Gymnastic Tool, Apparatus And Method To Carry Out It

• US 20120129657A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trial Company Incorporated (Trial Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trial Company Incorporated (Trial Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Montanari, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 8,944,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/62 Inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/125 Large inflatable balls primarily used as body supports for exercising, e.g. balancing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/04 Rotational or centrifugal casting, i.e. coating the inside of a mould by rotating the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/20 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. moulding inserts or for coating articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/00 Producing hollow articles tubular articles B29D23/00; pneumatic tyres B29D30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/52 Sports equipment ; Games; Articles for amusement; Toys B29L2031/54 takes precedence

Abstract

A gymnastic tool (1) is formed by at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3) which are each concave shaped and provided with respective edges (4,5). The at least two impermeable walls (2, 3) are mutually fixed together by a connector (6), the gymnastic tool having at least one inner cavity.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A gymnastic tool (1) comprising:

at least two external walls and at least one inner cavity, said external walls being at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3) which are concave shaped, each impermeable external wall having respective facing edges (4,5), connecting means (6) disposed between the respective facing edges of the at least two external walls, the connecting means fixing the respective edges together.

19. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein each of the at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3), when the gymnastic tool is in an operative condition, being in the form of a spherical cap which extends for a solid angle equal to, greater than or less than 180°

.

20. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein the connecting means (6) consist of an impermeable separator which divides the at least one inner cavity into two separated chambers (7, 8).

21. The gymnastic tool according to claim 20 wherein the connecting means contain a central hole (30), the connecting means dividing the at least one inner cavity into two separated chambers which communicate via the central hole (30).

22. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein the connecting means (6) and the edges (4, 5) of the at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3) have a circular, elliptical, oval or smoothed triangle shape.

23. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein at least one of the impermeable external walls (2, 3) is made of flexible or resilient material.

24. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein the connecting means are at least partially flexible or rigid.

25. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 further comprising at least one valve means (9) mounted to at least one impermeable external wall for admitting a fluid to the at least one inner cavity.

26. The gymnastic tool according to claim 20 further comprising at least two valve means (9) mounted for admitting a fluid to the two separated chambers.

27. The gymnastic tool according to the claim 19 wherein at least one of the external impermeable walls (2, 3) is a spherical cap having an angle greater than 180°

in the operative condition in which the at least one respective chamber (7, 8) is under a predetermined pressure greater than a pressure of the environment.

28. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein at least one of the external impermeable walls (2, 3) is shaped to have protruding meridian lobes (40).

29. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein at least one of the external impermeable walls (2, 3) is shaped to have protruding parallel lobes (41), each lobe being an annular portion of a torus.

30. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein the at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3) have substantially identical shapes.

31. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein the at least two impermeable external walls (2, 3) have different shapes.

32. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein one of the two impermeable external walls (2) is shaped to have protruding meridian lobes (40), and the other (3) impermeable external wall is shaped as a spherical cap.

33. The gymnastic tool according to claim 18 wherein one of the two impermeable external walls (2) is shaped to have protruding parallel lobes (41), and the other impermeable external wall (3) is shaped as a spherical cap.

34. An apparatus for producing the gymnastic tool of claim 18 comprising:

tightening means assigned to mutually translate and to tighten at least two members (20, 21) of a mould (22) where the inner face of each mould member (20, 21) is shaped in a form of a spherical cap with a solid angle smaller than 180°

or equal to or greater than 180°

, whose surface is spherical or shaped in a form of lobes, or sectors or provided with depressions or shapes;

at least one of the mould members (20, 21), preferably both of the mould members (20,21), provided, in a zenith or azimuth position, with an opening means (23) for opening and closing an inlet (24) of the respective mould member;

said opening means (23) having support means (25) protruding inward of the mould member when in a closed condition, for supporting a valve means to be embedded into the external walls (2, 3).

35. The apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the edges (26, 27) of the mould members (20, 21) are received in register with respective annular means (28), optional annular housing means (29) being assigned to house the edge of the connecting means (6) which is sized to fit the annular housing means.

36. A method for marking the gymnastic tool of claim 18 comprising:

providing the apparatus of claim 34;

positioning, by means of the tightening means, a lower mould member (20), having the inlet (24) closed by the opening means (23), spaced from an upper mould member (21) and having the respective edge (26) almost horizontal and upward oriented;

placing a valve means or a connector thereof onto the support means (25) of said opening means (23);

pouring a plastic material, of a kind and in a quantity fit for forming the corresponding external wall (2), into the lower mould member (20), through the respective edge (26);

placing the connecting means (6) over the edge (26) of the lower member (20) and, if it consists of a separator sized to fit it, placing the edges thereof onto an optional annular housing means (29) for said edge;

using the tightening means to tighten the mould members (20, 21), thereby clamping the connecting means (6);

removing the opening means (23) from the inlet (24) of the upper mould member (21);

if the connecting means (6) consists of an airtight separator, applying onto the support means (25) of said opening means (23) a valve means or a connector thereof;

pouring a plastic material, of a kind and in a quantity fit for forming the corresponding external wall (3), into the upper mould member (21), through the respective inlet (24), said material being either the same or different from the plastic material poured into the lower mould member (20);

closing said inlet (24) using the opening means (23);

introducing the mould (22) into a forming oven and simultaneously warming and rotating the mould;

removing the mould (22) from the forming oven, opening the mould and taking the formed tool out of the mould;

performing a possible blowing and/or filling of the chambers (7, 8) or inner cavity of the tool through the at least one valve means (9).

37. The method according to claim 36 further comprising the steps of:

using connecting means (6) consisting of a sheet or separator made of a flexible material or a rigid material;

using a flexible or resilient plastic material, or rigid plastic material, for forming the external walls (2, 3).