Abstract:
The invention relates to a hand harness for use with exercise and healthcare equipment such as a recumbent cross trainer. The harness includes an adjustable mount, a surface attached to the adjustable mount and a glove attached to the surface. The glove has adjustable portions which extend around the user&#39;s hand, locking the hand into place.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to hand harnesses for aiding in the operation of exercise and healthcare equipment. 
   2. Description of the Known Technology 
   Exercise equipment requires the user to properly operate the equipment in order to obtain maximum results and to prevent injury. Upper body exercise equipment, such as cardiovascular machines, have handlebars that allow the user to operate the equipment by gripping the handlebars with the user&#39;s hands and pushing and/or pulling the handlebars in a repetitive motion. 
   It has been discovered that some users of exercise equipment are unable to use the exercise equipment correctly. For example, the user&#39;s hand may not be able to grip the handlebar at all, or their hand may slide down the handlebar, or they may not be able to hold their hand and/or wrist in proper alignment due to disability. The latter condition may be referred to as wrist flexion, which causes the user&#39;s hands to curl in at the wrist toward the body center line and placing the hands in an improper position to use the machine. If the wrists are in this position on the machine for extended periods of time, the user may develop discomfort or possible injuries. 
   Currently, hand harnesses, sometimes referred to as “gloves” are used to aid in the operation of exercise equipment. The hand harness attaches to the handlebar and prevents the user from inadvertently relinquishing contact with the handlebar but does not prevent the users hand from improperly gripping the handlebar. 
   Therefore, there exists a need for a solution that not only prevents the user from inadvertently relinquishing contact with the handlebar but also properly positions the user&#39;s hands to the handlebar of the exercise equipment. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In overcoming the drawbacks and limitations of the known technology a hand harness for a handlebar is disclosed. The hand harness of this invention includes an adjustable mount for handlebars of varying size. A channel is defined within the mount and is configured to receive the handlebar. By adjusting the diameter of the channel, handlebars of varying size can be accommodated. The mount of the harness may further include a mounting strap having a buckle. The mounting strap and buckle are used to increase and decrease the diameter of the channel of the mount. 
   Located at one end of the channel is a base. Attached to the base is a glove having a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions of the glove are configured to wrap around the user&#39;s hand and lock the user&#39;s hand to the hand harness in a fixed position. The first and second portions of the glove may further include a first portion strap and a second portion strap, respectively. The first portion strap is connectable to the surface while the second portion strap is connectable to the first portion strap. When the straps are connected, a cavity and a channel are formed wherein the user&#39;s hand and wrist will be located, respectively. 
   These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention in combination with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a recumbent cross trainer having a hand harness in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hand harness shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is the bottom view of the hand harness shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the hand harness shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the hand harness as shown in  FIG. 2  with the first and second portion straps engaged. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a recumbent cross trainer  10  is shown. The recumbent cross trainer  10  includes a seat  12  and handlebars  14  and  16 . Sitting on the seat  12  is a user  18 . The user  18  operates the recumbent cross trainer  10  by gripping the handlebars  14  and  16  with the occupant&#39;s hands and moving the handlebars  14  and  16  and footpedals (not numbered) in a repetitive back-and-forth motion. 
   Aiding the user  18  in gripping the handlebars  14  and  16  are hand harnesses  20  and  22 . The hand harnesses  20  and  22  are substantially identical with the exception that each hand harness  20  and  22  are modified to conform with the right hand and left hand of the user  18 , respectively. Although this embodiment shows the hand harnesses  20  and  22  being used with a recumbent cross trainer  10 , the hand harnesses  20  and  22  may be used with other pieces of cardiovascular exercise equipment which requires the user to interact with handlebars. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , a more detailed view of the hand harness  20  is shown. As stated previously, the hand harness  20  and the hand harness  22  are substantially identical with the exception that each hand harness  20  and  22  has been modified to better interact with the right hand and left hand of the occupant, respectively. The hand harness  20  includes a mount  24  and a glove  26 . The mount  24  functions to secure the hand harness  20  to the handlebar  14  and prevent rotation or axial movement of the handlebar. The glove  26  in conjunction with the mount  24 , serves to properly position the hand of the user around the handlebar  14 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  a bottom view of the hand harness  20  is shown. The mount  24  includes wall portions  28  defining a channel  30  therein. Defined within the wall portions  28  is a gap region  32 . Preferably, the wall portions  28  of the mount  24  are made of a flexible material such that the circumference of the channel  30  may be adjusted in order to accommodate handlebars of varying size. 
   Surrounding the exterior of the wall portion  28  is a mounting strap  34  having a free end  40  and a buckle end  38 . The mounting strap has a buckle  36  attached to the buckle end  38 . The buckle  36  is configured to receive the free end  40  and lock the mounting strap  34  in a fixed position around the wall portions  28 . As the mounting strap  34  is tightened or loosened, the circumference of the channel  30  defined by the wall portions  28  is either decreased or increased, respectively. 
   A strap loop  35  is attached to the mount  24  across a first end  44  and a second end  48  of the wall portions  28 . A lip  42  is located at the first end  44  of the wall portions  28 . The strap loop  35  and the lip  42  function to retain the mounting strap  34  in an appropriate position. Within the inside of the wall portions  28  are a plurality of ribs  46 . The ribs  46  function to increase the friction between the handlebar  14  and the mount  24  in order to prevent movement of the hand harness  20  when in operation. Alternatively, the mounting strap may be a metal band with a clamping device. 
   The second end  48  of the wall portions  28  is attached to a base  50 . The base  50  surrounds the second end  48  of the wall portions  28 , thereby allowing the channel  30  to pass through the depth of the base  50 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  additional views of the hand harness  20  are shown. As stated previously, the channel  30  runs through the depth of the base  50 . The shape of the base  50  is such as to provide maximum comfort to the occupant. Because the base  50  of the hand harness  20  will be in direct contact with the bottom of the user&#39;s fist, the base  50  is ergonomically contoured and tear drop shaped in order to receive and support the bottom of the user&#39;s first and wrist. 
   The glove portion  26  of the hand harness  20  includes a first portion  52  and a second portion  54 . The first portion includes a top edge  56 , a side edge  58  and a bottom edge  60 . The bottom edge  60  is connected to the base  50 . The second portion  54  includes a first side edge  62  and a second side edge  64 . The first side edge  62  of the second portion  54  is connected to the side edge  58  of the first portion  52 . Preferably, both the first and second portions  52  and  54  are constructed of a three dimensional spacer fabric. Generally, the thickness of the three-dimensional spacer fabric used in the first portion  52  is thicker than the three-dimensional spaced fabric used in the second portion  54 . 
   Connected to the top edge of the first portion  52  is a first portion strap  66  having an inside surface  68  and an outside surface  70 . Both the inside surface  68  and the outside surface  70  of the first portion strap  66  have VELCRO layers  71  and  73  connected to it. Connected to the base  50  is a buckle  72 . The buckle  72  is configured to receive and lock the first portion strap  66 . Once the buckle  72  receives the first portion strap  66 , the first portion strap  66  is folded over onto itself. As best shown in  FIG. 5 , the VELCRO on the outside surface  70  attaches where the folder over outside surface  70  touches, thus, securing the first portion strap  66  around the buckle  72 . 
   Extending from the second side edge  64  is a second portion strap  74  having an inside  76  and an outside  78 . The inside  76  of the second portion strap  74  has a layer of VELCRO  79 . When the first portion strap  66  is received and locked by the buckle  72 , the VELCRO located on the inside  76  of the second portion strap  74  is configured to connect with the VELCRO located on the outside  68  of the first portion strap  66 . As best shown in  FIG. 5 , when connected, a funnel shaped cavity  80  is formed within the glove portion with an opening  82  leading to the cavity  80 . The cavity  80  will house the user&#39;s first  85  while the cavity  82  will surround the user&#39;s wrist  83 . 
   Additionally, the hand harness  20  may have one or more indicators (not shown) to illustrate the correct sequence of attachment and orientation. For example, this may be a patch having “1”, “2” and a “3” to indicate which straps and the correct sequence of straps to first tighten in order to properly attach the hand harness  20  to the handlebar. 
   In as much as the foregoing disclosure is intended to enable one skilled in the pertinent art to practice the instant invention, it should not be construed to be limited thereby but should be construed to include such aforementioned obvious variations and be limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.