Abstract:
An improved weighted training belt for hockey players consisting of an elongated belt having a length, opposite first and second ends, and complimentary first and second coupling members provided on the first and second ends of the belt, respectively. The belt also includes at least one pair of connector elements positioned between the first and second coupling members, said pair of connector elements being movable along the length of the belt and selectively fixable at any point along the length of the belt. The training belt further includes at least one weight pouch having opposite side straps with a connector element provided on an end of each of the side straps, the connector elements of the weight pouch being complimentary to the pair of connector elements on the belt, the weight pouch configured to support at least one weight, the opposite side straps of the weight pouch each having an adjustable length.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 61/105,553 filed Oct. 15, 2008 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to belts in general and to weighted belts in particular. Specifically, the invention relates to a weighted training belt assembly which can be worn on top of or integrated into the protective pants worn by hockey players. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Weighted belts are generally well known and are used in a variety of applications ranging from strength training and muscular therapy to scuba diving and skydiving. 
         [0004]    Used for fitness purposes, there are two main benefits to using weighted belts. First, they offer a form of resistance training where the user&#39;s (leg) muscles are overloaded, forcing them to work harder than usual in order to stimulate muscle growth. Secondly, weighted belts can aid in the development of muscle memory because the user is often able to perform repetitious, sport-specific exercises while wearing the belt. Muscle memory allows an athlete to perform complex skills and techniques with proficiency. 
         [0005]    A training tool which provides these two benefits simultaneously would be particularly useful within the hockey community where a player&#39;s leg strength and skating technique play a large role in his success. Weighted belts specifically designed for hockey players do not exist in the prior art although the advantages of using such a training tool would be significant. 
         [0006]    Belts for fitness training, scuba diving and load lifting among others, have been disclosed which provide a means of adding weight to a belt in addition to those other features required by the intended user. However, these belts fall short in delivering all the features specifically required by an athlete playing the sport of hockey. Because of the high speed, full-contact nature of hockey every minor disturbance or distraction to a player on the ice can negatively affect performance, reduce comfort and/or raise the risk of injury. For example, a player who is thrown off balance by a weight belt with a poor weight distribution pattern is less likely to properly execute required skills and less likely to be able to safely avoid collisions or dangerous falls while playing. Clearly, an athlete involved in a high speed, full-contact sport like hockey requires a belt with a different set of features than an athlete in a sport like scuba diving. An overview of the related prior art will prove illustrative of the limitations such belts face as regards their suitability for use during on-ice, hockey training. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,808,824 to Johnston et al and 6,113,521 to Winston disclose belts which typically use materials (like solid metal weights or weights with a rigid shape) which are not appropriate for hockey because they could cause injury if there were a fall or collision on the ice. 
         [0008]    U.S Patent No. 2007/0099774 to Lampel and U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,575 to Eylander each disclose belts with a plurality of pockets for receiving weights which are distributed along the sides and back of the belt. However, distributing weight across a hockey player&#39;s back can cause unnecessary strain on the back muscles and negatively affect balance and skating technique. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,082 to Moschetti and U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,108 to Headley disclose belts which provide straps which may be used to attach a load to the belt. However, neither belt provides weights or suitable pouches for containing the weights. If the weight pouches aren&#39;t adequately supported and safely secured on the waist of a player, the training weight will shift position during use negatively affecting balance, hindering performance and raising the risk of injury. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,672 to Stinton discloses a load-bearing belt which allows the user to attach weight to the belt through the use of an securing mechanism which can be added to the belt. The weight is fastened to the securing mechanism by way of a flexible cord which is threaded between the weight and the securing mechanism. While such an arrangement allows for quick release of the weight by pulling the cord, there is no quick or convenient way to add the weight to the belt once the cord has been pulled. The belt must be removed and the cord again threaded between the weight and securing mechanism before the belt can be used again. A useful training tool for hockey players would allow for the user to quickly and conveniently add and remove weight from the belt so as to interrupt training as little as possible. 
         [0011]    Belts such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,732,305 to Courtney et al., 6,146,053 to Nelson and 6,132,142 to Carmichael are constructed such that the belt passes through a sleeve or channel on each weight pouch so that the weight pouches essentially hang from the belt once it is fastened around the waist of the user. While the weights themselves may be added or removed quickly with belts constructed in this manner, the pouches containing the weights cannot be removed without completely removing the belt from the user&#39;s waist. Additionally, belts constructed such that the weight pouches hang from the belt allow the training weight to move around or sag on the belt when the user makes a sudden movement or changes direction quickly. Ideally the pouches would offer more support to prevent sagging and the pouches could be removed as quickly and easily as the weights themselves. 
         [0012]    None of the disclosed belts discussed above have been specifically designed to work together with the protective pants worn by hockey players. Therefore, they do not take into account the positioning, size and shape of the plastic and foam protective padding contained within a typical hockey player&#39;s pants. Although substantial protection is provided by the pants to a player&#39;s lower torso, hips and thighs, gaps in the padding do exist to allow a player greater mobility and range of motion. In particular, comparatively little padding is offered around the waist so as not to restrict a player&#39;s ability to bend over. The waist area then—the area which belts occupy—is vulnerable if precautions are not taken. Any force on the belt (and therefore on the player) caused by a fall or collision which is not transferred away from the waist of the player may result in injury. Belts not designed to work with the curved forms of the protective padding built into hockey pants will not sit properly on top of the pants and are therefore less likely to safely and effectively transfer the force of any impact onto the protective padding. Ideally, the belt would provide some means of transferring the forces on the belt in the waist area resulting from a fall or collision onto the padding of the protective pants. 
         [0013]    As prior art fails to provide a belt which satisfactorily offers the secure fit, proper weight distribution, ease of use and optimal safety features necessary in order to provide a beneficial and practical training stimulus to an athlete playing the sport of ice hockey, there exists a need in the art for a belt or similar assembly which can fulfill the specific on-ice training needs of a hockey player. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The present invention discloses a weighted training belt to be used by hockey players while training on ice as means to increase the resistance experienced while skating so as to effectively and conveniently train those muscles specifically required to skate without compromising player safety, comfort or performance. In accordance with this broad aspect, the invention provides a hockey training belt for adding a plurality of weights to a person&#39;s waist. The training belt includes an elongated belt having a length, opposite first and second ends, and complimentary first and second coupling members provided on the first and second ends of the belt, respectively. The belt also includes at least one pair of connector elements positioned between the first and second coupling members, said pair of connector elements being movable along the length of the belt and selectively fixable at any point along the length of the belt. The training belt further includes at least one weight pouch having opposite side straps with a connector element provided on an end of each of the side straps, the connector elements of the weight pouch being complimentary to the pair of connector elements on the belt, the weight pouch configured to support at least one weight, the opposite side straps of the weight pouch each having an adjustable length. 
         [0015]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt which includes an elongated belt having opposite first and second ends, with complimentary first and second coupling members provided on the first and second ends of the belt, respectively. The belt includes a left and right pair of quick connect couples positioned between the first and second coupling members, the left and right pair of quick connect couples being movably adjustable on the belt and selectively fixable anywhere along the length of the belt. The training belt further includes a right weight pouch having opposite side straps each of which has a quick connect coupling provided at one end. The quick connect couplings of the right pouch are complimentary to the right pair of quick connect couples on the belt. The right weight pouch also has an opening for containing one or more weights. The opposite side straps of the right weight pouch are configured such that their lengths are selectively adjustable. The training belt further includes a left weight pouch having opposite side straps each having a quick connect coupling at one end. The quick connect couplings of the left pouch are complimentary to the left pair of quick connect couples on the belt. The left weight pouch has an opening for containing one or more weights, and the opposite side straps of the left weight pouch have adjustable lengths. 
         [0016]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt which consists of an elongated belt having complimentary coupling members on each end. The belt also includes a left and right pair of connector elements positioned between the coupling members, the left and right pair of connector elements being movably adjustable along the length of the belt and selectively fixable at any point along the length of the belt. The training belt also includes a right weight pouch having opposite side straps, each side strap having a connector element which is complimentary to the right pair of connector elements on the belt. The right weight pouch is configured to support at least one weight and the lengths of the opposite side straps of the right weight pouch being adjustable. The training belt further includes a left weight pouch having opposite side straps with a connector element provided at each end, the connector elements of the left pouch being complimentary to the left pair of connector elements on the belt. The left weight pouch is configured to support at least one weight. Also, the opposite side straps of the left weight pouch are each configured to have an adjustable length. 
         [0017]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt as described above wherein the weight pouches further include a rigid member positioned between the weights and the belt. 
         [0018]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt as described above wherein the rigid member has a concave side oriented towards the belt. 
         [0019]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt wherein the weights contained in the pouches are flexible. The pouch is further configured to support the weights in a substantially vertical orientation when the hockey training belt is worn. 
         [0020]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt as described above wherein the pouches are configured to be resiliently deformable (i.e. stretchy) to permit the pouch to resiliently deform to accommodate the weights contained in the pouch. 
         [0021]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt as described above for use with protective hockey pants including those having kidney and hip protection pads separated by a gap at the waist. The rigid member of the pouches being dimensioned and configured to span the gap when the belt is worn over or integrated into the protective hockey pants. 
         [0022]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training belt as described above which can be integrated into the protective pants worn by hockey players. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention shall now be described in drawings, wherein: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1   a  is a front elevational view of the exterior side of a weighted training belt assembly made in accordance with the present invention with weight pouches attached. 
           [0025]      FIG. 1   b  is an elevational view from below of the weighted training belt made in accordance with the present invention with weight pouches attached. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2   a  is front elevational view of the exterior side of the base belt used in the weighted training belt assembly made in accordance with the present invention without weight pouches attached. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2   b  is an elevational view from below of the base belt used in the weighted training belt assembly made in accordance with the present invention without weight pouches attached. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3   a  is a front elevational view of the left weight pouch portion of the training belt made in accordance with the present invention showing the flap open. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3   b  is a front elevational view of the right weight pouch portion of the training belt made in accordance with the present invention showing the flap closed. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3   c  is an elevational view from below of the left weight pouch portion of the training belt made in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3   d  is an elevational view from below of the right weight pouch portion of the training belt made in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4   a  is a perspective view from the front of the base belt portion of the present invention showing the weight pouches before the pouches are attached. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4   b  is a perspective view from the front of the full weighted training belt assembly of the present invention with weight pouches attached. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view from the front of the base belt portion of the weighted training belt made in accordance with the present invention integrated into a pair of hockey pants before weight pouches are attached. 
           [0035]      FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view from the front of the weighted training belt made in accordance with the present invention integrated into a pair of hockey pants with weight pouches attached. 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a cross section of the weight pouch along the line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 3   b.    
           [0037]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a weight pouch portion of the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 8   a  is perspective view of the threading pattern of the base belt portion of the present invention through a female receiving member and a limit clip where the receiving member can slide along the base belt. 
           [0039]      FIG. 8   b  is perspective view of the threading pattern of the base belt portion of the present invention through a female receiving member and a limit clip where the receiving member is locked in place on the base belt. 
           [0040]      FIG. 9   a  is a perspective view of a weight pouch portion of the present invention showing the flap being closed. 
           [0041]      FIG. 9   b  is a perspective view of a weight pouch portion of the present invention showing the flap being open. 
           [0042]      FIG. 9   c  is a perspective view of a weight pouch portion of the present invention showing the flap being open and the center panel of durable fabric which covers the outside of the pouch being pulled down to allow access to the pocket opening into which the training weight is inserted. 
           [0043]      FIG. 9   d  is a perspective view of a weight pouch portion of the present invention showing the flap being open and the center panel of durable fabric which covers the outside of the pouch being pulled down and one of the weights pulled out of the pouch. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    Referring firstly to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  a training belt made in accordance with the present invention is shown generally as item  10  and includes a base belt  12  having opposite ends. Base belt  12  is preferably made of a flexible nylon webbing or the like. Contained on the opposite ends of base belt  12  is a pair of complimentary first and second coupling members, namely female receiving member  14  and male insertion member  16 . Preferably, female receiving member  14  and male insertion member  16  combine to form a side release buckle hereinafter called Central Buckle. The Central Buckle shall be considered to sit at the front of the base belt and the midpoint  100  of the base belt shall be considered at the back. The end  18  of the base belt  12  which extends past the female receiving member  14  and the end  20  of the base belt  12  which extends past the male insertion member  16  can each be used to tighten and properly secure the base belt  12  around the user&#39;s waist once the Central Buckle has been fastened. This is achieved by pulling said base belt ends  18 ,  20  away from the Central Buckle. 
         [0045]    Two pairs of connector elements or anchoring devices are additionally contained on said base belt  12  between the opposite ends of the belt. In the embodiment displayed in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , said connector elements consist of four female receiving members  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . Some or all of said female receiving members could however also be, in other embodiments, male insertion members, D- or O-ring attachments or other fasteners which enable each weight pouch strap  120 ,  130 , seen in  FIGS. 3   a,    3   b,    3   c,    3   d , to be fastened to the base belt  12 . Connector elements  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  are movably adjustable along the length of base belt  12 ; however, limit clips  44  may be placed immediately adjacent said connector elements for the purpose of fixing (i.e. locking) said connector elements in a position on the base belt of the user&#39;s choosing thereby preventing said connector elements from inadvertently sliding along the base belt. Hook and loop tape or other means of preventing some or all of said connector elements from sliding along the base belt may also be used. 
         [0046]    Both straps  120  and  130  in the preferred embodiment displayed in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are comprised of nylon webbing or similar and combine with a pouch  32 ,  52  to form what is hereinafter called a Weight Pouch  30 ,  50 . Each of said straps  120 ,  130  are combined with said pouches  32 ,  52  such that Weight Pouch  30  has opposite side straps  121  and  123  with ends  38 ,  40  and Weight Pouch  50  has opposite side straps  131  and  133  with ends  58 ,  60 . These opposite side straps extend out on either side of said pouches  32 ,  52 . Each of said pouches  32 ,  52  contain one or more pockets  110  (see  FIG. 9   c ), for containing the training weights  114  (see  FIG. 9   d ) and a flap  42 ,  62  secured by hook  116  and loop  118  fastener or similar, preventing said training weights from unintentionally coming loose. Each of the opposite side straps  121 ,  123 ,  131  and  133  have connector elements adjacent their ends. In the embodiment illustrated, the connector elements consist of male insertion members  34 ,  36 ,  54 ,  56  which are attached a short distance away from ends  38 ,  40 ,  58 ,  60  of said straps  120 ,  130  each facing away from said pouches  32 ,  52 . Said male insertion members could also be four female receiving members, a strap with hook and loop fasteners attached which threads through an O- or D-ring on the base belt and returns to lock on the strap of the weight pouch, or any other means of fastening said weight pouch to said base belt  12  so long as said four male members correspond with said four female members located on the base belt  12 . Said four male insertion members correspond with said four female receiving members  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  which are not contained in the Central Buckle but which are attached to the base belt  12  as means to fasten Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  to the base belt  12 . 
         [0047]    Each male insertion member  38 ,  40 ,  58 ,  60  contained on said straps  120 ,  130  of said Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  is fastened in turn to a corresponding female receiving member  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  attached to the base belt  12  such that the curve  140 ,  150  of each said Weight Pouch  30 ,  50  follows the curve of the waist belt  12  once it is fastened around the waist of the user, (as shown in  FIG. 4   a  and  FIG. 4   b ) and such that the flaps  42 ,  62  which allow the training weights  114  to be inserted into the pouches  32 ,  52  are at the top of each said Weight Pouch  30 ,  50  once the belt is attached to the user. In this way is said Weight Pouch  30 ,  50  fastened to said base belt  12 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show the weighted training belt assembly  10  with Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  attached. With the base belt  12  securely fastened to the waist of the user and said Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  attached to said base belt  12 , the ends  38 ,  40 ,  58 ,  60  of the straps  120 ,  130  on each Weight Pouch can be used to precisely adjust the position of the Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  on the hips and hockey pants of the user. This is done by pulling each end  38 ,  40 ,  58 ,  60  of said strap  120 , 130  as required, in the direction of the weight pouch to which it is connected. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 3   c  and  3   d  shows how the Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  are curved in shape so as to form to the curves of the user thereby keeping the training weight as close to the body of the user as possible 
         [0050]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show a perspective view of the weighted training belt assembly before and after the Weight Pouches are attached. The curve of the belt is matched by the curve of the Weight Pouches. In this embodiment, the belt could be worn over a pair of protective hockey pants (not shown). Small clips or hooks (not shown) may be provided on the base belt to allow the user to attach the belt to a fixed point on the pants themselves to prevent the belt from rotating on the hips of the user. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5   a , shows base belt  12  as integrated into a pair of protective hockey pants  90  of a type commonly worn by hockey players. Said base belt  12  replaces the belt and fastener (not shown) commonly found in hockey pants. Said base belt  12  is housed in a belt loop structure  70  similar to the belt loop structure commonly found in hockey pants. Said belt loop structure  70  is horizontally disposed between the pads  72 ,  74  protecting the player&#39;s lower torso and hips  76 ,  78 . Said belt loop structure  70  has an opening at the front of the pants  80  to provide access to the Central Buckle and two female receiving members  22 ,  28  contained at the front of the belt to either side of the Central Buckle, and an opening at the back of the pants  82  to allow access to the two female receiving members  24 ,  26  located there. When the weight pouches are not being used, said base belt functions as any other belt commonly found in hockey pants, allowing for the weight of the pants themselves to be supported on the hips of the user and for the adjustment of the length of the belt to accommodate a variety of users. When the training weight is being used, the base belt supports the weight pouches and the training weight in position on the hips of the user. 
         [0052]      FIG. 5   b  shows the Weight Pouches  30 ,  50  properly positioned on the pads  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78  of the pants protecting the user&#39;s hips and lower torso. When the base belt  12  is integrated into the pants as seen if  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , the base belt  12  is sewn at its midpoint  100  to the pants preventing the belt from moving on the waist of the user. 
         [0053]      FIG. 6  shows a cross section of the weight pouch along the line  3 - 3 . Rigid member  200  is preferably a molded plastic insert which is incorporated into each Weight Pouch  30 ,  50 . Rigid member  200  helps to transfer any pressure applied to the pouches (resulting from a fall or bodily contact with another player) to the pads of the protective hockey pants  90 . Protective hockey pants  90  have pads  74  protecting the lower torso and hip pads  78  which are separated from each other by gap  210  at the waist. Preferably rigid member  200  is dimensioned to span gap  210  to permit the pouch to contact both pads  74  and  78  thereby transferring the force of any impact onto said pads minimizing the risk of injury. 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the Weight Pouch  30  in the present embodiment is comprised of several fabric layers  221 ,  223 ,  225  of nylon or similarly durable fabric, one fabric layer  220  of a stretchy resilient fabric, nylon webbing  120  or the like and a rigid member  200 . Rigid member  200  is preferably arch shaped and has a concave side  201  oriented towards belt  12 . Rigid member  200  helps to give Weight Pouch  30  an arched profile permitting the pouch to fit closely to the wearer&#39;s waist. Rigid member  200  is preferably incorporated into the construction of Weight Pouch  30  between fabric layers  223 ,  225  which may be adhered together by stitching or by other means known generally in the art. Weight Pouch  30  preferably incorporates a stretchy resilient fabric layer  220  which is configured to permit the pouch to resiliently deform when weights  114  are inserted into the opening of the pouch pocket  110 . The resiliency of fabric layer  220  is selected to permit the pouch to conform closely to the arched shape of the rigid member  200  to prevent portions of the pouch from sagging or hanging loose once the training weight  114  is inserted. A further layer of durable nylon fabric  221  is affixed on top of the stretchy resilient fabric layer  220  to protect the stretchy resilient fabric from tears or other damage. A protective binding ribbon  310  (see  FIG. 9   a ) can be stitched around the outside edges of the fabric layers to protect the edges from wear and tear. 
         [0055]    Training weights  114  are preferably elongated and flexible to permit the weights to conform closely to the arched profile of rigid member  200  when the weights are inserted into the pouch. Weights  114  may comprise elongated fabric envelopes filled with sand or some other suitable heavy material. Preferably, weights  114  should be sufficiently flexible to permit the weights to deform slightly in the event of a fall or collision thereby lessening the probability of an injury. The pouch is configured to hold weights  114  in a substantially vertical orientation when the training belt is worn. By mounting weights  114  in a vertical orientation it is easier for the weights to conform to the arched profile of the pouch. 
         [0056]      FIG. 8   a  shows the webbing threading pattern of base belt  12  through female receiving member  22  and limit clip  44  in the preferred embodiment. Removing slack from base belt  12  will lock receiving member  22  and limit clip  44  in place on the belt, as seen in  FIG. 8   b.    
         [0057]      FIG. 9   a , shows Weight Pouch  30  with a closed flap  42  containing weights  114 .  FIG. 9   b  shows said Weight Pouch with flap  42  open. Hook  116  and loop  118  tape are visible.  FIG. 9   c  shows the center panel of the durable top layer of fabric  221  folded over to expose pouch pocket opening  110  in stretchy fabric layer  220  and the training weight  114  contained within said Weight Pouch. Pull tabs  300  can be affixed to the training weight to make removing the training weight from the Weight Pouch easier.  FIG. 9   d  shows said training weight  114  partially removed from said pouch pocket opening. In this way can training weight be added or removed from said Weight Pouch in order to modify the intensity of a player&#39;s workout. 
         [0058]    While the principles of the invention have been made clear in illustrative embodiments, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention, and otherwise, which can be particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are intended to cover and embrace any and all such modifications, with the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention.