Adjustable leg exercise apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is an adjustable leg exercise apparatus for allowing a user to perform a leg exercise while sitting on a sitting structure, or alternatively, when standing in a modified standing position. In a first embodiment, the adjustable leg exercise apparatus includes a foot engagement member; a knee-thigh engagement member; at least one elastic resistance member; at least one foot securing mechanism for securing or locking the foot engagement member to the at least one elastic resistance member; at least one knee-thigh securing mechanism for securing or locking the knee-thigh engagement member to the at least one elastic resistance member; and a plurality of length adjustment and securing devices for securing each of the at least one elastic resistance member in any one of a plurality of predetermined adjustment positions. In a second embodiment, the knee-thigh engagement member may include a knee-thigh wrapping device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable leg exercise apparatus comprising:
 a foot engagement member comprising a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, and a body extending from said first end to said second end of said foot engagement member,   wherein said foot engagement member is dimensioned and configured for engaging with a sufficient portion of an exercising foot of an exercising leg of a user during use;   a knee-thigh engagement member comprising a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, and a body extending from said first end to said second end of said knee-thigh engagement member,   wherein said knee-thigh engagement member is dimensioned and configured for engaging with a sufficient portion of an exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user during use;   at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein each of said at least one elastic resistance member comprises a first end, a second end, and an elongated body extending from said first end to said second end of said each of said at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein said each of said at least one elastic resistance member has a predetermined length at a resting position,   wherein said foot engagement member is secured a closer distance to said first end than to said second end of said each of said at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein said knee-thigh engagement member is secured a closer distance to said second end than to said first end of said each of said at least one elastic resistance member, and   wherein said each of said at least one elastic resistance member has sufficient elasticity for being stretched lengthwise from said resting position to at least one stretched, exercising position during use, has sufficient elasticity for returning to said resting position from said at least one stretched, exercising position, has sufficient elasticity for being stretched lengthwise from said resting position to a plurality of predetermined adjustment positions and then for being secured in any one of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions prior to use, and has sufficient elasticity for returning to said resting position from said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions after use;   at least one foot securing mechanism for securing said foot engagement member to said at least one elastic resistance member;   at least one knee-thigh securing mechanism for securing said knee-thigh engagement member to said at least one elastic resistance member; and   a plurality of length adjustment and securing devices for securing said each of said at least one elastic resistance member in any one of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions,   wherein said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices are positioned in an arrangement along at least one of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member, said bottom side of said knee-thigh engagement member, and said at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices allow different users to adjust the length of said each of said at least one elastic resistance member to accommodate different lower leg lengths of the different users and to accommodate a preferred resistance force of said each of said at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein, prior to use, each of said foot engagement member and said knee-thigh engagement member is secured to each of said at least one elastic resistance member in an applicable position via said at least one foot securing mechanism and at least one knee-thigh securing mechanism, respectively,   wherein, prior to use, said foot engagement member is positioned on an exercising surface such that said bottom side of said foot engagement member makes contact with the exercising surface,   wherein, prior to use, said foot engagement member and said knee-thigh engagement member are engaged with the exercising foot and the exercising knee-thigh, respectively, of the user,   wherein, prior to use, each of said at least one elastic resistance member is secured in a preferred, predetermined adjustment position of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions via said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices, and   wherein, after assembly of said adjustable leg exercise apparatus, after securement of said adjustable leg exercise apparatus to the exercising leg of the user, and during use, the user is able to perform a leg exercise by applying a downward force on said foot engagement member with a front portion of the exercising foot and then alternatively raising a heel of the exercising foot whereby said each of said at least one elastic resistance member is stretched lengthwise from said resting position to said at least one stretched, exercising position and then lowering the heel whereby said each of said at least one elastic resistance member is retracted lengthwise from said at least one stretched, exercising position to said resting position, or alternatively, at least one other portion of the exercising foot is positioned in an engagement position with said foot engagement member during use such that the user is able to perform an alternative leg exercise by applying a downward force on said foot engagement member with the heel and then alternatively raising and lowering the front portion of the exercising foot.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one elastic resistance member is an elastic resistance band. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said at least one elastic resistance member, and wherein said at least one knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said at least one elastic resistance member. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said arrangement of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices is a linear arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said knee-thigh engagement member further comprises a knee-thigh wrapping device for wrapping around at least a substantial portion of the exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user during use. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said at least one elastic resistance member is an elastic resistance band. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said at least one elastic resistance member, and wherein said at least one knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said at least one elastic resistance member. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said knee-thigh wrapping device is a first wrapping strap and a second wrapping strap, wherein said first wrapping strap is secured about said first end of said knee-thigh engagement member, wherein said second wrapping strap is secured about said second end of said knee-thigh engagement member, and wherein said first wrapping strap and said second wrapping strap wrap around the exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user and are secured to one another during use. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said arrangement of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices is a linear arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . An adjustable leg exercise apparatus comprising:
 a foot engagement member comprising a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, and a body extending from said first end to said second end of said foot engagement member,   wherein said foot engagement member is dimensioned and configured for engaging with a sufficient portion of an exercising foot of an exercising leg of a user during use;   a knee-thigh engagement member comprising a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, and a body extending from said first end to said second end of said knee-thigh engagement member,   wherein said knee-thigh engagement member is dimensioned and configured for engaging with a sufficient portion of an exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user during use;   a first elastic resistance member and a second elastic resistance member,   wherein each of said first and second elastic resistance members comprises a first end, a second end, and an elongated body extending from said first end to said second end of a corresponding elastic resistance member of said first and second elastic resistance members,   wherein each of said first and second elastic resistance members has a predetermined length at a resting position,   wherein said foot engagement member is secured a closer distance to said first end than to said second end of each of said first and second elastic resistance members,   wherein said knee-thigh engagement member is secured a closer distance to said second end than to said first end of each of said first and second elastic resistance members, and   wherein said each of said first and second elastic resistance members has sufficient elasticity for being stretched lengthwise from said resting position to at least one stretched, exercising position during use, has sufficient elasticity for returning to said resting position from said at least one stretched, exercising position, has sufficient elasticity for being stretched lengthwise from said resting position to a plurality of predetermined adjustment positions and then for being secured in any one of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions prior to use, and has sufficient elasticity for returning to said resting position from said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions after use;   a first foot securing mechanism for securing said foot engagement member to said first elastic resistance member;   a second foot securing mechanism for securing said foot engagement member to said second elastic resistance member;   a first knee-thigh securing mechanism for securing said knee-thigh engagement member to said first elastic resistance member;   a second knee-thigh securing mechanism for securing said knee-thigh engagement member to said second elastic resistance member; and   a plurality of length adjustment and securing devices for securing each of said first and second elastic resistance members in any one of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions,   wherein said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices are positioned in an arrangement along at least one of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member, said bottom side of said knee-thigh engagement member, and said at least one elastic resistance member,   wherein said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices allow different users to adjust the length of said each of said first and second elastic resistance members to accommodate different lower leg lengths of the different users and to accommodate a preferred resistance force of said each of said first and second elastic resistance members,   wherein, prior to use, said first foot engagement member and said second foot engagement member are secured to said first elastic resistance member and said second elastic resistance member, respectively, in applicable positions via said first foot securing mechanism and said second foot securing mechanism, respectively,   wherein, prior to use, said first knee-thigh engagement member and said second knee-thigh engagement member are secured to said first elastic resistance member and said second elastic resistance member, respectively, in applicable positions via said first knee-thigh securing mechanism and said second knee-thigh securing mechanism, respectively,   wherein, prior to use, said foot engagement member is positioned on an exercising surface such that said bottom side of said foot engagement member makes contact with the exercising surface,   wherein, prior to use, said foot engagement member and said knee-thigh engagement member are engaged with the exercising foot and the exercising knee-thigh, respectively, of the user,   wherein, prior to use, each of said first elastic resistance member and said second elastic resistance member is secured in a preferred, predetermined adjustment position of said plurality of predetermined adjustment positions via said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices, and   wherein, after assembly of said adjustable leg exercise apparatus, after securement of said adjustable leg exercise apparatus to the exercising leg of the user, and during use, the user is able to perform a leg exercise by applying a downward force on said foot engagement member with a front portion of the exercising foot that is positioned within an open leg-receiving area located between said first and second elastic resistance members when said adjustable leg exercise apparatus is assembled and secured to the exercising leg and then alternatively raising a heel of the exercising foot whereby said each of said first and second elastic resistance members is stretched lengthwise from said resting position to said at least one stretched, exercising position and then lowering the heel whereby said each of said first and second elastic resistance members is retracted lengthwise from said at least one stretched, exercising position to said resting position, or alternatively, at least one other portion of the exercising foot is positioned in an engagement position with said foot engagement member and inside the open leg-receiving area during use such that the user is able to perform an alternative leg exercise by applying a downward force on said foot engagement member with the heel and then alternatively raising and lowering the front portion of the exercising foot.   
     
     
         11 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein each of said first and second elastic resistance members is an elastic resistance band. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said first foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said first elastic resistance member, wherein said second foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said second elastic resistance member, wherein said first knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said first elastic resistance member, and wherein said second knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said second elastic resistance member. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said arrangement of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices is a linear arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a first plurality of length adjustment and securing devices of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices are positioned about said first end of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member for engaging with and securing said first elastic resistance member for length adjustments made by the user, and wherein a second plurality of length adjustment and securing devices of said plurality of adjustment and securing devices are positioned about said second end of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member for engaging with and securing said second elastic resistance member for length adjustments made by the user. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said knee-thigh engagement member further comprises a knee-thigh wrapping device for wrapping around at least a substantial portion of the exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user during use. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein each of said first and second elastic resistance members is an elastic resistance band. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said first foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said first elastic resistance member, wherein said second foot securing mechanism secures said foot engagement member about said first end of said second elastic resistance member, wherein said first knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said first elastic resistance member, and wherein said second knee-thigh securing mechanism secures said knee-thigh engagement member about said second end of said second elastic resistance member. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said knee-thigh wrapping device is a first wrapping strap and a second wrapping strap, wherein said first wrapping strap is secured about said first end of said knee-thigh engagement member, wherein said second wrapping strap is secured about said second end of said knee-thigh engagement member, and wherein said first wrapping strap and said second wrapping strap wrap around the exercising knee-thigh of the exercising leg of the user and are secured to one another during use. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said arrangement of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices is a linear arrangement. 
     
     
         20 . The adjustable leg exercise apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein a first plurality of length adjustment and securing devices of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices are positioned about said first end of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member for engaging with and securing said first elastic resistance member for length adjustments made by the user, and wherein a second plurality of length adjustment and securing devices of said plurality of length adjustment and securing devices are positioned about said second end of said top side of said knee-thigh engagement member for engaging with and securing said second elastic resistance member for length adjustments made by the user.