WO2020254958A1

WO2020254958A1 - Exercise device for use while seated

Info

Publication number: WO2020254958A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/055613
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan Joseph Green
Original assignee: Green Alan J
Priority date: 2019-06-17
Filing date: 2020-06-16
Publication date: 2020-12-24
Also published as: US20220143450A1; CA3139202A1

Abstract

A muscle toning device, attached to a chair, underneath the sitting surface of the chair, comprising: an exercise resistance device storing an elastically extendable, elongate resistance element; a user handgrip means, the elongate resistance element being attached at its second distal end to the user handgrip means; at least one guide comprising a first bearing and guidance channel, for locating and guiding the elongate resistance element; characterised in that the muscle toning device further comprises at least one second bearing, about which the elongate resistance element turns, wherein the second bearing is laterally translatable, the laterally translatable bearing being anchored to the exercise resistance device by an elastically expandable attachment means, such that when a pulling force is applied to the elongate resistance element, the laterally translatable bearing is caused to move in the direction of said pulling force.

Description

Exercise device for use while seated

Field of invention

[001] The invention relates to an exercise device for use by a person who is seated. In particular, the invention relates to a muscle toning device comprising a store of resistance material, adapted to be secured under a seat.

Background of the invention

[002] Automation and computerisation are leading to increasingly sedentary lifestyles for many people. Ordinary daily tasks no longer provide sufficient opportunity for physical exercise. Some people address this by spending their leisure time in a gym, or taking part in sports or other outdoor activities. Other people don’t address the problem at all, either because they lack the leisure time or the resources to participate in exercise, or because they lack the motivation. This can have adverse health consequences.

[003] People with existing health issues, such as those recovering from injury or those in hospitals or nursing homes, are often advised to perform light physical exercises in order, for example, to strengthen deteriorated muscles. Plenty of equipment exists to facilitate this exercise, but it is often bulky and expensive, and requires the patient to move from his or her room to another room, which is not always easy.

[004] Exercise devices for use with ordinary chairs already exist, varying considerably in complexity, versatility and cost. These provide a convenient solution to office workers who wish to exercise while they work, and many other users. Such devices are either limited in their usefulness or only work with specially built chairs, making them expensive, and taking up more space. A more convenient and universal solution is needed. Acknowledged prior art

[005] The inventor is aware of various prior art devices facilitating resistance exercises for people seated in chairs. The three which he believes to be closest to his invention are detailed below.

[006] CA2436231 shows an attachment for a chair, which is fixable to the pillar on the underside of a desk chair. The attachment means is a clamp, although other means such as strap and buckles are contemplated. Handles are attached to elastic cords, which are stored in tubular devices. The handles park against these same tubular devices. The tubular devices can be moved round. This device is only fixable to a pedestal chair, and does not provide any solutions for attachment to chairs without a central pillar. Furthermore, the cord pay-out mechanism does not maximise the potential use of the cord according to its length.

[007] US5362296 shows an under-seat chair attachment comprising a guide with a pulley for elastic cord. The guides are movable, and the movement of one causes the movement of the other. The connection to the base of the seat is complex and intrusive, and it is not easily removable.

[008] US9211432B1 discloses a chair-mounted exercise device with a laterally movable pulley allowing for increased extension of the exercise cord. It is attachable to an underside of a chair in some embodiments. The differences between this disclosure and the present invention will be made clear below.

[009] It is apparent that a number of technical problems are deficiently addressed in the prior art.

[010] The prior art devices, where they are adapted to attach to a chair, do so generally by means of various straps, covers and / or clamps. This limits the commerciality of the prior art devices, which are adapted to attach to particular kinds of chairs and are therefore not suitable for a majority of chair designs. [Oi l] The resistance elastic material of the prior art does not retract and deploy in use. The prior art resistance devices rely solely on the elasticity of the resistance material, anchored to a fixed point, to provide the necessary‘give’ for a stretching exercise. This reduces the distance from the device which the resistance material can be extended, in use, for a given length of resistance material.

[012] The size of the human body is relatively uniform, meaning that there is a narrow range of practical sizes for chairs. Given the previously mentioned problem of limited stretch distance per unit length, it would be desirable to store a longer length of resistance material in a device of this kind. The prior art does not provide a practical ergonomic store of sufficient resistance material, adapted to fit under chairs which are sized within the range imposed by human physiology.

[013] Commercially successful devices must be easy to service and maintain.

Resistance material, elasticated or otherwise, has a limited useful life because of the forces operating on it in use. Removing and replacing the resistance material should preferably be easy to remove, having a simple attachment and detachment method, and easy to replace, being made of easy-to-source components. The prior art devices need improvement in both of these aspects.

[014] Prior art devices do not provide adequate provision for lower body exercises using the arm stretching elements. On some devices, additional complicated elements are provided specifically for lower body exercises, often with unwieldy or inadequate leg attachment parts. On other devices, no provision is made at all.

[015] The present invention seeks to at least partially overcome some or all of these deficiencies.

[016] The present invention may be multi- fit, that is, it may be compatible with many different chair designs, or it may be retro-fit. This is at least because, surprisingly, it requires only a small touch fastener interaction with a limited planar area of a seat, either on the underside of the seat or elsewhere. The attaching surface of the device is similarly planar, attaching by adhesion or friction in the case of a touch fastener such as a hook and loop fastener.

[017] While it is true that a bracket may be screwed or fitted to a seat underside that in turn attaches a mounting plate for a prior art moving pulley mechanism (see US9211432B1 listed above), this would still lack many of the advantages of the present invention. For example, the present invention enables the exercising of the lower legs (with the addition of the looping strap or tube between the handgrips, as will become apparent). The range of exercises is increased due to the under-seat position. The under-seat position improves the arrangement

aesthetically, reduces or removes interference with the upper seat structure and removes the possibility of tripping over an extended element. Furthermore, the prior art cord store is housed within a tube and would therefore be difficult to replace when it reaches the end of its useful life.

[018] In order for these advantages to be realised, bearings must be under the seat, and must use the width of the region underneath in order to maximise the possible length and extension of the exercise cord. An additional guidance means (the ‘bridge’ or‘guidance channel’ of the present invention) is necessary to prevent the exercise cord from jumping off or becoming dislodged from the bearings. This guidance means can comprise, as well as the channel or bridge, bespoke deep grooves around the bearing, and a cover, as will become apparent. Another bearing is also required to maximise the cord’s extension, handling the necessary change in direction of the cord from laterally under the chair to substantially upwards or diagonally upwards or downwards beyond the underside of the chair when in use. The bearings of the device are preferably static, low friction bearings, although they may be roller bearings.

[019] It will be apparent, therefore, that the present invention has several inventive advantages over the prior art, and particularly over US9211432B1. [020] It should also be noted that elastic materials have a limited life-span and need occasional replacement. The present invention ensures that the elastic cord or resistance element is easily removable and replaceable.

[021] It is commercially important to provide for both upper and lower limb resistance exercise. The present invention provides a simpler solution to both requirements than the prior art, by means of a strap or tube between the handgrips forming an optional loop for leg exercise, and the vertical spacing arrangement avoiding the accidental dislodging of the loop and / or device during use due to the application of a force with too great a vertical component. This will all become apparent below.

[022] As mentioned above, the design of the present invention avoids the danger of collision with parts of a device protruding from underneath a chair. The whole of the device fits beneath the seat. If the handgrips and the ends of the exercise material do protrude, they are not rigid and do not therefore cause a solid collision hazard.

[023] The present invention is much simpler and uses fewer parts and less material than prior art devices.

[024] The present invention preferably does not require tools to be fitted. It may fit using a simple touch fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener.

[025] Another problem to be solved is that, with an elastic resistance device having a length of elongate elastic material and hand grips, the range of exercises is limited. This is especially so when the elongate elastic material is part of a device connected to a chair, with separate lengths extending from each side during use.

To increase the variety of available exercises, a length of joining material may be used to join the handgrips together, forming a loop.

[026] There is nothing to the inventor’s knowledge in the prior art developing handgrips with a store of additional joining material. By providing a length of joining material, attachable between the two handgrips, optionally forming a loop for, for example, leg exercises, the versatility of the device is increased significantly. The length of joining material may comprise fixed loops at each end, such that both ends may attach to the same handgrip, or between two handgrips, to form a smaller or larger loop.

[027] In order to exercise lower limbs some devices require straps to be attached to the user legs and this is awkward as it requires the user to bend down. By providing a joining loop on the lap and sliding it down the user ergonomics are much improved. By providing closed loops at both ends of the joining material, convenience is further enhanced, enabling quick, easy yet secure connection in a wide variety of positions, as will become apparent.

[028] Another problem to be overcome is that a single length of joining material, dimensioned to fit an ergonomic handgrip, may cut into a user’s shin during use. This problem can be overcome by providing means to form a double strap or tube connector between the handgrips, thus increasing skin contact area and therefore reducing pressure on the user’s skin.

[029] Yet another problem to overcome is the potential for dislodgement of the joining material when it is under direct tension during a stretching exercise. If the handgrip is shaped suitably, the tension vector during exercise is directed in a different direction to the vector of the tension that would be required to dislodge the joining material, thus overcoming this problem.

Statement of invention

[030] A first aspect of the invention provides a muscle toning device, attached to a chair, underneath the sitting surface of the chair, comprising: an exercise resistance device storing an elastically extendable, elongate resistance element; a user handgrip means, the elongate resistance element being attached at its second distal end to the user handgrip means; at least one guide comprising a first bearing and guidance channel, for locating and guiding the elongate resistance element; characterised in that the muscle toning device further comprises at least one second bearing, about which the elongate resistance element turns, wherein the second bearing is laterally translatable, the laterally translatable bearing being anchored to the exercise resistance device by an elastically expandable attachment means, such that when a pulling force is applied to the elongate resistance element, the laterally translatable bearing is caused to move in the direction of said pulling force.

[031] The elongate resistance element may be held laterally across the exercise resistance device such that it is held laterally across the underside of the top surface of the seat portion.

[032] The muscle toning device may further comprise a mounting plate, by means of which the muscle toning device is attached to the chair.

[033] The mounting plate may comprise a mounting attachment means

comprising a touch fastener. [034] The mounting plate may comprise a spacer configured so that the exercise resistance device is spaced vertically downwards from the top surface of the seat.

[035] The mounting plate may be attached to an adapter, which is clamped about the underside of the chair seat.

[036] The muscle toning device may further comprise rigid elongate members extending laterally from the exercise resistance device, the rigid elongate members comprising guiding or locating means for the elongate resistance material and the handgrip means.

[037] The rigid elongate members may be movable with respect to the mounting plate. [038] The user handgrip means may comprise means to attach an extendable and storable piece of elongate material. [039] The handgrip means may comprise a rigid core means about which a piece of elongate material can be wound.

[040] A second aspect of the invention provides an assembly comprising a muscle toning device according to the first aspect and an extendable and storable piece of elongate material.

[041] A third aspect of the invention provides a muscle toning device comprising: an exercise resistance device storing a first elongate resistance element, the first elongate resistance element being elastically extendable; a first user handgrip means, the first elongate resistance element being attached at its second distal end to the first user handgrip means; characterised in that a second elongate resistance element is releasably attached at its first end, to the user handgrip means; further characterised in that the second, distal end of the second elongate resistance element is releasably attachable to the first user handgrip means.

[042] The exercise resistance device may store a third elongate resistance element, the third elongate resistance element being elastically extendable; wherein a second user handgrip means is attached to the distal end of the third elongate resistance element; and wherein the second, distal end of the second elongate resistance element is releasably attachable to the second user handgrip means.

Brief description of drawings [043] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with

reference to the following drawings:

[044] Figure 1 depicts a mounting plate according to the invention.

[045] Figure 2 depicts a cross section of a mounting plate with arms according to the invention. [046] Figure 3 depicts a mounting plate with arms, bearings, exercise material and handgrips according to the invention. [047] Figure 4 shows the bearings of Figure 3 in more detail.

[048] Figure 5 depicts a cross section of a mounting plate with arms, bearings and a cover, according to the invention.

[049] Figure 6 depicts a bottom view of an arm with an arm bearing, spring, handgrip, and exercise material, according to the invention.

[050] Figure 7 depicts a side view of an alternative embodiment for an arm comprising a rotatable, slidable, perpendicular extender, according to the invention.

[051] Figure 8 depicts a pair of handgrips according to the invention.

[052] Figure 9 depicts a handgrip according to the invention. [053] Figure 10 depicts a chair to which an exercise device according to the invention is mounted.

Detailed description

[054] Figure 1 depicts a mounting plate 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. It is depicted in an ^cin-use’ orientation, that is, the orientation it will have when attached to a chair in a normal usable position. Throughout this specification, terms which assume an orientation (such as up’,‘down’,‘top’, ‘bottom’, etc.) should be taken to assume this same in-use orientation, even though — for illustrative purposes— some features are depicted upside down in later figures. [055] The mounting plate 1 has a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces. In this embodiment, the top surface is split into two parts, defining a central gap. This may be useful, for example, when mounting the mounting plate on a pedestal chair with a back connector on the underside which might otherwise interfere with mounting. [056] The mounting plate should be rigid. Preferably it should be made of metal.

Most preferably it is made of aluminium. [057] The top surface is at least partly covered with a touch fastener 2, in this case a hook and loop fastener. In use, this co-operates with a corresponding touch fastener on the underside of the seat of a chair. The inventor has found that most types of chair have at least a small area on the underside of their seats which are substantially flat. This is the preferred place for the corresponding touch fastener to be fixed, by any conventional method. The‘footprint’ of the mounting plate is preferably no greater than a piece of A5 paper folded into thirds. That is, the footprint is preferably no greater than about 150 mm by 70 mm. Surprisingly, the inventor has found this to be a large enough interface to secure an exercise device of this kind to most kinds of chair. Most chairs have a flat area underneath the seat of at least this area. This is almost inevitable, given the parameters of the size and shape of most human bodies.

[058] The side surfaces have slots 3 through which arms (not shown in Figure 1), are inserted. They also have anchoring means 4 to which exercise material 5 is anchored by a manually releasable frictional engagement. The exercise material 5 will be described in more detail below, but generally consists of an elongate piece of resilient, extendable material, such as an elastic cord, against which a user pulls during exercise. Preferably, the exercise material is formed from tubular elastic material. EPDM is particularly suitable, since this material is latex-free and therefore suitable for use by people with latex sensitivities. Such material has a finite working life, and will need replacing from time to time. By anchoring the exercise material 5 by wrapping around and through a series of slots and holes 4, it is held securely in use, but easy to remove and replace when needed.

[059] The bottom surface optionally has variable position arm securing means 6, depicted as regularly spaced holes in Figure 1.

[060] Using a hook and loop fastener, or other touch fastener, makes the device very easy to retrofit, especially given the common flat area beneath most seats observed by the inventor, and very easy to attach and detach. [061] Figure 2 depicts a cross section of an upside down mounting plate 1 to which arms 7 are mounted according to a first method. The arms 7 are slidably held within a housing 10 fixed or integral to the mounting plate 1, and connected by a device 11 which causes a second arm 7 to slide in or out when a first arm 7 is caused manually to slide in and out. This can be effected by any conventional means as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, such as a device similar to a curtain draw cord mechanism.

[062] Figure 3 depicts the underside of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, with arms 7 attached. First and second bearings 8 are disposed on the underside of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1. The bearings 8 are displaceable in the plane of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, being anchored to respective arms 7 by elastic means 9, in this case by first and second springs 9. Preferably the arms are made of plastics material. Most preferably they are made of copolymer acetal.

[063] The bearings may be roller bearings, or pulleys. More preferably, they may be low friction, static surfaces about which the exercise material can slide.

Copolymer acetal is particularly suitable for the bearing surfaces because of its self replenishing friction reduction properties. An example of a static bearing is depicted in Figure 4.

[064] First and second lengths of exercise material 5, anchored to respective side surfaces as depicted in Figure 1, run from their anchor points, across the underside of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, around respective bearings 8, back across the underside of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, along respective arms 7, and attach to respective first and second handgrips 12. The exercise material 5 is preferably elongate elastic tubing.

[065] The handgrips and the attachment of the exercise material 5 is not shown in detail in this figure for the sake of clarity. Both will be depicted more clearly in later figures, including the static bearing surfaces 16 and the bridge means 17. [066] In use, a user seated on a chair to which the mounting plate 1 is mounted, will lean down to the side, grasp each handgrip 12 and pull. This will cause both the exercise material 5 and the springs 9 to extend, so that the exercise material extends from underneath the seat due both to the fact that its length is expanding and its feeding bearing 8 is moving in the direction of extension, thus also moving the store of exercise material to the edge of the underside of the seat. The inventor has found that this method of feeding out the exercise material is more effective than having a static store beneath a seat and relying solely on the stretchiness of the material. [067] First and second blocking members 13 prevent an overenthusiastic user pulling the bearings 8 beyond the perimeter of the underside of the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1.

[068] Figure 5 depicts a sideways cross section of a mounting plate 1 of the invention, again upside down. Arms 7 are inserted, and mounted according to a second method. This method makes use of the mounting holes 6 depicted in Figure 1. As is clear in Figure 1, multiple mounting holes 6 are provided, and consequently different arm 7 extensions can be selected. First and second screws or bolts 14 are each inserted through a fixing hole in a respective arm 7, and then through a selected one of the mounting holes 6 in the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, and secured in place by conventional means.

[069] A cover 15 is secured over the bearings 8, beneath the bottom surface of the mounting plate 1, in order to help prevent their vertical displacement. In a preferred embodiment, the cover 15 is made from polyester fabric, and is attached to the underside of the device. The attachment may, for example, be effected by buttons cast into the resin of the device, and button holes disposed around the perimeter of the cover. Ideally, the whole mechanism is covered, up to the end of the arms. [070] Figure 6 depicts a bottom view the distal end of an arm 7 in more detail. A distal end of a spring 9 is attached close to the distal end of the arm 7 (the proximate end of the spring 9, the reader will recall, is attached to one of the bearings 8). An arm bearing 16 may fixed to the distal end of the arm 7, or may be integral to the end of the arm. This may be in the form of a pulley or roller bearing in some embodiments, but is preferably a static, low friction surface about which the exercise material 5 can slide. The exercise material 5 may run beneath arm bearing 16, in which case it should be held in place by a bridge 17, fixed to the distal end of the arm 7, and passing under the exercise material 5 between the arm bearing 16 and the handgrip 12. The bridge 17 forms a closed-loop passage or guidance channel through which the exercise material 5 passes. This prevents the exercise material 5 from simply falling off the arm bearing 16 due to gravity (the reader will recall that the arm is depicted upside down). The inventor has found that this additional bearing 16 configuration provides a smoother extension of the exercise material, and also allows for a greater extension, because it avoids the exercise material 5 being pulled around a sharp edge. The inventor has also found that the bridge 17 also directs or guides the exercise material 5 when it is subject to a downward pull, for example when exercising the lower limbs. The bridge, therefore, also acts as a static bearing over which the exercise material 5 slides, since in this case the exercise material 5 does not slide around the arm bearing 16 but around the bridge 17, which may be configured to provide greater resistance. Providing increased friction in such circumstances is advantageous because exercises of the lower limbs generally require more resistance and less extension.

[071] Figure 7 depicts an alternative embodiment for the end of the arm 7. In this embodiment, an arm extender 17 is slidably and (optionally) rotatably inserted into the distal end of the arm 17. The arm extender 17 has a substantially 90-degree bend along its length, such that it extends the arm 7 not only outwards but also in a selected direction perpendicular to the length of the arm 7. [072] Although it is depicted pointing downwards, it is envisioned that in use it would generally point substantially upwards. This may be useful when the underside of the seat of a chair, to which the device is attached, is much lower than the top surface of the seat of the chair. [073] The arm bearing 16 is attached to the perpendicular section of the arm extender 17, and the exercise material 5 runs underneath it (that is, between the bearing and the arm extender). An optional support means or receiving means 18 may be provided for the handgrip 12 at the distal end of the arm extender 17.

[074] Figures 8 and 9 depict a preferred embodiment of a handgrip 12 according to the invention in more detail. The handgrip 12 comprises a rigid body attached at a first end to the exercise material 5, and further attached to a length of joining material 20.

[075] The joining material is a flexible, elongate body, preferably of tubular construction. It may alternatively be a strap. It may be elasticated but this is not essential.

[076] The joining material 20 is looped at its first end 21, and this loop may pass through two attachment holes 22, in order to attach the joining material 20 to the handgrip body 19. The skilled person will appreciate that any number of conventional attachment means may be used, all of which are within the scope of the invention, but the inventor has found this to be a particularly effective and cost-saving arrangement.

[077] Multiple sets of attachment holes 22, or other suitable attachment means, may be provided so that more than one piece of joining material 20 can be attached. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8 for joining material 19, and in Figure 9, the first end loop 21 may simply loop around the rigid transverse member 25, as will be described below for the second end loop 27. Thus, two means of attaching joining material are depicted. [078] The handgrip body is attached to the exercise material 5 by means of attachment rings 23, through which the exercise material 5 passes, before engaging with a frictional groove and, if necessary, knotted to achieve a secure attachment. Other attachment arrangements may be used within the scope of the invention, as will be clear to the skilled person, but this is an effective and inexpensive arrangement.

[079] A winding region 24 is built into the rigid body. This is generally narrower than the rest of the body. When the joining material 20 is not in use, it can be wound around the winding region to be stored out of the way, as shown in Figure 9, with the second end loop 27 securing the winding in place around ring 23.

[080] A loop securing region comprising a rigid transverse member 25 is provided at the second end of the rigid body. This is wider than the rest of the body, protruding laterally on from both sides of the body. These protruding members of the rigid transverse member 25 may optionally be bridged by an arcuate member 26. This has ergonomic and safety advantages, as will be clear to the skilled person.

[081] Figure 8 also depicts a second length of joining material 19, attached to a second handgrip, in order to form a larger loop, which can be used for lower body exercises among other things.

[082] The advantage of this arrangement is that it is easy to slide the second loop 27 off the rigid transverse member 25 when required, but because the in-use tension vector will always be in a different direction to the sequence of force vectors required to remove the second loop from the loop securing region 25, it will not come loose inadvertently during use.

[083] The second loop should be wide enough to fit around the rigid transverse member 25, unless the joining material 20 is elasticated, in which case it should be large enough to be stretchable without excess effort to the required width. [084] Another advantage of the second loop at the second end 27 of the joining material 20 is that it can be used as a build in‘handgrip’ by the user, giving additional options for exercise activities without using a second rigid handgrip 12.

[085] The mounting plate 1 is designed to fit beneath the top surface of the seat of most chairs, because most chairs have a small flat area beneath the top surface of the seat to which a touch fastener can be attached, to which, in turn, the mounting plate 1 can be attached. The inventor has found that on most chairs this small flat area is at least the size of an A5 sheet of paper, folded into thirds

(approximately 148 x 70 mm). For chairs with fabric undersides, not suitable for supporting a touch fastening for the mounting plate 1, the inventor has devised an adapter (not shown in the figures) suitable for substantially all such chairs, to increase the versatility of the invention further.

[086] The adapter grips or clamps onto the underside of a chair, without damaging the under-cloth. The two clamping jaws are biased towards one another, to maintain frictional engagement wit the sides of a chair, by a simple elastic loop arrangement encircling them. The adapter provides a rigid surface to which a touch fastener can be adhered which corresponds to and co-operates with the touch fastener on the mounting plate.

[087] Figure 10 depicts a chair 43 from either a front or rear view, with an exercise device according to the invention mounted beneath the seat 44. In use, a user will sit on the seat 44, grasp one or both handgrips 12, and pull on them against the resistance of the resilient exercise material 5 and springs 9. Alternatively, the user may form a closed loop of the exercise material 5 and the joining material 20, connecting the two handgrips 12 together using the strap or tubing of the joining material 20, and use this for resistance exercises of, for example, the legs, as well as to extend the range of possible upper body exercises. The chair may be configured to receive the mounting means 1 by having a touch fastener fixed on the underside of its seat 44. [088] The inventor has found that a hook and loop touch fastener is secure enough for the purposes of this invention when acted upon by a shear force directed no more than 39-degrees from the plane of the hook and loop fastener. This is why the mounting plate 1 provides a vertical spacer between the underside of the seat 44 (the plane of the hook and loop touch fastener) and the plane of the exercise material. If the device is being used to exercise the lower legs, by connecting the handgrips 12 together by means of the strap or tube, the force on the hook and loop touch fastening interface between the underside of the seat 44 and the mounting plate 1 will still not be greater than 39-degrees downwards from the plane of the fastening, and so the device will remain secure.

[089] Although the invention has been described in some detail by means of these embodiments, the foregoing is by no means limiting. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A muscle toning device, attached to a chair, underneath the sitting surface of the chair, comprising: an exercise resistance device storing an elastically extendable, elongate resistance element; a user handgrip means, the elongate resistance element being attached at its second distal end to the user handgrip means; at least one guide comprising a first bearing and guidance channel, for locating and guiding the elongate resistance element; characterised in that the muscle toning device further comprises at least one second bearing, about which the elongate resistance element turns, wherein the second bearing is laterally translatable, the laterally translatable bearing being anchored to the exercise resistance device by an elastically

expandable attachment means, such that when a pulling force is applied to the elongate resistance element, the laterally translatable bearing is caused to move in the direction of said pulling force.

2. A muscle toning device according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate resistance element is held laterally across the exercise resistance device such that it is held laterally across the underside of the top surface of the seat portion.

3. A muscle toning device according to any preceding claim, comprising a mounting plate, by means of which the muscle toning device is attached to the chair.

4. A muscle toning device according to claim 3, wherein the mounting plate comprises a touch fastener.

5. A muscle toning device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the mounting plate comprises a spacer configured so that the exercise resistance device is spaced vertically downwards from the top surface of the seat.

6. A muscle toning device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the mounting plate is attached to an adapter, which is clamped about the underside of the chair seat.

7. A muscle toning device according to any preceding claim comprising rigid elongate members extending laterally from the exercise resistance device, the rigid elongate members comprising guiding or locating means for the elongate resistance material and the handgrip means.

8. A muscle toning device according to claim 7 wherein the rigid elongate members are movable with respect to the mounting plate.

9. A muscle toning device according to any preceding claim wherein the user handgrip means comprises means to attach an extendable and storable piece of elongate material.

10. A muscle toning device according to claim 9 wherein the user handgrip comprises a rigid core means about which a piece of elongate material can be wound.

11. An assembly comprising a muscle toning device according to any one of claims 9 or 10 and an extendable and storable piece of elongate material.

12. A muscle toning device comprising: an exercise resistance device storing a first elongate resistance element, the first elongate resistance element being elastically extendable; a first user handgrip means, the first elongate resistance element being attached at its second distal end to the first user handgrip means; characterised in that a second elongate resistance element is releasably attached at its first end, to the user handgrip means; further characterised in that the second, distal end of the second elongate resistance element is releasably attachable to the first user handgrip means.

13. A muscle toning device according to claim 1, wherein the exercise resistance device stores a third elongate resistance element, the third elongate resistance element being elastically extendable; wherein a second user handgrip means is attached to the distal end of the third elongate resistance element; and wherein the second, distal end of the second elongate resistance element is releasably attachable to the second user handgrip means.