Folding exercise mat

An exercise mat is fashioned as a tripartite mat assembly having a padded upper surface secured to a stiff lower surface. The mat has a handle disposed on a one (1) of the mat assembly sections and also includes a securing fastener capable of securing the exercise mat in a closed configuration.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a folding exercise mat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Physical fitness and health considerations are areas of highest concern among Americans today. More than ever, people are frequenting health clubs and performing exercise equipment routines at home in order to lose weight, improve muscle tone, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

However, many people are also leading a more mobile lifestyle, which includes frequent travel, restaurant meals, and being away from home for weeks or even months at a time. Unless a person is staying at a hotel with an exercise room, there is very little a person can do to exercise other to walk or run.

Having recognized the abovementioned problems, the inventor observed there remains a need for a means by which exercise routines can be performed at almost any location without the need for large or heavy exercise equipment. The development of the folding exercise mat fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor has recognized the aforementioned, inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for an exercise mat comprises a plurality of identical separate portions which are hingedly attached to each other such that each of the separate portions fold and stack on top of each other to condense into a folded configuration. The separate portions having a center portion with a center mat section affixed or bonded to a center backing section, a first side portion having a first mat section affixed or bonded to a first backing section, and a second side portion having a second mat section affixed or bonded to a second backing section, a first side of the center portion is hingedly attached to a first side of the first side portion with a first hinged section and a second side of the center portion is hingedly attached to a first side of the second side portion with a second hinged section.

The hinged sections enable the first side portion and the second side portion to hinge fully overtop of the center portion so that each of the portions have a coextensive outer perimeter. The mat also comprises a strap having a first end fixedly attached to an end of the center backing section of the center portion with a first fastener. The first end is on either edge perpendicular to the hinged sections. The mat also comprises a second fastener which is located on a first backing section of the first portion. The second fastener receives the second end of the strap. The strap and the second fastener are located at positions that are aligned when the exercise mat is in the folded configuration. The mat also comprises a handle affixed to one of the backing sections of one of the portions.

The separate portions may include three separate portions. The separate portions may have a square cross-section so as to provide a balanced weight when the exercise mat is in transport when in the folded configuration. The mat sections may be cushioned or are slightly deformable. The mat sections may be made of resilient material providing support and comfort to an individual lying thereon or may be made of polyethylene foamboard. The mat sections may include a covering which may be leather or vinyl. The backing sections may be identical to each other and may be made of a durable and resilient material. The backing sections may be made of plywood that provides structural rigidity or a particle board that provides structural rigidity. The hinged sections may comprise a living hinge that does not rupture or fracture when bent during instantaneous, repeated, or subsequent usage.

The handle may be affixed to the first backing section of the first portion or to the second backing section of the second portion. The exercise mat may be one inch in thickness and may be one-and-a-half feet wide to accommodate human width. The exercise mat may be six-and-three-quarter feet in length to accommodate human height and six-and-three-quarter feet in length to cover a conventional bed length. The exercise mat may support 250 pounds.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

1. Detailed Description of the Figures

The invention herein described refers to an exercise mat10that is portable and capable of folding into a folded configuration (seeFIG.4) and expanded to an extended configuration (see any ofFIGS.1-3b).FIG.1illustrates a preferred embodiment of the exercise bed10in a fully extended configuration placed on a bed40, although other surfaces are envisioned as falling under alternate methods of use.FIG.3aillustrates the preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10showing the preferred hinged sections13a,13bandFIG.4illustrates the preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10in a folded configuration.FIG.2illustrates a first alternate exercise mat45showing alternate locations of handle20and strap25andFIG.3billustrates a second alternate exercise mat50showing alternate hinged sections13a, c,13d.

Upon full extension, the exercise mat10is configured in a relatively planar manner and a rectangular cross-section, with a minimal thickness (approximately one inch (1 in.) or less), a width slightly larger than a general width of a human (approximately one-and-a-half feet (1-½ in.), and a length at least capable of accommodating a human of average height and also capable of covering a majority of a length of a conventional bed40(approximately six-and-a-quarter feet (6-¾ ft.). When in the folded configuration, the overall shape of the exercise mat10is square or rectangular and comprises a weight capable of being carried. The exercise mat10also upon full extension preferably is capable of supporting a weight of a human weighing approximately two hundred fifty pounds (250 lbs.). It is appreciated that different embodiments can provide different dimensions, weights, and support capacities and fall under the overall general scope of the invention.

The exercise mat10generally comprises three (3) separate portions11,12a,12bof nearly identical construction, although other numbers of sections is possible. The portions11,12a,12bare hingedly attached to each other, such that they can “fold” or “stack” on top of each other to condense into a folded configuration that is the width and height of a single portion11,12a, or12b. In a preferred embodiment, the portions11,12a,12bhave a square cross-section (i.e., the width and the height are equal in dimension) so as to provide a balanced weight when in transport when in the folded configuration (seeFIG.4)

Referring more closely to the preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10, a center portion11includes a center mat section32affixed or otherwise bonded to a center backing section31. A first side portion12ahas a first mat section35aaffixed or otherwise bonded to a first backing section30a. A second side portion12bhas a second mat section35baffixed or otherwise bonded to a second backing section30b. The mat sections32,35a,35bare each identical and preferably comprises a cushioning or slightly deformable, yet resilient material capable of providing support and comfort to an individual lying thereon, (e.g. polyethylene or polyurethane foamboard) that may or may not have a covering (e.g. leather, vinyl). The backing sections30a,30b,31are also identical to each other and is preferably a durable and resilient material (e.g., plywood or particle board) that provides structural rigidity to the respective portion11,12a,12b.

A first side of the center portion11is hingedly attached to a first side of the first side portion12awith a first hinged section13aand a second side of the center portion is hingedly attached to a first side of the second side portion12bwith a second hinged section13b. These hinged sections13a,13benable the first side portion12a, and second side portion12bto hinge fully overtop of the center portion11so that each portion11,12a,12bhave a coextensive outer perimeter. Such hinged sections13a,13bcan be a living hinge (i.e., a thinned section of the backing sections30a,30b,31that does not rupture or fracture when bent during instantaneous, repeated, or subsequent usage) that is illustrated in the preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10.FIG.3aillustrates the preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10that illustrates hinged sections13a,13bwhere the thinned portion of the backing sections30a,31is adjacent to the respective mat sections32,35a,35b.FIG.3billustrates a second embodiment of the exercise mat50that illustrates hinged sections13c,13dwhere the thinned portion of the backing sections30a,30b,31is opposite to the respective mat sections32,35a,35b.

In a preferred embodiment of the exercise mat10, there is a strap25that has a first end fixedly attached to an end of the center backing section31of the center portion11with a first fastener27a. This end is on either edge perpendicular to the hinged sections13a,13b. In the same embodiment of the preferred exercise mat10, a second fastener27bis located on second backing section30bof the second portion12b. The second fastener27bis capable of securely receiving the second end of the strap25. The strap35and second fastener27bare located at positions that are aligned when the exercise mat10is in the folded configuration. Affixed to the second backing section30bof the second portion12bis a handle20. In this preferred method of folding the exercise mat10, the second portion12bfolds over the center portion11and the first portion12afolds over the second portion12b. This positioning enables the exercise mat10, when folded, to have the handle20in the middle and the strap25securing the center portion11to the first portion12awhile encompassing the second portion12b.

In the first alternate exercise mat45, as seen inFIG.2, the strap25is similarly fixedly attached to the center portion11with a first fastener27a. In the same embodiment of the first alternate exercise mat45, the second fastener27bis located on second backing section30bof the second portion12b. The second fastener27bis capable of securely receiving the second end of the strap25. The strap35and second fastener27bare located at positions that are aligned when the first alternate exercise mat45is in the folded configuration. Affixed to the first backing section30aof the first portion12ais a handle20. In this preferred method of folding the first alternate exercise mat45, the first portion12afolds over the center portion11and the second portion12bfolds over the first portion12a. This positioning enables the first alternate exercise mat45, when folded, to have the handle20in the middle and the strap25securing the center portion11to the second portion12bwhile encompassing the first portion12a. Referring to the second alternate exercise mat50, either orientation and location of the handle20and strap25is understood to fall under the scope of the present invention.