Field of the Invention

[0001 ] This invention relates generally to recumbent exercise bike apparatus, and, more particularly, this invention relates to recumbent exercise bike apparatus having a head restraint mechanism specifically adapted for head restraint whilst peddling .

Background of the Invention

[0002] Various forms of exercise equipment comprising head restraints include US 4921247 A (STERLING) 01 May 1990 [hereinafter referred to as D1 ] and US 4838547 A (STERLING) 13 June 1989 [hereinafter referred to as D2] disclosing exercise chair apparatus and US 1973945 A (CHAVIN et al.) 18 September 1934 [hereinafter referred to as D3] disclosing a combination exercising chair and rubbing table. Other types of apparatus including disability apparatus include US 551 1854 A (CORDIA) 30 April 1996 [hereinafter referred to as D4]

[0003] The present invention seeks to provide head restraint for recumbent exercise bike apparatus specifically adapted for head restraint whilst peddling.

[0004] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Disclosure

[0005] There is provided herein a recumbent exercise bike apparatus comprising a head restraint mechanism which is specifically adapted for head restraint whilst performing cycling exercise.

[0006] The apparatus comprises a seat, pedals in front of the seat and wherein the head restraint mechanism comprises a rearward restraint post extending up at an angle from behind a backrest of a seat of the apparatus.

[0007] The post defines an anchor point from which a headband is secured by an elastic cord. The elastic cord secures the headband at an offset from the anchor point. [0008] The elastic cord provides some movement tolerance but gently urges the head back towards the anchor point, thereby providing not only forward head restraint, but also side-to-side head restraint caused during peddling exertion. Furthermore, the offset of the elastic band provides unrestrained movement close to the anchor point. Yet further, the force applied to the head by the elastic cord increases proportionally with the distance of the head from the anchor point.

[0009] The headband arrangements of prior art exercise apparatus serve different purposes in that, for example, the pulling of the head strap of D1 outward and slipping it over the head and resting it firmly against the forehead and then moving the head forward and bowing slightly pulls a cable against a plate fastened to a fastener attached to a spring so that forward and backward motions provide exercise for the neck and upper torso.

[0010] Furthermore, the primary function of the headband strap of D2 is for neck exercise but can also give gripping support for abdominal leg raises. Yet further, the elastic band of D3 is removably secured to the headrest in a position over a pad to hold the head in position against the pad while exercises are completed to hold the head more or less stationary.

[0011 ] Furthermore, for disability head restraint apparatus, D4 uses a cord, such as a length of nonelastic plastic tubing, which is length adjustable using clamps to exert a minimum upward pressure on the head. Over time, the cord is shortened to progressively lift the head.

[0012] Flowever, none of these arrangements are specifically suited for the type of recumbent exercise bike head restraint provided herein wherein the head is restrained by an elastic cord at an offset from a single anchor point held by a single post to thereby provide some movement tolerance whilst peddling but which gently urges the head towards the single anchor point with force that increases proportionally with the distance of the head from anchor point and which provides both forward and lateral restraint thereby additionally exercising the neck and torso muscles and correcting one’s position.

[0013] The apparatus may further comprise a height adjustment mechanism for quickly and easily adjusting the height of the anchor point. Specifically, the height adjustment mechanism comprises a slidable portion having the anchor point and which is slidable with respect to the post. The slidable portion is secured in place using single hand operative locking mechanism, such as a thumbscrew. As such, the position of the slidable portion with respect to the angled fixed post portion may be quickly and easily adjusted by releasing the thumb screw. This arrangement provides a simpler and more resilient simpler construction as compared to the arch arrangement of D4 of the ratchet plate-type mechanism arrangement of D3, for example.

[0014] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0016] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of recumbent exercise bike apparatus in accordance with an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 shows a disassembled view of the operators of Figure 1 ;

[0018] Figure 3 shows slidable insertion portions of the apparatus in accordance with an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4 shows a side perspective view of a carriage-type slidable portion of the apparatus in accordance with an embodiment; and [0020] Figure 5 shows a rear perspective view of Figure 4.

Description of Embodiments

[0021 ] Recumbent exercise bike apparatus 100 comprises a seat 101 and pedals 102 in front of the seat 101. The seat 101 may define a backrest 103 and a base 104. The backrest 103 may be at an angle with respect to the base 104 as is shown. The pedals 102 may comprise foot straps 11 1.

[0022] The pedals 102 may turn gearing providing resistance. The gearing may be concealed within a cowl 105. The cowl 105 may be narrow so as to ergonomically fit between the feet in use. [0023] The apparatus 100 may comprise a base frame 106 extending between the pedals 102 and the seat 101. The base frame 106 may be telescopic wherein a seat base frame portion 107 is slidably engaged to a pedal base frame portion 108. The base frame portions 107 and 108 may comprise a plurality of length adjustment apertures 109 therealong wherein a pin 1 10 engages one of the apertures 109 to adjust the distance between the pedals 102 and the seat 101.

[0024] The base frame 106 may be supported by transverse feet 112 having rubber ends 1 13.

[0025] Whereas the pedal base frame portion 108 may be substantially straight, the seat base frame portion 107 may curve upwardly to meet the base 104 of the seat 101.

[0026] The apparatus 100 further comprises a head restraint mechanism 1 14 comprising a rearward restraint post 115 extending up at an angle from behind the backrest 103 of the seat.

[0027] The mechanism 114 comprises an anchor point 116 secured by the post 1 15. A headband 117 is secured by an elastic cord 118 to the anchor point 116. A headband 117 is offset from the anchor point 1 16 by the elastic cord 1 18.

[0028] The headband 1 17 may comprise nonelastic material, such as nylon webbing or the like. The diameter of the headband 1 17 may be adjustable, such as by using overlapping hook and loop fastener pad portions.

[0029] As is shown in Figure 2, the anchor point 1 16 may be defined by and an eye bolt 1 19 having a stem 120 which extends through an aperture of the mechanism 1 14 and which is secured by a hand operable nut 121.

[0030] The elastic cord 1 18 may form a loop. When untensioned, the elastic band 118 may hold the rear of the headband 1 17 approximately 10 cm from the anchor point 1 16.

[0031 ] The apparatus 100 may further comprise an anchor point height adjustment mechanism comprising a slidable portion 122 having the anchor point 1 16 and being slidably attached along the post 115. [0032] The slidable portion 122 may be fixed in place with respect to the post 1 15 by a single hand operative locking mechanism 123. As such, the height of the anchor point 1 16 may be quickly and easily adjusted by releasing the hand operative locking mechanism 123 with one hand and adjusting the offset of the slidable portion 122 with respect to the post 115 with the other hand.

[0033] The hand operative locking mechanism 123 may comprise a thumbscrew acting on a pin.

[0034] In use, a user would use the hand operative locking mechanism 123 to properly position the anchor point 116 to correctly position the height of the headband 117 according to the length of the torso of the user. As can be seen, the angle of the post 115 and the travel of the slidable portion 122 follows the angle of the backrest 103 so that the anchor point 116 is always located at an appropriate distance behind the head irrespective of the height of the user.

[0035] Thereafter, the user would take the seat 101 and place the headband 1 17 over the head around the forehead and temples. The user may adjust the tightness of the headband 1 17 by making adjustments to the hook and loop fastener pads thereof. Thereafter, the user may engage the pedals 102 with the feet and begin performing peddling exercises.

[0036] The elastic cord 1 18 holding the headband 117 at an offset from the anchor point provides head movement tolerance whilst gently urging the head back towards the single anchor point 1 16, thereby providing both rearward head restraint and lateral head restraint resisting against side-to-side motion during peddling. The tension applied by the elastic 1 18 increases proportionally with the distance of the rear of the headband 1 17 from the anchor point. Furthermore, the elastic cord 1 18 may be looped to double the tension applied thereby. In embodiments, further loops may be made to quadruple the tension applied by the elastic cord 1 18.

[0037] In embodiments, the locking mechanism 123 frictionally engages the post so that the slidable portion 122 can be secured at any position along the post 115. In this regard, the locking mechanism 123 may bear upon a friction pad which frictionally presses against the post 1 15. [0038] In alternative embodiments shown in Figure 5 the post 1 15 comprises a plurality of apertures 124 therealong and wherein the locking mechanism 123 inserts into one of the apertures 124 along the post 115 so that the slidable portion 122 can be secured at discrete positions defined by the apertures 124.

[0039] In embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the slidable portion 122 is an elongate member having the anchor point 116 at an upper end thereof and a lower point which inserts within or around an upper end of the post 1 16. The upper end of the elongate member extends above the upper edge of the backrest 103 whereas the upper end of the post 115 may not extend above the upper edge of the backrest 103.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in figures 2 and 3, an insertion piece 125 may insert between the slidable portion 22 and the post 1 15.

[0041 ] The insertion piece 125 may have a smaller cross section so as to insert within respective ends of the slidable portion 122 and the post 115.

[0042] The post 1 15 may comprise fixation apertures 126 through which fasteners 27 engage fixation apertures 128 at a lower end of the insertion piece 125. In accordance with this embodiment, the locking mechanism 123 mechanically engages the insertion piece 125.

[0043] The embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5 shows wherein the post 1 15 or the insertion piece 125 extends up beyond an upper edge of the backrest 103 and wherein the slidable portion 122 takes the form of a carriage 122 which slides along the post 1 15.

[0044] Whereas the post 1 15 may extend up beyond a rear edge of the backrest 103, as is shown in Figure 4, the insertion piece 125 may insert within the post 115 and the carriage 122 may travel along the insertion piece 125.

[0045] As is further shown in Figure 4, the carriage 122 may press against the insertion piece 125 or the post 115 to frictionally entrap distal ends 127 of the elastic cord 118. As such, the operative length of the elastic cord 118 can be adjusted by releasing the carriage 122 and adjusting the length of the spool ends protruding therethrough. The carriage 122 may press against the insertion piece 125 of the post 115 under action of the locking mechanism 123. [0046] The slidable portion 122 and the post 115 (or the insertion piece 125 in embodiments) may comprise a noncircular cross-section, such as a substantially square cross-section so as to prevent rotation of the anchor point 116 with respect to the post 115.

[0047] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[0048] The term “approximately” or similar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.