Patent Application
20250065178
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The disclosure relates to exercise devices and more particularly pertains to a new exercise device which specifically targets anterior tibialis muscles. The anterior tibialis muscles are particularly difficult to engage using exercise devices commonly used found in gyms. Thus, exercise devices specifically targeting the anterior tibialis muscles are required.
The prior art relates to exercise devices targeting anterior tibialis muscles but which do not have a feet engagement means that is adjustable to the feet of users having feet of a variety of sizes.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a weight engagement element, a sliding element, and a locking element. The weight engagement element comprises a dorsum bar, which is attached to and which extends bidirectionally from a first end of a weight bar. The sliding element comprises a heel bar, which is attached to and which extends bidirectionally from a first terminus of an extension bar. A second terminus of the extension bar is slidable along and is releasably securable to the weight bar at a user selectable position wherein the extension bar extends away from the weight bar. The dorsum bar and the heel bar thus are positioned so as to fit feet of a user. The locking element is configured to retain one or more weights on the weight bar. The locking element is slidable along and is releasably securable to the weight bar. The weight bar is configured for insertion through a central hole of the one or more weights so that the one or more weights abut the extension bar. The user then can slide back on a seat so that legs of the user are straightened and supported and enable the user to perform alternating dorsiflexion movements and plantarflexion movements of the feet to exercise their anterior tibialis muscles.
Another embodiment of the disclosure includes an exercise system targeting anterior tibialis muscles, which comprises the exercise device, as per the disclosure above. The second terminus of the extension bar has been slid along the weight bar to position the dorsum bar and the heel bar to fit feet of a user and has been releasably secured to the weight bar. The weight bar has been inserted through the central hole of one or more weights, which abut the extension bar and which are retained in position by the locking element.
Yet another embodiment of the disclosure includes a method of exercising anterior tibialis muscles, which comprises providing the exercise system, as described above. Steps of the method include positioning the exercise system on a surface in front of a seat, assuming a seated position upon the seat, positioning one's heels upon the heel bar such that the dorsa of one's feet are positioned under the dorsum bar, sliding back upon the seat so that one's legs are straightened and are supported by the seat, and performing alternating dorsiflexion movements and plantarflexion movements of the feet.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The weight bar 22 comprises a first section 32, which extends from the first end 20, and a second section 34, which extends from a second end 36 of the weight bar 22. The first section 32 of the weight bar 22 and the extension bar 28 may be substantially rectangularly box shaped, as is shown in
The weight engagement element 12 and the sliding element 14 are readily separable, thereby allowing for easy stowage and transport of the exercise device 10. The weight engagement element 12 and the sliding element 14 may comprise plastic or metal, such as steel, or the like. With the exercise device 10 comprising molded plastic, and in particular with the weight bar 22, the heel bar 24, and the dorsum bar 18 being hollow, the exercise device 10 would have a low mass, which would be advantageous for some users relative to the exercise device 10 comprising steel.
The locking element 16 is slidable along and releasably securable to the weight bar 22. The weight bar 22 is configured for insertion by its second end 36 through the central hole 40 of one or more weights 42 so that the one or more weights 42 abut the extension bar 28. The locking element 16 then can be slid along and releasably secured to the weight bar 22 to retain the one or more weights 42 in position on the weight bar 22. The user, upon being seated, can position their heels upon the heel bar 24 and the dorsa of their feet under the dorsum bar 18. The user then can slide back on the seat 44 so that their legs are straightened and supported, enabling the user to perform alternating dorsiflexion movements and plantarflexion movements of the feet to exercise their anterior tibialis muscles.
In one embodiment, as is shown in
In this embodiment, as is shown in
Each pull ring 64 of a pair of pull rings 64 is hingedly attached proximate to an opposed end of a respective one of the set pin 52 and the lock pin 58 (66 and 68, respectively). The pull rings 64 allow a user to insert a finger and to pull on the set pin 52 and the lock pin 58 to extract them from the set ring 48 and the lock ring 56, respectively, and from the channels 46. The present invention anticipates other pulling elements in place of the pull rings 64, such as, but not limited to, fixed rings, crossbars, or the like. Prior art collars typically used to retain one or more weights 42 on a weight bar 22 are subject to movement and sliding while in use, whereas the set ring 48—set pin 52 and lock ring 56—lock pin 58 combinations prevent both movement and sliding, which is much safer for the user.
Other configurations which render the sliding element 14 slidable relative to the weight bar 22 are anticipated by the present invention. For example, the weight bar 22 may have a T shaped channel extending thereinto from its second end 36 and the extension bar 28 may have a complementary T-shaped protrusion extending from its second terminus 30. The T-shaped protrusion then could be slid into the T-shaped channel to a desired position and the sliding element 14 releasably secured to the weight bar 22 by insertion of a lock pin 58.
The second section 34 of the weight bar 22 has a pair of grooves 70 positioned therein and extending from the second end 36 to the first section 32 of the weight bar 22. Each channel 46 extends between the grooves 70 of the pair of grooves 70. A pair of set nubs 72 is attached to the set ring 48, with the set nubs 72 extending inwardly from an inner perimeter 74 of the set ring 48. Each set hole 54 extends through a respective set nub 72. Each set nub 72 is positioned in a respective groove 70 upon insertion of the weight bar 22 into the set ring 48. The set nubs 72 prevent rotation of the set ring 48 around the weight bar 22 to simplify alignment of the set holes 54 with a respective channel 46.
Similarly, a pair of lock nubs 76 is attached to the lock ring 56, with the lock nubs 76 extending inwardly from an inner circumference 78 of the lock ring 56. Each lock hole 60 extends through a respective lock nub 76. Each lock nub 76 is positioned in a respective groove 70 upon insertion of the weight bar 22 into the lock ring 56. The lock nubs 76 prevent rotation of the lock ring 56 around the weight bar 22 to simplify alignment of the lock holes 60 with a respective channel 46.
The plurality of channels 46 may be positioned in the weight bar 22 such that each channel 46 is perpendicular to the dorsum bar 18, as is shown in
The present invention also anticipates the lock ring 56 being one of a pair of lock rings 56, which would allow the one or more weights 42 to be positioned anywhere along the weight bar 22. Shifting of the one or more weights 42 proximate to the second end 36 of the weight bar 22 would effectively increase the resistance of the one or more weights 42 relative to the one or more weights 42 being positioned proximate to the set ring 48. Additionally, the pair of lock rings 56 would allow the one or more weights 42 to be releasably secured to the weight bar 22 without use of the sliding element 14, thereby enabling use of the exercise device 10 for arm exercises, such as, but not limited to, arm curls, wrist curls, or the like. One such exercise is depicted in
The present invention also includes an exercise system 80 targeting anterior tibialis muscles, which comprises the exercise device 10, as per the specification above and as shown in
In use, the exercise system 80 enables a method of exercising anterior tibialis muscles 82, which comprises providing the exercise system 80, as is described above. A first step 84 of the method 82 is positioning the exercise system 80 on a surface in front of a seat 44 so that the heel bar 24 and the one or more weights 42 of the exercise system 80 rest upon the surface with the first end 20 and the second end 36 of the weight bar 22 being positioned proximate to and distal from the seat, respectively. A second step 86 of the method 82 is assuming a seated position upon the seat 44. A third step 88 of the method 82 is positioning one's heels upon the heel bar 24 such that the dorsa of one's feet are positioned under the dorsum bar 18. A fourth step 90 of the method 82 is sliding back upon the seat 44 so that one's legs are straightened and are supported by the seat 44. A fifth step 92 of the method 82 is performing alternating dorsiflexion movements and plantarflexion movements of the feet, as is shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
