Patent Application
20220249901
Many people may exercise with resistance bands. Therefore, there exists a need for ways to easily anchor resistance bands to available supports, such as doors.
The novel features of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. However, for purpose of explanation, several embodiments are illustrated in the following drawings.
The following detailed description describes currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of some embodiments, as the scope of the disclosure is best defined by the appended claims.
Various features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. Broadly, some embodiments generally provide an adjustable resistance band anchor that couples to resistance bands and structural supports such as doors.
The adjustable resistance band anchor may include a top mounting bracket that may be associated with the top of a support structure such as a door and a bottom mounting bracket that may be associated with the bottom or base of a support structure such as a door. The top and bottom mounting brackets may be coupled to a vertical support member (or “support member”), such as a metal column or beam. The top and/or bottom mounting brackets may be able to be moved along the vertical support member and secured at various locations along the vertical support member. A sliding support assembly may be able to be moved along the vertical support member while the adjustable resistance band anchor is attached to a support structure (e.g., while the top and bottom mounting brackets are secured to particular locations along the vertical support structure such that the brackets engage with, and couple to, the top and bottom of the door or other support structure).
The sliding support assembly may include a handle or other feature that may allow the sliding support assembly to be selectively fixed at various locations along the vertical support member. The sliding support assembly may include an attachment feature that may allow a carabiner or other appropriate connector to be coupled to the sliding support assembly and a set of one or more resistance bands.
Resistance bands may be used to perform various exercises. Some exercises may require that the resistance bands be anchored to a supporting structure. Existing band anchoring products have limited capacities, capabilities, and functionality. For example, some band anchoring products only allow for the user to anchor a band to one location on a door. Thus, for example, if a user wants to adjust the height of the anchor to perform different exercises, the user must open the door, remove the anchor from the anchor point and reposition the anchor on the door, before shutting the door to continue.
In addition to the time and effort required to adjust the height of such existing anchors, the anchors do not provide multi-functionality, are limited in terms of strength of the anchor, and slow down the cadence of the workout and time taken to transition from exercise to exercise.
The door anchor of some embodiments is a home, office, or travel fitness product that may be mounted on any door. The door anchor is portable, easy to use, effective, and simple. The door anchor provides a full-body, workout, allowing a user to perform a wide variety of exercises including fitness, cardio, strength, conditioning, endurance, functional, movement, rehabilitation, balance coordination, athletic, interval, boxing, kick-boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), and/or other types of training across various ranges of size, fitness, strength, motion, etc. associated with a variety of users.
Mounting bracket 105 may include a bent plat bracket (e.g., a steel or aluminum plate having a fourteen-gauge (14 GA) thickness) and/or other appropriate materials (e.g., plastic, wood, metal, etc.). The mounting bracket 105 may include protective elements (not shown), such as rubber bumpers, felt sections, etc. that may be coupled to various surfaces of mounting bracket 105 (e.g., via adhesive) in order to protect doors or other connection points from damage. In this example, mounting bracket 105 is formed by a single bent plate. In some embodiments, mounting bracket 105 may include various other structural components such as frames, beams, or other supports, plates or housings, coverings or skins, etc. The door anchor 100 may include mounting brackets 105 (referred to as a “top” mounting bracket and “bottom” mounting bracket).
Cutout or pass-through area 110 may allow a portion of vertical support member 140 to pass through the mounting bracket 105 such that the distance between the top and bottom mounting brackets 105 (or specific portions thereof) of the adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may be varied, for example to match various door heights and/or other support structures.
Sliding support assembly 115 may be able to move along vertical support member 140 and be secured at any point along the vertical support member 140. Sliding support assembly 115 may include various components or sub-elements.
First support component 145 and second support component 150 may be symmetrical (or nearly symmetrical). In this example, the two support components 145-150 may be coupled via carabiner attachment feature 120. The support components 145-150 may include or be formed from a bent metal plate (e.g., a 14 GA steel plate).
Carabiner attachment feature 120 may be or include one or more round dowels (e.g., a half-inch steel dowel, multiple such dowels aligned along the sliding support assembly 115, etc.). Different embodiments may include attachment features 120 with different sectional shapes (e.g., circular, oval, polygonal, irregular, etc.). Attachment feature 120 may include a smooth surface that may allow an attachment element such as a carabiner 125 to be securely attached while still being able to rotate and/or otherwise move in relation to the sliding support assembly 115 during exercise, installation, or other use. Carabiner attachment feature 120 may include multiple loops, rods, dowels, hooks, loops, and/or other such features that may allow a carabiner 125, resistance band, and/or other appropriate connectors (e.g., ring clamps, handles, etc.) to be coupled to the adjustable resistance band anchor 100.
The support components 145-150, carabiner attachment feature, and/or other components, such as guide pin 155, and securing guide pin 160 may be coupled in various appropriate ways (e.g., welding, adhesive, fasteners such as nuts and bolts or screws, etc.). Various components of sliding support assembly 115 may be machined, pressed, and/or otherwise formed from a single component (e.g., a single cast metal piece).
Carabiner 125 may include a spring-loaded clip or other appropriate securing feature that may allow the carabiner 125 to be coupled to carabiner attachment feature 120 and for various resistance bands to be coupled to the carabiner. Carabiner 125 may include various supports or structures, as appropriate for various exercises. For instance, two carabiner clips may be coupled together (e.g., via welding, adhesive, etc.) in a “V” shape such that multiple sets of resistance bands may be coupled to the carabiner 125 allowing for two-handed exercises.
Blown-up section 130 omits mounting bracket 105 for clarity.
Handle 135 may include various rigid materials (e.g., metal, plastic, wood, etc.) and/or external coverings or features (e.g., a rubber or silicone covering or grip portion). Handle 135 may securely and fixedly couple to securing guide pin 160 such that securing guide pin 160 may be rotated or otherwise manipulated using handle 135.
Securing guide pin 160 may have a cylindrical shape and may include rigid materials such as metal, plastic, and/or wood. For example, securing guide pin 160 may include a three-eighths inch diameter steel dowel. Securing guide pin 160 may have a threaded portion (e.g., toward the end of the pin 160 opposite to handle 135) that is able to engage a complementary feature (e.g., a tapped through-hole) of backing support 165 such that position of the sliding support assembly 115 may be fixed relative to vertical support member 140 (and/or other components of adjustable resistance band anchor 100) through compressive force applied between support component 150 and backing support 165 (e.g., when handle 135 is rotated clockwise) to vertical support member 140. Similarly, the compressive force may be reduced (e.g., when handle 135 is rotated counter-clockwise) such that the sliding support assembly 115 may be moved along vertical support member 140. The handle 135, securing guide pin 160, and backing support 165 may be collectively referred to as a “locking feature” of sliding support assembly 115. Some embodiments may include multiple such locking features associated with each sliding support assembly 115. In some embodiments, securing guide 160 (or portions thereof) may be covered by a sleeve or similar element. Securing guide pin 160 may pass through a through-hole or similar feature of support component 150. Securing guide pin 160 may include, be coupled to, and/or otherwise be associated with a component such as a stop, washer, pin, etc. that may retain the securing guide pin 160 and handle 135 at a fixed position relative to the outer surface of support component 150.
Vertical support member 140 may be and/or include a vertical sliding track, such as an aluminum member (or “beam” or “column”) with at least one T-slot running along a length of the member that is able to pass through cutout or opening 110. In some embodiments, vertical support member 140 may be symmetrical about a center axis (as in this example). In this example, vertical support member 140 is has a square sectional outline shape and an elongated cube as a three-dimensional outline shape with a T-slot running along each side (e.g., each vertical side as shown and described in a “vertical” orientation where the adjustable resistance band anchor 100 is secured at the top and bottom of a standard door. Different embodiments may include differently shaped and/or sized vertical support members 140. For instance, such members may be cylindrical, may have a rectangular section profile, an oval sectional profile, a polygonal sectional profile, and/or otherwise van from the examples shown (e.g., by including differently-shaped slots or grooves that run along a length of the vertical support member 140). In this example, the T-slots run along the entire length of the vertical support member 140, but the slots may run for a portion of the length in some embodiments (e.g., a slot may have “end stops” and/or various intermediate segments defined by stops located along the slots). Such stops may be and/or include integral portions of vertical support member 140, attached plates or similar structures, etc. in some embodiments, vertical support member may have a length of seventy-nine inches in order to attach to standard-sized doors.
Guide pin 155 may be a cylindrical protruding element, as shown (e.g., a three-eighths inch diameter steel pin). Guide pin 150 may include an end plate and/or other retaining element that may run along a groove or slot of vertical support member 140. Some embodiments may include additional similar guide pins. For instance, some embodiments may include a sliding support assembly 115 that surrounds vertical support member 140 on three or more sides (and/or similar portion of a differently-shaped vertical support member 140) that may include two or more such guide pins 155 distributed about the sectional perimeter of vertical support member 140. Similarly, some embodiments may include multiple guide pins 155 aligned in parallel along the length of the vertical support member 140 to provide additional structural support.
Backing support 170 may be similar to backing support 165. Backing support 10 may include, for instance, one or more tapped through-holes associated with one or more screws 175 or other fasteners and/or adhesives. Each screw 175 may engage a complementary receptacle feature of one or more backing supports 170 (e.g., a tapped through-hole). Multiple fasteners 175 may be associated with each backing support 170 (e.g., multiple set screws and associated receptacles may be spaced along one or more lengths of the vertical support member 140). The one or more screws 175 may be tightened (e.g., by turning clockwise) to increase compressive pressure between the screw head (or washer or other appropriate component) and the backing support 170 such that each mounting bracket 105 is able to be selectively positioned and/or secured at any point along the length of the vertical support member 140. In some embodiments, fasteners 175 may include handles or knobs such that the height of adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may be quickly and easily adjusted without the use of tools. In some embodiments, each fastener 175 may be a pan head screw with a washer head.
The adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may include a door engagement portion having width 180 (e.g., four inches, eight inches, etc.) and depth 185 (e.g., two and one-half inches or other appropriate depth for a standard door). The adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may include a vertical member engagement portion having depth 190 (e.g., two inches, three inches, etc.) and tapering from width 180 to width 195 (e.g., three inches, five inches, etc.).
The door anchor 100 of some embodiments may be constructed of materials such as high-grade aluminum, steel, rubber, silicone, wood, and/or other appropriate materials. Various components may be powder coated, painted, and/or otherwise protected from corrosion or wear.
Vertical member attachment feature 210 may be a portion of mounting bracket 105 (e.g., a portion of a bent-plate bracket). Vertical member attachment feature 210 has a trapezoidal shape in this example and view, but may be shaped differently in different embodiments (e.g., rectangular, other polygons, etc.). In some embodiments, vertical member attachment feature 210 may include one or more guide pins and/or other alignment or structural support elements that may engage a portion of the vertical support member 140 and/or other components of adjustable resistance band anchor 100.
Each through-hole 220 may be associated with a fastener 175 and may allow at least a portion of the associated fastener 175 to pass through the through-hole 220 such that the fastener may engage the backing support(s) 170.
The door engagement portion of adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may have a front overhang height 230 (e.g., one inch) that may secure adjustable resistance band anchor 100 to a door or other support. The vertical member attachment feature 210 may have a trapezoidal shape with height 240 (e.g., three inches), and tapering from width 195 to width 250 (e.g., two inches, two and one-half inches, etc.). Vertical support member 140 may have a width 260 (e.g., one and three-quarter inches, two inches, etc.).
Bottom mounting bracket 320 may be the same or similar to top mounting bracket 105. Bottom mounting bracket 320 may be positioned at an opposite end of vertical support element 140 from top mounting bracket 105 and in a complementary orientation (e.g., rotated one hundred eighty degrees relative to top mounting bracket 105).
The mounting bracket 105 may have a rear overhang with height 340 (e.g., one and one-half inches) that may secure the adjustable resistance band anchor 100 to a door 310 or other support as shown. Vertical support member 140 may be coupled to top mounting bracket 105 and bottom mounting bracket 320 (e.g., via fasteners 175 and through-holes 220) to define a length or height of the adjustable resistance band anchor 100 such that the adjustable resistance hand anchor 100 may be securely fastened to doors of varying height.
Although each mounting bracket 105 and 320 may be formed from a single bent metal plate (or other cast, pressed, injected, or otherwise formed structure), various portions of the brackets 105 and 320 may be defined and/or referred to based on their functionality. For instance, a “rear overhang” portion of top bracket 105 may have a rectangular shape defined by height 340 and width 180 and may engage a “rear surface” of door 310. As an additional example, a “top plate” portion of top bracket 105 and a “bottom plate” portion of bottom bracket 320 may have a rectangular shape defined by depth 185 and width 180 and may engage a “top surface” and “bottom surface”, respectively, of door 310. As another example, a “front overhang” portion of top bracket 105 may have a rectangular shape defined by height 230 and width 180 and may engage a “front surface” of door 310. As still another example, a “front wing” or vertical member engagement portion of top bracket 105 may have a trapezoidal shape defined by depth 190, width 180, and width 195. As yet another example, a “face” or vertical attachment feature 210 portion of top bracket 105 may have a trapezoidal shape defined by height 240, width 195, and width 250 and may engage at least one “face” or “side” of vertical support member 140. The thickness of each portion may be defined by the thickness of the bent plate.
In this example, the top plate (or bottom plate), rear overhang, and front overhang may engage at least one surface of door 310, while face 210 may couple to the vertical support member 140 via fasteners 175. The front wings of top bracket 105 and bottom bracket 320 may space the vertical support member 140 from the face of the door 310 such that the sliding support assembly 115 may be freely manipulated.
As shown in this view, sliding support 115, and specifically, support component 150, may have a smoothed diamond shape that may be comfortably manipulated by a user. Different embodiments may have differently shaped sliding support components (e.g., round, oval, rectangular, polygonal, etc.).
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may be implemented in various different ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, different embodiments may include differently sized and/or shaped components. As another example, different embodiment may be sized differently for attachment to differently sized doors or other attachment features (e.g., having different widths, depths, lengths, etc.). As another example, the various components of adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may have different relative scales than shown (e.g., some components may be larger and/or smaller than shown in relation to other components). As still another example, although various components have been described relative to a vertical orientation (e.g., associated with the top and bottom of a door), different embodiments may be utilized in various different orientations (e.g., associated with the left and right side of a door such that the adjustable resistance band anchor 100 has a horizontal orientation).
In some embodiments, adjustable resistance band anchor 100 may be mounted to a wall or other such flat support surface. In such cases, top bracket 105 and bottom bracket 320 may be omitted and vertical support member 140 may be coupled to the flat support surface. In some such cases, spacers such as washers may be used to separate the vertical support member 140 from the flat support surface if desired. The vertical support member 140 may include through-holes and/or other attachment features that may allow the vertical support member 140 to be secured to a flat support surface such as a wall. The attachment features may include through-holes that allow, for example, bolts to be used to attach the vertical support member 140 to wood studs. As another example, the attachment features may include receptacles for aluminum stud anchors and/or other connectors or couplings, as appropriate.
In some embodiments, the size and/or intended structural limits (e.g., maximum resistance band load) may be based on type of support (e.g., a hollow door versus solid wood or metal, mounted directed to wood or metal studs, etc.) and/or other relevant factors (e.g., user level, user size, etc.).
During use, each mounting bracket 105 and 320 may attach to the top and bottom edges of a standard door 310 respectively, and may be secured using set screws and/or other appropriate fasteners 175. The vertical sliding track or column 140 may connect the top 105 and bottom 320 mounting brackets and provide a solid and firm anchor for using resistance bands. The vertical slider 115 may be able to travel along the vertical column 140 and be secured in place using the associated locking feature in order to adjust for various desired heights to perform various exercises while locked securely into place. The vertical slider 115 may include one or more attachment elements, such as a carabiner clip 125 (or attachment point 120 for such a clip).
The door anchor 100 allows a user to flow from one exercise to another easily by repositioning the vertical slider 115 as necessary and removing or attaching resistance bands via the carabiner 125 or other appropriate connection feature. The door anchor 100 allows the user to perform many more exercises than existing solutions and allows utilization of other accessories for performing additional exercises or training protocols.
Multiple resistance bands may be attached to the door anchor 100 at the same time. In some embodiments, door anchor 100 may include a slider 115 that has multiple attachment features (e.g., multiple hooks or loops arranged symmetrically about some portion of the slider 115). Some embodiments of the door anchor 100 may include two or more sliders 115 on the vertical sliding track 140 to allow for greater functionality and the ability to perform different exercises at different height levels, using multiple resistance bands coupled to the anchor points provided by the sliders 115.
No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. An instance of the use of the term “and,” as used herein, does not necessarily preclude the interpretation that the phrase “and/or” was intended in that instance. Similarly, an instance of the use of the term “or,” as used herein, does not necessarily preclude the interpretation that the phrase “and/or” was intended in that instance. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with the phrase “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the terms “one,” “single,” “only,” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The foregoing relates to illustrative details of exemplary embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the possible implementations of the disclosure. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. For instance, although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, the disclosure of the possible implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/148,560, filed on Feb. 11, 2021.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63148560 | Feb 2021 | US |
