Patent Application
20240374954
Yoga blocks are commonly used by yoga practitioners to support poses, assist balance, and improve alignment. Traditional yoga blocks are made of petrochemical-based foam, polyurethane-impregnated cork, or wood, which may not be environmentally friendly or sustainable.
In one aspect, a yoga block includes a block outer surface substantially conforming to a cuboid shape with edges and closed corners that are at least one of beveled or rounded to a depth of at least 0.1 times a smallest dimension of the cuboid shape. An inner support comprising a plurality of members is enclosed within the block outer surface.
The block outer surface may be formed of a material that is at least one of recycled, recyclable, bio-based, biodegradable, petrochemical free, and plastic free. The block outer surface is formed of at least one of (a) fibers bound together to form a sheet of material and (b) plastic that is at least one of recycled, bio-based, and biodegradable.
The block outer surface may be formed by a single folded sheet of material. In some embodiments, only one edge of the sheet of material is exposed. In some embodiments, the edges of the block outer surface include beveled edges and the block outer surface further include beveled corners. The single folded sheet of material may include corner panels forming the beveled corners, bevel panels forming the beveled edges, and flaps connected to the corner panels. The flaps may be connected to each corner panel and may be fastened to inner surfaces of an adjacent pair of bevel panels of the bevel panels with an outer surface of the each corner panel being substantially flush with outer surfaces of the adjacent pair of bevel panels forming part of the block outer surface, the outer surfaces of the adjacent pair of bevel panels being on an opposite side of the single folded sheet of material than the inner surfaces of the adjacent pair of bevel panels. The inner support may conform to inner surfaces of the beveled edges of the block outer surface.
The block outer surface may be formed of plates secured to the inner support. Each plate of the plates may include a plurality of layers. The inner support may be formed by sheets of material folded to form the plurality of members. The plurality of members may include a plurality of diagonal members that are diagonal with respect to the cuboid shape. Cylindrical members may be inserted within triangular spaces defined by the sheets of material. The inner support may be formed by interlocked cross pieces. The interlocked cross pieces may include diagonal cross pieces that are diagonal with respect to the cuboid shape.
The inner support may be formed by one or more honeycomb sandwich layers. One or more reinforcing plates are positioned between the inner support and the block outer surface. The block outer surface may include a treatment that is at least one of hydrophobic, grip-enhancing, or biodegradable. The cuboid shape may have a first dimension of between 4 and 12 inches in a first direction and a dimension of between 3 and 10 inches in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
In another aspect, a yoga block includes a plurality of block panels defining a block outer surface substantially conforming to a cuboid shape. Edges and closed corners of the block outer surface are beveled or rounded to a depth of at least 0.1 times a smallest dimension of the cuboid shape. An inner support interfaces with a plurality of inner surfaces of at least a portion of the plurality of block panels, the inner support including a plurality of cross members substantially parallel to sides of the cuboid shape. The inner support further includes a plurality of diagonal members oriented diagonally with respect to the sides of the cuboid shape and positioned within the block outer surface. The plurality of block panels and the inner support are formed of a material that is at least one of biodegradable or recycled. The block outer surface is treated with a biodegradable and hydrophobic material.
Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
Referring to
Yoga blocks 10, according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein, may have an outer shape that can be characterized as substantially cuboid including substantially cuboid-conforming surfaces connected by rounded or beveled edges and corners. As used herein, “substantially cuboid-conforming” may be defined as there being a cuboid shape such that each of the substantially cuboid-conforming surfaces of the yoga block is substantially parallel (e.g., within 10 degrees) to a surface of the cuboid shape and lies within 0.05*S from that surfaces, where S is the smallest dimension of the cuboid shape.
The dimensions of the outer surface of the yoga block 10 may be according to any size used in the practice of yoga. For example, the illustrated yoga block may have a length (Y direction) of about 4 to 12 inches, a width (X direction) of about 3 to 10 inches, and a height (Z direction) of about 1 to 6 inches. For example, common sizes for yoga blocks are about 9×6×4 inches and about 9×6×3 inches. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, “about” with reference to a value may be understood as within 10 percent of the value. Other sizes are possible. In particular, yoga blocks having different heights are commonly used. Beveled edges as described herein may extend inwardly from the cuboid shape between 0.1 and 0.25 times the shortest dimension of the cuboid shape along two of the directions X, Y, and Z, such as between 0.25 and 1 inches.
The yoga blocks 10 described herein are made of paper, paperboard, cardboard (e.g., corrugated), or other material made from wood pulp or paper pulp, or other random or woven or non-woven natural or synthetic fibers bound together to form a sheet of material. When corrugated, the corrugations may be oriented to provide desired structural properties, such as parallel to the X or the Y direction. The material used may advantageously be plastic or petrochemical free and recycled. The material used may advantageously also be biodegradable, including biodegradable plastic. In some embodiments, recycled plastic may be used, such as recycled ocean plastic.
Outer surfaces of the yoga blocks 10 disclosed herein may be treated to prevent disintegration of the material forming the yoga block 10. The treatment may include one or both of impregnating the material forming the yoga block 10 with a material and coating the outer surface of the material forming the yoga block with a coating. The treatment may additionally promote grip of the outer surfaces of the yoga block 10, particularly in the presence of moisture. The treatment may be waterproof and/or hydrophobic. The treatment may advantageously be biodegradable or petrochemical free. The treatment may include surface coatings, laser etching, embossing, debossing, and/or micro-embossing to improve grip. The surface of the yoga block 10 may be adorned with printing, debossing, embossing, laser etching, and/or die cuts either before or after treatment.
In a first example, the treatment may include a coating including a biomimetic hydrophobic coating modelled after the surface of the lotus leaf, such as OC-BIOBINDER made by ORGANOCLICK. For example, the coating may be a coating as described in the following document, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety:
In a second example, the coating is BIOBARC made by EARTHODIC.
The outer surface of the yoga block 10 may be made of panels either connected to one another or fastened to one another. As used herein “connected” may be understood as formed monolithically from a single sheet of material and “fastened” may be understood as secured by adhesive or other fastener. Adhesive may be polyvinyl acetate (PVA), a biodegradable bio-based glue, or other type of adhesive. The description of portions of the yoga block as being either connected or fastened are exemplary only and the opposite configuration is also possible.
One or more flaps FT, FB, FL, and FR may form a front surface of the yoga block 10 and one or more flaps PT, PB, PL, and PR may form a posterior surface of the yoga block 10. The one or more flaps FT, FB, FL, and FR are offset from the one or more flaps PT, PB, PL, and PR along the Y direction. The one or more flaps FT, FB, FL, and FR and one or more flaps PT, PB, PL, and PR may substantially conform to cuboid surfaces parallel to the X and Z directions.
As is readily seen in
Beveled edges of the yoga block 10 may be formed by panels connected between substantially-cuboid conforming panels of the yoga block 10. For example:
The yoga block 10 may likewise include beveled corners that may include (moving from top to bottom in
As is apparent in
Referring to
The flaps FT, FB, FL, FR may either adhere directly to a panel of the internal support 12 or to one or more reinforcement panels FF placed between the internal support 12 and the flaps FT, FB, FL, FR. For example, the internal support 12 may include a panel S-F connected to the panels S-R and a panel S-L. One or more reinforcement panels FF secure to the panel S-F and the flaps FT, FB, FL, FR are secured to an outermost panel FF by adhesive, staples, rivets, or other fastener. Where multiple reinforcement panels FF are used, the reinforcement panels may be secured to one another by adhesive, staples, rivets, or other fastener. The reinforcement panels FF may have substantially a same size as the panel S-F, such as within 5% within each dimension along the X and Z directions. The posterior flaps PT, PB, PL, PR may secure to a panel S-P opposite the panel S-F along the Y direction using corresponding reinforcement panels in the same manner as for the reinforcement panels FF.
The panels of the internal support 12 interfacing with bevel panels and corner panels of the yoga block 10 may be connected to panels S-R, S-L, S-F, and S-P of the internal support 12 and folded inward to conform to the bevel panels and corner panels. However, other arrangements are also possible.
The internal support 12 may include cross members S-I to resist deformation of the internal support. The cross members S-I may be beveled to conform to the panels of the internal support 12 interfacing with the bevel panels and possibly corner panels of the yoga block 10.
Referring to
Each cross member S-IA, S-IB may include a panel S-FP interfacing with, or serving as, the panel S-F or S-P of the internal support 12. Each cross member S-IA may include panels S-IR and S-IL interfacing with, or forming part of, the panels S-R and S-L, respectively, of the internal support 12. The cross members S-IA may include bevel panels S-BL, S-BR that interface with, or serve as, panels of the internal support 12 interfacing with bevel panels BFL, BFR or bevel panels BPL, BPR. The bevel panel S-BL may be connected to panels S-L and S-FP and the bevel panel S-BR may be connected to panels S-R and S-FP.
Each cross member S-IA, S-IB may include a set of internal panels S-ILA, S-ILB, S-ILC, and S-ILD and a set of internal panels S-IRA, S-IRB, S-IRC, and S-IRD that are curled inwardly. In the illustrated embodiment, internal panels S-ILA, S-ILC, S-IRA, and S-IRC are substantially (e.g., within 3 degrees of) parallel to the X and Z directions and internal panels S-ILB, S-ILD, S-IRB, S-IRD are substantially parallel to the Y and Z directions.
Each cross member S-IA, S-IB may include one or more diagonal panels or the illustrated diagonal panels may be omitted. For example, diagonal panels S-LDA, S-LDB may be connected to internal panels S-ILC, S-ILD, respectively, and to one another. The diagonal panels S-LDA, S-LDB may extend to, and possibly contact, a corner formed by internal panels S-ILA, S-ILB. Diagonal panels S-RDA, S-RDB may be connected to internal panels S-IRC, S-IRD, respectively, and to one another. The diagonal panels S-RDA, S-RDB may extend to, and possibly contact, a corner formed by internal panels S-IRA, S-IRB. As used herein “diagonal” refers to a planar member with surfaces (i.e., not the edges parallel to the thinnest dimension corresponding to the thickness of the planar member) that are oriented at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to at least one of the X-Y, X-Z, and Y-Z planes.
In some embodiments, each cross member S-IA, S-IB may be further reinforced by cylindrical members TLA, TLB, TRA, TRB. In some embodiments, cylindrical members TLA, TLB, TRA, TRB are cylindrical absent a deforming force but may be elastically distorted when assembled with the cross member S-IA.
A cylindrical member TLA may be placed at an interior corner defined by the panels S-FP and S-IL (and a corresponding bevel panel S-BL for cross member S-IA). One, two, or more insert panels S-LDC may be positioned between the diagonal panels S-LDA, S-LDB and facilitate holding the cylindrical member TLA in place or may be used without the cylindrical member TLA. A cylindrical member TLB may be placed in a triangular area defined by panels S-ILA, S-ILD, and diagonal panel S-LDB. In some embodiments, an additional cylindrical member is placed In the triangular area defined by panels S-ILC, S-ILB and diagonal panel S-LDA. Central axes of the cylindrical members may be substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the Z direction.
A cylindrical member TRA may be placed at an interior corner defined by the panels S-FP and S-IR (and a corresponding bevel panel S-BR for cross member S-IA). One, two, or more insert panels S-RDC may be positioned between the diagonal panels S-RDA, S-RDB and facilitate holding the cylindrical member TRA in place or may be used without the cylindrical member TRA. A cylindrical member TRB may be placed in a triangular area defined by panels S-IRA, S-IRD, and diagonal panel S-RDB. In some embodiments, an additional cylindrical member is placed in the triangular area defined by panels S-IRC, S-IRB and diagonal panel S-RDA.
In some embodiments, two pairs of insert panels S-LDC, S-RDC are used in S-IA (see
The diagonal members 604 engaging the horizontal members 600 may be planar members oriented substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the X direction and at an angle of between 35 and 55 degrees relative to the Z direction in the Y-Z plane. The diagonal members 604 engaging the longitudinal members 602 may be planar members oriented substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the Y direction and at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the Z direction in the X-Z plane.
Reinforcement plates FF may secure to one or both of the horizontal members 600 and/or longitudinal members 602. For example, the reinforcement plates may be substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the X and Z directions and secure to edges of the longitudinal members 602 that are also substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the X and Z directions.
Referring to
Referring to
Each plate 700 includes a substantially cuboid-conforming surface relative to a cuboid shape, the substantially cuboid-conforming surface being substantially parallel to two directions of the directions X, Y, Z as defined above with respect to the term “substantially cuboid-conforming.” The bevels on edges 702 and corners 704 of each plate 700 may all extend inwardly at least a distance D in two of the dimensions X, Y, Z relative to the cuboid shape. The cuboid-conforming surface and beveled edges 702 and corners 704 may form a truncated rectangular pyramid with beveled corners. The thickness of each plate 700 in the third direction of the directions X, Y, Z may be may be about D/2, e.g., D/2+/−5%.
Note that the seam between adjacent plates 700 (e.g., forming a common edge 702) does not have to be in the center of the beveled edges 702 to achieve this overall shape using six plates. For instance, the same overall external shape of the yoga block 10 may be achieved with different plate shapes: e.g., all four of the beveled edges 702 and all four beveled corners 704 around the perimeter of a plate 700 could be completely formed by that plate 700 (e.g., a plate 700 formed as a truncated pyramid with beveled corners). Adjacent plates 700 to that plate 700 may then be rectangular. For example, first and second plates 700 that are opposite one another may have the beveled edges 702 and beveled corners 704 formed thereon with remaining plates extending therebetween each being in the shape of a truncated prism with two vertical edges and two beveled edges that do not form part of the beveled corners 704.
Referring specifically to
Various cross members may be positioned within the space defined by the sides 706. For example, the cross member may include longitudinal cross members 708 substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the X and Z direction and distributed along the Y direction. The cross member may include horizontal cross members 710 substantially (e.g., within 5 degrees of) parallel to the Y and Z direction and distributed along the X direction. The cross members may include diagonal cross members 712 positioned in spaces defined among the sides 706 and cross members 708, 712. For example, the diagonal cross members may be substantially parallel to the Z directions and along diagonal lines extending between opposite corners (not connected by a common side) of a quadrilateral shape defined by a side 706, a longitudinal cross member 708, and a horizontal cross member 710. The inner support 12 of
The plates 700 may be secured to the inner support 12 by adhesive or other fastener. The plates 700 having the substantially cuboid-conforming surface thereof substantially parallel to the X and Y directions may secure to edges of the sides 706, longitudinal cross members 708, and horizontal cross members 710. The plates 700 having the substantially cuboid-conforming surface thereof substantially parallel to the Z direction may be secured to surfaces of the sides 706 that are substantially parallel to the Z direction.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63465401 | May 2023 | US |
