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Adjustable heavy bag/speed bag frame with piston assist

Adjustable heavy bag/speed bag frame with piston assist description/claims

This utility application claims priority on and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/893,708 filed on Mar. 8, 2007.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to boxing equipment and more particularly pertains to an easily and efficiently adjustable frame with platforms and structural members which can support a heavy bag and a speed bag. The present invention is user friendly in that it allows for relatively quick and simple adjustments in the height of the platform which supports a boxing bag.

2. Description of Related Art

Punching bags were originally used by boxers to improve overall punching techniques. Recently, punching bags are being used by people who are not boxers, but want to receive the strength and aerobic benefits achieved through performing the motion of punching. Furthermore, punching bags are now used as source of stress relief by many people. Typically an entire boxing apparatus includes multiple bags of different sizes and designs for performing various punching exercises. These boxing apparatuses usually include a large heavy bag and a smaller speed hag. Both bags are mounted onto a frame that provides support while the bags are operated.

Punching bag support frames and other exercise apparatuses are detailed extensively throughout the prior art. These devices and apparatus typically address the problems associated with adjusting the height of the boxing bags or other exercise equipment. In particular for boxing bag support frames, the support structure from which the bags are mounted, such as platforms, bars, rigid arms and the like are adjusted.

Adjustable frames for supporting exercise equipment has significant applications for basketball goal systems. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,944 issued to Morgan discloses a basketball goal that is mounted onto a telescopically adjustable support frame. This support frame uses a series of linear actuators to raise and lower the upper member of the support frame, subsequently raising and lowering the basketball goal.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,547 issued to Pardi describes a self-adjusting basketball goal that incorporates two pivoting member attached to a support frame. The pivoting members protrudes out from the top end of the support frame and include all upper and lower member. The lower pivoting member is locked into position by a telescopically adjusting extension from the main support frame. As the telescopic extension is displaced, the lower pivot member rotates about the pivot axis formed at the top of the main support member, thereby allowing the goal to be raised and lowered to a specific height.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,189 B2 issued to Fair, relates to an adjustable basketball goal system. This design incorporates moveable and slidable sleeve that are operated through a pulley system to adjust the height of the basketball goal.

While, exercise equipment utilizing adjustable frames is used extensively in basketball goal systems, it also extends for use in boxing exercising apparatuses, and particularly the structures used to support the boxing bags. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,992 B1 issued to Shafik discloses a boxing frame for both speed bags and heavy bags, which utilizes a multi-purpose bracket and pin assembly to position the height of the speed bag platform. This device is also for attachment to a tread mill. The disadvantage of the invention disclosed in the '922 patent is that the system uses a simple bracket and pin for adjusting the height of the speed bag. The bracket and pin adjustable members have a number of disadvantages including difficulty in removing the pin, and inconvenience in actually displacing the adjustable member within the bracket, particularly as the bracket becomes worn with continued use.

U.S. Patent Publication No. US2006/0025286 A1 issued to Shipes, discloses a rotatable frame assembly for a boxing heavy bag. The frame assembly consists of a rotatable shaft and a transverse member. The rotatable shaft is driven by a motor which can be remotely controlled. In rotating the shaft, the heavy bag is displaced, thereby mimicking the movements of an opponent. The main disadvantage of this invention is that the heavy bag height can not be adjusted based upon the preference of various users.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,866 issued to Fucci discloses a punching bag support frame with at least two (2) telescoping sections, one being a tooth/gear assembly and the second being an internal pressure safety cylinder within the main frame to assist with controllability of the unit. The pressure cylinder can be located, in an alternative embodiment, outside the main frame, and is designed to assist the rack and pinion gear assembly to ease movement of the upper assembly. The disadvantage of this invention is that the entire frame assembly is moved, so that if a heavy bag is also attached to the frame, the height of the heavy bag is adjusted with the height of the speed bag. Furthermore, in adjusting the main support frame, a powerful pressure cylinder must be used to drive the movement as the main support frame is rigid and extremely heavy.

However, none of the prior art references, either alone or in combination with one-another, teach or suggest the novel aspects of the instant invention, nor the mechanical designs relating to the secondary, independent and vertically adjustable speed bag frame that is attached to a main support frame. Consequently, there continues to exist a need for an efficient, simple, user friendly and structurally sound design for an adjustable frame for boxing speed bags or heavy bags. Furthermore, this design must allow for the independent adjustment of the height of various components that are attached to the main support frame.

The present invention relates to an improved design for manufacturing, assembling and using adjustable boxing frames for supporting speed bags or heavy bags. The adjustable support frame is conventional in that it includes a main support piece and two extension support assemblies that are used to attach a heavy bag and a smaller, generally circular speed bag to the main support piece. The entire assembly frame is supported by base members that sit on the floor and extend outwards from the bottom end of the main support piece. The pieces that are used to support both the speed bag and heavy bag are rigidly secured to the main support piece, so that in operation of the bags displacement of the entire frame is assembly is neutralized by the base members.

The speed bag support assembly includes a sliding bracket that encloses a vertical strut that is attached to an extension piece. The sliding bracket is attached to a platform support member that extends horizontally out of the sliding bracket. The platform, upon which the speedbag is attached to and operated on, extends from the bottom of the platform support member. The platform, platform support member and sliding bracket are all rigidly secured together, so that as the bracket is displaced vertically, the platform displaces with respect to the bracket. The displacement of the platform, in turn causes the adjustment of the height of the speed bag. The use of a displaceable bracket surrounding a strut piece that extends outward from the main support piece, allows the height of the speed bag to be adjusted independently from the rest of the entire support frame, thus fixing the height of the heavy bag.

The bracket is locked and unlocked into position through the insertion and removal of a pin. The pin extends through the bracket and through apertures on both sides of the strut piece thus locking the bracket into a specific position. By locking the bracket into a position the speed bag remains at a fixed height. In order to adjust the height of the speed bag, the turn knob is activated allowing the pin to be pulled through the apertures in the strut piece and out from the side of the bracket. A handle extends from the opposing side of the bracket that provides the user with a means of displacing the bracket.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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