FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an exercise tool. More specifically, the present invention is a chair exercising device that utilizes a user's weight in combination with the structure provided by a chair, particularly an office chair, to enable the user to exercise their legs and arms while seated or while standing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thanks in large part to various technological advances in computers and wireless communications, the sedentary lifestyle has become the norm for many daily commuters and workers. While this enables exponential technological growth and the sustenance of an ever-hungry international economy, the detrimental effects of living in such a way are well-researched and the negative health outcomes are now common knowledge. Long hours spent in front of a work desk results in a wide variety of physical and mental health disorders, especially when such a lifestyle is not balanced by an equal workout or exercise regimen. Long hours seated result in the generation of tight hip flexors and soft abdominal muscles, as well as decreased circulatory and respiratory function. Such untreated physical disfunction results in decreased mental performance, including shorter attention spans, memory, and reduced focus, as well as increased anxiety and overall reduced quality of life.
Unfortunately, in many modern careers, such negative outcomes are an unavoidable aspect of being employed. Too many jobs start early and end late, leaving no time for the employed to exercise their bodies. Such employees may feel doomed to a lifetime of stiff, underworked muscles and weak fascia, not to mention the wide array of health effects stemming from there. What is needed is a device that can allow a deskbound worker to exercise without devoting a significant amount of time outside of office hours, thus improving the user's mental and physical condition without sacrificing their ability to perform their job. Further desirable is a device which is especially adapted to provide variable resistance stimulus to the user's arms and legs, thus improving circulation and daily activity.
The present invention addresses these concerns. The chair exercising device uses resistance bands to provide tension. A series of straps attached to the wrists or ankles of the user allow for engagement of upper and lower body muscle groups while the user is at work and anytime there is an opportunity to sit for a period of time. Alternatively, hand grips may be utilized to provide easier access and variation of stimulus, thus reducing cyclical muscular fatigue occurring due to excessive isolation-focused exercises. The mechanism is optimized to attach easily to an office chair, especially a swiveling office chair with a primary weight support; however, any chair or seating apparatus may engage with the primary strap. The resistance tube or tubes vary in thickness and length, thus enabling modular control over the resistance generated by the present invention. A series of recommended exercises are provided to help guide the user during early usage. The straps and bands utilized by the present invention are easy to assemble and remove, thus improving portability and facilitating travel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front-left perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a left view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a left view of the anchoring strap for the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the resistance band for the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view of the handle for the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the present invention with a securing strap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is a chair exercise device that is used to enable a user to perform resistance exercises using a chair, especially an office chair. The present invention is also configured to collapse easily to facilitate transportation. The present invention comprises an anchoring strap 1, at least one securing strap 5, and at least one resistance band 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The anchoring strap 1 relates to a flexible connector which enables the user to join the present invention to a leg or support of a chair. The chosen chair leg becomes the primary support against which the user pulls during exercise. The at least one securing strap 5 is a unit utilized to connect the present invention to the user's leg, wrist, hand, or other area before exercise. The at least one resistance band 11 relates to a flexible elastic band, tube, or otherwise shaped mechanism capable of holding and transmitting cyclical tensile spring forces.
The general configuration of the aforementioned components allows the present invention to efficiently and effectively perform a variety of resistance exercises in an office environment. The anchoring strap 1 comprises a fixed strap body 2 and at least one fixed eyelet 3, as shown in FIG. 2. The fixed strap body 2 is the structural body of the anchoring strap 1. The at least one fixed eyelet 3 is a ring through which the anchoring strap 1 may join or connect the at least one resistance band 11. Moreover, the at least one securing strap 5 comprises a free strap body 6 and a free eyelet 7. The free strap body 6 is the structural body of the at least one securing strap 5. The free eyelet 7 is a ring through which the at least one securing strap 5 may connect to the at least one resistance band 11. In addition, the at least one resistance band 11 comprises a band body 12, a proximal end 13, a distal end 14, a first carabiner 15, and a second carabiner 16. The band body 12 is the structural body of the at least one resistance band 11. The proximal end 13 is a terminally positioned section of the band body 12. Similarly, the distal end 14 is a terminally positioned section of the band body 12, located opposite the proximal end 13. The first carabiner 15 is a hook with a spring-loaded latch that enables connection of the at least one resistance band 11 to the fixed strap body 2. Likewise, the second carabiner 16 is another hook with a spring-loaded latch that allows for connection to the free strap body 6.
These components interact in order to provide the present invention with the desired exercise resistance capabilities. Thus, the at least one fixed eyelet 3 is laterally connected to the fixed strap body 2. In this way, the at least one fixed eyelet 3 is engaged with the anchoring strap 1, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby providing the structure for the at least one resistance band 11 to connect. The free eyelet 7 is laterally connected to the free strap body 6. In this way, forces pulling against the free strap body 6 can transfer through the free eyelet 7. The proximal end 13 and the distal end 14 are positioned opposite to each other along the band body 12. This arrangement enables subsequent positioning of the first carabiner 15 and the second carabiner 16. The proximal end 13 is coupled to the at least one fixed eyelet 3 by the first carabiner 15. This connection allows the first carabiner 15 to shift and swivel within translational position relative to the at least one fixed eyelet 3. Simultaneously, the distal end 14 is coupled to the free eyelet 7 by the second carabiner 16. Such an arrangement allows motion of the at least one resistance band 11 to meet tensile forces from the at least one resistance band 11 pulling against the anchoring strap 1.
While such an arrangement theoretically provides a user with a precise amount of resistance, it may be further desirable for the user to have modular control over the amount of tensile force against which the user is pulling. To achieve this effect, the at least one resistance band 11, as shown in FIG. 4, is a plurality of resistance bands. This arrangement enables the user to add or remove any of the plurality of resistance bands. Further, the band body 12 of each of the plurality of resistance bands is configured to be a corresponding resistance from an incrementing series of elastic resistances. In this way, the user may control the amount of resistive force provided by the present invention while performing an exercise or exercise session. In an exemplary embodiment, the user may wish for an easy indication of the resistive spring forces being used. To achieve this, the band body 12 of each of the plurality of resistance bands is chromatically configured to visually identify each resistance from the incrementing series of elastic resistances. Such an arrangement facilitates determination of a specific elastically resistive band. For example, a yellow-colored band body has a 5-pound resistance, a green-colored band body has a 10-pound resistance, a red-colored band body has a 15-pound resistance, a blue-colored band body has a 20-pound resistance, and a black-colored band body has a 25-pound resistance.
It may further be advantageous for the user to adjust the elastic resistance by adding and removing elastic bands from the plurality of resistance bands with the knowledge that each band is the same resistance. To this end, the at least one resistance band 11, as shown in FIG. 4, is a plurality of resistance bands. This allows the user to add or remove any of the plurality of resistance bands. The band body 12 of each of the plurality of resistance bands is configured to be a single elastic resistance. This arrangement enables the user to adjust the number of resistance bands to achieve the single elastic resistance. For example, the band body of each of the plurality of resistance bands may have a 5-pound resistance.
The user may wish to exercise multiple body parts at the same time, or in an alternating pattern. To allow for such exercise patterns, the at least one fixed eyelet 3 is a plurality of fixed eyelets. If the at least one resistance band 11 is a plurality of resistance bands, the plurality of fixed eyelets would provide multiple connection points along the anchoring strap 1 for the first carabiner 15 of each of the plurality of resistance bands. The plurality of fixed eyelets is positioned offset from each other. In this way, the first carabiner 15 connects to the relevant fixed eyelet of the plurality of fixed eyelets, thus providing different resistance origins for the at least one resistance band 11.
The anchoring strap 1 fixes to itself in order to allow the present invention to attach to a chair. To achieve this, the anchoring strap 1 further comprises a fixed fastener 4, as shown in FIG. 4. The fixed fastener 4 is a securing mechanism that restrains the anchoring strap 1 around a leg or structural beam of a chair. The fixed fastener 4 is operatively integrated into the fixed strap body 2, wherein the fixed fastener 4 is used to secure the fixed strap body 2 into a looped configuration. Thus, the fixed fastener 4 allows the fixed strap body 2 to secure the anchoring strap 1 in place during a variety of resistance exercises. In an exemplary embodiment, the fixed fastener 4 is a hook-and-loop fastener. This arrangement allows for easy and secure addition and removal of the fixed strap body 2 to and from a chair.
Under many circumstances, the user may wish to perform exercises which require or benefit from the ability of the user to grasp the present invention to train a specific muscular group. To this end, the at least one securing strap 5 further comprises a tubular handle 8, as shown in FIG. 5. The tubular handle 8 is a grasping device that provides an outer lateral surface for the user to grasp while exercising. The free strap body 6 is configured into a looped configuration, which provides the mounting structure necessary to enable support of the tubular handle 8. The free strap body 6 traverses through the tubular handle 8. Thus, the free strap body 6 retains the tubular handle 8 in position and simultaneously allows the tubular handle 8 to control the position of the free strap body 6. In an exemplary embodiment, the tubular handle 8 may not be comfortable for a user during various exercises. To accommodate for such an inconvenience, the at least one securing strap 5 further comprises a gripping sleeve 9. The gripping sleeve 9 is a preferably viscoelastic polymeric material capable of conforming to the user's hand during use. The gripping sleeve 9 may be advantageously shaped or formed to provide a gripping advantage to the user or may include preferably vulcanized features that enhance the user's grip. The gripping sleeve 9 is mounted around the tubular handle 8. In this way, the gripping sleeve 9 provides additional leverage for the user by enhancing the user's grip upon the free strap body 6.
Alternatively, it is also often useful for the present invention to fasten around the user's wrist or ankle. To achieve such an effect, the at least one securing strap 5 further comprises a free fastener 10, as shown in FIG. 6. The free fastener 10 is a connector that secures the at least one securing strap 5 in position relative to a user's wrist or ankle. The free fastener 10 is operatively integrated into the free strap body 6, wherein the free fastener 10 is used to secure the free strap body 6 into a looped configuration. This arrangement allows the free strap body 6 to easily connect to and separate from the user's wrist or ankle. In an exemplary embodiment, the free fastener 10 is a hook-and-loop fastener. In this way, the user may exercise with confidence that the free strap body 6 is firmly in position upon the user's wrist or ankle.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20200215377
