Exercise machine and method for use in a supine position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258573-A1
Application number	US-201514640428-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An exercise machine has a mobile base and an upright support extending upwards from the mobile base. An upper support assembly extends forward from an upper portion of the upright support and an exercise device is suspended from the upper support assembly at a location spaced forward from the upright support. The mobile base has caster wheels and can be positioned from either side of a bed so as to extend partially under a bed with the upright support located on one side of the bed and the exercise device suspended over the bed in a position accessible by a patient lying supine in the bed for performing exercise. An anchoring system resists movement of the base for stability when exercise is performed.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An exercise machine for use by an exerciser in a supine position, comprising:
a mobile base having a forward end and a rear end, the base having a plurality of ground-engaging wheels and an anchoring system configured to arrest movement of the base in an operative position of the exercise machine; an upright support extending upwards from the mobile base; an upper support assembly extending in a generally forward direction from an upper portion of the upright support; and an exercise device suspended from the upper support assembly at a location spaced from the upright support; the mobile base being configured to extend partially under a bed with the upright support located on one side of the bed and the exercise device suspended over the bed in the operative position in which the exercise device is accessible by a patient in the bed to perform exercise.

2 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring system is configured to raise the wheels from the ground in the operative position of the exercise machine.

3 . The exercise machine of claim 2 , wherein the anchoring system comprises a plurality of expandable feet at spaced locations on the mobile base which are movable between a raised, inoperative position during transport of the machine and a lowered, ground-engaging position in which all the caster wheels are raised from the ground when the machine is in an operative position for exercise performance.

4 . The exercise machine of claim 3 , further comprising an actuator configured to control actuation of the expandable feet for movement between the inoperative and ground-engaging positions.

5 . The exercise machine of claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises a foot pedal on the mobile base.

6 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring system comprises a locking device associated with each caster wheel and a remote actuator for actuating the locking devices to lock the caster wheels against movement.

7 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the exercise device is selected from the group consisting of an arm ergometer, a rowing exerciser, a press-up exercise device, a pull down exercise device, a bicep curl exercise device, a chest press exercise device, a shoulder press exercise device, a leg extension exercise device, a leg press exercise device, and a leg cycling exercise device.

8 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment device configured for selective adjustment of the height of the exercise device above the mobile base.

9 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the upper support assembly comprises a four bar pivot linkage and an actuator configured to control the four bar pivot linkage to adjust the height of the exercise device.

10 . The exercise machine of claim 9 , wherein the four bar pivot linkage comprises a vertical support from which the exercise device is suspended, at least one upper pivot link having a first pivot connection to the upright support and a second pivot connection to the vertical support, and at least one lower pivot link having a third pivot connection to the upright support below the first pivot connection, and a fourth pivot connection to the vertical support below the second pivot connection.

11 . The exercise machine of claim 10 , wherein one of the pivot links has a rear portion extending rearward from the upright support, and a counterweight is mounted on the rear portion for urging the exercise device upwards and away from a patient when the actuator is released.

12 . The exercise machine of claim 9 , wherein the actuator comprises a gas spring.

13 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , further comprising a load associated with the exercise device for adjusting exercise resistance.

14 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the mobile base comprises an H-shaped frame with a pair of side bars and a cross bar extending between the side bars, and the upright support extends upward from a central portion of the cross support bar.

15 . The exercise machine of claim 14 , wherein the cross bar is located closer to the rear end of the mobile base than the forward end.

16 . The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein the base has at least two spaced forward caster wheels adjacent the forward end and at least two spaced rear caster wheels adjacent the rear end, and at least two expandable forward feet each located in the vicinity of a respective forward caster wheel.

17 . The exercise device of claim 16 , further comprising at least two expandable rear feet each located in the vicinity of a respective rear caster wheel.

18 . The exercise machine of claim 1 , further comprising a display device mounted on or adjacent the exercise device, the display device being positioned to face a user in a bed when the machine is in the operative position relative to the bed.

19 . The exercise machine of claim 18 , wherein the display device comprises a tablet computer.

20 . The exercise machine of claim 18 , further comprising an articulated arm which mounts the display device on the machine and is configured for positioning of the display device on either side of the exercise device.

21 . A method of positioning an exercise machine for use by a person in a supine position in a bed, comprising:
positioning a mobile base of an exercise machine with at least a forward portion of the base extending under a bed while caster wheels on the base are in a deployed, rollable condition engaging the ground, an upright support extending upwards from mobile base located adjacent a side of the bed, and an upper support assembly from which an exercise device is suspended extending over the bed with the exercise device positioned over a user in the bed; and actuating an anchor system in the mobile base to support the base in a stable position; after a patient in the bed has completed an exercise routine using the exercise device, de-actuating the anchor system to allow movement of the mobile base; and moving the mobile base away from the bed.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising raising or lowering the exercise device when the mobile base is in the stable position to place the exercise device at a selected height above a person in the bed for access by the patient to perform exercise, and releasably locking the exercise device at the selected height.

Assignees

• Us Dept Veterans Affairs

Inventors

• Goldish Gary
• Hansen Andrew
• Nickel Eric
• Ferguson John

Classifications

• A63B22/0694 Primary

  without integral seat, e.g. portable mini ergometers being placed in front of a chair, on a table or on a bed · CPC title

• F16M11/42 Primary

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• B60B33/0094

  actuated automatically · CPC title