Resistance band assembly and a method of varying a resistive force applied thereby

• US 9,724,553 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kayezen, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arqex Outdoor Fitness Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Ghassemian, Morad, Kaye, Eric A., Cesaroni, William C., Mathews, Brian W., DiMonte, Eugene L., Zielke, Donovan D., Lenz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, MEGAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/598,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 403353, 403189, 403190, 403187
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/006 for stretching exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• 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 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0555 Details of the rope or band, e.g. shape or colour coding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0557 Details of attachments, e.g. clips or clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1218 Chinning, pull-up, i.e. concentric movement

Abstract

A method of varying a resistive force applied by exercise equipment including providing a resistance band assembly for providing resistive force during the performance of an exercise. The resistance band assembly includes a housing having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. A bore is defined in the housing and a connector is provided in the bore. The connector includes first and second surfaces and a hole is defined in the connector and extends between the surfaces. A disc is also provided in the bore and also has a first and second surface. An aperture is defined in the disc and extends between the first and second surfaces thereof. A first and second resilient member is provided and these resilient members are selectively engageable with the resistance band assembly to provide a first resistive force during the performance of an exercise.

Claims

1. A method of varying a resistive force, said method comprising:

providing a resistance band assembly for providing resistive force during the performance of an exercise;

where the resistance band assembly includes a housing having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;

a bore defined in the housing;

a connector provided in the bore, said connector having a first surface and opposed second surface;

a hole defined in the connector and extending between the first and second surfaces;

a disc provided in the bore, said disc having a first surface and opposed second surface;

an aperture defined in the disc and extending between the first and second surfaces of the disc, where the hole is longitudinally aligned with the aperture;

providing a first resilient member having a first shaft of a first diameter with a first enlarged region at a first end of the shaft and a second enlarged region at a second end of the shaft; and

engaging the first resilient member between the connector and the disc within the resistance band assembly to provide a first resistive force during the performance of an exercise, including;

threading the second enlarged end of the first resilient member through the aperture in the disc in a direction from the first surface of the disc toward the second surface thereof;

wedging the first enlarged end of the first resilient member in the aperture in the disc;

engaging the second enlarged end of the first resilient member in the hole in the connector by moving the first shaft laterally and radially inwardly into an opening to the hole in a first direction, where the opening is defined in a peripheral wall of the connector which extends between the first and second surfaces of the connector; and

positioning the second enlarged end of the first resilient member adjacent the second surface of the connector such that the shaft extends between the second surface of the disc and the first surface of the connector.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second resilient member having a second shaft of a second diameter with a first enlarged region at a first end of the second shaft and a second enlarged region at a second end of the second shaft;

disengaging the first resilient member from the resistance band assembly; and

engaging the second resilient member with the resistance band assembly to provide a second resistive force during the performance of an exercise;

where the second resistive force is the same as the first resistive force or is greater or smaller than the first resistive force.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the step of disengaging the first resilient member is preceded by the step of separating a first region of the housing of the resistance band assembly from a second region of the housing of the resistance band assembly.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the step of separating the first and second regions of the housing is preceded by disengaging one or more tabs on a perimeter of the second region of the housing from tab-receiving apertures defined in the first region of the housing.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further comprising the step of snap-fittingly engaging the one or more tabs on the second region of the housing in the tab-receiving apertures in the first region of the housing after replacing the first resilient member with the second resilient member.

6. The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

providing an additional resilient member;

disengaging the second resilient member from the resistance band assembly; and

engaging the additional resilient member with the resistance band assembly to provide a third resistive force during the performance of the exercise, where the third resistive force is different from either of the first or the second resistive forces.

7. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the step of engaging the second resilient member with the resistance band assembly comprises:

inserting the second enlarged end of the second shaft through the aperture in the disc in the direction from the first surface of the disc toward the second surface thereof;

pulling the second shaft toward the connector;

inserting the second shaft through the opening in the connector;

positioning the first enlarged end of the second resilient member in the aperture in the disc;

positioning the second enlarged end of the second resilient member adjacent the second surface of the connector.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of disengaging the first resilient member from the resistance band assembly;

and wherein the step of disengaging the first resilient member includes;

moving the first shaft in a second direction laterally and radially outwardly from the opening in the peripheral wall of the connector;

pulling the first enlarged end of the first resilient member in a longitudinal direction and away from the connector;

pulling the second enlarged end of the first resilient member through the aperture in the disc.

9. A resistance band assembly comprising:

a housing including a first section and a second section in end-to-end orientation;

where the first section has a first end and a second end and the second section has a first end and a second end; and

the first end of the second section is in contact with the second end of the first section in a first position;

a bore defined in the housing and extending from the first end of the first section to the second end of the second section;

a connector provided within the bore;

a disc provided within the bore a spaced distance from the connector;

at least one resilient member extending between the connector and the disc; and

wherein the first end of the second section and the second end of the first section of the housing are not in contact with each other in a second position.

10. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein the first section of the housing is detachably engaged with the second section of the housing;

and the first and second sections are disengaged in order to remove and replace the at least one resilient member disposed within the bore.

11. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said disc defines a plurality of apertures therein and the connector defines a plurality of holes therein;

and each aperture is aligned with one of the holes; and

wherein the resistance band assembly includes a plurality of resilient members, each resilient member extending between the disc and the connector; and

wherein one end of each resilient member is sized so as to not to pass through the associated aperture in the disc; and

wherein movement of the disc within the bore of the housing causes the one end of the resilient member to move in unison with the disc.

12. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein the one end of the resilient members includes a first enlarged region provided thereon together with a disengageable aperture adjustment member that is receivable about at least a portion of the first enlarged region;

and wherein the first enlarged region is movable through the associated aperture in the disc if the aperture adjustment member is disengaged therefrom but is captured in the aperture if the aperture adjustment member is engaged therewith.

13. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 12, further comprising a second enlarged region provided on each of the resilient members a distance from the first enlarged region;

and wherein the second enlarged region is movable through the associated aperture in the disc.

14. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein the second enlarged region is not movable through the associated hole in the connector.

15. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein each hole in the connector is located adjacent a peripheral wall of the connector;

and an opening to the hole is provided in the peripheral wall; and

a shaft of each resilient member which extends between the first and second enlarged regions thereof, is receivable through the opening to engage the resilient member with the connector; and

is removed through the opening to disengage the resilient member from the connector.

16. The resistance band assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein the first section of the housing includes at least one tab extending outwardly from the second end thereof;

and the second section of the housing includes at least one recess configured to be complementary to the at least one tab; and

when the first and second sections are secured together, the at least one tab is engaged in the at least one recess.

17. A resistance band assembly comprising:

a structural member having a first end and a second end;

a connector having an opening and provided proximate to the first end of the structural member;

a disc having an aperture and provided proximate to the second end of the structural member;

a first resilient member extending between the connector and the disc;

wherein a first end of the first resilient member includes a first enlarged region that is not movable through the aperture in the disc and a second end of the first resilient member includes a second enlarged region, wherein the second enlarged region is movable through the aperture in the disc and is not movable through the opening in the connector.

18. The resistance assembly of claim 17, wherein the structural member comprises a rigid rod.

19. The resistance assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

a second resilient member;

wherein the first and second resilient members are provided around a circumference of the rigid rod.

20. The resistance assembly of claim 17, wherein the structural member comprises a hollow housing having a first section and a second section adjacent the first section, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are selectively separable to gain access to the first resilient member.

21. A resistance band assembly comprising:

a rigid rod having a first end and a second end;

a connector having an opening and provided proximate to the first end of the rigid rod;

a first disc having a first aperture and provided proximate to the second end of the rigid rod;

a second disc having a second aperture and positioned adjacent the first disc;

a first resilient member extending between the connector and through the first aperture in the first disc; and

a second resilient member extending between the connector and through the second aperture in the second disc.

22. The resistance assembly of claim 21, wherein a first end of the first resilient member includes a first enlarged region that is not movable through the first aperture in the first disc and a second end of the first resilient member includes a second enlarged region, wherein the second enlarged region is movable through the first aperture in the first disc and is not movable through the opening in the connector.