Site News  |   Monitor Keywords  |   Monitor Archive  |   Organizer  |   Account Info  |

Portable exercise unit

Portable exercise unit description/claims

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/929,347 entitled “Portable Exercise Unit” filed Jun. 22, 2007.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to the art of exercise devices and, more particularly, to a portable Pilates-type exercise unit.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Certainly, a large number of portable exercise devices exist in the prior art. Currently available exercise devices span the spectrum of cost and complexity. Many existing exercise devices target a specific area of a body or are geared toward a particular exercise routine or program. Of these routines, the Pilates method or Pilates has been around for quite some time and is once again gaining in popularity. While several Pilates exercises require special equipment such as benches, many Pilates exercises can be readily performed with resistance bands which are available in various lengths and resistance levels. Typically, a band is anchored at one end portion while a user grasps and pulls on another end portion. The band can be anchored to a wall mounted hook, a door knob, or simply held under, for example, the user's foot. Once anchored, the user can perform a number of repetitive tension exercises to strengthen a particular muscle or muscle group. Alternatively, both end portions of the band can be anchored and exercising performed using a central area of the band.

Many exercise units include various adjustable components to accommodate a broad range of users and/or to facilitate additional exercises. That is, portions of the exercise unit can be adjusted to accommodate the physiology of a particular user and/or enable the user to perform exercises that target various body parts. Unfortunately, most exercise units are not both easily adjustable and portable. That is, a trade-off exists between adjustability and portability. If the device is readily portable, the exercises made possible with the device are generally more muscle specific. For example, devices for performing curls, shoulder presses and the like exercises which require movements that are generally along the body's longitudinal axis would not be readily adaptable to, for example, rowing exercises which would require movements that are generally normal to the body's axis. Of course the opposite would also hold true.

Despite the existence of portable exercise devices in the prior art, there is considered to still exist a need for an exercise device that both portable and adjustable. More specifically, there is seen to be a need for a Pilates-type portable exercise device that is not only readily adjustable to accommodate various users but also supports a broad range of exercises.

The present invention is directed to a portable exercise device including a base portion having first and second base members interconnected through a pivot member. The first base member includes a first end which is pivotally attached to the pivot member and extends in a first direction to a second end through an intermediate portion. The second base member includes a first end which is pivotally attached to the pivot member and extends in a second direction to a second end through an intermediate portion. In accordance with the invention, the exercise device also includes a bar having a first end which is selectively connected to the pivot element and extends to a second end through an intermediate portion. A cap member is detachably mounted at the second end of the bar. The exercise device further includes first and second foot pads that are selectively, adjustably positioned relative to corresponding ones of the first and second base members.

In further accordance with the invention, the exercise device includes first and second elastic cables respectively extending between first and second base members and the bar. More specifically, the first cable includes a first end connected at one of the second ends of the first base member and the first foot pad, and a second end detachably mounted to the cap member. The second cable includes a first end connected at one of the second ends of the second base member and the second foot pad, and a second end. It should be generally understood that the first end of each of the first and second cables is positioned adjacent or near the second or outer ends of corresponding ones of the first and second base members.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, when the portable exercise device is in a first configuration, the second end of the second elastic cable is connected to the cap member. In this configuration, a user selectively pivots the bar about the pivot member to alternatingly stretch and relax the first and second elastic cables respectively to perform a first exercise routine. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when the portable exercise device is in a second configuration, the second end of the bar is detached from the pivot member and fitted with another cap member to which the second end of the second elastic cable is attached. In this configuration, a user selectively manipulates the bar to simultaneously stretch and relax the first and second elastic cables to perform a second exercise routine. The first and second elastic cables can be exchanged with other cables of varying length and/or resistance to further vary the available exercises.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is an upper left perspective view of a portable exercise device constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in a first configuration;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the portable exercise device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of a bottom portion of a first base member of the portable exercise device of FIG. 2;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

• What Is a Patent?
• What Is a Trademark or Servicemark?
• What Is a Copyright?
• Patent Laws