U.S. patent application number 13/493461 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-12 for exercise belt.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mauro Spina. Invention is credited to Mauro Spina.
Application Number | 20130331241 13/493461 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49715765 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130331241 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spina; Mauro |
December 12, 2013 |
Exercise Belt
Abstract
An exercise belt is disclosed a belt with a plurality of docking
stations and at least one resistance handle component. The
resistance handle component includes a line connected at one end to
a handle and at the other end to a retractor. The line is
substantially completely retracted into the retractor unless being
affirmatively pulled from it. Each resistance handle component is
detachably connected to a docking station. Multiple docking
stations allow for adjustable sizing of the belt and varying
exercising angles. The resistance handle component's being
detachably connected to a docking station contributes to the
adjustable sizing, and allows for replacing one resistance handle
component with another resistance handle component having a higher
resistance.
Inventors: |
Spina; Mauro; (Los Angeles,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Spina; Mauro |
Los Angeles |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49715765 |
Appl. No.: |
13/493461 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/124 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/4035 20151001;
A63B 2208/0252 20130101; A63B 21/0442 20130101; A63B 21/00185
20130101; A63B 23/1209 20130101; A63B 23/03541 20130101; A63B
2225/68 20130101; A63B 21/4009 20151001; A63B 21/00061 20130101;
A63B 21/0552 20130101; A63B 21/4025 20151001; A63B 69/0028
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/124 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/02 20060101
A63B021/02 |
Claims
1. An exercise belt comprising a belt including a plurality of
docking stations and at least one resistance handle component, said
resistance handle component comprising a line connected at one end
to a handle and at the other end to a retractor, with the line's
being substantially completely retracted into the retractor unless
it is being affirmatively pulled from it, said resistance handle
component being detachably connected to a docking station.
2. The exercise belt of claim 1 wherein said line is formed of
material selected from the group consisting of cable, cord and
wire.
3. The exercise belt of claim 2 wherein said resistance handle
component includes a rotating mount which detachably connects to a
docking station.
4. The exercise belt of claim 3 wherein said docking station is a
strip having each of its ends sewn to said belt.
5. The exercise belt of claim 1 wherein said handle is a closed
loop.
6. The exercise belt of claim 5 wherein said closed loop is formed
of a squeezable gel-filled material.
7. The exercise belt of claim 1 wherein said belt includes at least
three docking stations and two resistance handle components.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to the field of exercise and
rehabilitation equipment.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] Portable and light-weight upper body and arm strength
developing equipment such as (i) low-weight dumb bells, (ii) chest
expanders, with resistance bands, or coil springs disposed between
hand grips and (iii) over-the-door or furniture-attached exercise
equipment, also with resistance bands or coil springs, these with
an attachment means at one end and a hand grip at the other, exist
in the prior art.
[0005] While these are portable, they are conveniently useful only
when the user remains in one place. For a person desiring to
exercise his upper body or arms while walking or jogging,
over-the-door and furniture-attached equipment are obviously
unsuitable. Dumb bells and chest expanders are inconvenient for a
person walking or jogging because, as the person continues walking
or jogging after the upper body or arm exercises are completed,
such equipment must still be carried in the person's hand or
hands.
[0006] One potential solution is for the walking or jogging person
to wear a belt on which the exercise equipment could be hung. Even
so, walking or jogging with dumb bells or a chest expander on a
belt would not typically be comfortable.
[0007] A potential solution for the walker or jogger wanting to
conveniently exercise his upper body and arms was hinted at in
October 2010 on the Internet at www.noadoinc.com/belts.html. See
FIG. 5 in the drawings included herewith. On that web page, an
exercise belt (also known as a lumbar support belt) is shown with a
two handles each attached to a retractable line that in turn is
attached to a retractor that is sewn into a fixed position in the
belt. The retractor does not rotate relative to the belt, thereby
subjecting the line and retractor to friction and stress. The text
accompanying a photograph of the belt states, [0008] "Add more to
your walk and give your upper body a boost with fluid fingertip
movement with our upper-body exercise belt. The soft plush handles
feel good to the touch with forward movement and full hand
rotation. [0009] "Get full range upper muscle movement all while
your lower-lumbar gets Flex-Lastic support when you sit or
walk."
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The invention is an exercise belt that provides convenience
for people seeking to build arm and upper body strength while
walking or jogging. The invention is also useful for rehabilitation
of people recovering from illness, injury, and surgery, and for
elderly people who should be exercising whenever they have the
opportunity. Such people can wear the invention throughout the day
and exercise their arms and upper bodies at almost any time,
whether lying down, sitting, or standing or moving while fully
upright.
[0011] The invention includes a belt with a plurality of docking
stations and at least one resistance handle component. The
resistance handle component includes a line connected at one end to
a handle and at the other end to a retractor. The line is
substantially completely retracted into the retractor unless being
affirmatively pulled from it. Each resistance handle component is
detachably connected to a docking station. Multiple docking
stations allow for adjustable sizing of the belt and varying
exercising angles. The resistance handle component's being
detachably connected to a docking station contributes to the
adjustable sizing, and allows for replacing one resistance handle
component with another resistance handle component having a higher
resistance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a view of outside the exercise belt (as opposed to
the side of the belt that would face a wearer's body) of the
present invention with its resistance handle components separated
from the belt.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a view of outside the exercise belt of the present
invention with its resistance handle components attached to the
belt.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a view of outside the exercise belt of the present
invention with its resistance handle components attached to the
belt at different positions from those shown in FIG. 2.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a view of the invention worn by a user.
[0016] FIG. 5 is prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The preferred embodiment of the invention are illustrated in
the attached drawings which are referred to herein. The same
reference numeral will be used to identify identical elements
throughout the drawings.
[0018] The invention is an exercise belt that includes at least
one, and preferably two, resistance handle components detachably
connected to it.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the exercise belt 10 includes a belt 12
and two resistance handle components 20.
[0020] Belt 12 is similar to lumbar support belts that are
available from many commercial suppliers. Like many lumbar support
belts, belt 12 includes hook-and-loop fastener 14 and 16 at its
ends. (Fastener portion 14 is shown in phantom lines because the
drawings show the outside of the exercise belt and fastener portion
14 is affixed to the inside of the belt--that is, the side of the
belt that faces the wearer when in use.) Either or both of fastener
portions 14 and 16 is sufficiently large to allow the belt to be
adjusted for different sizes of waists. Other fastening systems
could be used, including but not limited to strap and buckle
fasteners.
[0021] The exercise belt may be adapted to provide varying degrees
and types of support for the back, and may include shoulder straps.
For additional convenience, belt 12 may also include slots, sewn in
pockets and pouches for the user to hands-free carry keys, money,
identification cards and the like.
[0022] Belt 12 of the invention also includes multiple docking
stations 18. At a minimum there should be two docking stations, and
preferably there are between three and ten docking stations. In the
preferred embodiment there are at least three. Each resistance
handle component is detachably connected to a docking station 18.
Docking stations 18 may be of any type that can receive a
resistance handle component, including but not limited to split
rings and snap links that are securely sewn into the belt. In the
preferred embodiment, each docking station 18 is a strip, made of
strong material, such as, for example, nylon, with its ends sewn to
belt 12 in a manner that is similar to the way a belt loop is sewn
to the waist of a pair of pants. Preferably, the strip is attached
to the belt so that it does not extend too far out from the belt so
as to avoid the opportunity for snagging on other objects.
[0023] Multiple docking stations allow for adjustable positioning
of each resistance handle component as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
thereby accommodating different-sized users and allowing for
different exercises and ranges of motion during exercises.
[0024] The preferred resistance handle component 20 includes a high
strength line 24, which may be formed of cord, cable or wire or
other suitable material, that is connected at one of its ends to
handle 26 and at the other end to retractor 22. The line is
substantially completely retracted into the retractor unless it is
being affirmatively pulled from it. Retractor and line combinations
have been commercially available, such as the retractable tool
tethers from Hammerhead Industries of Ventura, Calif. and AGC
Enterprises NW, LLC of Portland, Oreg. Retractor 22 includes a
mount by which it is detachably connected to a docking station on
belt 12. The mount may be any suitable mount, including but not
limited to a strap, spit ring and a snap link. In the preferred
embodiment, the mount is a belt clip that is rotatably connected to
the retractor's body. The belt clip may be detachably connected to
a strip forming a docking station, and thus the resistance handle
component 20 is detachably connected to belt 12. By having its
mount rotatably connected to the retractor's body the retractor
body can swivel as the user pulls or pushes on handle 26, thereby
reducing shear stress and friction on the line as it is pulled out
from and retracted back into the retractor's body. Because the
resistance handle component is detachably connected to belt 12, as
a user becomes stronger the user may replace a resistance handle
component with one that offers greater resistance. Resistances
(i.e., the force needed to pull or push the handle away from the
retractor body) may range from several ounces to many pounds,
depending upon the specific retractor body and line combination
that is selected.
[0025] Handle 26 may take any suitable shape. To reduce the risk
that the handle may slip from the grip of a user, handle 26 is
preferably a formed as a closed loop that is sufficiently large to
fit around a user's hand. The closed loop may be a fixed closed
loop, or it may be an adjustable closed loop, such as with a strap
and buckle closure, or a hook and pile closure. To add a
grip-strengthening exercise opportunity, the closed loop may be
made of a squeezable gel-filled material.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates the invention as worn and used by a user.
In that drawing, the user is a version of Leonardo da Vinci's
Vitruvian Man. With his hands directly outstretched, with lines 24
and handles 26 shown in solid lines, one exercise is shown. With
his hands extended slightly upward, with lines 24 and handles 26
shown in phantom lines, another exercise is shown. A user could
also, while holding handles 26, (i) push his hands straight down to
perform the equivalent of a dip exercise, (ii) pull his hands to
his shoulders to perform the equivalent of a curl exercise, and
(iii) push his hands straight up above his head to perform the
equivalent of a overhead press exercise. Other exercises may also
be performed, with the variety of available exercises being
increased by the choices of docking stations available for the
disposition of a resistance handle component or of two resistance
handle components.
[0027] Line 20 should be sufficiently long to accommodate the full
extension of a user's hand away from the retractor's body. For most
people, a 50 inch line should be more than long enough.
[0028] Exercises may be done while the user is lying down, sitting,
standing, and even while the user is walking or jogging. When the
user is not exercising his arms and upper body, the user may simply
allow the line to be retracted and the user can continue going
about his day, including walking or jogging, with his hands free.
Exercises may be conveniently done by those already fit, by the
elderly, and by those going through rehabilitation.
[0029] It will be understood that various changes of the details,
materials, steps, arrangement of parts and uses which have been
herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of
the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the
art, and such changes are intended to be included within the scope
of this invention.
* * * * *
References