Patent Application
20250135274
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present disclosure relates generally to exercise devices, and more specifically, to an exercise device including a ball mounted to a user engagement surface to facilitate 360° freedom of movement of the exercise device.
It is well-known that routine exercise is good for both the body and mind. Along these lines, each community typically includes a gym or fitness center where individuals can access a wide variety of exercise equipment. Although such gyms and fitness centers may facilitate routine exercise for certain individuals, there are various drawbacks associated with gyms and fitness centers. One drawback is that the gyms/fitness centers generally require membership for access into their facilities. The membership agreements may require a long-term commitment from the individual, which may add up to a significant expense for the individual. Another drawback is that it may be difficult for some individuals to make time in their day-to-day schedules to go to the gyms/fitness centers.
Therefore, various home-fitness machines have been developed to allow individuals to exercise within the comfort of their own home. Certain home-fitness machines are “universal” in nature, and allow an individual to exercise multiple muscle groups. However, such “universal” machines tend to be very large and very expensive. Other home-fitness machines are smaller and tend to focus on one particular muscle or muscle group.
Many of the smaller fitness devices tend to be of the “roller” variety, wherein a user rolls the device forward and backward along a planar surface to conduct the exercise. The device may include a wheel and handles for the user to grasp. The user may kneel on his knees and extend his torso away from his knees, and then back toward his knees, with the roller rolling forward and backward to facilitate such motion. The foregoing exercise may workout the user's core, especially the abdominal muscles and back muscles.
Although the smaller fitness devices may provide a suitable alternative to full-fledged gym memberships discussed above, there are certain features that are common to conventional roller-type exercise devices which detract from their overall utility. One drawback is that the devices are generally limited to a rolling motion along a single axis. In other words, the devices roll forward and backward along a common axis, and are not capable of rolling from side-to-side. Such side-to-side motion would be desirable to allow for a more circular exercise motion to work out more muscle groups. Another drawback is that conventional roller-type exercise devices may include elaborate structural features to facilitate rolling of the device, which may be difficult to manufacture, and may produce undesirable loud noise during use.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a personal exercise device that offers a broader range of motion compared to traditional roller-type exercise devices, while also providing smooth, quiet rolling. The present disclosure addresses this particular need, as explained in the following sections and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
According to one embodiment, there is provided an exercise device comprising a base having a central opening formed therein. A plurality of bearing assemblies are operatively coupled to the base. Each bearing assembly includes a pair of bearing supports and a bearing axle extending between the pair of bearing supports and being coupled to the pair of bearing supports so as to facilitate rotation of the bearing axle relative to the base. A roller operatively interfaces each bearing axle of the plurality of bearing assemblies and at least partially protruding through the central opening, the roller being configured to rotate relative to the base within the central opening.
The exercise device may include a bearing retainer coupled to the base and configured to be engageable to the plurality of bearing assemblies.
The plurality of bearing assemblies may include three bearing assemblies or four bearing assemblies.
Each bearing axle may be cylindrical with a generally uniform outer diameter.
The bearing axle may include a pair of end portions and a central portion, with the central portion having a reduced diameter relative to the pair of end portions.
The bearing axle may include a pair of end portions and a central portion, with the central portion having an increased diameter relative to the pair of end portions.
The bearing axle may include a pair of end portions and a central portion, with the central portion including a pair of increased diameter bodies protruding radially outward from an intermediate reduced diameter section.
A portion of the roller may be configured to be concealed within base while a remaining portion extends from base.
The exercise device may include a brake operatively engageable with the roller and configured to selectively impart a force on the roller to inhibit movement of the roller relative to the base.
According to another embodiment, there is provided an exercise device comprising a base having a central opening formed therein. A plurality of bearing axles are configured to be rotatable relative to the base, with each bearing axle having an elongate configuration and extending along a respective axle axis. A roller operatively interfaces each bearing axle and is configured to at least partially protrude through the central opening, the roller being configured to rotate relative to the base within the central opening.
The exercise device may include a bearing retainer coupled to the base and configured to facilitate interconnection of the plurality of bearing axles to the base.
The present disclosure is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
These, as well as other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of an exercise device and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the various structure and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments, but it is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent structure and/or functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.
Referring now to the drawings where the showings are for purposes of illustrating certain aspects of the present disclosure, and are not for purposes of limiting the same, there is depicted an exercise device 10 configured to roll over a surface to work out various muscle groups, such as the abdominal muscles and back muscles. The exercise device 10 includes a unique roller bearing assembly which allows for smooth quiet 360-degree motion of the exercise device 10 over an underlying surface.
In one embodiment, the user engagement portion 16 may include a plurality of handle openings 24 positioned adjacent the sidewall 20 to form a plurality of handles 26. In the exemplary embodiment, the device 10 includes a pair of handles 26 positioned on opposite sides of mid line 28, but on the same side of midline 30. Although two handles 26 are shown in the embodiment depicted in the figures, it is contemplated that other embodiments may include more than two handles 26, such as four handles 26, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The roller retaining portion 18 may include a tapered wall 32 that extends from the lower surface of the main wall 22. In one embodiment, the tapered wall 32 may be integrally formed with the main wall 22. A diameter of the tapered wall 32 maybe greatest adjacent the lower surface of the main wall 22. The tapered wall 32 may be configured to extend away from the lower surface of the main wall 22 such that the diameter of the tapered wall 32 decreases as the tapered wall 32 extends away from the lower surface of the main wall 22. The tapered wall 32 may terminate at a distal most edge 34, which may define a minimum diameter of the tapered wall 32. The minimum diameter of the tapered wall 32 may be less than an outer diameter of the roller 14. In this respect, the configuration of the tapered wall 32 may allow a portion of the roller 14 to protrude beyond the distal most edge 34, while also being retained within the tapered wall 32, e.g., the entirety of the roller 14 May not pass beyond the distal most edge 34.
A cover plate 27 may be coupled to the base 12 to extend over portions of the user engagement portion 16 and the roller retaining portion 18. In particular, the cover plate 27 may be sized to be coupled to the base 12 to cover the roller 14, the related bearing assembly, and any foam inserts placed within the base 12 and around the roller 14 to minimize sound. The cover plate 27 may be configured to extend around the handle openings 24 and to fit within the periphery of the sidewall 20. A cover pad 29 may be coupled to the cover plate 27 to provide a more comfortable surface on which the user may stand or lean against during use.
Referring now specifically to
The bearing retainer 36 may also be configured to engage with several bearing assemblies 38, with each bearing assembly 38 generally including a pair of bearing supports 52 and a bearing axle 54 extending between the pair of bearing supports 52. In one embodiment, the bearing retainer 36 includes several bearing support mounts 56 extending from the mounting wall 44. Each bearing support mount 56 may include a lateral wall 58, an opposing medial wall 60, and a recessed surface 62 extending between the lateral wall 58 and the medial wall 60. The lateral wall 58, medial wall 60 and recessed surface 62 may collectively define a bearing support cavity 64 sized and configured to at least partially receive a bearing support 52. In the exemplary embodiment, the recessed surface 62 is arcuate and defines a radius of curvature that is complementary in shape to that of the bearing supports 52. The medial wall 60 may include a cutout or void to allow for traversal of an end portion of the bearing axle 54 through or across the medial wall 60.
The bearing supports mounts 56 may be arranged on the mounting wall 44 in corresponding pairs, with each pair being configured to engage with a single bearing assembly 38. Thus, the spacing between the bearing support cavities 64 may correspond to the spacing between the bearing supports 52 of the bearing assembly 38. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the bearing support mounts 56 along the mounting wall 44 may correspond to the number and arrangement of the bearing assemblies 38. For instance, if three bearing assemblies 38 are included in the device 10, then the bearing retainer 36 may include three pairs of bearing support mounts 56; if four bearing assemblies 38 are included in the device 10, then the bearing retainer 36 may include four pairs of bearing supports mounts 56. It is contemplated that the bearing support mounts 56 may be evenly spaced about the mounting wall 44, such that three pairs of bearing support mounts 56 may be spaced approximately 120 degrees apart from each other, while four pairs of bearing support mounts 56 may be spaced approximately 90 degrees apart from each other.
The bearing assemblies 38 facilitate smooth movement of the roller 14 relative to the base 12. In this regard, as the roller 14 rolls over the underlying support surface, one or more bearing axles 54 may also rotate due to the operative engagement between the roller 14 and the bearing axles 54. Depending on the direction of the rotational movement of the roller 14 relative to the bearing axles 54, the roller 14 and one or more bearing axles 54 may rotate in concert with each other, while the roller 14 may slide over one or more of the remaining bearing axles 54. The rolling or sliding of the bearing axles 54 in response to certain rolling motion of the roller 14 may be different in embodiments having three bearing assemblies 38 versus embodiments having four bearing assemblies 38.
To facilitate smooth, quite rotation of the roller 14 relative to the base, the bearing axle 54 is configured to rotate relative to the bearing supports 52 to which the bearing axle 54 is attached. In one embodiment, the bearing supports 52 may be conventional skateboard bearings, although other bearings may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The bearing axle 54 is rotatably coupled to a pair of bearing supports 52 and extends longitudinally therebetween. The configuration of the bearing axle 54 may vary from one embodiment to the next, with
The bearing axle 54 depicted in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The outer surface of the bearing axle, in any configuration, may have a case hardened and mirror finish to create a smooth surface, which allows for smooth, quiet movement of the roller 14 relative to the base 12. However, other finishes known in the art may also be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
It is contemplated that the device 10 may also include a brake to facilitate selective restricted movement of the roller 14. The brake may include a brake lever 72 and a brake body 74 operatively coupled to the brake lever 72. The brake body 74 may include a braking surface 75 and an externally threaded sidewall 76 that interfaces with the internally threaded surface 40 on the bearing retainer 36. The braking surface 75 is configured to be selectively placeable in contact, or in spaced relation to the roller 14, depending on the desire to either apply or braking force or not apply a braking force. When the braking surface 75 is in contact with the roller 14, the braking surface 75 applies a friction force to the roller 14 to inhibit movement of the roller 14, and when the braking surface 75 is spaced from the roller 14, no friction force may be applied on the roller 14 by the braking surface 75. The brake lever 72 is operatively coupled to the brake body 74 to facilitate selective positioning of the brake body 74 relative to the roller 14. In one embodiment, the brake lever 72 is pivotable relative to the base 12 and the bearing retainer 36, such that pivoting of the brake lever 72 in a first pivot direction causes the brake body 74 to rotate relative to the bearing retainer 36 in a first rotational direction. Conversely, pivoting of the brake lever 72 in a second pivot direction causes the brake body 74 to rotate relative to the bearing retainer 36 in a second rotational direction. The threaded interconnection between the brake body 74 and the bearing retainer 36 may allow the brake body 74 to translate axially relative to the bearing retainer 36 in response to rotational movement of the brake body 74 relative to the bearing retainer 36. Thus, rotational movement of the brake body 74 in the first rotational direction may result in first axial movement of the brake body 74 relative to the bearing retainer 36, and rotational movement of the brake body 74 in the second rotational direction may result in opposing second axial movement of the brake body 74 relative to the bearing retainer 36. Thus, by pivoting the brake lever 72, the user may selectively apply/remove the friction force between the brake body 74 and the roller 14. In some embodiments, the brake lever 72 may be pivoted to not only apply the braking force, but also to adjust the magnitude of the braking force.
The particulars shown herein are by way of example only for purposes of illustrative discussion, and are not presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, no attempt is made to show any more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the different features of the various embodiments, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how these may be implemented in practice.
