Abstract:
A martial arts training device is especially suited for attachment to an overhead support framework and includes a training article such as a foam-filled punching bag mounted on an axially extending arm that is pivotally mounted by a mounting assembly to the overhead structure. The bag and arm may thus be raised and lowered between a lowered, vertical use position within the room space and a raised overhead, horizontal storage position in which they leave the space unobstructed for carrying out various activities without interference from the training devices. The mounting assembly includes a releasable latch operable by a person standing on the floor to lock the bag in either its raised or lowered position, this permitting quick and easy placement of the bag in either of its alternative positions.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/465,745, filed Apr. 25, 2003, incorporated into the present application by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to personal training equipment of the type frequently used in developing martial arts skills and, more particularly to equipment of the foregoing type that can be quickly and easily placed in stowed or use positions within a room space to permit speedy conversion of the space from an open class room area into one in which a plurality of individual training articles are deployed for use in carrying out individual training exercises.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY  
       [0003]     My prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,867 discloses a martial art training system in which a free-standing framework can be set up within a room space to support a number of training devices such as kick bags that hang down from overhead beams of the framework. The kick bags are suspended from trolleys on the overhead beams that permit a series of bags on each beam to be collected together at one end of the beam to open up the space in the room otherwise occupied by the bags. The bags may be quickly and easily redeployed by simply pulling them back into the selected positions along the beams so that individual class members may perform their respective workout routines around their individual bags.  
         [0004]     In one aspect, the present invention comprises an alternative to the selectively positionable trolley hangers of the &#39;867 patent. Instead of trolleys that can be locked, released and moved along support rails to gather hanging training devices into groups at the edge of the room space or deployed into mutually spaced positions throughout the room space, the present invention contemplates training devices that are raised and lowered from overhead support structure between stowed and deployed positions. When the devices are in their stowed positions, they overlie the normal usable activity area of the room at a height above that of a tall man. When in their deployed positions, the articles are down within the space at body height so that the students or other personnel can work out by punching, kicking or otherwise striking the articles.  
         [0005]     In a preferred form, each training article is attached at the outer end of a swingable support arm pivotally attached at its opposite end to a mounting bracket secured to the overhead frame portion. A latch, operable through a rope pull or the like, releasably locks the arm and thus the training device in either its raised or lowered positions. Preferably, a spring connected between the arm and the bracket biases the arm toward its raised position to counteract the weight of the arm and the training device as the arm is moved up to its raised position when the latch is released. By grabbing the outer end of the arm or the training device, the training device may be easily swung down into its deployed position whereupon the latch re-engages and retains the device. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a top, fragmentary isometric view of a room space employing a training system in accordance with the principles of the present invention and illustrating one of the punching bags in a raised, stowed position and another in a lowered, deployed or use position;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view of one of the training devices used in the system, parts being illustrated in an exploded condition to reveal details of construction;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through one of the training devices with the punching bag thereof shown in the lowered, deployed position;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of the mounting assembly of the device illustrating the punching bag between raised and lowered positions with the latch in a released condition; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through the device similar to  FIG. 3  illustrating the punching bag in its raised, stowed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. While the drawings illustrate and the specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments.  
         [0012]     The training system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is especially suited for being positioned within a room space having walls  12  and  14 , a floor  16 , and a ceiling and other walls (not shown). Preferably, but not necessarily, system  10  utilizes and includes a free-standing framework  18  similar to that disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,867. Accordingly, the &#39;867 patent is hereby incorporated by reference into the present description, and details of the framework  18  and other walls and portions of the room will not be hereinafter explained in detail.  
         [0013]     As mentioned above, framework  18  is preferably free-standing, although it will be apparent that many of the principles of the present invention are not limited to use with that particular type of support for the training articles. As will be apparent, in one mode of the invention the training articles may be attached to and supported by many different types of supporting structures, wall-mounted and otherwise.  
         [0014]     In any event, in the illustrated embodiment, the supporting framework  18  includes a number of uprights  20  (only one being shown) that are interconnected at their upper ends by various horizontal beams such as the beams  22  and  24  illustrated in  FIG. 1  Beams  22  and  24  are located above the normal height of a person carrying on activities within the room and thus comprise overhead portions of the supporting framework  18 . The effective activity area within the room thus is defined generally below the beams  22  and  24 .  
         [0015]     A number of training devices  26  are supported on beams  22  or other overhead portions of framework  18 . Broadly speaking, each device  26  includes a training article such as a punching bag  28  and a mounting assembly  30  that attaches bag  28  to framework  18 , specifically to beam  22 . Each mounting assembly  30 , in turn, comprises a mounting bracket  32 , an arm  34  pivotally attached to bracket  32  for swinging movement about a transverse, horizontal axis between raised and lowered positions, a latch  36  for selectively and releasably retaining arm  34  in either of its raised or lowered positions, and a spring  38  operably connected between arm  34  and bracket  32  for yieldably biasing arm  34  upwardly toward its raised position.  
         [0016]     In the illustrated embodiment, mounting bracket  32  includes a tubular support bar  40  projecting horizontally laterally outwardly from beam  22  and connected at one end to the latter by a clamp assembly  42 . Adjacent its outer end, support bar  40  carries a depending box  44  having a pair of opposite side plates  46  that are rigidly affixed to support bar  40  by welding or the like. Side plates  46  are somewhat laterally spaced apart to define an interior compartment for the latch  36  and other structure.  
         [0017]     A pivot bolt  48  extends transversely and horizontally between side plates  46  and rotatably carries a cylindrical hub  50 . Hub  50  forms part of a pivot member  52  within the compartment defined by box  44 , which pivot member  52  is further defined by a pair of generally circular plates  54  and  56  that are fixed to hub  50  at longitudinally spaced locations along the latter. Each plate  54 ,  56  has one peripheral latching notch  58  therein corresponding to the raised position of arm  34  and a second, circumferentially spaced, peripheral latching notch  60  corresponding to the lowered position of arm  34 . Notches  58  on the two plates are circumferentially aligned with one another, as are the notches  60 .  
         [0018]     Latch  36  is in the nature of an elongated, flat plate having rounded ends. Latch  36  is housed within box  44  and has its opposite ends projecting transversely outwardly through and beyond vertical slots  62  in the side plates  46  of box  44 . Slots  62  have vertical dimensions that exceed the vertical width of latch  36  such that latch  36  can move edgewise upwardly and downwardly within slots  62  into and out of engagement with the latching notches  58  and  60  on pivot member  52 . A tension spring  64  is looped over hub  50  and connected at its opposite ends to latch  36  so as to yieldably bias the latter toward pivot member  52  and toward latching engagement with notches  58  and  60 . A rope pull  66  or the like may be secured at its upper end to latch  36  to permit manual release of latch  36  by someone standing on the floor  16 .  
         [0019]     The arm  34  is welded or otherwise fixedly attached at its inner end to pivot member  52 . As illustrated in the figures, the inner end of arm  34  is situated between plates  54  and  56  in an eccentric relationship therewith generally on the front side of the pivot bolt  48 . Arm  34  is so positioned with respect to discs  54 ,  56  that when arm  34  is in its raised position it extends substantially horizontally generally parallel with support bar  40 , and when arm  34  is in its lowered position, it extends substantially vertically in perpendicular relationship to support bar  40 . The two side plates  46  of box  44  are spaced apart along their front extremities so as to provide a clearance opening along the front of box  44  through which arm  34  projects and moves between its raised and lowered positions. A lug  68  on the front side of arm  34  serves as an anchor point for a cable  70  that extends into the open end of support bar  40  and loops around an idler pulley  72 . The opposite end of cable  70  is secured to the outer end of spring  38 , thus transmitting the biasing action of spring  38  to arm  34 .  
         [0020]     Arm  34  supports the punching bag  28  but is constructed in two sections so as to provide a degree of flexibility and shock absorption when bag  28  is punched or kicked during exercise routines. In this respect, it will be noted that arm  34  has an upper section  74  that is secured to the pivot member  52  as set forth above. A second lower section  76  of arm  34  is axially aligned with upper section  74  and serves as the mounting portion of arm  34  for bag  28 . In one preferred form of the invention, the bag  28  comprises a layer of foam that is wrapped around lower section  76  and is encased within an outer jacket or skin of vinyl or other suitable material. The foam interior of bag  28  is secured to lower arm section  76  in any suitable manner such as by bonding or otherwise so as to securely retain bag  28  in place on arm  34  during workout routines and movement between raised and lowered positions.  
         [0021]     A flexible coupling broadly denoted by the numeral  78  joins upper arm section  74  with lower arm section  76  so as to permit a degree of flexing of lower section  76  and thus bag  28  relative to upper section  74  during impact from punches and kicks. In one preferred embodiment, coupling  78  comprises a plurality of elastomeric discs  80  stacked in superimposed relationship to one another and clamped between a flange  82  on the lower end of upper arm section  74  and a flange  84  on the upper end of lower arm section  76 . Three upwardly projecting threaded studs  86  on lower flange  84  pass upwardly through resilient discs  80  and upper flange  82  for securing flanges  82  and  84  together. Each stud  86  has a stack of small resilient, elastomeric discs  88  encircling the same above flange  82 , and a washer  90  is disposed on each stud  86  on top of the stack of small discs  88 . Each stud  86  is also provided with a nut  92  threaded onto the upper end thereof in overlying relationship to washer  90  for threaded securement to the stud. Thus, the small elastomeric discs  88  are resiliently sandwiched between washers  90  and flange  82 , while the larger elastomeric discs  80  are sandwiched between upper flange  82  and lower flange  84 . By threadably adjusting the position of nuts  92  on studs  86 , the compression of discs  80  and  88  can be adjusted so as to correspondingly adjust the flexibility and resiliency of coupling  78 .  
         [0022]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  the bags  28  are designed to be positioned in either a raised, horizontal position for storage or a lowered, vertical position for use. In a preferred embodiment, the pivot axis defined by horizontal pivot bolt  48  is located at a height above floor  16  that exceeds the height of a tall man, such as  78  inches, so that when a bag is in its raised position it leaves an unobstructed space below it for students or other individuals to use. On the other hand, when the bag is in its lowered position, the lower end of the bag is disposed  12 - 18  inches above the floor at a perfect height for practice strikes.  
         [0023]     When the bag  28  is in its lowered position, latch  36  is biased by spring  64  up into locking engagement with notches  60  in pivot member  52 . Arm  34  projects vertically downwardly through the open bottom of pivot box  44  at this time. When bag  28  is struck with repeated punches or kicks, the foam interior of the bag absorbs much of the blow. However, in addition the flexible coupling  78  allows the bag and the lower arm section  76  to hinge to a small extent as permitted by the elastomeric discs  80  and  88  associated with coupling  78 , thus not only protectively absorbing some of the shock load imparted to the apparatus, but also providing a more realistic punching or kicking sensation for the individual delivering the blows. In the event than an unobstructed space is needed within the room for classroom instruction or callisthenics, for example, each bag may be quickly and easily raised to its overhead position by simply pulling on the rope pull  66  to disengage latch  36  from pivot member  52  and swinging the bag up to its raised position. Spring  38  counteracts the weight of the bag to facilitate this action, and once the latch  36  has been released and arm  34  has been started upwardly, rope pull  66  may likewise be released as latch  36  rides along the exterior of pivot member  52  and automatically snaps into locking notches  58  when the bag has been fully raised. Returning one or more bags down to the use position is a simple reversal of this process.  
         [0024]     It will thus be seen that the training system of the present invention provides an attractive alternative to the system as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,867 wherein bags or other training articles are suspended from movable overhead trolleys that permit the bags to be gathered to one side of the room to provide unobstructed space for teaching and exercises. However, it will also be noted that the principles of the present invention are not limited to having the training devices  26  mounted on an overhead support framework such as the framework  18  disclosed in  FIG. 1 . It is within the scope of the present invention to have training devices  26  mounted on various other types of supports such as, for example, wall-mounted supports, ceiling-mounted supports, or individual floor supported stands and the like.  
         [0025]     The inventor(s) hereby state(s) his/their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of his/their invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.