This invention relates generally to aquatic exercise devices and methods therefor and, more specifically, to an apparatus having two flotation devices connected by a plurality of polyvinyl chloride tubes and polyvinyl chloride elbows enabling a user to adjust the apparatus as desired by length and angle.
Swimming is a popular form of exercise as well as a sport. Water allows for low-impact exercise, allowing people to build muscle strength in their arms, legs, and other body parts. Some people, however, have difficulty supporting their body in water for long periods of time. For this reason, some swimmers require a flotation assist device in order to allow them to exercise in the water. Kickboards and other lighter than water objects are often used to allow a swimmer to hold on with their hands while exercising their legs. In order to achieve a more complete workout, however, a device that can both float as well as provide a workout for one's upper body is preferred.
Several attempts have been made to address this need. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,631 issued to Gag, U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,213 issued to Yuen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,471 issued to Chappedelaine, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,349,891 issued to Kuznetzoff all show various types of swimming devices comprising two flotation devices connected to one another and having two handles for a person to paddle by rotating the handles while kicking the feet. None of the aforementioned prior art allow a person to adjust the dimensions of the swimming device to make it wider, narrower, or otherwise adjust the angles. Adjustment of this kind is necessary, however, when people of different sizes desire to use the same device. A person with broad shoulders for example, will need a wider aquatic exercise apparatus than a smaller person with narrower shoulders. Even if only one person is using the aquatic exercise device, adjustment is preferable to allow a person to concentrate on different muscle groups by adjusting the angles of the device.
One prior art swimming apparatus attempts to solve this problem. U.S. Pat. No. 1,777,749 issued to Eguiluz utilizes an adjustable sleeve connected to the two hand grips, allowing for the handles to be adjusted diagonally from one another. The Eguiluz design, although providing for some adjustment, only permits diagonal adjustment of the space between the handles. Without the ability to also adjust the length and angle of the other sections and elbows of the exercise device, a person is unable to increase the overall width of the device, or angle of usage, without simultaneously increasing the distance between the handle grips.
A need therefore existed for an aquatic exercise apparatus that preferably utilizes polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes and elbows, making it possible for a person to adjust the length of each individual section by replacing one tube of PVC with a PVC tube of a different length. Additionally, a need existed for an aquatic exercise apparatus that allows for elbows of various bend angles to be used in order to further adjust the aquatic exercise apparatus to a person's preferences.
An object of the present invention is to provide an aquatic exercise apparatus capable of allowing a user to make various adjustments to the distance and angles between two flotation devices and between two handles, and a method therefor.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an aquatic exercise apparatus is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a first flotation device having a density less than water, a second flotation device having a density less than water, a first polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being dimensioned to mate with the first flotation device, a second polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second flotation device, a first polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the first elbow, a second polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the second polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the second elbow, a third polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the first polyvinyl chloride elbow, a fourth polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the second polyvinyl chloride elbow, a third polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the third polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the third elbow, a fourth polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the fourth elbow, a fifth polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the third polyvinyl chloride elbow, a sixth polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the fourth polyvinyl chloride elbow, a first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube having a first end and a second end and having a diameter greater than the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube and a length less than the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube, the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to be inserted through the first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube so that the first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube being dimensioned to rotate around and relative to the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube, a second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube having a first end and a second end and having a diameter greater than the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube and a length less than the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube, the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to be inserted through the second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube so that the second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube being dimensioned to rotate around and relative to the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube, a fifth polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the fifth elbow, a sixth polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the sixth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the sixth elbow, and a seventh polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the seventh polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the fifth elbow, the second end of the seventh polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the sixth elbow.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an aquatic exercise apparatus is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a first flotation device having a density less than water, a second flotation device having a density less than water, a first polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being dimensioned to mate with the first flotation device, a second polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second flotation device, a first polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the first elbow, a second polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the second polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the second elbow, a third polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the first polyvinyl chloride elbow, a fourth polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the second polyvinyl chloride elbow, a first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube having a first end and a second end and having a diameter greater than the third polyvinyl chloride tube and a length less than the third polyvinyl chloride tube, the third polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to be inserted through the first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube so that the first polyvinyl chloride gripping tube being dimensioned to rotate around and relative to the third polyvinyl chloride tube, a second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube having a first end and a second end and having a diameter greater than the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube and a length less than the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube, the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to be inserted through the second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube so that the second polyvinyl chloride gripping tube being dimensioned to rotate around and relative to the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube, a third polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the third polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the third elbow, a fourth polyvinyl chloride elbow having a first end and a second end, the second end of the fourth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to securely mate with the first end of the fourth elbow, and a fifth polyvinyl chloride tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the third elbow, the second end of the fifth polyvinyl chloride tube dimensioned to mate with the second end of the fourth elbow.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, an aquatic exercise apparatus is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a first flotation device having a density less than water, a second flotation device having a density less than water, a first handle, a second handle, and a plurality of tube members dimensioned to be coupled to the first flotation device and the second flotation device and the first handle and the second handle so that the first handle and the second handle and the plurality of tube members being adjustable in length and disposed of between the first flotation device and the second flotation device.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, a method for aquatic exercise is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a first flotation device having a density less than water, providing a second flotation device having a density less than water, providing a first handle, providing a second handle, providing a plurality of tube members, coupling one of the plurality of tube members to the first flotation device, coupling another of the plurality of tube members to the second flotation device, coupling one of the plurality of tube members to the first handle, coupling one of the plurality of tube members to the second handle, all the plurality of tube members being disposed of between the first flotation device and the second flotation device, and adjusting a distance between at least one of the first handle and the second handle, and the first flotation device and the second flotation device.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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In one embodiment of the aquatic exercise apparatus 10, shown in
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In order to make use of the aquatic exercise apparatus 10, a person preferably couples PVC tubes 22 to a first flotation device 12 and a second flotation device 14, using PVC elbows 24 to couple the sections together in order to create a crank that can be used to propel a swimmer 20 forward in water when the swimmer 20 cranks the aquatic exercise apparatus 10 while kicking his or her feet.
It should be clearly understood that it is within the spirit and scope of this invention that the tube members 22 may be fixedly coupled together (for example with glue) to create increased stability. Adjustment would then be accomplished by simply sawing off the PVC tube members 22 and replacing them. It is because of the availability of PVC and other plastics that may be used, that the aquatic exercise apparatus can be easily and inexpensively adjusted.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.