U.S. patent application number 10/927451 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-23 for exercise apparatus.
Invention is credited to John Riazi.
Application Number | 20060040808 10/927451 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35839618 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060040808 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Riazi; John |
February 23, 2006 |
Exercise apparatus
Abstract
A base is configured to stabilize rolling movement of the
exercise ball under the influence of a user seated on the ball. The
base defines a range in which rolling movement of the ball is
unimpeded by the base, and has an obstacle portion configured to
impede rolling movement of the ball beyond that range. This enables
the base to stabilize the ball and the seated user upon rolling
movement of the ball into contact with the obstacle portion of the
base.
Inventors: |
Riazi; John; (Akron,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Christina J. Moser;Backer & Hostetler LLP
3200 National City Center
1900 East 9th Street
Cleveland
OH
44114
US
|
Family ID: |
35839618 |
Appl. No.: |
10/927451 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60598324 |
Aug 3, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/141 ;
482/142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2071/027 20130101;
A63B 21/0442 20130101; A63B 2208/0204 20130101; A63B 2208/0233
20130101; A63B 21/0557 20130101; A63B 41/00 20130101; A63B 71/023
20130101; A63B 21/00047 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/141 ;
482/142 |
International
Class: |
A63B 26/00 20060101
A63B026/00; A63B 71/00 20060101 A63B071/00 |
Claims
1. An exercise apparatus adapted to be used in conjunction with an
exercise ball, the exercise apparatus comprising: a base configured
to stabilize rolling movement of an exercise ball under an
influence of a user seated on the exercise ball; said base defining
a range in which said rolling movement is unimpeded by said base,
and wherein said base includes an obstacle portion configured to
impede said rolling movement beyond said range; whereby said base
can stabilize the exercise ball and the seated user upon rolling
movement of the exercise ball into contact with said obstacle
portion of said base.
2. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said
obstacle portion of said base extends about the periphery of said
range of rolling movement.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base has a ball
support surface configured to support the exercise ball for said
rolling movement in said range.
4. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball
support surface is non-spherical.
5. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball
support surface is planar.
6. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball
support surface has a smooth texture.
7. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball
support surface is configured to support the exercise ball for
rolling movement in all directions across said ball support
surface.
8. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball
support surface has a noncircular peripheral shape.
9. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base is
configured to lay flat on a floor surface without rocking.
10. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base
has anchor structures configured for attachment of exercise bands
to said base.
11. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base
has foot placement surfaces, each of which is configured to support
both feet of a user standing on said base.
12. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said foot
placement surfaces include a pair of foot placement surfaces that
are spaced apart from each other across said range of rolling
movement.
13. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base
comprises a platform.
14. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said
platform has a rectangular peripheral shape.
15. An exercise apparatus adapted to be used in conjunction for use
with an exercise ball, the exercise apparatus comprising: a
platform having a ball support surface configured to support an
exercise ball for rolling movement under an influence of a user
seated on the exercise ball; said platform further having an
obstacle portion configured to impede rolling movement of the
exercise ball beyond the periphery of said ball support surface;
whereby said platform can stabilize the exercise ball and the
seated user upon rolling movement of the exercise ball into contact
with said obstacle portion of said platform.
16. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
obstacle portion of said platform projects upward above said ball
support surface.
17. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
obstacle portion of said platform extends about the periphery of
said ball support surface.
18. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said ball
support surface is non-spherical.
19. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said ball
support surface is planar.
20. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said ball
support surface is configured to support the exercise ball for
rolling movement in all directions across said ball support
surface.
21. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said ball
support surface has a noncircular peripheral shape.
22. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
platform is configured to lay flat on a floor surface without
rocking.
23. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
platform has a rectangular peripheral shape.
24. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
platform has anchor structures configured for attachment of
exercise bands to said platform.
25. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said
platform has foot placement surfaces, each of which is configured
to support both feet of a user standing on said platform.
26. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said foot
placement surfaces include a pair of foot placement surfaces that
are spaced apart from each other across said ball support surface.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional
application Ser. No. 60/598,324 filed Aug. 3, 2004.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This technology relates to an apparatus for use with an
exercise ball.
BACKGROUND
[0003] An exercise ball can be used for core stabilizing exercises.
Specifically, a user can perform balancing exercises while sitting
on the ball.
SUMMARY
[0004] An apparatus for use with an exercise ball comprises a base
configured to stabilize rolling movement of the exercise ball under
the influence of a user seated on the ball. The base defines a
range in which rolling movement of the ball is unimpeded by the
base, and has an obstacle portion configured to impede rolling
movement of the ball beyond that range. This enables the base to
stabilize the ball and the seated user upon rolling movement of the
ball into contact with the obstacle portion of the base.
[0005] In the example described below, the base is a platform with
a ball support surface configured to support the ball for rolling
movement. The ball support surface is non-spherical, and the
obstacle portion of the platform projects upward above the ball
support surface. More specifically, the ball support surface in the
given example is a level planar surface, and the obstacle portion
of the platform is a rim structure that surrounds the ball support
surface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is perspective view of an exercise station that
includes an exercise ball, a base, and exercise bands.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a top view of the base shown in FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a side view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 5, schematically
showing a range of rolling movement of the exercise ball on the
base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The exercise station shown in FIG. 1 has parts that are
examples of the elements recited in the claims. These include an
exercise ball 10 that is sized for a person to perform core
stability exercises while sitting on the ball 10. A base 12 rests
on a floor surface 14 to support the ball 10 for rolling movement
under the influence of the seated user. Elastic exercise bands 16
are attached to the base 12.
[0013] This example of the claimed base 12 is a platform 12. This
particular platform 12 has a substantially rectangular peripheral
shape and is symmetrical about longitudinal and transverse
centerlines 21 and 23 (FIG. 2). A pair of parallel opposite side
edges 24 and 26 of the platform 12 extend longitudinally between a
pair of bowed opposite end edges 28 and 30. As shown in FIGS. 2-5,
the platform 12 is constructed as a unitary hollow body of molded
plastic material. The hollow structure of the platform 12 is rigid
enough to support the weight of the user without collapsing between
its top and bottom sides 34 and 36. The bottom side 36 of the
platform 12 is preferably configured to lay flat upon the floor
surface 14 without rocking, and preferably has recesses 38 for the
platform 12 to be stackable, as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The top
side 34 of the platform 12 has foot placement areas 40 and 42, and
further has a ball support surface 44.
[0014] The ball support surface 44 is configured to support the
exercise ball 10 for rolling movement under the influence of the
user seated on the ball 10. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this
particular ball support surface 44 is a level planar surface with a
smooth texture. As shown in FIG. 2, the ball support surface 44
preferably has a non-circular peripheral shape.
[0015] An obstacle portion 46 of the platform 12 is configured to
impede rolling movement of the ball 10 beyond the periphery of the
ball support surface 44. In this particular example, the obstacle
portion 46 projects upward above the ball support surface 44 as a
rim structure that extends continuously about the periphery of the
ball support surface 44. The platform 12 is thus configured to
support the ball 10 and the seated user such that the ball 10 has a
range of movement in which it can roll back and forth in all
directions across the ball support surface 44 under the influence
of the seated user without encountering any impediment to such
rolling movement, and is further configured to provide a
stabilizing impediment to such rolling movement if and when the
ball 10 moves into contact with the rim structure 46 at the
periphery of the ball support surface 44, as indicated in FIG.
6.
[0016] The platform 12 further has an array of anchor structures 60
for attachment of the exercise bands 16 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG.
2, four anchor structures 60 are provided in recesses 62 at the
opposite side edges 24 and 26 of the platform 12. Two additional
anchor structures 60 are provided in apertures 65 that extend
through the platform 12 at locations on the longitudinal centerline
21. Each anchor structure 60 is shaped as a rod for releasable
attachment of a clip 66 at the lower end of an exercise band
16.
[0017] The foot placement surfaces 40 and 42 extend across and
along the top 34 of the platform 12 between the rim structure 46
and the opposite ends 28 or 30 of the platform 12. The platform 12
is preferably large enough for a sitting or standing user to place
the left and right feet on opposite sides of the longitudinal
centerline 21 at either one of the foot placement surfaces 40 or
42. The user can then grasp the handles 74 on a pair of exercise
bands 16 while facing in either direction along the length of the
platform 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the foot placement surfaces
40 and 42 in this example are ribbed for traction, and have
distinct areas 76 for receiving labels.
[0018] This written description sets forth the best mode of the
claimed invention, and describes the claimed invention to enable a
person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use it, by
presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The
patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may
include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such
other examples, which may be available either before or after the
application filing date, are intended to be within the scope of the
claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the
literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent
structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal
language of the claims.
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