Portable knee exerciser and method of operation

Abstract

A knee exerciser is a U-shaped support with a base and two sides to support a cross member having a rotatable outer surface at an elevated position relative to a supporting surface. The sides have a plurality of openings that correspond to one another so that the cross members can be inserted into two corresponding openings to vary the height of the cross member relative to the supporting surface. The cross member has a core with a rotatable plastic sleeve located thereon. In a method of operation, a user rests a back of the knee on the outer surface and flexes the knee through a range of movement. There are stabilizers along each side to maintain the exerciser in an upright position.

1 . An exerciser for exercising a knee of a user while said user is on a supporting surface, said exerciser comprising a cross member having a rotatable outer surface, said cross member being located in an elevated position relative to said supporting surface, said user resting a back area of said knee on said outer surface and flexing said knee through a range of movement, said exerciser being portable and having stabilizers thereon to maintain the exerciser in an upright position.  
   
   
       2 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cross member is mounted in such a manner that a height of the cross member is adjustable.  
   
   
       3 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the exerciser has a U-shaped support with a base and two sides, said sides having a plurality of openings therein, said openings extending vertically along each side, each of said openings on one side being sized and located to have a corresponding opening on another side, said cross member being sized to slidably fit between an opening on one side and a corresponding opening on the other side, being a set of corresponding openings, said cross member being supported generally parallel to said base.  
   
   
       4 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a height of the cross member is adjusted by moving said cross member to a different set of corresponding openings.  
   
   
       5 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the base rests upon said supporting surface.  
   
   
       6 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 5  wherein there are two stabilizers, one being located at each end of said base, said stabilizers and extending outward from said base, each stabilizer being independently slidable relative to said base in two directions, either towards said user or away from said user as desired.  
   
   
       7 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cross member comprises a cylindrical core with a roll of paper towels rotatably mounted on said core, said roll of paper towels providing said rotatable outer surface.  
   
   
       8 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cross member has a cylindrical shape.  
   
   
       9 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said cross member comprises a core and a sleeve rotatably mounted on said core.  
   
   
       10 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said cross member comprises a roll of paper towels rotatably mounted on said sleeve.  
   
   
       11 . A knee exerciser as claim in  claim 9  wherein said cross member comprises a fabric towel rolled around said sleeve.  
   
   
       12 . A knee exerciser as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said cross member comprises a core with a fabric towel rolled around said core.  
   
   
       13 . A method of operating a knee exerciser to exercise the knee of a user while said user is on a supporting surface, said exerciser having a cross member with a rotatable outer surface, said cross member being located in an elevated position relative to said supporting surface, said exerciser being portable having stabilizers thereon to maintain the exerciser in an upright position, said method comprising placing said exerciser on said supporting surface in an upright position, said user resting a back area of said knee on said outer surface while said user is on said supporting surface, adjusting said stabilizers to ensure that said exerciser will be maintained in an upright position, said user resting a back area of said knee on said outer surface and flexing said knee through a range of movement.  
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said cross member is mounted in such a manner that a height of the cross member is adjustable, said method including the steps of adjusting the cross member to an appropriate height before resting a back of said knee on said outer surface.  
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14  including the steps over several different exercise sessions of commencing with said cross member at a low height at a first session and progressively increasing said height as desired for subsequent sessions.  
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  including the step of installing a roll of paper towels to provide a rotatable outer surface on said cross member.