Patent Application
20140221163
The present disclosure relates to the field of exercise equipment, and more in particular to an exercise device configured to provide a workout for the arms of a user.
In order to promote good health and physical well-being, many individuals engage in physical exercise. It is common for individuals who are engaging in physical activities to employ the use of exercise devices to assist in performing exercises. One type of exercise device is a pull-up bar, which is an elevated bar structure configured to support the body weight of a user through the arms of the user, such that a user may lift his body weight by pulling on the elevated bar structure. Some pull-up bars are designed to be removably supported in a doorway, allowing for temporary placement for the duration of the exercise.
According to an embodiment, an exercise apparatus includes a doorway engaging portion configured to releasably secure the exercise apparatus in a doorway and distribute a weight of a user of the exercise apparatus through a frame of the doorway. The exercise apparatus also includes a finger hold mounted to the doorway engaging portion, the finger hold comprising a ridge or groove shaped and sized to receive the fingertips of the user. When the doorway engaging portion is releasably securing the exercise apparatus in the doorway, the user may insert the fingertips around the ridge or into the groove of the finger hold, and perform an exercise by supporting an entirety of the weight of the user through the frame of the doorway via the finger hold.
According to another embodiment, a method of exercising using an exercise device is provided. The exercise device includes a doorway engaging portion configured to releasably secure the exercise apparatus in a doorway and distribute a weight of a user of the exercise apparatus through a frame of the doorway. The exercise device also includes a finger hold mounted to the doorway engaging portion, the finger hold comprising a ridge or groove shaped and sized to receive the fingertips of the user. The method includes supporting the exercise apparatus in the doorway via the doorway engaging portion. The method also includes inserting the fingertips of the user around the ridge or into the groove of the finger hold. The method further includes supporting an entirety of the weight of the user through the finger hold to exercise an arm of the user.
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the present disclosure, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. In one embodiment, the structural components illustrated herein can be considered drawn to scale. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not a limitation. In addition, it should be appreciated that structural features shown or described in any one embodiment herein can be used in other embodiments as well. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Features of the disclosure are shown in the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements. The drawings form part of this original disclosure in which:
In the illustrated embodiment, the lintel engaging portion 110 and the transverse bar 120 are coupled by a pair of side bars 130. It may be appreciated that in some embodiments the pair of side bars 130 may be spaced to distribute the forces associated with supporting the weight of the pull-up bar assembly and the user across the length of the lintel engaging portion 110. In an embodiment, a single support bar may be of sufficient strength to couple the lintel engaging portion 110 and the transverse bar 120. In some such embodiments, the single support bar may be centered relative to the lintel engaging portion 110 and the transverse bar 120, or may otherwise be configured for balancing forces throughout, so as to prevent disengagement between the pull-up bar assembly 100 and the doorway due to an unbalanced load when the user is engaging in an exercise. Such balancing of loads may also be achieved utilizing the pair of side bars 130, as shown. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the side bars 130 may extend down from where the lintel engaging portion 110 would rest on the lintel of the door casing, and extend through the doorway, coupling to the transverse bar 120. It may be appreciated that the transverse bar 120 may press against the side portions of the door casing when the body weight of a user is exerted on the pull-up bar assembly 100, which may counteract any tendency of the lintel engaging portion 110 to pivot away from the lintel of the door casing. As such, the pull-up bar assembly 100 may generally be stable when positioned on the door casing, facilitating a user to conduct pull-up exercises thereon.
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, in some embodiments the transverse bar 120 may include cushion members 140 that may provide a relatively softer surface to contact the door casing or surrounding wall. For example, in embodiments where the transverse bar 120 is formed of metal, it may be appreciated that having such metal in contact with the door casing may scuff or otherwise damage the door casing. The risk of such damage may be increased due to frictional rubbing or pressure induced stress associated with the weight of the user, and forces associated with the user engaging in the pull-up exercises. As such, in some embodiments the cushion members 140 may be sized or positioned to provide a buffer between the hard surface of transverse bar and the door casing or surrounding wall. In some embodiments, the cushion members 140 may be formed of a resilient material, such as foam, which may deform to distribute the forces associated with the user engaging in the exercise. In the illustrated embodiment, where the transverse bar 120 is of a generally tubular construction, the cushion members 140 may comprise end caps for the transverse bar 120, and may have a wider diameter that surrounds the tubular construction of the transverse bar at opposing ends thereof.
Having a configuration sufficient to support the weight of a user on the door casing, the pull-up bar assembly 100 may further include thereon one or more user engagements through which the user may grasp or otherwise engage to perform pull-up arm exercises. In some embodiments, such as that illustrated in
As shown in
Further included on the pull-up bar assembly 100 is a finger hold assembly 200. As described in greater detail below, the finger hold assembly 200 may be configured to provide one or more rock climbing simulation surfaces, which may be engaged by the tips of a user's fingers to simulate climbing, and supporting oneself utilizing one's fingers instead of one's palms. In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the finger hold assembly 200 may include a support plate 210. The support plate 210 may be oriented with a generally planar surface thereof extending vertically (e.g., parallel with the doorway), so as to receive one or more finger holds 220, described in greater detail below, thereon. In some embodiments, such as that illustrated, the support plate 210 may be mounted to the raised transverse bar 180. While in the illustrated embodiment the support plate 210 extends downwards from the raised transverse bar 180, in some embodiments the support plate 210 may extend upwards from the raised transverse bar 180, or may extend both upwards and downwards from the raised transverse bar 180. In some embodiments, the support plate 210 may further be supported by a finger hold support bar 230. As shown, the finger hold support bar 230 may extend, outward to the support plate 210 from the side bars 130, and may provide further structural stability for the support plate 210, so as to prevent bending or other deformation of the support plate 210 when a user's weight is supported on the finger holds 220. In the illustrated embodiment, where the finger holds 220 are configured to extend forward of the doorway that the pull-up bar assembly 100 is supported on, it may be appreciated that the finger hold support bar 230 may likewise extend forward from the side bars 130, and may have a portion thereof that is generally aligned with the raised transverse bar 180, so as to allow for planar mounting of the support plate 210 therebetween.
It may be appreciated that other mounting configurations for the support plate 210 and/or the finger holds 220 are additionally or alternatively possible. For example, the finger holds 220 may be configured (either through their own construction, or from their mounting on the support plate 210) to be angled relative to vertical. For example, in an embodiment one or more of the finger holds 220 may be generally angled between vertical and horizontal, so as to simulate climbing up an outwardly sloped overhang (e.g., climbing undercling). It may also be appreciated that in some embodiments, finger holds 220 may additionally or alternatively be mounted elsewhere on the pull-up bar assembly 100 (e.g., directly to the side bars 130, the transverse bar 120, and/or the raised transverse bar 180).
The constituent members and pieces of the pull-up bar assembly 100 may be of any appropriate construction or configuration. For example, while in some embodiments the rigid support structures of the pull-up bar assembly 100 described above may be generally of integral construction, in the illustrated embodiment some of the components are themselves assemblies. In an embodiment, connecting apertures associated with separable components of the pull-up bar assembly 100 may be configured to receive connecting fasteners, such as screws, bolts, or other connecting members. Although in some embodiments the pieces and members are connected by removable fasteners such that the pieces and members are detachable for ease of packaging or other space-saving storage, in other embodiments the pull-up bar assembly 100 may be solid, or the pieces or members may be permanently fastened to one another, through welding, one-way fasteners, or so on. Other mechanisms for securing portions of the pull-up bar assembly 100 together are additionally or alternatively possible, including but not limited to welding, snap fitting, integral molding, and adhesion.
In the embodiment of
As shown, components of the pull-up bar assembly 100 may be of a tubular construction. With such a configuration, a portion of one member may be shaped to be received in a portion of another member. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the transverse bar 120 comprises a tubular construction, configured so that an end of the second portion 120b is received within an end of the first portion 120a, so that the fastener 240 may extend through both the first portion 120a and the second portion 120b therein to form the transverse bar 120. Other components of the pull-up bar assembly 100 are similarly coupled. Although the use of shaped tubes is desirable due to their structural strength and ease of manufacture, other configurations of the pieces and members may be used to form the pieces and members of the pull-up bar assembly 100. Furthermore, although in some embodiments various members of the pull-up bar assembly 100 may have a curved or circular cross section, while other members, such as the lintel-engaging portion 110, may have a rectangular cross section, other combinations of different shaped parts can be used. Accordingly, the illustrated generally tubular configuration of many of the component parts of the pull-up bar assembly 100 are also merely exemplary, and other shapes or configurations of the component parts and their assembly are additionally or alternatively possible. For example, to secure components that are not received within one another, apertures extending through each of the component parts may be aligned and joined with a longer fastener extending through both.
Regardless of the assembly of the components thereof, it may be appreciated that the rigid structures of the pull-up bar assembly 100 be of any appropriate material, including but not limited to being made of metal, wood, hard plastic, composite materials (such as epoxy coated carbon fiber material), or other material having sufficient durability to support the body weight of a user, and permit exercises while maintaining structural stability of pull-up bar assembly 100. Additionally, the softer materials of the pull-up bar assembly 100, including but not limited to the grips 150, the cushion members 140, the angled grips 195, end-caps, or other materials that may prevent scratching of the door casing or wall, or provide a cushioned gripping surface for the user, may be of any appropriate construction or configuration. For example, such members may comprise one or more of rubber, felt, cloth, plastic, or any other appropriate material.
In some embodiments, the grip materials may be formed from or contain an ergonomic material to enhance the ability of the user's hand to grasp the pull-up bar assembly 100. Examples of such an ergonomic material include a high friction material for enhanced grip and/or a spongy material to provide for a padded grip. In some embodiments, the grip materials (e.g., the grips 150 and the angled grips 195) may include finger grooves that may guide the user's fingers as the user wraps his fingers around the transverse bar 120 or the raised transverse bar 180.
It may be appreciated that when utilized as end caps (e.g., covering hollow openings at the ends of the rigid structures of the pull-up bar assembly 100), the softer materials such as those described above may provide impact cushioning, or may otherwise cover sharp or irregularly cut terminal portions of the rigid structures of the pull-up bar assembly 100. In some embodiments, one or more of the softer materials may be formed on or otherwise provided on the rigid structures prior to assembly of the rigid structures together. For example, the grips 150 may be provided to the user as mounted on the first portion 120a and the second portion 120b, while the user may subsequently couple the first portion 120a to the second portion 120b to form the transverse bar 120 during assembly.
In the embodiment illustrated in
It may be appreciated that in some embodiments, the support plate 210 may be shaped or otherwise configured to receive each finger hold 220. For example, as shown in
It may be appreciated that the finger holds 220 may be of any appropriate construction or configuration as well. For example, in some embodiments the finger holds 220 may be formed of or otherwise comprise fiberglass, urethane, resin, metal, wood, rock, plastic, or any other appropriate material. In some embodiments, the finger holds 220 may be shaped with grooves therein and/or ridges around the perimeter thereof, to provide finger graspable surfaces. In other embodiments, the finger holds 220 may comprise protruding surfaces or generally irregularly shaped ledges simulating rocky outcroppings from which the user may support their body weight and conduct pull-up exercises. It may further be appreciated that while in the illustrated embodiment a pair of finger holds 220 are mounted to the pull-up bar assembly 100, in other embodiments a single finger hold 220, or additional finger holds 220, may be utilized. As shown, where multiple finger holds 220 are utilized, each may have the same configuration or a differing configuration.
Although this disclosure describes in detail what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for the purpose of illustration, and that the scope of protection sought is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.
