Abstract:
A ropeless jump rope for simulating the jumping of rope and for calculating, recording, and displaying a variety of data relating to the use of the ropeless jump rope. A preferred embodiment comprises a housing having a grip on at least a portion thereof and a display/control portion. The display/control portion houses a microprocessor, a display/control panel and a battery compartment. The housing further houses a pulse rate monitor for monitoring the pulse of a user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/582,173 entitled “Jump snap—ropeless jump rope,” and filed on Jun. 24, 2004 by inventor Brad LaTour, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     The present invention relates to jump rope simulators and, more particularly, to a new jump rope simulator for providing a physical workout by simulating the jumping of rope while monitoring and displaying a user&#39;s pulse.  
         [0005]     1. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     A variety of conventional jump rope simulators are known. One example of such a prior art jump rope is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,341, which discloses a pair of hand-held units, each unit having a handle with an elongate flexible cord attached thereto. The flexible cord has a distribution of weight biased away from the handle to facilitate a twirling motion. The flexible cord on each handle may be twirled about an axis extending form the handle. The handle may have a counter with a reset button and a calorie counting device for displaying a number of calories consumed or burned. Like the counter, the calorie counter preferably has a reset button. Other examples of such known jump rope simulators include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,662,561, D477,853, D470,902, D352,236, 5,697,871, 4,593,899, 4,179,119, 4,101,123, 6,544,148, 3,212,777 and 5,643,149.  
         [0007]     While these prior devices may have been useful, they failed to provide the user with any ability to customize the workout in terms of the weight of the devices and the data displayed. The prior art devices failed to provide data regarding the user&#39;s workout beyond the number of turns of the handle and the calories burned. Further, the prior art devices failed to provide user&#39;s with a convenient display of such data and convenient controls for customizing the displayed data beyond simply resetting the turn and calorie counters to zero. The entirety of each of the aforementioned documents is incorporated by reference herein.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention disclosed and claimed herein is a ropeless jump rope having primary and secondary handles each capable of receiving weights to adjust the intensity of the workout. Both the primary and secondary handles have weighted cords or rods attached at one end that can be swung in a rotational manner around an axis extending form the center of the handle. The primary handle has a variety of means for electronic collection of data, including a sensor or sensors for monitoring a user&#39;s heart rate and a turn counter. The primary handle also may have a receiver for receiving data, such heart rate data, from a separate device such as a chest strap from a conventional heart rate monitor. The various means for electronic collection of data output the data to a microprocessor, which stores the data and may perform various processing on the data. The primary handle further has a battery compartment for receiving batteries to power the device. A microprocessor in the primary handle receives various data regarding the workout and inputs from the user, makes various calculations, and displays requested data and results on one or more displays. The user may control the device or enter various input data through a control panel having various input means such as on/off or reset controls, scroll buttons or the like. The one or more displays can display a variety of data such as turn count, turn rate, current pulse, average pulse, average turn rate, estimated total calories burned, estimated caloric burn rate, selected pulse range, workout time, remaining workout time and the like.  
         [0009]     Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating preferable embodiments and implementations. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustration in nature, and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRITION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification illustrate some embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain some aspects, advantages, and principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a primary unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a secondary unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]     FIGS.  3 ( a ) and ( b ) illustrate the use of weights in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates the use of the invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates the architecture of the electronics in a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a primary unit in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates finger grips in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates and end view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a grip of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     The present invention presents a novel combination of elements that collectively produce a jump rope simulator having multiple functions and adjustments that facilitate exercise. Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 ( a ) and  3 ( b ), a preferred embodiment of the invention has two handles, one referred to as a “primary” or “smart” handle and the other referred to as a “secondary” or “dumb” handle.  
         [0021]     A side view of primary handle of a preferred embodiment is shown in  FIG. 1 . The primary handle of a preferred embodiment has a housing  110  that preferably is elongate, hollow and generally cylindrical in shape. The housing  120  may be formed in other shapes provided that the housing may be gripped by a hand. Further, at one end, the housing has an opening  102  for receiving a weight  310 . The inner surface of housing  110  adjacent the opening  102  is threaded for mating with a threaded portion  132  of an end cap or plug  132 . The end cap  132  may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic or rubber. The housing may be formed of any suitable material, such as metal, plastic or wood, but preferably is a rigid material. The housing preferable is approximately eight inches in length and has a diameter in a range suitable to be gripped by any of a variety of sizes of hands after a foam or rubber grip  114  is place on the handle. In an alternative embodiment, the handle grip may be integral with the housing such as with the housing and grip both being formed from molded plastic.  
         [0022]     The grip  114  is placed over a portion of the housing adjacent the opening  132 . In a preferred embodiment, the grip is approximately six inches in length, but other lengths of grips may be used with the invention. The grip  114  may take on any of a variety of shapes, but in a preferred embodiment, the grip is formed with a plurality of finger grip sections such as is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 . In  FIG. 9 , the grip  114  is shown as having an open end for receiving the housing and a closed end for covering the opposing end of the housing. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, that this is only one embodiment, and that in other embodiments, such as is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the grip is open on both ends and an end cap  132  is used to cover the end of the housing.  
         [0023]     The housing may include a variety of openings in its sidewalls to accommodate various components of the system. One such opening may be for receiving one or more sensors  112  for a pulse monitor. The pulse monitor is placed in the grip portion of the housing in this particular embodiment. Thus, the grip  114  also would have an opening for the sensor(s)  112 . Pulse monitors are generally known in the fitness field, and any suitable pulse monitor and sensor arrangement may be used with the invention. Alternatively, the primary handle may incorporate a receiver (not shown) for receiving data from a conventional pulse rate monitor such as one having sensors in a chest strap.  
         [0024]     When the grip  114  is in place, a portion of the housing  110  extends out of the grip  114 . That portion of the housing extending beyond the grip shall be referred to for reference purposes as the display/control portion  120  of the housing. While it is described here as a portion of the housing distinct from the grip portion, it will be under stood that the invention may be incorporated with a unitary structure, for example, such that the entire length of the housing is covered by the grip  114 , but the grip  114  has one or more openings for receiving one or more displays and controls.  
         [0025]     In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the display/control portion  120  of the housing houses a battery compartment  128  for supplying power to the electronics in the primary handle. The electronics in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  include a plurality of displays  126  for displaying information, such as estimated calories burned, exercise time, turn count, and heart rate. Other information such as time of day, average pulse, average turns per minute, or the like may be displayed in addition to or instead of this information. The displays may be arranged in any manner, but are shown in  FIG. 1  as being part of a display/control panel.  
         [0026]     At an end of the housing opposite the opening  102 , there is a counting mechanism  140 . The counting mechanism  140  is attached to a rope simulating element such as a rod or cord  150  having a weight  160  connected thereto. The counting mechanism  140  permits rotational movement of the rod or cord  150  around an axis  410  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The weight may be formed of a variety of materials, such as steel, rubber or plastic, but preferable is either formed from or covered with a flexible material for preventing injury in the even of an errant spin of the weight. The counting mechanism  140  also may permit movement in the direction  414 . In an alternative embodiment, the counting mechanism  140  may be eliminated from the device such that the rope simulating element is attached to the handle housing.  
         [0027]     The preferred embodiment likewise would include a plurality of control buttons  124  for controlling various functions of the electronics, such as power on/off, reset, and the like. Many different types of controls may be used with the invention.  
         [0028]     In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a single display  610  may be used for displaying all system information. With such a single display, various types of information may be cycled across the screen at preset or selected intervals. Alternatively, a display control  620  may be provided for permitting a user to select which information they would like to display.  
         [0029]     An embodiment of a secondary or dumb handle  200  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The secondary handle has a housing  210  having a grip portion covered by a grip  214  (not shown) and a “dummy” portion  220 . The end of the grip portion of the housing  210  has an opening  202  for receiving a weight  310  and an end cap  230  for retaining the weight within the housing. As with the primary handle, the inner side of the housing  210  adjacent the opening  202  may be threaded for mating with a threaded portion  232  of the end cap  230 . The end caps  130  and  230  for the primary and secondary handles preferably are identical in size and structure and are interchangeable. Likewise, the primary and secondary housings  110 ,  210  preferably each have a chamber (not shown) within their hollow interiors for receiving a weight  310 . A variety of weights  310  having different weights, such as ½, 1, and 1½ pounds, may be used, but preferably should be of similar size.  
         [0030]     A preferred embodiment of a system architecture for the electronics in the primary handle is shown in  FIG. 5 . A microprocessor  510  stores various data and processes within its internal memory (not shown) and is power by battery  550 . The stored data may of any of a variety of types, may be simple or complex, and may be generic or specific to a user. For example, the data may be limited to the current workout or may include date and time information from a variety of past workouts or even a variety of users to provide users with records of their workouts or long periods of time. An alternative embodiment could include means, such as a USB, infrared or Ethernet port, for downloading or exporting information to a separate device such as a PC or a PDA. Such a means for exporting data further could be a port for receiving a memory device such as a flash memory, a memory stick, or the like. Such means also could be used for importing or uploading data, music, software or workout programs.  
         [0031]     The microprocessor receives inputs from controls  530 , counting mechanism  540  and heart monitor  112 . The controls may be simple or complex depending on the particular embodiment. The controls may permit customization of a variety of factors, such as by permitting a user to enter identifying information and setting workout preferences such as desired heart rate ranges, workout time limits or intervals. The controls  530  may provide for a variety of inputs, such as on/off, reset, pulse range, turn pace and the like may be provided. Likewise, the controls may be used to set desired heart rate ranges, workout times, or workout intervals. The controls may come in any of a variety of forms from simple on/off and reset button controls to arrow keys, enter buttons and display menus.  
         [0032]     Microprocessor  510  processes the various data received and outputs display data to display panel  520 , which has one or more displays  126 . The microprocessor may calculate and/or cause the display  520  to display a variety of information relating to the user including, but not limited to, turn count, turns per minute, average turns per minute, estimated total calories burned, estimate calories burned per time increment, time, running time, remaining workout time, heart rate, average heart rate, maximum heart rate, and minimum heart rate.  
         [0033]     In an alternative embodiment, the system may have a speaker  560  or speakers for making various sounds such as a simulated click of a rope. Beeps or other sounds may be used to denote particular time intervals such as one, five, or ten minute increments. Sounds likewise may be used to indicate, for example, that a minimum heart rate has been reached or a maximum heart rate has been exceeded. Additional sounds, such as a pace indicator likewise may be used. Such sounds emitting from the speaker may be as simple as beeps or may be more complex sounds such a music or voice recordings. Alternatively, a headphone jack may be used in place of an internal speaker.  
         [0034]     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents. The entirety of each of the aforementioned documents is incorporated by reference herein.