Abstract:
An application for an exercise device includes a belt member adapted to be worn around a mid-section of a user and at least one back strap, a first end of each back strap connected to a rear section of the belt member. Two resilient members are provided, a first end of each resilient member is affixed to a distal end of the back straps and two handles are attached to a distal end of each resilient member. The two handles are configured to accommodate a hand of the user while the user, wearing the exercise device, alternately or concurrently pushes against the force of the resilient members.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of exercising and more particularly to an apparatus for exercising. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Physical fitness has always been important and, recently, become a subject of increased focus due to a growing population of obesity. Many are taking up exercise by joining a gym or spa and utilizing the equipment and support structure provided by such. Many exercise by walking, running, jogging or biking, perhaps outdoors. Walking is a very popular form of exercise since it achieves many valuable objectives with minimal stress on bones and joints. For example, walking burns calories; builds leg muscles; achieves a proper heart rate; and helps one&#39;s mental state. Walking provides a great way to build leg muscles, but minimally improves arm/shoulder muscle tone. This minimal improvement comes from arm motion during walking. 
         [0003]    Some individuals carry small hand weights to amplify the benefits of arm motion during walking, periodically lifting the weights. Doing such tones certain lifting muscles, but there are many other muscles of the arms and shoulders that minimally benefit from carrying/lifting weights. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,175 to Marquez describes an apparatus for exercising muscles used in playing tennis. This device has a belt and an elastic portion that is stretched by the wearer of the belt to exercise arm muscles. This device is capable of toning additional arm/shoulder muscles, but this device does not provide for concurrent exercise of both arms, will not allow comfortable exercise of certain muscles in a downward or outward pushing direction and is not intended for use while performing other exercise such as walking. 
         [0005]    What is needed is a device that will provide exercise of various upper body muscles and is usable while walking. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, an exercise device is disclosed including a belt member adapted to be worn around a mid-section of a user and at least one back strap, a first end of each back strap connected to a rear section of the belt member. Two resilient members are provided, a first end of each resilient members affixed to a distal end of the back straps and two handles are provided, attached to a distal end of each resilient member. The two handles are configured to accommodate a hand of the user. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a method of of exercising is disclosed including providing an exercise device which has a belt member adapted to be worn around a user&#39;s mid-section and a back strap having a bottom section connected to a Y-connection and two top sections also connected to the Y-connection. Each top section has a distal end. A first end of the bottom section is connected to a rear section of the belt member. The exercise device also has two resilient members. A first end of each resilient member is affixed to one of the two distal ends of the two top sections of the back strap. A handle is affixed to a distal end of each resilient member to accommodate a hand of the user. The method continues with donning the exercise device placing the belt around a mid-section of one&#39;s body, placing a first of the two top sections of the back strap over one&#39;s left shoulder and placing a second of the two top sections of the back strap over one&#39;s right shoulder. Next, the left handle is grasped with one&#39;s left hand and the right handle is grasped with one&#39;s right hand. Now, the user exercises by alternately pushing against the left handle with the one&#39;s left hand and pushing against the right handle with one&#39;s right hand. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, an exercise device is disclosed including a belt member adapted to be worn around a user&#39;s mid-section and adjustably fastenable to itself by hook and loop material. A left back strap is connected at a first end to a rear section of the belt member and a right back strap is connected at a first end to the rear section of the belt member. A left shoulder cushion is situated beneath the left back strap providing a cushion between the left back strap and a left shoulder of a user while a right shoulder cushion is situated beneath the right back strap providing a cushion between the right back strap and a right shoulder of a user. A first end of a left resilient member is affixed to a distal end of the left back strap and first end of a right resilient member is affixed to a distal end of the right back strap. A left handle is affixed to a distal end of the left resilient member and a he right handle is affixed to a distal end of the right resilient member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a device of the present invention being worn by a user. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a device of the present invention in use. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second side view of a device of the present invention in use. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of a device of the present invention in use. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates a rear view of a first embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a rear view of a second embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  illustrates a rear view of a third embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of the first embodiment of a device of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a device of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a device of the present invention being worn by a user is shown. The device includes a belt  14  to be worn around the user&#39;s mid section or waist. In the preferred embodiment, the belt  14  is part of the exercise device while in alternate embodiments, the belt  14  is any belt available to the user and the exercise device attaches to the belt  14  provided by the user in ways known in the industry. The belt  14  is joined and tightened around the user by a buckle  15  or any other way known in the industry. 
         [0021]    One or more straps  16  are attached to the belt  14 . In a preferred embodiment, the user&#39;s  50  shoulders are cushioned by a shoulder cushion  20  beneath or around the straps  16  to improve comfort to the user  50 . 
         [0022]    Top ends of the straps  16  are attached to resilient members  12 . In this example, the resilient members  12  are stretchable materials such as elastic members (e.g., surgical tubing, etc) while in other embodiments, the resilient members  12  are springs. Distal ends of the resilient members  12  attach to handles  18  which is shown, for example, as a stirrup-type handle while any suitable handle is anticipated. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 and 3 , a side view of a device of the present invention in use is shown. The belt  14  is worn around the user&#39;s mid section or waist and the one or more straps  16  are attached to the belt  14  and passed over the user&#39;s  50  shoulders where they are attached to the resilient members  12  and the resilient members attached to handles  18 . The optional shoulder cushion  20  improves comfort to the user as the user  50  pushes downward or outward with their right hand (as in  FIG. 2 ) and then pushes downward or outward with their left hand (as in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a front view of a device of the present invention in use is shown. In this view, one typical belt buckle  15  is shown and the user  50  is grasping both handles  18  and pushing down. In this example, the resilient members  12  are stretchable materials such as elastic members (e.g., surgical tubing, etc) while in other embodiments, the resilient members  12  are springs. The optional shoulder cushion  20  provides improved comfort to the user as the user  50  pushes downward or outward with their right hand (as in  FIG. 2 ) and then pushes downward or outward with their left hand (as in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a rear view of a first embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user is shown. In this embodiment, the back strap  16  is in the form of a single strap  16  that forms a “Y”  22  with a bottom end and two top ends, the top ends passing through or over the two shoulder cushions  20 . Various back configurations are anticipated, all of which are included here within. In this embodiment, a tightening mechanism  24  is provided to adjust the length of the bottom end of the back strap  16  to conform to various user heights. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a rear view of a second embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user is shown. In this embodiment, the back strap is in the form of two parallel straps  32  that connect to each other by a horizontal strap  30 . The ends of the two straps  32  continue through or over the two cushions  20 . Various back configurations are anticipated, all of which are included here within. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a rear view of a third embodiment of a device of the present invention being worn by a user is shown. In this embodiment, the back strap is in the form of two crossed straps  42  that connect to each other at a bonding point  40 . The ends of the two straps  42  continue through the two shoulder cushions  20 . The straps are affixed to the belt  14  in ways known in the industry including, but not limited to, stitching directly to the belt  14  or looping around the belt  14  and stitching back upon itself. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a perspective view of the first embodiment of a device of the present invention is shown. The device includes a belt  14  and a belt fastener  15 . In this embodiment, the belt fastener is hook and loop material  15  although in other embodiments other types of belt fasteners such as buckles, button/eyes and the like are anticipated. In this embodiment, one strap  16  is attached to the belt  14 , although in other embodiments two or more straps are anticipated as previously described. As an example, the strap  16  is attached to the belt  14  by a loop  26  formed in the end of the strap  16 , the loop  26  passing around the belt  14  then affixed back upon the strap  16  as known in the industry. 
         [0029]    In this example, the straps  16  form a Y  22  and the top sections of the straps  22  pass through or over optional shoulder cushions  20  to improve comfort to the user. In some embodiments, the shoulder cushions  20  are affixed to a bottom surface of the top sections of the straps  16  by, for example, stitching, gluing, bonding, etc. It is preferred that the shoulder cushions  20  include a soft material situated between the top section of the straps  22 , thereby providing cushioning to the user&#39;s shoulders. Each strap is attach to a first end of a resilient member  12  and the other end of the resilient member  12  is attached to a handle  18  which is shown as a stirrup-type handle while any suitable handle is anticipated. In this embodiment, the resilient member  12  is a stretchable material such as rubber or fabric impregnated with rubber threads, etc. One example of such material is surgical rubber tubing. In this example, the handle  18  has an optional grip  19 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a device of the present invention is shown. As in  FIG. 8 , the device includes a belt  14  and a belt fastener  15 . In this embodiment, the belt fastener is hook and loop material  15  although in other embodiments other types of belt fasteners such as buckles, button/eyes and the like are anticipated. In this embodiment, one strap  16  is attached to the belt  14 , although in other embodiments two or more straps are anticipated as previously described. As an example, the strap  16  is attached to the belt  14  by a loop  26  formed in the end of the strap  16 , the loop  26  passing around the belt  14  then affixed back upon the strap  16  as known in the industry. 
         [0031]    The straps  16  form a Y  22  and the top sections of the straps  22  pass through or over optional shoulder cushions  20  to improve comfort to the user. In some embodiments, the shoulder cushions  20  are affixed to a bottom surface of the top sections of the straps  16  by, for example, stitching, gluing, bonding, etc. It is preferred that the shoulder cushions  20  include a soft material situated between the top section of the straps  22 , thereby providing cushioning to the user&#39;s shoulders. Each strap is attach to a first end of a resilient member  13  and the other end of the resilient member  13  is attached to a handle  18  which is shown as a stirrup-type handle while any suitable handle is anticipated. In this embodiment, the resilient member  13  is a spring  13 . Any known spring technology is anticipated, preferably a coil spring. The spring  13  is made from any spring material such as spring steel and spring plastic. It is preferred, though not required, to cover the springs  13  with a sleeve  15  to prevent pinching when the springs  13  are retracted. The sleeves  15  are made from any suitable material such as cloth and, preferable, expands when the springs  13  are extended. In some embodiments, the sleeves  15  are gathered or accordion style, providing for expansion as the springs  13  are extended. In this example, the handle  18  has an optional grip  19 . 
         [0032]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0033]    It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.