Chair-type exercise equipment

Abstract

The Pilates chair exercise equipment comprises a frame configured to rest on a horizontal plane, an inverted Y-shaped seat support member attached to the top of the frame, a seat attached to the upper end of the seat support, and a pair of parallel arms, each having a proximal end attached to the frame and a foot support attached to the distal end of each arm, with each arm biased to move away from the frame. One foot support holds a retractable member configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support in order to selectively lock the foot support and the corresponding opposite foot support together.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present disclosure relates to exercise equipment used in Pilates-style exercises. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a new Pilates chair having several unique and innovative technologies. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Exercise machines used when performing body movements devised by Joseph Pilates are often carried out on a stationary device usually called a reformer. Other exercises are performed on a combo chair, which has a spring-biased foot barless or bar at the end of an arm extending outward from a pivot bar fixed to the bottom of the chair frame below the chair. One or two coil springs extend from the rear of the chair or under the seat of the chair to a position on each arm near the footrest. 【0003】 Typically, the user presses the foot bar or rest while sitting on the chair, standing on both feet, or standing with one foot on the seat and pressing the foot pad / bar at the end of the arm with the other foot. One such chair, the combo chair, is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,919,279. The spring tension is usually limited to the spring constant of one or at most two springs attached between the chair frame and each arm. One solution is the anchor configuration described in U.S. Patent No. 6,919,279, which allows the rear ends of each spring to be attached at three different heights at the rear of the combo chair. This has expanded the versatility of the combo chair, but still, the types of exercises that can be performed without replacing the coil springs are relatively limited, and the versatility of the combo chair is restricted. Therefore, there is a need for a more versatile chair that can provide a wider range of tensions between the seat of the chair and the foot support pad / bar at the end of the arm that pivots from under the chair. 【Summary of the Invention】 【0004】 One embodiment of a chair-type exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises a frame configured to be placed on a horizontal plane, a seat support attached to the upper surface of the frame, a seat attached to the seat support, and a pair of parallel arms, each having a proximal end pivotably attached to either the frame or a part of the seat support. Each arm is biased toward the seat away from the frame by a rotary arm torque unit. Each rotary arm torque unit comprises a plurality of flat coil springs, and each rotary arm torque unit is preferably attached to the seat support, which is firmly fixed to the frame or is part of the frame. 【0005】 Another embodiment of a chair-type exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a frame configured to rest on a horizontal plane, an inverted Y-shaped seat support preferably formed integrally with or continuous with the upper surface of the frame, a seat connected to or attached to the upper end of the seat support, and a pair of parallel rotating arms, each having a proximal end attached to the frame and a foot support attached to the distal end of each arm. Each arm is biased toward the seat away from the frame. Each arm is pivotably biased toward the frame by a rotating arm torque unit mounted below the seat. 【0006】 Preferably, each rotary arm torque unit is mounted on either a part of the frame or a part of an inverted Y-shaped seat support. In this embodiment, the frame is substantially U-shaped and has two parallel base portions and an intermediate portion positioned between the parallel base portions. Each rotary arm torque unit includes a plurality of flat coil springs. Preferably, each rotary arm torque unit is mounted on an inverted Y-shaped seat support. 【0007】 Each rotary arm torque unit preferably comprises a plurality of selectively engageable rotary springs, which are mounted on a common shaft rotatably supported by a frame. Each rotary arm torque unit includes a plurality of individually selectable flat coil springs that engage with a shaft supporting one of a pair of arms. The rotary arm torque unit preferably includes a cassette housing, which holds a plurality of flat coil springs in a cassette within the housing, and a plurality of selectors for selecting one or more flat coil springs to engage with the arm to which the rotary arm torque unit is mounted. Each selector is configured to engage with at least one of the plurality of flat coil springs. The cassette preferably includes a cassette comb having a plurality of spaced-apart tines or partitions. The comb surrounds and supports at least one of the plurality of flat coil springs between adjacent tines. 【0008】 The rotary arm torque unit is preferably a cassette housing, comprising a cassette housing that holds a plurality of flat coil springs in a cassette within the housing, and a plurality of selectors connected to the cassette housing for selecting one or more flat coil springs to engage with the arm to which the rotary arm torque unit is attached. 【0009】 One embodiment of the present disclosure may also be considered a chair-type exercise device having a substantially U-shaped frame configured to rest on a horizontal plane, an inverted Y-shaped seat support attached to the upper surface of the frame, a seat attached to the seat support portion of the inverted Y-shaped seat support, and a pair of parallel arms, each arm having a proximal end pivotably attached to either the frame or the branch of the seat support. Each arm is biased toward the seat away from the frame by a rotary arm torque unit attached below the seat to either the frame or the branch of the seat support. Each arm has a footrest attached to its distal end for the user to push with their feet while sitting or standing on the seat of the exercise device. 【0010】 Alternatively, one embodiment of the present disclosure may be considered as a rotary arm torque unit for use in exercise equipment, comprising a housing, a bearing-supported rotary shaft for supporting a rotary shaft with an arm attached to one end in the housing, and a cassette held on the rotary shaft. The cassette has a plurality of flat coil springs inside, each spring having a first end connected to the rotary shaft and a second end that is free to engage with the housing via one of a plurality of selectors held by the housing. 【0011】 A preferred embodiment of the rotary arm torque unit further includes a cassette comb, which is held within a housing and separates at least two of a plurality of flat coil springs from one another. This cassette comb may be made of metal, ceramic, or a polymer material such as plastic, if preferred. The cassette comb has a plurality of spaced tines or partitions, which space at least two of the plurality of flat coil springs axially along the rotating shaft. One end of each flat coil spring is held within an axial slot of the rotating shaft. Preferably, two free ends of the plurality of flat coil springs engage with the housing to preload the rotary arm torque unit. A preferred embodiment of the cassette has seven flat coil springs. 【0012】 A kit for attaching a rotational torque unit to conventional Pilates chair exercise equipment is also envisioned in this disclosure. Conventional chair exercise equipment typically comprises a substantially box-shaped frame, a seat on top of the frame, one or a pair of rotational arms rotatably attached to the bottom of the frame, and a plurality of elongated coil springs extending from below the seat to the distal end of at least one arm, biasing the rotational arm upward toward the seat. 【0013】 A kit for such a chair preferably includes a pair of rotary arm torque units and a left-rotating arm and a right-rotating arm, each having a proximal and distal end. Each rotary arm torque unit includes a cassette housing configured to be mounted to the frame below the seat of a conventional Pilates chair. A bearing-supported rotary shaft in the cassette housing is configured to be mounted to one proximal end of the rotary arm. 【0014】 The rotary arm torque unit includes a cassette held on a rotating shaft in a cassette housing. The cassette has a plurality of flat coil springs inside, each spring having a first end connected to the rotating shaft and a second free end that can engage with the cassette housing via one of a plurality of selectors held by the cassette housing. Preferably, the rotary arm torque unit includes a cassette comb held within the cassette housing, which axially separates one or more of the plurality of flat coil springs from each other. The cassette comb is preferably made of a polymer material such as plastic. The cassette comb has a plurality of spaced tines or partitions, which axially separate one or more of the plurality of flat coil springs along the rotating shaft. One, preferably two, of the plurality of flat coil springs have free ends that engage with the cassette housing, preloading the rotary arm torque unit. 【0015】 Alternatively, the chair-type exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure may be considered to include a frame configured to be placed on a horizontal plane, an inverted Y-shaped seat support attached to the upper surface of the frame, a seat attached to the upper end of the inverted Y-shaped seat support, and a pair of parallel arms, each arm having a proximal end attached to the frame and a foot support attached to the distal end of each parallel arm. Each arm is biased toward the seat away from the frame, and one foot support internally holds a retractable member configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support in order to selectively lock the foot support and the opposite foot support together. Each foot support comprises a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and the retractable member is held at one end of the hollow tube of one foot support so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. 【0016】 The retractable member may include a push-button actuator mounted within a hollow tube, and may also have a flexible member held within the hollow tube that connects the push-button actuator to the retractable member. The retractable member may include a cylindrical pin sized to partially extend from within one foot support to a portion of the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. 【0017】 Alternatively, one embodiment of a chair-type exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure may be considered to include a frame configured to rest on a horizontal plane, a seat support attached to the top of the frame, a seat attached to the upper end of the seat support, and a pair of parallel arms, each having a proximal end attached to the frame and a foot support attached to the distal end of each arm. Each arm is biased toward the seat away from the frame. In this embodiment, one foot support internally holds a retractable member configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support in order to selectively lock the foot support and the opposite foot support toward each other. 【0018】 Each foot support includes a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and a retractable member is held at one end of the hollow tube of one foot support so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0019】 These and other features and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings. 【0020】 [Figure 1] This is a front view of a chair-type exercise device according to the present disclosure, having exemplary hand support posts extending laterally and upward from the seat. 【0021】 [Figure 2]It is a rear side perspective view of the chair-type exercise equipment shown in FIG. 1. 【0022】 [Figure 3] It is a rear side perspective view of the floor support frame for the exercise equipment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 【0023】 [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the inverted Y-shaped seat post member for the exercise equipment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 【0024】 [Figure 5] It is one front side view of the flat coil spring torque unit removed from the chair-type exercise equipment according to the present disclosure. 【0025】 [Figure 6] It is a rear side perspective view of the other coil spring torque unit of the exercise equipment, similar to that shown in FIG. 5. 【0026】 [Figure 7] It is a slightly inclined rear side perspective view of the torque unit shown in FIG. 6. 【0027】 [Figure 8] It is a partially exploded perspective view of the coil spring cassette in one of the torque units shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. 【0028】 [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing the engagement between the torque selector button and the coil spring cassette according to the present disclosure. 【0029】 [Figure 10] It is a front side perspective view of another embodiment of the chair-type exercise equipment according to the present disclosure. 【0030】 [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of one of the torque modules removed from the chair-type exercise equipment shown in FIG. 10. 【0031】 [Figure 12] Figure 11 is a side view of the torque module with the side cover removed. 【0032】 [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a side view of the torque module on the opposite side. 【0033】 [Figure 14] Figure 12 is an exploded view of the torque module. 【0034】 [Figure 15] This is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a chair-type exercise machine having hinged hand support posts. 【0035】 [Figure 16] Figure 15 is a rear perspective view of the chair-type exercise equipment shown. 【0036】 [Figure 17] Figures 10, 15, and 16 show partially exploded views of the foot support arm and pedal removed from the embodiments shown. 【0037】 [Figure 18] Figure 17 is a partial cross-sectional view of the foot support pedal. 【0038】 [Figure 19] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the pair of foot support pedals shown in Figure 16, with the movable member in the retracted position. 【0039】 [Figure 20] Figure 16 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a pair of foot support pedals in a state where the retractable members are extended and the foot support pedals are locked together. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0040】 An exemplary embodiment of the chair-type exercise equipment 100 according to this disclosure is shown in the front view of Figure 1. A rear perspective view of the chair 100 is shown in Figure 2. The chair 100 has a substantially U-shaped bottom frame member 104, an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106 attached to the U-shaped bottom frame member 104, a seat 108 attached to the seat support member 106, a pair of optionally provided handle support posts 102 that are detachably mounted adjacent to the seat 108, a pair of elongated parallel arm members 112 that have a proximal end joined to a lower shaft 118 of the inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106 and extend outward and upward from below the inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106, and a pair of rotary arm torque units 110 attached to the bottom frame member 104, each unit 110 independently biasing one of the arm members 112 upward toward the seat 108. 【0041】 Figure 2 shows a rear perspective view of the chair-type exercise equipment 100. Each elongated arm 112 has a distal end 114 to which a foot support or rest 116 is attached, and a proximal end 118 that is firmly fixed to one end 120 of the torque unit shaft 122. The chair-type exercise equipment 100 has two arm torque units 110 mounted below the seat 108, which are connected to a bottom frame member 104 and aligned about a common axis. This allows a user seated on the seat 108 to perform basic Pilates chair exercises by placing their feet on the aligned foot support rests 116 and pushing down the foot support rests 116 to rotate the arms 112 downward from the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2, against the spring resistance provided by the arm torque units 110 as described later. 【0042】 The floor support for the chair-type exercise equipment 100 is provided by a seat 108, a bottom frame member 104, and an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106. A rear perspective view of the bottom frame member 104 is shown in Figure 3. This bottom frame member 104 is a substantially U-shaped rigid body having spaced-out parallel legs 124 extending parallel from a middle section 126. The U-shaped bottom frame member 104 is designed to rest on a flat support surface such as a floor. Extending between the legs 124 and arching above them is the arm torque unit support member 128. The bottom frame member 104 and the arm torque unit support member 128 together may be made of a single sheet metal or casting, preferably steel, aluminum, or a high-strength polymer material, or they may be separate castings or parts that are appropriately fixed to each other to form a rigid structure. 【0043】 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the seat support member 106. The inverted Y-shaped support member 106 has a substantially tubular seat post portion 130 having an upper end that receives the seat 108. The lower end of the seat post portion 130 is divided into two branch portions 132. Each of these branch portions 132 covers and attaches to the arm torque unit support member 128 of the bottom frame member 104. The inverted Y-shaped support member 106 and the bottom frame member 104 may each be formed from suitable steel, aluminum casting, sheet metal, or structural polymer material. The seat 108 may further be covered with any suitable cushioning material, such as a covered foam pad. 【0044】 Each arm torque unit 110 includes a torque shaft 122 having one end 120 that is firmly connected to the proximal end 118 of an elongated arm 112. Each torque shaft 122 is supported by a bearing or bushing and held within a flat rotary spring torque cassette housing or cage 134, which is further attached to an arm torque unit support member 128, which is part of a bottom frame member 104. 【0045】 Figure 5 shows a side view of the arm torque unit 110 removed from the fixture 100. The arm torque unit 110 has a generally rectangular box cassette cage 134 that supports a shaft 122 for rotation between two journal bearings or bushings 136. As shown in Figure 5, an exemplary cassette 138 containing seven flat coil springs 146 is rotatably supported within the cassette cage 134. This embodiment is illustrative only; a different number of flat coil springs 146 may be provided instead. 【0046】 In an exemplary embodiment of this apparatus 100, two flat coil springs 146 are present and are always engaged between the cassette housing or cage 134 and the shaft 122. This will be explained in more detail later. These two springs 146 provide baseline tension or torque to each elongated arm 112. This baseline torque to each elongated arm 112 is necessary to bias and maintain the arm 112 in an upright position toward the seat 108, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the other flat coil springs 146 are not engaged. The remaining five flat coil springs 146 in each cassette 138 can selectively engage and / or disengage between the cassette housing 134 and the shaft 122 to provide different levels of torque or resistance to rotation of the elongated arms 112. 【0047】 Each cassette 138 consists of seven flat coil springs 146 and six spring separator plates 148, which are held in a stacked state by four cassette bolts 142 and multiple spacer tubes 144. A set of four spacer tubes 144 is positioned on each separator plate 148 so as to separate each spring 146 at the cassette bolts 142. The assembly of the cassette 138 is completed by the end plate 150. Referring now to Figure 8, a partially exploded view of the cassette 138 before attachment to the shaft 122 is shown. 【0048】 Each spring 146, its separator plate 148, and the four spacer tubes 144 are sequentially assembled on the four bolts 142 and the shaft 122. The partially assembled cassette 138 may be mounted on the shaft 122, and finally the end plate 150 may be attached to the threaded ends of the four bolts 142. Note in Figure 8 that the end plate 150 has a central hole 151 for receiving the distal end of the shaft 122. This central hole 151 has a radial tab 153 that engages with a slot 156 in the shaft 122 when the end plate 150 is mounted on the four bolts 142. 【0049】 Each coil spring 146 has an inner tabbed end 152 and an outer tabbed end 154. The inner tabbed end 152 slides into an axial slot 156 of the shaft 122. The partially assembled cassette 138 (excluding the end plate 150) can be slid on the shaft 122 with the inner tabbed ends 152 of each spring 146 in the slots 156 of the shaft 122. The end plate 150 can be mounted so that the proximal end of the shaft 122 passes through the hole 151 of the end plate 150. However, the end plate 150 needs to be rotated a few degrees to allow the tab 153 on the end plate 150 that protrudes into the hole 151 to enter the slot 156, while simultaneously aligning the end of the bolt 142 with the corresponding bolt hole in the end plate 150. 【0050】 The rotation of the end plate 150 during assembly sets a preload on all the flat coil springs 146 via the shaft 122, as shown in Figure 8. This rotation of the end plate 150 during assembly engages each outer tabbed end 154 of each spring 146 with one of the bolts 142, as also shown in the schematic diagram of Figure 9, setting this preload torque for rotation of the shaft 122 when the shaft 122 is connected to the proximal end 118 of the arm 112. The assembled cassette 138 may optionally include one or more guide bolt / spacer assemblies 149, which can be used to compensate for non-planar compression and expansion of the springs 146. 【0051】 Subsequently, the cassette 138 assembled on the shaft 122 is attached to the cassette cage 134, and the outer bearing or bushing 136 is attached to the cage 134, completing the assembly of the shaft 122 to the cage 134 as shown in Figure 5. Next, the distal end 120 of the shaft 122 can be fixed or attached to the proximal end 118 of the elongated arm 112 through one of the bearings or bushings 136 inside the cassette cage 134. 【0052】 Additionally, five spring-loaded selectors 158 are mounted on the cassette housing or cage 134. Each selector 158 is slidably supported within a channel 155 in the cassette housing or cage 134 and has a selector shaft 160 extending parallel to the channel 155. This selector shaft 160 is best seen in the perspective view opposite the torque unit 110, shown in Figure 6. Each selector shaft 160 is positioned adjacent to a pivot finger 162 that pivots around a bolt 164 pinned to the cassette housing or cage 134. Each pivot finger 162 corresponds to one spring 146 in the cassette 138 and has a distal end 166 positioned adjacent to one of the outer tabbed ends 154 of the coil spring 146. When no spring 146 is selected, only the two springs 146 closest to the elongated arm 112 engage with the arm 112. In this state, as the arm 112 rotates downward from the state shown in Figures 1 and 2, the entire cassette 138 rotates freely within the cassette housing or cage 134 together with the shaft 122. 【0053】 Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of the operation of the torque selection mechanism in an exemplary embodiment of the chair-type exercise machine 100. In the leftmost figure, the pivot finger 162 is not engaged with the cassette 138, and therefore, when the arm 112 rotates downward, the cassette 138 rotates freely with the shaft 122. In the middle figure, the selector 158 is pushed down, pushing the selector shaft 160 downward and moving the inclined surface of the finger 162 above the pivot bolt 164 downward, thereby causing the finger 162 to rotate clockwise. In the rightmost figure, the selector shaft 160 is pushed down past the corner of the inclined surface of the finger 162, and the distal end 166 of the finger 162 is fully engaged with the tabbed end 154 of the spring 146. Here, when the user steps on the footrest 116 at the distal end of the arm 112, the outer tabbed end 154 of its flat coil spring 146 is constrained against the distal end 166 of the finger 162, and that particular coil spring 146 must contract during the rotation of the arm 112. This exerts additional torque on the arm 112 and therefore increases the resistance the user feels when pushing down the arm 112. When the user pushes down the selector 158 again, the selector 158 returns to or rises to the position shown in the left diagram due to the tension of the selector spring, and the engagement between the distal end 166 of the finger 162 and the tabbed outer end of the coil spring 146 is released. 【0054】 Referring again to Figures 5, 6, 1, and 2, each selector 158 has a different length corresponding to its position along the inclined or sloped portion of the branch 132 of the seat support member 106, and when the torque unit 110 is mounted on the frame 104, each selector 158 extends upward by approximately the same amount from the branch 132. 【0055】 Another exemplary embodiment of the chair-type exercise equipment 200 according to this disclosure is shown in the front side perspective view of Figure 10. The chair 200 has a substantially U-shaped bottom frame member 204, an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 206 attached to the U-shaped bottom frame member 204, and a seat 208 attached to the seat support member 206. Similar to the first embodiment described above, an optional pair of handle support posts 102 may be detachably provided on the equipment 200 adjacent to the seat 208. 【0056】 The chair-type exercise equipment 200 comprises a pair of elongated parallel arm members 212, each having a proximal end joined to a lower shaft 222 of an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 206, and a pair of spaced-apart rotating arm torque units 210 attached to a bottom frame member 204 via the inverted Y-shaped support member 206, each independently biasing one of the arm members 212 upward toward the seat 208. 【0057】 Each elongated arm 212 has a distal end 214 to which a foot support pedal or rest 216 is attached, and a proximal end 218 that is firmly fixed to one end of the torque unit shaft 222. The chair-type exercise equipment 200 has two arm torque units 210 located below the seat 208, connected to the bottom frame member 204 via a branch 232 of an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 206, and has two arm torque units 210 aligned about a common axis, so that a user seated on the seat 208 can perform basic Pilates chair exercises by placing their feet on the aligned foot support rests 216 and pushing down the foot support rests 216 to rotate the arms 212 downward from the position shown in Figure 10 against the spring resistance provided by the arm torque units 210. Each foot support pedal or rest 216 is preferably extending laterally from the arm 212 to which it is attached, and may be straight, bent, or curved as shown in Figure 10. This curved or bent shape provides a unique grip surface and shape for the user to grasp during certain exercises in which the user grasps the rest 216 with their hands rather than their feet. 【0058】 The floor support for the chair-type exercise equipment 200 is provided by a seat 208, a bottom frame member 204, and an inverted Y-shaped seat support member 206. The bottom frame member 204 is preferably a substantially U-shaped rigid body, extending from an intermediate portion 226 of the frame member 204 and having spaced-out parallel legs 224. The U-shaped bottom frame member 204 is designed to rest on a flat support surface such as a floor. 【0059】 The inverted Y-shaped support member 206 has a substantially tubular seatpost portion 230 having an upper end that receives the seat 208. The lower end of the seatpost portion 230 is divided into two branch portions 232. Each of these branch portions 232 covers and is attached to the rotating arm torque unit 210 and is also firmly joined or fixed to the bottom frame member 204. Similar to the first embodiment 100, the inverted Y-shaped support member 206 and the bottom frame member 204 may be formed from suitable steel, aluminum casting, sheet metal, or structural polymer material. The seat 208 may further be covered with any suitable cushioning material, such as a covered foam pad. 【0060】 Each arm torque unit 210 includes a torque shaft 222, one end of which is rigidly connected to one proximal end 218 of an elongated arm 212. A perspective view of one arm torque unit 210 is shown in Figure 11. Plastic or metal covers 215 are fitted to the front and rear of the torque unit 210 to prevent dirt and dust from entering the internal mechanism of the rotating arm torque unit 210. In the following Figures 12-14, these covers 215 have been removed for clarity. 【0061】 Each torque shaft 222 is supported by a bearing or bushing and held within a flat rotary spring torque cassette housing or cage 234, the cage 234 being further firmly fixed to a bottom frame member 204, preferably via a portion of one branch 232 of an inverted Y-shaped support member 206. The arm torque unit 210 is essentially the same as that described above with reference to the exercise chair 100, except for the structure of the cassette 238. 【0062】 Figure 12 shows a side view of one arm torque unit 210 removed from the chair-type exercise machine 200. Figure 13 shows a side view of the opposite side of the arm torque unit 210. Finally, Figure 14 shows an exploded view of the arm torque unit 210 to facilitate identification of its internal components in the following description. 【0063】 The arm torque unit 210 has a generally rectangular cassette cage or housing 234 that supports the shaft body 222 for rotation between two journal bearings or bushings 236. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, an exemplary cassette 238 containing a stack of seven flat-type clock coil springs 146 is rotatably supported within the cassette housing 234. This embodiment 200 is merely illustrative; a different number of flat-type coil springs 146 may be provided instead. 【0064】 In this exemplary embodiment of the chair-type exercise machine 200, two flat coil springs 146 are present and are always engaged between the cassette housing or cage 234 and the shaft 222. This will be explained in more detail later. These two springs 146 provide baseline tension or torque to each elongated arm 212. This baseline torque to each elongated arm 212 is necessary to bias and maintain the arm 212 in an upright position toward the seat 208, as shown in Figure 10, when the other flat coil springs 146 are not engaged. The remaining five flat coil springs 146 in each cassette 238 can be selectively engaged and / or disengaged between the cassette housing 234 and the shaft 222 to provide different levels of torque or resistance against rotation of the elongated arms 212. 【0065】 Each cassette 238 consists of two flat coil springs 146 and five coil springs 146 held together as an axial stack within a cassette comb 244. The cassette comb 244 has several spaced tines or partitions 245. Each partition separates one of the springs 146 from the adjacent springs 146, with the exception of a pair of preload springs 146 held together within the cassette 238. The cassette comb 244 may be a 3D printed metal or non-metallic comb structure. Alternatively, it may be a rigid polymer or plastic molded part. The cassette comb 244 replaces the separator plate 148, bolts 142, end plates 150, and multiple spacer tubes 144 in the first embodiment 110. The cassette comb 244 separates each of the five springs 146 from the pair of preload springs 146, similar to the first embodiment 110. 【0066】 Each coil spring 146 has an inner tabbed end 152 and an outer tabbed end 154. The inner tabbed end 152 slides into an axial slot 256 of the shaft 222. The partially assembled cassette 238 can be slid on the shaft 222 with the inner tabbed ends 152 of each spring 146 inserted into the slots 256 of the shaft 222. The assembly of the cassette 238 into the cassette housing 234 is basically the same as described above with reference to Figures 5 and 9. 【0067】 During assembly, the rotation of the shaft relative to the cassette comb 244 imparts the desired preload to all springs 146. Then, the key 270 (shown in Figure 14) is inserted to lock the shaft 222 and the cassette comb 244 together. Subsequently, the assembled cassette 238 on the shaft 222 is mounted to the cassette cage or housing 234, and the outer bearing or bushing 236 is mounted to the cassette cage or housing 234, completing the assembly of the shaft 222 to the cassette cage or housing 234 as shown in Figure 12. 【0068】 Also, similar to the first embodiment 110, five spring-loaded selectors 258 are mounted on the cassette housing or cage 234. Each selector 258 is slidably supported within a channel 255 in the cassette housing or cage 234 and has a selector shaft 260 extending parallel to the channel 255. This selector shaft 260 is best seen in the exploded view of the arm torque unit 210 shown in Figure 14. Each selector shaft 260 is positioned adjacent to a pivot finger 162 that pivots around a bolt 264 pinned to the cassette housing or cage 234. Each pivot finger 162 corresponds to one spring 146 in the cassette 238 and has a distal end 166 positioned adjacent to one of the outer tabbed ends 154 of the coil spring 146. When no spring 146 is selected, only the two springs 146 closest to the elongated arm 212 engage with the arm 212. In this state, when the arm 212 rotates downward from the state shown in Figure 10, the entire cassette 238 rotates freely within the cassette housing or cage 234 together with the shaft 222. 【0069】 Figure 9 shows schematic diagrams of the operation of the torque selection mechanism in two exemplary embodiments of the chair-type exercise machine 100 and chair-type exercise machine 200. In the leftmost figure, the pivot finger 162 is not engaged with the cassette 138 (or 238), and therefore the cassette 138 (or 238) rotates freely with the shaft 122 (or 222) as the arm 112 (or 212) rotates downward. In the middle figure, the selector 158 (or 258) is pushed down, pushing the selector shaft 160 (or 260) downward, moving the inclined surface of the finger 162 above the pivot bolt 164 downward, thereby causing the finger 162 to rotate clockwise. In the rightmost figure, the selector shaft 160 is pushed down past the corner of the inclined surface of the finger 162, and the distal end 166 of the finger 162 is fully engaged with the tabbed end 154 of the spring 146. Now, when the user steps on the footrest 116 (or 216) at the distal end of the arm 112 (or 212), the outer tabbed end 154 of the flat coil spring 146 is constrained against the distal end 166 of the finger 162, and that particular coil spring 146 must contract during the rotation of the arm 112 or 212. This exerts additional torque on the arm 112 or 212 and thus increases the resistance felt by the user when pushing down the arm 112 or 212. When the user pushes down the selector 158 again, the selector 158 returns to or rises to the position shown in the left diagram due to the tension of the selector spring, and the engagement between the distal end 166 of the finger 162 and the tabbed outer end of the coil spring 146 is released. 【0070】 Referring again to Figures 5, 6, 1, and 2, each selector 158 (or 258) has a different length corresponding to its position along the inclined or sloped portion of the branch 132 (or 232) of the seat support member 106 (or 206), and when the torque unit 110 (or 210) is mounted on the frame 104 (or 204), each selector 158 extends upward by approximately the same amount from the branch 132 (or 232). 【0071】 Kits for attaching one or more rotary arm torque units 210 to conventional Pilates chair exercise equipment are also envisioned in this disclosure. Conventional chair exercise equipment typically comprises a substantially box-shaped frame, a seat on top of the frame, one or a pair of rotary arms rotatably mounted to the bottom of the frame, each having a footpad or bar attached to its distal end, and a plurality of elongated coil springs extending from below the seat to at least one arm and biasing the rotary arm upward toward the seat. 【0072】 A kit for such a chair according to this disclosure includes a pair of swivel arm torque units 210 and a left-rotating arm such as arm 212 and a right-rotating arm such as arm 212, each arm having a proximal end 218 and a distal end 214, and may include a foot bar 216. Each swivel arm torque unit 210 of the kit includes a cassette housing 234 configured to be mounted to the frame below the seat of the Pilates chair. It should be understood that the housing 234 is likely to have an external box shape different from that shown in order to conform to the contours of the conventional Pilates chair exercise equipment to which it is mounted. 【0073】 A bearing-supported rotating shaft, such as the shaft 222 within the cassette housing 234, is configured to be attached to one proximal end 218 of the rotating arm 212. The rotating arm torque unit 210 includes a cassette 238 held on the rotating shaft 222. The cassette 238 has a plurality of flat coil springs 146 inside, each spring having a first end connected to the rotating shaft 222 and a second end that is free to engage with the cassette housing 234 via one of a plurality of selectors, such as a selector 258 held by the cassette housing 234 (however, each selector may have a different shape than those shown in this disclosure). 【0074】 Preferably, the rotary arm torque unit 210 of such a kit is held within a cassette housing 234 and includes a cassette comb 244 that axially separates one or two of a plurality of flat coil springs 146 from each other. The cassette comb 244 is preferably made of a polymer material such as plastic. The cassette comb 244 has a plurality of spaced tines or partitions 246 that axially space at least two of the plurality of flat coil springs 146 along the rotary shaft 222. One, or preferably two, free ends of the plurality of flat coil springs 146 in the rotary arm torque unit 210 engage with the cassette housing 234 and preload the rotary arm torque unit 210. 【0075】 Referring now to Figures 15 and 16, an exemplary embodiment of a chair-type exercise machine 200 having exemplary hinged hand support posts 280 is shown. In Figure 15, the chair 200 is shown in an operating position with each support post 280 extending beside the seat 208. In the rear perspective view of Figure 16, the support posts 280 are shown in a stowed position, folded below the seat 208. 【0076】 Each support post member 280 for the chair-type exercise equipment 200 according to this disclosure may be hinged and includes a mounting bracket 282 configured to move from a storage position below the seat 208 of the chair-type exercise equipment shown in Figure 16 to a lateral operating position of the seat 208 of the exercise equipment 200, and preferably to be attached to the frame of the chair-type exercise equipment 200. The support post member 280 preferably has a long leg 284 and a short leg 286. Preferably the short leg 286 extends from the long leg 284 at an angle and is hinged to a cross member 288 of the mounting bracket 282. 【0077】 The mounting bracket 282 is attached to either the frame 204 and / or the seat support 206 located directly below the seat 208. The support post member 280 preferably has a handle 290 attached to the distal end of the hinged post member 280. The long leg 284 of the hinged support post member 280 preferably has a first portion 292 that is retractably held within a second portion 294, and a short leg 286 that extends perpendicularly from the proximal end of the long leg 284. The handle 290 is preferably detachably attached to the distal end of the first portion 292 of the long leg 284 of the hinged post member 280. 【0078】 The short legs 286 of the hinged post member 280 preferably have a locking member 296 that can engage with the cross member 288 of the mounting bracket 282. The locking member 296 is for removably holding the short legs 286 in the operating position parallel to the cross member 288 of the mounting bracket 282 when the hinged post member 280 is attached to the chair-type exercise equipment 200. 【0079】 An exemplary embodiment of the chair-type exercise equipment 200 according to the present disclosure, shown in Figures 15 and 16, has a frame 204 configured to be placed on a horizontal surface such as a floor. The chair-type exercise equipment 200 includes an inverted Y-shaped seat support 206 attached to the upper surface of the frame 204, a seat 208 attached to the upper end 230 of the inverted Y-shaped seat support 206, and a pair of parallel arms 212, each of which has a proximal end pivotably attached to the frame 204 and a foot support or pedal 216 attached to the distal end 214 of each parallel arm 212. Each arm 212 is biased toward the seat 208 away from the frame 204. 【0080】 Preferably, each of the pair of hinged support post members 280 is detachably attached to a mounting bracket 282 attached to the upper part 230 of the inverted Y-shaped sheet support 206. Each hinged support post member 280 is movable from a storage position below the sheet 208, as shown in Figure 16, to an operating position extending upward laterally from the sheet 208, as shown in Figure 15. Each hinged support post member 280 has a long leg 284 and a short leg 286. The short leg 286 extends perpendicularly from the long leg 284. The short leg 286 is hinged to a cross member 296 of the mounting bracket 282 at a hinge 298. 【0081】 In Figure 16, a mounting bracket 282 is clearly shown, which has a rectangular cross member 288, the rectangular cross member 288 is fixed to an angle bracket portion 300, the angle bracket portion 300 can be inserted, mounted and fixed between the upper part 230 of the inverted Y-shaped sheet support 206 and the sheet 208. Optionally, a pair of lateral support posts 302 may be provided between the cross member 288 and the sheet 208 to increase the rigidity of the sides of the sheet 208. 【0082】 Each support post member 280 has a locking knob 296 on a short leg 286 away from the hinge 298, which engages with a complementary fitting 306 on the cross member 288 to securely fix the short leg 286 parallel to the cross member 288 when the support member 280 is in the operating position, as shown in Figure 15. The locking knob 296 may screw into the complementary threaded fitting 306 or engage with a detent on the cross member 288 to fix the short leg 286 in place. The long leg 284 preferably has a first portion 292 that is retractably housed within a tubular second portion 294. 【0083】 The first portion 292 and the second portion 294 may be fitted with appropriate fittings 312 for setting the length of the support post 280 as needed. Preferably, a locking knob 314 is provided on the long leg 284 so that when the support post member 280 is raised to the operating position shown in Figure 15 and locked, the desired length of the long leg 284 is maintained. 【0084】 Many modifications are possible to the exercise equipment of this disclosure. For example, the torque unit cage or housing 134 or 234 may be made of plastic, metal, or a composite structure, and may be cast or molded. Depending on their position on the inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106 or 206, the selectors 158 or 258 may all be at the same height or at different heights. Furthermore, the inverted Y-shaped seat support member 106 or 206 may not be Y-shaped. For example, its lower part may have a somewhat angled shape or a horizontal orientation, and therefore the selectors 158 and 258 may have a different structure than those specifically shown. What is shown are merely two exemplary embodiments. The seats 108 and 208 and the footrests 116 and 216 may have shapes different from those depicted in the figures. These pair of footrests 116 and 216 may be combined to operate the arm 112 as a single arm rather than two as shown. Such a configuration may be achieved, for example, by a U-shaped sleeve on the footrest 116 or by a rod passed through the footrest 116. 【0085】 The optional handle support 102, fixed to the side of the seat 108 or 208, may be retractable, extendable and retractable, or hinged, as in the examples shown in Figures 15 and 16, so that it can be easily retracted for storage when not needed or placed out of the way. Throughout this disclosure, the term “fastened” is used to describe the connection between the seat, seat support members, and frame. It is understood that other means may be used as means of connection between the frame and support elements, such as welding or forming an integral connection, such as a single molded body. 【0086】 In the embodiments described, there are seven sets of springs 146 within each cassette 138 and 238. Many other embodiments are envisioned, each having a different number of springs 146. The flat coil springs 146 may be associated or connected to one another so that pressing down one selector 158 or 258 retracts the other selectors, limiting the number of springs that can be engaged at one time. Furthermore, the rotary arm torque unit 210 may be configured to be used in place of conventional springs in conventional Pilates chair exercise equipment. In such alternative implementations, the selectors 258 and the cassette cage or housing 234 would preferably be shaped differently according to the frame configuration of such conventional Pilates chair exercise equipment. 【0087】 A separate perspective view of an arm member 212 with a footrest / pedal 216 is shown in Figure 17. A broken cross-sectional view of the arm member 216 shown in Figure 17 is shown in Figure 18. Referring to Figure 17, the footrest pedal / support 216 includes a hollow metal tube 400 sandwiched between two cushion halves 402. These cushion halves 402 are attached to the tube 400 using a set of threaded fasteners 404. The cushion halves 402 may be made of either a rigid plastic material or a flexible closed-cell foam to provide some cushioning to the footrest pedal / support 216. 【0088】 One end of the tube 400 is welded to the distal end of the arm member 212. The tube 400 houses a retractable member 406, which is configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support 216 in order to selectively lock the foot support and the corresponding opposite foot support 216 together. The retractable member 406 includes a cylindrical pin member 408 and a push-button actuator assembly 410 connected to the cylindrical pin member 408 via a flexible link or tube 412. In Figure 19, the cylindrical pin member 408 is shown in a retracted position, allowing each foot pedal 216 to be operated individually, and in Figure 20, it is shown extended into the corresponding tube 400 of the opposite foot support 216, locking the two foot pedals 216 together. 【0089】 The pushbutton actuator assembly 410 includes a pushbutton 414 that slides within a threaded collar or retaining nut 416 screwed into the distal end of a tube 400. The pushbutton 414 has a stem portion 418, which holds a compression spring 420 connected between the pushbutton 414 and a mounting base support 422 within the tube 400, thereby elastically biasing the pushbutton 414 outward from the end of the tube 400. The stem portion 418 has an elongated slot 419, which engages with a portion of the mounting base support 422 to allow the pushbutton 414 to move in and out of the tube 400 within and through the retaining nut 416. The stem portion 418 of the pushbutton 414 slides freely along the slot 419 that engages with the mounting base support 422. The stem portion 418 also has a connecting portion 424 extending therefrom, which includes a closed-loop slot 426, the slot 426 which guides the position of the guide wire 428 between a first position 430 and a second position 432 along the stem portion 418. 【0090】 The guide wire 428 has one end fixed to the mounting base support 422 and a distal end that moves within the closed-loop slot 426. The distal end of the connector 424 is fixed to one end of a flexible link or tube 412. The other end of the flexible link or tube 412 is fixed to a cylindrical pin member 408. During operation of the push-button actuator assembly 410, the retaining nut 416, the mounting base support 422, and the guide wire 428 remain stationary within the tube 400. The push button 414, its stem 418, and the connector 424 move together within the tube 400, thereby moving the flexible link 412 and the cylindrical pin member 408, allowing a portion of the cylindrical pin member 408 to move in and out of the adjacent tube 400 of the adjacent foot support pedal 216. 【0091】 The movement of the reciprocating member 406 via the push-button actuator assembly 410 is shown in Figures 19 and 20. In Figure 19, the push button 414 is shown extending outward from a retaining collar or retaining nut 416, so that the compression spring 420 pushes the flexible link 412 and cylindrical pin member 408 to disengage from adjacent foot support members 216, allowing individual operation of each foot support rest or pedal 216. In Figure 19, the guide wire 428 is at the distal end of the slot 426 in position 432. 【0092】 In Figure 20, the retractable member 406 is shown with a cylindrical pin member 408 engaged with the proximal end of the tube 400 of an adjacent foot support rest 216. This locks the foot support rests 216 together. In Figure 20, the push button 414 is pushed in so that the stem 424 extends to a position where the guide wire 428 is in position 430 within the loop slot 426. The guide wire 428 engages with a recess in the loop slot 426 at position 430, holding the stem portion 418 of the push button 414 in place until the push button 414 is pushed in again and the guide wire disengages from position 430, thereby allowing the stem portion 424 and the push button 414 to move to the retracted position shown in Figure 19. 【0093】 Therefore, all such substitutions, variations, and modifications are intended to be included in the scope as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

[Claim 1] A frame configured to be placed on a horizontal surface, An inverted Y-shaped sheet support attached to the upper surface of the frame, A sheet attached to the upper end of the inverted Y-shaped sheet support, A pair of parallel arms, each having a proximal end to which a foot support is attached and a distal end to which a foot support is attached, and each arm being biased toward the seat so as to move away from the frame, It is equipped with, A chair-type exercise device in which one foot support holds internally a retractable member configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support in order to selectively lock that foot support and the corresponding opposite foot support together. [Claim 2] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each foot support includes a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and the retractable member is held at one end of the hollow tube of one of the foot supports so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Claim 3] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 2, further comprising a push-button actuator connected to the movable member and mounted inside the hollow tube. [Claim 4] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 3, further comprising a flexible member held within the hollow tube and connecting the push-button actuator to the reciprocable member. [Claim 5] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the movable member is a cylindrical pin sized to partially extend from within one foot support to a portion of the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Claim 6] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is actuated by a push-button actuator extending outward from the opposite end of one of the foot supports. [Claim 7] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 6, wherein the movable member is coupled to the push-button actuator by a flexible member. [Claim 8] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 7, wherein the flexible member is a polymer tube. [Claim 9] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each foot support includes a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and the retractable member is held at one end of the hollow tube of one of the foot supports so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Claim 10] A frame configured to be placed on a horizontal surface, A sheet support attached to the upper part of the frame, A sheet attached to the upper end of the sheet support, A pair of parallel arms, each having a proximal end to which a foot support is attached and a distal end to which a foot support is attached, and each arm being biased toward the seat so as to move away from the frame, It is equipped with, A chair-type exercise device in which one foot support holds internally a retractable member configured to engage with a portion of the corresponding opposite foot support in order to selectively lock that foot support and the corresponding opposite foot support together. [Claim 11] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each foot support includes a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and the retractable member is held within the one end of the hollow tube of one of the foot supports so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Claim 12] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 11, further comprising a push-button actuator connected to the movable member and mounted inside the hollow tube. [Claim 13] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 12, further comprising a flexible member held within the hollow tube and connecting the push-button actuator to the reciprocable member. [Claim 14] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the retractable member is a cylindrical pin sized to partially extend from within one foot support to a portion of the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support. [Claim 15] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 10, wherein the movable member is actuated by a push-button actuator extending outward from the opposite end of one of the foot supports. [Claim 16] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 15, wherein the movable member is coupled to the push-button actuator by a flexible member. [Claim 17] The chair-type exercise device according to claim 16, wherein the flexible member is a polymer tube. [Claim 18] The chair-type exercise apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each foot support includes a hollow tube having one end attached to one of the parallel arms, and the retractable member is held within the one end of the hollow tube of one of the foot supports so as to be extendable into the hollow tube of the corresponding opposite foot support.

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