Abstract:
According to one embodiment, an exercise mat is provided. The mat is impact resistant, deformable, resilient to tears or breakage, and can apply normal and lateral biasing forces onto an object received by the mat. Upward extending protrusions, indicia, or designs assist in the normal and laterally biased forces. The mat can vary in shape and dimension, and can be used indoors or outdoors. The weight of mat is such that it can be easily carried and is preferably, a 3′ diameter circular shape or a rectangular shape with at least one side 3′, but can be larger or smaller depending on the user&#39;s preference.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a exercise equipment and, particularly, exercise mats. The exercise mat is made of a material that is both resilient and deformable, and can bias itself against both normal and lateral forces applied thereto. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The following descriptions and examples are given as background only. 
         [0005]    Numerous types of mats are used in the exercise industry. In general, such mats can accommodate a person, either in the standing or prone position, in order to protect that person against impact from a hard floor surface. Many mats can be rolled up and stored when not in use. Not only can exercise mats protect a person against floor impact, but also shield the floor from sweat and other bacteria absorbed within the mat itself. 
         [0006]    Conventional mats are generally not durable enough to withstand excessive repeated impact from a weighted object. In addition, such mats are not resilient enough to bias the object back to its position prior to impact. In many applications, it is important not only to bias the object in the normal force vector direction, but also in a lateral direction so as to keep the object from glancing off the mat and onto the adjacent floor surface. 
         [0007]    Therefore, a need exists for an exercise mat that is resilient and durable to excessive repeated impacts (e.g., thousands to possibly hundreds of thousands) and can deform at each impact sufficient to bias the object back toward its original position in the normal and lateral directions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The problems outlined above are solved by an exercise mat that is designed to have a bottom surface that can securely contact a floor, yet no adhesive backing material is required. The bottom surface can also be secured against a wall if desired. Generally speaking, the front surface can have protrusions. It is desirable that the protusions be circular, and extend hemispherically upward from the front surface. There may be other protrusions associated with written indicia, for example, that can be included on the front surface. 
         [0009]    The protrusions can extend as part of the mat material and, therefore, the overall mat including the protrusions and indicia can be of a singular, unibody construction. If so, the overall mat is preferably constructed of a single-molded foam material. In a preferred embodiment, the foam material can be made of ethylene-vinyl acetate or, alternatively, a rubber foaming material can be used in an extruded mold that is fashioned using an upper and lower tool or plates. 
         [0010]    According to another embodiment, the protrusions and indicia can be made from a material of different density and resiliency than the mat, and the overall mat can be extruded with apertures to receive the protrusions or indicia which can be secured therein and extended to any desired distance from the front surface depending upon the amount of biasing desired. If advantageous, the protrusions can be adjusted in the field or by the manufacturer. In this fashion, the protrusions and indicia can be changed in accordance with the desired mat functionality or aesthetics. Alternatively though not preferred, the end user can manually cut-out apertures if, for example, multiple alternative designs are desired for the protrusions and indicia. 
         [0011]    It is desirable that the protrusions be circular in a hemispherical shape. The hemispherical shape can have a rounded or flattened upper portion depending on the user&#39;s preference and mat functionality. A circular protrusion is preferred so that the angle of lateral impact is equally resilient in all directions. For example, a square protrusion would give a greater lateral resilience in one direction than another. 
         [0012]    The outer dimensions of the mat can be circular, square, or rectangular. Regardless of the outer dimensions, it is desirable that the innermost region of the mat have circular protrusions and the outermost region of the mat can have indicia, such as alphabetic characters or other designs, or rectangular protrusions. Since a weighted object will most likely strike the innermost portion of the mat, the circular protrusions provide a greater benefit than the non-circular protrusions at the outermost region, not only with regard to any lateral bias provided by the circular shape, but also to the weighted object itself. 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment, an exercise mat is provided. In this embodiment, the mat can be circular. The exercise mat comprises indicia on a front surface of the mat which can extend in an arcuate pattern proximate to an edge of the mat. A center protrusion is also provided proximate to a center of the front surface of the mat. A plurality of substantially circular protrusions are also provided which extend from the front surface of the mat between the edge of the mat and the center protrusion. The indicia preferably comprises at least two alphabetic characters spaced from each other. In one embodiment, the alphabetic characters can extend radially outward toward the edge of the mat. The circular protrusions can be located at predetermined distances from each other that can vary depending on their proximity to the center protrusion and the indicia. Depending on the orientation of the mat, the indicia and circular protrusions can provide opposing vertical and horizontal forces when impacted by a weighted object. The horizontal force can be a lateral force to provide frictional resistance when impacted by a weighted object, such as an exercise ball or foot. 
         [0014]    According to another embodiment, an exercise mat is provided. In this embodiment, the mat can be rectangular or square. The exercise mat can include indicia on a front surface of the mat which extends in a substantially straight direction proximate to an edge of the mat. The exercise mat can further include rectangular protrusions on the front surface proximate each edge of the mat as well as circular protrusions proximate the center of the mat that can be surrounded by the rectangular protrusions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a top plan view of an exercise mat according to one embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a cross-sectional view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a cross-sectional view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  according to another embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a cross-sectional view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  according to yet another embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a side perspective view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  showing a deformable object applied at an acute angle to a region of the exercise mat; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a side perspective view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  showing a rigid object applied at an acute angle to a region of the exercise mat; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side perspective view along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  showing the lateral forces and biasing of the resilient and deformable exercise mat applied to the object in order to direct the object back toward its original position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side perspective view of an exercise mat illustrating frictional resistance when struck by an object, such as a person&#39;s foot; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an exercise mat according to another embodiment; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view along plane  7  of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
       [0026]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    The following description of various embodiments of exercise mats is not to be construed in any way as limiting the subject matter of the appended claims. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exercise mat  10  according to one embodiment. Mat  10  has a front surface and a back surface (not shown). The front surface is illustrated in  FIG. 1  with design features  12   a - 12   b  and  14   a - 14   b  spaced along the circumference of mat  10 . It is appreciated that additional or fewer design features are possible. It is desirable that the design features be raised or extended from the front surface and be made of the same material as the mat body. Further illustrated is indicia  16   a - 16   b  and  18   a - 18   b  which preferably extends in an arcuate pattern near the outer circumference of mat  10 . It is appreciated that additional or fewer indicia are possible. Similar to design features  12 / 14 , indicia  16 / 18  are preferably raised or extended from the front surface and are made of the same material as the mat body. An example of indicia  16  is the phrase “SLAM MAT.” An example of indicia  18  might be the name of the mat manufacturer or seller. 
         [0029]    Also illustrated is a plurality of protrusions  20  which are preferably raised or extended from the front surface of mat  10  and are spaced from each other. Protrusions  20  are preferably circular in shape having a hemispherical upper surface, according to one embodiment. While many protrusions  20  can exist near design features  12 / 14  and indicia  16 / 18 , it is preferred that most of the protrusions  20  occur in the region between a center protrusion  22  and indicia  16 / 18 . By congregating protrusions  20  in this fashion, the majority of strikes upon mat  10  are accommodated by protrusions  20  having a hemispherical upper dimension and contour. Having protrusions  20  in a circular, hemispherical contour, lends to their omni-directional biasing features and allows a striking object, such as a weighted ball, to return to its original position after being thrown by a person standing above the mat, for example. Avoiding sharp edges helps eliminate any non-consistent frictional forces applied to an object in the lateral direction, regardless of the direction in which the object is applied to mat  10 . Sharp edges, such as corners or certain letters of the alphabet contained in design features  12 / 14  or indicia  16 / 18 , could prevent the object from returning to its original position. 
         [0030]    Center protrusion  22  is also preferably circular in shape with an inner dimension  24  that can vary in size. According to an alternative embodiment, center protrusion  22  can also vary in size. Inner dimension  24  can preferably form a design, such as that shown in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, inner dimension  24  is recessed into center protrusion  22 . According to a preferred embodiment, the inner dimension  24  of center protrusion  22  can provide lateral frictional resistance when impacted by a weighted object. 
         [0031]    Preferably, mat  10 , design features  12 / 14 , indicia  16 / 18 , protrusions  20 , center protrusion  22 , and inner dimension  24  are all formed in a single molded or extruded process within the confines of a tool that stamps a molded material to form a unibody construction. The material is preferably an EVA material, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate or any suitable rubber foaming material which has an elasticity and is resilient to many thousands of strikes by an object, such as a weighted ball, yet is deformable at each strike. The various features formed on the front surface of mat  10  provide both normal and lateral biasing against any object thrown or applied against mat  10 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of mat  10  along plane  2  of  FIG. 1  which illustrates the different sizes of protrusions  20  with a rounded, hemispherical upper surface. Also illustrated are the inner and outer diameters of center protrusion  22  along with recessed inner dimension  24 . Further illustrated are indicia  14  and design feature  12 . As shown in the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 2B , protrusions  20 , center protrusion  22 , indicia  14 , and design feature  12  can have a flattened upper surface. Regardless of whether the various features are rounded or flattened, they can all be formed as part of the molding process as a single unibody construction. 
         [0033]    According to an alternative embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 2C , the various features on the front surface of mat  10  can be formed separate from the mat body. As shown, the front surface of mat  10  contains apertures or openings  26  formed as part of the molding process or after the molding process by manually cutting out the openings. Regardless of when the apertures or openings are provided, protrusions  20 , center protrusion  22  with recessed dimension  24 , indicia  14 , and design feature  12  can be inserted into the openings  26 . The elements inserted into openings  26  can be made of a different material than the body of mat  10 , such as a material with a different density, resiliency, and/or deformability, for example, in order to adjust for any increase or decrease in lateral forces striking mat  10 . Moreover, the depth of the elements inserted into openings  26  can be adjusted, as shown by arrows  28 , if desired depending on the amount of normal and lateral biasing needed. It is appreciated that each of the elements inserted into openings  26  can be adjusted independently of each other. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A-3B  illustrate the feature of deformability and resiliency associated with mat  10 .  FIG. 3A  illustrates the application of an object, such as a deformable ball  30 , upon mat  10 . Ball  30  deforms and extends partially into the front surface of mat  10 . In this fashion, ball  30  grasps the lateral sides of a protrusion  20 , causing protrusion  20  to deform laterally yet maintaining frictional resistance against ball  30 , thus preventing ball  30  from deflecting in the opposite direction.  FIG. 3B  illustrates the application of an object, such as a weighted ball  32 , upon mat  10 . The deformability of mat  10  and protrusion  20  not only prevents ball  32  from deflecting in the opposite direction, but also protects ball  32  from damage caused by a hard surface, for example. Even if ball  32  is substantially heavy, for example 50-70 pounds, the density of the foam material forming mat  10  allows it to be substantially resilient against damage. The preferred EVA material forming mat  10  is of such density that there is insignificant damage or wear to the front surface of mat  10  even after being stricken by a weighted object multiple time. Furthermore, such material is non-porous to water, such as rain or sweat, for example, which prevents the spread of bacteria or viruses. Accordingly, mat  10  can be used both outside and inside. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  illustrates the reciprocal forces  34  applied by mat  10  to an object, such as ball  30  or ball  32 . Forces  34  are attributable to the lateral forces of the various elements, such as protrusions  20 , and the normal or perpendicular forces associated with the material which forms mat  10 . Depending on the weight of the object  30  or  32 , the ball can bounce back to its original position if the angle at which the ball is thrown is no more than, for example, 20° from perpendicular. If greater than 20° from perpendicular, the ball will bounce slightly off perpendicular, but still easily retrievable by the user due to the advantages of the raised elements, such as protrusions  20 , which laterally force the ball back toward its original position. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  illustrates a further use of mat  10 . Protrusions  20  can prevent a user&#39;s foot  40  from sliding off mat  10  as shown by arrow  42 , and can further be used to apply normal or perpendicular force as shown by arrow  44 . When a person uses mat  10  while standing, for example, the force vector associated with force  42  allows such person to maintain their position, and when jumping, for example, the force vector associated with force  44  causes additional upward and lateral biasing which reduces impact and stress to the joints of that person. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative embodiment of an exercise mat. Mat  50  is a rectangular shape. Mat  50  is shown with indicia  52 , rectangular protrusions  54 , and circular protrusions  56 . Although the preferred embodiment of mat  50  is illustrated, it is appreciated that the protrusions can be of different shapes, such as square or oval, for example, with the same or dissimilar dimensions. 
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of mat  50  along plane  7  of  FIG. 6  which illustrates rectangular protrusion  54  and circular protrusion  56 . Mat  50  is preferably of the same chemical composition and construction as mat  10 , either as a single unibody structure or as a structure with apertures to receive the various protrusions. Preferably, protrusions  54 / 56  have a raised, flat surface for use by a person while standing or jumping. However, it is appreciated that the protrusions can be of a raised, spherical shape depending on the application. 
         [0039]    Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.