U.S. patent application number 14/132681 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-18 for hop balls.
The applicant listed for this patent is Fitness Equipment Manufacturing, LLC. Invention is credited to George M. Kessler.
Application Number | 20150165273 14/132681 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53367187 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150165273 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kessler; George M. |
June 18, 2015 |
HOP BALLS
Abstract
Exercise and play apparatus in the form of hop balls are
described. The balls beneficially may omit conventional handles,
hence avoiding transfer of balance-maintenance responsibility to
users' hands and arms. Instead, users' thighs engage a
generally-spherical upper portion of the hop balls for balance,
leading to higher core muscle engagement and greater caloric loss
than does play on existing balls.
Inventors: |
Kessler; George M.;
(Taftville, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fitness Equipment Manufacturing, LLC |
Uxbridge |
MA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53367187 |
Appl. No.: |
14/132681 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/77 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2208/0228 20130101;
A63B 41/00 20130101; A63B 2225/62 20130101; A63B 26/003 20130101;
A63B 5/166 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 26/00 20060101
A63B026/00 |
Claims
1. A hop ball comprising: a. a base; and b. an upper portion
configured in use so as to be contacted by thighs, but not grasped
by fingers, of a user.
2. A hop ball according to claim 1 in which each of the base and
upper portion is generally spherical in shape.
3. A hop ball according to claim 2 in which each of the base and
upper portion has a diameter, with the diameter of the base being
larger than the diameter of the upper portion.
4. A hop ball according to claim 3 omitting any finger-graspable
handle.
5. A hop ball according to claim 4 further comprising a neck
connecting the base and the upper portion.
6. A hop ball according to claim 5 in which each of the base, upper
portion, and neck, is hollow and filled with inflation fluid for
use.
7. A hop ball according to claim 6 formed of resilient material
selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic
rubbers.
8. A method of exercising comprising: a. sitting atop a hop ball
with buttocks in contact with a base of the hop ball and thighs in
contact with and squeezing an upper portion of the hop ball; and b.
causing the hop ball to bounce on a surface while continuing to sit
atop the hop ball.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to apparatus for play or exercise and
more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to
innovative hop balls lacking any conventional handle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] For many years children have enjoyed bouncing on, and
otherwise playing with, hop balls. Seemingly throughout millennia
such balls have been generally spherical in shape, made of natural
or synthetic rubber, and inflated with air. Importantly,
conventional hop balls each include a handle to be grasped by the
user; absent existence of the handle, a user would be unable to
balance for any extended period while sitting on the ball and
unable to control its movement when bouncing. Indeed, normal
balance while bouncing on a hop ball is achieved by a user grasping
and pulling upward on the handle while contacting the ball with his
or her buttocks and, at times, the backs of his or her thighs or
legs.
[0003] While bouncing on hop balls undoubtedly is fun, the activity
is not optimized for exercise purposes--especially working core
muscles and burning calories. This is largely a function of the
existence of the handle, as it transfers responsibility for balance
on a ball to the user's forearms, hands, and fingers. Thus,
conventional hop balls are not well suited as vehicles for
weight-loss purposes or other exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention, by contrast, provides hop balls very
well suited for exercise and weight-loss purposes. In particular,
the innovative hop balls are "hands-free," omitting the
conventional handle and hence inhibiting (if not wholly preventing)
users from using their arms, hands, and fingers to maintain balance
on the balls. Instead, preferred versions of the invention include
two generally-spherical portions separated by a narrower neck, with
the upper of the two portions having materially smaller diameter
than the lower of the two portions. Users' thighs contact and
squeeze the upper portions of the balls. As a consequence, thigh
muscles must be used to maintain balance on hop balls of the
present invention, leading to higher core muscle engagement and
greater caloric loss than does play on conventional balls.
[0005] Like conventional balls, hop balls of the invention may be
made of natural or synthetic rubber. Any other suitably-resilient
material alternatively may be used. The inventive hop balls
additionally may be inflated with air (as is conventional) or any
appropriate liquid, solid, or gas. These balls preferably are
molded with the two portions and neck being integral, although
other manufacturing or forming techniques may be employed
instead.
[0006] It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present
invention to provide novel apparatus for play or exercise.
[0007] It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present
invention to provide hop balls designed to exercise, among others,
thigh muscles of users.
[0008] It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present
invention to provide hop balls omitting conventional handles.
[0009] It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the
present invention to provide hop balls comprising two
generally-spherical portions of different diameters.
[0010] It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the
present invention to provide hop balls in which a
generally-spherical portion of smaller diameter is atop a base
portion of larger diameter.
[0011] It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the
present invention to provide hop balls in which the
generally-spherical portions are integral part of the balls and
separated by a neck.
[0012] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the appropriate
field with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this
application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary hop ball of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the hop ball of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the hop ball of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates the hop ball of FIG. 11 in use by a
user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Depicted in FIGS. 1-4 is exemplary hop ball 10 of the
present invention. As illustrated, hop ball 10 may include a lower
portion or base 14 as well as upper portion 18. Separating base 14
and upper portion 18 may be neck 22. Notably absent from hop ball
10 is any conventional "handle," as the types of finger-grasped
handles used for existing hop balls are intentionally omitted.
[0018] Base 14, upper portion 18, and neck 22 advantageously are
integrated components of hop ball 10, although those skilled in the
art may, if desired, form any of these components separately and
thereafter attach them together. Indeed, preferred versions of hop
ball 10 are molded in a single piece if possible or two pieces that
are then sonically welded or otherwise connected together. Hop ball
10 typically is formed of natural or synthetic rubber; other
resilient materials may be used instead, however.
[0019] Hop ball 10 beneficially may be hollow, with each of base
14, upper portion 18, and neck 22 configured to receive air or
other inflation fluid. In this case ball 10 may include a valve
(not shown) suitable to allow partial or complete filling of the
hollow interior and to retain most or all of the fluid within the
interior. Such valve also may allow fluid to exit the interior when
desired so as to reduce the overall volume of ball 10 for, e.g.,
transit or storage. Alternatively, the interior of hop ball 10 may
be solid (or filled in whole or in part with solid material),
although this configuration is not presently preferred.
[0020] FIGS. 2-3 provide sample dimensions of hop ball 10. As shown
in the elevational view of FIG. 2, height H of ball 10 may have
total height of approximately 85 cm. Diameter of base 14 may
approximate 60 cm see FIG. 3), while diameter of upper portion 18
may be approximately 20.3 cm. Hop ball 10 need not be sized in the
manner illustrated, however, and instead may have other sizes as
appropriate or desired.
[0021] As shaped, base 14 is predominantly, or generally,
spherical, as is upper portion 18 of hop ball 10. Variations in
shape of base 14 are permissible as long as satisfactory bounciness
of hop ball 10 is maintained. Likewise, upper portion 18 too may
vary in shape if necessary or desired. Neck 22 need not have any
particular size or shape, although it beneficially may have length
and width substantially smaller than the diameter of upper portion
18 so as to be materially narrower than either base 14 or upper
portion 18.
[0022] A generally-spherical shape for upper portion 18 is
preferred, however, to facilitate interaction with, in particular,
thigh muscles of a user. FIG. 4 depicts such a human user U
employing hop ball 10 for exercise or play purposes. Illustrated is
user U sitting on ball 10 with her buttocks in contact with base 14
and her thighs contacting upper portion 18 and partially
surrounding both it and neck 22. To assist maintaining her balance
on ball 10 as it bounces, user U squeezes upper portion 18 with her
thigh muscles. This action also likely tensions buttocks and other
muscles of user U, leading to high core muscle engagement between
the user U and ball 10. Initial testing indicates use of hop ball
10 comes at higher caloric cost than does use of conventional hop
balls with handles, thus potentially increasing weight loss of user
U for a given interaction with ball 10.
[0023] The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating,
explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention.
Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent
to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from
the scope or spirit of the invention. Indeed, for example, although
the words "lower" and "upper" appear herein in relation to base 14
and portion 18, such words do not imply that portion 18 is always
above base 14 or that, when above base 14, portion 18 is directly
above base 14 relative to the ground or another surface.
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