Abstract:
A non-planar exercise mat is disclosed comprising a plurality of detachable handheld implements, each handheld implement serving utilitarian function independently of the mat. Various embodiments of the present invention comprise permanently affixed or detachable cushions for tail-bone support; lumbar support; neck support, and the like. Various embodiments include handles for assisting a user in performing a variety of exercises upon, or optionally using, the mat.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to exercise equipment, and more particularly relates to an elastomeric mat for supporting and assisting a user in performing various exercises. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Various types of exercise mats are known in the art to help cushion the body of users exercising on the mats, including yoga and gymnastics. Although the thickness and indentation force deflection (IFD) ratings of these mats vary, each generally comprises an elastomeric foam mattress which, in some embodiments, has a carpet or fiber top-surface for engaging a user&#39;s body or pressure points on a user&#39;s body. 
         [0005]    As users of these mats exercise, sweat from a user&#39;s body can make the mats slippery. Sometimes incidental exercise tools do not remain in place when force is exerted on them, such as dumbbells. Pressure points on a user&#39;s body in contact with the mat may become painful, including elbows, knees, hips and shoulders, because of the lack of sufficient designating cushioning on the mat for those areas. Users may also find themselves in need of a means of securing themselves, or portions of their bodies, to the mat while performing exercises for increasing core strength, flexibility, and/or strengthening in the upper and lower body muscles, such as sit ups. 
         [0006]    The prior art teaches mats lacking in this functionality. The mats in the prior art are designed only to provide a support cushion between the user and a hardened subgrade, and not to provide a cushion with implements that play a role as a tool in the exercises being performed upon the mats themselves. 
         [0007]    Thus it would be highly beneficial to provide a exercise mat that increases cushion to specific pressure point and comprises implements to assist a user in targeting certain muscle areas for development, conditioning, and/or physical therapy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an improved multi-function exercise mat. Beneficially, such an exercise mat would overcome many of the difficulties with prior art by providing a more functional apparatus to consumers. 
         [0009]    The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available apparatii and methods. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an exercise mat for supporting a user during exercise, the mat comprising: a compressible elastomeric foam pad having a non-planar top surface, for enduring compressive forces applied by the user during exercise, the top surface defining a regular repeating pattern of protrusions and indentations; a plurality of implements for detachably engaging the top surface, each implement having a non-planar bottom surface contoured to be reciprocate the top surface of the pad, such that the bottom surface of each implement abuts a portion of the top surface of the pad, the engagement inhibiting lateral movement of the implement across the top surface of the pad. 
         [0010]    The repeating pattern of protrusions and indentations, as viewed from a cross-section, may be one of wavy, grooved, sawtooth, curved, castellated, corrugated, sinusoidal, perforated, and washboard-like. 
         [0011]    Each detachable implement from the plurality of implements may comprise one of a handle, a hemisphere, a roller, a dome, a cube, a block, a triangular prism, a wedge, a second pad, and a second pad with a rigid base. 
         [0012]    One or more of the plurality of detachable implements may further comprise one of a tail bone support cushion, a lumbar support cushion, a knee support cushion, a hand-wrist support cushion; a cushion for assisting with sit-ups; a hip support cushions; a neck support cushion; a dome-shaped balance cushion; a cylindrical roller; and a pad having bumps for massaging the body of the user when the body is moved laterally across the pad. 
         [0013]    One or more of the detachable implements may further comprise one or more of a molded polymer handle and one or more adjustable straps for securing portions of the user&#39;s body during exercise. 
         [0014]    The implement may comprise one or more of: elastomeric foam; an inflatable polymeric bladder; a gel-filled polymer core; elastomeric foam having a polymer core defining a hollow interior recess; elastomeric foam having a solid polymer core; and a durable elastomeric exterior skin. 
         [0015]    The exercise mat may further comprise one or more implements detachable affixed to the top surface, the one or more implements from the group consisting of: a hemisphere, a hollow dome, a cube, a block, a triangular wedge, and a roller. 
         [0016]    An exercise implement for reducing wrist strain and absorbing impact forces during exercise between the user&#39;s hand and a ground surface is also disclosed, the implement comprising: a grasping handle; and an elastomeric body formed to conform to a shape from the group consisting of a dome, a hemisphere, a half-cylinder, a triangular prism, and a block; wherein the exercise performed is one of pushups, yoga, and Pilates. 
         [0017]    A bottom surface of the implement may be contoured to reciprocally fit contouring on a top surface on an exercise mat. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, the grasping handle of the implement may be detachable. In other embodiments, the body defines a recess for receiving fingers of a users hand. In still further embodiments, the implement is formed from one or more of silicone gel, elastomeric foam, and a plurality of polymers of varying force indentation deflection (FID) rating. 
         [0019]    A cylindrical exercise implement for rolling across a ground surface is disclosed, the implement comprising: a first handle affixed to an elongated cylindrical shaft; a second handle affixed to the elongated cylindrical shaft; wherein the elongated cylindrical shaft spans a distance between the first handle and the second handle, the elongated shaft of sufficient durability to support a user&#39;s body weight; and an elastomeric foam cylinder rotatably affixed to the shaft, such that the foam cylinder rotates axially around the shaft, wherein the foam cylinder is able to support a user&#39;s weight as it rolls over a surface. 
         [0020]    An exterior surface of the foam cylinder may be contoured to reciprocally fit contouring on a contoured top surface on an exercise mat as the implement rolls across the exercise mat. 
         [0021]    The foam cylinder, first handle, and second handle may all be detachable from the elongated cylindrical shaft. The shaft may be telescopic such that the first handle and second handle may be adjustably extended laterally relative to the foam cylinder. 
         [0022]    An exercise implement for cushioning a body of a user performing sit-ups is also disclosed, the implement comprising: a compressible polymeric pad for supporting a user&#39;s tailbone region and lower-back, the pad having a top surface, a left sidewall, and a right sidewall; and one or more of the following: one or more straps affixed to the one or more of the left sidewall and the right sidewall, the straps for securing the user&#39;s body to the implement; and a plurality of molded polymeric handles affixed to the implement. 
         [0023]    A bottom surface of the exercise implement may be contoured to reciprocally fit contouring on a top surface on an exercise mat. 
         [0024]    The exercise implement may further comprise raised cushions for supporting rear lumbar and front gluteus regions of a user&#39;s body, wherein the cushions provide massaging effect during exercise. 
         [0025]    A non-inflated elastic foam exercise dome is also disclosed comprising one of: a convex body; a rigid polymer base affixed to a bottom surface of the convex body, wherein a width of the polymer base exceeds a maximum width of the convex body; one or more handles affixed to a top surface of the base, the handles disposed laterally to the convex body. 
         [0026]    A bottom surface of the exercise dome may be contoured to reciprocally fit contouring on a top surface on an exercise mat. 
         [0027]    An elastomeric massage implement for supporting and massing a user&#39;s back while performing sit-ups is disclosed comprising: one or more of: a generally planar polymeric pad of having a top surface and a polymeric wedge having a top surface; and a series of upwardly protruding foam bumps for massaging and supporting a user&#39;s body; wherein a surface area of the top surface of the exercise implement is less than 7 square feet. 
         [0028]    A bottom surface of the massage implement may be contoured to reciprocally fit contouring on a top surface on an exercise mat. 
         [0029]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0031]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a multifunction exercise mat and bottom perspective view of a detachable implement in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of a detachable handle in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2B  is a top perspective view of a detachable dome-shaped handle in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2C  is a top perspective view of a detachable parallelette in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 2D  is a top perspective view of a second detachable handle in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 2E  is a side perspective view of a roller in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 3  illustrates a method of gripping a dome-shaped detachable handle in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a multifunction special purpose cushion implement in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a multifunction detachable special purpose cushion implement in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 6A  is a top perspective view of a multifunction special purpose cushion implement in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view a detachable dome with molded handles in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0042]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0043]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0044]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a section of a multifunction exercise mat  100  and bottom perspective view of a detachable implement in accordance with the present invention. The exercise mat  100  comprises a pad  102 , a washboard top surface  104 , an implement  106 , and a bottom surface  108 . 
         [0045]    The pad  102  comprises is a soft but durable exercise/yoga pad to provide extra body support during exercises such as Pilates, yoga, push-ups, sit-ups and the like. The object of the present invention is to facilitate the optional use of a series of novel small-to-medium size movable-detachable implements  106  which themselves comprise soft compressible foam implements for supporting the tail bone, gluteus region, lumbar region, upper back, wrists, hips, legs, arms, head and neck. These implements  106  stay in place on the pad  102  by interlocking a contoured bottom surface  108  with a reciprocally contoured top surface  104 . These surface  104 ,  108  may comprise bumps and dimples, washboard-like surfaces, or any other regularly repeating pattern or protrusions and indentations, including a series of small polymer pins insertable into a system of bores or holes on a grid covering a surface  104 ,  108 . 
         [0046]    The pad  102 , plus the complimentary detachable implements, not only provides comfort and support during exercises but some also enables the body to be raised sufficiently high off the ground as to increase the range of motion of the body of a user during exercises, as well as to make exercises such as long leg and back raises more bearable. In addition to all this some pads have a distinctive massaging effect when the body rolls over them during exercise. Many pads have their own novel design/use as further described below. 
         [0047]      FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of a detachable handle  200  in accordance with the present invention. The handle  200  comprises a bottom surface  108 , a handle  202  and an oblong bumper  204 . 
         [0048]    The handle  202  comprises an elongated semi-rigid tube, staff, pipe, dowel, or the like. The handle  200 , formed by all of its components  108 ,  202 ,  204 , may comprise one integrated piece formed during manufacture. The handle  202  may also be formed, in other embodiments, separately from the bumpers  204 . The handle  202  may comprise a more rigid, harder components than the bumpers  204 . 
         [0049]    In the shown embodiment, the handle  200  comprises bumpers  204  at both ends of the handle  200  for preventing the hands from slipping off the handle  200 . 
         [0050]    The handle  200  may be formed from elastomeric or polymeric materials, as well as wood, metal alloys, or with other materials known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0051]      FIG. 2B  is a top perspective view of a detachable dome-shaped handle  210  in accordance with the present invention. The detachable handle  210  comprises a dome  212 , a base  202 , and a detachable secondary handle and flexible strap  214 . 
         [0052]    The dome  212  comprises a hemisphere affixed to the bottom surface  108  with a recessed cylindrical member whose diameter does not exceed that of the dome  212 . The dome  212  serves as a handle or pivot point for a user in contact with the mat  100 . 
         [0053]    The detachable secondary handle and flexible strap  214  which is rotatably affixed to the base  218  for optional positioning over the dome as a secondary handle. 
         [0054]      FIG. 2C  is a top perspective view of a detachable parallelette  220  in accordance with the present invention. The parallelette  220  comprises two cubes  222   a - b  (both having a bottom surface  108 ), and a handle  202 . 
         [0055]    The cubes  222   a - b  are formed from a flexible elastomeric material in the shown embodiment. The detachable parrallelette  220  may serve as dumbbell with weighted cubes  222   a - b.    
         [0056]    The shown detachable parallelette  220  comprises an implement with twin cubes  222   a - b . Other embodiments may alternatively comprise spheres, cylinders, or other geometric-shaped objects. The shown parallelette  220  may also serve as a handle for push ups, and the like. 
         [0057]      FIG. 2D  is a top perspective view of a second detachable handle  230  in accordance with the present invention. The detachable handle  230  comprises a block  232  and a handle  202 . 
         [0058]    In the block  232  comprises a triangular block in the shown embodiment, but may comprise other block-type geometric shapes in other embodiments, and is fabricated as one integrated piece with the handle  202 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 2E  is a side perspective view of a roller  240  in accordance with the present invention. The roller  240  comprises a dowel  242  and a roller  244 . In some embodiments, the roller  244  is contoured as the bottom surface  108  to reciprocate the countouring of the top surface  104  as the roller  242  is rolled across the pad  102 . 
         [0060]    The roller  240  comprises an ergonomic polymer exercise roller  244  designed with a rigid handle bar, or dowel  242 , running through the roller  244  for grasping in order to do exercises such as push-ups with one hand on each side of the central pad holding on the bar. The roller  240  may optionally function as an exercise abdominal roller with a rotatable rigid handle on each side of a cylindrical exercise roll. The dowel  242  may optionally include handle affixed laterally. The dowel  242  may also comprises a series of retractable telescoping cylinders. 
         [0061]      FIG. 3  illustrates a method  300  of gripping a dome-shaped detachable handle in accordance with the present invention. In the shown embodiment, a method  300  of gripping the dome-shaped handle  210  is demonstrated. 
         [0062]    The purpose of the handle  210  is to reduce stress on the wrists/hands of a user. The handle  210  absorbs body weight and motion much better than regular push-up stand models which are rigid and do bounce when force is suddenly applied to them. 
         [0063]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a multifunction detachable cushion implement  400  in accordance with the present invention. The detachable implement  400  comprises a pad  102  with a rigid base, a top surface  104 , cushions  402   a - b , a strap  404 , a handle  406 , and a buttocks support area  408 . 
         [0064]    The detachable cushion implement  400  comprises ergonomically shaped pad  102  used for sit-ups/crunches. The cushions  402  supports not only tailbone area, but also the lumbar, back and glutes. The cushions  402  also raise the body off the ground up to six inches to give a user increased comfort and wider range of motion (e.g. a body arc—slightly hyper-extended—instead of flat when extended) while doing sit-ups. The detachable cushion implement  400  also makes leg raises and back raises more challenging, as just holding a body still in place works abdominal muscles isometrically. 
         [0065]    The detachable cushion implement  400  may comprise a plurality of handles  406  molded into the pad  102  with rigid base to allow a user to grasp and pull up a body for easier modified crunches/sit-ups, as well as the option of an adjustable body belt/strap  404  attached to the pad  102  with a rigid base to help keep the waist anchored and legs from lifting up during exercise, which the body is especially prone to do when using weights while while doing the sit-ups. 
         [0066]    The pad  102  with a rigid base in the shown embodiment is two feet wide, but the pad&#39;s  102  rigid base dimensions may vary from less than a foot in width and/or length to more than sux feet in width and/or length. 
         [0067]    The pad  102  may also comprise additional optional buttocks-support area  408  near the center of the pad  102  for engaging each side of spine as it comes down. Other cushions  402  on the pad  102  may serve to secure a user&#39;s glutes/buttocks in place while exercising (since force against lumbar will naturally push body forward) as well as for engaging each side of the user&#39;s spine as it comes down. A user&#39;s glutes can be slightly wedged in between these two front and back support cushions 
         [0068]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a multifunction exercise mat  500  in accordance with the present invention. The mat  500  comprises a pad  102  having a plurality of apertures  502 , a cushion  402 , and a plurality of domes  212  having pins  502  having pins  504 . The pins  504  are detachably inserted into the apertures on the pad  102 . 
         [0069]    The ergonomic polymer exercise massage pad  102 , when combined with the detachable domes  212 , has a top surface with a series of protruding foam bumps or ridges that act to massage and support the body of a user when moved against such during sit-up and yoga-like exercises; an also be in a wedge shape of a top surface of a series of polymer protruding bumps that act to massage and support the body when moved against such as during sit-up and yoga-like exercises. 
         [0070]      FIG. 6A  is a top perspective view of a detachable cushion implement  600  in accordance with the present invention. In the shown embodiment, the domes  212  are permanently affixed to the pad  102 , and the pad  102  comprises pins  504  such that the pad  102  may be detachably affixed to a mat  500 . The bottom surface, in some embodiments, may be contoured to reciprocate and conform to the top surface of the mat  500 . In other embodiments, the bottom surface is planar for use on the floor or a subgrade. 
         [0071]    The term “block” for the purposes of this invention consists of any bulky three-dimensional object comprising flat faceted surfaces. 
         [0072]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view a detachable implement  700  with molded handles  406  in accordance with the present invention. The detachable implement  700  comprises a dome  212 , a base member  702 , handles  406 , and pins  504 . 
         [0073]    The handles  406  are designed to be used for balance and strength exercises. 
         [0074]    The implement  700  is designed to be used for balance and strength exercises. The implement  700  may be used on the mat  500 , with the optional pins  504  insertable into the apertures  502 , or used as an independent device. 
         [0075]    Cushions on any of the shown mats, pads or implements may be used to cushion portions of a user&#39;s body, including the hand-wrist portion, which is the portion of the user&#39;s body comprising both the hand and the wrist. 
         [0076]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.