Apparatus for circuit and other fitness training

• US 20060128540A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vincent K. Engle
• Original Assignee: Vincent K. Engle
• Inventors: Engle, Vincent K.
• Application Number:
  US11/292,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/123
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/027 using player's own weight, e.g. on a platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/04 attached to static foundation , e.g. a user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0442 Anchored at one end only, the other end being manipulated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0557 Details of attachments, e.g. clips or clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/16 Supports for anchoring force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0252 supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04

Abstract

An exercise apparatus that provides easily and quickly adjustable resistive forces during a wide variety of fitness-related activities. The apparatus comprises a housing having an internal space wherein multiple resilient members, such as elastic cords or stretchable bands, are fully contained while in a rest state; an attachment point where each resilient member is securely affixed to the housing; and an aperture located substantially opposite the attachment point, through which resilient members are accessible, and to which a handle assembly is removably attached. A user may selectably attach the handle assembly to one or several resilient members in order to select the desired resistive force. Because resilient members are fully contained within the housing when in a rest state, the resilient members exert a resistive force immediately upon being extended from the aperture in the housing.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising

A three-dimensional housing having an interior and an exterior;

A means for resisting a first force, said means for resisting lying substantially within said interior of said housing and being capable of exerting a selectably adjustable second force in opposition to said first force; and

A means for grasping said means for resisting, said means for grasping being accessible from said exterior of said housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for resisting said first force comprises multiple resilient members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising multiple means for resisting forces exerted at different points on said exterior of said housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a removably attachable housing component selected from the group consisting of a riser, a wedge, and a backrest.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a first housing component and a second housing component, said first housing component being fixedly attached to said second housing component.

6. An exercise apparatus comprising

A three dimensional housing having an interior and an exterior;

Multiple resilient members,

each one of said multiple resilient members comprising a first end and a second end,

said first end of each one of said multiple resilient members being affixed to an attachment point on said housing and

said second ends of all of said multiple resilient members lying substantially adjacent to one another at a grasping point on said housing; and

A means for grasping said multiple resilient members wherein said means for grasping is selectably attachable to one, multiple, or all of said second ends of said multiple resilient members at said grasping point, said grasping point being accessible from said exterior of said housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said resilient members do not all provide an equal amount of resistant force.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the relative amount of said resistant force of said resilient members is indicated at a location that is visible from said exterior of said housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the length of said resilient member when in a rest state is substantially equal to the distance between said attachment point and said grasping point.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said second ends of said resilient members further comprise a stop, and said grasping point is substantially adjacent to a resting place for each one of said resilient members, said stop engaging said resting place so as to substantially prevent said resilient member from being displaced substantially from said grasping point towards said interior of said housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said grasping point comprises an aperture in said housing, said aperture further comprising a roller that substantially reduces frictional resistance between said resilient member and said housing when said second end of said resilient member is extended through said aperture.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said means for grasping comprises a handle assembly comprising an optional attachment ring, a snap ring, and a handle selected from the group consisting of a loop of flexible material, a rigid handhold and one or more pieces of flexible material, a rigid handhold suitable for gripping with one hand, and a rigid bar suitable for gripping with two hands.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said housing further comprises a substantially polygonal shape in the plane upon which said housing rests and sides extending substantially perpendicular to the plane upon which said housing rests.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said housing further comprises a handle suitable for lifting said apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said housing further comprises a removably attachable housing component selected from the group consisting of a riser, a wedge, and a backrest.

16. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said housing comprises a first housing component and a second housing component, said first housing component being fixedly attached to said second housing component.

17. An exercise apparatus comprising:

A three dimensional housing comprising an interior, an exterior, a top surface, and sides, said sides comprising two short sides and two long sides;

Multiple resistance sets, each of said resistance sets comprising

Multiple resilient members,

each one of said multiple resilient members comprising a first end and a second end,

said first end of each one of said multiple resilient members being affixed to an attachment point on said housing and

said second ends of all of said multiple resilient members lying substantially adjacent to one another at a grasping point located in one of said sides of said housing,

said multiple resilient members being substantially below said top surface of said housing between said attachment points and said grasping point, and

each one of said multiple resilient members having a rest-state length that is substantially equal to the distance between said attachment point and said grasping point;

Each one of said multiple resistance sets lying substantially parallel to one of said sides in said housing; and

A means for grasping said second ends of said multiple resilient members of each of said multiple resistance sets, wherein said means for grasping is selectably attachable to one, multiple, or all of said second ends of said multiple resilient members at said grasping point, said grasping point being accessible from said exterior of said housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said resilient members do not all provide an equal amount of resistant force.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the relative amount of said resistant force is indicated at a location that is visible from said exterior of said housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said second ends of said resilient members further comprise a stop, and said grasping point is substantially adjacent to a resting place for each one of said resilient members, said stop engaging said resting place so as to substantially prevent said resilient member from being displaced from said grasping point towards said interior of said housing.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said grasping point comprises an aperture in said housing, said aperture further comprising a roller that substantially reduces frictional resistance between said resilient member and said housing when said second end of said resilient member is extended through said aperture.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 in which said means for grasping for each one of said multiple resistance sets comprises an optional attachment ring, a snap ring, and a handle selected from the group consisting of a loop of flexible material, a rigid handhold and one or more pieces of flexible material, a rigid handhold suitable for gripping with one hand, and a rigid bar suitable for gripping with two hands.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said housing further comprises a removably attachable housing component selected from the group consisting of a riser, a wedge, and a backrest.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said housing comprises a first housing component and a second housing component, said first housing component being fixedly attached to said second housing component.