WHEELED EXERCISE DEVICE

EXERCISEUR POUR PIEDS EN POSITION ASSISE "PUSHY FOOT ON THE COUCH EXERCISER"

English Abstract

An exercise device supported on wheels and having a sloped platform for
receiving a user's foot
is provided. The exercise device is adapted for use in leg and foot shuffle-
type exercises and has
at least one front wheel with a greater diameter than at least one rear wheel
mounted on the
underside of the platform, which causes the platform to tilt downward toward
the rear of the
device. The front wheel and rear wheel are configured to permit the user's
foot to pivot on a
plane substantially parallel to the floor and allows for full extension of the
leg. A tensioning
cord is also provided which is held by the user's hands and provides
resistance to the forced
movement of the platform away from the user. When the resistance force of the
cord is
decreased, the user's feet can be used to pull the platform toward the user.

French Abstract

La présente invention porte sur un exerciseur sur roulettes muni d'une plate-forme en pente pour recevoir les pieds d'un utilisateur. L'exerciseur est adapté pour utilisation dans des exercices de type de battement des pieds et des jambes et comprend au moins une roue avant dont le diamètre est plus grand que celui d'une roue arrière montée sur la face inférieure de la plate-forme, qui permet à celle-ci de basculer vers l'arrière de l'exerciseur. Les roues avant et arrière sont configurées pour permettre aux pieds de l'utilisateur de pivoter sur un plan essentiellement parallèle au plancher et permet l'entière extension de la jambe. Une corde de tension est aussi fournie; elle est tenue par les mains de l'utilisateur et fournit une résistance au déplacement forcé de la plate-forme à l'écart de l'utilisateur. Si la force de résistance de la corde est diminuée, les pieds de l'utilisateur peuvent être utilisés pour tirer la plate-forme vers l'utilisateur.

Claims

9
CLAIMS
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. An exercise device comprising:
a platform having a topside, an underside, a front edge, a rear edge, a first
side
edge, and a second side edge;
at least one front wheel mounted on the underside of the platform for rolling
directly on a floor;
at least one rear wheel mounted on the underside of the platform for rolling
directly on the floor; and
a tensioning cord attached to the first and second side edges of the platform,
wherein the at least one front wheel is greater in diameter than the at least
one rear wheel,
and whereby the greater diameter of the at least one front wheel tilts the
platform
downwardly toward the rear edge of the platform,
and further wherein the at least one front wheel and the at least one rear
wheel are
configured to permit a sitting user to rest a foot on the platform and extend
a leg while
bending a knee while the foot rests substantially flat against the platform
when the wheels
are rolling on the floor.
2. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the platform is provided with a
bracket to prevent
the user's foot from slipping off of the rear edge and first and second side
edges of the
platform.

3. The exercise device of claim 1 further comprising a toe strap.
4. The exercise device of claim 3 wherein the toe strap is adjustable.

Description

CA 02528548 2010-10-26
WHEELED EXERCISE DEVICE
This invention is in the field of exercise devices, and more specifically, to
such devices that are
used by the human legs while in a seated position.
BACKGROUND
With the realities of modern life, it is becoming increasingly difficult to
find time to do the
exercise required for a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity is necessary and
promotes good health
in a myriad of ways, for example, by increasing muscle strength, keeping a
healthy heart, and
maintaining a desirable weight. However, for many people, much of the day is
spent sitting
while doing office work. This limits the time that can be spent doing leisure
activities such as
going to the gym or going jogging, and makes it overall very difficult to
obtain adequate levels
of physical activity.
There are a number of exercise devices which can be used in the home or at a
gym which allow a
user to attain a healthy level of physical activity, such as treadmills,
elliptical machines, or free
weights. However, these types of devices tend to be large and unwieldy such
that a separate
room, or even a gym, is required to house and use the apparatuses.
Furthermore, typically these
devices and apparatuses require a user to focus all of their attention on the
devices and the
exercise being done such that the exercise needs to be done separate and apart
from any other
activity. This means that time must be taken away from work or relaxation time
to get in a
workout.
Frequently, a person has very limited segments of time to use a piece of
exercise equipment;
usually limited to less than an hour. The typical office worker will have only
a lunch hour to
spare, or short periods of time while on speaker phone or performing other
typical office tasks
such as reading on a computer screen or the like. In order to save time, it is
desirable to have a
device which allows a user to contemporaneously get exercise, while also being
able to sit at a
desk and perform office functions or watch television on a couch or chair.
While devices such as
these exist in the prior art, typically these devices are aimed toward a
specific group of muscles

CA 02528548 2010-10-26
2
in the legs or the arms, but not both. It is well-known in science that the
greater the number of
muscle groups that are exercised, the better the workout. Since the devices
existing in the prior
art are aimed toward only a single group of muscles in either the arms or the
legs, these prior art
devices are not maximizing the efficiency of the workout. Other devices which
can be used to
exercise the legs or arms while sitting in a chair require specific
configurations of the chair to
allow for attachment of the devices to the chair. This type of device does not
allow for use of the
device, for example, while on a couch. The typical device that exercises a
user's legs while
seated furthermore does not permit full extension of the user's legs, such
that the user's muscles
do not receive the full range of motion, and therefore do not receive the full
benefit of the
exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device that
overcomes problems in
the prior art.
In an embodiment of the present invention, an exercise device adapted for use
in leg and foot
shuffle-type exercises comprises a platform having a topside, an underside, a
front edge, a rear
edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge; at least one front wheel
mounted on the underside
of the platform for rolling directly on a floor; at least one rear wheel
mounted on the underside of
the platform for rolling directly on the floor; and at least one tensioning
cord. The at least one
front wheel is greater in diameter than the at least one rear wheel in such a
way that the at least
one front wheel tilts the platform downwardly toward the rear edge of the
platform. The at least
one front wheel and the at least one rear wheel are configured to permit a
sitting user to rest a
foot on the platform and extend a leg while bending a knee while the foot
rests substantially flat
against the platform when the wheels are rolling on the floor.
In a method of using the exercise device, an exercise device comprising a
platform having a
topside, an underside, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, and a
second side edge; at least
one front wheel mounted on the underside of the platform for rolling directly
on a floor; at least
one rear wheel mounted on the underside of the platform for rolling directly
on the floor; and at

CA 02528548 2010-10-26
3
least one tensioning cord, is provided. The exercise device's at least one
front wheel is greater in
diameter than the at least one rear wheel, and the greater diameter of the at
least one front wheel
tilts the platform downwardly toward the rear edge of the platform. The method
further
comprises positioning at least one foot on the topside of the platform and
grasping the tensioning
cord with at least one hand. The method further comprises extending a leg
while bending a knee
while the at least one foot rests substantially flat against the platfonn when
the wheels are rolling
on the floor.
The present invention effectively allows the full range of motion of the
quadriceps to improve
io one's physical condition while seated, while also working other muscles in
the arms and legs.
The platform is guided along a plane away from and toward the user and the
tensioning cord is
held by the user's hands which provides resistance to the forced movement of
the platform away
from the user. When the resistance force of the cord is decreased, the user's
feet can be used to
pull the platform toward the user. This action can be repeated as desired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments are
provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood
in conjunction
with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several
diagrams are labeled
with like numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise device; and
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the exercise device shown in Fig. I as used by a
person.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
As outlined above, the invention is an exercise device that allows a user to
exercise both the arms
and legs while remaining seated in any type of chair, stool, couch, or seat,
and which permits the

CA 02528548 2010-10-26
4
full extension of his or her quadriceps, in order to maximize the benefits and
efficiency of the
exercise.
Figs. 1 and 2 show an exercise device 10 in an embodiment of the present
invention. Exercise
device 10 has a platform 20, at least one front wheel 30, at least one rear
wheel 40, and an
adjustable tensioning cord 50.
Platform 20 is defined by a topside 21, an underside 22, a front edge 23, a
rear edge 24, and a
first side 25 and a second side 26, and is configured for receiving at least
one foot 90 of a user 91
to in a seated position. Platform 20 could optionally be equipped with a U-
shaped bracket 28
comprising a set of elevated edges configured to prevent the user's foot 90
from slipping off of
the rear edge 24 or sides 25 and 26 of the platform 20 and which can be
attached to the topside
21 of the platform 20.
The platform 20 could also optionally be provided with a toe strap 60. The toe
strap 60 is an
adjustable holding mechanism such as a belt strap such as is shown in Figs. I
and 2. The user 91
can place his or her feet 90 onto the platform 20 and in the embodiment shown
in Figs. 1 and 2,
the user 91 tightens a belt strap 60 around the foot 90 using the appropriate
belt loop and then
straps the foot 90 to the platform 20 using the belt buckle. One skilled in
the art will appreciate
that the adjustable holding mechanism of the toe strap 60 can take other
forms, such as a buckled
securing means.
At least one front wheel 30 and at least one rear wheel 40 are attached to the
underside 22 of the
platform 20. Wheels 30 and 40 are of any conventional design and are mounted
on the ends of
axles 72 and 74, respectively. The at least one front wheel 30 is of greater
diameter than the at
least one rear wheel 40 such that the topside 21 of the platform 20 slopes
downward toward the
rear edge 24. The at least one rear wheel 40 will typically be of great enough
diameter to prevent
the heel of the user 91 from scuffing the floor. The wheels 30 and 40 are
attached to the
underside 22 of the platform 20 through any conventional means. The platform
20 could be
provided with, for example, downwardly extending side members 70 supporting
conventional
bearings. Front and back axles 72 and 74 would be supported on the bearings.
Typically, a pair

CA 02528548 2010-10-26
of wheels 30 or 40 are attached to opposite sides 25 and 26 of the platform 20
and are supported
by downwardly extending side members 70 that allow the wheels 30 or 40 and
corresponding
front axle 72 or rear axle 74 to rotate freely. In one embodiment, each set of
the front wheels 30
and rear wheels 40 are connected via an assembly of lock nuts, washers, and an
axle 72 or 74.
5 An axle 72 or 74 is attached at one end to the platform 20 by a downwardly
extending member
70 and a washer is inserted over the axle 72 or 74; the other end is inserted
through a centrally
located aperture 31, or 41 of the front wheel 30 or rear wheel 40,
respectively. Next, another
washer and finally a lock nut are mounted on the axle 72 or 74 to secure the
at least one front
wheel 30 or the at least one rear wheel 40 in place on the axle 72 or 74. The
wheels on each the
first and second sides 25 and 26 are connected in this way and are free to
independently rotate on
the axle 72 or 74. The wheels 30 and 40 attached in this way allow for
smoothly translating the
platform 20 along the floor, while allowing full extension of the user's legs
and furthermore
allows the user 91 to maintain a comfortable angle between the legs and the
feet 90 when
exercising.
The platform 20 is coupled to at least one adjustable tensioning cord 50. The
tensioning cord 50
allows a user 91 to manipulate the resistance of the exercise using the user's
arms and hands 92.
In one embodiment, the tensioning cord 50 comprises a continuous loop of cord
attached around
the bottom of the device 10. The tensioning cord 50 may be removably attached
at the distal end
to the sides 25 and 26 of the platform 20. The tensioning cord 50 could be
made out of a variety
of materials, including rope. The tensioning cord 50 is grasped by the user 91
at one end, and is
attached to the platform 20 at the other end. To obtain balance throughout the
length of the
device 20, one end of the tensioning cord 50 is connected to each side 25 and
26 of the platform
20 equal distance from the center of the platform 20. To increase the force
required by the user's
feet 90 to push the platform 20 away from the user 91, the user 91 simply
increases the pulling
force exerted by the user's hands 92 on the tensioning cord 50. It is
contemplated within the
scope of the present invention that the tensioning cord 50 could also be
adjustable to different
lengths to accommodate differing user heights. The length of the tensioning
cord 50 can be
adjustable to accommodate the various leg and arm lengths and strengths of the
various users 91.

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Fig. 2 schematically shows the exercise device 10 being used by a user 91 in a
sitting position.
To use the exercise device 10, the device 10 is placed in a position in front
of a user 91 in a
seated position, allowing the user 91 to place his or her feet 90 on the
platform 20. To exercise,
the user 91 grasps the tensioning cord 50 with the user's hands 92 and
repeatedly straightens and
bends his or her legs translating the platform 20 in a plane away from the
user 91 against the
resisting force on the platform 20 by the tensioning cord 50. The exercise
device 10 is moved in
the reciprocal directions of the arrows A and B while the wheels 30 and 40
roll smoothly on the
floor. The adjustable tensioning cord 50 provides resistance to the forced
movement of the
platform 20 away from the user 91. When the resistance force of the cord 50 is
decreased, the
user's feet 90 can be used to pull the platform 20 toward the user 91. The
cord 50 enables the
user 91 to use his or her arms and hands 92 to provide resistance to the
motion of the legs and
furthermore to exercise the arms. Thus, with the cord 50 in place, the
exercise device may be
used for exercising the arms of the user 91 and to aid the therapeutic or
orthopedic exercise of
the knee and legs. The device 10 may be moved in any direction by the user 91
and at any
speed. Alternatively, the platform 20 can be held away from the user 91 at a
distance by
extending the user's legs almost completely, and by using short alternating
oscillations between
the legs which will produce a rocking motion of the platform 20 to exercise
the arms and legs in
an alternating fashion.
The embodiments described herein have described an exercise device and method
of using such
device that allows a user to fully exercise his or her legs and arms without
disturbing other daily
activities, particularly those activities that are done while seated. The
exercise device rolls on a
plane on the floor toward and away from the user, thus allowing it to he used
under a desk or at a
computer station. In this way, the exercise device allows for use during
common activities in the
workday. The user can remain completely seated while exercising, thus making
the exercise
device ideal for use in front of a television. Furthermore, the device does
not require a specific
connection to a chair in any manner, which allows for greater portability and
without limiting the
types of seats that a user must occupy in order to use the device.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention. Further, since
numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in. the
art, it is not desired

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^7
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and
described, and
accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or
operation which may be
resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Representative Drawing