Pilates Reformer With an Articulated Movable Platform

Abstract

Pilates reformers, and exercise apparatus, are widely used by individuals of varying levels of fitness. The moveable carriage of the reformer onto which the person is to lie supine during exercise is difficult to mount for some individuals, such as the elderly or pregnant women. A replacement for the planar one-piece carriage is disclosed that is a two-piece platform having a seat portion and a back portion that pivots with respect to the seat portion. The individual can mount the exercise apparatus on the seat portion with the inclined back portion for support. The back portion can then be lowered to a completely horizontal position or slightly inclined, depending on the needs of the individual. An articulated platform has an extendible gas spring mounted between the back portion and a support structure. The gas spring assists the individual, or a trainer, to move the back portion up.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A seating system for an exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a planar support structure;   an articulated platform having:
 a seat portion coupled to the support structure with fasteners to prevent relative movement of the seat portion with respect to the support structure; and 
 a back portion coupled to the seat portion with a hinge; 
   an extendible member coupled between the back portion and one of the seat portion and the planar support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The seating system of  claim 1  wherein the hinge is a piano hinge with a first side of the piano hinge coupled to an edge of the seat portion and a second side of the piano hinge coupled to an edge of the back portion. 
     
     
         3 . The seating system of  claim 1  wherein the extendible member is a gas spring, the seating system further comprising:
 a first bracket coupled to the support structure; and 
 a second bracket coupled to the back portion of the platform wherein:
 a first end of the gas spring is coupled to the first bracket and a second end of the gas spring is coupled to the second bracket; and 
 the support structure defines an opening to accommodate the gas spring's motion when moving between ends of travel. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The seating system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the extendible member is a gas spring having a normally-closed valve; 
 the valve prevents the gas spring from extending/contracting when in the normally-closed position; and 
 the valve allows the gas spring to extend/contract when the valve is open, the seating system further comprising:
 a first end of a cable coupled to the valve, the cable being housed in a sheath; and 
 an actuator coupled to the second end of the cable, which, when actuated opens the valve. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The seating system of  claim 4  wherein the actuator is one of a lever, a button, and a paddle. 
     
     
         6 . The seating system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of standoffs located between the support structure and the seat portion.   
     
     
         7 . An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a planar support structure;   an articulated platform coupled to the support structure, the articulated platform having a seat portion fixed to the support structure and a back portion coupled to the seat portion with a hinge; and   a gas spring coupled between the back portion and one of the seat portion and the planar support structure, the gas spring having a normally-closed valve disposed therein.   
     
     
         8 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a frame having: a head end, a foot end, a left rail having a first end coupled to a left side of the head end and a second end coupled to a left side of the foot end, and a right rail having a first end coupled to a right side of the head end and a second end coupled to a right side of the foot end;   a plurality of wheels coupled to the planar support structure, a first portion of the wheels sitting on the left rail and a second portion of the wheels sitting on the right rail.   
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first bracket coupled to the support structure; and   a second bracket coupled to the back portion, wherein a first end of the gas spring is coupled to the first bracket and a second end of the gas spring is coupled to the second bracket.   
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first bracket coupled to the seat portion; and   a second bracket coupled to the back portion, wherein a first end of the gas spring is coupled to the first bracket and the second end of the gas spring is coupled to the second bracket.   
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 9  wherein:
 a normally-closed valve is disposed in the gas spring; 
 the valve has: an open position in which the gas cylinder is allowed to move between an extended position and an unextended position; and a closed position in which the gas spring is prevented from moving between the extended and unextended positions, the exercise apparatus further comprising: 
 a cable having a first end coupled to the valve; and 
 a valve actuator coupled to the second end of the cable, the valve actuator mounted on one of the seat, the carriage, and the back portion wherein actuating the valve actuator causes the valve to move to open. 
 
     
     
         12 . The seating system of  claim 9  wherein the hinge is a piano hinge with a first side of the piano hinge coupled to an edge of the seat portion and a second side of the piano hinge coupled to an edge of the back portion. 
     
     
         13 . A method to fabricate an exercise apparatus, comprising:
 fabricating a planar support structure;   fabricating a seat portion;   fabricating a back portion;   attaching a first side of a hinge to the back portion and a second side of a hinge to the seat portion;   affixing the seat portion to the planar support structure; and   coupling a selectively, extendible member between the back portion and one of the support structure and the seat portion.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 affixing a first bracket to the back portion;   affixing a second bracket to the seat portion;   coupling a first end of the extendible member to the first bracket on the back portion; and   coupling a second end of the extendible member to the second bracket on the seat portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 affixing a first bracket to the back portion;   affixing a second bracket to the support structure;   coupling a first end of the extendible member to the first bracket on the back portion; and   coupling a second end of the extendible member to the second bracket on the seat portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the extendible member is a gas spring having a valve; 
 the valve has a closed position in which the extendible member is prevented from extending and an open position in which extension and retraction of the extendible member are allowed; 
 a first end of a cable is coupled to the valve; 
 an actuator is coupled to a second of the cable; 
 the actuator is mounted on one of the seat and the back portion; and 
 when the actuator is actuated, the valve moves between open and closed positions. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 procuring a pilates reformer with a moveable carriage;   removing a fixed platform from the moveable carriage; and   coupling the planar support structure, the articulated platform, and the extendible member to the moveable carriage.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: coupling wheels to the planar support structure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 affixing beams to the planar support structure; and   coupling a plurality of wheels to at least two of the beams.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 affixing a cushion to the back portion;   affixing a cushion to the seat portion; and   affixing shoulder bumpers to the back portion.