WHEELCHAIR ATTACHMENT FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT

Abstract

An attachment is provided that may be used to convert exercise equipment typically used in gyms to equipment that may be used by persons in wheelchairs. The attachment generally includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member, each of which are selectively engageable with the existing equipment. The upper frame member provides an adjustable back pad that can be used with an adjustable belt to stabilize the exerciser's upper body when using the equipment. The lower frame member includes wheel locks to stabilize the wheelchair after it has been rolled into the lower frame member. It may further include fork members to secure handles and cables of the existing machine to make them more accessible for the wheelchair user. A lap belt of the lower frame member may allow a user to stabilize his or her lower body relative to the wheelchair when using the equipment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to fitness equipment, and more particularly to an attachment that may be used in association with existing fitness equipment to allow persons in wheelchairs to use the existing fitness equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fitness equipment is found in gyms, recreational rooms, and the like. Such equipment is well known and often used in the fitness industry. However, such fitness equipment, particularly weight training machines, does not cater to the exercise population that is bound to wheelchairs. Fitness enthusiasts or professionals in wheelchairs are generally unable to use common fitness equipment for several reasons.

For one, equipment is often designed for users that are able to stand. Bars and handles associated with a given piece of equipment are thus out of reach for people in wheelchairs. Additionally, it is a great challenge or even impossible for a user to get into the proper exercise position when he or she is in a wheelchair due to obstructions by the seat or other hardware that non-wheelchair users use when exercising. For example, cable pulls may be substantially behind a user so that he or she cannot reach the pulls without excessive reaching and straining. These limitations on use are an inconvenience at best, and at worst, can cause injury.

There is some fitness equipment on the market that is designed particularly for users restricted to wheelchairs. Such fitness equipment is not often included in fitness facilities because of its relative seldom use compared to its footprint in a workout facility. A solution is desired in the market that effectively and conveniently integrates with existing equipment so that weightlifters in wheelchairs are not limited to using ill-tailored equipment or forced to go to a gym for only users bound to wheelchairs.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The current invention provides an attachment that may be used to convert existing exercise equipment into exercise equipment that may be used by persons in wheelchairs. The attachment as described herein includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member that each may be releasably engaged to existing exercise equipment. The upper frame member includes a back pad, and may be used to stabilize an exerciser's upper body, while the lower frame member may include features to stabilize the wheelchair as well as the exerciser's lower body.

The back pad and the upper frame member may be attached to the existing equipment in a rotatable manner such that the back pad may be rotated upwardly or downwardly to a position desired by a user. The back pad also may be provided with an adjustable securing belt so that a user may secure himself or herself against the back pad and loosen or tighten the belt to snugly secure his or her torso to the back pad for subsequent exercise.

The lower frame member is preferably U-shaped so that a front portion of its base is unobstructed so that a wheelchair may easily roll in and out of the base. At its front, bottom portion, the lower frame member may include wheel locks that may be used to further secure a wheelchair within the base and reduce or prevent the wheelchair from moving during exercise.

Side frames of the lower frame member may extend upwardly from either side of the base. Fork members or other retaining structures may be located at the rear portion of the side frames. The fork members may receive and secure cables associated with the existing exercise equipment that are used to to facilitate exercise. More particularly, the fork members may retain cables associated with an exercise desired by a user such that handles associated with the cables are pulled outwardly away from the machine, and nearer to the user. This makes the handles and cables more accessible to a person in a wheelchair by preventing the person in the wheelchair from having to reach back to the original retracted location of the cables. This can be difficult to do and also cause injury.

An adjustable securing belt may also be provided on the base that is placed over the lap of a wearer when he or she is wheeled into the attachment and ready to exercise. The belt should be adjustable so that when it may be tightened or loosened to snugly secure the exerciser in his or her wheelchair.

When an exerciser in a wheelchair is ready to wheel into the lower attachment member for exercise, the wheel locks may be rotated upwardly and outwardly so that a wheelchair may be rolled into the attachment. The belts of the upper and lower attachment members should also each be unbuckled so that an exerciser may subsequently buckle them to secure himself or herself prior to commencing exercise.

Once a person in a wheelchair is in a position to use the equipment he or she should rotate the wheel locks downwardly and inwardly rotated so that they prevent wheels of the wheelchair from rolling rearwardly. The belts of the upper and lower attachment members should also each be buckled and adjusted appropriately to stabilize the exerciser.

With the handles and cables of the existing equipment already pulled outwardly, a user may grasp the handles and use the handles to push outwardly, upwardly, or otherwise to activate the cables which are in fluid communication with a weight stack. The action of lifting the weight stack via the cables provides weight resistance to the muscles in a known manner. When a user is finished his or her exercise, he or she may wheel away from the attachment by simply unbuckling and releasing the belts and rotating the wheel locks upwardly so that the path for wheeling out of the attachment is substantially clear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment for use with a wheelchair and an existing weightlifting machine constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIG. 1 in a first non-use configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a second non-use configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment and machine of FIGS. 1-3 in a third configuration in which the attachment and machine are ready for use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to an attachment that may be used to convert existing exercise equipment into exercise equipment that may be used by persons in wheelchairs. Turning first to FIG. 1, an attachment 1 is illustrated as exploded from exercise equipment 5. While the attachment 1 is illustrated with the exercise equipment 5, as set forth below, the attachment 1 may be provided in alternative embodiments to be compatible with other makes or models of exercise equipment.

As illustrated, the attachment 1 includes each of an upper frame member 10 and a lower frame member 15 that are each releasably engageable with the equipment 5. When a person in a wheelchair uses the attachment 1 with the equipment 5, the upper frame member 10 generally may act to stabilize the person's upper body, while the lower frame member 15 generally may act to stabilize the wheelchair as well as the person's lower body. The lower frame member 15 may further receive and retain handles used to operate the equipment 5, thus making the equipment 5 easier to use for a person in a wheelchair. The specific structure and function of each of the upper frame member 10 and the lower frame member 15 are set forth in greater detail below.

In the illustrated embodiments, the equipment 5 is the TuffStuff SPT-6X “Six-Pak Trainer.” As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the “Six-Pak Trainer” is a multi-purpose frontal work station that has three cable heights: low cable height 20, medium cable height 25, and high cable height 30 that generally correspond to initial hand positions that a user may have when initiating any particular exercise. The equipment 5 and its cable heights 20, 25, 30 may be used for a variety of exercises including, but not limited to, lat pulldowns, chest and shoulder presses, abdominal crunches, and leg curls.

When the attachment 1 is not used with the equipment 5, and in its “unmodified” form, the equipment 5 preferably includes handles (not illustrated) located where the upper frame member 10 is releasably engaged with the equipment 5. The handles may be grasped by someone using the equipment 5, for example, when performing a leg extension using cables 35 attached to his or her leg at the low cable height 20. A seat (not illustrated) is also provided with the equipment 5 in its “unmodified” configuration where the lower frame member 15 is releasably engaged with the equipment 5. A user may sit on the seat, for example, when using cables 40 at the high cable height 30 to perform a lat pulldown exercise.

The method attaching the attachment 1 to the equipment 5 set forth below is unique to the particular illustrated equipment 5, though as set forth above, the attachment 1 may be configured in alternative embodiments to be compatible with other types of exercise equipment. Turning first to the upper frame member 10, the upper frame member 10 preferably includes a handle assembly 45 which may include each of lower attachment members 50 and upper attachment members 55 at its rear portion. The lower attachment members 50 and the upper attachment members 55 may align with lower apertures 60 and upper apertures 65, respectively, of the exercise equipment 5. The attachment members 50, 55 and apertures 60, 65 may be releasably engageable with one another using a variety of known or foreseeable mechanisms. In a preferred embodiment, however, the upper frame member 10 is releasably engageable with the equipment 5 by attaching the attachment members 50, 55 to the apertures 60, 65 using nuts and bolts or a friction fit.

Turning now to the lower frame member 15, a rear portion 70 of the lower attachment member 15 is provided with an attachment member 75 projecting rearwardly from the lower attachment member 15, toward the equipment 5. The rearward extending attachment member 75 is preferably sized and shaped to be releasably engageable with a complementary attachment member 80 associated with the equipment 5. When the attachment 1 is not in use, the attachment member 80 of the equipment 5 may be releasably engaged with the seat of the equipment 5. While the attachment members 75, 80 may be releasably engaged with one another in a number of known or foreseeable ways, in a preferred embodiment, the attachment members 75, 80 are releasably engageable via a combined friction fit and nut and bolts attachment method. As set forth herein, the attachment 1 may be releasably engageable with the equipment 5 when a person in a wheelchair wishes to use the equipment 5 in a number of ways. Similarly, the attachment 1 may be compatible with a wide range of equipment other than the equipment 5.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the attachment 1 is illustrated as having been releasably engaged with the equipment 5. More particularly, the handle assembly 45 of the upper frame member 10 is engaged with the equipment 5, and the attachment members 75, 80 of the lower frame member 15 and the equipment 5, respectively, are releasably engaged with one another. As shown and illustrated in FIG. 2, a shaft member 85 may extend rearwardly from a back pad 90 of the upper frame member 10 in order to attach the back pad 90 to the handle assembly 45. The back pad 90 may be attached to the handle assembly 45 by way of the shaft 85 in a pivotal manner such that the back pad 90 may be pivoted upwardly or downwardly relative to the handle assembly 45 attached to the equipment 5.

In order to facilitate pivoting of the back pad 90, near the handle assembly 45, the shaft 85 may be provided with a pin member 95. The pin member 95 preferably includes a spring (not illustrated) that allows the pin member 95 to be pulled outwardly but returned to its compressed form when released. The pin member 95 is preferably of a size and shape that allows it to be releasably secured within apertures 100 located around a circumference of a guide bracket 105 that attaches the handle assembly 45 to the shaft 85. While only one aperture 100 is shown and illustrated in FIG. 2, a number of apertures may be provided around the circumference of the quarter moon shaped guide bracket 105. When a user pulls the pin member 95 outwardly and pivots the back pad 90 upwardly, the pin member 95 may be guided towards those other apertures. When the user releases the pin member 95, the pin member 95 may “auto-locate” into one of those other apertures, thus securing the back pad 90 in a higher position than as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such mechanisms that pivot the back pad 90 relative to the equipment 5 are well known and understood in the exercise equipment industry. When a user wishes to return the back pad 90 to its lower location, he or she may again simply pull the pin member 95 outwardly and guide the back pad outwardly and guide the back pad 90 downwardly until the pin member 95 is auto-located by way of its associated spring into an appropriate aperture.

The ability of the back pad 90 to be raised and lowered serves a useful purpose. More particularly, when a user in a wheelchair with a taller torso is exercising using the attachment 1 and the equipment 5, the back pad 90 may need to be in a higher, taller position to provide appropriate back support. However, when a wheelchair user that has a shorter torso is using the attachment 1 and the equipment 5, the back pad 90 may need to be in a lower, shorter position. The ability to raise and lower the back pad 90 relative to the equipment 5 allows the user to customize the relative position of the attachment 1 to meet his or her particular preferred dimensions.

Also as shown in FIG. 2, the back pad 90 may be provided with a securing belt 110. The securing belt 110 is preferably fixedly attached to the back pad 90 at a rear portion 115 thereof. At a front portion 120 of the back pad 90, the belt 110 may wrap around so that a right portion (or strap) 125 of the belt 110 and a left portion 130 of the belt 110 may be releasably engaged with one another using a known or foreseeable buckle mechanism. More particularly, the illustrated buckle system may include a female buckle 135 on the right portion 125 of the belt 110 and a male buckle 140 on the left portion 130 of the belt 110. A pad 145 is attached to the left side 125 of the belt 110 in FIG. 2, though in alternative embodiments, the pad 145 may be located on the left side 130, both sides 125, 130 or omitted altogether. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the belt 110 is adjustable so that a user may loosen or tighten the belt 110 so as to snugly secure his or her torso to the back pad 90, thus reducing the likelihood of injury when using the equipment 5 to exercise.

Turning now to the lower frame member 15, a base 150 thereof is preferably U-shaped. The base 150 may be substantially U-shaped so that near a rear portion 155 of the lower frame member, a rear crossbar 157 of the base 150 may prevent a wheelchair that has been rolled into the base 150 from rolling into the equipment 5. Side crossbars 160 extending outwardly from the rear crossbar 157 of the base 150 may further prevent a wheelchair from moving side to side when the wheelchair is within the base 150. A front portion 165 of the base 150 is preferably open and unobstructed so that a wheelchair may easily roll in and out of the base 150 and thus the lower frame member 15.

At the front portion 165 of the base 150, the lower frame member 15 is provided with wheel locks 170 that may be used to further secure a wheelchair within the base 150 when it has been rolled into the base 150 and a user is preparing to and subsequently is exercising. The lock members 170 are discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

Side frames 175 of the lower frame member 15 preferably extend upwardly from the side crossbars 160 of the base 150. At the rear portion 155 of the side frames 175, an upper portion 180 of the side frames 175 may be provided with fork members 185 that extend upwardly therefrom. The fork members 185 may receive cables 190 at the cable height 25 or cables 40 at the cable height 30, as described below, to facilitate exercise.

At the front portion 165 of the lower frame member 115, and more particularly on a right side thereof, the side frame 175 may be provided with a utility attachment member 195 for storing and/or containing personal items, for example those belonging to the person in the wheelchair using the equipment 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the utility attachment member 195 is provided on the right side of the side frame 175, but in alternative embodiments, it may be provided on either of the side frames 175. In the illustrated embodiment, the utility attachment member 195 includes each of a cup holder 200, phone (or other accessory) holder 205 and a rod member 210 on which a towel may be placed.

At a lower portion 215 of the lower frame member 15, a belt 220 may be fixably attached to the base 150. Like the belt 110, the belt 220 preferably includes each of a right portion (or strap) 225 and a left portion 230. The right portion 225 may include a pad 235 and a female buckle 240, while the left portion may include a male buckle 245. The right portion 225 and the left portion 230 may be releasably attached to one another using the female buckle 240 and the male buckle 245 in a known and understood manner. The belt 230 is preferably placed over the lap of a wearer when he or she is wheeled into the attachment 1 and ready to exercise. The belt 230 may be adjustable so that when it is tightened or loosened, a user may be more or less snugly secured in his or her wheelchair.

FIG. 3 illustrates the attachment 1 configured to receive a wheelchair and person in a wheelchair for subsequent exercise. In the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the wheel locks 170 are rotated upwardly and outwardly. As such, the front portion 165 of the base 150 is substantially unobstructed so that a wheelchair (not illustrated) may be rolled into the attachment 1. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wheel locks 170 may be constructed as substantially lever-like implements that are hingedly attached to the front of the side crossbars 160. As a result of the hinged attachment of the locks 170 to the side crossbars 160, the wheel locks 170 may be rotated downwardly and inwardly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or upward and outwardly, as shown in FIG. 3.

A front upwardly extending bar 250 of each of the side frames 175 may include two pin members 255 that extend outwardly toward the front portion 165 of the base 150. As shown and illustrated in FIG. 3, the pin members 255 may act as stops that prevent over-outward rotation of the wheel locks 170. By preventing the wheel locks 170 from being over-outwardly rotated, the wheel locks 170 do not project outwardly from the attachment 1 and present a tripping hazard. Moreover, the pin members 255 may prevent the wheel locks 170 from over rotating to the point of making them difficult to grasp for a person in a wheelchair when he or she is locking or unlocking the locks 170. It should further be noted that in the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the belts 110, 230 are preferably unbuckled so as to be out of the way for a person in a wheelchair entering or exiting the attachment 1 for subsequent use of the equipment 5.

Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 where the equipment 5 is ready for use by a person in a wheelchair, cables 190 at the middle cable height 25 and handles 260 associated with the cables 190 are retained within the fork members 185 of the lower attachment member 15. While the fork members 185 are shown and illustrated as two-pronged, in alternative embodiments, the fork members 185 may take on a number of sizes and shapes so long as they are able to retain the handles 260 and certain portions of the cable 190 when the cables 190 and the handles 260 are pulled outwardly in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

It should also be noted that in FIG. 3, the cables 190 and handles 260 associated therewith are secured and retained within the fork members 185. However, in alternative embodiments, cables 40, 35 associated with the upper cable height 30 or the lower cable height 20, respectively, may be retained within the fork members 185 and subsequently used for exercise. By retaining the cable 190 (or 40 or 35) within the fork members 185, the handles 260 (or handles associated with the cable 40 or the cable 35) are closer to the front portion 165 of the base and thus more accessible to a person in a wheelchair. This prevents a person in the wheelchair from having to reach back to the original retracted location of the cables, which can be difficult to reach or even cause injury for a person in a wheelchair that overextends his or her shoulder, elbow, back, or other otherwise injures himself or herself.

FIG. 4 illustrates a person 265 in a wheelchair 270 that is in a position to use the equipment 5 as a result of the attachment 1 being connected to the equipment 5 in the manner described above. In FIG. 4, the wheel locks 170 are downwardly and inwardly rotated so that they prevent front wheels 275 of the wheelchair 270 from rolling rearwardly. Similarly, the belts 110, 230 are fastened in one of the manners described above and snuggly fit around an upper body 280 and a lower body 285, respectively, of the user 265.

Furthermore, in FIG. 4, as in FIG. 3, the cables 190 are pulled outwardly, and the handles 185 are retaining the handles 260 of the cable 190. In this position, it may be relatively effortless for the user 265 to reach rearwardly and grasp the handles 260. He may then, in the illustrated embodiment, use the handles 260 to push outwardly, upwardly, or otherwise to activate the cable 190 which is preferably in fluid communication with a weight stack 290 of the equipment 5 in a known or foreseeable manner. The action of lifting the weight stack 290 via the cables 190 (or cables 40 or 35) preferably provides weight resistance to the muscles that the user 265 is attempting to exercise. When the user 265 is done completing the exercise, he or she may return the handles 260 so that they are retained in the fork members 185 for a next wheelchair user, or to their original position for use by a person not in a wheelchair.

When the user 265 is finished using the equipment 5 and has completed his or her exercise, he or she may wheel away from the attachment 1 by simply unbuckling and releasing the belts 110, 230, and rotating the wheel locks 170 upwardly so that the path to wheeling out of the attachment 1 is substantially clear.

As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. An attachment for converting existing exercise equipment into exercise equipment compatible for a person in a wheelchair, the attachment comprising:

an upper frame member for selective engagement with an upper portion of the existing exercise equipment, the upper frame member including a back pad used to stabilize an upper body of a person in a wheel chair;

a lower frame member for selective engagement with a lower portion of the existing exercise equipment, the lower frame member including wheel locks located near a bottom portion of the lower frame member; and

wherein the wheel locks are used to stabilize wheels of a wheelchair when the wheelchair is positioned within the lower frame member.

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the back pad of the upper frame member is rotatably attached to the upper portion of the existing exercise equipment.

3. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the lower frame member includes at least one fork member extending upwardly therefrom for receiving and retaining at least a portion of a cable associated with the existing exercise equipment.

4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the wheel locks are rotatable levers.

5. The attachment of claim 3, wherein the lower frame member includes a U-shaped base and at least one side frame extending upwardly from a side portion of the base.

6. The attachment of claim 5, wherein the at least one fork member is located on a rear portion of the at least one side frame.

7. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the lower frame member includes at least one pin member extending therefrom that prevents over-rotation of the wheel locks when the wheel locks are in an unlocked position.

8. The attachment of claim 5, wherein the base includes a lap belt for securing a lower body of a person in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.

9. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the upper frame member includes a chest belt for securing an upper body of a person in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.

10. The attachment of claim 1, wherein attachment points of the upper frame member and the lower frame member align with attachment points of handles and a seat attachment, respectively, of the existing exercise equipment.

11. An attachment for converting existing exercise equipment into exercise equipment compatible for a person in a wheelchair, the attachment comprising:

a lower frame member for selective engagement with a lower portion of the existing exercise equipment, the lower frame member including at least one fork member positioned on the lower frame member such that it may receive and retain at least one cable of the existing exercise equipment to make the cable more accessible to a person in a wheelchair using the existing equipment.

12. The attachment of claim 11, wherein the attachment includes an upper frame member for selective engagement with an upper portion of the existing exercise equipment, the upper frame member including a back pad used to stabilize an upper body of a person in a wheel chair.

13. The attachment of claim 11, wherein the lower frame member includes wheel locks located near a bottom portion of the lower frame member.

14. The attachment of claim 13, wherein the wheel locks are rotatable levers.

15. The attachment of claim 11, wherein the lower frame member includes a U-shaped base and at least one side frame extending upwardly from a side portion of the base.

16. The attachment of claim 15, wherein the at least one fork member is located on a rear portion of the at least one side frame.

17. The attachment of claim 13, wherein the lower frame member includes at least one pin member extending therefrom that prevents over-rotation of the wheel locks when the wheel locks are in an unlocked position

18. The attachment of claim 15, wherein the base includes a lap belt for securing a lower body of a person in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.

19. The attachment of claim 12, wherein the upper frame member includes a chest belt for securing an upper body of a person in a wheelchair using the existing exercise equipment.

20. The attachment of claim 11, wherein attachment points of the lower frame member align with attachment points of a seat attachment of the existing exercise equipment.