CONNECTED REFORMER

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of PCT/US2024/032542 filed June 5, 2024, which claims the benefit of priority of United States Provisional Application Serial Number 63/471,557 filed June 7, 2023, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to an exercise apparatus used in Pilates type exercises. In particular, this disclosure relates to a new reformer that has a number of unique innovations.

State of the Art

Joseph H. Pilates, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,477, originally developed the concept of using a wheeled platform carriage connected to a resistance device such as a set of weights in conjunction with a stationary frame to provide a variable resistance against which a user could push with his/her feet or pull with the arms while in a sitting or recumbent position in order to exercise the major muscle groups of the user’s trunk, legs and/or arms. Since that time many changes and improvements in the design of such an apparatus were developed by Joseph Pilates, which he called a “reformer” and more recently, have been evolved by his students and others.

Generally a reformer has a wheeled platform or carriage which rides on parallel rails or tracks on or forming part of a wooden or metal frame. The carriage is connected to a series of parallel springs or elastic members which are in turn connected to a foot end of the frame which is typically rectangular with parallel side rails spanning between a head end and a foot end of the frame. Some versions of such a reformer have also been made with a frame having a central spine between the head end and the foot end of the frame. The carriage is configured for reciprocal movement between the head and foot ends of the frame on that central spine or between the parallel side rails.

More recently, it has been envisioned to provide such a reformer with a display for a user of the apparatus to view various exercise regimens and guide the user in correct performance of such exercises. However, there remains a need for a reformer that incorporates functionality for such display or displays with real time feedback related to the user’s position, forces exerted by the user and movements on the reformer exercise apparatus so that the user can have quantitative as well as qualitative information available during such exercise. In order to do this there is a need for a reformer that includes a variety of sensors and feedback mechanisms provided on the reformer exercise apparatus. The present disclosure addresses this need.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

One exemplary embodiment of a reformer exercise apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure has a frame configured to rest on a horizontal surface, the frame having a head end and a foot end, a movable carriage supported on the frame for reciprocal movement between the head end and the foot end of the frame, a foot bar fastened to the frame adjacent the foot end, and preferably a pair of arm cords each extending from the carriage to the head end of the frame and thence to a free end for a user to grasp during an exercise while a portion of a user’s body rests on the carriage. The apparatus includes at least one sensor on one of the carriage, a portion of the frame, the foot bar, or connected to the one of the arm cords, configured to detect a force applied by the user during an exercise and produce a signal representative of the applied force, and a processor communicating with the sensor configured to process a signal from the at least one sensor and communicate the signal to a display.

The head end of the frame has a pair of spaced risers each having a pulley attached to a distal end thereof receiving one of the arm cords therearound. In one embodiment, each riser has a force sensor fastened between one of the pulleys and the riser supporting the one of the pulleys. The force sensor is a load cell mounted within a housing fastened to the distal end of the riser. The load cell is preferably fastened to one end of an eye bolt with the pulley fastened to the eye end of the eye bolt. This one end of the eye bolt is fastened to a first portion of the load cell within the housing and a second portion of the load cell is fastened to a mounting bracket on the distal end of the riser. The mounting bracket is preferably an elongated sleeve configured to slide over the distal end of the riser. Optionally one end of the eye bolt may be threaded into a load cell adapter threaded into the first portion of the load cell.

The reformer carriage has a pair of shoulder stops fastened to an upper platform surface of the carriage. Each shoulder stop has an L shaped bracket with one leg fastenable to an upper surface of the carriage and a generally rectangular block shaped pad fastened to a second leg of the L shaped bracket. Preferably, in one embodiment, a first force sensor is disposed between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally block shaped pad. A second force sensor is disposed vertically beneath the first force sensor between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally block shaped shoulder pad. The first and second force sensors are preferably interconnected such that a difference between force detected by the first and second force sensors is transmitted to the processor. In addition, signals from each of the first force sensor and the second force sensor on each of the shoulder stops is transmitted to the processor.

Optionally an exemplary embodiment of the reformer exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure may also include another force sensor mounted beneath a head rest on the carriage provides a signal to the processor proportional to a weight of a user’s head resting on the head rest.

In one embodiment, preferably each shoulder stop includes a load cell plate fastened to the second leg of the L shaped bracket. This load cell plate carries the first force sensor and a second load cell carried within the load cell plate and positioned below the first load cell. The shoulder stop may also include a flat pressure plate over the load cell plate beneath the shoulder pad fastened to the second leg of the L shaped bracket and a generally annular load cell retainer fastened to the load cell plate and positioning the first and second load cells on the load cell plate. The load cell plate may have a cavity therein cradling the first force sensor and may have a second force sensor in the cavity positioned below the first force sensor in the load cell plate.

The reformer exercise apparatus may include an elongated L shaped spring anchor bar fastened to a bottom surface of the carriage. The spring anchor bar is configured to support a plurality of elongated coil springs each provided with a force sensor between the spring anchor bar and a hooked end of one of the elongated coil springs. Preferably the spring anchor bar is configured to carry eye bolts each for connection to one of the plurality of hooked ends of the elongated coil springs, and each eye bolt has one end fastened to an anchor plate spaced behind the anchor bar with the eye bolt extending through an aperture through the spring anchor bar to its eye. A load cell support plate is sandwiched between the anchor plate and the spring anchor bar. The anchor bar has 5 apertures therethrough each sized to pass one of the eye bolts and hence support one end of each of five springs. The load cell support plate has recesses between adjacent apertures through the spring anchor bar for receiving a load cell therein connected to one of the one or more eye bolts. Each load cell configured to send a signal proportional to sensed force exerted on its spring to the processor.

In an exemplary embodiment, the reformer exercise apparatus carriage preferably includes an array of force sensors on or under an external padded cover on an upper platform surface of the reformer carriage. The array of sensors preferably includes a set of six sensor array panels arranged in a 2x3 arrangement side by side over a central longitudinal recess in the upper surface of the carriage platform. The six sensor array panels each send a separate signal to the processor. The array of force sensors is preferably positioned beneath a padding layer beneath a cover on the carriage upper platform surface. Each portion of the sensor array is preferably a pressure sensitive membrane or film positioned between padding beneath the cover on the upper platform surface of the reformer carriage.

In one embodiment the reformer exercise apparatus carriage preferably has an angled sensor support bracket beneath at least one corner of the carriage adjacent a rail or track on which the carriage moves. This sensor support bracket carries one of a magnetic position sensor, a time-of-flight sensor, or an ultrasonic distance sensor for measuring travel distance of the carriage from the foot end of the reformer frame. The sensor may be further configured to measure a velocity and acceleration of the carriage from the foot end of the reformer frame.

The reformer exercise apparatus in an exemplary embodiment preferably includes a force sensor or load cell mounted on a portion of the foot bar. More preferably there are a plurality of separate force sensors spaced apart along a horizontal portion of the foot bar. In one particular embodiment, there are three force sensors mounted beneath padding on the foot bar, wherein one of the three force sensors is a central force sensor centered on a horizontal portion of the foot bar. These three force sensors are preferably equally spaced apart on the horizontal portion of the foot bar. Each of these force sensors communicates with the processor mounted beneath the carriage. Optionally the reformer exercise apparatus may also have a standing platform mounted at the foot end of the frame having another load cell or force sensor thereon which also communicates with the processor.

An embodiment of the reformer exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure may be viewed as including a frame having a head end and a foot end, a movable carriage supported on the frame for reciprocal movement between the head end and the foot end of the frame, a foot bar fastened to the frame adjacent the foot end, a pair of arm cords each extending from the carriage to the head end of the frame and thence to a free end for a user to grasp during an exercise while a portion of a user’s body rests on the carriage, a first sensor on the carriage, a second sensor on the foot bar, and a third sensor associated with each of the arm cords, each sensor configured to detect a force applied by the user during an exercise and produce a signal representative of the applied force, and a processor communicating with the sensors configured to process signals from each of the sensors and communicate the signals to a display. The head end of the frame has a pair of spaced risers each having a pulley attached to a distal end thereof receiving one of the arm cords therearound. The third force sensor is fastened between one of the pulleys and the riser supporting the one of the pulleys. This third force sensor is preferably a load cell mounted within a housing fastened to the distal end of the riser. More particularly, this load cell is fastened to one end of an eye bolt with the pulley fastened to the eye end of the eye bolt. The one end of the eye bolt is fastened to a first portion of the load cell within a housing and a second portion of the load cell is fastened to a mounting bracket on the distal end of the riser. The mounting bracket is preferably an elongated sleeve configured to slide over the distal end of the riser. One end of the eye bolt may be threaded into a load cell adapter threaded into the first portion of the load cell.

The reformer carriage has a pair of shoulder stops fastened to an upper platform surface of the carriage. Each shoulder stop has an L shaped bracket with one leg fastenable to an upper surface of the carriage and a generally rectangular block shaped pad fastened to a second leg of the L shaped bracket. The first sensor on the carriage is a force sensor disposed between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally block shaped pad. Preferably a fourth force sensor is disposed vertically beneath the first force sensor between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally block shaped shoulder pad. These force sensors are interconnected such that a difference between force detected by the first and fourth force sensors is transmitted to the processor and preferably signals from each of the first force sensor and the fourth force sensor on each of the shoulder stops is transmitted to the processor. Optionally a fifth force sensor may be mounted beneath a head rest on the carriage that provides a separate signal to the processor proportional to a weight of a user’s head resting on the head rest.

In an exemplary embodiment, the reformer carriage preferably has an elongated L shaped spring anchor bar fastened to a bottom surface of the carriage. This spring anchor bar is configured to support a plurality of elongated coil springs each provided with a force sensor between the spring anchor bar and a hooked end of one of the elongated coil springs. More particularly, the spring anchor bar is configured to carry eye bolts each for connection to one of the plurality of hooked ends of the elongated coil springs. Each eye bolt has one end fastened to an anchor plate spaced behind the anchor bar with the eye bolt extending through an aperture through the spring anchor bar to its eye. An elongated load cell support plate is sandwiched between the anchor plate and the spring anchor bar The anchor bar has 5 apertures therethrough each sized to pass one of the eye bolts. The load cell support plate has recesses between adjacent apertures through the spring anchor bar. Each recess receives a load cell therein connected to one of the or more eye bolts. Each load cell is configured to send a signal proportional to sensed force exerted on its spring to the processor.

These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connected reformer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment in accordance with this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of an arm cord pulley connection arrangement on one of a pair of risers on the connected reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a separate partial sectioned view of a shoulder stop for the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a shoulder stop removed from the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a separate perspective view of the spring anchor bar assembly in the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the anchor bar assembly shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a separate perspective view of the upper platform of the carriage.

FIG. 9 is ais an exploded view of the carriage platform shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a separate perspective view of one corner of the carriage of the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 us a separate perspective view of the foot bar of the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a partial underside view of the carriage of the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the controller/processor for the reformer shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One exemplary embodiment of reformer 100 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in a front perspective view in FIG. 1. Reformer 100 includes a frame 102 configured to rest on a horizontal surface. The frame 102 has pair of parallel tracks or side rails 104, a head end 106 and a foot end 108. A movable carriage 110 is supported on the frame 102 for reciprocal movement between the head end 106 and the foot end 108 of the frame 102 along the side rails 104. A foot support such as a jump board or generally U shaped foot bar 112 may be rotatably fastened to the frame 102 adjacent the foot end 108. A pair of arm cords 114 each extends from the carriage 110 to the head end 106 of the frame 102 and thence to a free end loop or handle 116 for a user to grasp during an exercise while a portion of a user’s body rests on the carriage 110. A pair of casters or pulleys 120 may be fastened at the head end 106 of the frame 102 for routing the pair of arm cords 114 between the carriage 110 and the free end loop or handle 116. As shown in FIG. 1, the head end 106 of the frame 102 is configured preferably with a pair of arm cord risers 118 each extending upward from the head end 106. The distal end of each arm cord riser 118 supports a pulley 120 through which one of the arm cords 114 passes.

At least one sensor, such as sensor 122, provided on one of the carriage 110, a portion of the frame 102, the foot bar 112, or connected to the one of the arm cords 114, is configured to detect a force applied by a user (not shown) during an exercise and produce a signal representative of the applied force. A controller/processor 124 communicating with the sensor 122 is configured to process a signal from the at least one sensor 122 and communicate the signal to a display 126 that can be coupled to the controller/processor 124 for view by a user on the reformer 100.

In this exemplary embodiment of a connected reformer 100 the head end 106 of the frame 102 has a pair of spaced risers 118 each having a pulley 120 attached to a distal end thereof receiving one of the arm cords 114 therearound. A separate enlarged perspective view of an upper end of one of the risers 118 is shown in FIG. 2. An exploded view of the upper distal end of the riser 118 is shown in FIG. 3.

Each riser 118 incorporates a force sensor 122 fastened between one of the pulleys 120 and the riser 118 supporting the one of the pulleys 120. The force sensor 122 is preferably a load cell 128 mounted within a housing 130 fastened to the distal end of the riser 118. An exemplary load cell may be a 100kg strain gauge load cell commercially available from Forsentek, Ltd. In the illustrated embodiment, the load cell 128 is fastened to one end 136 of an eye bolt 132 with the pulley 120 fastened to the eye end of the eye bolt 132. This one end 136 of the eye bolt 132 is fastened to a first portion of the load cell 128 within the housing 130 and a second portion of the load cell 128 is fastened to a sliding mounting bracket 134 on the distal end of the riser 118.

This mounting bracket 134 is preferably an elongated sleeve configured to slide over the distal end of the riser 118. In this embodiment the one end 136 of the eye bolt 132 is threaded into a load cell adapter 138 which is in turn threaded into the first portion of the load cell 128. In other embodiments the mounting bracket 134 may be integrated into the distal end of the riser 118.

In operation, when a user resting on the carriage 110 pulls on the hand loop 116 fastened to the arm cord 114, force is transmitted from the hand loop 116 through the arm cord 114, through the pulley 120 and to the carriage 110. The sensor 122, i.e. the load cell 128, senses this force and transmits a signal proportional to that force to the controller/processor 124 which will be described further below.

The carriage 110 has a pair of shoulder stops 140 fastened to an upper platform surface 142 of the carriage 110 on either side of a head rest 144. A user, when reclining on the carriage 110, typically positions his or her head against the head rest 144 between the shoulder stops 140. The user can then push his or her legs against the foot bar 112 to move the carriage 110 away from the foot end 108 of the frame 102 against spring tension provided by one or more springs (not shown) connected between the foot end 108 of the frame 102 and the carriage 110.

A perspective view of one of the shoulder stops 140 is separately shown in FIG. 4. An exploded view of a shoulder stop 140 is shown in FIG. 5. Each shoulder stop 140 has an L shaped rigid support bracket 146 with one leg 148 removably fastenable to an upper surface 142 of the carriage 110 and a generally rectangular block shaped pad 150 fastened to a second, upright leg 152 of the L shaped support bracket 146. A first force sensor 154 is disposed between the second leg of the L shaped support bracket 146 and the generally block shaped shoulder pad 150. A second force sensor 156 is disposed preferably vertically beneath the first force sensor 154 between the second leg 152 of the L shaped support bracket 146 and the generally block shaped shoulder pad 150. A generic commercially available 50 Kg strain gauge load cell may be utilized for each of the load cell force sensors 154 and 156.

The first and second shoulder pad force sensors 154 and 156 are interconnected such that a difference signal between force detected by the upper first and lower second force sensors 154 and 156 may be transmitted to the processor 124 along with force signals from each of the first force sensor 154 and the second force sensor 156 on each of the shoulder stops 140. The signals from sensors 154 and 156 can be used to detect both position of a user’s shoulder against the shoulder pad 150 and mismatch between the upper and lower sensors 154 and 156 which may be indicative of misalignment of the user when reclining on the carriage 110. In addition, these signals between the pairs of shoulder stops 140 may provide information indicative of the user’s shoulder movements during an arm exercise routine, for example.

A load cell plate 160 is fastened to the second leg 152 of the L shaped support bracket. This load cell plate 160 carries therein the first shoulder stop force sensor 154. This first force sensor 154 is a load cell. The second shoulder stop force sensor 156 is also a load cell positioned vertically below or under the first load cell 154 such that a distribution of forces exerted by a user against the shoulder stop 140 may be detected. The load cell plate 160 preferably has a cutout portion or recess into which the first and second load cell force sensors 154 and 156 may preferably be placed. A flat generally rectangular pressure plate 162 is positioned over the load cell plate 160 beneath the shoulder pad 150 fastened to the second leg 152 of the L shaped bracket 146.

The assembly may include an elongated, generally annular, load cell retainer 164 fastened to the load cell plate 160 and positioning the first and second load cell sensors 154 and 156 on the load cell plate 160. Alternatively, the load cell plate 160 may have a cavity 166 therein cradling the first force sensor 154 and the second force sensor 156 in the cavity positioned below the first force sensor 154 in the load cell plate 160. Optionally another force sensor similar to either sensor 154 or 156 may be mounted beneath the head rest 144 on the carriage 110 that provides a signal to the processor 124 proportional to the weight of a user’s head resting on the headrest 144.

The carriage 110 has an elongated L shaped spring anchor bar 170 fastened to a bottom surface of the carriage 110. This spring anchor bar 170 is configured to support a plurality of elongated coil springs, typically five, each provided with a force sensor 172 between the spring anchor bar 170 and a hooked or eyed end of each one of the plurality of conventional elongated coil springs (not shown).

The spring anchor bar 170 is configured to carry eye bolts 174 each for connection to one of the plurality of hooked ends of the elongated coil springs, and wherein each eye bolt 174 has one end fastened to an anchor plate 176 spaced behind the anchor bar 170 with the eye bolt 174 extending through an aperture 178 through the spring anchor bar 170 to its eye.

A load cell support plate 180 is sandwiched between the anchor plate 176 and the spring anchor bar 170. The anchor bar 170 has 5 apertures 178 therethrough each sized to pass one of the eye bolts 174. The load cell support plate 180 has one or more recesses 182 between adjacent apertures 178 through the spring anchor bar 170. Each recess 182 receives a load cell 172 therein connected to one of the eye bolts 174. Each force sensor 172 is preferably a load cell configured to send a signal proportional to sensed force exerted on its spring to the processor 124.

The carriage 110 shown in FIG. 1 includes an upper platform 184, separately shown in FIG. 9, which has an array of force sensors or panels 188 on or directly under the external padded cover 186 on the upper platform 184 of the reformer carriage 110. The exemplary array of sensor panels 188 illustrated herein includes a set of six sensor array panels arranged in a 2x3 arrangement, side by side, over a central recess 190 in the upper surface of the carriage platform 184. The six sensor array panels 188 each sends a separate signal to the controller/processor 124. The array of force sensors 188 may be positioned beneath a padding layer 192 beneath a cover 194 on the carriage upper platform 184. Each sensor 188 of the sensor array may be a pressure sensitive membrane or film positioned between padding 192 beneath the cover 194 on the upper platform 184 of the reformer carriage 110.

The carriage 110 also has an angled sensor support bracket 196 beneath at least one corner of the carriage 110 adjacent one of the rails 104 on which the reformer carriage 110 moves or rolls. This sensor support bracket 196 carries a sensor 198 which may be one of a magnetic position sensor, a time-of-flight sensor, or an ultrasonic distance sensor positioned to face toward the foot end 108 of the reformer frame 102 at least for measuring travel distance of the carriage 110 from the foot end 108 of the reformer frame 102. The sensor 198 may also be further configured to measure a velocity and acceleration of the carriage 110 to/from the foot end 108 of the reformer frame 102. One exemplary sensor 198 is an HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor readily available from numerous suppliers. The HC-SR04 sensor has a range of 2-400 cm.

In one embodiment the reformer 100 may include at least one force sensor 200 mounted to a portion of the foot bar 112. The foot bar 112 is separately shown in FIG. 11. This force sensor 200 is preferably mounted to the foot bar 112 beneath padding 204. Alternatively, a plurality of separate force sensors 200 may be spaced apart along a horizontal portion 202 of the foot bar 112. Preferably the reformer 100 may include three force sensors 200 spaced apart and mounted beneath padding 204 on the foot bar 112, wherein one of the three force sensors 200 is a central force sensor centered on the horizontal portion 202 of the foot bar. The three force sensors are preferably equally spaced apart on the horizontal portion 202 of the foot bar 112. Preferably one of the force sensors 200 is centrally located on the horizontal portion 202 of the foot bar 112 and the second and third force sensors 200 are equally spaced from the force sensor centrally located on the horizontal portion 202 of the foot bar 112. Optionally the reformer exercise apparatus 100 may also include the foot end 108 of the frame 102 having a standing platform thereon supporting another force sensor communicating with the processor/controller 124.

Referring now to FIG. 12, a partial underside view of the carriage 110 is shown. FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the overall connected reformer processor 124. Mounted to the underside of the carriage 110 is the spring anchor bar 170 with its 5 spring force sensors 172 and 4 microcontroller modules 188 for processing sensor data, an AC/DC power supply module 210, a controller printed circuit board 220, as a part of the processor 124, an input interface 222 receiving input signals from each of the left and right arm cord pulley sensors 122, the two upper shoulder stop sensors 154, the two lower shoulder stop sensors 156, each of the spring bar force sensors 172 and the carriage pad pressure matt 188, the carriage travel sensors 198 and the three foot bar force sensors 200. A separate database module 224 may also be mounted to the underside of the carriage 110 along with a display output interface 230 for connection to a remote monitor or display 240 which could alternatively be a laptop or desktop computer.

Many changes may be made to the exercise apparatus of this disclosure. For example, the arm cord pulleys 120 may be replaced with casters fastened to the head end 106 of the frame 102 or the pulleys or casters may be mounted at other different locations on the frame 102. Furthermore, many of these discrete components on the carriage underside may be consolidated in a later version of the connected reformer 100. The printed circuit board 220 preferably will include a software module for processing and manipulation of the various sensed parameters for eventual display and use in monitoring and recording user progress during exercise.

The connected reformer 100 may be wirelessly connected via Bluetooth or other wireless protocol to a home network, a smartphone and/or computer for measuring, displaying and/or logging of user performance metrics on the reformer 100. The software utilized in the controller 200 may be proprietary or open source depending on the desired use of the sensor data. The interface 230 may also include software for processing display information and signals and/or interfacing with existing exercise program software. The AC/DC power supply module 210 may include battery backup and recharge capability.

The arm cord pulley sensors 122 may be housed in a different manner than as shown. For example, the sensors 122 may be integrated into the pulley wheels themselves or the pulley wheel shackle such that the arm cord pulley 120 may be mounted anywhere a hook or appropriate eye is provided on or relative to the frame 102, such as on a Tower of Power frame extending up above the head end 106 of the frame 102 or any other location that a user might wish to use.

There may be more or less number of force sensors 172 on the spring anchor bar 170 than as described in order to assess the force asserted by a user to move the carriage 110 from its rest position. For example, if an electrical motor is configured to provide the resistance to movement of the carriage 110, the force sensor 172 could be fastened directly to an operable portion of the motor or its linkage to the carriage 110. Another potential placement of such a force sensor might be on the handle of the arm cord such that a user’s grip may also be measured, recorded and utilized. Accordingly, all such alternatives, variations and modifications are intended to be encompassed within the scope of and as defined by the following claims.