Patent Application
20120129658
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an exercise bar. Embodiments of the exercise bar may be mounted between two vertical members (e.g., to a door frame).
2. Background Information
Exercise bars configured to be mounted between two upright members are known in the art. Commonly, such exercise bars are mounted in a doorway, a structural element found in every home.
Certain doorway-mounted exercise bars require mounting brackets to be permanently affixed to the door frame, such as with screws or bolts. These exercise bars may be difficult to install, and may further damage the door frame and/or prevent the door from fully closing.
Other models require no mounting hardware, instead relying on friction forces, gravity, and torque to remain in place. Commonly, such exercise bars have a grip portion for a user, two horizontally extending members that extend laterally past the door frame and act as a pivot axis, and L-shaped brackets mounted to a rigid support portion that extends above the rest of the bar. A user mounts this type of bar by positioning it such that the horizontal bars rest against the door frame on one side of the doorway and the rigid support portion rests against the lintel above the door on the opposite side of the doorway. Applying a downward force to the grip portion causes the bar to torque about the pivot points, pressing the rigid support portion against the lintel.
While these bracketless models may be more readily installed and removed, they primarily support vertical hanging forces. A bracketless bar may become dislodged upon application of an upward force, or a force or a torque in the direction through the doorway away from the user. Furthermore, these bracketless models are frequently not height-adjustable because the rigid support portion is configured to rest only against the lintel.
Finally, known doorway-mounted exercise bars lack important safety features. Known bars are prone to fail catastrophically. For example, a bar may be subjected to a larger load than it is capable of supporting and will become dislodged from the door frame. Furthermore, certain exercise bars known in the art are difficult to install properly; it may be difficult for some users to properly screw brackets into a door frame in the same vertical plane, for example. The exercise bar may slope to one side, or a bracket may pull loose from the frame. Any or all of these failures may occur instantaneously without warning, sending the user plunging to the floor.
Exercise bars and exercise bar mounting methods are disclosed. Some embodiments of the present exercise bars that are configured to be mounted between two upright members comprise an adjustable-length bar assembly; and a first clamp coupled to an end of the adjustable-length bar assembly. The first clamp—and any of the present clamps—may include an auxiliary exercise attachment element, such as a ring or a hook, to which an auxiliary exercise structure, such as a band, can be coupled and used by a user after the exercise bar is mounted to place a force on the exercise bar that includes a component that is normal to the axis of the exercise bar. The bar assembly may include a central user-drivable bar (which may comprise a tube) that, when rotated, causes end bars (which may comprise tubes) to move with respect to the central bar. The clamp may be configured such that the exercise bar will exert lateral force through the clamp to one of two upright members the bar is positioned between prior to the clamp exerting a force that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the lateral force. As a result of this configuration, the clamp or clamps of these embodiments should not exert the substantially perpendicular, or clamping force, too soon (such as before the exercise bar has exerted a desired amount of lateral force along its length and to the upright members between which it is mounted.
Some embodiments of the present exercise bars that are configured to be mounted between two upright members comprise an adjustable-length bar assembly; and an indicator configured to indicate, during mounting of the exercise bar, when the adjustable-length bar assembly reaches a pre-determined mounting position. The indicator may have one or more components, and it may be visual. For example, the indicator may comprise a first indicator component coupled to or integral with a portion of the adjustable-length bar assembly, and a second indicator component positioned so as to obscure a user's view of the first indicator component when a pre-determined mounting position—such as a successfully mounted position—is reached.
Some embodiments of the present exercise bars that are configured to be mounted between two upright members comprise a bar assembly and a cam assembly coupled to the bar assembly, the exercise bar being configured such that, during mounting of the exercise bar, the exercise bar will exert a lateral force (in the direction of its length/axis) against the two upright members before a mounted position of the cam assembly is reached.
Some embodiments of the present exercise bars that are configured to be mounted between two upright members comprise an adjustable-length bar assembly that has a central tube coupled to an end tube that is movable with respect to the central tube, and a damper that, because of the configuration of the exercise bar, will move the end tube with respect to the central tube when the damper transitions between a first position and a second position. This transition may occur when the exercise bar is mounted between two upright members (such as those of a door frame) and due to movement of one or both upright members such that the lateral distance between them increases. The central tube may be coupled to another end tube and the exercise bar may include another damper that will move the other end tube in the same manner.
Some embodiments of the present exercise bars that are configured to be mounted between two upright members comprise an adjustable-length bar assembly that includes a central tube; a first end tube coupled to the central tube; a driver configured to move the first end tube with respect to the central tube from a first end tube starting position to a first end tube advanced position as a result of user manipulation of the exercise bar; and a first damper configured to move the first end tube with respect to the central tube if a distance between the two upright members increases when the exercise bar is mounted between the two upright members. In these embodiments, the driver and first damper are capable of maintaining the first end tube in the first end tube advanced position without additional user manipulation.
Some embodiments of the present apparatuses include one of the present exercise bars, a container in which the exercise bar is positioned, and instructions for using the exercise bar, which may be attached to the outside of the container (such as through printing on a sticker) or positioned within the container in the form of an insert. In some such embodiments, no other structures, such as screws, brackets, or the like, are part of the apparatus because none are required for mounting the exercise bar to two upright members.
Some embodiments of the present exercise bar mounting methods include disposing an exercise bar having clamps between two upright members; adjusting a user-adjustable clamp arm of each of the clamps to decrease the distance between the clamping surfaces of the clamps and the exterior surfaces the clamps will contact when the exercise bar is mounted; adjusting a bar assembly of the exercise bar until the clamps contact and apply lateral force to the opposing inside surfaces of the two upright members; and adjusting the bar assembly until the user-adjustable clamp arms contact portions of the exterior surfaces and the clamps apply clamping forces to those portions. In some of these embodiments, the exercise bars include dampers, such as compression springs.
Any embodiment of any of the present exercise bars and the methods for mounting and/or using them can consist of or consist essentially of—rather than comprise/include/contain/have—any of the described elements and/or features. Thus, in any of the claims, the term “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of” can be substituted for any of the open-ended linking verbs recited above, in order to change the scope of a given claim from what it would otherwise be using the open-ended linking verb.
Details associated with the embodiments described above and others are presented below.
The following drawings illustrate by way of example and not limitation. For the sake of brevity and clarity, every feature of a given structure is not always labeled in every figure in which that structure appears. Identical reference numbers do not necessarily indicate an identical structure. Rather, the same reference number may be used to indicate a similar feature or a feature with similar functionality, as may non-identical reference numbers. The embodiments of the present exercise bar, and their components, shown in the figures are drawn to scale unless otherwise noted.
The term “coupled” is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically; two items that are “coupled” may be integral with each other. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless this disclosure explicitly requires otherwise. The terms “substantially” and “about” are defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified, as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any embodiment of the present devices, the term “substantially” and the term “about” may be substituted with “within [a percentage] of” what is specified, where the percentage includes 1, 5, 10, and/or 15 percent.
The terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, an exercise bar that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those elements. For example, an exercise bar that comprises an adjustable-length bar assembly and a first clamp includes the specified elements but is not limited to having only those elements. Such an exercise bar could also include, for example, a second clamp.
Further, a device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but it can also be configured in other ways than those specifically described.
Referring now to the drawings,
For some uses of exercise bar 2, the upright members will be the vertical supports of a door frame (see
In the embodiment shown, exercise bar 2 comprises bar assembly 4 coupled to clamps 6. Bar assembly 4 comprises a central tube 8 coupled to two end tubes 12. Bar assembly also comprises a grip surface 10 on or coupled to central tube 8. In some embodiments, grip surface 10 is a foam tube into which central tube 8 may be inserted. In other embodiments, grip surface 10 may be spray-coated onto central tube 8 during manufacture. In still other embodiments, grip surface 10 may comprise a textured (e.g., knurled) surface of central tube 8.
Certain embodiments of exercise bar 2 comprise an indicator configured to indicate whether exercise bar 2 has been properly installed. The indicator may have one or more components, and each component may be placed on or be a part of another components of the exercise bar. In the embodiment shown, each end tube comprises a first indicator component 14 that is configured to be covered by a second indicator component 90 (see
Other types of indicators configured to indicate, during mounting of exercise bar 2, when the bar reaches a pre-determined mounting position may be used as alternatives (or in addition to) first and second indicator components 14 and 90. For example, exercise bar 2 may comprise an indicator configured to emit a sound or illuminate a light to indicate proper installation. Further, other embodiments of exercise bar 12 may be configured with an indicator that alerts a user to an improper installation, which can be an example of a pre-determined mounting position.
In the illustrated embodiment, bar assembly 4, which may be characterized as an adjustable-length bar assembly and/or as a bar assembly having a length adjustable along an axis, may be lengthened by turning central tube 8 in first direction A. Turning central tube 8 in first direction A causes end tubes 12 to advance out of central tube 8. Likewise, bar assembly 4 may be shortened by turning central tube 8 in second direction B, which causes end tubes 12 to be drawn into central tube 8. End tubes 12 are examples of end tubes that are movable with respect to central tube 8 upon manipulation of the central tube by a user.
In the illustrated embodiments, exercise bar 2 is symmetrical about its midpoint such that one half of exercise bar 2 is a minor-image of the other. Thus, only one clamp 6 and one-half of exercise bar 2 will be discussed in detail; one of skill in the art will understand that the following discussion pertains equally to the other half of exercise bar 2. Other embodiments of the present exercise bars, however, may comprise only a single clamp, or may comprise clamps that are not identical or symmetrical or mirror-images of one another.
End tube 12 is coupled (fixedly attached, in this embodiment) to right-hand nut 72 such that end tube 12 cannot rotate or translate relative to nut 72. The attachment may be achieved through press-fitting the nut to the end tube, pinning the nut to the end tube, or through any other suitable technique. A spacer tube 7 is disposed within end tube 12 such that one end of spacer tube 7 is adjacent to nut 72. The other end of spacer tube 7 is adjacent to a compression spring 9. As a result, when nut 72 moves, it contacts (or remains in contact with) tube 7 and thereby moves tube 7; tube 7, in turn, contacts (or remains in contact with) spring 9 and compresses it, as discussed in more detail below. Spacer tube 7 has an internal gap of a sufficient diameter to allow lead screw 71 to pass through spacer tube 7 without interference.
When central tube 8 is rotated in first direction A, plug 74 and lead screw 71 rotate along with it, while nut 72 and end tube 12 translate as a result of the threaded connection between the nut and the lead screw and because of the connection between the end tube and the nut. Specifically, the rotation of lead screw 71 in first direction A relative to nut 72 and end tube 12 causes nut 72 to move to the right as it travels along lead screw 71. This, in turn, causes end tube 12 to move to the right (away from plug 74) due to its connection to nut 72. In this way, rotation of central tube 8 in first direction A causes end tube 12 to extend (further) out of central tube 8. Further, nut 72 moves spacer tube 7 away from plug 74, compressing spring 9.
Rotating central tube 8 in second direction B causes lead screw 71 to rotate in the opposite direction. This relative motion in the opposite direction causes nut 72 and end tube 12 to retreat toward plug 74. The force on compression spring 9 is lessened, and compression spring 9 pushes spacer tube 7 toward plug 74.
In this manner, rotating central tube 8 in first direction A causes both end tubes 12 to advance from central tube 8 the same distance and at the same rate Likewise, rotating central tube 8 in second direction B causes end tubes 12 to withdraw into central tube 8 the same distance and at the same rate. This configuration is sometimes known in the art as a turnbuckle.
In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly of plug 74 retaining lead screw 71 coupled to nut 72 in contact with end tube 12 is one example of a driver configured to move a first end tube 12 with respect to a central tube 8 from a first end tube starting position to a first end tube advanced position as a result of user manipulation of the exercise bar, the driver being capable of maintaining the first end tube 12 in the first end tube advanced position without additional user manipulation.
In some embodiments, central tube 8 and end tubes 12 may comprise steel or various steel alloys. In other embodiments, other suitably strong and rigid materials may be used for central tube 8 and end tubes 12.
In the illustrated embodiment, plate 25 comprises a U-shaped channel 250. Plate 25 further comprises four bracing portions 24 that are configured to be coupled to four support pads 44 (see, e.g.,
Plate 25 further comprises a clamping tab 22 that is configured to be coupled to clamping pad 42 (see, e.g.,
In the illustrated embodiment, plate 25 comprises bracket support portions 28. Bracket support portions 28 comprise holes 21 that are configured to receive pin 51 (see
Compression spring 9 and clamp tube 26 are inserted into end tube 12 such that compression spring 9 is located between, and contacts, clamp tube 26 and spacer plug 7. In other embodiments, other dampers may be used instead of compression spring 9, including pneumatic dampers or hydraulic dampers.
First bracket 32 is coupled to clamp support 20. More specifically, first bracket 32 is positioned against clamp support 20 such that tabs 320 are inside and adjacent to bracket support portions 28, and holes 21 are aligned with holes 321. Pin 51 is inserted through holes 21 and 321 and a retaining clip 395 (see
Two second brackets 34 are coupled to first bracket 32 and yoke 80. More specifically, two second brackets 34 are positioned outside of tabs 322 of first bracket 32, and tabs 92 of yoke 80 are positioned inside tabs 322 such that holes 343, holes 323, and L-shaped cams 93 are aligned. Pin 53 is inserted into holes 343, holes 323, and L-shaped cams 93, and a retaining clip 395 (see
Third bracket 36 is coupled to second brackets 34. More specifically, tabs 362 of third bracket 36 are positioned between second brackets 34 such that holes 345 are aligned with holes 365. Pin 55 is inserted into holes 345 and holes 365, and a retaining clip 395 (see
Third bracket 36 and fourth bracket 38 are also coupled to clamp support 20. Fourth bracket 38 is positioned such that tabs 388 are outside bracket support portions 28 of clamp support 20 and tabs 362 of third bracket 36 are positioned inside bracket support portions 28 such that holes 387, holes 27, and holes 367 are aligned. Pin 57 is inserted into holes 387, holes 27, and holes 367, and a retaining clip 395 (see
Third bracket 36 is also coupled to fourth bracket 38 with an adjustment screw 89. Cylindrical nut 60 is placed between tabs 362 of third bracket 36 such that holes 61 are aligned with holes 361. Pins 56, which can be roll pins, are inserted through, and can rotate within, holes 361 and are press fit into holes 61, thereby rotatably coupling cylindrical nut 60 to third bracket 36. Hole 369 on face 360 of third bracket 36 is aligned with threaded hole 69 on the cylindrical nut and hole 389 on fourth bracket 38. Adjustment screw 89 is inserted through clearance opening 389 (which is sized so as not to interfere with the end of the screw), hole 369, and threaded hole 69 on cylindrical nut 60. Knob 88 is coupled to adjustment screw 89.
Each bracket may rotate about each pin to which it is coupled. Thus, first bracket 32 may rotate about pin 51 as well as pin 53. Second brackets 34 may rotate about pin 53 and pin 55. Third bracket 36 may rotate about pin 55 and pin 57. Finally, fourth bracket 38 may rotate about pin 57.
To mount exercise bar 2, the bar must first be shortened to fit between through the doorway. A user turns central tube 8 in direction B, which draws end tubes 12 into central tube 8, as shown in
In the home position, clamp tube 26 applies a preload of about 20 lbs. to compression spring 9, though less or greater preload forces may be applied to the spring in other embodiments, which biases clamp tube 26 to the right and spacer tube 7 to the left (in the direction of plug 74). No external load is placed on clamp 6 in the home position. Pin 53 contacts first surface portion 93a of L-shaped cam 93 and first indicator component 14 is not covered by second indicator component 90 or, more specially, ring portion 94 of second indicator component 90. The contact between pin 53 and first surface 93a of cam 93 occurs because spring 9 pushes clamp support 20 to the right, which pulls pin 51 to the right, which pulls first bracket 32 to the right, which pulls pin 53 to the right and against first surface 93a. In the embodiment of the home position shown in the figure, there will be a gap of about 0.65 inches between the rightmost end of end tube 12 and the inside face of plate 25 of clamp support 20. This 0.65-inch distance is the distance that nut 72 can push the rightmost end of spacer tube 7, thereby further compressing spring 9. Furthermore, in the home position, provided first indicator component 14 has a width (that is measured along the length of the exercise bar) of at least 0.65 inches, at least 0.65 inches of first indicator component 14 will be visible because it will be uncovered by ring portion 94. Additionally, because of the configuration of clamp 6, there is also a force exerted by first bracket 32 on pin 53 that pulls pin 53 against surface portion 93b of cam 93, which surface portion limits the angular rotation of first bracket 32 and renders clamp 6 able to be locked, or lockable.
As central tube 8 continues to be turned in direction A, and as spring 9 is compressed, end tube 12 slides over clamp tube 26 toward plate 25. As a result, first indicator component 14 slides underneath ring portion 94 of second indicator component 90, such that less of first indicator component 14 is visible. Also, as yoke 80, which is attached to end tube 12 as described above, moves with end tube 12, pin 53 slides against second surface portion 93b of cam 93 until it reaches third surface portion 93c of cam 93, resulting in about 0.15 inches of travel of end tube 12/yoke 80. The portion of cam 93 between first surface portion 93a and third surface portion 93c may be characterized as a lateral force portion of cam 93. In this seated position, with about 0.50 inches left between the rightmost end of end tube 12 and the inside face of plate 25 (correspondingly, about 0.50 inches of the width of indicator 14 will remain visible, indicating that installation is not complete), spring 9 provides a 40-pound normal force against the inside surface of the door frame. Still, however, no clamping force (acting normal to the axis of the exercise bar) has been applied to clamp 6 in the seated position; fourth bracket 38 and clamping pad 46 have not moved from their open position (any position in which clamping pad 46 is not in contact with an exterior surface bordering the inside surface of the door frame may be characterized as an open position for the fourth bracket), and clamping pads 44 and 46 are not exerting any force on the trim. In the illustrated embodiment, compression spring 9 is one example of a damper that, because of the configuration of exercise bar 2, will move the first end tube 12 with respect to the central tube 8 when the first damper transitions between a first position and a second position. Other dampers, including hydraulic or pneumatic dampers, may be used instead of or in addition to compression spring 9.
Continuing with following the forces through clamp 6, second brackets 34, which are in contact with pin 53 through holes 343, move as a result of pin 53 traveling along third surface portion 93c, and the ends of second brackets 34, which are pinned to third bracket 36 with pin 55, swing clockwise as a result because third bracket 36 is pinned by, and rotates around, pin 57. Third bracket 36, in turn, rotates counterclockwise, pushing on cylindrical nut 60, which in turn pushes screw 89 (to which it is threadedly connected) such that shoulder 89a pushes on fourth bracket 38, causing it to rotate counterclockwise about pin 57. As a result, fourth bracket 38 contacts the trim via clamping pad 46, applying a clamping force to an exterior surface positioned outside the space between the door frame's two upright members. As fourth bracket 38 rotates counterclockwise, pins 51, 53 and 55 begin to align in a straight line, which enables a high driving force to be directed to the rotation of fourth bracket 38 about pin 57. As a result, the smaller the gap the user created between clamping pad 46 and the trim during the initial setup, the higher the clamping force will be applied in a direction normal to horizontal (up to a limit to be discussed). Because of first bracket 32's U-shape, and provided it is made from spring steel, first bracket 32 will deflect under high loads, thereby reducing the distance between pins 51 and 53, and thereby reducing the theoretically infinite force generated by the alignment of pins 51, 53, and 55. The maximum force clamp 6 is configured to deliver to clamping pad 46 on fourth bracket 38 is 300 pounds. There will be an equal and opposite load on clamping pad 42 of clamp support 20.
In the installation position, indicator 14 is under ring portion 94, and the rightmost end of end tube 12 is touching the inside face of plate 25 of clamp support 20. As a result, there will be 1.30 total inches of compressed spring travel (counting both springs 9) holding exercise bar 2 against the door frame. If the door frame's upright members move laterally (horizontally) away from each other under the load of the springs, but not more than 1.30 inches, the exercise will bar will not completely release its clamping force on the door trim because each end tube 12 will travel away from the center of the exercise bar (and with the horizontally-moving upright members of the door frame) under the force of springs 9. Each spring 9 is, therefore, an example of a damper configured to move end tube 12 with respect to central tube 8 if a distance between the two upright members of the door frame increases when the exercise bar is mounted between the two upright members.
Exercise bar 2 is shown mounted between (and to) two upright members 410 of a door frame in
In the illustrated embodiment, clamps 6 are configured to apply about 300 pounds of clamping force in each direction through the exterior portion of the doorway—about 600 pounds of total clamping force for each clamp. As such, each clamp is configured to exert at least forces that are substantially perpendicular to the length of bar assembly 4. Further, exercise bar 2, and more specifically each spring (or, more broadly, damper) 9, is configured to apply about 100 pounds of thrust force on the interior portion of each door frame, or about 200 pounds of total thrust force. Thus, the combined normal load on the door frame (or on any other upright members) is about 1400 pounds. The vertical load exercise bar 2 can support is directly proportional to the coefficient of friction between pads 42, 44, 46 and the door frame. For example, at a coefficient of friction of 0.5, exercise bar 2 can support a vertical load of about 700 pounds without failing. Should exercise bar 2 be subjected to a vertical load greater than 700 pounds, it will slide down the door frame and will not catastrophically collapse or fail.
Exercise bar 2 is configured such that, when exercise bar 2 is mounted to a door frame and loaded at the middle, the bar assembly will bend slightly, placing a force couple between clamp tube 26 and the bottommost pair of bracing portions 24 of clamp support 20. This will result in an increased normal load where those bottommost bracing portions 24 contact the inside of the door frame, and will result in an increased friction load resisting the downward sliding of the exercise bar.
Exercise bar 2 is also configured such that, when it is mounted to a door frame and loaded at one side, the exercise bar will tend to slide down the door frame on the loaded side, resulting in a cocking of the exercise bar in the door frame. This will increase the effective length of the exercise bar, as seen by the door frame, and result in a higher normal load and resulting friction load between the affected end and the door frame. This increased load will resist further downward travel of the exercise bar.
The embodiments of the exercise bar described above and the methods disclosed for its operation and use are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, they include all modifications and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims. For example, while the embodiment of clamp 6 shown in the figures has four brackets, other embodiments of the clamp could be made with three or fewer brackets. As another example, instead of the indicator configuration above, other embodiments of the present exercise bars could comprise a first indicator component that is placed on (or otherwise is a part of) clamp tube 26 and end tube 12 could be provided with a second indicator component that comprises a window (or opening/slot) through which the first indicator component is visible until the end tube is moved sufficiently to the right that the exercise bar reaches the installed position. As another example, while the two upright members illustrated in
Embodiments of the present apparatuses also include a container (which may be generically represented as a rectangular (e.g., cardboard) container) that closely approximates the size of the exercise bar, an exercise bar (such as exercise bar 2), and instructions for use, which may be included as an insert in the container or as printed instructions on the outside of the container. The exercise bar may include packing material in the container designed to limit movement of the exercise bar within the container during shipment. The exercise bar itself may be shipped in the fully-assembled state shown in, e.g.,
The claims are not intended to include, and should not be interpreted to include, means-plus- or step-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase(s) “means for” or “step for,” respectively.
