WO2016103004A1

WO2016103004A1 - Layout introduced in multifunction equipment for pilates practicing

Info

Publication number: WO2016103004A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/067278
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jefferson GARCIA FRANÇA
Original assignee: Garcia França Jefferson
Priority date: 2014-12-23
Filing date: 2014-12-23
Publication date: 2016-06-30
Also published as: BR212017013732U2; BR212017013732Y1

Abstract

The current model refers to a layout introduced in multifunction equipment for Pilates practicing, in which equipment incorporates a single basis of a complete study with several functions and possibilities for exercises allowing the equipment operator to assemble the modules according to his/her needs, through components that allow more than one function, allowing the Pilates practice by more than one person simultaneously in the equipment. The current model comprises a base made of side beams, a chair with adjustable height, a pivoting exercises bar that can be used at the chair side, as well as a sliding cart that communicates with a platform for the "reformer" module, in addition to means of coupling for springs and ropes to perform exercises in several Pilates equipments in a single equipment, including simultaneously. This base can be equipped with tubular poles, which can be equipped to receive horizontal beams from the "cadillac" module.

Description

"LAYOUT INTRODUCED IN MULTIFUNCTION EQUIPMENT FOR PILATES PRACTICING"

The current model refers to a layout introduced in multifunction equipment for Pilates practicing, in which equipment incorporates a single basis of a complete study with several functions and possibilities for exercises, such as "Wall unit", "Cadillac", "Chair", "Reformer" and "Barrel", as created by its idealizer Joseph Pilates.

The current model allows the equipment operator to assemble the modules according to its functional need and with agility, through components that allow more than one function, allowing the Pilates practice by more than one person simultaneously in the equipment.

TECHNIQUE STATE

In the current technique status, several types of constructive layouts applied in equipments used in the exercises practicing are known, such as for Pilates

Usually, the known equipments for the current practice are used individually, and each specific position or exercise demands the use of an independent station or equipment. Thus, for example, the equipment to practice "Barrel" type Pilates is independent from another to exercise in another "Cadillac" station, and so on. As an inconvenient, each equipment occupies a determined space in the exercising area, which demands a large location to settle all the equipment required for the practice. In addition, being separated, the equipment does not have any portability or can not be easily changed to another position or even for its disassembling or assembling.

Another known disadvantage, mostly, refers to the fact that each station or equipment allows the use only for individual mode, and it is not possible using it for more than one user at the same time, or sharing it.

In addition, with all equipment separated in different workstations, the operator/instructor's supervision is difficult, when used simultaneously by more than one student .

MODEL PURPOSE

In order to solve the inconveniences of the current technique, the currents model reveals an introduced layout in multifunction equipment for Pilates practice, when a single work base incorporates a complete studio to perform all the technique's exercise; thus, the equipment has several modules assembled by the operator according to the needs or demand, revealing to be a multifunction equipment. A great advantage of the current model refers to the fact that the equipment is compact, significantly reducing the spaces required for its assembling and operation. This is because a single base comprises the different equipment and allows practicing Pilates. In addition, the different exercised modules can be assembled at the same time and in the same equipment, allowing it use by more than a person simultaneously. Thus, the supervision is easy, since the exercises are performed in asingle equipment, providing a practical and safe operation.

Another advantage of the current model refers to the fact that the equipment components were designed in order to make the modules assembling, operation and disassembling easier, in a practical and quick way, increasing the station productivity.

Further, the equipment was designed to be totally disassembled, making its transportation and assembling easier .

DRAWINGS BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The purpose of the current model will be further characterized based on the attached pictures, in which: Picture 1 is a exploded view of the current model of the Pilates equipment;

Picture 2.1 is an exploded view of the base equipment, and its locking devices;

Picture 2.2 is a supported view of the base side locking by one feet, with angular adjustment system for the exercised bar;

Picture 3 shows the equipment chair ("chair" exercise) in low or bottom position;

Picture A shows the equipment chair in its changed position;

Picture 5 shows the chair in the high or upper position; Picture 6.1 is a perspective view of the equipment multifunction and pivoting exercises bar, with its hinged locking system in the releasing position for rotation;

Picture 6.2 is a perspective view of the equipment multifunction and pivoting exercises bar, with its hinged locking system in the locking position in the bar angular adjustment system;

Picture 7.1 is a perspective view of the sliding assembly in its locked position, comprising a tubular body and a drive and locking lever;

Picture 7.2 is a perspective view of the sliding assembly in its unlocked position, with the lever actuated;

Picture 8 is a perspective view of the Pilates equipment used in the "Wall unit" position, with the poles at the chair side removed and with the exercise bar pivoted around the spinning axle;

Picture 9.1 shows the exercises bar pivoted and locked in the adjustment system, during the exercise in "Reformer" module;

Picture 9.2 shows the pivoted exercises bar vertically in the adjustment system, during the exercise in "Reformer" module ;

Picture 10.1 is a perspective view with partial details of the exercises bar used in the "Wall unit" module, with the springs applied;

Picture 10.2 is a perspective view of the equipment, with the exercises bar used as bar in the tower and with the springs coming from below or even with the pedal in the "Chair" module;

Picture 11.1 is a side view of the exercised bar pivoted and used as pedal in the chair module;

Picture 11.2 is a side view of the exercised bar in the horizontal and used as pedal in the chair module;

Picture 12.1 is a perspective view of the chair side poles, with the sliding assemblies with handles in a upper position;

Picture 12.2 is a perspective view of the chair side poles, with the sliding assemblies with handles in a bottom position;

Picture 13 is a perspective view of the sliding assembly with handle of pictures 12.1 and 12.2;

Picture 14 is a perspective view of the equipment in the "Cadillac" module, with the chair in the upper position and with the exercises bar, as well as the pedal, as in the tower bar;

Picture 14.1 is a partial cross view showing the reformer support cart on the tracks, by means of vertical and horizontal wheels;

Picture 15 is a perspective view of the equipment in "Cadillac" module, with the chair in lower position;

Picture 16 is a perspective view of the equipment in "Reformer" module, with the platform pivoted toward the towe ;

Picture 17 is a perspective view of the equipment in "Reformer" module, with the platform fully flexed and vertical, with jumping board, supported by the curved sliding tube;

Picture 18 is a perspective view of the equipment in the "Reformer" module, with the tower vertical sliding assembly and the exercises bar it its pivoting position;

Picture 19 is a perspective view of the equipment in the "Reformer" module, with the reformer cart stretched with the springs fixed in its springs bar;

Picture 20 is a perspective view of the equipment in the "Reformer" module, with the reformer cart couplet to the cord with handles of the pulley system;

Picture 21 is a perspective view of the equipment in the "Reformer" module, with the cord with handles of the pulley system actuated, displacing the reformer cart and stretching the springs;

Picture 22 is a perspective view of the equipment in "Barrel" module, with the poles beside the chair assembled; Picture 23 is a perspective view of the equipment in "Barrel" module, with the poles beside the chair removed; MODEL DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the pictures 1 and 2.1, the current model comprised a base made by right and left side beams (4), supported by vertical feet (401) , being the relevant beams (4) joined, at the chair side (7), by a spring bar of the reformer (16) and the locking system supported by the locking tube (21) of the chair (7) feet (401) . The reformer springs bar (16) has several hooks in its extension for anchoring the cart springs (5) when in the "reformer" module (springs bets viewed in the pic. 18 to 21) . Therefore, the bar (16) provides the base a best structure and acts as anchorage for the cart springs (5) .

On the opposite side, head side (23), the locking is provided by the head (23) and by the feet (401) locking tube (21) , and the tube (21) has fixed rings along its length to couple the springs when the exercises bar (2) is coupled to the tower. At this side, the feet (401) are displaced from the side locks (4) end, allowing the head (23) attachment.

The locking tube (21) has the function of stabilizing, joining and provides accurate space and alignment to the sides (4) of the base, so that all the modules operate with extreme perfection.

And the head (23) is comprised by the same material and profile as the equipment's sides (4), in order to join the base sides (4) at the tower side. As it can be better observed in picture 2.2, in the chair side (7), in the joint internal face between the feet (401) and side beams (4), the equipment has holes (402), equally space, being one central and the other concentric in order to adjust an exercise bar (2) , when using the "reformer" module (shown in pictures 16 to 19). In the side beams (4) internal sides, the sliding rails (24) of the cart (5) are positioned fixed and parallel among them. As shown in the picture 2.1, the rails (24) have holes equally spaced in the upper surface, in which a stop (241) can be assembled in order to delimit the cart (5) displacement final travel (pic. 3 and 8) .

The equipment base (Pic. 2.1) was designed in a strong and stable structure, with several holes, fittings and adjustments, providing to the equipment a strong base, functional and practical base for the modules change, but also at the moment of the equipment' s assembling and installation, since it is totally disassembled, in order to make the transportation easier, specially to locations of difficult access. Bolts vertical and parallel to the head (23) feet (401), two tubular poles (17), with holes in its length act as guide for the sliding supports (6) that move along its travel in order to adjust the desired height, and the joint and attachment of the poles (17) at the upper end is made by the tower (8) upper locking assembling, which keeps the parallelism, spacing and stability of the poles (17).

The Tower (8) upper locking assembling has rings to couple the short and long springs, and the pulleys for the exercises in the "wall unit", "cadillac" and "reformer" modules .

Still at the head (23) side, two grooves (403) located in the upper side of each side (4) act as support for the platform spinning (9, 11), during its retraction to release the equipment rails (24) in the reformer module, or its complete distension and covering, when together with the cart (5), for the platform total assembling (5,9,11) in the "trapezium" and "wall unit" module.

And the poles (17) at the chair (7) side operate vertically, equally with holes along its extension and attached to the feet (401) in its lower end and also a mobile attachment is provided by means of a lever (404) with pins little above the base side (4) , and these poles (17) can be removed to perform exercises at the chair (7) side in specific modules. Therefore, as it can be observed in pic. 2.1 and 2.2, folded plates "U" shaped (406) are located over the external face of the feet (401) which act as stop for the poles (17) at the chair (7) side, locked by a lever system (404) . At the external face a corner (407) with a slotted channel (408) allows the chair's long feet (7) sliding and adjustment in different heights. A plate (409) attached to this slotted corner (407) has a half- round tube (410) with a bushing to fit the pins (202) of the exercises bar (2) when in the chair module.

The poles (17) have, in addition of the holes along its whole extension to adjust the sliding supports (6,18,19) height adjustment, two rings each, placed little below the base lateral structure. The "cadillac" module can be observed in the pictures 14 and 15, with the platform (5,9,11) totally distended. At the poles (17) upper end, the horizontal beams (1) are located, named cadillac beams, composed by elongated tubes with fittings attached perpendicularly at its ends, that are coupled in the poles (17) , locking the module assembling. The locks (1) can be disengaged from the vertical poles (17) and stored in supports (405) (pic. 2.2) located below the sides (4) of the equipment base. According to the pictures 13 and 14, the horizontal locks (1) receive the cadillac horizontal sliding assembling (10) , composed by a tube with rings in its length with its ends attached to a concave plate and with a plastic bushing, which allows the coupling and congruence for the sliding along all the locks extension (1) and its attachment through the lock, which prevents its slipping during the exercises.

It should be highlighted that the current model equipment allows mixing use of the "cadillac" and "reformer" modules, which provides safety and reliability to the practitioner when performing exercised with higher degree of difficulty and that require equilibrium when performing the exercises in the stand position in the "reformer" module (Fig. 16 to 21), different from the conventional equipments.

In pictures 6.1 and 6.2 it is observed that the current model comprised an exercises bar (2), which is multifunction, lightweight and versatile to be used, being one of the most important components, which can be used with the exercises bar in the tower, in the "wall unit" (pic. 8 and 10.2) and "cadillac" modules (Fig. 14 and 15), with the feet bar when in the "reformer" module (Pic. 16 to 19) and still with the pedal in the chair module (Pic. 10.2 and 14) . The exercises bar (2) is composed by a frame with a pivoting locking system (201) which retracts and expands its pins (202) simultaneously in the two opposite ends, coupling and uncoupling in the fittings of each module. When in the "reformer" module (pic. 9.1 and 9.2), the fixed pins (203) are coupled on the side locks grooves (4) and pivot the entire bar (2) in it, until the pins (202) are coupled in the holes (402) selected for adjusting the exercised bar height (2) . Along the poles (17) at the head side (23) the tower vertical sliding assembling (3) moves vertically, composed by a tube with rings in its length and curved at the ends, which are attached to the sliding body (301), to adjust the poles height (17) at the head (23) side that composes the tower, these posts (17) with several holes along its entire extension enabling different tension s of the springs coupled to the assembling (3) .

As it is shown in the pictures 20 and 21, the sliding body (301) has an open ring (302) in order to enable the quick coupling of the pulley to the reformer cable. The sliding assembling (3) also acts in the back support of the jumping board made by the platform (9,11) when folded (Pic . 17) . Therefore, the sliding assembling (3) can act as the anchorage for springs, pulleys in the fixed rings and the jumping board support.

As illustrated in the detail of picture 14.1, the equipment comprises of he reformer cart (5) , provided with vertical wheels (501) supported on the rail (24), which provide the sliding over these rails (24), in both displacement directions, as wheel as the horizontal wheels (502) that provide adjustment also in the base's rails sides (24) preventing bending of side displacements, which could cause chock between the cart structure (5) and the base's locks (4), or in extreme cases causing accidents in more elaborated exercises. Different from the known equipments for the current technique, the cart (5) has a symmetrical construction, in which the springs bar is deliberately placed in the middle of its length, since the cart (5) can be used in both directions, that is, with the exercised bar (2) placed in its pivoting height adjustment point at the equipment base when in the "reformer" module, working or sliding from the chair direction (7) to the head (23) or still working from the head (23) toward the chair (7), when the platform (9,11) retracted or vertically coupled in the tower has the function of jumping board for the reformer (Pic. 17), or even removing the jumping board from the base and using the tower vertical sliding assembling (3) as hand/foot support to perform exercises. The cart (5) can be coupled with the shoulder pads (12) and the springs resting bars in both ends of the cart (5) , both to the head side (23) and the chair side (7) . As shown in the pictures 7.1 and 7.2, the poles (17) at the tower or head side (23) receive support from the sliding (6), made by a tubular base (601) with a plastic reducer in its interior for a comfortable adjustment and without plays in the equipment's poles (17), and by a tab with pivot of the actuation lever (602) with locking pin and spring. At the lever (602) opposite side, the sliding support (6) has a round tube with a half-round grove (603) with internal bushing in order to provide perfect adjustment and enabling the coupling of the pins (202) of the exercises bar (2) when in the "wall unit" and "cadillac" modules (Pic. 8) .

The lever (602) comprises a folded plate with different angles and directions, making the base for the pivot turning axle that forces the spring, directing the pin of its ends in the adjustment holes in the different heights of the poles (17) .

According to the pic. 12.1 and 13, the poles (17) at the chair side (7) receives the right (18) and left (19) sliding assemblies, equally formed by the tubular base (601) with lever (602) and torsion spring, but in the external face of these sliding devices (18,19) it has a coupling (604) for the handle (605).

The chair (7) use sequence can be better seen in the pictures 3 to 5. The chair (7) is composed by a long foot (14) and a short foot (15), and the long foot (14) is made by two long and short rods, respectively, a right and a left joined at the lower end by a locking in order to stabilize, and provide spacing and accurate alignment for the chair' s long feet (14) to work simultaneously and with smooth sliding of its pins by the height adjustment channels (408) of the chair's seat (7) .

When in the chair (7) higher height, the short foot (15) supports and is coupled in a groove (151) in the rail (24), leveling the seat and supporting the assembly. This support can be seen in the pic. 3.

A frame located below the chair coating top (7) has in its entire outline rings to couple the springs and resistance graduation when in the chair module; and pins to couple the fitting of the equipment base allowing variation between the two functions (Pic. 10.2/14).

The chair (07) combines the functions of base for exercises in the stand position of the "reformer" module when adjusted in the low height (Pic. 16 to 21) and as chair when in its high adjustment, together with the coupling of the exercised bar (2) (Pic. 5, 10.2 and 14), and provides more one novel and multifunction solution for the current model.

Pictures 22 and 23 show the equipment in the "barrel" module, and on the chair (7) that adjust the height a half- round-barrel assembly (22), with a semi-cylindrical structure with coating in its upper face, provided with a rectangular recess (221) in the lower face with the shape of the chair's seat (7), which allows the coupling of this assembly in the chair module, added to the fitting and the ladder assembling (13), making the "barrel" module. It is important to highlight that the barrel assembling (22) can also be used uncoupled for ground exercises when in the "wall unit" and "cadillac" modules.

According to the pic. 16, the platform comprises, in addition to the cart (5), a central platform (9) and a side platform (11) at the head side (23) , where this last one has pivots (111) in its ends that are coupled inside the grooves (403) of the side locks (4), connecting the platform (11) to the base. The platforms (9,11) are joined by means of hinges, allowing its total vertical distension and retraction and are made by plates supported by perpendicular beams, which provide support and stability when in the "wall unit" and "cadillac" module (Pic. 8/10.2/14/15). The existence of hinges provides mobility to the platform when it needs to be retracted or removed to assembly other modules.

The equipment's springs were designed with rigid attachment matchlock at the ends, for its quick coupling in the equipment's rings.

Claims

CLAIM

1) "LAYOUT INTRODUCED IN MULTIFUNCTION EQUIPMENT FOR PILATES PRACTICING", characterized by comprising a base made of right and left side beams (4), supported by vertical feet (401), and these side beams (4) joined, a the chair side (7), by the "reformer" (16) springs bar and the locking supported by the locking tube (21) of the feet (401) of the chair (7), being that the "reformer" (16) springs bar has several hooks in its extension for anchoring the springs of the cart (5) when in the "reformer" module; at the opposite side, the head (23) side, the locking is provided by the head (23) with hooks along its entire length for the springs anchoring when using the jumping board and by the locking tube (21) of the feet (401), being that the tube (21) has fixed rings in its length, to couple the springs when the exercises bar (2) is coupled to the tower and in this side, the feet (401) are displaced from the ends of the side beams (4), allowing the head (23) attachment; in the chair side (7), in the internal face of the joint between the feet (401) and the side beams (4), the equipment has holes (402), equally spaces, being one central and the other concentric for an angular adjustment of the exercises bar (2) , when using the "reformer" module; in the internal face of the side beams (4) are located fixed and parallel among the rains (24) for the cart (5) displacement, being that the rails (24) have holes equally spaced in its upper surface, in which a stop (241) can be installed to limit the cart (5) displacement final travel; vertically and parallel screwed on the feet (401) of the head (23), two tubular poles (17), with holes in its length act as guide for the sliding supports (6) which move along the entire travel to adjust the desired height, and the joint and attachment of the two poles (17) at the upper end is made by the tower upper locking assembling (8) that keeps the parallelism, spacing and stability of the poles (17); the tower upper locking assembling (8) has rings to couple the short springs, long springs and the pulleys for the exercises in the "wall unit", "cadillac" and "reformer" module; still at the head (23) side, two grooves (403) located in the upper side of each side (4) act as support for the platform spinning (9,11), during its retraction to release the rails (24) from the equipment in the "reformer" module or its complete distension and coverage, when together with the cart (5) , for total assembling of the platform (5,9,11) in the "trapezium" and "wall unit" modules; the poles (17) at the chair side (7) operate vertically, equally with holes along its extension and attached to the feet (401) in its inferior end and also a mobile attachment that is provided by a lever (404) with a pin little above the base side (4), and these poles (17) can be removed to perform the exercises of do chair side (7) in specific modules, and over the feet (401) external faces folded plats "U"-shaped (406) are assembled, which act as stop for the poles (17) of the chair side (7) locked by a lever system (404); at the external face with a corner (407) with a slotted channel (408) allowing the sliding and adjustment of the chair (7) long foot in different heights and a plate (409) joined to this grooved corner (407) has a half-round tube (410) with a bushing to fit the pins (202) of the exercises bar (2) when in the chair module; these poles (17) ^ have, in addition of the drilling along its extension to adjust the sliding supports (3,6,18,19) height, two rings each, placed little below the base lateral structure; at the upper end of the poles (17) the horizontal locks (1) of the "cadillac" module are located, composed by elongated tubes with fittings attached perpendicularly in its ends, which are coupled in the poles (17), locking the module assembling, and the locks (1) can be uncoupled from the vertical poles (17) and stored in supports (405) located below the sides (4) of the equipment base; the horizontal locks (1) receive a cadillac (10) horizontal sliding assembling, made by a tube with rings in its length attached to a concave plate and with a plastic bushing, which allows the coupling and congruence for the sliding along all the locks extension (1) ; the current model still comprised an exercises bar (2), multifunction, composed by a frame with a pivoting locking system (201) that retracts and expands its pins (202) simultaneously in the two opposite ends, coupling and uncoupling the fitting in each module; when in the "reformer" module, the fixed pins (203) are coupled on the side beams grooves (4) pivoting the entire bar (2) , until the pins (202) are coupled in the holes (402) selected to adjust the exercises bar (2) height; along the poles (17) at the head (23) side it displaces vertically the tower vertical sliding assembly (3) , composed by a tube with rings in its length and curved at the ends, which are attached to the sliding body (301), to adjust the poles height (17) at the head (23) side that composes the tower, these posts (17) with several holes along its entire extension enabling different tension s of the springs coupled to the assembling (3) ; the sliding body (301) has an open ring (302) to enable the quick coupling of the pulley to the "reformer" cable and the sliding assembly (3) also acts to support the jumping board back made by the platform (9,11) when folded; the equipment still comprises a "reformer" cart (5), provided with verticals wheels (501) supported on the rail (24), which provide the sliding on these rails (24), in both displacement directions, as well as the horizontal wheels (502) that provide adjustment in the base trails (24) lateral, and the cart (5) has a symmetrical construction, where the springs bar is deliberately placed in the middle of its length, since the cart (5) can be used in both directions; this cart (5) can be coupled with the shoulder pads (12) and the springs resting bars in both ends of the cart (5) , both to the head side (23) and the chair side (7); the posts (17) at the head (23) side receive support from the sidings (6), made by a tubular base (601) with a plastic reducer inside it for a comfortable adjustment and without plays in the equipment posts (17), and by a tab with pivot of the actuation lever (602) with locking pin and spring, and in the lever opposite face (602), the sliding support (6) has a round tube with half-round cut (603) with internal bushing to couple the pins (202) of the exercises bar (2) when in the "wall unit" and "cadillac" modules; this lever (602) comprises a folded plate with different angles and directions, making the base for the pivot turning axle that forces the spring, directing the pin of its ends in the adjustment holes in the different heights of the poles (17); the poles (17) of the chair side (7) receive the right (18) and left (19) sliding assemblies, equally formed by the tubular base (601) with lever (602) ant torsion spring, but in the external face of these sliding devices (18,19) it has a coupling (604) for the handle (7) it is compose of a long foot (14) and a short foot (15), and the long foot (14) is made by two long and short rods, respectively, a right and a left joined in the lower end by a locking and with a smooth sliding of its pins by the channels (408) to adjust the chair seat (7) height; when in the chair (7) higher height, the short foot (15) supports and is coupled in a groove (151) in the rail (24), leveling the seat and supporting the assembly; a frame located below the chair coating top (7) has in its entire outline rings to couple the springs and resistance graduation when in the chair module and pins to couple the fitting of the equipment base allowing variation between the two functions; the chair (07) is used in different base functions for exercised in stand position in the "reformer" module when in its adjustment of low height and as a chair when its high adjustment together with the coupling of the exercises bar (2); over the chair (7) in high adjustment it cam be coupled together with a barrel half-round assembling (22) , com with a semi-cylindrical structure with coating in its upper face, provided with a rectangular recess (221) with the format of the chair seat (7), which allows the coupling of this assembling in the chair module added to the fitting and the ladder assembling (13), making a "barrel" module; the platform is made, in addition to the cart (5), by a central platform (9) and a side platform (II) at the head (23) side, where this last one has pivots

(III) in its ends, which are coupled inside the inner grooves (403) of the side beams (4), connecting the platform (11) to the base, and these platforms (9,11) are joined by means of hinges, allowing its total vertical distension and retraction and are made by plates supported by perpendicular beams, which provide support and stability when in the "wall unit" and "cadillac" module; the eguipment's springs were designed with rigid attachment matchlock at the ends, for its quick coupling in the equipment's rings.