Abstract:
An exercise apparatus that is lightweight, easily transported, inexpensive and easy to use in performing a wide variety of exercises, the exercise apparatus including a rigid shaft formed of interconnectable limbs having a pair of spaced sleeve-sliders thereon and opposing end caps that receive a long resilient band having side lengths stretched along the staff and the sleeve-sliders thereon, and with each end cap also receiving a short resilient band with a handle thereon.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to exercise apparatus used to develop and maintain muscular strength. 
   It has long been recognized that various types of exercise apparatus can be used by individuals desiring to increase and maintain muscular strength. Such exercise apparatus may be very simple and comprise dead weights that are lifted with the arms and legs, or large rubber bands that can be stretched to provide resistance, thereby increasing muscular strength. 
   Dead weights may be as simple as plastic bottles filled with water and with each bottle being individually grasped by a user&#39;s hands to be elevated in exercises that will develop muscular strength. The dead weights may also be heavier bar bells that are to be individually lifted by hand, or may comprise a long shaft with one or more weights affixed to each end of the shaft, with the shaft and weights being raised and lowered by a user in the development and maintenance of muscles in various parts of the body. 
   The large rubber bands, used for exercise purposes, may be stretched using arms, legs and other body parts, with the stretching action of the bands providing resistance that will develop muscular strength, or that will maintain desired strength. The large rubber bands can also be attached to a fixed structure, such as a door knob, or the like, and the user may stretch the attached rubber band to provide resistance and muscular development or maintenance. 
   A great many exercise machines and apparatus have also been proposed in the past. Such machines and apparatus frequently obtain essential the same results as the basic dead weight lift system and rubber band stretching system. However, the machines and/or apparatus that have been developed are frequently large, bulky and heavy, and must be used in a pre-determined location. Often it is not practical to try and transport the machine or exercise apparatus since it is too bulky, and too heavy. 
   There remains a need for an effective exercise apparatus that can be easily transported by a user from location to location. A user who is traveling from location to location often needs or desires an exercise apparatus that can be easily and quickly set up for use in a bedroom, a hotel room, or any convenient space and that can be disassembled to be easily carried from location to location. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Objects of the Invention 
   Principal objects of the present invention are to provide an exercise apparatus that is lightweight and compact so that it can be conveniently carried from location to location. It is another object to provide an exercise apparatus that can be readily set up for use, and that will allow the user to perform a wide variety of exercises to achieve development and maintenance of muscular strength of diverse muscles and muscle groups. 
   Other objects are to provide an exercise apparatus that is inexpensive, as compared to larger, more bulky exercise apparatus. 
   Still another object is to provide an exercise apparatus that will allow the user to perform many exercises that cannot be performed with more simple exercise apparatus, such as dead weights and large rubber bands. 
   Yet another object is to provide an exercise apparatus that can easily be used to exercise a wide variety of muscles, even in a limited space, such as a bedroom, or hotel room. 
   2. Features of the Invention 
   Principal features of the invention include an elongate staff that is constructed from easily assembled components that are light in weight and easy to assemble. 
   Other features include at least one long stretch band formed of resilient tubing that is stretched through end pieces fixed to opposite ends of the staff. The long stretch band is formed as an endless band that when fitted to the staff and relaxed has opposite sides lying against the length of the staff and sleeve-sliders mounted on the staff. 
   Sleeve-sliders slide onto opposite ends of the staff to provide adjustable gripping surfaces on the staff. The sleeve-sliders are movable along the staff to be spaced apart a distance that will allow convenient and comfortable grasping during a performance of many different exercises by a user. 
   The spaced sleeve-sliders also serve as sliding members and when grasped, together with the adjacent side lengths of the long stretch band, can be moved along the staff towards and away from one another. The sliding movement stretches portions of the long stretch band and provides resistance to strengthen upper body muscles used in performing the movements. 
   A shorter stretch band formed of resilient tubing is provided at each end of the staff, and the long stretch band and the shorter stretch bands are each secured in and project from caps affixed to opposite ends of the staff. 
   With the exercise apparatus of the invention, a user may exercise virtually every muscle and each muscle group of the body. 
   Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the following detailed description, drawings and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE INVENTION 
     In the Drawings 
       FIG. 1 , is an exploded, perspective view of the components of the exercise apparatus of the invention; 
       FIG. 2 , is a perspective view of the exercise apparatus of the invention with the components assembled; 
       FIG. 3 , a side elevation view of the exercise apparatus; 
       FIG. 4 , a view like that of  FIG. 3 , but showing the long stretch band pulled away from opposite sides of the staff; 
       FIG. 5 , a view like that of  FIG. 3 , but showing the sleeve-sliders positioned closer to the center point of the staff; 
       FIG. 6 , a view like that of  FIGS. 3 and 5 , but showing the sleeve-sliders in a position; 
       FIG. 7 , a pictorial view showing a user performing a exercise, using the exercise apparatus of the invention; 
       FIG. 8 , a view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing the user performing a different exercise; 
       FIG. 9 , a view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing a user performing another exercise; 
       FIG. 10 , another view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing the user performing yet another exercise; 
       FIG. 11 , a view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing the user performing still another exercise with the exercise apparatus of the invention. 
       FIG. 12 , a pictorial view showing the user performing another exercise with the exercise apparatus of the invention; and 
       FIG. 13 , a pictorial view showing the user performing still another exercise with the exercise apparatus of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring Now the Drawings 
   The exercise apparatus  20  of the invention includes a staff  22  formed from a pair of straight, rigid limbs  24  and  26 . 
   Limb  24  is tubular and includes a non-threaded end  28  and an exteriorly threaded end  30 . Similarly, limb  26  is tubular and includes a non-threaded end  32  and an exteriorly threaded end  34 . 
   Limbs  24  and  26  are connected end-to-end axially together with a coupler  36 . Coupler  36  is tubular and has am outer diameter to just tightly fit into the open ends  28  and  32  of the limbs  24  and  26 , respectively. A central collar  38  is formed on, or affixed to, the coupler  36 , intermediate the length of the coupler. In assembling the limbs  24  and  26  to form the staff  22 , the end  40  of coupler  36  is inserted into the end  28  of limb  24 . The end  32  of limb  26  is telescoped onto the end  42  of coupler  36 . The limbs  24  and  26  are pushed into engagement with collar  38 . 
   A sleeve-slider  46  has a bore  48  therethrough. Bore  48  has an inside diameter that is just larger than the exterior diameter of limb  24 . Sleeve-slider  46  telescopes over threaded end  30  of the limb  24  and onto limb  24 . 
   Similarly, a sleeve-slider  50  has a bore  52  therethrough that has an inside diameter that is just larger than the outside diameter of limb  26 . Sleeve-slider  50  telescopes over threaded end  34  of limb  26  and onto limb  26 . 
   An end cap  54  has a bore  56  therethrough and bore  56  is interiorly threaded at one end  58  so that the end cap will thread onto threaded end  30  of limb  24 . The other end  59  of end cap  54  is non-threaded. 
   Another end cap  60  has a bore  62  therethrough. Bore  62  is interiorly threaded at one end  64  to be threaded onto the threaded end  34  of limb  26 . The other end  65  of end cap  60  is non-threaded. 
   Each end cap  54  and  60  has a pair of axially spaced holes  68  and  70 . Each hole  68  and  70  extends fully through the end cap transverse to the axis of the staff  22 . Each end cap  54  and  60  also has a narrow slot  72  extending from the non-threaded end  59  and  65 , respectively, of the end caps into engagement with the holes at opposite sides of the end cap. 
   A long endless stretch band  80  formed of resilient tubing, i.e., surgical rubber tubing, has side lengths  82  and  84 , and ends  86  and  88  interconnecting the side lengths. The overall length between ends of the long endless stretch band  80  is such that when the exercise apparatus  20  is assembled, the side lengths  82  and  84  and band  80  are lightly stretched between ends  86  and  88  such that the side lengths are close to the shaft and the sleeve-sliders  46  and  50 . 
   Handles  90  and  92  are respectively formed around the mid-portions of the side lengths  82  and  84  to provide hand grips for a user, as will be further described. 
   A short endless stretch band  96  formed as an endless loop  98  and also made of a stretchable material such as surgical rubber tubing, has a handle  100  formed around a middle portion of loop  98  to be grasped by a user. 
   Similarly, a short endless stretch band  106  formed as an endless loop  108 , made of stretchable material, such as surgical rubber tubing has a handle  110  formed around a middle portion of the loop  108  to be grasped by a user. 
   When disassembled, the exercise apparatus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , comprises small, lightweight components that can easily be carried by a user. A carry bag, not shown, may be used to hold the components together for storage and transport. 
   The most bulky components used to make the exercise apparatus are the limbs  24  and  26 , which may each have a length of, for example, between about thirty-five and forty-five cm. When assembled as staff  22 , to include end caps  54  end  60 , the overall length of between eighty and one-hundred cm allows the staff to best function as necessary when the bands are stretched and/or pulled from the end caps during performance of exercises. The limbs  24  and  26  are preferably made of aluminum, plastic or other suitable lightweight material that will not bend or break during use of the exercise apparatus  20 . 
   Typical exercises that can be performed using the exercise apparatus  20  are shown in FIGS.  4  and  7 - 13 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 13  show that in use of the exercise apparatus  20 , the side lengths  82  and  84  of the long stretch band  80  can be simultaneously spread outwardly from opposite sides of the staff  22 . The side lengths  82  and  84  are stretched outwardly, in opposite directions, using handles  90  and  92  and are then relaxed. The stretching and relaxing can be accomplished while a user is reclining, sitting, or standing and the staff  22  floats and is not anchored. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , a user  120  in a sitting position can place the staff  22  against the bottom of his feet  122  to secure the staff in place. The short endless stretch bands  96  and  106  are stretched by a user  120  grasping handles  100  and  110  in his hands  126  and  128  and pulling and relaxing the bands simultaneously, or in sequence. 
   Another typical exercise performed by a user with exercise apparatus  20  is shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown, the user sits on the staff  22 , places short stretch bands  96  and  106  over feet  122  so that the user can spread, push or otherwise stretch and relax the short stretch bands  96  and  106  simultaneously, or in sequence, using his legs. 
     FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  12  show use of the exercise apparatus  20  being raised and lowered in front of the user ( FIG. 9 ), and above the head of the user ( FIG. 10 ). The exercise apparatus can thus be used as a dead weight to perform some exercises. Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  12 , the user can stand on the side length  84  and then raise and lower the staff  22  between a lowered position and an overhead raised position ( FIG. 10 ), and a raised position in front of his body ( FIGS. 9 and 12 ). It will be apparent that while the exercises of  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  12  show lifting of the staff  22  in front of the user, that lifts behind the user&#39;s head can also be performed. It will also be apparent that the user can change the exercises by choosing to use either an overhead grip or an underhand grip. 
     FIG. 11  shows still another typical exercise that can be performed with the exercise apparatus  20 . As shown, the staff  22  is positioned behind the shoulders of a user. The user  120  grasps handles  100  and  110  and moves his arms and hands  126  and  128  to stretch the bands  96  and  106 . 
   Also, as shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  12 , the user can while the staff is positioned in front, above, or behind his body, grasp the sleeve-sliders  46  and  50 , together with the side lengths  82  and  84  of long stretch band  80  lying alongside the staff and sleeve-sliders. Then, either while lifting and lowering the staff  22 , or while holding the staff at a desired height, the sleeve-sliders  46  and  50  are moved forward or away from one another. Such movement of the sleeve-sliders, while stretching the portions of the long resilient band side lengths between the end caps and the sleeve-sliders, or the portions of the slide lengths  82  and  84  between sleeve-sliders exercises the arms and upper body muscles of the user. 
   The user  120  shown in  FIG. 12  is standing on the side length  84  of the long resilient, endless stretch band  80  while grasping the sleeve-sliders  46  and  50 , and the side length  82 . The user is thus able to exercise by lifting against the stretch of side length  84  and, at the same time, to exercise muscle of the hands, arms and upper body by moving the sleeve-sliders along the staff  22 , while grasping the sleeve-sliders and the side length  82  with an underhand grip. 
   The exercises shown herein are typical of, but are not in any way limiting, of exercises that can be performed using exercise apparatus  20 . 
   As previously noted, the exercise apparatus  20  is lightweight, and easily assembled for use, with stretch band  80 . The band  80  is stretched at its ends  86  and  88  until the ends are stretched thin enough to fit through slots  72  and into the end caps  54  and  60  until the long stretch band extends out of the holes  70  through both end caps  46  and  50 . While only one long stretch band  20  is shown, it will be apparent that more than one such band can be provided to provide additional resistance during exercising if desired. 
   Short bands  96  and  106  are similarly stretched until the band portions opposite handles  100  and  110  are thin enough to slide through slots  72  to allow the short bands to extend through a hole  68  provided in each of the end caps  54  and  68 . 
   The exercise apparatus  20  does not require any tools in the assembly or disassembly of the apparatus. 
   Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been herein described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.