Resistive Exercise Apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus being used for a sit-on-chair exercise, and an elastic strip attached to ends of the cushioned strap to form a closed loop therewith, the elastic strip providing a resistive force to an exercising person when a portion of the elastic strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates generally to body exercise apparatus and method, and, more particularly, to chair-based resistive exercise apparatus and method.

[0002] A need to exercise torso muscles to well recognized especial for office workers. Numerous chair-based exercise systems are well known in the art. However most of the chair-based exercise systems require specially made chairs to accommodate resistive devices for performing the torso exercises. Those specially made chairs are not only uneconomical but also more or less defeat the purpose of a chair to be used in an office for work.

[0003] As such, what is desired is an apparatus for utilizing a regular chair to perform resistive exercises, particularly for the torso muscles of the body.

SUMMARY

[0004] The present invention discloses an exercise apparatus. According to one aspect of the present invention, the exercise apparatus comprises a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus being used for a sit-on-chair exercise, and an elastic strip attached to ends of the cushioned strap to form a closed loop therewith, the elastic strip providing a resistive force to an exercising person when a portion of the elastic strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present invention, the exercise apparatus comprises a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus is used for a sit-on-chair exercise, a first and a second elastic strip attached to each end of the cushioned strap, respectively, and a length-adjustable strip attached to both the first and the second elastic strip, the length-adjustable strip having a variable length, wherein the cushioned strap, the first and second elastic strips and the length-adjustable strip form a closed loop, and the first and the second elastic strips provide a resistive force to an exercising person when the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on.

[0006] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the exercise apparatus comprises a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus is used for a sit-on-chair exercise, a first and a second elastic strip attached to each end of the cushioned strap, respectively, and a length-adjustable strip attached to both the first and the second elastic strip by at least one hooking device, the length-adjustable strip having a variable length, wherein the cushioned strap, the first and second elastic strips, the hooking device and the length-adjustable strip form a closed loop, and the first and the second elastic strips provide a resistive force to an exercising person when the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on, and wherein when the hooking device is unhooked, one end of the length-adjustable strip is detached from the first or the second elastic strip by the hooking device.

[0007] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0008] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a method for exercising torso muscles of the body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an elastic strip apparatus for performing the exercises depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0010] The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearer conception of the invention, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference numbers (if they occur in more than one view) designate the same elements. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description presented herein.

DESCRIPTION

[0011] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a method for exercising the torso muscles of the body according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1A, a person 102 sits on a regular office chair 104 with an elastic strip apparatus 110 having a cushioned portion 112 strapped over the back of the person's head. The elastic strip apparatus 110 forms a closed loop (not shown) with a the cushioned portion 112 strapping over the person's head, and another portion 114 loops around a supporting pole 106 of the office chair 104. The elastic strip apparatus 110 is stretched in front of the person 102, so that the elastic strip apparatus 110 provides a resistive force against the person's upper body moving upward from a bent down position. The cushioned portion 112 of the elastic strip apparatus 110 is padded with a soft cushion so that the strapping does not hurt the person's head. A skilled in the art may immediately recognize that the cushioned portion 112 can be strapped over the neck or the shoulders of the person 102 instead.

[0012] Referring to FIG. 1B, the same person 102 also sits on the regular office chair 104, but the elastic strip apparatus 110 is stretched behind the person 102 with the cushioned portion 112 strapped over the forehead of the person 102, and the portion 114 loops around the supporting pole 106 of the office chair 104. Therefore, the elastic strip apparatus 110 provides a resistive force against the person's upper body moving forward. A skilled in the art may immediately recognize that the cushioned portion 112 can instead be strapped over the shoulders of the person 102.

[0013] Although FIGS. 1A and 1B depicts only back and forth movement of the person 102 for exercising the abdominal and back muscles, a skilled in the art may recognize that the elastic strip apparatus 110 can also provide resistive force for side-to-side movement of the person 102 when the elastic strip apparatus 110 is stretched around a side of the office chair 104 and the cushioned portion 112 of the elastic strip apparatus 110 is strapped over either a side of the neck or a shoulder of the person 102 (not shown).

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an implementation of the elastic strip apparatus 110 for performing the exercises depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The elastic strip apparatus 110 has a cushioned portion 112, a pair of symmetrical elastic portions 205, and a length-adjustable portion 210, along with two pairs of symmetrical joints 220 and 230 forming a closed loop. The cushioned portion 112 is generally non-elastic and padded a soft member (not shown). The cushioned portion 112 provides a soft contact to the body. The elastic portion 205 is made of a rubber tube. Different wall thicknesses and diameters of the rubber tube can provide different resistive forces to meet the needs of people with different strengths.

[0015] Referring again to FIG. 2, a first end of the elastic portion 205 is attached to the cushioned portion 112 by the joint 220. A second end of the elastic portion 205 is attached to the length-adjustable portion 210 by the joint 230. The joint 220 is conventionally made of a metal ring 223 riveted through a fabric strip 225 which in term is sewed to an end of the cushioned portion 112. The first end of the elastic portion 205 is inserted through the metal ring 223. A bulge 228 provided at the first end of elastic portion 205 prevents the first end of the elastic portion 205 from slipping through the metal ring 223, so that the elastic portion 205 and the cushioned portion 112 are joined. The joint 230 is similarly constructed with a metal ring 233, a fabric strip 235 and a bulge 238 at the second end of the elastic portion 205. The fabric strip 235 is attached with a ring 239 for linking the joint 230 with the length-adjustable portion 210.

[0016] Referring again to FIG. 2, the length-adjustable portion 210 is customarily made of a non-elastic fabric strip. A ring fixture 212 attached to one end of the non-elastic fabric strip allows a part or the whole length of the length-adjustable portion 210 to be double folded. With a fixed overall strip length, the longer the folded portion 214, the shorter the length-adjustable portion 210. Adjusting the length of the length-adjustable portion 210 is to meet the needs of people with different body sizes.

[0017] Referring again to FIG. 2, at each end of the length-adjustable portion 210, a self-lock hook 215 is attached. The self-lock hook 215 hooks up with the ring 239 to complete the closed loop of the elastic strip apparatus 110. The self-lock hook 215 can be easily unhooked from the ring 239 to open up the loop of the elastic strip apparatus 110, thereby the elastic strip apparatus 110 can be easily wrapped around the supporting pole 106 of the office chair 104. Although FIG. 2 shows that both ends of the length-adjustable portion 210 are attached with the self-lock hook 215, a skilled in the art would realize that the self-lock hook 215 is only needed at one end of the length-adjustable portion 210, and the other end can be sewed directly to the corresponding fabric strip 235. While desirable, the length-adjustable portion 210 can, in fact, be eliminated all together and the elastic portion 205 can be just one continuous piece of a rubber tube, and the simplified elastic strip apparatus can still perform the exercises as depicted hereinabove.

[0018] The above illustration provides many different embodiments or embodiments for implementing different features of the invention. Specific embodiments of components and processes are described to help clarify the invention. These are, of course, merely embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention from that described in the claims.

[0019] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus being used for a sit-on-chair exercise; and an elastic strip attached to ends of the cushioned strap to form a closed loop therewith, the elastic strip providing a resistive force to an exercising person when a portion of the elastic strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip is made of a rubber tube.

3. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip includes a length-adjustable portion for adjusting the total length of the closed loop.

4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein the length-adjustable portion is made of a non-elastic fabric.

5. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein a length of the length-adjustable portion is adjustable by double folding a part or the whole length of the length-adjustable portion.

6. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein the elastic strip is divided into two separate elastic sections by the length-adjustable portion.

7. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip includes at least a hooking device for separating and rejoining two portions of the elastic strip.

8. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushioned strap and the elastic strip are attached to each other by at least one hooking device, wherein when the hooking device is unhooked, the cushioned strap and the elastic strip are detached by the hooking device.

9. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the elastic strip is restricted by a supporting pole of the chair.

10. An exercise apparatus comprising: a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus is used for a sit-on-chair exercise; a first and a second elastic strip attached to each end of the cushioned strap, respectively; and a length-adjustable strip attached to both the first and the second elastic strip, the length-adjustable strip having a variable length, wherein the cushioned strap, the first and second elastic strips and the length-adjustable strip form a closed loop, and the first and the second elastic strips provide a resistive force to an exercising person when the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on.

11. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second elastic strips are made of rubber tubes.

12. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the length-adjustable strip is made of a non-elastic fabric and a length of the length-adjustable strip is adjustable by double folding a part or the whole length of the length-adjustable strip.

13. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first or the second elastic strip is attached to the length-adjustable strip by a hooking device wherein when the hooking device is unhooked, the first or the second elastic strip and the length-adjustable strip are detached by the hooking device.

14. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first or the second elastic strip is attached to the cushioned strap by one hooking device, wherein when the hooking device is unhooked, the first or the second elastic strip and the cushioned strap are detached by the hooking device.

15. The exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a supporting pole of the chair.

16. An exercise apparatus comprising: a cushioned strap for providing a soft contact with a person's body when the exercise apparatus is used for a sit-on-chair exercise; a first and a second elastic strip attached to each end of the cushioned strap, respectively; and a length-adjustable strip attached to both the first and the second elastic strip by at least one hooking device, the length-adjustable strip having a variable length, wherein the cushioned strap, the first and second elastic strips, the hooking device and the length-adjustable strip form a closed loop, and the first and the second elastic strips provide a resistive force to an exercising person when the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a chair the exercising person sits on, and wherein when the hooking device is unhooked, one end of the length-adjustable strip is detached from the first or the second elastic strip by the hooking device.

17. The exercise apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second elastic strips are made of rubber tubes.

18. The exercise apparatus of claim 16, wherein the length-adjustable strip is made of a non-elastic fabric and a length of the length-adjustable strip is adjustable by double folding a part or the whole length of the length-adjustable strip.

19. The exercise apparatus of claim 16, wherein the length-adjustable strip is restricted by a supporting pole of the chair.