FOLDING EXERCISE CHAIR
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`Inventors:
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`Marlo Thomas
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`[0001]
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`The pace of modern life makes it difficult for individuals to find the time necessary to
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`get the recommended amount of exercise. This problem is exacerbated when exercising
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`entails a trip to a gym to find proper exercise equipment, especially when a suitable gym is
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`not located nearby. One solution to this problem is to create a home gym that allows one to
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`exercise without travelling to a gym.
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`[0002]
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`Creating a home gym leads to several new problems, one of which is finding the
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`space to store the appropriate exercise equipment. This problem is especially present when
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`the desired exercise is strength-training of all of the major muscle groups of the body. As
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`opposed to a single stationary bike, or a treadmill, whole-body strength training traditionally
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`requires multiple sets of weights, benches, seats, and other pieces of supporting equipment.
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`All of this equipment takes up space, and is inherently heavy and difficult to move. Even
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`when an appropriate space is found in one’s home, it can be difficult to move the various
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`pieces of equipment and weights necessary to facilitate a proper exercise routine. The same
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`issues of space and portability arise when one wishes to exercise at the office. The ability to
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`exercise at work saves time travelling to a gym, but the limited space of a typical office
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`makes storage and portability of exercise equipment equally important at the office as in the
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`home.
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`[0003]
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`Therefore, there exists a need for an exercise device that can properly exercise the
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`major muscle groups without requiring the space and difficulty of a full set of traditional
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`weights and supporting equipment. The exercise device should also be simple to use, light
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`enough to easily maneuver, and able to be stored in a limited amount of space.
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`BRIEF SUMIVIARY OF THE INVENTION
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`[0004]
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`An exercise chair comprising a rear frame, a seat frame, pivotably connected to the
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`rear frame, a seat, pivotably connected to the rear frame and to the seat frame, a back
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`connected to the rear frame, a base connected to one of the rear frame and the seat frame, a
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`cross beam connected to the rear frame; and four pair of resistance bands, one pair connected
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`to the cross beam, and the other three pair connected to the base.
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`_ 2 _
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES
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`[0005]
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`FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exercise chair in an unfolded or use position
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`according to the present disclosure.
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`[0006]
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`Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of an exercise chair in a folded or storage position
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`according to the present disclosure.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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`[0007]
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`An embodiment of an exercise chair 10 is shown generally in FIG. 1. An embodiment
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`of exercise chair 10 includes a pair of back frames 12 pivotably connected to a pair of seat
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`frames 14 at frame pivot points 22. A back 16 is mounted to back frames 12 at a position
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`close to ends 36 of back frames 12. A seat 18 is pivotably mounted to back frames 12 at a
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`seat pivot points 24 and to seat frames 14 at a seat pivot point 40(on opposite sides of seat
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`18). Back 16 and seat 18 are mounted to back frames 12 and seat frames 14 at an angle to
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`each other that is comfortable for an adult person to sit in for extended periods of time when
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`exercise chair 10 is in an unfolded position as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, frame
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`pivot point 22, seat pivot point 24, and seat pivot point 40 are configured in a way to allow
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`exercise chair 10 to be folded from an unfolded position, as show in FIG. 1, to a folded
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`position, as shown in FIG. 2. Folding is accomplished by having seat 18 pivot in an upward
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`direction until it is lying parallel and adjacent to back 16. In the folded position exercise chair
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`10 takes up significantly less space than in the unfolded position, and may easily be stored in
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`unused spaces, for example underneath a bed or behind a door. Alternative designs and
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`methods for creating a folding chair are well-known in the art and may be used
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`interchangeably in place of the above-described folding chair design.
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`[0008]
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`Back frames 12 are connected to a front base 26 at ends opposite ends 36. Seat frames
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`14 are connected to a rear base 28 at ends 38. Front base 26 and rear base 28 extend beyond
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`frames 12 and 14 to stabilize exercise chair 10 when it is being used without the need for
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`excessive weight being present on exercise chair 10. A cross beam 20 is connected to back
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`Atty. Dkt. No. 4097.0010001
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`frames 12 near ends 36. Cross beam 20 is positioned such that it is parallel to the floor and
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`would be at approximately shoulder height of an average height adult person sitting in
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`exercise chair 10. The horizontal distance cross beam 20 extends to either side of exercise
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`chair 10 is sufficient to allow for a range of upper body exercises as described below. In an
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`alternative embodiment cross beam 20 may be adjustably attached to back frames 12 such
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`that the vertical position of cross beam 20 may be adjusted to match the shoulder height of
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`different users.
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`[0009]
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`Exercise chair 10 also includes a number of resistance bands 30 connected at one end
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`to various parts of exercise chair 10. Resistance bands 30 may have handles 32 connected to
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`an end of resistance bands 30 that is opposite the end connected to exercise chair 10. Handles
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`32 may be sized to function either through gripping by hand or by slipping over a foot or
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`lower leg. Resistance bands 30 may be made of an appropriate elastic material that requires
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`increasing force to deform beyond a relaxed state, such as a rubber or other flexible elastic
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`material typically used for exercise bands. It should be noted that the resistive force created
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`by resistance bands 30 as they are stretched may be tailored by material selection and design
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`of the resistance bands 30, and thus exercise chair 10 may be provided with a variety of
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`resistance bands 30 that require increasing force to stretch beyond the relaxed state.
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`[0010]
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`In an alternative embodiment, ends of resistance bands 30 may connect to exercise
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`chair 10 at connection points 34 in a releasable manner. These releasable connections may be
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`accomplished in any manner which can withstand the forces put on the resistance bands 30
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`during exercise, for example through hooks disposed on the end of resistance bands 30 which
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`hook into appropriate holes found on exercise chair 10.
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`[0011]
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`Resistance bands 30 may be attached to exercise chair 10 in a variety of
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`configurations designed to facilitate different exercise routines. In one embodiment, there
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`may be four pair of resistance bands 30 attached to exercise chair 10. A pair of resistance
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`bands 30 may be attached one per side on cross beam 20 an equal distance from a centerline
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`of back 16 to facilitate various seated press and shoulder press exercises. Another pair of
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`resistance bands 30 may be attached to front base 26 outside of the connection point between
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`back frames 12 and front base 26 in such a way to allow for bicep curls and similar arm
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`exercises. A third pair of resistance bands 30 may be attached to rear base 28 near the
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`connection point between seat frames 14 and rear base 28 in order to allow for leg extensions
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`and similar exercises while seated. A fourth pair of resistance bands 30 may be attached in a
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`symmetrical fashion to rear base 28 to enable a series of seated exercises such as a seated
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`chest fly, and also to enable standing exercises such as lateral leg raises. The design of front
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`base 26 and rear base 28 ensure the stability of exercise chair 10 when standing exercises are
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`performed with only a minimal amount of force being placed on exercise chair 10 by the
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`user, such as with their free hand. The preceding discussion of the placement of resistance
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`bands 30 and exercises that may be performed should be taken as non-limiting examples
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`designed to aid in comprehension of the embodiment described here. Numerous other options
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`exist for both placement of resistance bands 30 and exercises that may be performed on
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`exercise chair 10.
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`[0012]
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`In another embodiment of exercise chair 10, there are a total of sixteen resistance
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`bands 30. One pair of resistance bands may be attached to cross beam 20 in a symmetrical
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`fashion in order to allow for exercises like a seated chest press. Multiple pairs of resistance
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`bands 30 may be attached to front base 26 in a symmetrical fashion in order to allow various
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`exercises to be performed, including bicep curls and similar exercises. Multiple pairs of
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`resistance bands 30 mays also be attached to rear base 28 in a symmetrical fashion to allow
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`for exercises such as a seated chest fly and leg extensions.
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`[0013]
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`Back frames 12, seat frames 14, cross beam 20, front base 26, and rear base 28 may
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`be made of any appropriate material that can bear the full weight of an adult person and
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`withstand the forces experienced by exercise chair 10 while various exercises occur.
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`Examples of such materials include aluminum, steel, plastics, and composite materials. Back
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`16 and seat 18 may be made of any appropriate material or combinations of materials that
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`can withstand the forces described above and provide a level of comfort to an adult person
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`using exercise chair 10. Example materials include plastics, metals, and combinations of
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`plastics and metals covered with foam padding or fabric. The connections described in this
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`disclosure may be accomplished by any means known in the art, including adhesive
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`fastening, welding, riveting, and mechanical fastening using screws. The pivotable
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`connections may employ any appropriate means known in the art, for example a pivot pin,
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`and may include a locking feature.
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`[0014]
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`A method for use of exercise chair 10 may be as follows. First, a user removes the
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`folded exercise chair 10 from its storage location, such as from under a bed. Next, the user
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`unfolds exercise chair 10 and places it in a location with sufficient space surrounding
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`exercise chair 10 in order to safely perform the desired exercises. If the handles of resistance
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`bands 30 have been looped around the crossbar 20 and bases 26 and 28 as shown in Figure 2,
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`the users would first unloop them so that they are only connected to exercise chair at their
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`connections points 34. The user may then adjust, add, or remove resistance bands 30 as
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`desired to prepare the chair for use according to the user’s exercise regime. Here, the user can
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`also adjust the resistance bands 30 to set appropriate resistance levels. After appropriate
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`warm-up and stretching, the user may then exercise on exercise chair 10. The user may
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`alternate seated exercises with standing exercises, or may choose to perform all seated
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`exercises before any standing exercises, or some combination of the two. The resistance
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`bands 30 provide increasing resistance as they are stretched beyond their relaxed state, and
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`thus the user may also tailor how much resistance they desire by how much they extend the
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`resistance bands 30. Once the user is finished exercising, exercise chair 10 may be folded and
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`returned to its storage location, leaving the space occupied for exercising free for other uses.
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`[0015]
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`It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and
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`Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract
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`sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present
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`invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present
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`invention and the appended claims in any way.
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`[0016]
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`The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general
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`nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art,
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`readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without
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`undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention.
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`Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and
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`range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance
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`presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the
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`purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the
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`present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and
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`guidance.
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`[0017]
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`The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the
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`above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the
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`following claims and their equivalents.
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`Atty. Dkt. No. 4097.0010001
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