support arm 56 shown in the drawings.
The clamp is normally urged to its open position by means of a
spring 58 and can be closed simply by rotating an over center lever
60.
[0013] Referring now also to FIG. 5, balls 62 are located in
sockets 64 located in the first and second joints 46, 50. The ball
62 in the first joint 46 is attached to the post 44 through a first
stud 64, and the ball 62 in the second joint 50 is attached to the
clamp 48 through a second stud 66. A first rod 68 is slidably
located in the first arm section 41a. An outer end 70 of the first
rod 68 abuts the ball 62 in the first joint 46, and the inner end
72 extends into the third joint 43. A second rod 76 is slidably
located in the second arm section 41b. An outer end 78 of the
second rod abuts the ball 62 in the second joint 50, and the inner
end 80 extends into the third joint 43. The inner end 72 of the
first rod 68 enters the third joint above and on the opposite side
from the inner end 80 of the second rod 76. The first and second
rods have opposed, tapered ends.
[0014] The third joint 43 is cylindrical and has a central opening
74 extending through it. The third joint is divided into an upper
section 43a and a lower section 43b which rotate relative to one
another. The inner end 72 of the first rod 68 extends into the
upper section 43a and the inner end 80 of the second rod 76 extends
into the lower section 43b. Located in the third joint 43 is an
upper wedge 82 and a lower wedge 84. The wedges 82 and 84 are
cylindrical and are sized to slidably fit in the cylindrical
opening 74. The upper surface of the upper wedge 82 is oriented
normal to the center line of the cylindrical opening 74 and its
lower surface 86 is tapered at an angle which is opposite the angle
of the inner end of the first rod 68. Thus, the lower surface 86 of
the upper wedge 82 overlies the inner end 72 of the first rod. The
lower surface of the lower wedge 84 is normal to the center line of
the cylindrical opening 74, and its upper surface 88 is tapered at
an angle which is opposite to the angle of the inner end 80 of the
second rod 76. Thus, the upper surface 88 overlies the inner end of
the second rod 76. The wedges have aligned openings passing through
them along the center line of the cylindrical opening 74, and a
bolt 90 extends through the openings. The handle 54 has a threaded
opening which engages the end of the bolt 90. Thus, tightening the
handle 54 on the bolt 90 pulls the wedges inwardly toward one
another. The wedges in turn push the arms 68 and 76 outwardly
against the balls 62, locking the balls immovably in the first and
second joints 46 and 50. As the wedges continue to be urged
together, they also prevent rotation of the upper and lower third
joint sections 43a, 43b relative to one another. Thus, tightening
the handle 54 simultaneously locks up the first, second and third
joints and holds the wheelchair in place on the platform 10.
[0015] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the
foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description
and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of
such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the
features shown and described or portions thereof, it being
recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited
only by the claims which follow.
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