FITNESS DEVICE

The invention relates to a fitness device having a rigid tubular frame which has a continuous shape and consists of one region with a handle and one region with a running surface, at least two rollers and two shock absorbers. The shock absorbers delimit the region with the running surface. The at least two rollers are held via a retaining tubular frame and can be moved on the running surface of the frame. The at least two rollers can be moved on the running surface between the two shock absorbers. A weight is attached to the retaining tubular frame screws and wing nuts are arranged on the retaining tubular frame. The rolling force of the rollers can be adjusted using the screws and wing nuts.

The present invention relates to a fitness device.

Fitness devices for exercising one's arms may either be dumbbells that have an unmodifiable weight and do not have any movable parts or fitness devices that have a more or less rigid frame that is hollow and holds balls as weights. A known fitness device for exercising one's arms is commercialized under the name “Smoveys” and described in EP2029241B1. It consists of a hollow tubular frame that holds balls. The frame is implemented as a spiral hose. The balls make a loud noise when moving inside the frame. The weight of the balls is not adaptable.

The goal of the present invention consists in providing a fitness device that can be adapted to a user's training habits and is simple to use without making too much noise.

According to the invention, this goal is achieved by providing a fitness device comprising: a rigid tubular frame that has a continuous shape and consists of a region with a handle and a region with a running surface; at least two rollers; two shock absorbers delimiting said region with said running surface; said at least two rollers being retained via a tubular retaining frame and being movable on said running surface of the frame; said at least two rollers being movable between said two shock absorbers on said running surface; a weight being attached to said tubular retaining frame; screws and wing nuts being arranged on said tubular retaining frame; the rolling force of said rollers being adjustable via said screws and wing nuts.

This device is a very efficient training device. The rollers can be moved back and forth on the running surface. They move over the running surface almost without making any noise. The training resistance may be adjusted to a user's needs via the screws and wing nuts. The weight that is attached to the outside of the rollers always adjusts the rollers so that they are oriented in a vertical direction, independent of the way in which the fitness device is held. This allows for carrying, out various training exercises; the weight will always be oriented towards the earth's gravity field.

In an embodiment the weight may be exchangeable. This allows for an additional adaption of the fitness device to a user's needs by exchanging its weight. At the beginning of a training schedule, exercises may be carried out with a smaller weight that can then be increased in the course of the training schedule.

In another embodiment said at least two rollers can be arranged inside a ball. Such an arrangement inside a ball simplifies the device's mechanics and its appearance. The rollers will be protected from getting soiled. At the same time, the ball also constitutes the weight. The ball can also be exchanged for a lighter or a heavier ball.

In another embodiment, the shock absorbers may be rubber absorbers, springs or foam rubber. Such shock absorbers result in a good absorption of the rollers' impact on the running surface.

In a further embodiment, the rollers' surface is adapted to the shape of the frame's cross-section. By adapting the rollers to the frame's cross-section (profile), better running properties of the rollers are achieved. This allows for easier rolling.

In one embodiment of the invention, the frame's running surface on which the rollers move may have a cross-shaped embossing and/or a longitudinal cut and/or ridges and/or recesses. By attaching structures to the surface of the running surface, the running smoothness of the rollers can be improved or slight vibrations that are beneficial to achieve a training effect can be generated.

In another embodiment of the invention, the rollers may have a cross-shaped embossing and/or a longitudinal cut and/or ridges and/or recesses. By attaching structures to the surface of the rollers, the running smoothness of the rollers can be improved or slight vibrations that are beneficial to achieve a training effect can be generated. If both the running surface and the rollers have a structure, the structure of the running surface may be adapted to that of the rollers and vice versa, e.g., the roller may comprise a negative profile of the running surface or vice versa.

In one embodiment of the invention, springs that press the rolls onto the frame may be arranged on the tubular retaining frame. This guarantees that the rollers will always remain in contact with the running surface.

In another embodiment of the invention, the rollers may be embodied as ball roller bearings, roller bearings or full wheel systems. In such an embodiment, the rollers will always be adjusted by the weight, so that the weight will point into the direction of the earth's gravity field. They can be rotated by 360° in relation to the frame.

In one embodiment of the invention, there may be more than two rollers and these rollers may preferably be arranged around the frame's cross-section. This allows for reducing the roller's size, which, in turn, allows for reducing the dimensions of the fitness device.

In another embodiment of the invention, several rollers may be arranged on a line one after the other, being pressed onto the frame by leaf springs. This way, the rollers can be guaranteed to run smoothly.

The references below stand for:1tubular frame2handle3running surface4rollers5shock absorbers6tubular retaining frame7weight8screw9wing nut10ball11cross-shaped embossing of the running surface13ridge on the running surface14recess in the running surface21cross-shaped embossing on the roller23ridge on the roller24recess in the roller15springs on the tubular retaining frame16ball roller bearing17roller bearing18full wheel system19leaf springs

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Fitness Device

The fitness device comprises the following: a rigid tubular frame1which has a continuous shape and consists of one region with a handle2and one region with a running surface3; at least two rollers4; two shock absorbers5, said shock absorbers5delimiting said region with the running surface3; said at least two rollers4being retained by a tubular retaining frame6and being movable on the running surface3of the frame1; said at least two rollers4being movable between said two shock absorbers5on the running surface3; a weight7being attached to the tubular retaining frame6; screws8and wing nuts9being arranged on the tubular retaining frame6; the rolling force of the rollers4being adjustable via said screws8and wing nuts9.

The rollers4can be moved back and forth on the running surface3. They can move over the running surface3almost without making any noise. The training resistance can be adjusted to a user's needs via the screws8and the wing nuts9. The weight7that is attached to the outside of the rollers4results in the rollers4always being oriented vertically, independent of the orientation in which the fitness device is held. This allows for carrying out various training exercises; the weight7will always point in the direction of the earth's gravity field.

The weight7can be exchangeable. This additionally allows for adjusting the fitness device to a user's needs by exchanging the weight7. At the beginning of the training schedule, the user may start using a smaller weight that will then be increased in the course of the training schedule.

The at least two rollers4can be arranged in a ball10. Such an arrangement inside a ball10simplifies the device's mechanics and its appearance. The rollers4will be protected from getting soiled. At the same time, the ball10constitutes the weight7. The ball10can also be exchanged for a lighter or a heavier ball.

The shock absorbers5may be rubber absorbers, springs or foam rubber. Such shock absorbers5absorb well the impact of the rollers4at the end of the running surface3.

The surface of the rollers4can be adapted to the shape of the cross-section of the frame1. Better running properties of the rollers4can be achieved by adapting the rollers4to the cross-section (profile) of the frame1. Smoother running can thus be guaranteed.

Springs15that press the rollers4onto the frame1may be arranged on the tubular retaining frame6. This guarantees that the rollers4will always remain in contact with the running surface3.

The weight7may, for example, amount to from 200 g to 5 kg. The ball10may, for example, have a diameter of 5 to 15 cm. The rollers4may, for example, have diameters from 1.5 to 6 cm. The frame may, for example, have a circumference of 50 to 150 cm.

Example 2: Fitness Device Having a Structure on the Running Surface3and/or the Rollers4

Additionally or alternatively to the characteristics described in Example 1, the running surface3of the frame1on which the rollers4move may have a cross-shaped embossing11and/or a longitudinal cut and/or ridges13and/or recesses14. By attaching structures to the surface of the running surface3, the running smoothness of the rollers4can be improved or slight vibrations that are beneficial to achieve a training effect can be generated. Vibrations promote circulation and muscle relaxation.

In another embodiment of the invention, the rollers4may have a cross-shaped embossing21and/or a longitudinal cut and/or ridges23and/or recesses24. By attaching structures to the surface of the rollers4, the running smoothness of the rollers4can be improved or slight vibrations that are beneficial to achieve a training effect can be generated. Vibrations promote circulation and muscle relaxation.

Either only the running surface3may comprise a structure or only the rollers4may comprise a structure or both, the running surface3and the rollers4may comprise structures. It is possible that the rollers4comprise the negative structure of the running surface3, which makes it easier for them to move on the running surface3.

Example 3: Fitness Device with Rollers Having a Special Shape

Additionally or alternatively to the characteristics described in Example 1 and/or Example 2, the rollers4may be embodied as ball roller bearings16, roller bearings16or full wheel systems18. These embodiments of the rollers4allow the rollers4to always adjust the weight7so that it points in the direction of the earth's gravity field. They may be rotated by 360° around the frame.

Example 4: Fitness Device Having More than Two Rollers4

Additionally or alternatively to the characteristics described in Example 1 and/or Example 2 and/or Example 3, more than two rollers4may be provided and they may preferably be arranged around the cross-section of the frame1. This allows for a reduction of the size of the rollers4, which, in turn, allows for smaller dimensions of the fitness device.

Several rollers4may also be arranged one after the other along a line and pressed onto the frame1by leaf springs19. This way, the rollers can be guaranteed to run smoothly.