STABILITY AND STRENGTH TRAINING DEVICE

• US 20150190672A1
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Rehab Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Rehab Products, LLC
• Inventors: Rost, Brian Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 9,694,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0618 moving in a horizontal plane without substantial friction, i.e. using inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0724 Bar-bells; Hand bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/075 with variable weights , e.g. weight systems with weight selecting means for bar-bells or dumb-bells
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/16 Platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis , e.g. axis through the middle of the platform; Balancing drums; Balancing boards or the like exercising apparatus with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0056; other exercising apparatus for improving balance A63B26/003
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/685 for electronic devices, e.g. phone, PDA, GPS device, notebook
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03516 For both arms together or both legs together; Aspects related to the co-ordination between right and left side limbs of a user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1236 Push-ups in horizontal position, i.e. eccentric movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16

Abstract

A transformable exercise device used both for stability and strength training is disclosed. Embodiments include a main portion comprising a sphere that may be used wholly in the manner of a medicine ball, kettlebell, rolling device, or separated into two hemisphere elements and used for various exercises including push-ups, standing balance, agility training, and weight training. The two hemisphere elements may be easily and securely locked together with a U-shaped locking mechanism that, when actuated, is congruent with the surface of the sphere to create a medicine ball configuration. The locking mechanism may be modified with various handle attachments, or removed and replaced with separate components added externally to the device providing various hand or foot placements, or alter the nature of the exercise equipment. The device may be used in conjunction with current technology to provide visual and auditory feedback on user'"'"'s balance or repetitions while performing exercises.

Claims

1. A transformable exercise device comprising:

a pair of hemisphere elements wherein each element comprises of a rounded outer surface, a flat grooved surface, a large recessed centralized cavity;

a horizontal cross member traversing the large recessed cavity, below the flat grooved surface, comprising;

a hand grip;

a locking aperture for accepting at least one of a locking tab, spring-loaded push button, a spring-loaded ball plunger, and a spring-loaded button of an exercise attachment;

an attachment aperture at each terminus of the horizontal cross member extending from the horizontal cross member to the rounded outer surface;

wherein each of the pair of attachment apertures is configured to receive an exercise attachment; and

a pair of U-shaped locking mechanisms, each of the pair of U-shaped locking mechanisms including two arm portions, each of the two arm portions configured to fit into the attachment aperture of the horizontal cross member of each of the pair of hemisphere elements when conjoined into a medicine ball configuration, locking the pair hemisphere elements into a spherical shape.

2. The transformable exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a kettlebell handle attachment inserted between the pair of grooves on the flat grooved surface of each of the pair of hemisphere elements conjoined in the medicine ball configuration and locked in place with the U-shaped locking mechanisms providing a kettlebell device.

3. The transformable exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of foot plate attachments, each of the pair of foot plate attachments inserted into the attachment aperture at each terminus of the horizontal cross member of the hemisphere elements, and locked into place with the spring-loaded push button traversing the locking aperture of the horizontal cross member, providing a lower extremity balance device.

4. The transformable exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of handle bar attachments, each of the pair of handle bar attachments inserted into the attachment aperture at each terminus of the horizontal cross member of the hemisphere elements and locked in place with the spring-loaded push button traversing the locking aperture of the horizontal cross member, providing a wide grip, single fulcrum push-up device.

5. The transformable exercise device of claim 1, further comprising of a spinning handle bar attachment inserted into the pair of grooves on the flat grooved surfaces of each of the pair of hemisphere elements conjoined in the medicine ball configuration and locked in place with the U-shaped locking mechanisms providing a rolling device.

6. An exercise device comprising:

a first hemisphere element having a first recessed cavity with a first horizontal cross member traversing the first cavity;

a second hemisphere element having a second recessed cavity with a second horizontal cross member traversing the second cavity; and

a locking mechanism to lock the first hemisphere element to the second hemisphere element in a locked ball configuration.

7. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein the first hemisphere element includes a first interlocking surface and the second hemisphere element includes a second interlocking surface where the first interlocking surface engages the second interlocking surface in the locked ball configuration.

8. The exercise device of claim 7, wherein the first interlocking surface and the second interlocking surface are grooved surfaces.

9. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is a U-shaped locking mechanism.

10. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein the first hemisphere element includes a first opening and the second hemisphere element includes a second opening and where the first opening and second opening are positioned to receive the locking mechanism in the locked ball configuration.

11. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one actuator lever.

12. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one component connection aperture centrally located within a base element of the locking mechanism.

13. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes a first arm portion to extend into a first opening of the first hemisphere element and a second arm portion to extend into a second opening of the second hemisphere element.

14. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is flush with an outer surface of the device when in a locked ball configuration.

15. The exercise device of claim 12, further comprising, the first hemisphere element and the second hemisphere element locked in the locked ball configuration, a kettlebell handle attachment inserted into the component connection aperture of the locking mechanism providing a kettlebell device.

16. The exercise device of claim 6, further comprising a pair of foot plate attachments each of the pair of foot plate attachments inserted into a larger aperture of a horizontal cross member of a hemisphere element, and locked into place with a spring-loaded push button traversing a locking aperture of the horizontal cross member providing a lower extremity balance device.

17. The exercise device of claim 6, further comprising a pair of handle bar attachments, each of the pair of handle bar attachments inserted into a larger aperture at each end of a horizontal cross member of a hemisphere element and locked in place with a spring-loaded push button traversing a locking aperture of the horizontal cross member providing a wide grip, single fulcrum push-up device.

18. The exercise device of claim 12, further comprising a spinning handle bar attachment inserted into the component connection aperture of the locking mechanism while in a locked ball configuration.

19. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein each of the first recessed cavity and the second recessed cavity includes a plurality of smaller recessed lateral cavities, each smaller recessed lateral cavity configured to house an additional weighted member.

20. An exercise device comprising:

a first hemisphere element having a first recessed cavity with a first horizontal cross member traversing the first cavity, where the first horizontal cross member is configured with a first pair of attachment apertures, each of the first pair of attachment apertures located at a terminus of the first horizontal cross member;

a second hemisphere element having a second recessed cavity with a second horizontal cross member traversing the second cavity, where the second horizontal cross member is configured with a second pair of attachment apertures, each of the second pair of attachment apertures located at a terminus of the second horizontal cross member;

a plurality of attachments, each of the plurality of attachments configured to fit each of the first pair of attachment apertures and each of the second pair of connection apertures; and

a locking mechanism to lock the first hemisphere element to the second hemisphere element in a locked ball configuration.