Portable workout apparatus including a plie bar

• US 8,057,361 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stamina Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stamina Products Incorporated
• Inventors: McDonial, Robert, McBride, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donnelly; Jerome W
• Application Number:
  US11/329,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 482 14- 18, 482/35, 482/23, 482/34, 482/36, 482/37, 482/38, 482/39, 482/40, 482/41, 482/140, 482121-130, 482/142
• US Class Current: 482/15
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 1/00 Horizontal bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• 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 21/0442 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 21/4011 to the lower limbs means for physically limiting movements of body parts A63B69/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0228 Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0242 Lying down
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03575 Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously

Abstract

A portable workout apparatus comprising a bar, a frame, and a padded structured secured to the frame. The bar is held at an adjustable bar height. The frame supports the bar at the adjustable bar height. The padded structure is secured to the frame, and has a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions have a deployed position forming a substantially horizontal surface that forms an opening with the bar and the frame that is adapted to accommodate a user. The first portion is further capable of pivoting, relative to the second portion, to a substantially vertical position for storage.

Claims

1. A portable workout apparatus comprising:

a bar held at an adjustable bar height;

a frame that supports the bar at the adjustable bar height;

a padded structure secured to the frame, said padded structure having a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions having a deployed position forming an approximately horizontal surface that is disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane defined by the bar, wherein the approximately horizontal surface generally forms an opening with the bar and the frame that is adapted to accommodate a user therethrough, wherein the first portion includes a pivotal connection that enables the first portion to pivot, relative to the second portion, about an axis of rotation that is substantially parallel to the bar and fixed with respect to the frame, and wherein the pivotal connection enables the first portion to pivot from the deployed position to a storage position such that a footprint of the apparatus is decreased for storage; and

a ground contacting surface disposed on an underside of the first portion such that the ground contacting surface contacts the ground and supports the first portion on the ground when the first portion is in the deployed position, wherein the ground contacting surface is disengaged from the ground by pivotal movement of the first portion about the axis of rotation from the deployed position to the storage position.

2. A portable workout apparatus comprising:

a bar held at an adjustable bar height;

a frame that supports the bar at the adjustable bar height; and

a padded structure that sits on the ground, the padded structure forming a padded surface that runs transverse to a vertical plane defined by the bar, the padded surface extending from both sides of the vertical plane defined by the bar, wherein the padded surface generally forms an opening with the bar and the frame that is adapted to accommodate a user therethrough, the frame being connected to the padded structure such that the connection between the frame and the padded structure stabilizes the frame under loads applied by a user to the bar,

wherein the padded structures comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a pivotal connection that enables the first portion to pivot with respect to the second portion about an axis of rotation that is substantially parallel to the bar, and wherein the first portion is pivotal about the axis of rotation from a deployed position in which the first portion and the second portion form the padded surface to a storage position in which the first portion of the padded structure is disengaged from the ground and the footprint of the apparatus is decreased for storage.