The present disclosure relates to the field of weight training and physical conditioning. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a weighted adjustable fitness device.
The use of ropes in physical fitness applications is currently known in the art. A common rope can be purchased in various dimensions of thickness, length, and weight. Common ropes can be constructed from different natural and artificial materials. For example, common ropes are typically a solid weave constructed of fibers. For physical exercise, common ropes are typically attached and anchored to a rigid, stationary object while the person exercising grasps the end or ends of the rope and moves the length of rope in up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular motions causing the rope to resist and oscillate.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a weighted adjustable fitness device is disclosed. The device includes a tubular body constructed of a material of a generally rectangular shape. Two edges of the tubular body are attached together to form an interior volume. The length of the tubular body is at least an order of magnitude larger than the diameter of the tubular body. The device further includes a reinforcement border attached to or adjacent to the two attached edges of the tubular body. The device may further include a collapsible inlet which is in open communication with the interior volume and which is movable from a first position in which it extends at least partially outward from the tubular body, to a second position in which it extends at least partially inward into the interior volume. The device may further include an end closure.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices is disclosed. Each of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices includes a tubular body constructed of a material of a generally rectangular shape. Two edges of the tubular body are attached together to form an interior volume. The length of the tubular body is at least an order of magnitude larger than the diameter of the tubular body. Each device further includes a reinforcement border attached to or adjacent to the two attached edges of the tubular body. Each device may further include an end closure. Each device may further include an attachment member configured to attach one of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices to another of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices. At least one dimension of the tubular body of at least one of the plurality of devices may be different from at least one dimension of the tubular body of another of the plurality of devices.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices is disclosed. Each of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices includes a tubular body constructed of a material of a generally rectangular shape. Two edges of the tubular body are attached together to form an interior volume. The length of the tubular body is at least an order of magnitude larger than the diameter of the tubular body. Each device further includes a reinforcement border attached to or adjacent to the two attached edges of the tubular body. Each device may further include a collapsible inlet which is in open communication with the interior volume and which is movable from a first position in which it extends at least partially outward from the tubular body, to a second position in which it extends at least partially inward into the interior volume. Each device may further include an end closure. Each device may further include an attachment member configured to attach one of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices to another of the plurality of weighted adjustable fitness devices. At least one dimension of the tubular body of at least one of the plurality of devices may be different from at least one dimension of the tubular body of another of the plurality of devices.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
For physical exercise, a common rope is typically attached and anchored to a rigid, stationary object while the person exercising grasps the ends of the rope and moves the length of rope in up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular motions causing the rope to resist and oscillate. A common rope can be purchased in various dimensions of thickness, length, and weight. A common rope may be constructed from different natural and artificial materials. Common ropes are not adjustable in weight or length and are effectively solid and static in construction. Given the benefits of common heavy ropes for weight training, there is a need for a more useful functional weight that may be adjustable in weight and length, and may have a particulate fill material that may be dynamically adjusted and/or shifted (e.g., during exercise or on-the-fly at the user's discretion). Such weights may also be designed to attach or connect to each other or to anchor points, allowing for variations and adjustment in weight, length, and resistance characteristics. The dynamic and modular nature of such a fitness device is described herein.
The present disclosure is related generally to a weighted fitness device. The weighted device may include a generally tubular body similar to a rope and may be enclosed at each end with an end closure. The device may include an inlet to allow the device to be filled with particulate material to adjust the weight or resistance characteristics of the device. The device may also include attachment members to allow the device to be anchored or connected to other devices. The device may be used to perform exercises and weight training
Tubular body 102 may be a generally long body resembling a rope. Tubular body 102 may be made of a deformable material that may be more easily gripped for use in various exercises. Tubular body 102 may be constructed of various types of fabrics (for example neoprene, nylon, and canvas; or rubber) and various types of metals and fibers. Tubular body 102 may also be constructed from a resilient or elastomeric material, such as a neoprene/nylon laminate consisting of a thick layer of neoprene with a thinner layer of nylon laminated to each side. The use of such materials may allow device 100 to be gripped, which is an aspect of some physical fitness applications. In some embodiments, various materials may be incorporated into tubular body 102 to impart anti-soiling, anti-bacterial, anti-staining or decorative properties, or to render device 100 moisture-proof, water-proof, moisture resistant, or water-resistant.
Tubular body 102 may be constructed in various dimensions to form a tube. Tubular body 102 may have a length of at least an order of magnitude greater than the diameter of tubular body 102. For example, the length of tubular body 102 may be several feet while the diameter of tubular body 102 may be a few inches. By way of example and not limitation, tubular body 102 may be approximately ten feet long and have a diameter of approximately two inches, thus having a length of tubular body 102 approximately sixty times the diameter of tubular body 102. Alternatively, to vary the weight of device 100, tubular body 102 may be approximately ten feet in length and approximately one inch in diameter.
Tubular body 102 may be constructed from a generally rectangular sheet of material by attaching two opposing edges together forming one or more seams (e.g., by stitching near a periphery of the opposing edges). In some embodiments, the opposing edges of tubular body 102 may be double-stitched, glued, or laminated together along a seam. In other embodiments, the stitching may follow a generally nonlinear pattern. The seam may be constructed such that it faces inward or outward from device 100.
Device 100 may also include reinforcement border 112. Reinforcement border 112 may be attached to or adjacent to the seam of tubular body 102 and may serve to reinforce the seam during the use of device 100. Reinforcement border 112 may be connected to end closures 108. Reinforcement border 112 may be constructed of any material having sufficient strength to allow a user of device 100 to perform exercise activities without the integrity of device 100 being compromised, such as nylon webbing or any other suitable type of reinforcement material that may run the length of tubular body 102. Reinforcement border 112 may be made of a material with elastic properties. By way of example but not limitation, reinforcement border 112 may have elasticity such that its dimensions can be elastically increased by approximately twenty percent. The elastic properties of reinforcement border 112 may absorb forces and reduce stresses exerted on device 100 during use and may provide better performance.
When its opposing edges are attached together, tubular body 102 may form interior volume 106. Interior volume 106 may be enclosed at one or both ends by end closure 108. Device 100 may be constructed such that interior volume 106 may be filled with particulate material. The volume and mass of the aggregate particulate material may be reversibly adjusted by adding or subtracting particulate material. Device 100 may be filled using a funnel to assist in directing particulate material through collapsible inlet 104 into interior volume 106.
Device 100 may be constructed in various diameters or lengths to change the dimensions of interior volume 106. Changing the dimensions of interior volume 106 may change the volume of particulate material that may be used to fill interior volume 106 and therefore may change the weight and resistance characteristics of device 100. For example, as described herein, device 100 may vary in length and/or diameter. In some embodiments, the type of particulate material used to fill interior volume 106 may vary. For example, the particulate material may vary depending, in part, on the intended use of device 100. The particulate material may include sand, metals (including, but not limited to, iron and lead), metal shot, metal shavings, water, pebbles, beans, seeds, gravel, wood pellets, and various other liquids and granular materials (or combinations thereof). In some embodiments, expandable foams may also be utilized. In certain embodiments, various gases may be used as fill materials. In other embodiments, various viscous or gelatinous materials may be used as fill materials including, but not limited to, silica gel.
Device 100 may be fastened closed at each end via end closure 108. End closure 108 may be constructed of any material having sufficient strength to allow a user of device 100 to perform exercise activities without the integrity of device 100 being compromised, such as nylon webbing, fabric, or similar material. In some embodiments, the material for end closure 108 may be a material with elastic properties. By way of example but not limitation, end closure 108 may have elasticity such that its dimensions can be elastically increased by approximately twenty percent. In some embodiments, end closure 108 may be sewn over the ends of tubular body 102 with any suitable stitching method. An example stitching method is described in further detail in
Attachment member 110 may allow device 100 to be attached to anchor points or connected to other devices to increase the effective length of device 100. Attachment member 100 may be inserted in end closure 108. Attachment member 110 may be a “D” ring, a grommet, a fabric loop, or any other suitable attachment mechanism. Attachment member 110 may be inserted at any location in end closure 108, such as in the middle or at an end. In some embodiments, attachment member 110 and reinforcement border 112 may be a single, continuous piece of material with loops formed at the end of the material. The loops may form attachment members 110. In other embodiments, end closure 108, attachment member 110, and reinforcement border 112 may be separate pieces of material.
Device 100 may feature functional color coding. The color coding may indicate the size, weight, weight capacity, or other aspect of device 100. For example, color coding may indicate the length of device 100, the diameter of device 100, the effective volume of device 100 (for example, calculated as the length of tubular body 102 multiplied by the circumference of tubular body 102), weight, or the weight capacity of device 100 (determined as the maximum weight of a filled device 100). In some embodiments, end closure 108 may be color coded. In some embodiments, all or portions of tubular body 102 may be color coded. By way of example and not limitation, a device 100 weighing fifteen pounds may have a blue end closure 108 and a device 100 weighing thirty pounds may have an orange end closure 108. As another example, a device 100 of length twenty feet may be have a purple end closure 108 and a device 100 of length ten feet may have a yellow end closure 108. Multiple devices 100 may be sold as a set where the devices 100 included in the set have the same or different lengths, diameters, effective volumes, or weight capacity.
Collapsible inlet 104 may enable adjustment of the volume and weight of fill material. Interior volume 106 may be filled with particulate material while the inlet is in the first position as shown in
Collapsible inlet 104 may comprise one or more sheets of identically or complementary shaped portions of material comprising lateral edges joined together to form one or more seams and be configured such that when the inlet is in the first position, the one or more seams are inverted. The portions of collapsible inlet 104 may be stitched, double-stitched, glued, or laminated together along a first and a second opposing edges. The seam formed in this manner may be facing outward such that, when collapsible inlet 104 is in the second position, the opposing surfaces of collapsible inlet 104 will tend to lie flush together, thus preventing the egress of particulate material through collapsible inlet 104. When collapsible inlet 104 is inverted (as when it is in the first position in which it extends from tubular body 102 of device 100, as shown in
The proximal portion of each opposing wall of collapsible inlet 104 may be sewn to the adjacent portion of tubular body 102 via a double-stitching technique. A double stitching technique may be a continuation of the stitching used to sew the opposing sides of tubular body 102 together. Such a construction may minimize the stress applied to collapsible inlet 104 along the region of attachment.
The proximal portion of collapsible inlet 104 may be rounded to match the curvature of the seam, though in some embodiments, the proximal portion of collapsible inlet 104 may be flat instead. The preferred geometry of collapsible inlet 104 may be determined in part by the geometry of tubular body 102. The proximal portion of collapsible inlet 104 may be tapered or flared to increase the surface area available for stitching, thus improving the integrity of the seam between collapsible inlet 104 and tubular body 102. However, a narrower neck of such an inlet may hinder the escape of particulate material from interior volume 106. In some embodiments, the distal portion of collapsible inlet 104 may also be tapered or flared. Such an embodiment may be advantageous in some applications in that it may facilitate the insertion of a tube or funnel into collapsible inlet 104 when it is in the first position to aid in filling interior volume 106 with particulate material.
In some embodiments, the proximal portion of collapsible inlet 104 may be provided with an extra portion of material which may be folded over prior to stitching the proximal portion of collapsible inlet 104 to the adjacent portion of tubular body 102. In some applications, such an approach may improve the durability of the portion of the seam extending across collapsible inlet 104. In some embodiments, this portion of collapsible inlet 104 may be folded over the adjacent portion of the exterior of tubular body 102 prior to being sewn or otherwise attached in place.
Collapsible inlet 104 may be located in any location along the length of tubular body 102. For example, collapsible inlet 104 may be located at an end of tubular body 102, in the middle of tubular body 102, or at any other point along the length of tubular body 102. In some embodiments, collapsible inlet 104 may be placed along the seam of tubular body 102. In other embodiments, collapsible inlet 104 may be placed separately from the seam of tubular body 102, for example on an opposite side from the seam of tubular body 102. Collapsible inlet 104 may vary in size and the size may depend, in part, on the overall size of device 100 and the intended use of device 100. Collapsible inlet 104 may have sufficient dimensions such that the collapse of the inlet into the second position will effectively seal the particulate material within interior volume 106, as described in more detail in
If it is desired to remove some or all of the particulate material from tubular body 102, a funnel or a rigid tube of a suitable diameter may be used to maintain collapsible inlet 104 in an open position while removing the particulate material. Removal of particulate material may be preferably performed when collapsible inlet 104 is in the first position, as shown in
In some embodiments, it may be desirable for collapsible inlet 104 to be permanently sealed after filling interior volume 106 with particulate material. This may be accomplished, for example, by fusing the inlet under heat or pressure, by sewing, by gluing the inlet closed, or by other suitable method of permanently sealing. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to fill interior volume 106 with particulate material at an end of tubular body 102 and then permanently seal end closure 108 by fusing with heat or pressure, by sewing, by gluing, or by any other suitable method of permanently sealing.
End closure 508 may be sewn to tubular body 502 via a variety of sewing methods. In some embodiments, tubular body 502 is made of a laminate material consisting of more than one layer of material. In some embodiments, end closure 508 may be sewn to tubular body 502 using different sewing methods based on the purpose and/or the location of the seam. Seams 514 may be sewn such that each stitch penetrates the material of end closure 508 and a single layer of tubular body 502. Such a stitching method may reduce the failure potential of device 500. Seam 516 may be sewn such that each stitch penetrates the material of end closure 508 and all layers of tubular body 502. Seam 518 may include a reinforcement border, as described in more detail with respect to
In some embodiments, device 500 may include collar 520. Collar 520 may be used to trap particulate material toward one or more ends of device 500 to form a handle at an end of device 500. Collar 520 may be constructed of nylon webbing, fabric, or similar material. Collar 520 may be configured such that opposite ends of collar 520 may be attached to one another to encircle tubular body 502. The opposite ends of collar 520 may attach to one another through the use of a hook and loop fastener, VELCRO®, a snap, a buckle, or any other suitable attachment mechanism. Collar 520 may be of any suitable dimension to allow collar 520 to trap particulate material in an end of device 500. For example, the distance between the two opposites ends of collar 520 that may be attached to one another may be approximately equal to the diameter of tubular body 502 such that tubular body 502 is pinched to inhibit the movement of particulate material within interior volume 506.
Because the devices described herein may be constructed in various sizes and weights, they may be used in many of the same exercises that conventional ropes and other such devices are commonly used in addition to a variety of exercises for which the foregoing devices are not suitable. In such applications, the deformability of the disclosed devices may offer unique advantages. For example, because these devices can be made to conform to the user's hands, they provide a firm grip to the user while also fully engaging the muscles of the hands and fingers of the user during a workout. The degree of conformity may be adjusted within a certain range by adjusting the extent to which the device is filled, by selection of appropriate materials for the body of the device, and/or by the appropriate selection of fill materials. Typically, reducing the amount of fill will increase the conformity of the device within a certain range. In addition, because the exterior surface of these devices may be made of neoprene or other soft, elastomeric material, incidental contact with these surfaces during a workout are unlikely to harm the user. This feature makes these devices especially suitable for use by children and the elderly.
The above description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope of the application and uses of the described embodiments. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments. It will thus be appreciated that various additions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be construed in reference to the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/811,293 filed on Apr. 12, 2013, having the same title, and having the same inventors, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61811293 | Apr 2013 | US |