Patent Application
20130225376
The present invention relates to elastic exercise tubing. The present invention is for elastic exercise tubing with a spooling mechanism built into a handle so that the length of tubing can be easily adjusted by the user. In particular, the device includes a length of elastic exercise tubing, with a handle on both ends. At least one of the handles contains a spooling mechanism to easily adjust the length of tubing to be used.
Elastic tubing and related devices are a common means to provide a user with a versatile, relatively compact, portable and affordable piece of exercise equipment, for everyday workouts and physical rehabilitation.
Elastic exercise tubing allows for work-outs in any settings, without the need of any additional equipment. It should be understood that elastic tubing is the most common form used for the elastic material in such equipment, however, any elastic cord or band can serve the same purpose. Throughout the specification and claims herein, the term “tubing” refers to elastic tubing or any other comparable elastic resistance bands or cords.
In its most basic form, workouts can be accomplished with nothing more than a length of elastic tubing. The tubing is generally flexible and can be tied to a securing object, simply grabbed, or wrapped around a user's hand. However, the tubing also may come with handles or loops at one or both ends. When the tubing contains only one handle, the user is often required to only work-out one side at a time. For instance, one end of the tubing is secured to a fixed point, and the user holds the other end in one hand, and can do a variety of extension and compression exercises with that one hand, working out the respective side. The user than alternates to the hand to work out the other side.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed so that the user can exercise both sides of the body at once, thereby reducing the time needed for a full-body workout. The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a handle at both ends of the device, so that the use does not require a means of securing one end of the tube in place. The use of dual handles adds versatility to exercise tubing workouts, and has been disclosed for example by U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,796 ('796) and Des. 368,501 ('501).
One obstacle for elastic tubing exercise devices is that a variety of tube lengths are needed for varying exercises. Thus, a user may need a variety of tube-lengths to accomplish a full body workout. For instance:
For an exercise such as a “standing press,” the tubing will have to be of a substantial length. In a standing press, one end of the tubing is anchored at or near the floor, and the exercise requires extending the tube over the user's head. With a dual-handle device such as the present invention, or that shown in '796 or '501, a “standing press” is done by placing the center of the tubing underneath the user's feet, so that the user is standing on the center portion of the tubing and the user's weight holds the tubing in place. The two handle's are then simultaneously extended over the user's head. For this exercise, before extension, the tubing must reach from at or near the users' shoulder height, down to the floor, and back up to the same corresponding height on the opposite side. This requires that the tubing be several feet long prior to extension, with enough elasticity so that the user can then simultaneously fully extend each side up over their head.
Whereas, for an exercise such as a “reverse-fly,” the tubing will have to be relatively short. In a reverse fly, using a dual-handle device, the user begins, before extension, holding the ends of the tubing close together in front of their chest, less than shoulder-width apart, and then extends the ends apart into the user's full wing span. For a reverse fly, the tubing should only be one or two feet long, at most, prior to extension, with enough elasticity so that the user can then simultaneously fully extend each side into a full wing span.
The need for varying lengths requires the user to have multiple lengths of tubing with them, or to have one long piece and then tie the tubing off at the desired length for each exercise. However, tying the tubing off to shorten the tubing to the desired length can lead to a large amount of excess tubing that can not only be a nuisance, but can also present safety concerns.
The present invention provides a spooling device in at least one of the handles so that the length of the tubing can be quickly and easily adjusted.
Prior inventions, such as the previously disclosed '796 patent as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,549 ('549) provide adjustable tube lengths by traditional loop adjustment means. The present invention achieves quick length adjustability by providing a wind-up spool in the interior of at least one of the handles. U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,224 ('224) discloses the idea of an elastic cord with a wind-up ratchet for use with a traditional bungee cord, where each end of the bungee cord must have a securing hook. In '224, both the housing and the bungee cord end in a hook, or other means of securing the cord in place at both ends, and the length of the cord is locked into place by an internal ratchet mechanism.
The present invention employs a locking lever mechanism on the exterior of the handle's housing for rotating the spool. Locking the lever in place secures the tubing at the desired length. When the locking lever is lifted and released, it serves as a standard crank lever that the user winds in order to adjust the length of the tubing. When the desired length is achieved, the user locks the lever down in the handle, locking the spool in place for use. The housing of the handle contains fixed raised “blocks”, spaced at a width corresponding to the width of the lever. In order to lock the spool in place the lever is lowered into one of the gaps between the blocks. When the lever is locked down into one of the gaps, the spool is prevented from rotating.
Another shortcoming of elastic tubing workouts is the need for multiple resistance tubes. Tubes of varying elasticity are required to vary the resistance and intensity of workouts, as well as the resistance required for different body parts. For instance, a quadriceps workout will generally require far greater resistance than a triceps workout. The present invention can be provided with a variety of spools, each pre-equipped with a different level of resistance tube.
In one embodiment, the spool is in only in one of the handles, and the housing of said handle has an easily removable cover portion, which allows easy access to the interior of the housing so that the entire spool can be easily removed and replaced. The other handle does not have a spool, and instead simply has an attachment point for the opposite end of the tubing. To change the spool, the current spool is removed from the spooling handle, tubing and all, the other end of the tubing is disconnected from the opposite handle. The user than inserts the new spool, feeds the opposite end of the tubing through the corresponding opening in the housing and secures the tubing to the opposite, non-spooling handle.
Further, by providing separate spools, the extra tubes are kept wound and compact, and are therefore a convenient and easy means of transport and storage of a variety of tubes, without having several feet of loose tubing to worry about storing and transporting.
According to the present invention, an elastic tubing exercise device is provided wherein a length of elastic exercise tubing has a handle on both ends, and at least one of the handles contains a spooling mechanism to easily adjust the length of tubing to be used. The spooling mechanism includes a locking lever, which when released serves as a lever which can be rotated to wind or unwind the cord to the desired length, and when engaged locks the spool in place securing the elastic tubing at a fixed length.
As shown in
In the preferred embodiment, both ends of the tubing (15) terminate by passing through an opening (24) in each of the respective handles (20), and each end of tubing is secured to a spooling mechanism (30) within the interior (23) of each handles' housing (21).
The end of the tubing passes through opening (24) where it is secured to spooling mechanism (30). Spooling mechanism (30) has an exterior locking lever (35). When lever (35) is rotated the entire spool (30) rotates, causing tubing (15) to respectively wind or unwind about the spool, thereby adjusting the length of the elastic tubing.
The exterior housing (21) of the handle has a plurality of blocks (22) spaced circumferentially around the spooling mechanism (30), which form a plurality of locking channels (22a). The width of the locking channels (22a) corresponds to the width of the lever (35), such that when the lever (35) is lowered into a channel (22a), the lever (35) is secured within the channel (22a), preventing rotation of the lever (35) and spool (30), thereby securing the tubing (15) at a set fixed length for use.
When the desired length of tubing (15) is set, the user locks the lever (35) in place, by placing the lever between two of the blocks (22), securely into one of the locking channels (22a). The preferred embodiment provides four blocks (22), creating four locking channels (22a) where the lever can be secured, spaced evenly at 90° apart. A wide lever (35) is employed, having a width corresponding to the width of the channels (22a).
Each 360° rotation of the spool will only change the length of tube by a few inches. For most exercises, the difference of a few inches will not be critical, and accordingly, it should be understood that a plurality of locking channels is not needed. The preferred embodiment provides four locking channels, however one would suffice, or conversely, for more exact fine tuning, more than four locking channels could be used.
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment a cover to the housing (21) is easily removed, so that the user can easily remove the entire spooling mechanism (30) and tubing (15) together (see
