Patent Application
20130040789
This invention relates to exercise equipment and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to variable-weight kettlebells with soft sides.
Commonly-owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0255960 of Kessler discloses exercise devices in the form of kettlebells. As noted in the Kessler application, versions of the kettlebells may comprise “a substantially hollow body and curved handle extending” therefrom. See Kessler, p. 1, ¶0007. A preferred embodiment of the kettlebell is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other polymers and may include a removable plug allowing “flowable material” to be introduced into the body. By “varying the substance and/or volume of material used to fill the kettlebell,” the weight of the kettlebell can be adjusted. See id., p. 3, ¶¶0039-0040.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0248910 of DiLuglio describes other variable-weight kettlebells. Bodies of these kettlebells “may be made of a generally hard and durable material, such as plastic or steel,” with their lower portions possibly “comprised of a semi-rigid or elastic material.” See DiLuglio, p. 2, ¶0023. A hollow interior portion of the body is lined with a water-impervious coating or has a bladder disposed therein so as to receive “a liquid weight substance, such as water.” A plug may be employed to retain the water within the body. See id, p. 1, ¶0020.
Disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0048362 of Liford, et al., are yet other variable-weight kettlebells. At least some of the kettlebells may include a core section made from metal, ceramics, wood, or certain other rigid materials to which differing numbers of facet plates may be connected. By varying the number of connected facet plates (which are made of material similar to that of the core section), the weight of the kettlebell may be changed. See Liford, p. 3, ¶¶0035-0037; p. 4, ¶0046.
Absent from these applications is any explicit contemplation of soft-sided variable-weight kettlebells. This omission presumably is because rigidity is important conventionally to contain the liquid or other material used to fill hollow bodies of the kettlebells and to maintain the shape of the bodies. However, as rigid materials are heavier than many non-rigid materials, utilizing rigid materials for the body of a kettlebell increases its unfilled (default) weight and volume, which may be undesirable in many circumstances. Rigid-bodied kettlebells also are incapable of cushioning any impact with human flesh.
The present invention provides exercise devices including soft-sided kettlebells. When not in use, the kettlebells may collapse in at least one dimension into a smaller volume. Notwithstanding their soft, flexible sides, however, the kettlebells may be weighted variably, thus retaining the functionality of existing variable-weight equipment.
At least some versions of the invention may comprise a hollow main body formed of fabric and to which a handle assembly may attach. The handle assembly preferably is made of molded plastic including a handle and a base. The handle itself may be solid or hollow—or in some cases solid in places and hollow in others.
Incorporated into the base of the handle assembly may, if desired, be one or more slots or other openings each designed to receive a strap or other fastener. Advantageously, one strap received by an opening of the base may have both of its ends permanently attached to the body, thus permanently connecting the handle assembly to the body. Likewise advantageously, another strap received by another opening of the base may have only one end permanently affixed to the body, with its other end removably attached thereto. Displacing the removable end of the strap from the body allows movement of the handle assembly relative to the body as, for example, when weights are to be placed in or removed from the body.
Optionally additionally included in kettlebells of the present invention may be any or all of an inner compartment and inner and outer weight vessels. The inner compartment, when present, may be a rigid-walled structure designed to be fitted into the soft-sided body. It thus may prevent collapse of the body when the kettlebell is in use. The inner compartment also may be hollow so as to receive the inner and outer weight vessels. Nesting these components (when present) may beneficially inhibit their relative movements—both from side to side and from top to bottom—when the kettlebell is in use.
Each of the inner and outer weight vessels may be a hollow structure made of soft, flexible fabric. Each likewise may be filled (or partially filled) with material intended to increase its weight, as may be the body. Such weighting material may be any suitable fluid or solid, with preferred materials including (but not limited to) mixtures of sand and iron chips. The outer weight vessel also may be configured so as to receive inner weight vessel when use of both vessels is desired.
It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide exercise equipment at least in the form of kettlebells.
It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells having non-rigid, or soft, sides.
It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells that may accept weights of differing amounts notwithstanding their soft sides.
It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells whose bodies are made of fabric to which a handle assembly may be attached.
It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells in which a handle assembly is permanently attached to a body yet moveable relative thereto.
It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells having internal weighting components that may be nested.
It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide kettlebells whose nested components do not move relative to each other.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the appropriate art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.
Depicted in
In presently-preferred versions of kettlebell 10, body 14 is made of fabric and hence is soft sided. It nevertheless may be shaped or configured so that, when kettlebell 10 is placed upright on a flat surface, material within interior 22 will cause bottom surface 34 to be generally flat as well. Kettlebell 10 thus may remain stable when placed on a flat surface notwithstanding its soft-sided nature.
Handle assembly 18, by contrast, advantageously is formed of more rigid material such as molded plastic and includes handle 38 and base 42. Handle 38 itself may be solid or hollow, or in some cases solid in places and hollow in others, although beneficially being lightweight. Handle 38 also may be ribbed or ridged for both added strength and to facilitate its being gripped by a person using kettlebell 10 while exercising.
Ends 46 and 50 of handle 38 may be integrally formed with or appropriately connected (or adhered) to base 42. Base 42 may be generally planar and of size and shape approximating those of top surface 30; it is shown in
At least one, and preferably two, openings 54 exist through base 42. As illustrated, openings 54 may be in the form of slots; if two such slots are present, they may be positioned near opposite edges 58A and 58B of base 42. Openings 54 are configured to receive straps 62, two of which (62A and 62B) are depicted in
By contrast, both corresponding ends of strap 62B may be permanently attached to body 14. If strap 62B also is threaded through an opening 54 (e.g. the one near edge 58A), base 42 will be permanently connected (via strap 62B) to body 14. It nevertheless may pivot about an axis approximately coincident with edge 58A when strap 62A is unthreaded (see
Illustrated in
Outer weight vessel 78 preferably is a fabric vessel whose hollow interior may be filled (completely or partially) with weighting material. For nesting purposes, it too may define a central recess 94 into which inner weight vessel 82 may be frictionally fitted at least somewhat snugly. Inner weight vessel 82 may also be a hollow fabric vessel filled (again completely or partially) with weight-increasing solids or fluids.
Whenever recess 26 is accessible (as shown in
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The contents of the Kessler, DiLuglio, and Liford applications are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.
