Patent Application
20160193490
Not applicable.
The present disclosure generally pertains to exercise and medical rehabilitation apparatus, and more particularly, to resistance tubes used for fitness, exercise, and medical rehabilitation. Some examples of resistance tubes according to the present disclosure may be used for fitness training to tone muscle and increase strength, while others may be used for physical rehabilitation following injury or medical procedures.
Resistance bands or tubing comes in multiple elasticities to provide a selection of varying weights and sizes. Oftentimes, a handle is permanently affixed on each end of the tubing, and each weight and size of resistance tube has its own set of handles. Additionally, straps or alternative attachment means may be used instead of handles to attach to appendages such as ankles and arms.
Some handles allow for interchanging of fitness resistance tubing. Some handles include a cutout for resistance tubing and resistance tubing stretched to fit the tubing in place within the handle. Other handles include sliding mechanisms to slide one side of the handle up and down to place the tubing within the housing. However, these systems may not securely and safely hold resistance tubing in place, and may be time consuming and difficult to exchange tubing.
It is therefore advantageous to have an apparatus, device, and system that enables secure and safe hold of resistance tubing while having a configuration for quick and easy exchange, insertion and removal of resistance tubing. The apparatus, device, and system of the disclosure can be used in multiple fields, including fitness, exercise, and therapy. Other fields include, but are not limited to the medical, construction, and industrial fields.
The exercise apparatus of this invention has a handle assembly which releasably engages a resistance tube. The handle assembly has a base with a central tube opening. A first flap or block and a second flap or block are pivotably mounted to the base on opposite sides of the central tube opening. When pivoted towards each other, the blocks compress a resistance tube which is passed through the central opening and secure it in place. The base has two opposed ears which extend upwardly of the central tube opening. A flexible strap is secured to the ears, and extends through a cylindrical tube to which a flexible handle cushion is mounted.
An alternative embodiment handle assembly has a base with three pairs of blocks pivotably mounted thereto. Each pair of blocks is positioned on opposite sides of a separate tube opening, and is adjustable to secure an end of a resistance tube in place.
An exercise regimen process is provided by selecting a resistance tube handle having a handle assembly, a base, and a first block and a second block pivotably mounted to the base. At least one resistance tube is selected, followed by positioning the first and second block in an open position. The resistance tube is then inserted through the base and the blocks are closed, followed by pulling the resistance tube into a seated position. A user may then increase and decrease the resistance on the resistance tube handle for a selected exercise regimen.
Additionally, a user may then increase and decrease the resistance on the resistance tube handle for a selected exercise regimen by interchanging the resistance tube with one of another resistance level, and/or by adding or subtracting resistance tubes where there is a multiple pocket handle base.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a handle for securely gripping a resistance tube end which is readily released to permit changing of one resistance tube for another.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. The disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.
Referring to
As best shown in
The base central opening 48 allows the resistance tube 8 to pass through the base 16. The blocks 22, 24 are movable by the user's fingers between an open position, in which the wider end of a tube 8 can be passed through the central opening 48, and a closed position, in which the blocks define an opening which is smaller than the central opening and in which the wider end of the tube is retained on the handle.
As shown in
The base 16 includes a connection means for the rods 26, 28 comprising shaft openings 21 in the sides of the base 16 and which engage and tightly maintain the position of the rods 26, 28. The shaft openings 21 are spaced above and parallel to the base bottom wall upper surface 29. The rods 26, 28 pass through openings 27 formed in the end walls 25 of the blocks 22, 24. With the rods press fit in the openings 21 of the base, and the blocks mounted on the rods, the blocks 22, 24 are free to hinge or rotate about the axes defined by the rods 26, 28. Each block 22, 24 has two locking tabs 32, 34, shown in
The strap 10 is connected to the base 16 at the strap connectors 18, 22 and passes through the handle tube 12. The strap 10 is constructed of durable materials suitable for strength, tension and resistance, which are known in the art. The handle tube 12 is constructed of suitable lightweight materials, such as high strength plastics or metals, for durability and strength suitable for high resistance and tension. The handle cushion 14 is constructed of a durable lightweight material with comfort and grip friction, suitable materials are known in the art, including various foams and rubber materials. Antibacterial resistance materials may also be utilized.
The handle apparatus 2 provides a system for exercising with linear components, such as resistance tubing, while providing efficient options for interchangeability. Such linear accessories may be interchangeable so that only one set of handles is required. The user can change between different sizes and weights of resistance tubing to perform multiple exercises.
The tube 8 has a semi-conical end 40 for placement between the closed blocks 22, 24. The blocks 22, 24 form an inner semi-conical shaped orifice 42 when in the closed position, with a first edge 44 and second edge 46, the second edge 46 forming a larger orifice than that formed by the first edge 44. The handle 2 securely holds the tube 8. During use, as axial force increases on the tube 8, the tube 8 is drawn tighter within the handle 2, to provide for a safe exercise apparatus.
The base 16 and blocks 22, 24 may be made of a variety of materials known in the art for lightweight, strong, and high impact performance, such as various extruded plastics and metal alloys. Each set of blocks 22, 24 may also be referred to as a “pocket” when the blocks 22, 24 are in the closed position. A multiple “pocket” base 16 having three pockets is shown in
As shown on the right of
The user then rotates or hinges the blocks 22, 24 about the rods 26, 28 to a closed position as shown on the left of
When the blocks 22, 24 are in the closed position, the handle assembly 4 can be alternatively viewed as having a semi-circular and semi-conical groove for seating a similarly shaped outer surface of a resistance tube. Alternatively, the closed block pair formation can be viewed as a u-shaped or v-shaped bracket for seating a similarly shaped outer surface of a resistance tube (not shown).
In an alternative embodiment, the tube end may be semi-pyramidically shaped with three or four edges (not shown) with the block orifice having the corresponding semi-pyramidical shape for receiving the semi-pyramidically shaped resistance tube. Alternatively, the resistance tube end may be a semi wedge-shaped having two or more edges, and the block orifice having a corresponding semi wedge shape for receiving the semi wedge-shaped resistance tube.
In an alternative embodiment (not shown), more than one block 22 and more than one block 24 are connected in series. By example, an apparatus 2 is configured to receive three exercise tubes in which three blocks 22 hinge together and three blocks 24 hinge together. Alternatively, two sets of blocks 22 can operate together and a third block 22 operates independent of the pair, and two sets of blocks 24 can operate together and a third block 22 operates independent of the pair. Alternatively, any combination of independent and in-series block operation is contemplated for apparatus 2 having two or more block pairings 22, 24.
The triple tube apparatus 2 of
The relationship between the resistance tube and the apparatus 2 is indicated in
The first block 22 and the second block 24 are pivotable between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the inside walls 23 of the first block 22 and the second block 24 face each other to define a through hole 42 extending between the first block and the second block and communicating with the base central opening 48. The through hole 42 defined between the first block inside wall and the second block inside wall has a second minimum dimension R2 measured in a plane parallel to the plane extending through the first axis and the second axis, i.e, in a plane directly above the upper surface 29 of the base. In the illustrated embodiment, the through opening approximates a converging frustoconical surface, which converges to its narrowest point directly above the upper surface of the base. This second minimum dimension is less than the first maximum dimension, such that a resistance tube having a main diameter R3 and a larger expanded end diameter R4 can extend through the base central opening 48 when the first block 22 and second block 24 are in the open position, and the resistance tube 8 expanded end diameter is retained against passing through the central opening when the first block and the second block are in the closed position. In other words, the main diameter R3 is less than R1, and the expanded end diameter R4 of the resistance tube is greater than R2.
Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming a subject matter regarded as the invention.
The application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent App. No. 62/100,469, filed Jan. 6, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62100469 | Jan 2015 | US |
