GB2128488A

GB2128488A - Exercising apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2128488A
Application number: GB08229006A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald L Brown
Original assignee: LACHAR ROYALTY MANAGEMENT CORP
Current assignee: LACHAR ROYALTY MANAGEMENT CORP
Priority date: 1972-07-27
Filing date: 1982-10-11
Publication date: 1984-05-02
Also published as: DE2303970C3; ATA640273A; NL177186C; AT326544B; DE2303970A1; FR2512348A1; BE890277A; GB2128488B; CH562038A5; DE2303970B2; NL7310381A; NL177186B

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a couch 1 having exercising equipment engageable by the feet of a user, an upper side (2) of the couch being covered by a flexible air impervious enclosure (10), which forms a space to accommodate the body of the user while leaving the head free. Air vents are provided in the upper face (2) of the couch and are connected to a blower. The apparatus also has handles (5) engageable by the hands of the user and the enclosure may be heated or cooled by the blower, hot air providing a sauna or turkish bath effect. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gymnastic apparatus The invention relates to gymnastic apparatus consisting of a couch having equipment adapted to be engaged by the feet of a user and to be moved against a resistance.

It is known to arrange a gymnastic apparatus, for example a gymnastic bicycle, within an enclosure made of a material impervious to air, the enclosure forming a space to accommodate the body of the user while leaving free the head of the same (US Patent Specification 1 3 65 460; German Offenlegungsschrift 2117 531); a heating blower may be connected within the enclosure (German Offenlegungsschrift 2117 531). A gymnastic apparatus known in the art and having a couch comprises equipment adapted to be engaged by the user and to be moved against a resistance (US Patent Specification 12 40 809). Furthermore, gymnastic devices having straps or ropes are known which pass over deflecting pulleys mounted on a structure and which may be loaded by weights (US Patent Specification 31 15 339).

In the known gymnastic apparatus, the enclosure enclosing the'gymnastic apparatus and the user except for his head constitutes a rigid structure which may only be combined with a couch at the expense of considerable space in such a way that the user may perform gymnastic exercises on the couch at determined temperatures. Accordingly it is the object of the invention to provide gymnastic apparatus of the aforementioned kind designed to save as much space as possible in which the user may perform gymnastic exercises in lying position using feet and possibly the hands, also, at determined temperatures.

According to the invention said object is achieved in that the upper side of a couch is covered by an enclosure made of a material impervious to air and forming a space to accommodate the body of the user while leaving the head of the same free and air outlet openings are provided in the top face of the couch, that said openings are connected to a blower and said enclosure being flexible so as to form a dome under the excess generated by said blower, and that said equipment forms handles or loops adapted to be engaged by the hands of the user, too.

Conveniently, the gymnastic apparatus according to the invention may be designed such that the enclosure is fixed to a frame which is pivoted for tilting about one longitudinal side of the couch and which may be tightened in a substantially air-tight manner against the top side of the couch by a tensioning device. Further advantageous designs and developments of the apparatus according to the invention are characterised in the subclaims.

The gymnastic apparatus according to the invention is designed in a space saving way by the flexible enclosure, the whole device being arranged such that the user may perform the gymnastic exercises using the handles or loops against a resistance in a lying position. Since the enclosure is fixed to a tiltable frame and may be tightened in an air-tight manner, cooling may be effected by means of the blower. With hot air supply the gymnastic apparatus acts in the way of a sauna or Turkish bath, the sudorific effect of which is assisted by the movement of the lying user. The air temperature of the blower is regulated by means of a corresponding switch. If the enclosure is made of transparent plastic material, the user may easily find the handles or loops and watch his movements.

While performing feet movements, the user may catch hold at a pair of fixed handles on the top side of the couch edge.

While it has become known by German Gebrauchsmuster 69 27 675 and French Patent Specification 1 204 523 to provide an enclosure made of material impervious to air in combination with a couch, said enclosure forming a space to accommodate the body of the user while leaving free the head of the same and being flexible so as to form a dome under the excess pressure of a blower, such devices have only been used for hot air treatment of the human body similar to a sauna.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus and Fig. 4 is an illustration in perspective view.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a couch 1 with a top side 2. A head rest 3 is located at one end of the couch 1. Fixed handles 4 are arranged on both sides at the edge of the top side 2 of the couch 1. The user may then lie down on the couch with the head on the head rest 3 and may catch hold with his hands at the fixed handles 4.

To the ends of ropes handles are fixed which form leather rings and the ropes pass through slots 6 in the top face of the couch 1, the slots being encircled by metal frame portions 1 7.

Further ropes 19 extend through slots 8 near the foot end of the couch 1; loops or leather rings are fixed to the ends thereof.

An air outlet opening 9 is located between the slots 8 in the top side 2 and is covered by a grid.

The air outlet opening 9 is connected to a blower (not illustrated) by which a flow of hot or cold air may be selectively directed through the air outlet opening.

An enclosure 10 made of transparent plastic material is fixed to a frame 11 which is pivoted for tilting to one side of the couch 1. The frame 11 and the enclosure 10 extend over the top side 2 of the couch 1 up to the head rest 3. The user may then, as shown, lie down with the head free on the head rest, while the body is enclosed in the enclosure 1 0. The tilting movement of the frame 11 is limited by stops 12 (Fig. 2). The frame 11 is tightened by tensioning means 13 against the top side of the couch along the side opposite to the pivot axis so that a substantially air tight closure results. Under the influence of the excess pressure generated by the blower the enclosure forms a dome so that there is sufficient space for the user to perform gymnastic exercises using arms and legs.

The ropes 18, 1 9 (see Fig. 4) are guided over deflecting pulleys 14 in a structure 20 mounted to the foot end of the couch 1. Weights, which exert a resistance against a pull on the handles 5 or loops 7, hang from the ropes. The resistance may be varied by employing heavier or lighter weights or a greater or smaller number of disc-shaped weights to suspend from the ropes or to be put into the frames suspending from the ropes, respectively.

The blower may be switched selectively from hot air to cold air and vice versa by a switch 1 6.

Claims

1. Gymnastic apparatus consisting of a couch having equipment adapted to be engaged by the feet of a user and to be moved against a resistance characterized in that the upper side of a couch is covered by an enclosure made of a material impervious to air and forming a space to accommodate the body of the user while leaving the head of the same free, air outlet openings being provided in the top face of the couch and connected to a blower and said enclosure being flexible so as to form a dome under the excess pressure generated by said blower, and that said equipment forms handles or loops adapted to be engaged by the hands of the user, too.

2. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in Claim 1, characterized in that the handles or loops are connected to ropes which pass through guiding openings formed at the edges of the couch, which are guided over deflecting pulleys in a structure mounted to the foot end of the couch, and which are loaded by weights.

3. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in Claim 2, characterized in that weights of different size and/or number may be attached selectively to the ends of the ropes.

4. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the enclosure is fixed to a frame which is pivoted for tilting about one longitudinal side of the couch and which may be tightened in a substantially air-tight manner against the top side of the couch by tensioning devices.

5. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in Claim 4, characterized in that the tilting movement of the frame is limited by stops.

6. Gymnastic appartus as set forth in any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the enclosure is made of a transparent plastic material.

7. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in any one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the blower is designed to generate hot air.

8. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in Claim 7, characterized in that a switch is provided to reversibly switch the blower from hot air to cold air supply.

9. Gymnastic apparatus as set forth in Claim 8, characterized in that a pair of fixed handles is mounted to the top side at the edge of the couch.

10. Gymnastic apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.