Inflatable exercise belt and method of use

• US 7,077,794 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Craig A. Bray
• Original Assignee: Craig A. Bray
• Inventors: Bray, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewin, Allana
• Application Number:
  US11/051,746
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 482/111, 482/112, 482/140, 601148-152, 601/44, 602/13, 128/DIG.20, 441/106, 441114- 5, 441/108, 441/117, 441/119
• US Class Current: 482/140
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0525 Loin or waist area
• 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 21/065 worn on user's body
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/072 Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like , e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/62 Inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0211 moving torso with immobilized lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/12 for the body or the legs , e.g. for the shoulders A63B71/081 takes precedence

Abstract

An inflatable exercise belt which is placed around the abdomen and lower back of a user has one inflatable air chamber for the abdomen and two spaced apart inflatable air chambers for the lumbar region of the back. When worn by the user and inflated, the two inflatable chambers exert pressure upon the upper and lower portions of the lumbar vertebrae. The belt also has elastic portions which enable it to better conform to the body of the user.

Claims

1. An inflatable exercise belt for a user having an abdomen and a back, said inflatable exercise belt comprising:

a body having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a middle portion, and a second end portion;

a first elongated inflatable air chamber disposed at said first end portion and oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis;

spaced apart second and third elongated inflatable chambers disposed at said middle portion and oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis;

said first elongated inflatable chamber being separately inflatable from said second and third elongated inflatable chambers thereby allowing the pressure of said first elongated inflatable chamber to be adjusted to a different pressure from said second and third elongated inflatable chambers; and

,

wherein when said inflatable exercise belt is worn by a user during various exercise activities, said first elongated inflatable chamber is disposed adjacent to the abdomen of a user placing isometric pressure against the abdominal muscles thereby causing the abdominal muscles to flex and react, and said second and third elongated inflatable chambers are disposed adjacent to the back of the user.

2. The inflatable exercise belt according to claim 1, further including:

said spaced apart second and third elongated inflatable chambers defining a gap of between about one inch to about one and one half inches therebetween.

3. The inflatable exercise belt according to claim 1, the back of the user having five lumbar vertebrae, the five lumbar vertebrae having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, said inflatable exercise belt further including:

when inflated, said second and third elongated inflatable air chambers exert pressure upon the upper and lower portions respectively of the five lumbar vertebrae of the user but not upon the middle portion.

4. The inflatable exercise belt according to claim 1, further including:

a first elastic portion disposed between said first end portion and said middle portion, and a second elastic portion disposed between said second end portion and said middle portion.

5. The inflatable exercise belt according to claim 1, the back of the user having five lumbar vertebrae, the five lumbar vertebrae having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, said inflatable exercise belt further including:

said spaced apart second and third elongated inflatable chambers defining a gap of between about one inch to about one and one half inches therebetween;

when inflated, said second and third elongated chambers exerting pressure upon the upper and lower portions respectively of the five lumbar vertebrae of the user but not upon the middle portion;

said first elongated inflatable chamber separately inflatable from said second and third elongated inflatable chambers; and

,

a first elastic portion disposed between said first end portion and said middle portion, and a second elastic portion disposed between said second end portion and said middle portion.

6. A method for applying pressure to the back of a user having an abdomen, a back having five lumbar vertebrae, the five lumbar vertebrae having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, comprising:

(a) providing an inflatable exercise belt including;

a body having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a middle portion, and a second end portion;

a first elongated inflatable air chamber disposed at said first end portion and oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

,

spaced apart second and third elongated inflatable chambers disposed at said middle portion and oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis;

said first elongated inflatable chamber being separately inflatable from said second and third elongated inflatable chambers, thereby allowing the pressure of said first elongated inflatable chamber to be adjusted to a different pressure from said second and third elongated inflatable chambers;

(b) placing said inflatable exercise belt around the user so that said first elongated inflatable chamber is disposed adjacent to the abdomen of a user, and said second elongated inflatable chamber is disposed adjacent to the upper portion of the five lumbar vertebrae, and said third elongated inflatable chamber is disposed adjacent to the lower portion of the five lumbar vertebrae; and

,

(c) inflating said second and third elongated inflatable chambers, wherein said second elongated inflatable chamber exerts pressure upon the upper portion of the five lumbar vertebrae, and said third elongated inflatable chamber exerts pressure upon the lower portion of the five lumbar vertebrae.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

in step (a), said spaced apart second and third elongated inflatable chambers defining a gap of between about one inch to about one and one half inches therebetween.

8. The method of claim 6, further including:

in step (a), a first elastic portion disposed between said first end portion and said middle portion, and a second elastic portion disposed between said second end portion and said middle portion.