Patent Application
20130217545
The present invention relates to an aerobic or exercise step.
Aerobic, fitness, or exercise steps are used by individuals to do various exercises and activities for exercise to improve one's health, for rehabilitation, or for other reasons. Various steps are known which allow the user to elevate oneself a distance from the ground. There is a continuing need for improvements in aerobic, fitness or exercise steps (herinafter referred to as an “aerobic step” or “step”).
The present invention concerns an aerobic step which includes a middle exercise area and four sides. The body defines a height, a length extending in a longitudinal direction and a width extending in a transverse direction. The middle exercise area allows a user to contact the body of the step and perform one or more exercises or activities using the step.
In one preferred embodiment, the body defines a domed shape with the highest point in the middle exercise area, with the body tapering downwardly toward the ground toward all four sides.
Preferably, the domed shape defines a convex curve which curves downwardly to the four sides.
In a further preferred embodiment, the body has a longer length than the width.
In one preferred embodiment, the body includes an outer periphery which contacts the floor in one or more continuous portions about the outer periphery. In one embodiment, two handles are provided along the outer periphery in the form of cutouts. In one preferred embodiment, the outer periphery contacts the floor in a continuous line except for in the two handle areas. The handle areas are preferably located along two of the longitudinal sides.
In one preferred embodiment, the middle exercise area provides good griping contact between the user and the step. In one embodiment, the middle exercise area is supported by a unitary body portion which extends underneath the middle exercise area down to the outer periphery. Preferably, a similar gripping type material is positioned on the lower surface of the body which promotes non-sliding or griping action with the ground.
In one preferred embodiment, the middle exercise area has gripping surfaces or edge portions in the form of a texture or a pattern of edge surfaces. One pattern is a plurality of grooves.
In one preferred embodiment, the body of the aerobic step defines an upper convex surface and a lower concave surface underneath the middle exercise area. Support ribs extend underneath and define the lower concave surface to provide structural support for the body portion.
One preferred use of the aerobic step with the upper convex surface and the lower concave surface is that the device is stackable with one or more identically configured aerobic steps. One purpose for stacking is for compact storage. Preferably, the aerobic steps self-stack when arranged generally vertically in alignment with the longitudinal and transverse sides in alignment.
A second purpose of the upper convex and lower concave surfaces of the aerobic step is to provide additional height to the user. In one embodiment, the aerobic step has a height of about eight inches or less. Preferably, the height is about six inches. The additional height can be added to a single aerobic step by adding a second aerobic step. Preferably, the additional height added by the additional aerobic step is in relatively small increments, such as four inches or less. Preferably, the height addition is about two inches.
When six aerobic steps are stacked together, such as for storage, the height is preferably twenty inches or less. Preferably, the height is about sixteen inches.
When stacking the steps for storage or for use in exercising, the inner concave surface of the top step generally closely follows the outer convex surface of the underneath step.
Referring now to
Step 10 includes a body 20 having an upper surface 22, an edge or outer periphery 24 and a lower surface 26 which engages the ground. An inner surface 30 faces in a opposite direction to upper surface 22. Body 20 includes four sides 32, 34, 36, 38. Upper surface 22 has a convex shape. Inner surface 30 has a concave shape.
In the illustrated body, body 20 has a height 40, a width 42 and a length 44. As shown, length 44 is longer than width 42. Body 20 has a generally domed shape with the maximum height 40 at the central portion 48.
Body 20 defines a domed shape wherein central portion 48 defines the highest point and which tapers or curves downwardly toward outer periphery 24. This can be seen by viewing
Longitudinal sides 32, 34 are longer than transverse sides 36, 38. Longitudinal sides 32, 34 define lower handles 50 in the form of cutouts. Otherwise, in the preferred embodiment, the entirety of transverse sides 36, 38, and the longitudinal sides 32, 34, except for the areas of handles 50, define lower surface 26 for contacting the ground in two continuous strips 54 in the illustrated embodiment.
Upper exercise area 60 generally forms a majority of upper surface 22. In the preferred embodiment the body 20 includes a main body portion 62 which supports upper exercise area 60. Main body portion 62 also includes side body portions 64 which are located outside of upper exercise area 60. Side body portions 64 generally extend in a continuous curve with upper exercise area 60, as shown in
Upper exercise area 60 is supported by main body portion 62 and can be made from a different material. For example, main body portion 62 can be made from a molded plastic material with the good structural integrity to support a user contacting upper exercise area 60 including standing or jumping on upper exercise area 60. Preferably, main body portion 62 is fairly rigid, and does not flex significantly. For example, it is preferable that main body portion 62 not flex like an inflated bladder or chamber would as in some exercise equipment. Upper exercise area 60 is in sheet form or layer shape and fits in a pocket 68 in main body portion 62.
Upper exercise area 60 is preferably made from a different material supported by main body portion, wherein upper exercise area 60 can be made from a material which promotes gripping and non-slippage relative to a user who contacts upper exercise area 60. In one example, upper exercise area 60 is continuous and co-molded with main body portion 62. For example, upper exercise area 60 can be made from a thermoplastic rubber which is co-molded with main body portion 62 made from a fairly rigid plastic material, such as polypropylene. Main body portion 62 is generally made so as to support several hundred pounds.
Upper exercise area 60 can also be provided with a pattern or texture to further promote grip and non-slippage with the user. As shown, upper exercise area 60 includes a plurality of linear grooves 76. Other patterns and/or textures can be provided to promote grip and non-slippage.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the aerobic step 10 has a height of about eight inches or less. Preferably, the height is about six inches. The additional height can be added to a single aerobic step 10 by adding a second aerobic step 10. Preferably, the additional height added by the additional aerobic step is in relatively small increments, such as four inches or less. Preferably, the height addition is about two inches.
Inner surface 30 defines a concave shape, and upper surface 22 defines a convex shape. Such a configuration allows for multiple steps 10 to be nested within one another as shown in
As shown in
As noted above, body 20 has a somewhat rectangular outer perimeter with a domed upper surface and a concave underneath surface. One advantage of the domed upper surface is that no defined or sharp edges are provided which a user could misstep and injure oneself. Another advantage is the ability to conveniently stack. A still further advantage is that when stacking multiple steps 10, small increments in height are added for each step 10.
It is preferred that step 10 be less than or equal to forty inches long in length direction 44, thirty inches wide in width direction 42, and eight inches tall in height direction 40. More preferably, it is preferred that step 10 be about 32 inches long, 22 inches wide, and 6 inches high. When stacking two steps together, it is preferred that the stack be ten inches or less. More preferably it is preferred that the stack be about eight inches. Each step preferably adds about two inches to the top height (compare H(1) to H(2)). Step 10 does not need a riser to increase the exercising height of the step 10. When stacking six steps 10 it is preferred that the stack be twenty inches or less, and preferably about sixteen inches or less (see H(3)).
In one embodiment, lower edge portion 66 is about 1 inch high. Side body portion 64 is about 3 inches long extending from lower edge portion 66 to upper exercise area 60.
As shown and described, it is preferred that step 10 be fairly rigid and not provide bounce when a user would step or jump on step 10. Further, it is preferred that upper surface 22 generally not have any significant flat areas, or sharp corners.
Further, it is preferred that upper surface 22 provide a good gripping surface so as to prevent slippage by a user. Also, it is preferred that lower surface 26 provide a good ground gripping surface, and be fairly long, such as extending around a large percentage of the outer periphery. In the example shown, lower surface 26 engages the ground in all areas of the outer periphery 24 except at the cutouts which form handles 50.
The domed shape of upper surface 22 of step 10 allows for a variety of stepping or stretching exercises to be done by the user. The user can step on the top or the sides of area 60. The user can also use the step 10 to balance on by standing, or lying on step 10 with various parts of the body. The user can do various exercises like pushups using the step 10. If desired, the user can jump over step 10 during exercising.
Because side body portions 64 and lower gripping portion 70 are adjacent the ground there is no gap for a user to catch a foot or hand on during exercising.
