Reducing Roller Device

Abstract

A reducing roller device consisting of a tubular member of yieldable material having the end portions thereof supported between a pair of flat discs mounted for rotation about a shaft extending axially of the tubular member and terminating in a pair of handles at opposed ends thereof outwardly of the respective discs. A modified embodiment provides that the tubular member form a closed sealed chamber between the discs with an entrance to the chamber being provided by one of the discs so that water, sand, or other types of fluid or granular materials may be placed into the chamber in a manner to control the yieldable deformation characteristics of the tubular member when pressed against an individual's skin and caused to roll thereagainst.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to reducing devices and more particularly to a novel and improved roller device having selectable roller characteristics adjustable by the user for providing the desired results when the roller is pressed against skin and caused to roll thereagainst in a manner to enhance muscle tone.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The increased emphasis that has been placed in recent years upon the reportedly delapidated physical condition of individuals has prompted many individuals to undertake various forms of excercise and dieting. However, while many individuals undertake a diet, they do not exercise on a regular basis thus providing the disadvantage that in dieting, the loss of weight tends to make the individual's skin hang loosely for failure of exercising in conjunction with the dieting, thereby presenting an unattractive flabby appearance.

It would thus be desirable to provide a device readily usable by an individual in the confines and privacy of the home and office in a manner to provide both exercise to the individual while acting against the individual's skin in a manner to enhance muscle tone and assist in overcoming any flabby appearance which would otherwise be a problem when dieting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a roll-away fat exerciser which is basically similar to a rolling pin in operation but includes a novel rolling surface adapted to be pressed against an individual's skin and caused to roll thereagainst in a manner conforming thereto.

A further feature of the present invention provides a reducing rolling device having an inner most chamber extending the length of the rolling device and adapted to be filled with fluids or granular material through an opening provided in one end of the device such that the flexible yieldable characteristics of the rolling surface of the device may be selectably controlled by the individual user.

Yet still further features of the invention is the provision of a reducing rolling device which is simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a low cost and by simple manufacturing methods; one which is rugged and durable and which therefore will provide many years of usage to the individual in a carefree and maintenance free manner; one which is aesthetically pleasing and refined in appearance; and one which, otherwise, is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reducing roller device embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along Line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the roller of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional front elevational view of the end of the roller of FIG. 3 having the opening therethrough for gaining access to the chamber within the inner surface of the roller; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the tubular roller showing the peripheral inwardly directed bead formed inwardly of the roller end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2 inclusive, a preferred form of a reducing roller device embodying the invention is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and is comprised of a tubular member 11 of flexible yieldable material, such as sponge rubber, having the end portions thereof supported about the periphery 12 of a pair of longitudinally spaced apart end discs 13 in a manner to engage the endmost inner surfaces of the tubular member and retain the same mounted thereon. Disposed centrally of the disc 13 are handles 14, each handle 14 being associated with one of the discs 13 and projecting axially outwardly therefrom and being rotatably mounted at one end to the associated disc in a manner permitting the stationary holding of the handles 14 with the tubular member 11 being reciprocally rotatably movable about its axis as defined by the axis of the handles.

In operation, an individual grasps the handles 14 in both hands and then presses the outer circumferance of tubular member 11 against the skin, and then causes the tubular member to roll against the skin by moving the roller device back and forth therealong with the tubular member in contact with the skin. As the tubular member is made of a flexible yieldable material it will conform to the contours of the skin so as to effect a smooth pleasant feeling to the individual as it is rolled against the skin in a manner to enhance muscle tone and firm the skin muscles to prevent flabbiness and the like during dieting and associated weight loss.

It is to be understood that a further modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 would be the provision of a shaft axially extending through the tubular member and journaled axially of the longitudinally spaced opposed discs 13 to provide a firm interconnection of the discs and associated handles while still permitting the flexible engagement of the tubular member with the contours of the skin.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 3-6 inclusive, there is disclosed an alternative preferred form of a reducing roller device generally designated by reference numeral 20.

The reducing roller device 20 consists of a longitudinally extending elongated supporting shaft 21 axially journaled at its opposite ends centrally of discs 22 and 23, each disc having a handle member 24 disposed centrally thereof and projecting axially outwardly therefrom with one end of each of the handles being rotatably connected to the associated discs to permit rotation of the discs about their axis when the handles are grasped in the hands of an individual. A tubular member 25 of flexible yieldable material, such as thin walled plastic, extends between the discs 22 and 23 with the end portions thereof overlapping a portion of the outer peripheries 26 and 27 of the discs 22 and 23 respectively in a manner to define an inner chamber 30 between the innermost surfaces of tubular member 25 and the inner most surfaces of the discs 22 and 23. Each disc 22 and 23 is provided with a circumferally extending groove 31 about its periphery intermediate the sides of each disc, with each of the end portions of the tubular member having an inwardly directed circumferentially extending bead 32 about the inner surface inwardly of each end and adapted to seat in one of the grooves in the discs in a manner to maintain the tubular member properly seated on the disc to maintain the inner chamber 30 tightly sealed from the atmosphere.

Extending through disc 22 in a direction parallel to the axis thereof is an opening 35 providing access to inner chamber 30, the outermost end portion of the opening being internally threaded such as indicated by reference numeral 36 in a manner to tightly receive therein a threaded screw type cap member 37 having an enlarged head portion and adapted to be threadedly received in the threaded portion 36 of the opening 35 in a manner to tightly seal the same against the atmosphere.

In operation, the roller device 20 may be utilized in the same manner as the aforedescribed roller device 10, but the preferred usage of roller device 20 is to remove the cap 37 from the opening 35 and then fill the inner chamber 30 with a fluid, such as water, or with a granular material, such as sand, in order to adjust the degree of flexibility of the tubular member 25 to the desired resiliency as it is rolled over the contours of the skin, as well as to adjust the weight of the roller device such that a reducing device is provided which not only is adjusted for different flexibilities with the skin in a manner to enhance muscle tone and reduce flabby skin conditions, but is also adjusted as to weight such that in operation the individual is also benefitting in the lifting and the lowering of the weight, such as when the device is utilized when the individual is standing and the device is rolled against the stomach muscles, legs, and other body portions, with the individual lifting and lowering the device in contact with the skin.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A reducing roller device comprising:

a pair of longitudinally spaced parallelly extending flat discs, each disc provided with a circumferally extending groove about its periphery intermediate the sides of the discs;

a pair of handles each disposed centrally of an associated disc in a manner projecting axially outwardly therefrom, one end of each of the handles rotatably connected to the associated disc in a manner permitting rotation of the disc about its axis relative to the handle;

a longitudinally extending elongated supporting shaft interconnecting the innermost confronting side surfaces of the pair of discs for positively retaining the same at a present longitudinal spacing;

a tubular member of flexible yieldable material adapted to extend between and overlap the periphery of each of the discs, the ends of the tubular member each having an inner diameter of a size and configuration adapted to be placed over the periphery of each disc and secured thereto for effecting rotation of the tubular member about its axis simultaneously with the rotation of each of the discs, the tubular member having an inwardly directed circumferentially extending bead formed about the inner surface thereof near each end thereof and adapted to seat in one of the grooves in the disc to maintain the tubular member thereon; and

whereby the handle members may be grasped in the two hands of an individual with the outer circumference of the tubular member pressed against an individual's skin in a manner to conform to the contours thereof and be rolled thereagainst in a reciprocal manner to assist in elimination of flabby skin conditions and to enhance muscle tone.

2. The reducing roller device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a hollow cylindrical chamber sealed from the atmosphere is defined between the inner surface of the tubular member and the innermost confronting sides of the discs; an opening in one of the discs extending substantially parallel to the axis thereof completely through the discs between the sides thereof in a manner communicating the chamber with the atmosphere; a cap threadedly received in the outermost end of the opening in a manner to tightly seal the same against the atmosphere, such that fluid, granular material, and the like may be selectively introduced into the chamber through the opening in a manner to selectively adjust the degree of resiliency of the tubular member as it is rolled against the skin of an individual, the cap sealing the opening to retain the fluid, granular material, and the like therein while permitting the same to be removed therefrom and interchanged with other materials as desired by the user.