Patent Application
20050227827
This invention generally relates to exercise equipment. More particularly, this invention pertains to a portable exercise apparatus for use in a doorway and/or in conjunction with a door that utilizes sliding friction in conjunction with a weight to provide resistance.
In the past 15 to 30 years, exercise and weight training has become very popular.
Traditional weight training typically uses free weights to maximize the amount of work done by a targeted group of muscles. Typically, the weights are attached the barbells, which a user moves in a desired manner to exercise the targeted muscles. Because the weights are not restrained but merely held by the user, there is a significant risk of injury to the user or someone else nearby if the user accidentally let's go of the weights. Furthermore, dropped weights can cause damage to floors and other surrounding surfaces. Another disadvantage of free weights is that a user can strain or otherwise injure his or her muscles if his or her technique of using the weights is improper.
For reasons of safety and convenience, weights have been incorporated into mechanical gyms wherein the user pulls or pushes on handles to raise or lower a set of weights connected to the handles by way of pulleys and cables. These gyms often require substantial support structures to contain the weights and direct the cables and pulleys. Accordingly, these gyms are usually bulky and heavy and are not particularly suited for use in residences, especially smaller residences, such as apartments, where space is at a premium. Additionally, these gyms are relatively expensive and tend to provide resistance in a single plane only versus the multi-plane resistance to movement permitted when a device having a rope pull is utilized.
In the recent past, a number of exercise gyms and apparatus that do not use weights have found their way into the marketplace. To provide the necessary resistance to work muscles these gyms and apparatus rely upon various types of load inducing mechanisms. Some typical mechanisms include springs, elastomeric bands, resilient rods, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, wind resistance and magnetic and electronic load resistance mechanisms. In general, the devices relying on alternative load inducing mechanisms also require a framework or support structure although the framework is often much more compact and lighter than the framework of a gym utilizing weights making it more suitable for use in a residence. Nevertheless, such devices still typically require a substantial amount of space.
The most compact of home exercise devices are those that utilize gravity in combination with a user's own weight to provide the necessary load to work the user's muscles. These devices, however, are limited in the amount of load or resistance that can be applied to particular muscle group.
A number of devices have been proposed that utilize frictional resistance to provide an exercise load, such as the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,343,466, 4,560,160, 5,352,172, 3,510,132. Generally, each of these devices includes one or more handles or grips that are attached to a rope which is wrapped around a friction inducing member. Unfortunately, none of these devices provide a means for automatically returning the handles or grips to their pre-actuated positions. In other words, once the user pulls or pushes a first handle or grip, he or she must typically pull a corresponding second handle or grip to return the first handle or grip into its pre-actuated position. Because of this, a user of one of these frictional resistance exercise devices can not simultaneously exercise both arms. For example, a user can only perform a curl exercise on one arm at a time. Further, a user cannot simulate a bench press exercise.
Another major disadvantage of several of these prior art frictional resistance devices is that they or associated bracketry must be permanently or fixedly attached to a wall or other surface, such as with bolts or screws. This is especially disadvantageous to apartment dwellers or others who cannot or do not want to permanently fix something to the walls or floor of their residence. None of these devices provide a convenient means for easily and removably securing the devices to a potion of a residential structure, such as a door or doorway.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a frictional resistance exercise device is described. The exercise device includes a weight, a rope, a T-shaped cylindrical member and a structural support. The rope has first and second ends wherein the first end includes a hand grip and the second end has the weight attached thereto. The T-shaped cylindrical member has an exterior surface around which the first rope is wrapped. The T-shaped cylindrical member is coupled to the structural support.
In another preferred embodiment, another exercise device is described. This exercise device comprises a weight, a rope, a cylindrical member and a structural support. The rope has first and second ends wherein the first end includes a first hand grip and the second end has the weight attached thereto. The rope is wrapped around an exterior surface of the cylindrical member. The structural support is coupled with the cylindrical member and includes one or more lips. The lips are adapted to brace against molding surrounding a doorway to hold the structural support in place generally at the top of a doorway.
In yet another preferred embodiment, yet another exercise device is described. This exercise device comprises first and second weights, first and second ropes, at least one door-mountable rope guide, first and second cylindrical members and a structural support. Each rope has first and second ends. The first end includes a first hand grip and the second end has one of the first and second weights attached thereto. The at least one door-mountable rope guide includes (i) a slot adapted to fit over a top edge of a door and (ii) one of a rope guide slot and pulley adapted to guide one of the first and second ropes over the top edge of the door. Each of the first and second cylindrical members has an exterior surface around which one of the first and second ropes is wrapped. The structural support comprises a planer section upon which the first and second cylindrical members are coupled wherein the cylindrical members are (i) generally axially aligned with each other, and (ii) spaced from each other a sufficient distance to permit a person to lie on the planer section therebetween.
Embodiments of a compact, portable, relatively low cost and relatively lightweight exercise device are described. Embodiments of the invention utilize one or more weights in combination with rope friction to provide resistance load far greater than would be provided by the weight alone. Further, embodiments of invention make use of a doorway and an associated door to provide the structural framework for the exercise device without being permanently attached to either the doorway or the associated door. By changing the configuration of the various components of the embodiments of the exercise device, a user can use the device to perform a multitude of different exercises. Additionally, a user of the device can easily adjust the load resistance be either changing the magnitude of the frictional rope resistance or by changing the mass of the weight utilized.
The various embodiments of the present invention offer significant advantages over prior art exercise devices. For example, embodiments of the present invention are safe compared to many other home gyms and exercise devices. The mass of the weights utilized are relatively small (typically under 10 lbs) compared to up to hundreds of pounds with free weights and weight-based home-gyms. Accordingly, the potential to get injured by the weights are much less than if they weighed more and no spotter is required to assist a person during exercise as would be required to safely utilize free weights. Further, because of the use of rope friction, embodiments of the present invention exhibits little reverse action. In other words, if a user releases the handle(s) (or grip(s)) of the device while exercising, the weight does not rapidly and forcefully return to its resting position in contrast to weight-based home gyms. Rather, the weight is slowly returned to its resting place due to braking provided by the rope resistance.
Additionally, unlike other exercise devices utilizing fictional resistance, embodiments of the present invention can be utilized to perform exercises using both arms simultaneously such as a bench press exercise, a two arm curl exercise, and chest press exercise. Further, because the weight(s) is utilized in addition to fictional resistance, the weight and the handles are returned to their pre-actuation position automatically albeit in a controlled manner without the user having to pull on the other end of an associated rope.
The advantages of the present invention and its various embodiments and the specific embodiments illustrated in described herein are not intended to be construed as limiting. Rather, numerous variations have been contemplated that read upon the appended claims and are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
Terminology
The term “or” as used in this specification and the appended claims is not meant to be exclusive rather the term is inclusive meaning “either or both”.
References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “a preferred embodiment”, “an alternative embodiment” and similar phrases means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
The term “coupled” refers to two or more elements that are connected together but not necessarily directly connected together. For example, a rope is coupled to a support member even if the rope is not in direct contact with the support member if there is an intervening element or set of elements that are connected to both the rope and the support member.
The term “weight” as used herein refers to any element utilized to provide mass to the exercise device. For example, the weight could include a metallic plate commonly used in exercise devices, a container containing a desired amount of solid particulate or liquid, or any other element of suitable mass.
The term “rope” as used herein refers to any flexible elongated material or combination of materials that has a length that is typically at least in order of magnitude greater than the material's width. Accordingly, “rope” includes, but is not limited to, cord, cable, wire and twine.
The term “T-shaped cylindrical member” as used herein refers to any cylindrical element that has a protrusion extending generally perpendicularly therefrom. The protrusion may be cylindrical in shape as well. Typically, the protrusion extends from proximate a center location along the length of the cylindrical member. In one preferred embodiment, the T-shaped cylindrical member comprises a copper tee and associated copper piping, such as is typically used in plumbing applications. The copper pipe permits the rapid dissipation of heat generated as the rope frictionally slides along the surface of the cylindrical portion and the protruding portion of the T-shaped cylindrical member.
One preferred embodiment of the exercise device comprises a system including several distinct components. A first resistance apparatus 105 (see
The First Resistance Apparatus
Referring to
Each mounting piece comprises a typically planar member 195, which in one preferred embodiment is comprised of wood. The planar member includes the first circular opening 175 that is sized to receive the first T-shaped cylindrical member 115 therethrough. A second circular opening 200 is also provided in each planar member through which the elongated bolt 180 is received to join the first and second mounting pieces together. The top edge of each mounting piece includes a lipped portion 205 that extends perpendicularly from the planar member creating a downwardly facing surface adapted to rest upon a top edge of the molding 110 that surrounds a typical interior doorway. In one preferred embodiment, the lipped portion also comprises a piece of wood, although in alternative embodiments the lipped portion can comprise any suitable material including plastic and metal. Furthermore, the lip portion and the planar member may be integrated as a unitary piece.
A second lipped portion 210 is also provided in each mounting piece 165 & 170 that is generally vertically oriented and is located along the vertical edge of the planar member 195. Similarly to the first lip portion 205, the second lip portion extends perpendicularly from the planar member. The second lipped portion creates a generally vertically oriented surface adapted to be butted up against the outside edge of the vertically extending side molding 115 of a typical doorway. In one preferred embodiment, the second lip portion is also constructed from wood; however, it can be comprised of any suitable material and like the first lipped portion, the second lip portion can be integrally fabricated with the corresponding planar member.
As best illustrated in
Referring to
In one preferred embodiment, a gauge mechanism 230 is provided whereby the user can determine the amount of resistance load that is being overcome during exercise. The gauge mechanism typically comprises a short cylindrical piece 235 having a center bore that is slid over and fixedly secured to the first T-shaped cylindrical member 115 such that it rotates unitarily with the T-shaped cylindrical member. The outside surface of the short cylindrical piece has a width sufficient to receive a gauge ribbon 240 wrapped thereupon. One end of the ribbon is fixedly secured to outside surface while the other end of the ribbon has a weighted position indicator 245 attached thereto. The position indicator, which typically comprises a nail or other elongated metallic bar in one preferred embodiment, extends generally horizontally. As shown in
Referring to
As will be discussed below, rotating the T-shaped cylindrical member 115 is desirable in order to quickly increase and adjust the amount of frictional load to be applied during exercise. To facilitate easy rotation of the T-shaped cylindrical member in the counterclockwise direction, an adjustment tool 275 is provided as shown in
Referring to
Referring to the
Once the first resistance apparatus is attached to the doorway, the user configures the device to perform a desired exercise. As indicated in block 425, he/she fills the weight bottle 150 with water, sand or another substance until a desired weight is achieved if it is not already filled, and he/she attaches the weight bottle and grip 160 to either end of the rope 120 if they are not already so attached. The user then loops the rope proximate its longitudinal center around the protrusion 215 of the T-shaped cylindrical member 115 as indicated in block 430. To increase the resistance load encountered at the grip 160 as indicated in block 435, the user then takes the adjustment tool 275, places it into the corresponding holes 280 proximate the end of the T-shaped cylindrical member and rotates the T-shaped cylindrical member in a counterclockwise direction to wrap the rope around the T-shaped cylindrical member increasing the total angle of contact between the rope and the T-shaped cylindrical member.
If the user desires to know the amount of resistance required to operate the apparatus, he/she can hook a scale, such as a common fish weight scale, to the end of the grip and pull the scale to determine the effective load as indicated in block 440. If the user has a plastic or paper graduated scale 250 as described above, he/she can place the graduated scale 250 on the inside of the doorway by aligning the metal indicator 245 described above with the indicia corresponding to the weight indicated when the weight scale was pulled. Accordingly, the user can then utilize the gauge mechanism 230 when making adjustments to the relative resistance load.
After the device is completely setup and optionally calibrated, the user can perform any suitable exercise by pulling or and/or pushing the grip 160 as indicated in block 445. Subsequent to the pulling or pushing of the grip, the user relaxes his/her application of force against the grip and lifts up lightly on the grip to permit the grip and associated portion of the rope 120 to retract towards the first resistance apparatus as the weight bottle 150 is pulled downwardly by the force of gravity. Unlike substantially weight based exercise equipment, the grip retracts in a controlled manner as the frictional resistance of the rope sliding against the T-shaped cylindrical member 115 slows the rate of recoil. Advantageously, unlike many prior art exercise apparatus utilizing frictional resistance, the first resistance apparatus does not require the user to manually reset the grip and the rope by pulling on the other end of the rope opposite the grip. Further advantageously, there is no spring back of the weight that could cause injury or damage to items, persons and household animals located near the weight.
The Second Resistance Apparatus
Referring to
The planar base member 285 can be comprised of any suitable material including wood, plastic and metal. The base member is adapted to rest on a ground surface such as a floor and may include feet (not shown) mounted to the bottom side thereof. Generally, the base member is substantially rigid such that it flexes only minimally when utilized in the performance of exercise. The base member is typically configured as a rectangle with a pair of flanges 290 extending perpendicularly from its top surface proximate each widthwise end of the base member. The length of the base member is typically long enough such that a user can either stand between the pairs of flanges and their associated T-shaped cylindrical members 130 & 135 (see
The pairs of flanges 290 can also be comprised of any suitable material including wood, plastic and metal. The flanges extend generally perpendicularly from the top surface of the base member 285 and are fixed to the base member. Each pair of flanges includes an outside flange 305 located proximate the edge of the base member and an inside flange 310 spaced longitudinally relative to the base member from the outside flange. Each flange includes an opening 315 through which a portion of the cylindrical T-shaped member 130 & 135 is received and can rotate or pivot therein. As can be seen in
The T-shaped cylindrical members 130 & 135 are substantially similar to the T-shaped cylindrical member 115 discussed above concerning the first resistance apparatus 105, and need not be described in any additional detail. As illustrated, caps 225 can be provided to close the ends of the cylindrical members as shown in
Referring to
Because the second resistance apparatus includes two T-shaped cylindrical members 130 & 135, it can be utilized to perform exercises on both arms simultaneously as illustrated in
Further, to facilitate the use of the apparatus 125 in conjunction with a door, two guides 155 are provided that route the associated ropes 140 & 145 over the top of the door. The guides can be made of any suitable material such as wood, plastic or metal and typically include a groove in which the rope slides. The groove can be lined with a low friction material such as Teflon. In variations, the guides can include roller bearings located in the grooves to lower friction, or in other designs that may bear little resemblance to the specific guides illustrated in
Referring to the
After the setup is complete, the user situates himself on the base member 285. For instance, if the user desires to perform curls, he/she would stand upon the base member facing away from the door as shown in
In another set up of the exercise device that is not illustrated herein, both the first and second resistance apparatus 105 & 125 can be used together. First, the second resistance apparatus 125 is placed generally in a doorway such that its longitudinal direction corresponds with the width of the doorway. A single door guide 155 is placed over and associated open door. The first resistance apparatus 105 is attached to the doorway at the upper corner opposite the door. A first rope assembly comprising a weight bottle 150, a rope 145 and a hand grip 160 is threaded into the doorway guide and around one of the T-shaped cylindrical members 135 of the second resistance apparatus. A second rope assembly is then threaded around the T-shaped cylindrical member of the first resistance apparatus only for purposes of directional change. In other words, the rope 120 of this rope assembly is not wound around the T-shaped member 115 but rather is simply looped over it, such that the first resistance apparatus serves as a directional change device similar to that over the door guide. The rope of the second rope assembly is then wrapped around the second T-shaped cylindrical member 130 of the second resistance apparatus. Using this configuration, the user can both curl and bench press in a manner similar to that of the second resistance apparatus as previously described. This configuration, however, may be desirable in certain circumstances such as when the space behind an open door is illustrated in
An Alternative Braking Mechanism
An alternative braking mechanism that can be used to do either the first or second resistance apparatus is illustrated in
The alternative braking mechanism comprises a rope 330 that has been folded in half over onto itself. The rope is wrapped around one end of the T-shaped cylindrical member 130 for several rotations and is coupled to one or more elastic bands 270 at its folded end. The elastic bands are looped over a dowel 335 that extends perpendicularly from the side flange 305 of the illustrated portion of the second resistance apparatus. The free ends 340 of the rope are wrapped, generally in a figure eight form, around two parallel dowels 345 that extend upwardly from a terminus block 350 that is fixedly secured to the side flange. Additionally, each free end of the rope is secured to the terminus block by way of cleat screws 355.
When the rope 330 is tightly secured and wrapped around the T-shaped cylindrical member 130 as illustrated, a user can rotate the T-shaped cylindrical member in a counterclockwise direction but cannot rotate the cylindrical member in a clockwise direction. Accordingly, when exercising and applying a clockwise bias to the cylindrical member when pulling the hand grip, the cylindrical member will not to rotate. However, a user can increase the resistance level of the exercise by rotating the cylindrical member counterclockwise and wrapping more of the rope 155 associated with a grip 160 and the weight 150 around the T-shaped cylindrical member perhaps using the adjustment tool 275 received in the corresponding holes 280 of the cylindrical T-shaped member.
The embodiments of the exercise device as illustrated in the accompanying figures and described above are merely exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is to be appreciated that numerous variations to the invention have been contemplated as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. All variations of the invention that read upon the appended claims are intended and contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.
For instance, the braking mechanisms as described herein are configured to prevent the T-shaped cylindrical member from rotating clockwise and permitting rotation in the counterclockwise direction, but braking mechanisms in variations and alternative embodiments can be configured to prevent counterclockwise rotation and permit clockwise rotation. In other embodiments, the specific configuration of the device may differ substantially from the exemplary devices illustrated but still fall within the scope of the claims.
