Portable exercising device

• US 6,398,694 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charalabos A. Bountourakis
• Original Assignee: Charalabos A. Bountourakis
• Inventors: Bountourakis, Charalabos A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/530,189
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 482/12, 482/16, 482/18, 482/34, 482/38, 482/45, 482/46, 482/44, 482/106-109, 482/907-8, 482/115, 601/19, 601/134-5
• US Class Current: 482/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/001 without substantial movement between the skin and the device
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 for wrist joints

Abstract

A portable, multi-faceted exercising and massaging device with adjustable turning resistance, having a stationary handle affixed to one end of the main shaft and a pressure adjusting handle with an orifice and axial screw threading affixed to the other end of the main shaft with a safety nut and two systems for receiving pressure between the inner rims of the bail bearings and handles. Around the main shaft are attached two external tubes with the mentioned ball bearings within the remote ends and joined at the adjacent ends through the central core, which is comprised of a tubular shaft with a central sleeve and connecting ring firmly attached at its middle onto the shaft, of two resistance sleeves and of two pairs of washers. This construction of the central core enables the exterior tubes with their shells, to rotate either freely around the main shaft as a single tube for massage use, or as independent tubes with adjustable resistance of their relative turning around the tubular shaft for exercising wrist, arm and upper body muscles. Near the handles are the receiving rings onto which is attached the adjustable elastic band, useful for both pressure-controlled massaging of the body areas it surrounds, as well as for tension and weight exercises of most body muscles.

Claims

1. An independent multi-purpose portable exercising device for exercising all muscle groups of the body utilizing various techniques, in various positions in combination with massaging, or for massaging only of all parts of the body, comprising an elongated main shaft (1), two exterior tubes (10) axially positioned on the main shaft (1), two ball-bearings (11) affixed into the remote ends of the exterior tubes (10) and on the main shaft (1), a central core (C) inserted into the adjacent ends of the exterior tubes (10), which it joins and keeps supported, two pressure tubes (8) interposed between the outer rims of the ball-bearings (11) and the central core (C) and concentric with it, a stationary handle (15) which Is firmly affixed onto one end of the main shaft (1), a pressure-adjusting handle (16) with an orifice and axial screw-threading, which is affixed onto the other end of the main shaft (1), two systems for receiving and carrying pressure between the inner rims of the ball bearings (11) and the handles (15)-(16), a safety nut (17) tightly affixed onto the screw- threaded end of the main shaft (1) next to the pressure adjusting handle (16), two exterior tube shells (18) which surround the tubes, as well as an adjustable elastic band (B) which attaches onto the systems of receiving and carrying pressure.

2. The independent multipurpose portable exercising device of claim 1, is characterized by the main shaft (1), onto one end of which there is firmly affixed the stationary handle (15) integrated onto it, even screw-threaded, while around the other end which is screw-threaded, revolves the pressure adjusting handle (16) which is axially hollow and screw-threaded on the inward part, so that it can revolve in a voluted way around the thread of the free end of the main shaft (1), moving correspondingly on it, while the diameter of the outward part is such that the safety nut (17) enters freely into it and is firmly affixed with the use of a tool onto the screw-threaded end of the main shaft (1), serving as a terminating stop of the pressure adjusting handle when it is revolving counter clockwise on the main shaft (1), which shaft has diameter slightly smaller than the interior diameter of the attachments on it between the two handles (15)-(16), which attachments are the two ball bearings (11), the two safety rings (12), the two pressure washers (13), and the two receiving rings (14), so that they move freely on the main shaft (1) when they are compressed or depressed with the corresponding voluted revolution of the pressure adjusting handle (16) around the main shaft (1).

3. The independent multi-purpose portable exercising device of claims 1 or 2, is characterized by the pressure adjusting handle (16), having on its surface where the safety nut (17) fits into the hollow, an indicative scale with gradations around the hollow, which, when combined with the mark that the safety nut may have, provides a visual indication of the relative position of the pressure adjusting handle (16), when the handle revolves around the main shaft (1) and by extension, the related indication of turning resistance when the exterior tubes (10) are turning.

4. The independent multipurpose portable exercising device of claims 1 or 2, is characterized by the ball bearings (11) by the means of which the exterior tubes (10) rotate freely as to the main shaft (1) and the attachments affixed on it, such as the stationary handle (15) and the pressure adjusting handle (16), whose adjustment is carried to the central core (C) by the means of the bearings (11) without affecting the exterior tubes (10) revolution around the main shaft (1), while only their relative turning is affected and in addition, any revolution of the exterior tubes (10) has no effect on the pressure adjusting handle (16).

5. The independent multi-purpose portable exercising device of claims 1 or 2, is characterized by the two exterior tubes (10), which can be replaced by one exterior tube (10) without the attachments that are enclosed, as well as by the pressure adjusting handle (16) together with the safety nut (17), which together can be replaced by a second stationary handle (15).

6. The independent multipurpose portable exercising device of claim 1, is characterized by the central core (C) which is comprised of the tubular shaft (2), the central sleeve (3) which is firmly positioned approximately at the middle of the tubular shaft (2), the connecting ring (4) which surrounds the central sleeve (3), the slip washers (5) which are put on the tubular shaft (2) symmetrically as to the central sleeve (3) and to the connecting ring (4) and the resistance sleeves (6) which are put on the tubular shaft symmetrically, touching the slip washers at their nearest ends, while the remote ends of the resistance sleeves touch the pressure washers (7) which are put symmetrically onto the tubular shaft (2).

7. The independent multi-purpose portable exercising device of claim 6, is characterized by the resistance sleeves (6) that are in tubular form and are made of relatively soft material which becomes distorted when pressure is exerted on it (elastic distortion), while they occupy the space between the slip washers (5) and the pressure washers (7) axially and in between the tubular shaft (2) and the exterior tubes (10) diametrically, so that when they are axially compressed, the pressure is carried diametrically to the points of contact with the tubular shaft (2) and the exterior tubes (10), increasing the friction between them, as well as the resistance of their relative turning.

8. The independent multi-purpose portable exercising device of claim 1, is characterized by the shells of the exterior tubes (18), which surround the tubes with appropriately shaped surfaces for a steady grip during exercising with adjustable resistance from the relative turning of the exterior tubes (10), as ell as for more effective massaging.

9. The independent multipurpose portable exercising device of claim 1, is characterized by the elastic band (B) of adjustable length and tension, comprised of the pulling elastic cord (19) folded in the middle and forming a noose (23) at the folding point, with which it attaches onto one of the receiving rings (14) and which pulling elastic cord (19), may be replaced by one or more pulling elastic cords in various combinations (parallel—

in series) and of corresponding length for different exercises such as exercises that require weights;

also comprised of the flexible protective hose (20), the hook (22) and the clamp (21) which can be any means of constriction, such as a damp with bolt, with nut, with spring, with buckle etc, even a ring of appropriate diameter which strangles the pulling elastic cord (19) and can slide along its length, when the pulling elastic cord (19) is stretched taut both before and after the ring.

10. The independent multi-purpose portable exercising device of claims 1 or 4, is characterized by one of the two exterior tubes (10), the tubular shaft (2) and the central sleeve (3) which is metallic and all can be integrated into one unit, so as to comprise the compound exterior tube (24).