Abstract:
An exercise Swiss ball cover with the capability of performing integrated resistance exercises and temporarily store personal belongings. The cover is a fabric rectangle secured at its shortest sides, or a fabric tube, into which the exercise Swiss ball is inserted and covered at the centermost, widest circumference. There are two perimeters, each having a small ring or grommet to attach and detach exercise accessories and personal belongings. The cover is cinched at its two perimeters to secure the cover to the exercise Swiss ball. It provides a 360 degree forward and backward rotation capability and a variable lateral rotation of up to 180 degrees without interference from excess material or the bare surface of the exercise Swiss ball. Variable side coverage depends upon stretch and width of fabric used. The cover can be folded into a flat rectangle, making it suitable to neatly drape over a workout bench.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a continuation of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/897,264, filed by Rebecca Michelle Power, San Diego, Calif. on Jan. 25, 2007, entitled “Personal Exercise Equipment Covers” 
     
    
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    6,547,703 Isometric Exercise Swiss ball, April 2003 
         [0003]    6,712,745 Exercise Fitness Ball Cover, March 2004 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates generally to covers with coverage and accessory attachment capabilities, more specifically to protective fitness accessories, and particularly to a cover for the purpose of covering and protecting an exercise Swiss ball in a securable and releasable fashion with the ability to attach and detach extraneous personal fitness equipment. 
         [0006]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0007]    Inflatable, unbreakable exercise Swiss balls have been the growing trend in personal physical fitness, rehabilitation, and core strength training. These exercise Swiss balls are made of synthetic vinyl, plastic, or solid foam rubber. Because they are semi-non-porous, they can harbor sweat from users, leading to a slippery surface, an unpleasant odor, bacteria, and a feeling of uncleanliness. Thus, there is a need to keep the equipment and its users protected from sweat. 
         [0008]    For people who incorporate fitness balls into their daily fitness routines and are concerned with the level at which they are perceived to be clean, there is a need for a solution which does not compromise the full range of motion used in the latest exercises such as wall squats, an exercise in which the exercise Swiss ball is placed between a wall and a users back while the user slowly bends and straightens his or her legs while his or her back rolls along the vertical circumference of the exercise Swiss ball, and the like. 
         [0009]    Thus, there is a need for a fitted cover that conforms to the exercise Swiss ball without compromising its functionality of core strength training. There is a need to protect the ball during its use and a need to protect the user from a ball that may have been used by many people prior. A washable and dryable cover provides a solution to germs on the ball as perceived by the end user. The cover needs to stay secure around the ball without falling off through the range of motion during use. The washable cover provides a solution to a slippery surface while also making a fashion statement or an advertising medium. A dryable cover protects against moist bacterial breeding grounds. 
         [0010]    In order to hang dry the exercise cover without compromising the integrity of the fabric, an external loop or incorporated grommet made out of any material attached to the cover is needed. Hanging of the cover on a hook can cause unnecessary stretching and kinking of a small area of the fabric. 
         [0011]    People who own exercise Swiss balls at their homes or offices, or the like, are often faced with storage dilemmas with respect to gravity. Exercise Swiss balls, alone, are often placed on the floor or a stand. There is a need for a way in which to store balls by hanging them from the ceiling or wall, or easily carrying them from place to place. 
         [0012]    For people who add a resistance training component to core strength training, there is a need for many people, to build and/or maintain the strength in their torso and limbs. Many people isolate their workouts through the utilization of various pieces of exercise equipment. This can wastes time and money. There is a need for a means of attaching fitness training accessories such as resistance bands, to an exercise Swiss ball during its use, solving both the needs of core strength exercises and resistance exercises. 
         [0013]    Many gyms prohibit guests from bringing purses and bags on the workout floor. That said, another problem faced by people who exercise in the gym is that they do not have a place to keep personal belongings such as keys, phones, workout journals, meal supplements, PDAs, MP3s, iPods and the like close at hand. There is a need to provide accessible storage for these items during one&#39;s workout. Since some of these items can have some sort of lanyard, hook or clip attached to them, a ring for attaching these items or a pocket for storing these items will ensure that one&#39;s personal belongings are secured together at one time. 
         [0014]    Referencing U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,745 for an Exercise Fitness Ball Cover, March 2004, There is an excess of material in the design if it were to cover an area greater than one half the surface of the exercise Swiss ball. Because of the claim that the cover device has one perimeter, it is evident that there will be an area in which all of the excess material is gathered, causing a lack of uniformity. While this serves the utility for simple exercises during which the ball is intended to stay stationary, this excess material will cause an interruption in uniform smoothness in those exercises involving a full 360 degree rotation on the ball. 
         [0015]    In further reference to 6,712,745 . . . . If the area containing the cord and the excess gathered fabric were positioned to one side of the ball during an exercise requiring rotation, the weight of the excess material and cord would compromise the symmetry of the exercise Swiss ball, and defeat the purpose of the exercise. Because the utility of the aforementioned device does not adequately allow for full range of motion exercises without compromising the symmetry and smoothness of the exercise Swiss ball, there is a need for a device with the utility to accommodate said exercise functions. 
         [0016]    Referencing U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,703 for an Isometric Exercise Swiss ball, April 2003. Because the construction of the aforementioned design is comprised of two hemispherical pieces of fabric designed to cover the entire surface of the exercise Swiss ball, it is necessary for the exercise Swiss ball to be deflated prior to engaging in the equipment&#39;s use. This can take time and requires the use of additional equipment for inflating. For example, a gymnasium or physical training or rehabilitation center has several pre-inflated exercise Swiss balls available to its guests. The Isometric Exercise Swiss ball does not lend itself utility in these and other similar situations. Thus, there is a need to provide coverage for exercise Swiss balls with the option of attaching additional fitness accessories without the need to deflate and inflate the ball upon use. Additionally, the shape is not flexible enough for fitting various sizes of balls securely. 
         [0017]    In further reference to 6,712,745 and 6,547,703 . . . . Fully encompassing an exercise Swiss ball without the ability to see the inside ball can present a problem for theft management departments of organizations offering the use of their exercise Swiss balls. The aforementioned designs can lend themselves to possibility of theft, whereby the thief make can conceal the exercise Swiss ball as his or her own. Thus, there is a need to cover the exercise Swiss ball, while also allowing for the partial visibility of the exercise Swiss ball in order to reduce the risk of theft. 
         [0018]    In a final reference to 6,712,745 and 6,547,703 . . . . The aforementioned inventions are spherical in shape and the range of the objects which may be covered uniformly by said inventions are limited. Thus there is a need to minimize the number of covering devices an individual bring for fitness protection, accessorizing, and trend-setting. There is a need for a cover that not only fits an exercise Swiss ball, but also can be folded flat into a rectangle to neatly cover other pieces of exercise equipment including, but not limited to: gym mats, yoga mats, exercise steps, weight benches. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0019]    The present invention is a cover for covering an exercise Swiss ball. The cover is comprised of a rectangular piece of fabric secured at its shortest sides, or a tubular piece of fabric into which the exercise Swiss ball is inserted and covered at its centermost and widest circumference. The cover can then be cinched at its two perimeters, thereby securing it to the exercise Swiss ball. The ball is covered and the user protected throughout a full 360 degree forward and backward rotation, and a variable side to side rotation of up to, but not limited to, 180 degrees. This rotation is accomplished without interference from excess material or touching the bare surface of the exercise Swiss ball. Variable side coverage will depend upon the width and stretch capability of the fabric used, as well as the degree to which the user has cinched the device&#39;s perimeters. 
         [0020]    In addition, the present invention covers an inflated exercise Swiss ball by means of a cover either rectangular or tubular in shape. In the case of the rectangular shape, the length is of the device is slightly greater that the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. In the case of the tubular shape, the circumference of the device is slightly greater than the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. In most cases, the width of the cover is not greater than the diameter of the exercise Swiss ball, and never is the width of the device greater than one half of the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. The two perimeters of the cover are equipped with drawstrings for securing and releasing of the device to and from the exercise Swiss ball. 
         [0021]    The present invention provides a medium for advertising or personal expression, beyond that of an exercise Swiss ball alone. Company logos, sassy phrases, patterns and the like my be printed, embroidered, silk-screened, or the like onto the fabric of the cover. 
         [0022]    And finally, the cover is equipped with one ring or grommet attached on each perimeter. The rings can be made of metal, plastic, elastic or fabric, and they are attached through a reinforced button-hole sized incision near the openings through which the drawstrings are drawn. The purpose of the rings is to allow for the easy attachment or detachment of exercise resistance bands, phones, workout journals, meal supplements, PDAs, MP3s, iPods and the like. When the cover is fully cinched around the exercise Swiss ball, the rings in the lateral openings can be utilized to attach or detach the resistance bands. Through the use of a hook, lanyard, or clip the resistance bands or are fastened to or unfastened from the device. When the cover is not in use with the exercise Swiss ball, the utility of the rings allows for the device to be hung on a hook without the risk of stretching or creating a kink in the fabric. 
         [0023]    Because the present invention is tubular in shape with two perimeters, it can easily slide around a fully inflated exercise Swiss ball and be tightened with the ability to see the exercise Swiss ball inside through either of its lateral closures, thereby reducing the possibility of exercise Swiss ball theft. Furthermore, while the shape of the invention fits an exercise Swiss ball, it can also be folded flat into a rectangle to neatly cover other pieces of exercise equipment including, but not limited to: gym mats, yoga mats, exercise steps, weight benches, and the like. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows the rectangular to tubular design of the cover for an exercise Swiss ball, constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a frontal view of the cover for covering an exercise Swiss ball, constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the exercise Swiss ball cover is constructed from a rectangular piece of fabric in which the direction of stretch, if any, runs parallel with the short ends of the fabric. At the long sides of the rectangle, drawstring capabilities are constructed for the purpose of-cinching, stretching and securing the cover to the exercise Swiss ball. The shortest ends of the rectangle are fastened together by any means such as stitching (preferably), ties, zippers, fasteners, Velcro, or the like. The exercise Swiss ball cover can then slide over the ball to form a cylinder of material that hugs the perimeter of the ball. The drawstrings on both open ends of the cylinder of material can then be pulled, stretching the fabric taut over the exercise Swiss ball. The open ends of the cover for the exercise Swiss ball are intended to face outward from the sides of the user during its use, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , thus allowing the user to have a protective lining between the exercise Swiss ball and himself or herself during a full range of forward and backward motion and a considerable tilt up to 90 degrees right or left. 
         [0027]    The exercise Swiss ball cover in an unused state will have a circumference of approximately 80 inches and a width of approximately 30 inches to accommodate a 65 centimeter exercise Swiss ball. For a 75 centimeter exercise Swiss ball, the circumference of the cover in an unused state will measure approximately 88 inches with a width of approximately 33 inches. For a 55 centimeter exercise Swiss ball, the circumference of the cover in an unused state will measure approximately 72 inches with a width of 27 inches. The circumference and the width will vary with the amount of stretch afforded by the fabric used, and the present invention is versatile enough to fit a range of sizes of exercise Swiss balls. Although many of the utility claims of the present invention can be achieved with any type of flaccid material or fabric, a moisture-absorbent or moisture-repellent, fashionable, stretch fabric is preferred. 
         [0028]    The exercise Swiss ball cover of the present invention further includes a means of securing and releasing the device about an exercise Swiss ball. The preferred method is an elastic cord approximately ⅛″ in diameter and 80″ in length that has been threaded through the hemmed perimeters of the cover. The present invention contains two perimeters. Accordingly, two ribbons, strings, elastic cords, or the like are needed to secure the device to the exercise Swiss ball. The two ends of the ribbons, strings, elastic cords, or the like at each perimeter of the device are then secured by means of a cord-stopper, bow, knot, or the like. 
         [0029]    The exercise Swiss ball cover adds the capability of performing integrated resistance exercises. The cover is comprised of a rectangular piece of fabric secured at its shortest sides, or a tubular piece of fabric into which the exercise Swiss ball is inserted and covered at its centermost and widest circumference. The cover can then be cinched at its two perimeters, each equipped with drawstrings, thereby securing the device to the exercise Swiss ball. Once the device is cinched, the excess drawstrings can be tucked inside the snug area between the exercise Swiss ball and the cover. Each perimeter is also equipped with small rings or grommets through which hooks may be temporarily attached for the purpose of adding resistance bands to a workout, with the ball acting as the point from which resistance is drawn. Additionally, the rings or grommets can be used to attach hooks for temporarily hanging small personal belongings during certain workouts which may not require full symmetry of weight. Pockets in the fabric may also be incorporated to serve this purpose. 
         [0030]    The exercise Swiss ball for this present invention&#39;s intended use is substantially spherical in shape, and the cover includes the centermost and widest perimeter/circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. Variable side coverage will be dependent upon stretch and width of fabric and how tight the drawstring is pulled. A stretch polyester fabric cover has the advantage of drying quickly, whereas a stretch cotton fabric will be more absorbent of moisture. The cover can be made out of either or any type of fabric, depending upon the user&#39;s preference. An organic blend of fabric may appeal to a more organic concerned with a soft feel or more natural sweat protection. 
         [0031]    The exercise Swiss ball cover is noted as a fabric that is substantially tubular, or becomes tubular upon connection of the rectangular shaped fabric&#39;s shortest sides. The perimeters of the tubular fabric cover are equipped with drawstrings made functional by folding over and stitching a hem along the device&#39;s two perimeters. The drawstrings along each perimeter are capable of being secured upon cinching of cover&#39;s perimeters and released prior to removal from the exercise Swiss ball. Securing and releasing of the drawstrings may be in the form of a cord-stopper, a bow, or knot, or the natural tension which occurs by the cinching of fabric upon a cord, string, ribbon, elastic, or the like. 
         [0032]    The exercise Swiss ball cover, as described in the present invention is dependent upon the width and stretch of the fabric used. Notably, the exercise Swiss ball cover made from a fabric with a greater width and or greater stretch capability will cover a greater portion of the exercise Swiss ball. Coverage is also dependent upon the degree to which the device&#39;s drawstrings are pulled by the user. Notably, the cover will cover a greater surface area of the exercise Swiss ball in a more taut fashion, as the drawstring is pulled tighter by the user. Rings or grommets are secured into the lateral closures of the device for the option of attaching resistance exercise bands or other small otherwise unsecured personal belongings. These rings or grommets also allow for the cover to hang alone, and even better, allows for the exercise ball to be hung in its cover, creating a storage area that is not dependent upon gravity. That is, the ball no longer has to take up space on the floor. 
         [0033]    The fabric used in the present invention will be either tubular or become tubular in its transformation into the device. The rectangular shaped fabric becomes tubular through stitching, zippers, Velcro, or the like, the length is of the cover is slightly greater that the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. With the pre-made tubular fabric, the circumference of the cover is slightly greater than the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. In most cases, the width of the exercise Swiss ball cover is not greater than the diameter of the exercise Swiss ball, and never is the width of the cover greater than one half of the circumference of the exercise Swiss ball. The two perimeters of the cover are equipped with drawstrings for securing and releasing of the device to and from the exercise Swiss ball. The perimeters form the lateral closures to which the personal belonging compatible rings or grommets made of plastic, metal, or the like are secured through button-hole-like openings. 
         [0034]    The present invention in designed to cover and protect an exercise Swiss ball substantially spherical in shape, at its centermost and widest perimeter/circumference, due to its tubular design. The fabric cover is substantially tubular, or becomes tubular upon connection of the rectangular shaped fabric&#39;s shortest sides. The perimeters of the cover are equipped with drawstrings made functional by hemming fabric along the device&#39;s two perimeters. The drawstrings along each perimeter are capable of being secured upon cinching of the cover&#39;s perimeters and released prior to removal from the exercise Swiss ball. Securing and releasing the drawstrings may be in the form of a cord-stopper, a bow, or knot, or the natural tension which occurs by the cinching of fabric upon a cord, string, ribbon, elastic, or the like. The degree to which the exercise Swiss ball is covered is dependent upon the width and stretch of the fabric used. Notably, a cover made from a fabric with a greater width and or greater stretch capability will cover a greater portion of the exercise Swiss ball. Additionally, the coverage is dependent upon the degree to which the cover&#39;s drawstrings are pulled by the user. Notably, the cover will protect a greater surface area of the exercise Swiss ball in a more taut fashion, as the drawstring is pulled tighter by the user. 
         [0035]    To use the present invention, the user should place both arms through the tubular fabric and grab the ball, allowing the cover to slide over the ball, forming a belt about the greatest and centermost perimeter of the exercise Swiss ball. The cover can then be flattened out, and the cords on each side should be pulled tightly to stretch the fabric of the cover. Two holes where the cover is gathered or cinched will expose the exercise Swiss ball on opposite sides in a symmetrical fashion. The user can then has the option to attach personal items such as key, phone, portable music, workout journal, coin purse, hand towel, or resistance exercise bands to the rings, creating a personal portable workout station for home, office, gym, or physical training. 
         [0036]    When the cover is removed from the ball, it can be folded flat, or evenly draped over a workout bench for added protection. The cover can be washed. The present invention can be made of any fabric, although a stretch polyester blend allows for the quickest drying time, as dry environments have a tendency to be more resistant to the breeding of bacteria. The cover provides a new medium for advertising and personal expression.