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  Hand exerciserRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Hand, Wrist, Or FingerHand exerciser description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060223677, Hand exerciser. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] A. Field of Invention [0002] This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/406,549, entitled HAND EXERCISER, filed Aug. 27, 2002. This invention relates to hand exercisers and more particularly to exerciser devices for use in strengthening and therapy of the muscles of the forearm, wrist, hand and fingers. [0003] B. Description of the Related Art [0004] Hand exercise units, herein generally termed hand exercisers, are well known devices employed in the exercising of the muscles. The muscles are brought into operation in the forearm, hand, wrist and fingers as a result of contraction of the hand against the resistance of the hand exercise unit. This resistance is generally offered by steel elements under tension, such as springs, or by rubber balls to be gripped by the hand. These devices are intended to accommodate the hand but are generally limited to a single range of movement as the devices are forced to contract. This limited range of movement accordingly limits the benefit that can be achieved in carrying out exercises using such exercisers. The form of contraction resistance facility offered by the devices soon leads, on repeated use of the device, to those muscles which are exercised achieving a stale condition, nullifying any neuromuscular stimulation which has been achieved and correspondingly nullifying any progress which has taken place. It is a universally acknowledged fact in physiotherapy that neuromuscular progress is dependent on the ability to stimulate muscles from different angles with use of different exercises and training principles. [0005] There are a few provisions for accommodating all the movements associated with the anatomy in question in a single hand exerciser. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,734 to Greenfield discloses a hand exerciser that provides for a wide variety of neuromuscular responses in physiotherapy and muscle building in a single device. The Greenfield patent further discloses that different resistance levels can be experienced within the hand exerciser depending on the location of the apertures with respect to the ring. However, the varying degree of resistance is limited due to the uniform nature of the material used to form the hand exerciser. The Greenfield patent also discloses that different resistances can be applied to different sectors on the web. However, this is achieved by using an external frame with adjustable tensioning devices. The present invention addresses these issues by creating a hand exerciser made from multiple materials wherein each material consists of a different elasticity modulus. Therefore, a wide range of resistance levels can be provided for with a single hand exerciser without the need for an external force to vary the resistance of the web. II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an exercise apparatus includes a rigid frame, a resiliently deformable web tensioned to the frame, the web being comprised of an array of apertures sized to accommodate human fingers, wherein the web has at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the first and the portions are made of materials with different resistance levels. [0007] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the web has multiple portions, wherein each portion is made of different material, with a different resistance level. [0008] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the web is molded around the frame. [0009] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the apertures on the at least a first portion are a different shape than the apertures on the at least a second portion, and the different shapes have different resistance levels. [0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the web has multiple portions, wherein each portion's apertures are a different shape than the apertures on the other portions. [0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for exercising includes the steps of providing a web with at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are made of materials with different resistance levels, molding the web onto a substantially rigid frame, inserting associated fingers into the apertures, pulling the web toward an associated body, and releasing the tension on the web. [0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, providing a web with at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are made of materials with different resistance levels further includes the step of providing a web with multiple portions, wherein the portions are made of materials with different resistance levels. [0013] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, providing a web with at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are made of materials with different resistance levels further includes the step of providing a web with at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the apertures of the first and second portions are different shapes with different resistance levels. [0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, providing a web with at least a first portion and at least a second portion, wherein the apertures of the first and second portions are different shapes with different resistance levels further includes the step of providing a web with multiple portions, wherein the apertures of the portions are different shapes with different resistance levels. [0015] Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference being made to the accompanying drawings. III. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, at least one embodiment of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: [0017] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a molded hand exerciser of the present invention; [0018] FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of FIG. 1 taken at X-X; [0019] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a molded hand exerciser of the present invention showing two different shaped apertures on the same exerciser; and, [0020] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a molded hand exerciser of the present invention showing a different shape aperture. IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Continue reading about Hand exerciser... Full patent description for Hand exerciser Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Hand exerciser patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Hand exerciser or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Rebounder exercise system Next Patent Application: Exercise device Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Hand exerciser patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.47883 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , |
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