Abstract:
A curved, partial barrel shaped body has a bottom surface shaped to rest on a portion of a planar surface such as a pad or a floor and an upper curved surface formed by a first cylindrical surface portion having a first radius of curvature about a first axis and a second cylindrical surface portion having a second radius of curvature about a second axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis. The second radius is different from the first radius of curvature. The first and second surface portions preferably tangentially merge together to form a continuous smooth, curved, upper surface with different curvatures.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   This disclosure relates to an exercise apparatus and more particularly to a partial barrel apparatus for use in Pilates exercises. 
   2. General Background 
   Joseph H. Pilates originally developed the concept of using a wheeled platform carriage connected to a resistance device such as a set of weights in conjunction with a stationary frame to provide a variable resistance against which a user could push with his/her feet or pull with the arms while in a sitting or recumbent position in order to exercise the major muscle groups of the user&#39;s trunk, legs and/or arms. He and his wife Clara developed and used various exercise apparatus in their pioneering work that has become generally known as Pilates training. One of the exercise devices that Clara Pilates developed she called a “spine corrector”. This device has the shape of a padded partial segment of a cylindrical barrel that merges into a flat, inclined plane, or step, hence the name “step barrel” as it is commonly known today. A user would sit on the step and lean back over the curved surface of the barrel portion, stretching the user&#39;s spine. 
   Since that time many changes and improvements in the design of step barrels have occurred. Handles have been added on the vertical sides, and simplified versions have been developed, called “Baby Arcs”, which are smaller arc segments formed either of wood or plastic and often covered with a padded upholstery material. 
   Step barrels, however, have a disadvantage in that they are formed with one fixed radius for the curved surface of the barrel portion. One user may find the curvature of the barrel portion too sharp, while another user may find the curvature of the barrel too shallow. This requires the use of at least two barrels and arcs with different curvatures for different users and thus barrels of different sizes have been developed. However, studio space, and hence storage space is usually limited in most facilities where these devices are used. Accordingly, there is a need for a step barrel exercise apparatus that can accommodate different users without taking up additional space. Also, there is a need for an exercise apparatus that can accommodate a variety of different configurations, depending on the physique of the user, as well as different exercises. 
   It is with these needs in mind that the apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure has been developed. 
   SUMMARY 
   One embodiment of the barrel exercise apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure is a curved, partial barrel shaped body that has a bottom surface shaped to rest on a portion of a planar surface such as a pad or a floor and an upper curved surface formed by a first cylindrical surface portion having a first radius of curvature about a first axis and a second cylindrical surface portion having a second radius of curvature about a second axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis. The second radius is different from the first radius of curvature. The first and second surface portions preferably tangentially merge together to form a continuous smooth, curved, upper surface. 
   Another embodiment of a barrel exercise apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure is an assembly that includes a planar base such as a non-slip mat, a removable first block shaped body having a bottom surface shaped to rest on the base, a generally flat top surface lying at an acute angle to a plane of the bottom surface of the block shaped body when the first body is positioned on the base, and an upright front edge between the bottom surface and the top surface. The assembly also has a curved second body removably abutting the upright front edge of the first section on the planar base. This second curved, partial barrel shaped body has a bottom surface shaped to rest on at least a portion of the planar base, and an upper curved surface formed by a first cylindrical portion having a first radius of curvature about a first cylinder axis and a second cylindrical portion having a second radius of curvature about a second cylinder axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis. The second radius is different from the first radius of curvature. The first and second surface portions merge together to form a continuous smooth curved generally cylindrical upper surface. The second body may be positioned with either the first portion or the second portion abutting the first body on the base. 
   The barrel exercise apparatus assembly of this embodiment also preferably includes a removable locating member positioned on the planar base that extends into a complementary shaped curved recess in the bottom surface of the second body. The recess is preferably shaped to receive the removable locating member so that the second body may be properly oriented on the planar base in one of preferably two possible positions. Preferably the curved recess is arcuately curved about an axis parallel to the first and second axes. 

   
     DRAWINGS 
     The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the assembled exercise apparatus of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is side view of the assembled apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   An upper perspective view of one embodiment of an exercise apparatus assembly  100  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus assembly  100  is based on a partial barrel shaped body  102 . This partial barrel shaped body, i.e. partial barrel  102 , has a unique shape. It has a uniquely composite upper outer surface  104 . The partial barrel  102  preferably rests on a support surface over a small, elongated partially cylindrical locating member  106  preferably placed at or adjacent one end of a support pad  108 . The support pad  108 , in turn, is designed to rest on a flat support surface such as a floor (not shown). 
   A removable step block  110  is removably positioned preferably on the pad  108  adjacent one side of the partial barrel  102  as is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The barrel  102  and step block  110  may be utilized together on any non-slip surface, such as carpet, without the use of the partial cylindrical locating member  106  on the pad  108 . In addition, the partial barrel may be used separately from the step block  110 , depending on the exercise being performed. However, use of the pad  108  and locating member  106  beneath the barrel  102  and step  110  is preferred, as together the assembly  100 , or the barrel  102  alone, may be placed on any surface such as a hardwood floor without the barrel  102  or step body  110  moving out of position. 
   The upper outer surface  104  of the partial barrel  102  is formed by two arcuate surfaces  112  and  114  that have different radii  116  and  118  from parallel axes  120  and  122  respectively. The surfaces  112  and  114  preferably tangentially merge together preferably along a top of the surface  104  preferably along a vertical plane through and defined by the axes  120  and  122 . The outer surface  104  terminates at a flat bottom surface  124  of the barrel  102 . This vertical plane is perpendicular to a plane of the bottom surface  124  as is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   The partial barrel  102  has two opposite, preferably identical, vertical end surfaces  126 . Each end surface  126  has a plurality of spaced recesses  128  forming vertical ribs  130  between them each terminating in a curved rim  132  that joins with the outer surface  104 . The vertical ribs  130  together with the curved rim  132  form a series of hand grip ledges in each end surface  126  for a user to grasp while performing certain exercises on the partial barrel  102  or, alternatively, on the assembled apparatus  100 . 
   The bottom surface  124  of the partial barrel  102  preferably has an arcuate recess  134  extending along its length having a shape generally complementary to that of the locating member  106 . This recess  134  preferably has a curved shape extending parallel to axes  120  and  122  and has a depth such that, when the locating member  106  is placed in the recess  134 , the bottom of the locating member  106  lies in a common plane with that of the bottom  124 . Thus, when the locating member is placed on the pad  108  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the partial barrel  102  may be positioned as shown, or, reversed to an opposite orientation, such that surface  114  is adjacent the step block  110  rather than the surface portion  112  being adjacent the step block  110 . 
   The step block  110  has a generally flat bottom  136 , a slanted top surface  138 , and an upright front wall  140  that is designed to be placed adjacent either the portion  112  or portion  114  of the upper surface  104  of the partial barrel  102 . Thus generally, step block  110  is a trapezoidal block with preferably rounded corners above the flat bottom  136 . 
   The partial barrel  102  and the step block  110  are shown inverted in the exploded view of the assembly  100  in  FIG. 3 . One or more of the component bodies  102 ,  106 ,  108 , and  110  that make up the assembly  100  may be provided with complementary hook and loop fabric patches, strips or regions  142  and  144  on the mating surfaces so that, when the block  110  and locating member  108  are positioned on the pad  108 , the block  110  and locating member  106  are removably held in place. Additionally strips  142  and  144  may optionally be provided on the upper surface of the locating member  106  and in corresponding portions of the recess  134  to hold the locating member  106  and partial barrel  102  together. 
   The step block  110  and the partial barrel  102  are each preferably injection molded or blow-molded from a suitable thermoplastic material. As can readily be seen in  FIG. 3 , both the step block  110  and the partial barrel  102  have an array of internal void spaces or recesses  146  forming intersecting ribs  148 . These ribs  148  provide structural support for the upper surfaces and side walls of the block  110  and partial barrel  102  while the voids may be required for uniform cooling during injection molding of each of the bodies  110  and  102 . Although not shown, similar voids may be formed in the locating member  106 . Preferably each of the components of the assembled exercise apparatus  100  is made of a lightweight plastic material. 
   The apparatus  100  may be constructed other than as specifically shown. For example, the upright side of the step block  110  and lateral edges of the partial barrel  102  may have hook and loop fabric adhered to their surfaces such that the step block  110  may be removably fastened together with the partial barrel  102 . The entire underside surfaces of the step block  110 , the partial barrel  102  and the locating member  106  may covered in fastener material  142  while the upper surface of the pad  108  is entirely covered in mating fastener material  144  rather than utilizing strips and patches as illustrated. Other removable adhesive materials may be used, or the mating surfaces provided simply with non-slip material on the edges and surfaces to minimize shifting of the bodies during use. 
   Alternatively, the locating member  106  may have a different cross sectional shape than the arcuate shape as shown. The locating member  106  may have a rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal or other polygonal cross sectional shape, for example. In addition, the locating member  106  may be integrally formed on the pad  108  rather than as a separate body. 
   The end surfaces  126  of the partial barrel  102  are shown as having four recesses  128  and thus three ribs  130 . Depending on the overall width of the partial barrel  102 , additional, or fewer ribs may be provided. Preferably the ribs should be between 3-4 inches apart. 
   The locating member  106  may optionally be formed of a flexible resilient material that serves a dual function: that of a location member as above described, and as an integral head support for a user using the base mat  108  as a Pilates exercise mat without the partial barrel  102  and step block  110  in place. Accordingly, the base  108  may be a full size mat, typically about six feet in length, or may be a short mat as shown in the Figures and described above. 
   The simplest version of the partial barrel  102  is simply a curved plastic body having the composite upper surface  104  as above described. Such a simple version may be formed of a single sheet of rigid plastic that may or may not require a supporting rib beneath the upper surface  104 , but will have two surface portions  112  and  114  as above described with different radii of curvature. 
   While the apparatus has been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and all embodiments of the following claims.