Patent Application
20140038795
Current push-up bars create a strain on the wrist joints. When bars are placed close together or far apart, the wrists have to bend at an awkward angle when raising and lowering the body. While some known push up bars comprise handles that rotate in a plane, those handles continue to place the hands, wrists, and/or forearms in stressful positions. The rotation on a flat plane does not compensate for the natural angular movement of the body's joints and limbs for most positions of a pushup. The wrist joints are still strained because of the bar/grip design.
Push up bars of an exemplary embodiment greatly reduce such wrist strain.
When a user is performing a push up, an exemplary embodiment greatly reduces bending and compression of the wrist joints that results in wrist fatigue and pain. The user can optimize the user's workout by working until the targeted muscle groups are exhausted, instead of stopping when forced to do so by wrist fatigue or discomfort.
Because an exemplary embodiment forces the body to balance and stabilize itself, it incorporates more muscle groups than other push-up devices. As with a gymnast on rings, an exemplary embodiment challenges the body to constantly stabilize, balance and correct itself, resulting in a more intensive workout.
One or more aspects comprise an apparatus comprising: (a) a base component comprising a flat lower surface and a concave upper surface having a first curvature; and (b) a handle component comprising a convex lower surface having a second curvature; wherein the first curvature and the second curvature conform sufficiently to allow the handle component to rotate within the base component, and wherein at least one of the concave upper surface and the convex lower surface comprises means to allow the handle component to rotate within the base component.
In various exemplary embodiments: (1) the handle component has a concave upper surface; (2) the handle component comprises a handle that extends between opposite sides of the concave upper surface; (3) at least one of the concave upper surface and the convex lower surface comprises a plurality of conveyor ball transfer assemblies; (4) at least one of the concave upper surface and the convex lower surface comprises a non-stick coating; (5) at least one of the concave upper surface and the convex lower surface comprises one or more hook-and-loop fasteners; (6) each of the conveyor ball transfer assemblies comprises a single ball having a first diameter, which rides on a plurality of balls having a second diameter; (7) the single ball is a nylon ball; (8) the plurality of balls are steel balls; (9) the flat lower surface of the base component comprises a non-skid layer; and (10) the handle is enclosed within a foam grip.
Other aspects and embodiments, including methods of use and manufacture, will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the description and drawings provided herein.
Those skilled in the art will understand that the term “hemispherical” is used loosely in this context, and that the shape of the shell only needs to be sufficiently rounded. For example, instead of a portion of a sphere, the shell component's shape may be a portion of an ellipsoid, spheroid, catenoid, paraboloid, or other rounded shape.
Various methods of use and benefits over push up bars that rotate only in a plane are depicted in
The base 120 of an exemplary embodiment may be reversible, in the sense that either side of the base 120 may be used to support handle component 130. One side of the base may have less friction, allowing the handle to move more freely, and the other side may have more friction, to reduce movement of the handle.
As shown in
Other exemplary embodiments may use other means of increasing or reducing friction between the base and the shell component. For example, means to allow the shell portion of the handle component to rotate within the base component may comprise ball bearings, non-stick coatings, or other friction-reducing means known to those skilled in the art. Also, hook-and-loop fasteners, or other means of immobilization, may be used by users who wish to immobilize the handle component 130 at a particular angle.
An exemplary material for the base and shell components (including a core for handle 140) is glass-filled (i.e., glass-reinforced) polycarbonate. Exemplary brands of glass-filled polycarbonate include Lexan® 3412, Lexan® 3413, Lexan® 3414, Lexan® 500, Susta® PC GF20, Tecanat™ GF20, Unicar® RG, although those skilled in the art will understand that any suitable material may be used.
Handle 140 may have a thermo-plastic elastomer coating, or other suitable non-slip material. An exploded view of exemplary components is depicted in
Exemplary dimensions for base 120 (see
Other embodiments are depicted in
In an exemplary embodiment, the hand held (handle component) portion rides on three nylon transfer ball bearings snapped into the bowl base, each comprising one nylon ball that rides on several steel balls. The handle (grip structure) may comprise one plastic piece that is dropped into the top structure and is secured with metal fasteners. The handle may be covered with a foam sleeve (grip). The handle does not rotate, but rather the top assembly (including the bowl) is free to rotate within the base, and may be stopped by a flange running along the edge of the bowl. The base may have a rubber stopping bottom to prevent skidding.
In one or more exemplary embodiments, conveyor ball transfer assemblies comprise a nylon ball trapped in a nylon housing, riding on a plurality of smaller steel balls. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various conveyor ball transfer assemblies may be used without departing from the scope of the subject embodiments.
One example of a suitable conveyor ball transfer assembly is shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the conveyor ball transfer assembly is 10.5 mm high, the ball diameter is 8 mm, and the housing is nylon.
Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-specified materials are exemplary only, and that other suitable materials may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
While certain exemplary aspects and embodiments have been described herein, many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, exemplary aspects and embodiments set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/678,003, filed Jul. 31, 2012, entitled “Push Up Apparatus and Methods.” The entire contents of the above-referenced application are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61678003 | Jul 2012 | US |
