U.S. patent application number 14/321334 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-07 for rowing machine suspension device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Anthony Roberts Parrish, JR.. Invention is credited to Anthony Roberts Parrish, JR..
Application Number | 20160001123 14/321334 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55016300 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160001123 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Parrish, JR.; Anthony
Roberts |
January 7, 2016 |
ROWING MACHINE SUSPENSION DEVICE
Abstract
A support lift for a physically disabled user, without
additional assistance from another person, to access and use a
rowing a machine is provided. The support lift may include a
support line and a handle mounted above the seat of the rowing
machine. Therefore, the user may grasp the handle and lower onto
the seat of the rowing machine without assistance.
Inventors: |
Parrish, JR.; Anthony Roberts;
(Miami, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Parrish, JR.; Anthony Roberts |
Miami |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
55016300 |
Appl. No.: |
14/321334 |
Filed: |
July 1, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/72 ;
482/142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2022/0079 20130101;
A63B 21/225 20130101; A63B 22/0076 20130101; A63B 71/0009 20130101;
A63B 69/0064 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/00 20060101
A63B022/00; A63B 21/22 20060101 A63B021/22 |
Claims
1. An exercise support apparatus comprising: a rowing machine
comprising a rowing machine base having a front end and a rear end,
a flywheel comprising a pulley secured at the front end, and a seat
attached to the base in between the flywheel and the rear end; a
frame; and a handle hanging from the frame by a support line,
wherein the handle is disposed in between the front end and the
rear end of the rowing machine above the seat.
2. (canceled)
3. The exercise support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame
comprises: a frame base configured to support the frame in an
upright position when resting on a surface; a vertical support post
substantially perpendicular to and extending from the frame base;
and a horizontal support arm substantially perpendicular to and
extending from the vertical support post over the rowing machine
base.
4. The exercise support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the support
line runs along the vertical support post and the horizontal
support arm and is positioned over the seat.
5. The exercise support apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an
electrical motor configured to lower and raise the support line
relative to the seat.
6. The exercise support apparatus of claim 5, further comprising
control buttons on the handle and operatively connected to the
electrical motor.
7. The exercise support apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a
plurality of pulleys mounted along the frame, wherein the support
line runs through the plurality of pulleys.
8. The exercise support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
horizontal support arm is pivotally connected to the vertical
support post by a pivoting locking assembly.
9. The exercise support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the frame
base comprises a first arm and a second arm formed to fixedly
secure the front end of the rowing machine in between.
10.-15. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to exercise equipment and,
more particularly, to a suspension device that allows a person with
physical disabilities to gain safe unassisted access to a rowing
machine.
[0002] An indoor rower, or rowing machine, is a machine used to
simulate the action of rowing on water in a crew "shell" for the
purpose of exercise or training for rowing. Indoor rowing has
become established as a sport in its own right. The term "rower"
also refers to a participant in this sport. Modern indoor rowers
are often known as ergometers (colloquially, "erg" or "ergo"), an
ergometer being a device which allows a rower on and to simulate
rowing on water while measuring the amount of work performed. The
indoor rowing ergometer is calibrated to measure the amount of
energy the rower is using through his or her use of the
equipment.
[0003] One of the well known aspects of rowing, whether on water in
a crew shell or on land by using ergometers, is that it is a "full
body" exercise in which a majority of the muscles of the body are
used simultaneously. Furthermore, it is also well known that the
rowing motion itself, being a seated exercise, is very low impact,
meaning that the joints are not subjected by the rowing motion to
the physical impact caused by many other sports involving running
or jumping. These two well known aspects of the sport of rowing
make it suitable for physical rehabilitation of persons with lower
torso injuries such as hip fractures or knee replacements.
[0004] The seats of existing rowing machine ergometers are too low
to be accessed by persons with leg, hip or back issues who desire
to row for rehabilitation. Raising the rowing machine ergometer to
make it safely accessible to a person in a walker also may render
the ergometer unstable while increasing substantially the distance
of any accidental fall. Further, even if raised, additional
assistance from a second person would be required to access the
rowing machine. Because the seats are too low, rowing machine
ergometers exist in health clubs worldwide, but not in medical
rehabilitation facilities.
[0005] As can be seen, there is a need for a support device
allowing the physically disabled to use a rowing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, an exercise support
apparatus comprises: a rowing machine comprising a rowing machine
base having a front end and a rear end, with a seat disposed in
between; and a support line comprising a handle, wherein the
support line is suspended above the seat and is substantially
perpendicular to the rowing machine base.
[0007] In another aspect of the present invention, an exercise
support apparatus comprises: a frame base formed to fixedly secure
to a rowing machine; a vertical support post substantially
perpendicular to and extending from the frame base; a horizontal
support arm substantially perpendicular to and extending from the
vertical support post configured to be positioned over the rowing
machine; and a support line comprising a handle hanging from the
horizontal support arm.
[0008] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with reference to
the following drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention demonstrating
operator in full upright position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention demonstrating
operator in mid-upright position;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention demonstrating
operator in sitting position; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a side view of the invention demonstrating
exemplary pivot of the horizontal support arm of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The following detailed description is of the best currently
contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the
invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense,
but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general
principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is
best defined by the appended claims.
[0015] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a
support lift for disabled users of a rowing a machine. The support
lift may include a support line and a handle mounted above the seat
of the rowing machine. Therefore, the user may grasp the handle and
lower themselves into the seat of the rowing machine.
[0016] The present invention allows a disabled person, in a walker
but with upper body arm strength, to safely lower his or her body
on to the rowing machine ergometer seat without assistance. The
present invention allows a person with leg, hip or back injury to
safely lower his or her body from the height of a walker (4 ft)
down to the ergometer seat height (1 ft) without additional
assistance.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1 through 5, the present invention
includes an exercise support apparatus for a rowing machine 12. The
rowing machine 12 may be a standard rowing machine 12. For example,
the rowing machine 12 may include a rowing machine base 11 having a
front end and a rear end. A pulley and flywheel may be attached
near the front end, with a seat 30 disposed in between the front
end and the rear end. In certain embodiments, the front end may be
supported by a stanchion 38 and a cross brace 42. The rear end may
be supported by a support bracket 15. The present invention may
further include a support line 24 having a handle 18. The support
line 24 may be suspended above the seat 30 and is substantially
perpendicular to the rowing machine base 11.
[0018] In certain embodiments, the support line 24 may be supported
by a support structure. For example, the support line 24 may be
attached to a ceiling above the rowing machine 12, or a self
supporting frame 17. The frame 17 of the present invention may
include a frame base 10, a vertical support post 34, and a
horizontal support arm 26. The frame base 10 may support the frame
17 in an upright position when resting on a surface 32. The
vertical support post 34 may extend from the frame base 10 and may
be substantially perpendicular to the frame base 10. The horizontal
support arm 26 be extend from the vertical support post 34 and may
be substantially perpendicular to the vertical support post 34. The
horizontal support arm 26 extends over the rowing machine 12, and
the support line 24 may hang from the horizontal support arm
26.
[0019] The support line 24 of the present invention may attach to
and run along the frame 17. In certain embodiments, a plurality of
pulleys 22 may run along an outer perimeter of the frame 17. The
support line 24 may run along the pulleys 22. In certain
embodiments, the present invention may include a motor 16 such as
an electrical motor 16. The support line 24 may roll around a wheel
of the motor 16, and the motor 16 may extend and retract the
support line 24 along the frame 17. Therefore, the motor 16 may
lower and raise the support line 24 relative to the seat 30. In
certain embodiments, the handle 18 may include control buttons 20
that operatively connect to the electrical motor 16. Therefore, a
user 36 may operate the motor 16 using the buttons 20.
[0020] In certain embodiments, the vertical support post 34 and the
horizontal support arm 26 may pivot relative to one another. In
such embodiments, the frame 17 of the present invention may include
a pivoting locking assembly 28. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the
horizontal support arm 26 may be pivoted and locked in position
using the pivoting locking assembly 28.
[0021] The front end of the rowing machine 12 may fixedly connected
to the frame base 10. The frame base 10 may include a first arm and
a second arm. Extending from the first arm and the second arm may
be a C-shaped bracket 40. The cross brace 42 of the front end of
the rowing machine 12 may fit within the C-shaped brackets 40 of
the first arm and the second arm. Therefore, the base 11 may be
secured to the frame 17. Further, in certain embodiments, the frame
17 may be further connected to the rowing machine 12 by a connecter
14. Due to the connections mentioned above, the rowing machine 12
may be in a fixed position relative to the frame 17.
[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 2 through FIG. 5, a method of using
the present invention may include the following. The horizontal
support arm 26 is pivoted and fixed relative to the vertical
support post 34. The user 36 may grasp the handle 18. The user 36
may then activate the button 20 that lowers the support line 24,
thereby lowering the user 36 into the seat 30. The user 36 may
perform his or her exercise workout. Once the user 36 is finished,
the user 36 may grasp the handle 18 and activate a button 20 that
raises the support line 24, thereby raising the user up from the
seat 30.
[0023] In certain embodiments, the buttons 20, motor 16, and
pulleys 22 may not be needed for certain users with sufficient arm
strength alone to lower himself or herself down on to the seat 30
while grasping the handle 18 suspended in a fixed position over the
seat 30.
[0024] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing
relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *