Exercise furniture

A furniture article for use in physical exercise, comprising:

• a furniture article frame;
• an exercise element mounted on said frame, said exercise element comprising an elongated, flexible member, said exercise element having means for coupling said exercise element to a person using said furniture article and including a handle, said exercise element adapted to provide selective movement of said coupling means generally away from said frame and generally toward said frame;
• means for resisting movement of said coupling means away from said frame;
• means for selectively covering said frame and said resisting means so as to provide said furniture article with the appearance of a conventional furniture article used in residences and offices;
• said flexible member mounted so as to selectively extend outside of said covering means with said coupling means disposed outside of said covering means when said coupling means is coupled to said user;
• said resisting means urging said elongated flexible member into said covering means such that said coupling means is urged toward said frame, and said resisting means biasing said handle against said covering means and said frame, whereby said elongated flexible member is substantially stored within said frame;
• said frame and covering means defining a seating article having an armrest, said armrest having an aperture through which said flexible member slidably extends from within said covering means to a region outside of said covering means, whereby said furniture provides a dual function of providing a user with the ability to selectively exercise at least one body region with said furniture article with said resisting means providing an exercise force, and also providing an aesthetically pleasing furniture article having an appearance typically associated with residences and offices.

A furniture article for use in exercising, comprising:

• a covered furniture frame having an exterior appearance typically associated with residences and offices;
• an exercise element mounted within said frame and extending outside of said frame, said exercise element comprising an elongated flexible member mounted so as to selectively extend outside of said covered furniture frame, said exercise element having means for coupling said exercise element to a person using said exercise article and including a handle, said coupling means disposed outside of said frame and said coupling means having a stored condition and a use condition, and said exercise element adapted to provide selective movement of said coupling means generally away from said frame and generally toward said frame;
• means for resisting movement of said coupling means generally away from said frame, said resisting means urging said elongated flexible member into said covered furniture frame such that said coupling means is urged toward said furniture frame and said handle is biased against said covered furniture frame, whereby said elongated flexible member is substantially stored within said frame;
• means for selectively concealing said coupling means when in said stored condition, whereby the aesthetic appearance of said furniture article is enhanced having an appearance typically associated with residences and offices;
• said covered furniture frame defining a seating article having an armrest, said armrest having an upper region adapted to support the arm of a user;
• means for selectively storing said handle away from said armrest upper region;
• said concealing means including an armrest cover configured to conceal said handle when in a storing condition and configured to conceal said storing means.

A furniture article for use in exercising, comprising:

• a covered furniture frame having an exterior appearance typically associated with residences and offices;
• an exercise element mounted within said frame and extending outside of said frame, said exercise element comprising an elongated flexible member mounted so as to selectively extend outside of said covered furniture frame, said exercise element having means for coupling said exercise element to a person using said furniture article and including a foot stirrup, said coupling means disposed outside of said frame and said coupling means having a stored condition and a use condition, and said exercise element adapted to provide selective movement of said coupling means generally away from said frame and generally toward said frame;
• means for resisting movement of said coupling means generally away from said frame, said resisting means urging said elongated flexible member into said covered furniture frame such that said coupling means is urged toward said furniture frame and said foot stirrup is biased against said covered furniture frame;
• means for selectively concealing said coupling means when in a stored condition, said concealing means including a base front cover configured to conceal said foot stirrup, whereby the aesthetic appearance of said furniture article is enhanced having an appearance typically associated with residences and offices.

A seating article for residential and office use, comprising:

• a covered seating article frame defining a hollow interior region and a cable aperture opening into said hollow interior region, said covered seating article frame have an aesthetically pleasing appearance typically associated with residences and offices;
• a cable having a first end secured to said frame in said hollow interior region and said cable extending through said cable aperture to a second end disposed outside of said covered seating frame;
• a cable withdrawal resisting element coupled to said cable and disposed in said hollow interior region, said cable withdrawal resisting element adapted to resist the withdrawal of said cable through said cable aperture;
• a coupler element coupled to said cables second end such that said cable is provided with the ability to be selectively withdrawn through said cable aperture by said coupler element, said cable second end having a stored condition and a use condition;
• a cover movably mounted on said conveyed seating article frame, said cover located and configured so as to selectively cover said cable aperture, said cable second end and said coupler element when said cable second end is in a stored condition, but said cover movable so as to provide access to said one of said coupler element in said use condition, whereby said seating article functions both as an exercise device and an aesthetically pleasing furniture article.