Connected reformer

Abstract

A connected reformer exercise apparatus includes a frame for resting on a surface and a carriage for reciprocal movement back and forth on the frame between a head end and a foot end of the frame. The apparatus includes a foot bar near the foot end of the frame and a pair of arm cord risers at the head end. The connected reformer has a plurality of force sensors on the carriage, the arm cord risers, and the foot bar for detecting forces exerted by a user during exercise and a controller/processor communicating with the plurality of force sensors and providing signals to a display for communicating sensed information to a user of the exercise apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reformer exercise apparatus comprising: 
 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, and a foot support fastened to the frame adjacent the foot end;    a pair of arm cords each extending from the movable 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 the user rests on the movable carriage;   a pair of spaced risers fastened to the head end of the frame, each riser having a pulley attached to a distal end thereof receiving one of the arm cords therearound, wherein each riser has a force sensor fastened between the pulley and that riser, wherein the force sensor is a load cell mounted within a housing fastened to the distal end of that riser; and   a controller/processor communicating with the force sensor configured to process a signal from the force sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the load cell is fastened to one end of an eye bolt with the pulley fastened to an eye end of the eye bolt. 
     
     
         3 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein 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 that riser.  
     
     
         4 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the mounting bracket is an elongated sleeve configured to slide over the distal end of that riser. 
     
     
         5 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the one end of the eye bolt is threaded into a load cell adapter threaded into the first portion of the load cell. 
     
     
         6 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the movable carriage has a pair of shoulder stops fastened to an upper platform surface of the movable carriage, each shoulder stop having an L shaped bracket with one leg fastenable to an upper surface of the movable carriage and a generally rectangular block shaped pad fastened to a second leg of the L shaped bracket, and wherein another force sensor is disposed between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally rectangular block shaped pad. 
     
     
         7 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 6  further comprising a second force sensor disposed vertically beneath the another force sensor between the second leg of the L shaped bracket and the generally rectangular block shaped pad. 
     
     
         8 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the another force sensor and the second force sensor are interconnected such that a difference between force detected by the another force sensor and the second force sensor is transmitted to the controller/processor. 
     
     
         9 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein signals from each of the another force sensor and the second force sensor on each of the shoulder stops is transmitted to the controller/processor. 
     
     
         10 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 6  further comprising a load cell plate fastened to the second leg of the L shaped bracket, the load cell plate carrying the another force sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the another force sensor is a load cell. 
     
     
         12 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising a second load cell carried within the load cell plate and positioned below the another force sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a flat pressure plate over the load cell plate beneath the generally rectangular block shaped pad fastened to the second leg of the L shaped bracket. 
     
     
         14 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 13  further comprising a generally annular load cell retainer fastened to the load cell plate and positioning the another and second load cells on the load cell plate. 
     
     
         15 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the load cell plate has a cavity therein cradling the another force sensor.  
     
     
         16 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the movable carriage has an elongated L shaped spring anchor bar fastened to a bottom surface of the movable carriage, wherein the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar is configured to support a plurality of elongated coil springs each provided with a further force sensor between the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar and a hooked end of one of the plurality of elongated coil springs. 
     
     
         17 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar is configured to carry a plurality of eye bolts each for connection to one hooked end of one of the plurality of elongated coil springs, and wherein each eye bolt has one end fastened to an anchor plate spaced behind the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar with its eye bolt extending through an aperture through the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar to its eye. 
     
     
         18 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 17  further comprising a load cell support plate sandwiched between the anchor plate and the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar. 
     
     
         19 . The reformer exercise apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar has 5 apertures therethrough each sized to pass one eye bolt and the load cell support plate has recesses between adjacent apertures through the elongated L shaped spring anchor bar, wherein each recess receives a load cell therein connected to its eye bolt.