Regular physical activity can improve muscle strength and boost endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to bodily tissues and helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. Exercising regularly decreases a person's risk of developing certain diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise can help a person age well. Traditional exercise machines provide exercises in a unidirectional manner whereby traditional machines do not provide workouts for multiple body muscles, sometimes requiring multiple pieces. Another hassle with most traditional workouts is the positioning of weights such as dumbbells which may strain the muscles and knees when lifting the weights of the ground each time. Thus, there is a need for an improved exercise device offering the freedom to work out the body in a variety of positions without the continuous need for lifting free weights.
The embodiments of the present invention are directed to an exercise system that is a component-based system for attaching exercise modalities such as elastic tubular resistance bands, elastic flat resistance loops, non-elastic suspension-type exercise systems as well as other exercise, rehabilitation and stretching components that either require or benefit from a stationary anchor unit.
The exercise system includes multiple components: two vertical anchor support tubes with loop hooks unique to this system spaced along the vertical to facilitate exercises requiring varied heights as well as providing a method for anchoring static exercise straps, stretching elastic bands or elastic resistance loops. The system incorporates a product-specific designed loop hook anchors that are spaced from just above ground level to overhead. In addition to the vertical anchor tubes, the system has horizontal anchor support tubes that protrude perpendicularly from the vertical plane away from the wall/mounting surface that have additional loop hook anchor points which also serve as mounting points for the resistance bar component of the system to be used as a pull-up bar.
The resistance bar component can be utilized for pull up exercises and hanging stretches when mounted on the horizontal tube loop hooks. The horizontal anchor points also provide additional exercise variations in contrast to those performed on the vertical. The resistance bar has integral anchor points to attach to resistance bands and resistance loops to provide bar-type exercise options (i.e. curls, squats, push and pull movements). The vertical anchor support tubes are anchored to a sturdy structural member such as wall studs or concrete or masonry walls by means of lag bolts or masonry anchors or can be mounted to a mounting board which is itself attached to a structural component.
The horizontal anchor tube is joined to the vertical anchor tube with a slip fit member that slides into the top of the vertical tube and accepts a through both that affixes one to the other as well as has an integral top support gusset flange that also is bolted to the wall/substrate in the same manner as the vertical anchor tube it is mated with. The unique loop anchor points of this system facilitate many varied methods of attaching bands, loops and straps in ways that provide a tremendous range of options for the user and allow for a greater variety of uses than current resistance anchor systems. Loop hook anchors allow users to simply hook over the open end of the loop hook as one would a traditional “hook”. During use, resistance bands, resistance loops or straps may be affixed by any number of methods to perform any number of exercises while allowing the user to adjust length, the direction of movement, angle of exercise resistance or to increase resistance force.
In the Summary above, in this Detailed Description, the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used—to the extent possible—in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.
Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
Vertical members 112 and the horizontal members 114 may be made of metal, carbon fiber, wood, or any other suitable material designed for longevity and prolonged use during exercise. In one non-limiting embodiment vertical members 112 and horizontal members 114 may have a rectangular prism shape however this non-limiting and may be a triangular, octagonal, or hexagonal prism or a cylinder. Vertical members 112 and horizontal members 114 may be any thickness but in one embodiment may be 1.5 inches thick 14 gauge. Vertical members 112 and may be any height but in one embodiment may be 8 to 10 feet. This may vary depending on the material and circumstances needed for the members as well as the plants that will be hung.
In one or more non-limiting embodiments the members may be telescopic with an inner component and outer component whereby the outer component may move relative to the inner component. The upward motion of the outer component relative to the inner component shortens the member whilst a downward motion of the outer component relative to the inner component lengthens the member. The member may have an adjusting mechanism or latch mechanism to adjust the height of the members and then secure the height such that the user may adjust the height of the system to accommodate for varying distances between beneath the ground and the members. Members may have a twist locking system. Members may have a push button mechanism that releases a latch mechanism onto a disengaged position whereby the outer component of the extension body may freely move relative to the inner component in a linear telescopic motion.
In some embodiments the ends of the inner component and outer component may be designed to prevent complete displacement of the inner component from the outer component or have a method or system such as a gasket, crimping, or any other known methods or systems to those of ordinary skill in the art to prevent complete displacement of the inner component from the outer component.
Vertical members 112 may be directly or indirectly connected to the horizontal members 114. Vertical members 112 may be removably connected to the horizontal members 114 by one or more slip-fit inserts. Horizontal members 114 may each have a welded slip-fit insert 116 at an end of horizontal members 114 positioned at a specific angle such as 90 degrees whereby slip-insert 116 is positioned inside a top opening of vertical members 112. Once slip-inserts 116 has been inserted into vertical members 112 they may be fastened to vertical members 112 by one or more position locking pins that may be placed through coaxially aligned apertures in vertical members 112 and slip-inserts 116 and be secured in place thus fastening horizontal members 114 to vertical members 112. In other embodiments vertical frame components, be affixed to the horizontal frame component by any number of fasteners, adhesive, latches, hinges, welding techniques, or any other method known to those skilled in the art. On opposite ends of the connection between vertical members 112 and horizontal members 114 may be one or more end caps made of rubber, plastic, metal, or another material to protect the user from harmful contact against the edges of frame 110. The end caps may be friction fit or welded. In further embodiments vertical members 112 may be designed to be disconnected to save space and stored away or connected to the ceiling.
Horizontal members 114 may have one or support gussets 113 for strength and securing horizontal members 114 to a structural support. Support gussets 113 may be positioned at the first end of horizontal members 114 on an upper surface. Support gussets 113 may have a rectangular portion extending upward from horizontal members 114 and a triangular portion connected to the rectangular portion along one length and the top of horizontal members 114 along a second length. Support gussets 113 may have one or more retainer holes. Further, a position-locking pin may be placed through retainer holes of support gussets 113 to secure support gussets 113 to a wall or another support surface.
Vertical members 112 may have one or more retainer holes whereby one or more lag bolts or masonry anchors may anchor vertical members 112 to a sturdy structural member such as wall studs, concrete, or masonry walls. In one or more non-limiting embodiments a mounting board or other components may instead be attached to a structural component. A plurality of vertical loop hooks 120 unique to this system may be welded to vertical members 112 and spaced along vertical members 112 from just above ground level to overhead to facilitate exercises requiring varied heights. In other non-limiting embodiments loop hooks may be connected to vertical members 112 by any number of fasteners, adhesive, latches, hinges, welding techniques, or any other method known to those skilled in the art.
Vertical loop hooks 120 may include a metal or other durable material. The main hooks may have a L-shape with a first and second component on opposite sides of vertical members 112 whereby each component has a shank, a curved section or bend, and a point section. Vertical loop hooks 120 may be 0.375 inches thick with a shank that is 2.75 inches in length, a gape that is 1.25 inches or greater in length, a throat that is 1.5 inches in length, and a distance of 1.5 inches between points on the bend where the distance is parallel to the gape.
A plurality of horizontal loop hooks 130 unique to this system may be welded to horizontal members 114 and spaced along horizontal members 114 which also serve as mounting points for the resistance bar component of the system to be used as a pull-up bar. In other non-limiting embodiments loop hooks may be connected to horizontal members 114 by any number of fasteners, adhesive, latches, hinges, welding techniques, or any other method known to those skilled in the art.
Horizontal loop hooks 130 may be 0.375 inches thick with a shank that is 2.75 inches in length, a gape that is 1.25 inches or greater in length, a throat that is 1.5 inches in length, and a distance of 1.5 inches between points on the bend where the distance is parallel to the gape. The loop hooks may be metal and formed from one or more wires, cables, or sheets, that have been bent into a hook shape or by any other suitable means. Loop hooks are of sufficient wire diameter to provide adequate strength to support applied loads from users and components restrained by attachment points, loop hooks, and overall assembly.
An exercise bar 140 may be positioned in horizontal loop hooks 130 or connected to other components. Exercise bar 140 may have one or more anchor members 142 positioned at opposite ends of exercise bar 140 such that members 142 are positioned on the outsides of horizontal loop hooks 130. In one non-limiting embodiment, exercise bar 140 may be 48 inches wide, 1.25 inches in diameter, and 14 gauge steel. At ends of exercise bar 140 may be end caps made of plastic, rubber, or metal. The end caps may be friction fit or welded.
During use a user can thread a resistance band, resistance loop or strap through the space within loop hooks 120 and 130 and then double back on the resistance band, resistance loop or straps thereby locking it to the anchor point. Additionally, resistance bands, resistance loops or straps can be connected with a mechanical connection such as a tie strap or spring-type clip like a climbers carabiner. Resistance bands, resistance loops or straps can be threaded “inside” multiple loop hooks and then affixed by any of the described methods to adjust length, the direction of movement, angle of exercise resistance or to increase resistance force.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of any means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The present invention, according to one or more embodiments described in the present description, may be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive of the present invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent Ser. No. 17/564,646 filed on Dec. 29, 2021 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent 63/132,302 filed on Dec. 30, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63132302 | Dec 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17564646 | Dec 2021 | US |
Child | 17741230 | US |