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Portable exercise deviceRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Sit Up DevicePortable exercise device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070225134, Portable exercise device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional application 60/743,662, dated Mar. 22, 2006, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of portable exercise devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a two-person portable exercise device for performing sit-up exercises. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A sit-up is a well known exercise for strengthening and building abdominal muscles. It is particularly used for military training and sports, e.g. soccer. A sit-up is an exercise that can be performed conveniently without equipment, and with a minimal space requirement. However, for many people, it is very difficult to do sit-ups alone either due to weak abdominal muscles, of a general lack of an exercise regimen. Someone who is unfit finds it difficult to do sit-ups and exercise important core muscles. Additionally, there is the likelihood of strain and injury. [0004] Over the past several years, numerous types of exercise equipment targeting the abdominal muscles have been developed. Some of these are quite bulky; others are portable. These types of exercise equipment are generally designed to be used by one person. It well known that exercising with a companion or teammate may lead to a more enjoyable exercise session. This potential increase in the social or team aspect of exercising may encourage a higher level of commitment to continuing the exercise regimen. [0005] Related art includes the following patents. [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 695,538, issued to Clairmont on Mar. 28, 1902, discloses a one-person exercise machine for exercising the abdominal muscles having a hinged footboard with holders to engage the feet. [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 2,050,652, issued to Fleming on Aug. 11, 1936, discloses a one-person sit-up device for inserting under a door. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,666, issued to Lloyd on May 23, 1972, discloses a one-person folding portable case which folds out into a three-section exercise board. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,023, issued to Martin on Mar. 30, 1976, discloses a one-person torso-centric exercise board consisting of a padded rectangular board with a padded headrest and a removable crossbar in two pieces, extending beyond the borders of the board, which crossbar is assembled by inserting one piece into a metal casing which encloses the other piece and bolting the assembled crossbar into a recessed cut in the board. In the extremities of the crossbar on each side is a series of orifices, symmetrical and equidistant, for the adjustment of a pair of handgrips which consist of a post on a platen base, which base, when the posts or handgrips are adjusted in the orifices, supports the crossbar above the floor. The board is provided with a handle for carrying and straps on the back for storage of the crossbars and the handgrips. The whole is of such mechanical simplicity as to avoid the problems of malfunction common in more complex mechanical devices and to make for greater economy of manufacture, without sacrificing any features necessary to its purpose which is to provide the gymnast with a necessary means of support while performing exercises which reduce the abdomen, waist and hips, strengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen and improve the circulation of blood and lymph through the body. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,319, issued to Luna on Apr. 15, 1986, discloses a one-person sit-up exercise bench comprising a horizontal platform connected to a slant-adjustable back rest, a harness adapted to be engaged by an exerciser's shoulder, said harness operably connected to a restraining spring attached to said horizontal frame whereby an exerciser, reclining upon the bench, may perform sit-up exercises from the waist, sitting up against the resistance provided by the tension springs. In an alternate embodiment, a pivotable arcuate-shaped bar attached to tension springs for engagement by the exerciser's legs provide restraining force to movement of the exerciser's legs in two positions. [0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,782, issued to Carlson on Jul. 29, 1986, discloses a one-person exercise device that operates with a swinging door to assist one in doing sit-ups and related exercises. The device has a pair of wedge stops and strap means are secured to the stops and extended therebetween. Adjustment connection means are formed in the strap means to allow the separation of the strap means into two separate pieces each secured to one of the stops, and further to allow for adjustment of the overall length of the strap means. The strap means is formed of an inelastic but flexible material possibly 20 to 40 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. Each stop has a base surface and a wedge surface angled from one another between 25 and 50 degrees, being between 1.5 and 2.5 inches high at the end surface. The stops fit on one side of the door, with the base surface on the floor and the wedge surface against the bottom of the door and with the strap means passing under the door. The strap means are then looped over the foot or ankle area of the exerciser, who is located on the opposite side of the door from the stops, for holding the exerciser's feet snugged against the floor and the door. [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,188, issued to Lind on Sep. 2, 1986, discloses a one-person portable device adapted to be secured to a generally horizontal board, vis a bench in a locker room or the like, operable to assist an exerciser in doing sit-ups and related exercises. The device has a single flexible board strap and a pair of flexible leg straps secured to the board strap. The board strap is of sufficient length to be wrapped around the board, extending transverse to the length thereof, and means are provided to secure the ends of the board strap together to hold the board strap firmly wrapped in place relative to the board. Each leg strap is formed of two pieces having adjacent end portions that are disposed on opposite faces of the board strap, and that are overlapped and secured together as by stitches adjacent the opposite side edges of the board strap. This secures each leg strap relative to the board strap at an orientation extended transverse to the board strap, and laterally holds the leg strap relative to the board strap, while allows each leg strap to be shifted axially along the length of the board strap into alignment on the upper side of the board with a respective leg of the exerciser. The leg straps are of sufficient length, after being twisted one-quarter of a turn, to be wrapped over an ankle or foot of the leg of the exerciser and overlapped, and means are provided to secure the overlapped ends of the leg straps together, operable to hold the foot or ankle firmly in place relative to the board. [0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,417, issued to Sarkozi on Apr. 23, 1991, discloses a one-person portable exercise device for strengthening abdominal muscles which can be operated by an individual exercising on a mattress and box spring, or the like combinaton, without requiring additional assistance during the exercise routine. The device may be easily unfolded for use, and following use, it may be refolded and conveniently stored. The device at one end is folded for securement between the mattress and the box spring, and unfolds and overlays the upper portion of the mattress for use by the individual. The device is adapted to fold and conform with the user's bent ankles, knees and hips, and these folds correspond to the fold lines for folding and unfolding the device. Foot securement means are employed to stabilize the user's feet, and this eliminates the need for assistance during the exercise program. The device at the opposite end lies on the mattress and includes a sheet material upon which the user rests and the weight of the user on the sheet anchors the device on the mattress and prevents it from slipping or becoming displaced during use. [0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,435, issued to Ricks on Jul. 12, 1994, discloses a one-person apparatus to assist in building stomach muscles by a user performing sit-ups with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising first and second anchoring devices disposed on a horizontal surface, devices to position the first and second anchoring devices spaced apart a selected distance, and attaching devices to releasably attach first and second feet of a user to surfaces of the first and second anchoring devices, respectively, to hold the first and second feet of the user relatively immobile so as to assist the user in performing sit-ups. [0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,653, issued to Huang on Sep. 26, 2000, discloses a one-person multifunctional sit-up exerciser including a reverse T-shaped inclined main frame which is adjustable in length and a front and a rear beam pivotally connected with a middle upper section of the main frame by a pivot device to form a substantially L-shaped pattern. An upper end and a middle section of the main frame are respectively connected with two transverse soft stopper arms projecting leftward and rightward. A front rest pad is fixed on top face of the front beam. A locating device is disposed at rear end of bottom face of the front beam. A relative small diameter fitting bar formed with several locating holes extends forward from the interior of the rear beam. The fitting bar is fitted in the rear section of the front beam and located by the locating device which is inserted into the locating hole. A shorter rear rest pad and three movably rotatable massage rods are pivotally disposed on top face of the rear beam. Two arch rocking arms which are adjustable in angle are pivotally disposed on bottom face of the rear beam. The rocking arms are rotatably fixed to the rest pad, whereby during exercising, a massaging effect is produced the exercising manners are variable. [0016] U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,434, issued to Waters on Sep. 10, 2002, discloses a two-person portable exercise apparatus comprising a footrest and an adjustable, elongate bar. The footrest includes a substantially flat top face, a pair of longitudinally disposed sidewalls projecting downwards and outward from opposite longitudinally disposed edges of the top face and a pair of opposing endwalls. The bar is comprised of an inner and outer tubular members arranged telescopically. Adjustment holes are provided along the length of the inner and outer tubular members and are structured to receive a pair of tubular-shaped handles to retain the inner and outer members at their desired respective positions and to provide a means for gripping the bar. When not in use, the bar may be secured to the footrest by removing one of the handles from the bar, inserting the end of the bar without the handle through holes in the endwalls and then replacing the handle on the bar. In use, each person is seated on opposite sides of the footrest, facing each other, with their feet up against the inclined sidewalls. With the bar adjusted in length to approximate the distance between the extended arms of the two people when one is lying prone on his back and the other is sitting upright, each person grips the handle on their respective end of the bar and the person sitting up reclines backward towards the prone position while pulling the other person upward to an upright sitting position. At the same time, the person who was initially reclining backwards utilizes his abdominal muscles to sit up. This process is repeated back and forth until the desired number of repetitions are completed. [0017] U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,893, issued to Waters on Feb. 28, 2006, discloses a portable exercise apparatus assisting one person to do sit-up exercise, which includes a footrest, a harness, a resilient retraction means connected between the footrest and harness, and an anchoring means for anchoring the footrest to a stationary support. In use, a person wears the harness connected with the resilient retraction means which connects to the footrest, and seats on the floor with his feet against the footrest. With the assistance of the apparatus, the exerciser alternates between backward prone and sitting upright positions to do sit-up exercise. Another portable exercise apparatus assisting two persons to do sit-up exercise is also provided, which includes a footrest and a hand-pulling device. In use, each person is seated on opposite sides of the footrest, with their feet against the footrest. Each person grips one handle of the hand-pulling device and alternates between sitting upright and backward prone positions. [0018] While these and previous exercise devices have attempted to solve the problems that they addressed, none have utilized or disclosed a portable assembly for doing two person sit-ups without bulky equipment, as does embodiments of the present invention. [0019] Accordingly, there is a need for a portable exercise device which can assist two people in performing sit-up exercises by leveraging the body weight of the other person. It is desirable to have such equipment be lightweight, compact, inexpensive, easy to operate and transport. The present invention is particularly suited to address these needs in a manner not previously contemplated. [0020] Therefore, a need exists for a portable exercise device with these attributes and functionalities. The portable exercise device according to embodiments of the invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. It can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved system and method which can be used commercially for doing two-person sit-ups. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills these objectives. [0021] The foregoing information reflect the state of the art of which the inventor is aware and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventor's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be pertinent to the patentability of the present invention. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoing information do not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventor's claimed invention. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Continue reading about Portable exercise device... 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