Abstract:
An exercise device or block in the general form of a bale of hay or straw. The novel block is a parallelepiped having three handles disposed along the major axis of one of its major surfaces. A pattern of recesses is provided in an opposing major surface to accommodate the handles of an adjacent block. The recesses are provided to allow a large number of positional relationships between adjacent blocks.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The invention pertains to exercise devices and, more particularly, to an exercise device having the approximate weight and shape of a hay bale. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is well known that persons who work in agricultural pursuits typically stay in good physical condition. One common task undertaken on a farm is the movement of bales of hay. Hay from a bailer must be loaded and/or stacked on a hay wagon or truck for transportation to a barn or other storage facility. At the storage facility, hay bales may be unloaded from the hay wagon or truck and typically placed on a conveyor for elevating the bales up into a hayloft for storage. Bales must be removed from the top of the conveyor, carried to a storage area, and then stacked in the storage area (e.g., hay loft). 
         [0003]    Hay bales must eventually be removed from storage, which again involves lifting and carrying the bales. Often, bales must be carried prior to distribution in stalls, pens, cribs, etc. In other words, the lifting and/or carrying of hay bales involves exercise that contributes to the physical condition of the farm workers. 
         [0004]    The terms, “hay” and “hay bale,” as used herein include other material, for example, straw. It is also known to bale other material, for example, wood chips for uses such as bedding. Consequently, the terms, “hay” and “hay bale,” are intended to include any and all other materials that may be bailed in a manner similar to well-known hay or straw bails. 
         [0005]    Exercise devices intended to help train or condition users thereof are also well known. Static weights such as dumbbells are designed to be grasped in the hand(s) of a user. When raised and lowered or otherwise manipulated, the added weight of the dumbbell(s) help strengthen arm, shoulder, and upper body muscles. Free weights are also popular for bench pressing or other exercises. 
         [0006]    Some exercise devices are equipped with handles to facilitate their use. Other devices are adapted such that their weight may readily be adjusted. 
         [0007]    Coaches, trainers, and physical education instructors generally realize that group exercise has advantages. Exercises wherein a first person lifts and passes an object to a second person are popular. Such exercises may consist of simply passing an object from person to person in a bucket brigade arrangement. A variation is that a person, after receiving the object, may transport the object and then either deposit the object or return to his or her origin with the object. Bales of hay might readily be used for such exercises but such use tends to be messy. In addition, some exercise participants my be allergic to one or more plants or grasses in the hay bale. Other persons may have a problem with the fine particles often originating from a bale, particularly when the hay is dry. 
         [0008]    It is therefore desirable to provide an exercise device having substantially the same size, shape, and weight of a hay bale but without the aforementioned limitations. Handles may be provided to facilitate the movement and/or transferring of the exercise device. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0009]    Several exercise devices are found in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,179 for EXERCISING DEVICE, issued Jun. 16, 1987 to Rudolf Pengler, discloses a hollow geometric shape useful for performing gymnastic exercises. Several handle openings are provided on the sides of the device. 
         [0010]    U.S. Design Pat. No. 359,778 for ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELL, issued Jun. 27, 1995 to Carl K. Towley, III et al., discloses an ornamental design for a dumbbell that appears to allow adding or removing a weighted section to each end thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,305 for MULTI-PURPOSE EXERCISE DEVICE, issued Feb. 10, 1998 to Douglas Spriggs Selsam, provides a double hollow container fillable with water to control the weight thereof. 
         [0011]    U.S. Design Pat. No. 422,654 for ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELL, issued Apr. 11, 2000 to James Chen, discloses an ornamental design for a dumbbell that appears to allow adding or removing weighted section to each end thereof. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,441 for WATER WEIGHT EXERCISE KIT, issued Aug. 8, 2000 to Darrell B. Bonnet, provides a barbell and a dumbbell weight that may be filled with water for use, drained, then folded and stored. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,555 for VARIABLE WEIGHT EXERCISE BAG, issued Nov. 21, 2000 to Steven Robert Kinbeck, discloses a bag into which varying amounts of a “weight bearing material” may be inserted. p U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 544,554 for EXERCISE TUBE, issued Jun. 12, 2007 to Larry Brun, discloses the ornamental design for an elongated, cylindrical tube having handles disposed on an outer surface thereof. 
         [0014]    None of the patents and published patent applications, taken singly, or in any combination are seen to teach or suggest the novel exercise device of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an exercise device or block in the general form of a bale of hay or straw. The novel block is a parallelepiped having three handles disposed along the major axis of one of its major surfaces. A pattern of recesses is provided in an opposing major surface to accommodate the handles of a block. The recesses are provided to allow a large number of positional relationships between adjacent blocks. 
         [0016]    It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an exercise block having the approximate shape and weight of a bale of hay. 
         [0017]    It is another object of the invention to provide an exercise block having multiple handles disposed along a major axis of a major surface thereof. 
         [0018]    It is an additional object of the invention to provide an exercise block having recesses in a major surface opposing the major surface bearing handles to receive one or more handles from an adjacent exercise block. 
         [0019]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an exercise block configured to allow stacking exercise blocks in a large number of interlocking arrangements. 
         [0020]    It is a still further object of the invention to provide an exercise block having at least three handles to facilitate passing the exercise block from one person to another. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the exercise block in accordance with the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side, elevational view of the exercise block of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a bottom, plan view of the exercise block of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the exercise block of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0026]    The present invention provides an exercise device or block having a size, shape, and weight similar to a bale of hay. A typical bale of hay or straw is approximately 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 15 inches high. In other words, the lengths of the orthogonal sides of the hay bale are in a ratio of approximately 12:6:5. Depending upon the moisture content of the baled hay or straw, a typical bale weighs approximately 40 pounds. While the typical dimensions and weight of a hay bale are provided for purposes of disclosure, it will be recognized that the exercise block of the invention may be provided in other sizes, shapes, or weights. 
         [0027]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a top, plan view of the exercise block of the present invention, generally at reference number  100 . Exercise block  100  has a top, major surface  102 . Three handles  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c  are disposed along a centerline  106  of top, major surface  102 . Handles  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c  are rigidly connected to exercise block  100  and are sized and configured to accommodate grasping by a human hand, not shown. While three handles  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c  are shown for purposes of disclosure, it will be recognized that additional or fewer handles, not shown, may readily be attached to exercise block  100 , either along centerline  106  or elsewhere on the surface of exercise block  100 . Consequently, the invention is not limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure but includes any number of handles disposed on one or more surfaces of exercise block  100 . 
         [0028]    Optional decorative lines  108  may be disposed on top, major surface  102 . Optional lines  108  are positioned to represent the typical position of bailing wire or twine present on a bale of hay or straw. Lines  108  may be recessed into top, major surface  102  or may be painted or otherwise placed on the surface. As lines  108  are purely decorative and designed to make exercise block  100  resemble a bale of hay, the lines may be either included or omitted. Consequently, the invention includes embodiments with our without optional decorative lines  108 . 
         [0029]    Referring now also to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are shown side, elevational and bottom, plan views, respectively of the exercise block of  FIG. 1 . Prominent on bottom surface  112  are recesses  110 . Recesses  110  are sized and configured to receive the protruding portion of handles  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c  when a first exercise block  100  is stacked on a second exercise block  100 . Because recesses  110  are disposed in orthogonal pairs sharing a common center, exercise blocks may readily be stacked with their respective major axis either parallel to or perpendicular to one another. Because recesses  110  are disposed in several positions on both the central and edge regions of bottom surface  112 , a second of exercise blocks  100  may be positioned in a variety of offsets with respect to a first one of exercise blocks  100 . Consequently, exercise blocks  100  may be stacked in many arrangements with exercise blocks  100  interlocking with one another. 
         [0030]    Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a perspective pictorial view of exercise block  100 . A logo region  114  adapted and configured to receive indicia is provided on an end surface of exercise block  100 . It will be recognized, of course, that indicia may be placed on any one or more surfaces of exercise block  100 . 
         [0031]    End surface  118  and side surface  116  are each shown having an optional texture. When realism is desired, the texture pattern applied to end surface  118  and/or side surface  116  may resemble the texture of a real bale of hay or straw, not shown. 
         [0032]    Exercise block  100  may be formed from a foamed polymer, preferably having a resilient outer skin. Exercise block  100  may be constructed having interior weights, not shown, to create a desired overall block weight. Exercise blocks  100  are stiff enough that even when stacked, they may support the weight of one or more persons without collapsing. It will be recognized that many alternate materials exist that may be suitable for forming exercise block  100  and the invention is not considered limited to a foamed polymer. 
         [0033]    In alternate embodiments, pockets, not shown, may be provided to receive additional weights, for example, a steel bar, not shown, so that the operating weight of exercise block  100  may be increased. 
         [0034]    In use, a single user may lift and manipulate exercise block, typically by grasping handles  104   a  and  104   c  (i.e., the outside handles). In addition, a single person may lift and carry a pair of exercise blocks  100 , one on his or her left side, and one on his or her right side, by grasping center handle  104   b.    
         [0035]    An exercise block  100  may readily be passed from a first person to a second person using a third one of handles  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c . Group exercises may be designed using multiple exercise blocks  100 . 
         [0036]    Exercise blocks  100  may also be placed in various arrangements to form jumping obstacles or other such impediments. 
         [0037]    Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention. 
         [0038]    Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.